Chapter 120: The Prelude to the End

"Is it coming to an end?" I sat quietly in my villa, gazing at the sky that didn't exist in the world outside, and spoke to myself.

"It seems the world I created is still quite remarkable." Just as Lance was sighing to himself, a man dressed in the uniform of the Blood Oath Knights walked over.

"Kayaba? What brings you here?" Lance had not expected Akihiko Kayaba to appear at such a moment, though upon reflection, it made sense. According to his agreement with Renhua, this game was set to conclude tomorrow. Naturally, aside from Lance, who had fully embraced the game, Kayaba was the one most prone to melancholy.

"Nothing much. I'm just too excited to sleep, knowing that tomorrow I will finally reach the world of my dreams. Besides, you are the only one who can truly listen to me." Without a hint of concern for Lance’s reaction, he sat down on the steps beside him.

"Is it over?"

"Yes..."

***

"Everyone! The trial is right before us! Let us prove the significance of our existence to the players who have silently supported us!" This time, it was not Heathcliff, the highest-ranking member, leading the charge, but Lance. No one knew why, but Lance had an inkling: it seemed the boss of this floor was not as simple as a pile of bones.

"Begin!" Lance pushed open the heavy doors, and the group, without further ado, gripped their weapons and slowly stepped into the final boss chamber.

"Silica, you are responsible for Kirito, Asuna, and the other main damage dealers. Everyone else, use your crystals to hold out as long as you can. If it becomes unbearable, retreat from the fight or call out for help." Since Kayaba had not revealed the final boss to him, he opted for the safest configuration.

"Welcome, everyone!" Instead of the expected attack from the eerie skeleton, they were greeted by the players' nightmare—the Reaper in a hooded cloak. It was the avatar of Kayaba, the man who had announced their entry into this death game.

"First, congratulations to you all for reaching this point. Secondly, since I have grown bored, I will give you a chance. Of course, to earn this chance, you must first defeat my pet!" With that, he elegantly snapped his fingers.

"Bang! Bang!"

"Clatter, clatter!"

With a strange, unsettling sound, the bone centipede, which Lance recognized all too well, fell from the ceiling.

Although the boss's appearance and entrance were absurd, no one in the clearing team dared to underestimate it, given its imposing aura and Kayaba’s confident tone.

"Same old rules! Defense team!" Despite playing two roles, he led the team with great seriousness. The defensive players, though terrified by the boss, held their ground; their endurance would determine how long the attack team could sustain their offensive.

"How is it looking?" Asuna asked, standing beside Lance.

"Wait a little longer..." Before Lance could finish—

"Roar!" Seeing the countless ants surrounding it, the bone monster let out a roar of annoyance. What followed was something no one could believe.

"Paul!" Following a player's cry, that player shattered into fragments before their eyes. Even in his final moments, his eyes were filled with disbelief, never imagining he would die here.

"Both the attack and defense teams, form pairs!" Lance shouted. "The boss's attacks cannot be stopped by one person alone! Everyone, coordinate your defense with your partner." As Lance gave the order, everyone quickly paired up with their usual teammates. There was one exception, however: Silica. As a support player, she had no fixed partner. Though she held a high status in the clearing team, she belonged to neither the attack nor defense teams, leaving her as the only one without a partner.

Although this boss was merely a program designed by Kayaba, it clearly possessed shadows of artificial intelligence. In an instant, it identified the most vulnerable target.

"Dodge!" Lance realized the boss's intent the moment it moved. Fortunately, the players present were not amateurs; two nearby pairs instantly stepped in front of Silica.

However, this boss was clearly beyond what normal players could handle. The two pairs could only ensure their own survival; protecting others proved to be a struggle. Within twenty seconds, the weapons of the group on the left were sent flying after a block.

"Ah!" Though she had participated in many raids, she had never faced such danger. In fact, due to the strength of the clearing team, her usual leveling and raids had been safer and easier than ever. Now, she truly understood the peril of the clearing team.

"Gale!" Just as Silica stood frozen, Lance arrived, having seized the half-minute window provided by the two teams. He swung his massive scythe in a wide arc, forcefully knocking away the boss's two giant bone claws.

"Asuna, protect Silica; she is the guarantee of our endurance." He nodded to the two teams who had helped shield Silica. They simply nodded in return.

Because of Kayaba's deliberate arrangements, the boss had been altered; its health was significantly increased, with three health bars on each side. Its claws occasionally flashed with the light of skills, but everyone worked together to block them.

"Kirito!" After using his massive scythe to deflect an attack, Lance shouted to the rear. Kirito, wielding his dual blades, and Klein, with his katana, instantly swapped in. Chunks of bone debris rained down from the monster's body, but it was clear the boss wouldn't be this simple. Even the bosses on previous floors had second forms; this final gift prepared by Kayaba couldn't be so limited.

"Roar!" When the boss's health dropped by one-sixth, it let out a fierce cry and leaped up to the ceiling.

The fighters below lost their target, and it was in this moment of confusion that they understood the boss's true terror.

"Bang!" With another explosive sound, the boss dove from above, cutting directly into the temporarily recovering members.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!" Amidst the countless screams, at least five players shattered into fragments. Lance couldn't help but look at Heathcliff, who was still holding his massive shield against the boss. Logically, since the game was ending, further senseless killing served no purpose. But when he saw the floating "Akihiko Kayaba," he instantly guessed the truth.

Asuna was supposed to have been killed, yet she remained alive, a phenomenon that only occurred after defeating the boss. But this time, it seemed Kayaba had activated this function the moment they entered the room. Why did Lance think so?

The countless orbs of light dancing around "Akihiko Kayaba" were the proof he needed.