Asuna headed to the Knights of the Blood headquarters to speak with Heathcliff. Kirito went to Egil's shop, while Hachiman waited outside for Asuna. Moments later, she burst out, flustered.
"Hachiman-kun, it's a big deal! The guild leader says he wants to fight you!"
"What the…?"
Asuna explained that Heathcliff had agreed to let her take a break from the guild—on the condition that she defeat him in a duel.
"He wants you to come to his room," she said.
"Got it."
Entering Heathcliff's room, Hachiman didn't waste time. "Does leaving a guild really need conditions? Isn't it a personal choice?"
"I understand your point," Heathcliff replied, "but this poses a risk to our guild. I can't just say 'sure' and let it go."
"Fair enough, I guess…" Hachiman conceded.
"Guild leader, I'm not trying to quit," Asuna interjected. "I just want some distance to think things over."
"Of course, I understand," Heathcliff said. "But the real goal here is for me to face Hachiman-kun with that weapon of his. I've been intrigued by it since I saw it last time. So, I'm using this opportunity to make that happen."
"Didn't peg you for a battle junkie," Hachiman muttered.
Hachiman fell deep into thought, and a contradiction struck him.
(In the last fight, I didn't use Achtfaust like a weapon. So why did he call it one? He seemed to know it was a weapon from the start, without any doubt. It looks like a small arm-mounted shield to anyone else. I told him its name, sure, but even knowing 'Faust' means 'fist,' no one else assumed it was a weapon right away. Which means…)
A chill ran through Hachiman as he reached a terrifying conclusion.
(Could Heathcliff be… Kayaba Akihiko? No way, but it's the only explanation. I thought his eyes looked familiar at first…)
With this suspicion in mind, Hachiman began strategizing his next move.
"Hachiman-kun?" Asuna prompted.
"You've been thinking hard, Hachiman-kun," Heathcliff said. "Got an answer yet?"
Hachiman, having settled on a plan, clarified the terms. "If you're defeated in a duel, you'll let Asuna take her break?"
"Absolutely," Heathcliff confirmed.
"No takebacks?"
"Of course not."
"Alright, I'll take that challenge."
Asuna fidgeted nervously, but Hachiman's next words stunned her.
"But I'm not the one fighting. Kirito is."
"…What?" Heathcliff asked, caught off guard.
"You said 'if I'm defeated,' but you never specified who," Hachiman pointed out. "Right?"
Heathcliff chuckled. "Well played. You got me there."
"It's a bit of a loophole, I admit. So, I'll sweeten the deal with a proposal that benefits you."
"I'm listening."
"If Kirito loses, I'll join the Knights of the Blood as Asuna's bodyguard and strategist."
"Hachiman-kun?!" Asuna gasped, her voice almost a scream.
Heathcliff eyed Hachiman with interest. "Go on."
"And one more thing. This'll spread fast, so I'll just say it: Kirito has a Unique Skill—Dual Blades. It's Dual Blades versus Holy Sword. Let the Knights of the Blood host the duel as a spectacle. Charge admission, and you'll make a tidy profit with no upfront cost."
"Hmm…" Heathcliff mused.
"Lastly, even if Kirito loses, give Asuna a day off. She's moving into my place, so she'll need time to prep."
"Well, congratulations!" Heathcliff said.
Asuna, struggling to keep up, blushed furiously.
"You heard Kuradeel's report, right?" Hachiman continued. "I don't know what he told you, but you've probably already investigated the facts. I'm just cleaning up his mess."
"I do regret his actions," Heathcliff said. "As an apology, I'll accept all your terms."
"Deal. We're out. Let us know the time and place."
"I'll arrange it promptly."
Outside, Asuna turned to Hachiman. "Why'd you make that proposal? You didn't have to go that far…"
"Not now, Asuna. Call Kirito and Argo to my place, pronto."
Sensing the urgency in Hachiman's tone, Asuna dropped the subject.
Once the four gathered at Hachiman's house, he explained what had happened.
"So, that's the deal. I need you to fight Heathcliff in my place, Kirito."
"I'm fine with that, but…" Kirito hesitated.
"Spill the details, Hachi-bou," Argo said. "What's the real story?"
"The real story?" Asuna asked, confused.
Hachiman nodded. "This might be wrong, but hear me out and don't freak. I think Heathcliff might be Kayaba Akihiko."
"What?!" Kirito exclaimed.
"The guild leader?!" Asuna gasped.
Hachiman recounted the events and his suspicions about Achtfaust.
"That's a bit thin for evidence," Argo said.
"I know. That's why I set conditions. If Kirito wins, Asuna gets her break—simple. If he loses, I join the Knights of the Blood, giving me a chance to observe Heathcliff up close."
"That could uncover more clues," Argo agreed.
"Plus, if Heathcliff sees Kirito's strength firsthand, no one will dare mess with him once Dual Blades goes public," Hachiman added.
"You thought all that through in such a short time?" Asuna said, awed.
"But there's still something I don't get," Kirito said.
Hachiman cut him off. "I know what you're wondering—my connection to Kayaba Akihiko."
Kirito nodded emphatically.
"I met him before the beta test started," Hachiman said, recounting his encounter with Kayaba and the events leading to SAO's imprisonment.
"That explains a lot," Kirito said. "From the start, you knew way too much about the game and combat. I didn't pry, but it makes sense now."
"Asuna and I knew bits of it," Argo said, "but hearing it again, it'd definitely seem weird otherwise."
"That makes your theory more plausible," Asuna added.
"There's a chance," Argo agreed. "I've wondered if Kayaba's satisfied with how things are."
"What do you mean?" Hachiman asked.
Kirito leaned forward. "If you were Kayaba, observing your own world, would you just watch through cameras or key footage? Would that be fun?"
"If it were me, that'd be boring," Argo said.
Kirito nodded. "I think the best way to feel your creation's impact is to jump in and experience it with other players."
"That tracks," Hachiman said. "External displays are just data."
"So I wondered if Kayaba's in here, posing as a player, watching us," Kirito concluded.
The four felt their guess was likely correct.
"So why pick me to face Heathcliff?" Kirito asked.
"Think about it," Hachiman said. "If we aim to clear all hundred floors, do you think Heathcliff—assuming he's Kayaba—will just play along as a regular player until the end?"
"What do you mean?" Kirito asked.
"It'd be like a know-it-all creator spoon-feeding us the win. Kayaba wouldn't do that. He'll probably fake his death or…"
"Or what?" Asuna asked.
"I think he might've set himself as the final boss."
"The guild leader as the final boss…?" Asuna murmured.
The three fell silent, pondering.
"Can't rule it out," Argo said.
"If it comes to that, Kirito, you'll likely be the one facing him," Hachiman said.
"Me?"
"Yeah. I'm not great against Heathcliff—bad matchup. Plus, I'm not gonna grow much more. Beta tester habits are too ingrained, probably for him too. Knowing too much can limit you."
"Too much knowledge can make you rigid," Argo agreed.
"But you're different, Kirito," Hachiman said. "You've got limitless potential. In this duel, size up Heathcliff's strength, feel it, and figure out how to surpass him. It's a step toward the future."
"Man, Hachiman, you're putting way too much on me," Kirito groaned.
"Big hurdle for you, Kii-bou," Argo teased.
"You don't have to win," Hachiman said.
"Kirito-kun, good luck!" Asuna cheered.
"More pressure…" Kirito muttered.
"Argo, I need you to dig into Heathcliff, assuming he's Kayaba," Hachiman said.
"Got it. This one's pro bono," Argo replied.
Later, Heathcliff confirmed the duel would take place tomorrow in a newly discovered coliseum on the seventy-fifth floor.
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