The next morning, the world seemed quieter than usual. The sky on Floor 3 was painted a dull gray, clouds drifting lazily above the metal trees that stretched toward the artificial sun. Yet within that silence, something was different—an invisible pressure that weighed upon Aincrad's code.
Deep within the labyrinth of the South Ruins, the air still crackled with lingering energy from the night before. Fragments of golden light floated like ash, slowly dissolving into the system.
At the center of it all stood Kirito—motionless. His cloak was torn, his breath ragged, but his eyes burned brighter than ever.
He held the Fragment of the True King in his palm. It pulsed gently, sending waves of warmth and memory through him. Each beat carried a whisper—voices of warriors long gone, rulers whose souls had once shaped the world.
"Heir of Babylon… awaken what sleeps within."
Kirito's hand trembled as the words echoed in his head.
"Awaken… what?"
Before he could think further, a flicker of light appeared before him. His system interface opened automatically, displaying a line of code he hadn't activated.
[System Update Detected: Access Granted — Royal Subsystem Unlocked]
[New Ability: Throne Access — Level 1]
Kirito frowned.
"The system is rewriting itself again. This isn't supposed to exist…"
He tried to open his menu to inspect the new skill, but instead of a skill tree, the interface distorted into a spiraling golden pattern. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he felt himself falling—not through air, but through data.
When his sight cleared, he stood in a massive hall of gold and marble. Columns reached endlessly into a void above, their surfaces etched with countless names in ancient script. Weapons of every kind hovered in stillness, suspended in beams of light.
And at the far end, upon a raised dais, sat a massive throne—crafted entirely from swords.
"The Gate of Babylon…" Kirito whispered. "No… this is something more."
As he stepped closer, the air around him rippled. A golden figure appeared before the throne, its form regal yet ethereal. The same voice that had spoken through the fragment now echoed around him.
"You stand before the Vault Eternal—the Throne of Heroes. I am the echo of Gilgamesh, the True King. My treasury, my power, my pride—all now flow through your soul."
Kirito tensed.
"Then you're the one who attacked me."
"A shadow of me did," the figure replied calmly. "You faced my guardian—an echo meant to test your worth. You survived… barely. That is enough."
"Why me?" Kirito demanded. "Why not Kayaba? He built this world—he's the one who plays god here."
The spirit chuckled softly.
"Kayaba is no king. He created a prison, not a realm. You, however, fight not to rule, but to free. That contradiction… makes you worthy."
Kirito clenched his fists.
"Worthy to do what?"
The figure turned, raising its hand. The walls of the hall shimmered, revealing visions—battles of kings, gods, and warriors. Among them, Kirito saw himself—standing atop Aincrad's highest floor, golden weapons floating around him, his cloak billowing in divine wind.
"To bear the Burden of Kingship. To wield power without succumbing to arrogance. Every ruler faces that trial. And every heir must choose—does he lead his people… or dominate them?"
The image shifted. He saw Asuna, Klein, and others below him—reaching up, their eyes filled with fear, not faith.
Kirito's chest tightened.
"No… I'm not like that. I'd never—"
"Not yet," the figure interrupted. "But power changes all things. The Throne awaits your command, and once you claim it fully… Aincrad itself will bend to your will."
The spirit extended its hand, offering a radiant key of light.
"Take it, Kirito. Take your rightful place as King of Blades."
For a long moment, Kirito stared at it. His mind was torn between temptation and fear. He remembered the faces of those who fought beside him—their trust, their hope. He also remembered the ones who had died because they weren't strong enough.
"If I had more power back then…" he thought, "I could've saved them."
Slowly, he reached out and grasped the key.
The moment his fingers touched it, the entire hall exploded in light.
[System Synchronization: 42%... 67%... 93%...]
[Royal Authority: Awakened.]
Kirito's eyes flashed gold as energy surged through him. The weapons around the hall turned toward him, vibrating in resonance. He felt their history, their emotions, their weight.
He gasped, falling to one knee as pain shot through his body.
"It's… too much…"
"Then learn to bear it," the echo of Gilgamesh intoned. "A king does not falter beneath the weight of his throne."
Kirito screamed as the light consumed him—then everything went black.
When he awoke, he was back in the real Aincrad. Asuna knelt beside him, her hands glowing faintly from a healing spell.
"You're awake!" she said, relief flooding her face. "You were gone for hours. I found you collapsed here."
Kirito groaned, sitting up. His HUD flickered strangely—half of his system icons now tinted gold.
"I… think I met him."
"Who?"
"The True King."
He opened his hand, and golden energy flickered to life. This time, when the portals appeared behind him, they didn't spin wildly—they formed a perfect halo, symmetrical, disciplined. Each weapon hovered in reverence.
"I unlocked something called Royal Authority," Kirito said quietly. "It feels… alive."
Asuna stepped back slightly, awe and worry crossing her face.
"Kirito… what are you becoming?"
He looked at his reflection in the blade of his sword—his eyes glowing like molten gold.
"Someone who won't let this world break us anymore."
But deep down, he couldn't ignore the echo of the King's final words:
"A ruler who claims the throne must one day choose—order or freedom, dominion or mercy."
And as he sheathed his blade, a storm of gold rippled across Aincrad's sky—unseen by most, but felt by all.
The Throne of Blades had awakened.