Cross Horizon

by 0time

In North America Server. On the Day of the Apocalypse... A white-haired Samurai found himself in a foreign place and a girl who was still new to the game was at lost. The story begins when they came across each other. [Story is a bit long so don't read if you are not into long stories. AU for skills and other things that the Author considered.]

The Day of the Apocalypse...

The day when the new update was released, hundreds of thousand players worldwide had been trapped inside the game they enjoyed.

Elder Tale...

The virtual world now becomes their reality...

And thus their adventure begins...

"="="="="="

On one of the many shores of America, a young man was lying on the sand where the waves continued to hit him each passing moment.

He did not lay there himself... he was washed up on the beach.

The young man was a white-haired samurai wearing a white kimono.

---

The White(Shiroi) Samurai

In the forest south of the main city of Texas, Austin, a wild boar was running away from its pursuer. Even though the wild boar was running at the speed that could surpass the "Guinness World Records" of the animal kingdom but the pursuer was still close by its tail.

Its pursuer was a white-haired man wearing white kimono.

The boar suddenly changed its path and stepped out of the forest open... thinking it could surprise and lose the pursuer.

"Now it's your chance, Alicia!"

The white-haired man shouted to his small female companion.

The boar was surprised to see a small girl in the forest open waiting for it.

The girl has shoulder length light blue hair and tied some hair with a yellow ribbon on the right side of her face. She wears a white shirt with a small red tie and mini jeans. To keep herself warm, she used black stockings and brown leather boots. She has a black jacket, which looks like a tuxedo, with its tails long enough to sway in the air.

This girl is Alicia.

"I've got this!"

Alicia shouted in response to the white-haired man and prepared her twin short-swords for a combo as the wild boar charges furiously towards her.

(The health of the wild boar has been lowered by Shiroi-san and now I just need to get the right timing to kill it.)

Alicia could feel her body heating up and her blood boiling... but was it from excitement or was it due to fear?

Her mouth felt dry... was it from the heat of her body that evaporated all the moisture within her mouth?

She does not know.

But one thing she knows for sure was that the game, Elder Tale, she used to play became as real as the world she had 'once' lived.

Now, she has to hold her swords and execute combos using her body like she was in the game. She has to kill the boar which was running straight at her in order to get stronger.

(I will have to kill it!)

Alicia made a confirmation within her thought as the boar gets closer.

(I... Is it really alright to kill it?)

Alicia's determination began to shake when she noticed she was about to end a life... a life of this game.

(Whoa, whoa, whoa! What do I do?)

The wild boar's face got even closer than it should while Alicia was fighting with her inner thought.

"ALICIA! DO IT NOW!"

Alicia's thought was like a scale that suddenly gain weight on one side and she made a decision without giving much thought.

"I'M SORRY! STARBURST STREA-"

*PON*

Alicia was knocked flying by the boar before she could finish saying the name of a move that existed in a different world.

"="="="="="

"*Sob*... I'm sorry... *sob*"

I was on my knees in front of Shiroi-san to apologize for my failure. I failed to kill the boar because I couldn't make my decision during the time... Shiroi-san even did all the hard work in lowering the boar's HP without killing it.

"Ahaha! It's fine, it's fine."

Shiroi-san patted my head as he laughed off my mistake with a smile.

"We can just do it over again, Alicia."

(...)

I lowered my head because I could feel my face burning when Shiroi-san patted my head... I just noticed how big his hand was...

(Why am I feeling like this...? I only just met him yesterday...)

That's right; I only met Shiroi-san yesterday... that was when I was ambushed by a group of goblins and he saved me from the inevitable in-game death, just like a knight in shining armor I dreamed of XD! He's reliable and strong; as a veteran player, he taught me a lot about how the game works and the skills I could use at different situations. But it surprises me as why a LV90 Samurai like him was wandering in low level place last night... maybe it's part of his nature to help beginners like me.

But unlike like him, I'm only a newbie Swashbuckler at LV 17 and in real life I'm just a thirteen year old shut-in or otaku if some people know.

It's been three weeks since the day of the Apocalypse and the way the game used to work have drastic changes, especially the fighting system, where the moves and skills are done, literally, with our own hands. But after witnessing the way Shiroi-san fought and the skills he used yesterday I decided to ask him for his help.

I'm happy that someone like Shiroi-san who was a much experienced player than me accepted to train me since yesterday. Shiroi-san was actually famous enough among the People of the Land around the country; he was known for having saved many villages from destruction (either from attacks from monsters or food shortage and such). But many rumors from People of the Land referred to him as 'Drifter from another Land'... I think it's just him being a Samurai or his nationality was Japanese (so due to that I decided to add Japanese honorifics to his name). Still, it was unbelievable at first that someone as famous as Shiroi-san decided to help me but due to his personality that kind of doubt left me.

"Alright, shall we give it another shot?"

Shiroi-san gave me his hand to get me up.

"Ah... Yes, please!"

I took his hand and got up.

"Wait, Shiroi-san."

Before we start the training again, I wanted him to do something for me.

"Yes?"

"Can you perform that skill, 'Iaijutsu', again?"

"Ah, that skill which requires careful handling?"

"Yes, please!"

"I can but why would you want to see that? Is there something special about it?"

"Stop asking so many questions, I just wanted to see that move."

"Alright then..."

Shiroi-san executed his best move 'Iaijutsu'... a combative sword-drawing art... it could be use for aggressive surprise attacks or just as defensive counter-attacks. It's elegant as the user will has to stay calm and still when performing it and it's powerful which can inflict 1000 direct damage to the target when hit.

"="="="="="

After few more rounds of hunting the wild boars, the sun begins to set and two players decided to head back to Austin.

---

The main city of Austin was made to resemble the one in the real world in some way otherwise it would need far too much details to make a perfect Austin in he game... but with the design of Half Gaia Project, the size of the Austin in Elder Tale was only half of the original. The Austin in the real world was the 4th largest city of Texas so it's expected to be bright and lively but the Austin in Elder Tale, where buildings are made mostly from stones and wood, does not have such lively feel to it.

Alicia and Shiroi were walking through the dark street heading towards the Guild Hall. They walked past a lot of players lying against the walls of the buildings or alleyways, lifelessly. While walking through such unsightly scene, Alicia grabbed onto the back of Shiroi's white kimono as she followed Shiroi. Shiroi noticed this and slowed down his pace to match Alicia's.

Even though Alicia had seen this scene for the past three weeks but she still feels uneasy about it... it's something she can't get used to...

"Those people still can't get over what happened three weeks ago."

Shiroi was talking about the Day of the Apocalypse.

"..."

Alicia doesn't know what to say in response to that.

"Ahaha, don't worry. Just give them some time and let them accept their current situation."

"But Shiroi-san... I don't think just accepting the current state will make anything better..."

"Hm?"

"Sure there are a lot of players like us who gets used to and adapted to this 'New World' quickly but there are still others who get confused when there's a drastic change in their lif... I mean environment."

"So you are saying that we could guide them or show them the way things works here?"

"Well, I'm not saying that we should but I think with your status and the way you treat people you could-"

"Beat it! There's no ways I can do that."

Shiroi interrupted Alicia and said something Alicia did not expect to hear.

"Ah, I'm sorry... I just wanted..."

Alicia was lost in words when she noticed that she may have asked Shiroi to do something he doesn't like.

"It's not that, Alicia..."

Shiroi held Alicia's hand and made her walk along with him on his left side.

"..."

It was another unexpected move by Shiroi and Alicia couldn't help but blush. She lowered her head to her left so Shiroi won't notice it.

"Well, I just wanted to say that even if I'm the famous 'White Samurai'... even if I'm powerful... I still can't change this world myself..."

Shiroi gave his reason as they walked past a dirty old man in a saggy old brown cloak sitting against a wall filled with mosses.

"You may be right on that, Shiroi-san... but-"

"?!"

Shiroi was surprised by Alicia when she suddenly loosens her hand from his and jumped in front of the dirty old man. The dirty old man did not notice Alicia but continuously glaring at the broken bricks on the floor. Alicia moved her fingers to manage her menu she called up and brought out a brown ragged bag. The bag dropped onto her hand and made metallic sounds of small things colliding with one another.

"This is for you, mister."

"...!"

The dirty old man finally noticed Alicia when she dropped the brown bag inside his broken wooden bowl. The old man was confused as why Alicia did such thing. Alicia noticed that and pointed her little fingers at the worn-out wooden sign behind the old man. The sign said "In need of 10000G".

"Don't you need these?"

Alicia gave the old man a beautiful smile, along with a sweet wink, before she leave to Shiroi's side.

"O- Oh..."

After watching Alicia's little body disappearing into the shadow of the street, the old man slowly stretched his shaky hands and grabbed onto the brown bag in his bowl. He did not hesitate to check the content and his eyes changed from the eyes of a dying man to eyes of a child who just saw jewels for his first time.

The old man quickly got up on his trembling legs and turned to the direction where Alicia disappeared.

"A-AH, MY GODDESS! TH-THANKKKK KYOUUUUU!"

Alicia's shoulders jumped when the old man shouted an embarrassing line aloud that the whole district could hear. She quickly lowered her head when the players and People of the Land around them began looking at her.

"Wow, you just gave a person you don't even know all of your gold. Just what are you, a Goddess?"

Shiroi tried to tease Alicia further but also make her notice that earning that amount at her current level was not easy.

"S-stop it, you meany!"

Alicia lowered her head even more.

"Ahaha, I mean you don't even care whether he's a player or a NPC."

"But it doesn't matter Shiroi-san..."

Alicia looked up to Shiroi with a smile that's much sweeter than honey.

"At least I was able to give hope to that person."

"..."

Shiroi quickly turned his head away after seeing Alicia's face. Alicia's red face from her being embarrassed and the smile made Shiroi's heart skipped a beat. He thinks it would be dangerous if it continues that way and decided to change the topic.

"Hey, didn't you ask me whether I have a guild?"

"Yea..."

Alicia replied to Shiroi without much spirit inside her words.

(I wanted to ask whether you have a girlfriend though... stupid me...)

Shiroi smiled after hearing Alicia's reply but he did not notice the change of tone in her voice.

"Then how about you join my guild?"

Shiroi knew Alicia wasn't in the guild.

"Really? I can?!"

Alicia was surprised but happy when she heard that.

"Of course you can. My guild needs more selfless players like you!"

"S-So you are inviting me to your g-guild?"

Alicia felt excited and asked Shiroi again for confirmation... maybe she still can't believe that this was not a dream.

"Yes, I am inviting you."

Shiroi gave Alicia a bright smile.

"Yay!"

Alicia jumped up high in delight and grabbed onto both of Shiroi's hands. She looked up to Shiroi with her joyful smile.

"Thank you! Shiroi-san!"

"="="="="="

To join or leave a guild, players has to do so inside the lobby of the Guild Hall.

The lobby of the Guild Hall of Austin was large; large enough to fit at least 400 people inside all at once and still allows people to walk around freely. Unlike the dark streets of Austin, the lobby was bright and full of golden decorations. The only source of light in the lobby was the large lamp in the middle of the ceiling but it was as bright as the sun. The lights reflecting off the golden pillars colored the whole lobby into gold. The lobby looked just like a place specially made for nobles of the country.

Both Alicia and Shiroi were in the big lobby of the Guild Hall. They were in front of the counter completing the final process for Alicia to join Shiroi's guild.

"Ms. Alicia, please press the 'Accept' command to join Mr. Shiroi's guild."

The People of the Land behind the counter provided the final instruction to Alicia in order for her to join the guild.

"O-Okay."

Alicia's hand stopped before she pressed the command... she didn't know why she hesitated but she did feel a chill crawling up her back.

"Don't worry, there's always a first time for everything."

Shiroi held Alicia's stopped hand.

"Mn."

Alicia nodded slowly and finally the 'Accept' command was pressed.

A pop-up window appeared in front of Alicia congratulating her that she has joined Shiroi's guild successfully. Seeing that, Shiroi was much happier than Alicia was; he lowered himself to hug Alicia so close that their heads were next to each other. Alicia was startled by Shiroi's action but she thought it was fine after seeing how happy Shiroi was, even though she could not see Shiroi's expression.

"Congratulation, Alicia. I hereby, as the Guild Master..."

Shiroi was still hugging Alicia tight.

Shiroi was smiling from happiness...

But Alicia couldn't see Shiroi's expression from her position...

"Welcome to my guild, Nilemah Pipers."

The smile Shiroi has on his face rivals the grin of the devil.

---

I don't know how many weeks it has been since I joined Shiroi's guild and everything should be better after joining Nilemah Pipers.

That's what I thought.

"Hurry it up, you useless kid!"

"Ugh!"

Shiroi violently kicked my back and I fell helplessly onto the snow.

We are in the plain north of Austin.

The whole place was covered in snow and could be reached after crossing a forest outside the city.

Shiroi and 5 main members of his guild were leading me and 9 other beginners, who are the smaller than me in age, to the next area to gather materials from low level monsters that averaged about LV24.

For the past weeks I was taken with the other beginners to gather materials from monsters that were higher level than us. Normally only one or two main members from the guild would be with us and it would always result in many deaths in the party. But this time was the first, to have so many main members to be with the party (probably there a large demand for the material we are going to gather)... but it did not make anything better.

Shiroi was looking down at me with heartless eyes as the snow falls merciless on me.

He was smiling; a smile of a sadist, and it looked as if he really enjoyed kicking me.

"..."

I glared at him furiously... I really hate him.

"Ahaha! What's up with that face?"

He placed his cold boot on top of my head and started to twist it.

"..."

Burns from the friction of his boot was painful and the pain from the snow covering my hands was not any better.

"Hey! Why don't you say something, ahn?!"

Shiroi applied more force to his leg and begins to move his foot faster.

My arms could not hold it any longer and they gave in to pain. My head fell, along with Shiroi's boot, into the snow and the pain from both sides increased even further. I looked up and could see nothing but Shiroi's teeth in the shape of a moon.

(Ah... it's night now...)

Shiroi applied more force to his foot.

"Argh!"

My voice escaped my mouth as the pain became hard to endure.

The 5 other main members were laughing at this scene; they made no actions to help. The beginners started to tremble when they hear my cry of pain and some of them began looking away from the scene. They couldn't do anything to help me.

The beginners of Nilemah Pipers were controlled by fear induced by the high level members of the guild... I only know that after joining Shiroi's guild.

We were treated badly in the guild and we only get little, tasteless food for dinner. We have to give our Exp Pot to them every day or else we would be sent to the Cathedral after a painful torture. All the beginners are children and they all couldn't endure such pain. Due to this, fear grew among us and none would try to stand against Shiroi and other high level members.

So it was understandable that none of the other beginners would try to help me.

"S-Stop..."

My voice was soft and shaky.

"Ahaha! Finally you said something."

(Please...)

"What's up with you, Alicia? Before you used to follow me around and always called me 'Shiroi-san'."

(Please stop...)

"AHAHA! I can't believe you would say something as embarrassing like that!"

(This isn't the Shiroi I respected...)

"Did you admire me because of my level or because I was famous?"

(This isn't the Shiroi I once liked...)

"Oh, don't tell me you thought I was your dreamed 'Knight in Shining Armor' after saving you from just an in-game death?"

"..."

"Oh, was I on the spot? You really believe in such fake story? A dream of being saved by a… Hm...?"

"You are wrong!"

I grabbed onto his boot and stared at him.

"Those stories are not fake... they do happen!"

"Hmph!"

Shiroi easily shook my hand off his leg and crouched down.

"Let me tell you something, little girl..."

"Hyaa!"

He grabbed onto my hair and drags my head close to his... and grins.

"If there are such 'Heroes', then why haven't they come to save you this whole time?"

"Uuu..."

I felt something warm running down my cheeks after hearing what I tried to deny the whole time.

Shiroi was right; if there are really 'Heroes' from those story books then why aren't they here when I need them the most.

Shiroi-san I admired was fake.

The only reason he saved me was so I would join his guild as a slave.

Heroes who would save me from trouble are fake.

This whole time, the past weeks, I was waiting for someone to save me.

"THERE ARE NO HEROES COMING TO SAVE YOU, ALICIA!"

It hurts,

I am at my limit and my tears are escaping my eyes like an opened tap...

It's painful,

My dream and hope crashed by the person I admired the most...

My heart has been broken,

By my first love...

"..."

I don't know what I can do any more...

Except staring at the hole in the snow that was made by the tears dropping down from my eyes...

Heroes never existed from the beginning.

*Thud*

"="="="="="

A loud noise of something falling into the snow was made not so far away from the group of Nilemah Pipers. Everyone turned to the direction of the source of the unexpected sound and saw there was an old man in dirty brown cape lying there.

"Hyuu..."

Shiroi made a long whistle when he saw that old man. The dirty old man, whose hair had all turned white, was on the opposite direction to the group but he was not what caught the attentions of Shiroi and his other main members. It was the large brown leather bag on the old man's back.

"O-Oh..."

The old man has a problem in getting himself up because the bag was too big and heavy.

Shiroi and his other high level members grinned upon seeing this sight. Alicia noticed their malicious smile and tried to warn the old man.

"Ugh!"

Shiroi stepped on Alicia's head and force it down into the snow to stop her from saying anything.

"Hey, boys! Did you see what I see?"

Shiroi moved his chin to point at the old man.

"Of course we did, Guild Master!"

A man in full steel plate armor replied while laughing.

"There's no ways we'd miss the chance to help our elders."

A healer in grey robe said while holding his hands together as if he was praying to God.

"Then we should hurry! We can't keep our elders waiting!"

Before Shiroi did give his command to his men, 4 of them were already on their way to the helpless old man. They did not care whether the old man was a player or a People of the Land all they care about was the old man was a merchant. This leaves only Shiroi and his mage member behind keeping Alicia and the other beginners from doing anything funny. Right now, they can only watch the sad fate of the old man when the four men reached him.

"Hey, old man. Do you need help?"

The man lightly dressed helped the steel plate man to remove the big and heavy bag off the old man.

"Here let me give you a hand."

The other man dressed in blue clothing gave the old man his hand and picked him up.

"O-oh. Thank you, you nice gentlemen."

The words the old man spoke were a bit strange for an unknown reason but the main members of the Nilemah Pipers could at least understand that the old man was trying to thank them.

"You are welcome, old man. It's what we youngsters should do."

The healer man said while his hands were still together as if it was fate that brought them together.

"But if really want to thank us..."

"E-Eh?"

The man in blue twisted the old man's arm and dragged the old man towards him.

"We would like the things in yoUR BAG!"

The old man was confused about the things happening before him and does not know what was going to happen. The man in blue used the momentum of the old man by dragging him and placed his leg in front of the old man. The old man lost his balance and fell straight towards the snow. Falling on top of the snow wasn't painful but it was painful in the next moment when the man in blue kicked the old man in his stomach and sent the old man flying far away from the old man's leather bag.

Everything happened too fast that the old man couldn't respond to it, he can't even scream in that moment. Right now, the pain in his stomach was more than enough to keep him still.

"S-Stop... wha- why are you... doing this?"

The old man got up on his knees while holding his stomach with his arms.

"Can't you see, old man? We are ROBBING YOU!"

The healer man smashed the old man's face away from him using a steel mace and returned the group of three who had just opened the old man's bag. They turned the bag upside down and started shaking the bag and things of all sort of potions and some expensive cloths dropped out of it.

"AHAHAHA! THIS IS THE BEST SHOW EVER! DON'T YOU THINK, ALICIA?"

Shiroi placed his hand on his forehead and started laughing.

"Please... stop... please..."

Alicia couldn't do anything but cry.

She could see the old man from her position. The old man was lying not far from her and she can see that old wrinkled face covered in blood. The old man wasn't moving but continuously stared at Alicia while panting.

(S-Sorry... I'm so sorry that I can't do anything...)

Alicia apologized to the old man in her heart and she can't help but look away from him. She can't do anything but grab onto the snow in front of her out of frustration for her uselessness.

"Com'on, Alicia. Look at this properly."

"Hmn!"

Shiroi grabbed Alicia's hair and forced her to look at the injured old man.

"Where are the 'Heroes' you are waiting for to stop this?"

"..." More tears flowed down from Alicia's cheek.

"See? There isn't any 'Hero' in this world!"

The words from Shiroi were so true that Alicia gave up resisting after hearing it, but...

"...!"

Unlike her the old man stood up slowly.

"Oya... looks like that poor old man wants some revenge."

Shiroi scoffed at the old man who cannot stand up straight.

"..."

The old man said nothing. Shiroi couldn't see what face the old man was making because his long white hair covered his whole face.

"!"

But for a moment...

Shiroi happened to feel a chill running down his spine... After seeing a flash of the old man smiling...

"H-Hey, boys! Stop what you are doing right now!"

Shiroi quickly gave his 4 members an order as soon as he felt something was off.

"Huh? What do you mean, Guild Mas-"

Before the man in full steel plate finished his question, the last object from the bag dropped out of it.

It was a bomb... a very small bomb that couldn't do much...

"?!"

*BOOM*

But an explosion as powerful as a C4 in the real world still occurred after the bomb set off the explosive liquids from the large amount of potions.

The bomb exploded before any of the 4 members could've reacted and they were swallowed by the huge flame caused by the explosion. But what about the old man?

The old man was a different story.

He was knocked far away from his bag from the beginning so he was not affected by the explosion directly; instead, he used the power from the explosion to gain speed and used this speed to shorten the distance between him and Shiroi.

"!"

Shiroi was surprised to see the old man heading towards him at high speed. But he quickly regained his composure and tossed Alicia to the side.

"Hya!"

Shiroi ignored Alicia's scream and grabbed the hilt of his katana.

Shiroi place his right leg forward and leaned his upper body forward.

He smiled as he waits for the foolish old man to enter his strike zone.

(You are good, old man... but wait until you have a taste of my best move... hehehe...)

Alicia recognizes the stance...

It's the best move of the famous 'White Samurai', the 'Iaijutsu'.

"WATCH OU-!"

Alicia tried to warn the old man but it was all too late.

The old man, who tried to gain more momentum for his attack by spinning in the air, had already entered Shiroi's strike zone. Shiroi executed his skill, a skill that was as fast as a bullet and at the same time, so powerful that can inflict 1000 damage to the victim without calculating additional damage caused by Shiroi's weapon.

A skill that none of his foes could dodge had,

hit nothing...

Shiroi was astonished when the old man in front of him disappeared and Alicia was surprised as well. But what she saw was different from Shiroi... she was surprised at how accurate the old man was to crouch at the right timing when Shiroi drew his katana.

Then, Alicia saw a quick flash underneath the old man's coat.

It was a katana if Alicia wasn't mistaken.

"GUH!"

Shiroi received a heavy blow on his right side and was knocked a few feet away from his current position.

Without wasting any moment, the old man pushed a quarter of his katana into the snow and dashed at the Shiroi's mage companion who was already chanting a spell when the explosion occurred. The distance from the old man to the mage was enough for the mage to successfully execute the spell but that's only if the old man didn't use any skills.

"?!"

The mage was shocked to see the old man in front of him already and that he forgot to chant up the rest of the spell.

The old man transferred all his momentum from the dash to his arm and swung the katana out of the snow upwards. The mage, along with the snow below him, were sent flying vertically upwards as the old man quickly sheathed his katana into its scabbard.

The old man pushed his left leg back and lean his body forward but made sure his right shoulder was in line with the flying mage.

"[Iaijutsu]."

The old man said softly, but clearly, as his katana leaves its sheath.

Sounds of the mage being sliced resounded throughout the plain and three flashes of white light were left behind on his body until the old man sheathes his katana.

Within the same second, the old man kicked the mage away before the mage could hit the ground.

The moment the mage reaches the ground, friction took place and he began rolling until he hit something.

Only after a while was the mage able to understand what just happened.

(484/4980... Only a little over 90%, huh...)

The mage smiled upon seeing his HP bar.

(Even doing all those skills he wasn't able to one-shot me... so it means his level should not be too much higher than mine!)

Guessing the old man was a lower level player than Shiroi, the mage wanted to get up and support his Guild Master. But...

(Hm...?)

He saw five black round objects, with sparkling tip, in front of him when he got on top of his knees.

*BOOM*

Before the mage manage to find out what those objects were, his body was engulfed by the flame of the explosion.

Shortly, after the flame died out, there were only some coins and some items in place of the mage.

Satisfied with the result, the old man began tracking his steps back. While walking slowly, the old man drank a purple potion and took off his cape revealing a leather coat colored in pure white. Actually, all of his clothing, from his top to boots, was as white as snow.

Everyone from the Nilemah Pipers was staring at him with a surprised look.

They were not surprised by his flashy looks or the skills he demonstrated to kill off the mage but at how weird he was.

The old man was both strong and weak.

He was strong, not because he knows how to use 'Iaijutsu'. 'Iaijutsu' is a skill that any samurai player could use. When Elder Tale was just a game this skill gave the user 3 seconds to correctly enter a set of commands for each 'Iaijutsu' and each time a set of successful commands has been entered, the user could execute one strike. This feature was still available even when Elder Tale became the players' reality but instead of entering the commands on their keyboard, the users need to sheathe their katana physically after every draw within the 3 seconds limit.

Shiroi, who was known as the 'White Samurai', could not do that but the old man was able to execute 3 draws within the 3 seconds limit.

But the old man was still weak...

The old man wasn't able to one-shot the mage who was at LV47 with 3 strikes of 'Iaijutsu'. Mages were known for their high magical damage and magical defense, but low in health and physical defense. There were two possible explanations; one being the mage's armor defense was too high or the katana of the old man was too weak. Mages cannot wear any heavy armor was a given fact so it means the old man was using a katana with a very low attack. The second explanation will just be the old man was just too weak in level.

Nobody knows why a weak player like him was doing here or even the strange dashing skill he used but one thing both the beginners and Shiroi knows was the old man... no, now a young man with long white hair had used an 'Appearance Changing Potion' to disguise himself as an old man they saw a moment ago.

The young man tied the end of his long hair with a red hair band as he walked past the low-level players of Nilemah Pipers. The beginners looked at him with fear as they don't know his intention with them or more specifically, with Nilemah Pipers. Some of them cuddled with one another as they try to stop their trembling bodies.

Alicia was not an exception.

"..."

Alicia held her twin short swords in her arms as the intent of white-haired man was not clear.

She has been in contact with young adults before, the young adult players in Elder Tale, and none of them gave her a good impression. This was even worse when it comes to Shiroi and his group of friends who showed her nothing but harsh and painful experiences.

Alicia doesn't know any more whether an adult in Elder Tale is kind or not...

There isn't any 'Hero' in this world!

She closed her eyes shut...

"About the Hero discussion earlier..."

"?!"

Alicia looked up in surprise at the young man the moment he opened his mouth as he walked past her.

"I agreed with your Guild Master... I also think 'Heroes' doesn't exist in this world."

The words from the young man painfully strike Alicia's heart. She expected that line from another young adult but at the same time she wished for something different...

"..."

She felt cold...

Alicia tightens her arms and tried bring her weapons closer to her body. She tried to cuddle herself smaller to feel safe. But the pain and despair caused by Shiroi and his gang were too deep in her soul that none of the actions she did helped.

"But I think..."

"...?"

The young man spoke again that drew Alicia's attention.

"A 'Hero' will be born into your world the moment you become the 'Hero' yourself."

"..."

Once again, the words from the young man strike Alicia's heart deeply...

But this time, it broke the ice surrounding her heart.

She felt as if the melted ice had entered her eyes...

"U..."

She tried to cover her mouth but her voice still escaped through her hands as she couldn't hold her tears any more.

She felt warm...

Her tears, like a bottle of water that had a hole at its bottom, started flowing once again.

The lines she wanted to hear...

Was said by a young man she doesn't know.

The 'Hero' that should not have existed...

Now stood between her and the 'Fake Hero'.

The young man looked over his shoulder at the crying girl behind him,

"Don't you think so," and gave her a smile. "My Goddess?"

---

"Go."

"Huh?"

The crying little girl, Alicia, looked at me with a confused expression.

"The way to Austin is behind you and it will take about 7 minutes to get there if you walk."

"Why are you...?"

She seemed to know what I wanted her to do but doesn't know the reason for me being here.

"It's a quest."

"A quest?"

It's normal for her to question about my answer because 'Quests' have ceased to exist after a drastic change in the behavior of NPCs.

But unfortunately I don't have time to do a FAQ with her.

"Hurry up and leave your guild while I have a chat with your Guild Master."

I lifted three fingers from my right hand and made sure Alicia sees it.

"..."

Alicia nodded and it seems to me that she understands me.

She started to run back to Austin and she did not forget the other children.

She instructed them to follow her.

"Hey!" I called out to Alicia and threw an empty brown bag to her. "Thanks for the gold so I could buy that purple potion!"

Alicia was at first confused at why I gave her the bag until she remembered what happened a few weeks ago.

"You… You are…!"

I stopped her and continued to wave my 3 fingers.

"..."

Alicia turned back to the forest and started to run with the other children.

I smiled after their figures disappeared in the forest.

(I hope she gets that I can hold that Shiroi guy for 30 seconds...)

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*

"That was brilliant show you put up there, Mr. 'Hero'."

Shiroi was clapping and whistling but anyone would know he was teasing me.

"You seemed pretty calm, Shiroi, after witnessing your sources of money running away."

I closed one of my eyes and gave him a mischievous smile.

"That's because I'm the great 'White Samurai' and I'm giving them some head start because of your grand entrance."

"I am honored to entertain you."

"And plus, with a weak player like you." Shiroi grinned. "WE can just run you over in no time!"

As soon as Shiroi finished his line, two figures jumped out of the flame created by my C4 (Elder Tale Ver.). They are the lightly dressed duo and both dual wielding swords.

(Haa... Looks like I'm being underestimated...)

Those two men dashing at me were in full health so I could expect the healer to be alive. This also means the full plate guy was also alive due to his high defense.

(No wonder Shiroi was confidence in killing me... there are two warriors, two weapon-based and one healer on his side...)

With the mage included, they are a team for a boss monster raid.

(Stalling them for 30 seconds will be difficult... let alone defeating them.)

I sighed at my luck to get the worst quest and the worst client.

"No wonder it's difficult to be a 'Hero'," I tighten my white gloves and place my hand on the hilt of my beginner katana. "But to prove myself as one..."

"I guess I will have to hold all of you here for at least 3 minutes!"

"="="="="="

I swung my katana upwards to parry the 2 short swords coming down at me. Sparks flew the moment our weapons made contact with each other but the lock between the blades was not long. Even though Jockey, the man in blue, came from the top but due to my higher strength stat I was able to push him back.

"Chance!"

The other man, Fang, came from underneath Jockey and thrust his 2 daggers at my lower body.

I quickly sidestepped to his right but I noticed Fang could still do a follow up. I stepped on his right hand before he swings his dagger at me and lift my katana up to return the attack.

"!"

I felt a sudden cold from my left and quickly abandon my stance and lean my head back.

*Swoosh*

A knife, from the direction of Jockey, flew past the place where my head was previously.

"Hmph!"

Fang, who was free again, spun his body by using his hands as support and gave me a kick in the abdomen.

"Ack!"

His kick was powerful that knocked me back some distance away.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh*

With almost no time for rest, Fang threw both his daggers at me.

I had no choice but to swing my katana and hope my swings would knock the daggers down. Luckily both my swings hit the daggers but...

"Aha! Your back is wide open!"

Jockey got behind me and slashed his swords at me.

"Ugh!"

Pain crawled all over my body and it felt so real that it almost numbed my body.

I returned a kick with my left but of course it didn't deal much damage. After Jockey was knocked back I swung my katana at the tip of the upcoming spear.

*Clang*

Fang lost his balance the moment I deflected his spear and, at the same time, I clenched my left fist.

"Argh!"

Fang flew back into the snow after receiving a heavy blow in his face.

Seeing no other follow-ups from any of the two weapon-based I sheathed my katana to regain my stance. At the same time I need to think up something after having analyzed the position and the strength of my enemies.

They have 5 players in their group. Judging from their fighting style and their equipment I could assume the two I'm fighting now were Swashbucklers and Jay, who was trying to get close to me, was the Guardian. This leaves the healer, or the Cleric, and Shiroi at the back for support and planning.

(It seems like Shiroi is a type of person who hates taking risks.)

They have enough members to swarm me and kill me within seconds but instead Shiroi made use of the strategy to try to get me into Jay's Anchor Howl or to weaken me with Fang and Jockey.

(This means that other than Shiroi none of them are close to LV90.)

Levels were not the factor that leads Shiroi to use the safe route; it was also the bombs I carry and being a Samurai, he has never seen 'Swallow's Dive' which I used for the mage.

(Defeating them with my current weapon is impossible but if they can't deal enough damage they won't defeat me... hm?)

Without warning, Fang and Jockey kicked the snow and charged towards me.

Seeing I would be at a disadvantage if those two get to me at the same time, I decided to strike back and dashed towards my victim. My target was Fang who wields a weapon that's not suited for close-range combat.

Fang found out my intention and quickly sticks his spear into the snow and swung the snow up forming a thin wall capable to block my view. I drew my katana and the thin wall was sliced in half then disappeared.

There was nothing behind the disappeared wall...

I instinctively looked up and saw Fang's figure dropping down at me.

"Tch!"

Fang's spear dug deep into the snow the moment I jumped back after giving up the thought of blocking an attack from the air.

*Thud*

Having heard a heavy footstep behind me, I lowered my upper body and successfully avoided a cold wind flying past above me. I twist my leg and turned my body. Swinging my katana in a half-circle, it connected with Jockey's body and knocked him back.

"It's not over yet!"

"Ugh!"

Fang shouted and dealt a blow at my back pushing me forward.

After seeing the grin Jockey's face, I realized Fang's intention was not just purely dealing damage or inflicting pain.

Jockey's weapons started to glow.

"[Hundred Needles]!"

Jockey's swords came at me like rain seeping through my katana as if it wasn't there.

"Kuh..."

Jockey's attack does not only sip away my HP slowly but also taking away my evasion rate.

Fang changed his weapon to twin cutlasses after seeing me being trapped inside Jockey's skill and decided to do the same.

"[Swallow's Dance]."

I have no choice but use another skill of my 'Swallow' moves before Fang enters the barrage.

After activation, within the duration of 1.5 seconds, the skill improves my dynamic vision to the extent that I could see movements in a fraction of a second and allows me to move freely within a half of a meter radius. Even though I can't attack during the 1.5 seconds, I am allowed to move myself out of danger when needed.

"How the hell...?"

The 1.5 seconds duration was up leaving Fang and Jockey in confusion after I stepped out of their combo without trouble.

"It's a secret."

I smiled as I prepared for my next attack.

*Ding*

"Hm?"

*Thud*

Another heavy footstep came up behind me.

"[Anchor Howl]!"

Jay, the Guardian, got close to me while I was busy with the two annoying Swashbucklers.

"Ahaha! We finally got you!"

Shiroi was happy with the result but it seems to me that he's a bit too happy for some reason.

"It may be troublesome but I still won't go down that easily even if all of you come at me."

I lift my katana, parallel to the ground, above my shoulders and prepare for any attack that would come at me from different direction.

"You still don't get it do you?"

"Huh?"

Just when I was trying to understand what Shiroi meant, Fang and Jockey ran past me...

They were heading to the same forest Alicia and the other kids entered.

"Ahaha! There's no need for us to kill you to retrieve the kids, you idiot!"

(T-This... This was your plan all along?)

"What are you going to do, 'Hero'?" Shiroi smirked. "With you trapped by 'Anchor Howl' you can't do anything."

(This damn fox...)

"If you do nothing, you will betray our little Alicia's trust!"

(Ah... I'm a bit tired of acting surprised... time for me to give you a little surprise.)

*Ding*

"Huh?"

Shiroi placed his right hand next to his ear; it seems like Shiroi also got a call from his friends and by looking at his expression he got bad news. I got my call just before I was trapped by 'Anchor Howl' and the content was [All teams of 'Law' had successfully dispatched and subdued their targeted Nilemah Pipers groups, Solo-Only1 please report your status].

Shiroi hanged up his call and glared furiously at me while I returned him with a smile.

(Time to execute the plan for a counter-attack.)

I dashed and prepared to strike one of the two Swashbucklers knowing Jay would miraculously appear behind me.

"Did you lose your mind that you would still attack while under my 'Anchor Howl'?"

Jay swung his two-handed steel mace at my back and it was so strong that I flew past the two Swashbucklers.

With the use of my hands and feet, I stopped the rolling as fast as I can and smiled seeing three annoying people were in front of me.

"[Senpuu Izuna]!"

I slashed my katana horizontally creating a wind that hits all three of my targets. The three were surprised that 'Anchor Howl' was not activated but the explanation for that case was easy.

('Senpuu Izuna' is a ranged AOE skill and my target was Jay.)

"Wha-" "Paralyzed?!" "Healer!"

The healer started chanting a spell as requested.

I quickly dashed in front of Fang and Jockey to deal enough damage before Jay could be released from being paralyzed.

"[Fury Slash]."

With a cast time of 1.5 seconds, I could deal 3 times the damage with my katana with a cost of being vulnerable during the cast time and long cool-down.

"[Izuna Giri]!"

*Swoosh*

I was hit by a light blow causing me to lose my aim with 'Fury Slash' and it hit the snow before my targets. I did not miss Fang and Jockey entirely because underneath the snow was their feet but the damage was little.

(Tch, that damn Shiroi and his ranged attack...)

"[Senpuu Izuna]!"

Just when I tried to turn to the culprit who ruined my attack, the running Shiroi who has a scary expression paralyzed me before I could do anything.

I wasn't even in a stance to defend myself so I was wide open when Shiroi got to me.

(Oya, oya... Here comes the boss...)

I closed my eyes slowly as I couldn't do anything and at the last moment before my eyes are completely closed, I saw Shiroi's katana glowing.

(Must be 'Ace-moves', huh...)

"="="="="="

(Hm...?)

I slowly opened my eyes and saw something unexpected, and at the same time it was something unpleasant.

The worst thing in my life since Day of the Apocalypse was to wake up and see Shiroi's angry face.

"Who the hell is 'Law'?!"

He shook me as he held me up in the air.

I decided to look at my status window instead.

(276/7870 HP. I'm pretty close in being sent to the Cathedral.)

It seems like Shiroi kept me alive in order to ask me questions about my client.

Then, I looked at the people around the area and saw there were only 3 people behind Shiroi.

(Tch, I failed...)

The 3 people were the two Swashbucklers and the Cleric.

Both Fang and Jockey were rolling on the floor due to the intense pain from having just their toes cut by my 'Fury Slash'. The Cleric was next to them trying to heal them but unfortunately there's no such skill as 'Ease Pain'.

The missing person was Jay, the Guardian.

I think he was sent after Alicia and the others when Fang and Jockey are not in the state to do the chasing.

(I guess I didn't fail that hard after all. I don't think Jay with that heavy equipment would catch up to them.)

I made a slight smile out of relief.

"What are you smiling about? Hurry up and answer my question!"

Shiroi shook me once more.

"Ah... you are talking about my client?" I looked up at my status window once more. "Very well, I will tell you about him... no, I mean them."

"?!"

Shiroi was surprised at the fact that I would easily give away information about others especially the people who hired me.

"Don't get me wrong, this is just a little service for not killing me right away." I gave him a wink, even though I could still feel the pain after Shiroi's 'Ace-moves'. "Plus they didn't tell me to keep it a secret anyway."

"S-So what are they?"

Sweat ran down Shiroi's face for some reason.

"'Law' is a group like 'Debauchery Tea Party'... Ah, my bad. What I mean was that 'Law' is an organization instead of a guild and 'Law' was formed in order to bring law to the North America Server."

"Bring law to this server? Nonsense!"

"Ya, I agree with you but it seems like they managed to prove me wrong."

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't they just rescue all the kids from your groups whether they are outside or inside your guild? I'm sure your guild has no one but only your high level players."

"EXACTLY! How on Earth did they do that?!"

I can understand why Shiroi wanted to know the answer to his question that badly. His guild should had been set that no one outside his guild could've entered but today... not only the groups of Nilemah Pipers outside the city were attacked by the unknown group but also his guild was raided and he had lost all of the beginners in his guild. Most of the beginners of his guild have already left and some are still on their way to the guild hall.

"Heh..."

I decided to ignore him after checking my status window again.

"What's so funny, you little pest!"

"Time's up." I gave a wink and a mischievous smile. "Looks like it's my win."

"Huh?"

I lift my arms up and did an 'I don't know' pose.

"58... 59..."

"?!"

I tilted my hands and Shiroi was surprised as soon as he saw the bombs in between my fingers.

"3 minutes!"

"="="="="="

Black smoke created by the bombs rose up high into the air. The smoke covered a large radius of the snow plain and Shiroi, along with his other 3 friends, coughed as soon as they inhaled the black substance floating in the air.

"Hey, Guild Master.*cough* That weakling disappeared!"

The Cleric tried to look for the white-haired young man after the explosion of his bombs.

"Damn it! That pest blew himself up!"

Shiroi covered his mouth to avoid further inhalation of the foreign substance.

"*Cough* Wait, don't you think there's too much smoke?"

"Che... Did he mix some smoke grenades among his bombs?"

"That's correct."

A man in heavy yellow-colored armor entered Shiroi's conversation.

"Who the heck are you... no, who the hell are you guys!"

Shiroi was surprised to see a lot of people he doesn't know surrounding him.

"Haa... I hate to say this every time..." The man in bright yellow armor leaned his body forward, placing his left shoulder in front, and put on a green band with his right hand. "'We are with the 'Judgemen-' no, I mean 'Law'!' We found out you are abusing beginners of Elder Tale so we are here to..."

"Annihilate your guild!"

"="="="="="

It has been more than 4 minutes since Alicia and the other beginners have entered the forest.

(If we continue running at this speed, we will be at Austin within two minutes but...)

She glanced back, again, at the black smoke in the sky at the direction where Shiroi and the young man were.

(I wonder if he's okay...)

Alicia was worried about the young man who saved her from Shiroi, and told her that he would hold Shiroi off for 30 minutes, but for some reason she was still concerned about Shiroi.

(I hate it!)

She stopped and then starting running towards the direction of the smoke.

(Why isn't this feeling going away...?)

*Rustle*

A white-haired young man jumped out of the bush.

"Ah, you are okay..."

Alicia was happy to see the white-hair but as soon as she saw his face, her heart sank deep down into the abyss.

"Of course I am okay, my dear ALiCia!"

"S-Shiroi..."

---

"You are such a good girl, Alicia. You actually came back and looked for me."

"Hya!"

Shiroi grabbed Alicia's arm so hard that it pains her.

"I don't know where those 'Law' guys came from or the white-haired weakling went to but as long as I have you... hehehe..."

"S-Stop..."

Shiroi began dragging Alicia away from her course.

"Ahaha. As long I have you, I can still restart my BUsiNeSS!"

"I SAID STOP!"

Alicia swung Shiroi's hand away from hers.

"Huh? W-What are you doing, Alicia?"

Shiroi was dumbfounded.

"I'm not going with you, Shiroi." Alicia said with determination in her eyes. "I am leaving your guild."

"Leave my GuIld?! Ahaha, you can't do that... Where else could you live on your own, my dear Alicia?"

"I don't know... But I have decided already."

"DON'T JOKE AROUND WITH ME!"

Shiroi snapped and his loud voice made Alicia's shoulders jumped.

He grabbed Alicia's arm again but this time, even tighter than handcuffs with more force that could break Alicia's bone.

"Uh...!"

"I am Shiroi, the great 'White Samurai'! The 'Hero' you admired!" Shiroi brought his head down and looked Alicia in her eyes. "There's no ways you can leave me."

"...!"

Alicia's body started to tremble when Shiroi intimidates her.

She was scared, because what he said was true.

Alicia would have nowhere else to go after leaving Shiroi's guild. She fears wandering around this unknown world alone, she's afraid to wander around this big world aimlessly and she's scared from getting attacked by other dangerous players when there's no help coming for her.

But even so, she must steel her heart... Even if her legs can't stop shaking, she must wield her swords.

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry, Shiroi but in my eyes, you are not my 'Hero' any more..." Alicia slashes her sword at Shiroi's right eye. "I will become my own 'Hero'!"

"AAAARRGGHHHHHHHH!"

Shiroi screamed in pain and he loosens his grip on Alicia. He held his right eyes, trying to suppress his pain and involuntary took a few steps back.

"Ah..."

Alicia didn't really want to hurt him but at that point she had no choice. Her arms and legs trembles even more after hearing Shiroi's cry of pain.

"You are going to pay, Alicia..."

"!"

Alicia was surprised that Shiroi was able to regain his composure that quickly.

Shiroi grinned and swings his katana at her.

"YOU ARE GOING TO PA-"

Suddenly, Shiroi started flying backwards before his katana reaches her.

Of course Alicia doesn't have enough strength to knock a man bigger than her down; therefore it must be the person behind her.

"That was well said, My Goddess."

A voice of a young man came from behind Alicia.

"Ah..."

Alicia looked back and saw a white-haired man, wearing white leather coat, swinging his right hand up-and-down to ease its pain.

"Yo." The white-haired man smiled at her. "It's been 7 minutes hasn't it?"

"="="="="="

"Ahaha. You really do come at the right timing, Mr. 'Hero'."

Shiroi slowly got up, while rubbing his left cheek, and stares at me furiously.

"Of course I do." I closed one of my eyes. "I mean I hid using 'Sneak' and 'Silent Move' until the right moment."

"Hmph, doing sneaky things and yet still thinks you are a 'Hero'? How shameless!"

"I totally agree with you, Mr. Pedophilia... so I prefer my title as 'Drifter from another Land'."

Silence took over the moment I said that.

It seems like both Alicia and Shiroi was surprised about it.

It can't be helped, because the other name for 'Drifter from another Land' was 'White Samurai' and right now, that person is in front of me.

"Aha- Ahaha! Are you crazy? Don't you know the trademark for 'White Samurai' is this white kimono, 'Tears of Miko'?"

Shiroi said as he shows the white kimono he's wearing.

The kimono he wears was not an ordinary kimono I can find anywhere else... it's an Artifact-class equipment. Even though it was named 'Tears of Miko' but it was actually made out of the hair of many Shrine Maidens. The Shrine Maidens chosen to make such kimono are only the few who are powerful and are able to live more than hundred years.

It was because of this story that's why the rarity of this Artifact-class equipment rivals the rarity of a Phantasmal-class equipment.

"Yes, of course I know that but unfortunately I didn't come here to get myself named or anything." I pointed at Alicia who was surprised for getting the spotlight all of the sudden. "My quest is not complete as long as this girl stays in your hand."

"Oh, you are trying to take her from me."

"No, I'm just returning her to Mother Nature!" Suddenly, I felt a small pebble bouncing off my head but I ignored it to look cool.

"Heh, try it if you can!"

"!"

At the same time, the moment Shiroi smirked, I saw a flash of light coming towards my head.

The strike was so fast and powerful that it knocked me back some distance. I would've been sent further back if it wasn't for the tree behind me.

"AHAHAHA! Eat that you pest! Bet you never saw my 'Iaijutsu' coming!"

Shiroi laughed as he plays around with his drawn katana and started to walk towards me.

"Haa..."

I sighed as I looked at my broken katana I used to block Shiroi's surprise attack, then I looked at my HP and it was shown red.

(This is so troublesome... I just managed to escape from getting blown up by my own bombs and recovered some of my health using potions...)

I looked up at the sky through the gaps of the leaves and remembered something a friend told me.

If you can't do something then don't, focus on what you can.

(In the next moment, 'Law' will be here... so I guess I will just leave it up to them...)

*Thud*

(Hm?)

I saw Alicia stood in front of me and faced Shiroi with her weapons drawn.

It really surprised me that she would actually protect me from a LV90... I can even see how scared she is from just looking at her trembling little body.

"Ahaha! This is great! I really wanted to see how you, a LV19, protect that white pest from me, a LV90!"

Shiroi kicked the ground and dashed towards us.

(Haa... It's really not cool to stay behind a small girl...)

I quickly got up and ran towards Shiroi.

"What can you do with that broken sword of yours, ahn?"

Shiroi slashed his katana at me as he laughed at my broken katana.

"Nothing much..."

I left myself open for the attack and I saw my HP reaching critical state.

"Ahaha! You didn't even try to dodge that! Have you given up already?"

"Of course not, "I pointed the back of the hilt of my broken katana at him."I just wanted to shut your mouth for 15 seconds."

"?!"

"[Seal Throat Stab]."

My skill made contact with Shiroi's throat and he knelt down from extreme pain.

I jumped a few steps back, until I got next to Alicia, in case if Shiroi goes berserk and begins swinging his katana around.

"Can you hold him off for another ten seconds?"

I asked Alicia as I opened my equipment window and item window.

"Eh... Ah, I..."

It seems like she wasn't sure if she could.

"Ah, I'm sorry I didn't ask you correctly."

"Eh?"

"Will you try stalling him for ten seconds?" I ask with sincere. "This is a request from me."

"Ah..." She was confused at first but then I saw determination in her eyes as she made her decision. "Yes, I will!"

"Alright, go. I will support you when you are in danger."

Alicia gave me a nod and ran towards Shiroi.

(Okay... I guess it's time to let you see light, even though I hated this idea...)

I closed my windows and a katana with blood red scabbard materialized in my hand.

"="="="="="

Alicia ran past Shiroi, without slowly down, to evade the vertical slash from Shiroi. Then, she quickly sticks one of her short swords into the ground and used it as pivot to change the direction of her momentum. Once she got behind Shiroi, she pulled the short sword out of the ground, reversed the grip of that sword and bent her knees.

"[Rise Edge]!"

Like a spring, she jumped and did 3 full-circle spin while slashing at Shiroi's back from left to right for each spin.

"..."

Shiroi, who couldn't speak, quickly reacted and turned around as he swings his katana. Alicia grabbed Shiroi's head and, using her hand as support, did a cart-wheel over his head. The moment she got onto the ground, she swung her short swords at Shiroi's legs and jumped back a few steps before his katana reaches her.

Alicia was surprised that she was able to perform those stunts even though she wasn't able to do so in real life. It seems to her that her body in Elder Tale is much stronger physically and with her small body it makes it difficult for Shiroi to land a hit on her. But even so, the damage she can do to him, a LV90, was way less than the damage he deals to her.

(1223/1970... That's dangerous...)

Alicia wasn't able to perfectly evade Shiroi's attacks, even a small scrape deals more than 20% damage to her.

"..."

Even though Shiroi couldn't speak but from his eyes Alicia could tell that he was laughing. She felt pain in her heart the moment she saw his eyes. Alicia always had a feeling that she needed to tell Shiroi but she thought it was too late.

The day the Shiroi she liked disappeared was last day she could've told her feelings to him.

But now, Alicia still has a chance. She knew, deep down in her heart, that the Shiroi she once loved was the same Shiroi who's trying to kill her right at this moment. Alicia was just denying it the whole time... but now she decided to deny that deny... because she wasn't afraid to trust weak self.

As a 'Hero', Alicia must stand up for herself.

"Shiroi... -san."

Alicia ducked at Shiroi's horizontal slash and returned with an X-slash at his legs.

"If I didn't meet you that night, I would've died from those Goblins..."

Shiroi's kick missed Alicia when she lifts her body up by using his leg and gave him a kick in the face instead.

"I would've become like those players in the streets of Austin, devoured by despair."

Shiroi elbowed Alicia down and slashed his katana down. Alicia got on top of her one knee and made his katana slide away with her swords. The attack managed to shave some HP off Alicia and left her with 693 out of 1970. But that's the last thing she cares; she quickly.

"If you didn't show me kindness that night and the day after..."

Shiroi, with eyes filled with killing intent, thrusts his katana at her.

"I wouldn't be here."

Alicia got behind Shiroi from underneath him after taking 500 or more damage from the small cut on her shoulder.

"That's why, Shiroi-san."

Alicia placed her right foot in front of the left as she straightens her back and held her right sword parallel to her body.

"Thank you and Goodbye..."

A drop of tear drop down from her cheek as her swords started glowing.

"[Ungentle Waltz]!"

Alicia, with the help of the system, spun her body as her right sword slash from Shiroi's back down to his leg, immediately followed by an uppercut with her left sword. Then, she quickly stepped on his face to jump back and created some distance between him and her. Again, with the system assisting her, Alicia kicked the ground strikes Shiroi's leg with an X-slash using both her swords and spun to his back to evade his attack. The skill was then completed the moment she sheathes her short swords.

There's nothing special about 'Ungentle Waltz', it's a simple quick combo skill that increases the speed of the user and the actions change according to the user but even with system's assistance, the user can only deal 6 hits with this skill. The skill does not have a long cool-down and unlike Samurai, the user can still respond immediately after execution.

Even so, Alicia was not moving after the completion of her skill. It's not like she gave up or anything but she wanted to stand there back-to-back with Shiroi, even if it's only for a second.

"Do you remember, Shiroi-san?" Alicia smiled as she closed her eyes while placing both her hands in front of her chest. "This was the first skill you taught me..."

"="="="="="

"Hah, you should be more concerned about the result for betraying me."

The reply from Shiroi was cold.

"..."

Alicia expected Shiroi to say something along that line but she was still disappointed... at least she was able to get her feelings across.

"Time for your punishment, ALICIA!"

Shiroi swung his katana down straight at Alicia without hesitation.

"[Samurai's Challenge]!"

A taunt skill was used for Shiroi which gave him an impression of being hit hard and making him miss Alicia with his attack.

"You bastard..."

Shiroi stares, angrily, at the white-haired man.

"Sorry to break your lovely scene but you will have to look at me for the next few seconds."

The white-haired man gave Shiroi a wink.

"Heh, your timing is still as good as always."

"Why, thank you."

"It's not a compliment!"

"Well, it's too bad that I'm not the only one who's good with timing."

"What?!"

"'Law' will get here soon, so I suggest you to start running."

"Hmph, I would if I can..."

Shiroi's legs felt heavy because of the effect of 'Blood Pierce'.

'Blood Pierce' is a negative status effect which decreases the evasion rate and agility of the victim. It's one of the negative status effects a Swashbuckler can give and Alicia was the one who gave it to Shiroi.

"So you are giving up?"

"Ya, I guess I will..." Shiroi lift his katana up high in the air. "But that's after I send you to the Cathedral!"

"Haa..." The white-haired man sighed as he draws his new katana. "[Sakura no Hanabira: Ippon]!"

*Slice*

The slash fast and clean, the only sound that could be heard was the vibration of the katana as it cut through the air and sliced through Shiroi's body. It's not as if there's no other sounds around the area, instead it was the sound of the katana that was able to stand out among the other noises.

Soon, there was silence when the sound of the vibrating katana died down and the silence last until the white-haired man sheathed his weapon.

"AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Shiroi fell on top of his knees and screamed as if his soul was ripped apart.

Alicia could not bear Shiroi's cry so she covered her ears and the white-haired man was surprised by Shiroi's reaction.

"I'm not sure how pain works in Elder Tale but I'm pretty sure getting sliced by a katana must be hell... or was it because my skill?"

'Sakura no Hanabira: Ippon' is a LV90 Samurai skill. It needs 5-10 seconds cast time to use and the caster must stay in the same place with his katana sheathed. The cool-down for this skill is 10 minute and the caster won't be able to respond for 5 seconds after activation. It is because of this big downfall so hardly anyone uses it but once executed, it could paralyze the target for half the cast time and deals 5 times the damage.

"Oi... What's the meaning... of this?"

Shiroi asked as he tries to endure the pain.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"DON'T ACT AS IF YOU DON'T KNOW!" Shiroi tried to smash the ground but he realized he was still paralyzed. "I'm talking about the damage!"

"Ah, it's true. My attack almost took half of your health."

"Your skill took down more than 5000 of my HP!" Shiroi shouted with a shocked expression. "Even with a LV90 weapon it's not possible for that skill to reach that level!"

Alicia was also shocked by the amount of damage the skill, 'Sakura no Hanabira: Ippon', was able to inflict.

This skill was unlike other skills, such as 'Thorn Bind Hostage', which inflict damage directly. The skill requires calculation between the stats of both weapon and armor which makes it even harder for a strike to inflict more than 5000 damage.

"It's true that it's hard even for a LV90 weapon... not to mention my weapon, 'Kizukui', which is even weaker than an average weapon. But as a Phantasmal-class equipment, it does have a special ability." The white-haired man smirked. "An ability that suits its name as 'Wound-eater'."

"'Wound-eater'? Ability?"

"The ability to increase the user's Critical Rate and Critical Damage depending on the negative status effects my opponent have."

"That's a lie! The only negative status effect I have is 'Blood Pierce' from Alicia and I know at her current level there's no ways she can down my agility that much for a 5000 damage!"

"Who says 'Kizukui' only took your agility for its effect?"

"Huh?"

Shiroi does not know what the white-haired man meant but he noticed the white-haired man signaled him to open his status window.

Shiroi did as he said and was shocked at the result.

"A-Armor Defense... ZERO?!"

Sweat ran down Shiroi's face.

"I don't know how but it seems like its effect also takes that into account."

"How did this... wait, don't tell me it was..."

Shiroi looked at Alicia, who tried to get away from his gaze.

"That's right! Her purpose was not only to stall you but to reduce the durability of your kimono to 0." The white-haired man closed one of his eyes and smiled. "Just as I thought, the reason for you to stay at the back row during the previous battle was that your kimono was already at low durability."

"Ahaha, it's so weird... it's so weird that I can't believe!" Shiroi forcefully smiled and stood up slowly. "It's true that my kimono was at low durability but how the hell would you know that Alicia would be able to break it within ten seconds? What are you, a GM?"

"Nah, I'm not something that great..." The white-haired man pointed at Shiroi's kimono. "I'm just the former owner of that."

"Eh?"

Shiroi was dumbfounded by his answer

"Then that means you are the real one?"

Alicia was surprised.

"That's right." The white-haired man smiled. "I am the 'Shiroi Yasha'!"

Alicia didn't know what he meant but was sure he was trying to say 'White Samurai'.

"That's impossible! I am the 'White Samurai' and I am wearing the kimono!" Shiroi shouted desperately. "You have no proof to be the 'White Samurai'!"

"'Tears of Miko', an Artifact-class equipment with the rarity that rivals the rarity of Phantasmal-class equipment. It does have high stats that could even beat a Phantasmal-class equipment but unfortunately, the kimono has the effect of being unrepairable. Well, it does have a low possibility of being character bound so it's very easy to sell it or trade it." The white-haired man took a step forward. "So it means one can buy this from a certain traveling merchant. Right, Mr. 'White Samurai'?"

"I- I don't know what you are talking about..." Shiroi took a step back. "Ahaha, you are such a geek. I can't believe you actually went and read up on the information about this kimono before the Day of the Apocalypse..."

"Yep, it strange isn't it? But I also happened to know that this item is exclusive to only the Japanese Server."

"..."

"Unless there's another 'Drifter from another Land' with the same item... I believe that 'Tears of Miko' is mine." The white-haired man put up his index finger. "Oh, I'm sure you know by now that 'Drifter from another Land' simply just means I came from a different server."

"That can't be true... How is that even possible?"

"Ara, I find it easier to believe than us playing in this game."

"SHUT UP!" Shiroi swings his katana at the white-haired man.

"[Swallow's Illusion]."

The white-haired man disappeared and appeared behind Shiroi just like a Monk using 'Phantom Step'.

"Just what is up with your skills?!"

"They are hidden moves added by the update and you can get 'Swallow' moves for being LV90 Samurai and LV90 Tracker."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Yare, yare..." The white-haired man shook his head back and forth. "Looks like you still got a lot to learn in this new world, Newbie."

"YOU BASTARD!"

"[Iaijutsu]!"

Shiroi tried to turn around but the white-haired man was faster in executing his skill.

The sound of the vibrating blade echoed in the forest and died down before the occurrence of the sound of gold coins falling into the snow.

---

The forest soon became quiet and the silence returns to this peaceful night.

Alicia was the only one left in the forest.

She was on her knees; staring at a katana lying in the snow.

'Kizukui' was the name of the katana and its owner was sent to the Cathedral a moment ago.

This happened when Jay, the Guardian in Shiroi's group, jumped out of nowhere and delivered the finishing blow to the white-haired man, who was already at a critical state, before Shiroi was cut down. But after the white-haired man disappeared, some adventurers arrived at the scene and they stated that they were with the 'Law'. The people of the 'Law' outnumbered Shiroi's group and it ended up with the 'Law' tying Shiroi's group.

The group soon left the scene, leaving Alicia with a katana.

(I wonder why this katana didn't disappear...)

Alicia had asked herself the same question countless times because she finds it weird.

Normally, the equipment will disappear with the user when he or she gets sent to the Cathedral but for some reason, the katana had always been here the whole time after the disappearance of its owner.

(Is there some special effect or something?)

Out of curiosity, Alicia extended her arms towards the katana.

"I don't think it's a good idea to touch that."

"?!"

Alicia fell back on her bottom the moment a man, who has a big mustache and wearing flashy yellow armor, crouched next to her.

"Hahaha, sorry to startle you." The man gave his hand to Alicia. "Don't worry; I'm one of the founders of 'Law' and the client of the owner of that katana."

"O-Okay... Thank you."

Alicia took the man's hand and used it to get herself back on her knees.

At first, Alicia didn't want to take the man's hand but she soon trusted him after he told her about him. She understands the fact that this man was one of the leaders of 'Law' and he was the one who hired the white-haired man to help her and the other beginners to escape Nilemah Pipers.

Which means he and the white-haired man know each other.

"As you can see from above my head; my name is Iluvlolis, nice to meet you Alicia."

"..."

Alicia looked above the man's head and saw 'dddILUVLOLISbbb'... a normal name, which was meaningless in length, you can see in any online games.

"Ah, you can ignore the d's and the b's. Otherwise it would be hard to pronounce it."

"Okay... Oh, thank you for saving us."

"No, no, no... You shouldn't be thanking me until you leave Nilemah Pipers and plus you should be thanking that white-haired idiot," Iluvlolis adds. "He's the one who was tasked to solo the most dangerous group of Nilemah Pipers out of the other groups."

"Yes, I will thank him personally when I see him..." Alicia looks at the katana. "But what about this?"

"Ah, you mean 'Kizukui'?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry about it."

"Why? Will he come back to retrieve it?"

"No, it's the opposite."

"Huh?"

"That sword is like a different kind of cursed weapon and unlike cursed weapon, 'Kizukui' will unequip itself and returns to its owner's inventory after a certain time."

"That's very inconvenient..."

"That's right; it's because it's very powerful with many unknown effects."

"Unknown effects?"

The only effect Alicia knows about this unique weapon was that it increases damage the weaker its opponent is.

"One of its worst side-effect is that it decreases 50% of the maximum health of the player who equips this sword."

"50%?!"

"Yep, and that's the reason why I stopped you." The man pointed at his green HP bar. "If you touch it, you will also lose half of your HP."

"But how... isn't this weapon character bound?"

It's a known fact that Phantasmal-class equipments cannot be traded among players.

"Dunno, maybe it's just a bug caused by the updates."

"I see..." Alicia looked back at the katana. "50%... huh..."

"Hoh, what do we have here..." Iluvlolis smirked. "Are you worried about him?"

"W-What are you saying?! It's not like that!"

Alicia's face suddenly became red and she started waving her hands randomly.

"Damn it... How does that guy do it?" Iluvlolis started to bite his nails. "How did he get this loli to fall for him?"

"Like I said! It's not like that!"

"Well, let's leave that aside."

"No, please don't just push that aside."

Iluvlolis ignored Alicia's retort and continues the conversation about the katana.

"That white-haired idiot only loses 10% of his HP each time he equips 'Kizukui' because he chose to become a Race of Ritual."

"Race of Ritual? But isn't he a Samurai?"

Alicia questioned Iluvlolis because she knows Race of Ritual has a large penalty in health that makes the race incapable to become a tank.

"Well, it's because that guy is an idiot." Iluvlolis smiled."But he did make the right choice concerning the weapon he got."

"..."

Alicia was confused at that point. She noticed that the smile on Iluvlolis' face was not a smile that teases the white-haired man but it's the smile of admiration. Alicia doesn't know why but she knows for a fact that the smile holds even more meaning to it.

"Hey, Mr-... Iluvlolis?" Alicia wanted to confirm. "Don't tell me you are a gir-"

"Ah!"

Iluvlolis suddenly screamed when 'Kizukui' turned into an orb of blue light and started float off into one direction.

"It's returning to its owner's inventory..."

"Hey, Alicia. Aren't you going to follow it?"

"Huh?"

"Haha, I don't know if you are dense or stupid..." Iluvlolis pointed at the orb. "If you follow it you can find him."

"Him... AH!"

Alicia gave some thought to Iluvlolis' strange words and finally realized what he was saying.

"I-I told you already! It's not like that!"

"Hoh, hoh... really?"

"...!"

Alicia quickly nodded with her face bright red and afterwards she started shaking her head.

"Just what is it...?" Iluvlolis felt disappointed. "Well, I don't know what you think but you won't be seeing him after this."

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"You already know that he is from a different server so he's been looking for a way to go back."

"Yes..."

"Since he had already completed the quest I've given to him so he has no more reason to stay here."

"?!"

"And... Hm? Hey, I'm still speaking!"

Before Iluvlolis was able to finish his explanation Alicia was already following the orb of light and disappeared into the dark forest.

"..."

Iluvlolis was silent after witnessing this scene but then he begins to smile.

"Haa... Just what kind of luck does he have with the ladies...?"

Iluvlolis took out a purple potion and put it against the moon.

---

Following the light and the sound of a flute, Alicia arrived at a white hill outside the forest north of Austin.

On top of the hill is a white cherry-blossom.

The white leaves fell from the tree with the snow falling from the dark sky and the light reflection of the white leaves from the moon made the scene even more breathtaking. Standing next to the tree was a man dressed in pure white and he also has white colored hair.

The man completely blends well with the scene.

She quickly hid behind a tree and looked at the white-haired man blowing a musical instrument.

Alicia recognized the flute and she knew it was used for calling mounts such as horse but Alicia was sure that this area does not meet the requirement to call for such ride.

(Unless...)

A shadow flew past Alicia and it landed next to the white-haired man.

The shadow is a creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion; this creature was known as griffin.

Alicia has not seen this creature before but she could recognize this creature from the forums she has been to when she just started Elder Tale. This creature can be obtained by complete a quest even a group of LV90s would struggle.

(I won't be able to keep up to him if he flies away.)

The white-haired man was already sitting on the griffin and the griffin was flapping its wings. Therefore, if Alicia wants to follow him then she must step before the griffin took its flight.

But the moment she took a step...

Alicia...!

The scary face of Shiroi popped up in her mind.

Fear overtook her and her body froze. Her trust for that person became pain and it came back to bite her. Alicia was afraid to experience that again.

(What if he is the same...?)

Even though Alicia knows that the white-haired man can be trusted, but she can't help but think negatively.

*Gaa*

The griffin finally took off and disappeared in the dark sky.

(Ah... he's gone...)

While Alicia was struggling to make a decision the white-haired man was gone.

There's no one to blame but herself for not being brave enough to face her past. No matter how much she regrets the white-haired man will not return.

She won't be able to meet that person once he returns to his place... the Japanese Server.

"Oya, the view is quite good from here."

"?!"

Alicia was startled by the voice behind her and she quickly looked back.

"Yo."

The white-haired man greeted her with a wink.

"H-How did you...?"

Alicia was confused and she pointed the sky then to the white-haired man.

"Oh, don't you remember that I'm a Tracker? So I decided to sneak up on you after seeing your name from a distance." He then started thinking. "About my griffin... Ah, he came back."

He pointed at the sky and the griffin slowly landed on the ground behind him.

"Ah, I see..."

Alicia sighs out of relief but suddenly tensed up as she doesn't know why she was glad to see him.

"So... why would you come to this place at this time?"

"?!"

The question made Alicia's shoulders jump but she didn't notice that the time was few hours past midnight so it's normal for the white-haired man to ask that question.

"Ah, don't tell me you are here to see me off!"

"!"

Alicia quickly nodded but then she quickly shook her head. She was disappointed at his answer but at the same time she was glad the white-haired man thought that way.

"Hm? I'm wrong... Then what could it be...?"

"..."

Feeling blood rushing into her head, Alicia lowered her and didn't answer his question.

The cold wind blew and the trees started to shake. The two stood there in silence for some time but none of them could do anything. Alicia couldn't answer the white-haired man's question and he couldn't do anything as a follow-up but just smiling awkwardly.

Suddenly, as if lighting strikes him, the white-haired man got an idea.

He knelt down on one of his knees and opened his arms wide. As if he was proposing, the white-haired man looked up at Alicia and opened his mouth.

"What kind of honor do I deserve to come across such beautiful girl?" He places his right hand on his chest. "I was once known as 'Drifter from another Land', 'Hero' and even the 'White Samurai' but now I decided to throw all of them away. Right now, I am just a wandering mercenary named 'Sanka'."
He lowered his head. "Meeting you here must be the work of fate so would you mind if I accompany you on your journey?"

Surprised by his strange action and words, Alicia took a step back and started laughing.

"Pfft... What was that about?"

"It's my way to get invited to other people's party." The white-haired man smiled. "What do you think, isn't this cool?"

"Haha! I think it's just stupid."

"Hey, at least give me some compliment. Don't you know how embarrassing it is to do this?"

"Then don't do it!"

"Alright, let's leave that boring discussion and continue with a new one."

"I think it's cute."

"Ahem!" The white-haired man coughed. "So what do you think about my proposal?"

"Eh?"

A pop-up window appeared in front of Alicia.

[The adventurer: {サンカ}, a {LV21 Samurai} wish to join your party.]

[Accept or decline?]

Alicia was surprised by his level but what she finds even more amusing was his name.

"Sanka..." Alicia repeated a few times with a low voice. "So this is how you pronounce your name..."

The whole time Alicia could see Sanka's name above his HP bar but it's in Japanese so she wasn't able to read it.

"It means 'Scattered Flower' in English. It's the same name from Sakuya's theme song." Sanka flicked his fingers. "Cool, ne?"

"Sounds just like some Chuunibyou to me."

"What?! Don't compare me to those useless losers from second grade in middle school!"

"Pfft... So this is the famous 'Otaku looking down on other Otakus'." Alicia accepted Sanka's offer and walked up to Sanka's griffin. "So what do we do from now on?"

Alicia said as she patted the griffin's head.

Sanka smiled after hearing her rhetorical question and then swiftly jumped onto the back of his griffin.

"Isn't that given already?" Sanka gave his hand to Alicia. "We are going to explore and play Elder Tale together, My Goddess."

Alicia smiled and took Sanka's hand.

"Call me Alicia, baka..."

---

The Shiroi(White) Samurai

Ends

Might not continue...

---

A/N:

Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed this story.

I know it's just a story like the Hamelin arc of Log Horizon (and I even used the same name for the guild) but I think it's a great start for character introduction. I didn't intend to write a long story but still ended up in the 10000s so sorry for those who can't take long story. I also intended to write a series but I think it's also fine as a one-shot so if I don't have time or ideas, I will just leave it as it is.

It's actually hard to make the story lighthearted like the real log horizon but unfortunately my skills are not there yet. Well, to help with this (and since I like Gintama) so I did include some parodies such as:

SAO's "Starburst Stream"

Tales of Phantasia's "Fury Slash" and the idea of Hundred Needles was "Sword Rain"

Gintama's "Shiro Yasha" (White Demon)

and maybe some others if I forgot about them.

That's all I've got to say.

A/N ends.