This game wasn't just a matter of playing. It's about surviving, trying not to die…

Because dying within a virtual world isn't any different outside it.

Kiku walked through the streets, unaware of his surroundings. His eyes blank as if he was daydreaming, yet for him, he was simply wondering about why he was sent into Aincrad in the first place.

"Have you heard of this video game called Sword Art Online?" He recalled his boss asking him that day, over a eight months previously.

"No, sir," Kiku replied, shaking his head.

"I've been receiving calls from those who the game to do something about it." The old man's face was filled with great concern as he stood up and stared out the window of his office, which had a panoramic view of Tokyo.

"Like what, sir?"

"You were already aware of the deaths concerning the game itself, yes?" The boss turned to face him, as he asked this before turning back on him. "Rumours tell me that the device used into playing the game causes all the players' deaths for the past few days."

Kiku nodded. It had been in the news since the game came out three days ago. He knew something was up, but he never thought it would reach the point of panic. Before he received the call from his boss that morning, over 1.500 people were already dead. Whether or not those players died by suicide within the game or being KO'd by a boss, there's no way to revive them.

"Yes," he answered. "From what I've gathered on my way here, the helmets, which are called the NerveGear, create these electromagnetic waves that causes the brain to melt away. While it allows the player to transfer the five sense they have in real life into the game, trying to remove the NerveGear by force is the same as suddenly cutting the life support of a patient."

His boss turned to him once more and pointed at folder on his desk. "But it's not just that which worries me," he said. "Not all players in that game are school-aged, there are adults, too. And as with any RPG, this is another world…a virtual world, but has the trait of ours."

"You mean crimes exist there, too?" Kiku wasn't surprised about the crimes done within the RPG world, but he never imagined that it's possible in that game.

"In that folder concerns a certain guild," his boss explained, referring to the folder on his desk. "They're known as Laughing Coffin. Consisting of an unknown number of players, their only role is to deliberately torture the players and kill them. I want you to investigate on the people involved in that guild. Once you're back into reality, who knows how long you'll be in that world, we'll track them down and take them into justice."

"But this is too much for me to take for this mission!" Kiku was surprised at his boss' expectation of him to simply head into unknown territory alone, especially if that territory is a video game. "Can't you send someone who can tag along with me?"

"Yet you're the only one who had more experience in these games, especially with RPG. I trust that you'll make this through until whoever manages to complete the game and becomes the saviour."

"I can't promise on being the one who will complete it though," Kiku said, walking over to the desk and picking up the folder to read the contents. "But I'll find out what can." Then without a word, he turned around and began to head out.

"Good luck." Then he quickly called, "And Kiku…"

Kiku looked over his shoulder as he stopped in his tracks. "Yes, sir?" he asked.

"Don't die in there, okay?"

"I can't promise you that either. But I won't die in a virtual world. That's a promise."

"Um, excuse me, but you seem to be just standing there," asked a voice. "Are you lagging?"

As soon as he heard this, Kiku threw his eyes open and saw a young man about his height and looks to be about 14-15. He had messy short black hair and grey eyes, matching his entire outfit. His coat has a high collar and reaches down to his ankles, along with a pair of black boots, a V-shaped tee and trousers, as well as a buckled belt and his hands wearing black fingerless gloves. A black sword is strapped on his back, which is secured by three straps worn on both his shoulders and around his right side.

"What?" Kiku asked aloud, trying to sound awake. "Of course I'm awake."

The young man shrugged. "Doesn't seem like that for some people passing you by," he said. "You haven't moved in your place for more than a minute."

Kiku bowed his head. "Okay, so I fell into a daydream," he explained. "That's about it."

"I'm Kirito, by the way."

"Call me Kiku."

After a minute of sending and accepting each other invitations, Kirito spoke up once more.

"So why are you here in Aincrad?" he wondered. "You seem a lot of older than most people I've seen…although from far away, you're young."

"I was sent to track down a certain guild and find out about them," Kiku replied.

Kirito's expression darkened. "You mean Laughing Coffin, right?" he asked, his voice suddenly changed.

"You know them, too?"

"There was an incident not too long ago, in which a player was found dead in one of the floors below." He stayed silent for a long time. "I don't really want to talk about it…"

Kiku did the same. "But did you see the leader of that guild?" he queried.

Kirito nodded. "Yes, in person" was his only response.

Another long silence.

"Say… you seem to be around the same level as me," he said, examining Kiku's equipment. "Can I ask your help with something?"

"Does it have to do with Laughing Coffin?" Kiku sounded hopeful.

"Yeah, in a few days, I'll be in a group of high-leveled players and try to ambush the guild in their hiding place. I don't know if it's going to be a success, but we need a few more to join."

Kiku crossed his arms. "And you're asking me to join?" he asked, before Kirito could say it, but the young man nodded nonetheless. "I'll definitely join you for sure."

"Why do you need to know about them, I wonder?" Kirito asked Kiku, as they took a walk along the streets, while keeping their voice low. "You seem really determined to find them."

"If I tell you, promise me you won't tell anyone, okay?" Kiku said, after not replying for a minute. He knew he wasn't supposed to tell what he's up to, but if Kirito would keep his word and lead him to Laughing Coffin, he had no choice.

"I'm a solo player, so that should be something to lessen your suspicion on me. But just because I'm part of a group doesn't mean I'm a member." Kirito was about to tell Kiku about what happened with a certain guild he was part of and the real reason he chose to fight alone, yet he stayed silent instead. And Kiku seemed like he already had enough experience with the game itself, with most of the items equipped on him where mostly rare drops, along with the fact that he isn't wearing any armour. Even Kiku's katana seemed different to Klein's, possibly a rare monster drop from a side quest, just like his Elucidator...and along with that, he also wondered if Kiku's skill would be on par with Klein's or whether he already earned a unique skill. If that's the case, he assumed he knew what the game really is…

"A virtual death trap," Kirito whispered under his breath.

"Did you say something?" Kiku turned to him.

Kirito quickly shook his head. "No, it's nothing," he replied, pretending to scratch his head in embarrassment. "Just tell me."

And so Kiku told him his mission to find the guild. Afterwards, Kirito told him everything he knew, so both of them would be well informed.

…

Player Info for Kiku:

Level: 90

HP: 17820

Weapon: Katana (Suzaku), Daishou (Jouka)

Skills: One-handed curved sword (Lvl. 1000 - completed); Katana (Lvl. 1000 - completed); One-Handed Dagger (Lvl. 979); Parry (Lvl. 1000 - completed); Light Metal Equipment (Lvl. 894); Extended Weight Limit (Lvl. 900); Sprinting (Lvl. 887); Hiding (Lvl. 930); Blade Throwing (Lvl. 886); Meditation (Lvl. 925); Searching (Lvl. 913); Secret Skill (to be revealed)

It's not supposed to be a complete story, but it should be enough to fill in some gaps for the main story. As I've said in Chapter 9, everyone's been in the game for almost seven months, about a month after Laughing Coffin was formed and shortly before Kiku dove into the game to investigate the Player Killings in the game.

I'm thinking of having another story, but it includes Alfred this time. I consider that one relative to the recent chapters, around chapters 7-10. This one is more relevant towards the first few chapters, in which everyone finds out that Kiku hasn't woken up for hours and was missing since.

As for the Secret Skill, I made Kiku have one, designed specifically for using the katana and his fighting style as a samurai. But I'll reveal that when the main party, with Alfred reunited with them, finally meets Kiku. (Nope, Kirito doesn't have Dual Blades yet in this story, but by then, he'll use it.) It has something to do with "how one's sword is drawn".