TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

XXXXX

A/N:

Just a little note, if you've already read the first chapter, don't bother going past here. All I did was fix a few grammatical mistakes, and write out some inconstancies such as the [SP] system, which I've come to realize doesn't actually exist in the game. While the actual [UI] is up for debate, I'll be creating my own [UI] for the [Menu]. Just a few fixes such as Keito's skills and such, nothing really important.

Chapter 1: My Destiny is Mine!

November 11th, 2007. The year I was born. Well, not quite… You see, this wasn't my first time living. After speaking with God, or "Iaweh", as She called herself, I'd apparently made a deal with Lucifer to relive my life over and over in different dimensions in order to find some sort of fulfilment. As punishment, "Iaweh" cut off my deal, and forced me to live one final timeline. She promised me forgiveness when I died, but until then I was stuck living a life of uncertainty, a life she would not lay a finger on. Everything that happened to me would be made with my actions and decisions. No greater plan for me. No assured happy ending. It was my punishment. To be honest, I think She knew how much pain I had endured in my other lives. While I only remembered bits and pieces, I knew there had been a lot of heartbreak. I think She pitied me.

I was born to a Japanese family who lived in the middle class. I was intrigued, this was the first time I'd ever reincarnated into a family without political power. We lived just outside of Kyoto, and I immediately fell into the habits of my first life. As I grew older, I reacquainted myself with modern technology. iPhones, computers, and more importantly, video games. It started with Pokemon at age four. I missed those cute little pocket monsters and their interesting designs. I sighed, vaguely remembering a life where I had been a Pokemon Trainer. It then became StarCraft II at the age of seven, in 2013. While I never won the finals, I was in the top ten list every year I played in tournaments, and made the best of four every time in the Championships. After all, having several centuries of tactical experience as not only a ninja, but a Huntsman and a Pokemon Trainer would do such a thing. The biggest issue were my tiny fingers and readjusting to hotkeys. I went by the name DaTa. It was my gamertag for every game I played. And boy, did I play. Twitch streams. Youtube videos. Minecraft. Team Fortress 2. Evolve. Pokemon. I did as much as I could. And then fate hit. 2015. Tokyo airport, where I was travelling back from an SC2 competition. I met him. That Thai boy. That kid, adopted at the age of two. The kid who was so depressed on the inside, but hid it with a smile so the people closest to him wouldn't worry about him. My past self.

He had a smile on his face. He was headed to Thailand to visit his foster parents. I couldn't help myself. I approached him.

"Hello," I spoke to him in English. The boy gave me a curious look, a bit unsure about the random nine-year-old Japanese boy approaching him as if he were an old friend. I gave the eighteen-year-old a wide smile.

"Um… hi?" he spoke unsurely, a bit off-put. "Where are your parents, bud?" I chuckled, which I guess sounded weird from a small kid like me.

"I travel alone," I told him. "I'm mature enough to do so." I looked at the phone in his hand. "You're reading fanfiction?" He held his phone up and nodded.

"Uh, yeah. You speak really good English," he told me. "Good on you, kiddo."

"You play video games?" I asked him, ignoring his statements. I smiled widely. I would change his views on strategy and tactical thinking. He was lazy, unmotivated. He needed something to kickstart him. While I knew only being loved by a woman would give him the boost he needed, I could at least give him something to distract himself until he found such a woman. "Try StarCraft II. It's really fun!" He gave me a curious look.

"What? What's that?" he asked. I sighed and took a piece of paper and pen from my bag. I wrote down the name of the game, as well as my gamertag and email. And my real name. "Your name's Keito?"

"Suzuki Keito, nice to meet you," I introduced myself. "Look me up on Youtube from last year's championships. I didn't win, but it was fun." I turned away, walking off. I let a sly smile cross my face, my innocent expression of an almost preteen slipping into that of a cunning man at least three times my age. I knew it was a different timeline than the one I had lived in first, but it didn't mean I couldn't help my former self out a little bit. How little did I know that it wouldn't be long until I saw him again.

XXXXX

I first realized what the change was when it came out. NerveGear, produced by Akihiko Kayaba. At first I only just barely remembered his name. I'd heard of him numerous times, and his contributions to technological science, but never really knew who he was until now. The maker of Sword Art Online. The death game. I was hooked.

When the game was officially released, I begged my parents for a copy. At age fifteen, I was still considered kind of a kid. While I had a job, it was more of a way to pass the time until SAO came out. My parents, being understandably worried about video games, told me to purchase it for myself. While it's always been false that video games cause and desensitize people to actual violence, this game would change people's views on it forever. So I waited. I waited two weeks in a row, saving my spot at the front of the line for my copy of Sword Art Online. While I was there, I met a friend. My past self, who went by the gamertag of TheKaiSenpai. I remembered that name fondly. He had moved to Japan to teach English, and was currently engaged to a fellow teacher in the same neighborhood I lived in. My history teacher. He and his fiancé were both buying a copy of the game, as TheKaiSenpai was an adamant gamer who had strung the poor woman into playing with him. He had played during the beta test and loved what he saw, and wanted to introduce his fiancé to gaming. What better way than a fully immersive game? It took me a moment to think of why he'd bring her. At that point I'd know of Sword Art Online's history, before realizing that this was a different timeline. The light novel and anime didn't exist here. They didn't know of the dangers. And they wouldn't be prepared.

Still, I knew my past self was one to adapt easily to new things. There was no better place for him to adapt, then in a videogame. One that forced you to become more than a man. I smiled, knowing that this version of myself would be able to have some sort of happiness with his fiancé. He certainly did better than myself.

It wasn't long before I found myself logging into the game for the first time. I had left a note for my parents, explaining who I was, and what I knew. That I knew I wouldn't be back for several years. Unlike my other parents, I genuinely loved these ones. They were kind, considerate, and reasonable. They didn't expect almighty great things of me. They expected me to be average. To be a child when I was a child. To be a teen when I was a teen. To be able to decide for myself and learn who I was. They weren't just parents to me. They were teachers and friends. I could trust them with my secrets, something I couldn't do with any of my other ones. And I had just given them my biggest one.

"Link, start!"

XXXXX

I could go into detail about my first few hours in the game, but I won't. I made my character, but I didn't care what he looked like. I knew it would be gone later, anyway. I started out in the same town everyone else did. I went into the same fields everyone else did. And I grinded. I levelled up to level three. I had equipped the [Skills]; [One-Handed Curved Sword] and [Leather Equipment]. Then it was evening. And everything began.

"Greetings, players! My name is Akihiko Kayaba, the head programmer of this game, Sword Art Online!" I blinked. This was not the normal spiel that Kayaba made in the anime. "As you can see, there is no longer the option to [Log Out] of the game. Don't worry, that's not a bug. It's a feature of Sword Art Online." At that point the crowd erupted into frantic screams and yelling. "H-Hello? Hello. Hey, kinda talking here." Kayaba's giant [Game Moderator] avatar sighed. "Ok, just gonna disable the voice chat function for a min-" I blinked as a sound icon with a slash mark though it appeared over his head. This… seemed awfully familiar, but I couldn't quite place where from. The icon disappeared. "Yeah, yeah, I see what happened there, very funny. But now for what's important. You can no longer leave this game, and if someone from the outside tries to forcibly log you out by removing your NerveGear, well your brains will be fried faster than the cheap crap you get at Walt Disney World. Oh right, for the guys who are playing this game as girls, and you know who you are, I have a little surprise for you!" I blinked, noticing a notification of an item added to my [Inventory]. I pushed on the notification and chuckled as I stared into a mirror of myself. Suddenly, I was staring at my real face. Ahhh, much better. "I have ripped away the facades and masks you have created, revealing you all for what you really are." He paused. "Barely attractive twenty-somethings. Good for you. Really breaking down that whole stereotype."

"No…" I heard some girl whisper from beside me. I looked over, seeing a young woman with neatly cut auburn hair that reached down her back. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She was actually just taller than me, the sunlight gleaming off of her rather pale skin. Her chestnut eyes wide with fear. "No… I'm not even supposed to be here…" Her voice was quivering. I looked up above her head. Asuna. Fuck. It was her. "I'm not supposed to be here! Let me go!" Tears streamed down the girl's face. I sighed and reached over, resting my hand on her shoulder. Asuna jumped in shock, giving me a fearful expression.

"Don't worry," I said, hearing as Kayaba stated how we would have to beat all one-hundred floors of SAO to leave the game. "I'll make sure you stay safe."

"W-Who the fuck are you?" she exclaimed as Kayaba disappeared. I looked around and frowned, grabbing her arm and pulling her to a nearby corridor. "H-Hey! Get away from me! Let me go!"

"If you want to make it through this game, then come with me," I growled back at her, effectively silencing her. I felt a little bad, altering the fates of Kazuto and Asuna, but this was my time to forge my own destiny. My time to live the life I truly wished, without anything holding me back. No secrets. No guilt. No supernatural fights. No higher deity creating my story for me. Just me. We finally came to a stop right outside the central plaza, Asuna panting and shaking. She yanked her arm away from me.

"Just what the hell are you doing!? Who are you!?" she screamed, giving me the best death glare that she could in her terrified state. "Well? Answer me!"

"My name is DaTa," I replied to her. My eyes softened as I gazed at her shaking form. "Hey, it's ok. I promise that I'll get you out of here, ok? And, like one of my close friends, I never go back on my word."

"Why…" she muttered. "Why are you helping me… You don't even know me…" I chuckle and shrugged.

"I guess I can't help myself if I see a cute girl crying," I replied, ignoring the blush on her furious face. "Besides… I really want to help everyone I can get out of here. I'm done playing the villain."

"The villain…?"

"Ahhh, forget that. So whattya say, wanna [Party] up?" I gave her a wide smile. She looked away sheepishly. "What's up?"

"Well… I kinda don't know how to open the menu…" she whispered. I blinked.

"Say what?" I was at a loss. She what?

"I've never played a video game before, ok?" Asuna shouted defensively. "My brother bought this game but had to go to work before he could play, so I decided I wanted to try it and see why he likes these things so much!" She spoke so fast it was almost impossible to tell what she said, but I could tell what she had said. I sighed and pulled up my menu. I entered the party list and input her name. A window appeared in front of her, making her jump in surprise. "Ah!"

"Calm down, it's just a [Party Invite]," I told her.

"Wh-Wha? What's this do? What's a [Party]?" she asked rapidly. I sighed. This would be a while. I glanced around, noting the people running past. Some were walking, chatting nervously with others. The shock must have worn off, and they were now deciding what to do with their lives. The ones running must have decided to end theirs. Poor fools…

"A [Party] allows players to share [EXP], [Experience Points], which are needed to grow stronger in the game," I started to explain. She was focused on my words as we began to walk towards town. While a bit of a firecracker, she was one hell of a student. I could see the fear in her eyes diminishing, being replaced by fire and confidence. And most importantly, determination. I wrapped up my spiel after explaining how the game worked. We were currently sitting in a tavern in the Town of Beginnings. It was dark outside, and the streets were lit up by lanterns. But aside from NPC's, nobody was roaming the streets. Asuna was heartily eating the food in front of her while I picked at my steak. Oh, sure, it tasted perfect, but I knew it was simple imitation. I think Asuna was more excited about the prospect of not gaining weight from eating than anything else.

"So where do we go from here?" she asked after swallowing some mashed potatoes. I'd chosen a restaurant that served English food simply because I missed the comforts of my first life. While I loved Japanese cuisine with a passion, I enjoyed hamburgers and pizza and fish & chips as well. "I mean, you said this game would be almost impossible to beat because it's an… MMO, right?"

"Yeah," I said absently. I was wondering about my parents. They must have found my body by now. They must have read my note. I wondered what they were thinking? Were they angry? Disappointed? I knew they'd be upset. I was their child after all. My mother gave birth to me. I was of their blood. But at the same time, I was someone completely different. Would they still consider me their child? I sighed and turned back to Asuna, who was looking at me with a worried expression. "We'll have to train," I told her, making her eyes widen. "Gain [EXP] and grow [Levels]. By the end of this floor we want to be at least [Level] twelve if possible. From your weapon I can see you started with a rapier?" She glanced at her weapon.

"Uh, yeah!" she stammered. "Yeah, my mother had me take fencing lessons when I was a child. She was against it at first, but my father managed to convince her." She looked out the window. "I wonder how they are…"

"Worried, I'm sure," I told her, patting her hand. "Well, in that case you'll want to focus on your agility, so in your [Skill Menu], you'll want to equip [Light Metal Equipment] or [Leather Equipment] and [One-Handed Rapier]. Equipping [Sprint] and [Acrobatics] will help as well." She let out a thoughtful hum.

"And what about yourself?" she asked. "What kind of a weapon do you use?" I chuckled, pulling from my back sheathe a long blade with a slight curve to it. I wasn't sure what it was called, but it had a curved blade, which was what I was used to. I laid it on the table. It was a simple weapon with a wooden hilt wrapped in red linen, and a fairly sharp single edge. It was about four feet long in total.

"She's called Phoenix," I told her as she took the blade in her hands, appraising it. "I'm not much of a blade person. I prefer using Taiju- er, martial arts. But, in this kind of game a weapon is necessary. I'm thinking of exploiting the game, though."

"What?" Asuna exclaimed. "How? Are you gonna make some super badass weapon that will-"

"A staff." Asuna paused.

"What?" she said in a dazed tone. "A staff!? That's it!?" I shrugged, giving her a lighthearted look. "What happened to all that stuff about beating the game!?"

"A staff is a very deadly weapon in the right hands," I told her cryptically. I remembered how an old enemy of mine had destroyed legions of people with only a staff. While impossible in the real world, I could replicate the results in the game. "But rest assured, I'll only use it in emergencies." Asuna rolled her eyes, grumbling. "Now then, I believe we have a room rented." Her eye twitched. "Separate beds, rest assured." While the glare on her face didn't disappear, she only grumbled her complaints. I smiled lightly as I walked to the barkeep. This was the life I wanted. One of danger and adventure, but with friends. Or a friend, rather. One where I could be myself. I would forge my own destiny.

XXXXX

As the week passed, I saw great improvement in Asuna. While she wasn't yet the "Flash" as people would call her, she was formidable. We mainly stayed near the [Town of Beginnings] at first, but after three days Asuna insisted we move further on. I was inclined to agree. The [Mobs] were becoming too easy. So we moved further out from the town. It was there that we found an inn in the middle of the forest. Only a handful of players had found it, and were taking their time using it as a base of operations. Unfortunately, it also meant players who had grown large egos due to coming so far out within a week.

"Another!" spoke one such player as he slammed his mug on the table, said mug shattering into polygons. The innkeeper was giving the man an annoyed look. Asuna and I had just wandered into the place after seeing the sign. [The Brave Buck Tavern] it was called. It was a simple two story inn with about fourteen rooms on the second floor. The bottom floor was obviously the actual bar and lounge. "Ahhh, that's good stuff! I'd never get alcohol in the real-" I frowned as the man's gaze swept over Asuna and myself. His stare stopped on Asuna. His four buddies were looking at her too. They looked… inebriated. "Ohoho! What a cutie!" he exclaimed, standing up from the table and strutting towards us. I tried to ignore him as I went to the innkeeper for a room and some food. Asuna could handle herself. "What's a pretty girl like you doing with some punk like him?"

"Excuse you?" Asuna growled. "I'll have you know that he's ten times the swordsman you'd ever be!"

"Ten times, huh? A pipsqueak like him!?" the man boasted.

"Hey, I know that name," one of his buddies chimed in. "[DaTa], he's that one SCII player!" I felt a hand slam itself onto my shoulder. My eye twitched. I hated bullies. "What's a guy like you doing out of your league, huh? This is a VRMMORPG, kid, not some hotkey mashing pussy game!" I sighed and pulled down my menu, looking for the name of Asuna's heckler in the [Nearby Players] list. I brought up his name and pressed [Duel].

"What the hell?" the guy exclaimed. I turned to face him. His cocky grin formed as he turned to me. "The little shrimp wants to fight, eh? Alright then. Easy win." He hit [Accept], and brought out a rather large mace. I sighed and drew my katana, crouching a bit as I held the blade in a reverse grip, my left hand bent in front of me, ready to grab any incoming attack. "Are you stupid? You can't use any Sword Skills like that!" he laughed, the guy's pals joining in. I sighed as the counter went down. Three seconds. Two. One. "Take thi- guh!" As soon as he raised his mace up to strike, I dashed forward.

"Executioner's Blow," I muttered. To the normal eye, it would look like I simply swiped across his stomach as I rushed past. But the many laceration wounds on his body said otherwise. His form was decorated in slashes and strikes, all made within the span of a second. I stood, turning to face him with a bored expression on my face. "You may have strength, but you're too choreographed and flashy in your moves. Against a [Mob] it means little, but against another player, it would mean your end." I turned to Asuna. "Learn from the mistakes of the foolish." Asuna nodded.

"R-Right!" I motioned for her to follow me upstairs. As soon as we reached our room and closed the door, I couldn't hold back my laughter. "Hey, what's so funny!?"

"Oh God, I haven't used that tone in so long!" I managed between breaths of air. "Ahhh, the teacher voice! I remember why I loved it so much!"

"Say… wha…?" Asuna was at a loss for words. I smiled and laid down in bad, shaking my head.

"Don't worry about it," I told her after finally calming down. "Just an old thing between me and some friends."

"You keep talking about these friends of yours," Asuna muttered. "What were they like?" I sighed and gave her a soft smile. "W-What?"

"It's been a long while since I've seen them," I told her with a somber tone. "They were all… such good kids…" I sighed, closing my eyes, only to feel the weight shift on my bed, and Asuna's hand resting on mine.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized. "I didn't know…" I shrugged her off.

"It's ok," I told her, pushing her off my bed. "Go to sleep, we have a long day tomorrow." I gave her a smile when I saw the worried look still on her face. "Hey, I'll be fine. Just sleep, ok? You need it." She nodded slowly before turning off the light, laying in her own bed. "Night, Asuna."

"Goodnight, DaTa," she replied.

XXXXX

It would be two more weeks until we made it to [Tolbana] with the other players. It was a fairly large city. While not the same size as the [Town of Beginnings], it had enough room to house several thousand players. It was there that I met my friend as well. He was wearing a simple brown leather armor with a few metal armor plates covering his shoulders, arms, and legs. He had a massive grin on his face as he walked beside his fiancé, speaking loudly. The woman had a soft smile on her face that expressed her amusement. Strapped to his back was a rather small circular shield, and sheathed on his left waist was a simple iron longsword that could be bought in a store. The woman walking with him was of fair complexion, even paler than Asuna. Her hair was dyed a light green, and was let flowing freely over her shoulders. Her eyes were a soft blue, and had a gentleness to them that didn't really belong in a game like this. She wore simple cloth armor made for those of non-combat oriented play, meaning she must have allowed TheKaiSenpai to do all the fighting, and she would be his backup. The housewife, I figured.

"Oi! TheKaiSenpai!" I called in greeting, getting the man's attention. I waved when he turned to me, his smile growing.

"He-Hey, little buddy!" he laughed on the first word. "Looks like you're doing good, DaTa. Oh, and call me Kai, it's a lot less of a mouthful to say." He glanced at Asuna. "Ohoho, and you've got a friend, eh?" He nudged me knowing me. I tried to ignore the glare Asuna was giving to my back. "Not bad, quite a looker for her age. Guh!" Kai dramatically fell to the ground when his fiancé punched him on the shoulder. It was more of a love tap, but he didn't seem to care. "Ayako-cha~aan…" he moaned in faux pain. Ayako sighed and gave Asuna and I a polite smile.

"Forgive him," she said in a smooth voice that was almost reminiscent of water flowing down like a creek. It was high pitched and had a nice ringing to it. "He's… kind of an idiot…" She sighed dreamily. "But… he's my idiot…" She frowned and glanced at Kai. "Honey, aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Ah, yes!" he stood up quickly, I was afraid he might break something. "You know her real name, bud, but this is TheAyaSenpai."

"He told me it was a good name," TheAyaSenpai grumbled. "I thought it sounded ridiculous. Please, call me Aya." Kai clutched at his heart in mock pain.

"Gah! My precious Aya-hime! So cruel!" Aya flushed, trying to force an annoyed expression on her face. Kai immediately dropped his act and gave me a calm look. "It's good to see you made it out, buddy. I've been hearing we already lost two-thousand. I'm glad you weren't one of them." He nodded to Asuna. "Keep him safe."

"Yes, sir," Asuna replied meekly. She had been trying not to laugh during the whole show made by the couple, but now seemed to be a bit intimidated by the sudden change.

"I'm glad you made it, too," I told Kai. I glanced at Asuna. "Say, there should be an inn near here, if you wanna get more potions and-"

"Actually, there's an inn just down the street," Kai spoke up. He looked to Aya. "Why don't you and Asuna grab some gear and meet us there? DaTa and I will get everything sorted out at the inn."

"[The Hearty Mug], yes?" Aya asked, receiving a nod from Kai. She smiled and rested her hand on Asuna's shoulder. "Let's go. The boys don't need us right now."

"Wha- but-," stammered the auburn-haired girl as she was dragged away by Aya. "DaTa!"

"Seeya, Asuna!" I waved back to her as I walked beside Kai.

"Dammit, DaTa, come help me!" Asuna's angry voice trailed off as Kai and I walked on. The man chuckled, looking down at me. He had his hands in his pockets, and walked at a leisurely pace.

"So," I started, "you went for heavy weaponry, huh? Compensating?" I smirked as he flinched at the jib, before smiling a bit.

"Oh, a wise guy, eh?" his grin grew as he spoke. "I'll let you know that Aya-chan says I'm just the right fit for her!" I blushed a bit, but rolled my eyes. "Yeaaaaah, and just what have you and Asuna done? Bet ya got her wrapped around your finger. Or…" He drooped his eyes mockingly. "Maybe it's the other way around, you little 'samurai'? Hm? Hm?" I swat his hands away when he poked me a few times.

"Nothing like that," I told him. "Believe me, I wouldn't mind it, but right now I don't want to take advantage of her. Not in this kind of situation." He chuckled. "I'm serious! I promised to be a guardian for her. If she wants me to be more…" I trailed off.

"You don't want to make the first move," he deduced, his voice calm and collected as we entered the inn. It was a quaint place with a homey interior. Nothing really special, maybe just a bit more lush than most other residences. "I made that mistake when I was your age, bud," he told me. I knew that. I had been him, once. "Just… don't let her get away." I turned to see him. He had a sad expression on his face. We both remembered the ones who had left us for another. I hoped Aya wouldn't do the same.

"I just want to wait a while," I told him. "Until things settle down a bit. I want her response to be rational and-" He laughed, crossing his arms.

"Rational? Women?" he joked, though his tone begot his partial seriousness. I winced. He still didn't really trust women all that much. "Let's be honest, they're human just like us. They fuck up. They hurt people. Just like us. Like…" Like me. I knew what he meant. He was still hurt. "Aya,-chan, though… She might just be different. I hope she is." But I still don't trust her completely, was the unspoken phrase. "She already knows what I mean. And yet she's stood beside me. She must be hurting, and I'm scum for doing such a thing to her. But…" He shook his head, looking down at me as we approached the bar where the innkeeper was. "Anyway, let's get what we told the girls we'd do, done. Hello there, mon amie!" he spoke to the innkeeper, getting a few odd looks from the other players.

"Ah, hello, hello! How can I help you, boys?" spoke the rather hairy [NPC] behind the counter.

"Two rooms, two occupants each," he explained, setting down a bag of [Col] on the counter. I frowned, hearing the whispers behind us.

"Hey, isn't he the foreigner…?"

"Yeah, what's he doing with DaTa? He's a Youtuber, isn't he?"

"Trash like him doesn't deserve to be around someone famous like DaTa!"

"Shhh, calm down! We can't do anything about it right now. With any luck they won't [Party] together."

"Thanks, mate!" Kai exclaimed, tossing me a key. I fumbled with it, but managed to keep it from falling to the floor. "Heh, better be attentive, bud. I might just beat ya in SCII once we get outta here."

"In your dreams, punk," I smirked. We sat off to the side at an empty table, waiting for the girls. "So, sword and shield?" I inquired his choice of weaponry. He grinned.

"Apparently I'm Aya-chan's 'knight in shining armor' or some such. So I decided to play the part!" He chuckled sheepishly. "And I was hoping to start a [Guild] sometime when I started the game. Something inspirational that players can get behind. Well, as [Guild Master] I'd have to be both the sword to rally behind and the shield to protect my members. I thought it was some nice symbolism."

"Yeah, yeah, it works for you," I complimented the older man. "I think you should still start a [Guild]. It would bring these guys some hope. That's exactly what these people need."

"And what about you, DaTa?" he asked seriously, leaning forward on the table. "You're obviously pretty good at the game, since your [Level] is about three above the average player. For a non-beta tester anyway. I mean, [Lvl] ten already, that's pretty good." He paused. "I think you could start your own [Guild]."

"What!?" I exclaimed in shock. "Me? A leader? No, I'd be terrible!"

"You don't fool me, DaTa," he spoke in a low town. "She told me who you were. Or rather, what you were. You've done things so many could only dream of." I cursed under my breath. "She only told me that She'd give me a happy ending because you sacrificed your own for me. So I'm in your debt. But rest assured, I'll help you create your own." He winked. "After all, nobody deserves to live a life of pain and suffering." He sat back once more.

"Did She tell you…?"

"Only that you were a… traveler. Nothing about who you were before. Only that you were a great leader in many of those places you visited," he said smoothly, as if nothing were abnormal about it. "I won't bring it up again. I just thought it would be fair for you to know that I know."

"Thanks," I replied, only just hearing Asuna's voice on the other side of the window. I glanced over and saw Aya and Asuna laughing and smiling as they walked inside, with Aya immediately seeing us and directing Asuna in our direction.

"We must spend more time together, Asuna," Aya spoke with grace. "It's been refreshing having another well-mannered lady to speak to. Not like this dummy." She sent a fake glare towards Kai, who grinned almost evilly. No, not evilly. Perversely. Aya caught the look and blushed furiously before Kai's face returned to normal when Asuna looked between them.

"Well, I think Aya-chan and I are gonna have an early night," he said without missing a beat, standing up and stretching. Aya's blush deepened.

"Ahahaha, y-yeah," the mentioned woman slightly backed away, taking Kai's hand in her own. Quickly, they made their way upstairs. I could hear running, and a door slamming closed not long after. I glanced at Asuna, who seemed a bit confused.

"They're gonna have sex," I stated bluntly, enjoying watching the massive blush crawl up the girl's face. I smirked.

"Why would you tell me that!?" she shrieked in a hushed tone. "You jerk!" she shouted, punching me in the arm as I laughed. She huffed in annoyance, but didn't seem too bothered aside from the initial shock of my statement. She looked away for a moment before glancing at me.

"Hey… do you have anyone waiting for you outside?" she asked. It took me a second to realize she meant outside the game, not outside the inn.

"Nope," I replied, shaking my head and shrugging. "Despite my charming personality, I'm not really dating anyone. Just… didn't think of it." She looked down, grasping at her left arm.

"Right…" she mumbled. "Say…" she cut herself off and shook her head. "Nevermind! So, where should we head next? I'm thinking maybe the fields and gain a few more [Levels]. I'm almost at [Level] 11!" I nodded, giving her a once over. Was she considering me already? No, she probably had some doubts. It'd only been a month. Then again, a lot can happen in a month.

"Sounds good. I need some [Materials] to upgrade my baby, here," I pointed my thumb to the katana strapped to my back, making Asuna roll her eyes. "If I can give it a good enough upgrade, it should last me until the back end of [Floor Two]. A [+4] should work." I blinked. "Oh, and I forgot that we unlocked our third [Skill Slot] some time ago." I pulled down my menu and shifted through my [Skills].

"What!?" Asuna growled as we walked towards the edge of town. "You just remembered that!?" The girl huffed and pouted, doing the same as I did while we walked. I looked through the directory at my unlocked [Skills], and chuckled. I picked [Battle Tempo] and looked at its description:

[A combat skill that allows the user to cause 4x damage within a second after unsheathing their weapon, and a guaranteed mini-critical with every tenth attack.]

I smirked. Kayaba was obviously intending for players to have different styles of combat within the game. It just so happened that this [Skill] matched up with my preferred fighting style. While not perfect, it could work. I equipped it. I looked over and saw Asuna sliding a [Skill] to her empty [Skill Slot]. "[Acrobatics]? Good choice." She huffed and sent me a sly smile.

"Well you were the one who suggested it," she told me. "Besides, it looked interesting." I rolled my eyes as I moved my equipped blade from my back to my waist. It would make it much easier to use the [Skill] I had equipped. I smiled as we approached the forest. Finally, now I could get this started!

XXXXX

[Floor One] [Tolbana, The Hearty Mug Inn] [November 29th, 2022] [TheKaiSenpai]

I gazed at the Japanese woman lying beside me, the blankets and her own lime green hair covering her lovely form. Suzuki Ayako, the woman who had fallen in love with me. And the woman I, in turn, had fallen in love with. It had been years since I had last laid in bed with a woman, but none could compare to this. In the real world, we had lived separately. While we would occasionally hook up for a late-night rendezvous, we never stayed the full night. We had classes to teach, after all. But here… I could finally spend quality time with my Aya-hime. My precious woman, the only woman that meant anything in my heart. Oh, sure Asuna was cute, but she was a friend of Keito's. Not particularly my friend. Yet still…

I closed my eyes once more, my hand resting atop my fiancé's. It was so small compared to mine. So fragile. I felt bad, having dragged her into this game. She never had an interest in games like I did. I had hoped this would become a game we could just play when we had free time at home. A way to bond, if you will. But I could never have imagined this situation. Ayako's hand wrapped around mine, squeezing it. I opened my eyes, seeing that another pair were staring back into my own.

"Is it morning?" she asked in English. Her accent was thick, but her pronunciation was spot on. I nodded, pulling her closer to me, making her squeak in surprise. I smiled, enjoying the warmth of her flesh against mine. As digital as this world was, Kayaba did a damn good job in getting details down. "K-Kai-kun! So shameless!" her words were harsh, but there was no bite. In fact, she snuggled even closer to me. I glanced up at her [Level]. She was only at [Level] nine, but she didn't need much more than that. I had insisted she gain a few to open up more [Skill Slots]. That was the only reason she had done such. She only had [Tailoring], [First Aid], and [Musical Instrument]. I was the fighter between us two, and she was my support. "M-More…" she whimpered, grasping at my hidden sword. I chuckled and gave her a quick kiss.

"Not right now," I told her, making her pout. "We have some more [Grinding] to do."

"I know~" her reply was soft and sultry. I felt shivers run down my back. Damn, it was hard to resist this woman! It was even harder when she still had her glasses, so thank God for small blessings.

"Not that kind!" I shouted in a hushed tone, standing up and stretching. I let out a yawn as I re-enabled the [Ethics Filter], equipping myself with my gear. Ayako sighed and did the same, though took a lengthy amount of time to spite me. I simply smiled and watched her.

"You know, as your senior, you should be doing as I say," she grumbled, but the negative tone wasn't in her voice.

"Mmm, but you enjoy it when I take charge," I jested, giving her rear a good smack, making her jump and giggle. "Let's get going. We're almost to [Level] ten, and I want to get the next [Skill Slot] unlocked!"

"You just want me to get the [Cooking] [Skill]," she teased as we left our room. "Not that I blame you~" I rolled my eyes and took her hand in mine. I didn't have to even look to know she had a blush on her face. "I-Idiot… Making me fall for you so hard…"

"I have no clue what you're talking about," I replied nonchalantly. She punched my shoulder weakly. I shot smug grins to the guys staring at her as we walked to a table on the bottom floor. I got nasty glares in return. I loved messing with people. "All I did was get down on one knee and-"

"Before that, you jerk," she murmured while we sat. "You were so romantic and nice."

"Were?"

"Are," she corrected herself. "Jeez… every day with some sort of snack and a compliment… Some sort of romantic one-liner that I honestly should have hit you for."

"You did," I groaned. "I have the bruises to prove it."

"Oh shush, you big baby," Ayako smiled, teasing me. "But still… You pretty much hardwired me to fall in love with you." She pouted. "Such a manipulative man. But… I don't dislike being with you." She giggled. "Especially since I know your weakness now!" I cringed. "Yeah~" Her eyes went big, and my fiancé pouted, looking up at me. "Please… can I go out and buy some more clothes today, Kai-kun…?" Her voice was a near whimper. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Fuck you. Yeah, you can," I replied almost on instinct. She gave me a sweet kiss and stood.

"You'll get a nice surprise tonight~" I grinned widely, watching as my woman sauntered out of the room, hips swaying. I grinned, knowing that the other guys in the room were drooling, and enjoying the knowledge that she was all mine.

XXXXX

Omake: My Partner

[Floor One] [Labyrinth] [December 4th, 2022] [11:20 AM] [Asuna]

"Hiya!" I let loose a flurry of blows upon the Kobald Grunt in front of me. Littered with puncture wounds, it broke into pieces after a frozen moment. I glanced at my partner, DaTa. He was… weird, for sure. He had these moments where he'd just zone out in the fight. Yet he was deadly. He never wasted an action. All of his movements were fluid. He was a force of nature. But it made me wonder once more, who was he in the real world? He hardly ever used [Sword Skills], so he must have been an experienced sword user. He mentioned old friends, but never more than passing phrases and vague references that they were dead. He was just so confusing! Even after a month, I didn't even know what his stupid favorite color was! He'd just make some absurd joke about naruto and keep going as if he didn't just spout some stupid random comment!

And yet… I was still here, fighting beside him. He had this charm about him that just made you want to fight beside him. To trust him. I guess it was because he was so kind when he didn't have to be. Even to me, a complete stranger. Maybe that's why I went with him all those weeks ago. He was just so… down to earth. Almost like my grandfather. Such a mystery, but one I'm confident to solve!