A/N: Hello my favourable readers! Sir Basha here, Gentleman, Huntsman, Scholar. At your service! Here we have another fic following my favourite series, Sword art online! Ladies and Gentleman, please engross yourselves in my latest work... I have no idea what came over me. Sorry. Anyway, just thought of this short and wanted to write it.

Men. The heart of a man, is courageous, it is strong, it is kind, but The heart of a man is darkness, it is emptiness, it is hunger, desire, greed. And desire forces man, to do unforgivable things.

Kazuto clenched his fist as he followed behind the Knights of the blood oath's second in command. These people had taken too many lives, too many innocent people had been slaughtered, he should be happy that so many were going to the black iron palace today, but the nervousness that shook his body would not listen to reason, as he thought about the lives he may have to take again and again.

"Calm down." Her soft voice brought him back to reality, her chestnut hair swung around, her stern hazel eyes replaced with kind understanding... and Beautiful orbs.

She gripped his clenched fist, and unfolded the fingers.

"I'm calm. I'm a beater remember? I can't lose."

"Yes, but it's not losing you're afraid of. These men have done horrible, unforgivable things. Death is a mercy we are giving them. And if they surrender, there will be no need for bloodshed.

"They won't surrender." Kazuto said, contorting his face, averting his eyes from the goddess that stood before him.

"How do you know that? They will! You have to believe-"

"I've met them! Red eyed Xaxa! Johnny black! I've had attempts on my life, and seem them assassinate others! They are ruthless, psychotic murders! Psychos! Their only pleasure, comes from killing. If we are to stop them, we must fall to their level. And me being the strongest player... It falls to me to loose emotion... It falls to me to save you all. It falls to me... To make sure you don't kill anyone."

"Kirito! They... They have to surrender! When they see our forces-"

"They'll think, no way any of these will kill us. Then they will attack."

"Then why stop me from killing?"

"Killing a man will stay with someone to the grave... I don't want you to experience that... Asuna... In this death game... I've had few friends. Klein, Argo, Agil, Silica and Lisbeth, but none of them connect with me the way you do. You are my greatest friend, and I am glad to say I can stand by you on the battlefield."

Asuna smiled.

"But." He began. "I do not want to see any of my friends, especially you, Kill a man." He was lying. He knew it. He didn't want to see his friends kill, but he wasn't going to stop them. He didn't want Asuna to because she was... His crush. He had fallen for the second in command of the lead guild in a death game. He knew he was stupid. Focus on getting out of the game, he thought to himself, but each time he saw her, butterflies formed in his stomach, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Kirito!?"

"A-Ah!? What!?"

"You blanked out for a second there. I said, I'm sorry. But if it comes to it... I may have to kill. Simply to survive."

He couldn't really argue with her logic... And so simply nodded.

He watched her walk into the strategy room, and he sighed as the door closed in front of him.

"Hey man." Klein said, seated with his back against the wall, next to the huge wooden doors.

"Hey Klein."

He fist bumped him, and exhaled sharply as he sat next to him.

"Worried?"

"Afraid. Afraid of what I might do. You've seen me go berserk."

"Hey. Look at me." Kazuto turned his head. "Three things. One. These people deserve it. Two. It will only be in self defence. And three. We have got your back. All of us. Even those guys that snarl and glare at you, me and Agil have heard them. You're the strongest player, and everyone respects you man." He punched his shoulder.

"Thanks..."

"If you really need some inspiration out there, something to keep you going, tell you to stay alive, think of something you're fighting for. Freedom. A girl. Your family? I don't know..."

Asuna peeked her head out the enormous wooden doors

"Kirito... We need you in here." She disappeared again, but Kazuto had blanked out again. She may have disappeared behind that door, but he was still swimming in her eyes.

"ASUNA?"

Kazuto jumped. "What!?"

Klein lowered his voice. "You have a crush on Asuna!?"

"N-No!" The blood rushed to Kazuto's face. His face flushed red, starting at his neck and flooding up his features.

"Yes you do! Oh my god Kirito! Of all the 10,000 players in this game!" He couldn't stop laughing. "Get in there kid!" He laughed, shoving a blushing Kazuto through the door.

He stood at the entrance to the room, his face very red, with everyone in there staring at him. He slowly raised his hand and waved.

"Hi." He said sheepishly. Asuna rolled her eyes.

This was humiliating.

A/N: I don't even know what this was. A friendship thing? Maybe I'll do another chapter about the crusade. Hope you enjoyed!