A Chef's Vendetta
Ah, the world of Aincrad is beautiful. It's been two weeks since all 10,000 players were trapped inside this world. The world of Sword Art Online, a virtual reality RPG that intercepts your brain waves to send sensations directly to your subconscious. The Game Master has made it impossible to log off, giving the players an ultimatum. Clear all one hundred floors of the Castle Aincrad, or stay trapped in the game until death.
It has been two weeks since the battle for survival began. Or...at least, a battle for someone else. For me - the past two weeks have been wonderful. Two weeks trapped in paradise. Many of us have died to the early level dungeons on the way... Only about 7,000 of us remain. I don't understand why everyone is fighting for their freedom...this place could be our lives. Our bodies are safe inside hospitals, hooked up to machines keeping our minds alive.
In these last two weeks I've used my culinary skills from the SAO beta to create a pastime for myself. While other players trained in skills like swordsmanship, blacksmithing, or archery, I hid inside kitchens and spent my time cooking. By selling my starting items and servicing through cooking, I've been able to build a home on Floor 32, resting humbly beside a snowmelt creek. Snow...There was never snow in Tokyo.
Its my birthday today... I wonder how my family is celebrating.
-October 13th, excerpt from Suru's journal.-
My boots click on the cobblestone streets as I make my way to the marketplace. Passing by a group of hooded men in ragged clothing, my steps speed up. 'These are the men of Laughing Coffin', I think to myself as one of them looks up from his shroud, spitting on the ground in front of his leather soled shoes. Although the majority of their skin is covered, each of them leave their left wrist uncovered, donning the Laughing Coffin emblem. A bizarre image of a coffin with a twisted smile on it. Despite my curiosity, my fear forces me to not look back. This world, just like the one our bodies rest in, has people with cruel intentions. This is all still a game to them. But when you kill another player here, their minds shut off in the real world.
Past a sandstone wall, the vegetable market was set up every day for those who took the time to raise their culinary skills. Only rare food items are sold at this market, and only the people who have experience in cooking can make something out of them. The merchant who runs the place is a stout, grey haired man with a scar down his cheek. Avoiding eye contact, I place down some rare culinary items on the counter. A whole Winter Hare, and an assortment of vegetables.
"How much will this be, sir?", I ask modestly.
"That'll be fifteen cor," the man grumbles.
Astonished, I exclaim, "Fifteen!?"
"Everything has a price, kid. Do you want the items or not?"
I open up my menu and transfer 15 cor to the man in front of me, realizing I only have 10 remaining, "Now I'm low on money... you practically swindled me."
"Low on money? Kid. Fifteen cor is hardly anything, your lack of money shows for your laziness."
I knew this to be true, but I found it more relaxing to avoid the battles in the dungeons, where the majority of the cor could be earned. Furthermore, I had spent the majority of my money on items to cook a meal for my little sister, Deiji. I had promised her that I would make her something special tonight, but I never realized the cost would be so high. 'This meal better be good' I sigh at the thought.
And with that, I walked out of the market. As I'm making a turn, I crash into a large, cowled man with a loud thud. Sending him to to the ground and me toppling into the brick wall of the town's tavern.
"I'm sor-", I lose my voice in fear as I see his left wrist. 'Another one of them' Before I finish my sentence, I run off towards the center of the town. Repeatedly looking over my shoulder while passing many confused merchants, I continued this until I felt safe. At that point, I hid in an alleyway to catch my breath.
Once I've caught my breath, I begin walking to the town center. At the center, I pull out my teleport crystal and activate it. "Town of Wonder's, Floor 32." The image in front of me shimmers a light blue, everything around me begins to blur and shift and before I could think, I shimmered back into view next to the Town of Wonder's courtroom. My decision to live in Wonder comes from the fact that the environment is simply...peaceful. The town's "center" consists of a blacksmith shop, three small houses, a hole in the wall grocery, and a courtroom. Surrounding the town is an elaborate flower patch that is encircled by a dark, much less beautiful forest.
My home is a two mile walk from the town, following a trail that goes straight through the dark forest. So I begin my trek. Leaves rustling below my feet, I walk swiftly through the wooded path, trying to make it out of quickly as I can. That place scares me, there's always this eerie feeling like someone is watching you.. I've heard it may be Laughing Coffin's hideout. But I quickly push that idea out of my head. A twig behind me snaps. I jerk my head to the place where I heard the sound, not turning my body. Nothing. Nothing but the sound of the birds and...a shadow? I try to focus on a large shadow that is casting from the branches of a distant tree, but decide there is nothing to be seen.
Time passes..
The sounds continued for my whole walk. They were more distant, however. At last, I reach my house beside the roaring river. It is Springtime on floor 32 (each floor had their own seasons), the river started off as a small creek, but by the end of the first month, the creek had expanded into a full flowing river. Deiji's bag is on the porch beside my door, but the door is open.. She knows how much I hate that. But I assume she just forgot and ran inside.
"Deiji, I'm back! I got some delicious Winter Hare meat for tonight's supper!", no response.
SLAM! The door behind me hits the frame as a nimble, small boy steps in front of it. A vicious grin on his face, "I'm afraid your little flower will be late for supper, Suru."
His grin crawls to the edges of his pale cheeks, filed teeth jut in and out of his lips. His sleeveless shirt is covered in blood and a dark hood extends over his dark hair.
I can feel the blood in my veins freeze in motion, my blue eyes dilate in shock, focusing on a tattoo on the boy's wrist, "Laughing Coffin."
His shrill laugh pierces my ears, in a stabbing attempt at murdering my soul, "Ha..! You are correct, the infamous Laughing Coffin. Making themselves guests in your home, making themselves guests to your belongings, and your - delicates."
And now - a feeling much different. My blood churns. Furiously. I know he's angering me on purpose, waiting for me to make a move… But I ignore the notion, "Is this what you want?" , I open my menu, selecting a kitchen cutlery from my inventory. Being a cook and not a warrior, I had no reason for a real weapon. Until now, that is.
"Hmph. A vegetable knife?", the murderer skillfully flicks a long dirk out of it's sheath, wielding it steadily, "You're seeming more adorable than the little girl, Suru."
That's all it takes. I snap, lunging at him full force, the naivety of the attack passes my thoughts. Of course, the blade misses it's target, met only with the whistling of the air it cuts. Instead, my arm is met with a sharp pain. In a blur of movement, the boy manages to disarm me and counterweight my attack.
"You're kidding..With an attack like that you couldn't even harm a low level rabbit."
I wince in pain, not knowing what to do next. Now I understand. This world is just as evil as the old world. A blunt, crushing pain surges through my body as the boy's foot slams into my rib. He releases my arm. Sending me toppling to the ground, limp.
"I would think," the boy smirks, "That with your sister's life on the line... You would try harder. Anyways.", he grabs me by my hood and drags me into the living room,where I can hear my sister screaming. The sun is already setting and the only light in the room was a small ray casting from the room's only window. My vision is blurry, but I can see her form in the far corner of the room, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Deij-", somebody out of my field of view slams me in the gut.
"Lets make em watch it!", the boy shrilly laughs another time, grabbing my sister by the hair and holding her up.
Meanwhile, I'm puking blood while laying on the floor still, trying not to anger my unseen oppressors. Who are very obviously enjoying themselves. Like I said… its all just a game to some. Rough hands brace around my neck like clamps, holding my vision towards the dark corner of the room where Deiji sits.
"Someone living this close to our headquarters..", the boy chuckles, "should probably be a little more respectful to us."
Someone enters my field of view, coming from the kitchen to the left. A woman in a long, dark dress that flows elegantly. Scarlet red hair flows down her shoulders in waves, and her eyes are just glints of the day's remaining light. She's holding a large bottle of rare wine, something I had also purchased from the market just earlier. With a disturbing blur of movement, she is directly in front of me. An assassin with incredibly high dexterity has the ability to close gaps at alarming speeds, I knew. But I had never seen it in action.
"It'll be over soon.", with a crushing blow to my face, my vision blacks out instantly, rendering me unconscious.
I awake from my daze, skin and blood under my nails. There's no sign of my sister, whom I presume to be dead. Panicked, I crawl in search of her, too weak to stand. Tears veil my eyes, blocking my vision. But I knew. If she wasn't here, then her body likely despawned, removed from the game forever. Removed from life forever. So I stop searching and just lay there. Sobbing. Before this, I myself saw this game as a paradise. A wonderland where Deiji and I could live peacefully and go on adventures together - now I see. There's no one here for me now. No one will protect me from Laughing Coffin when they find out I didn't die. Just like no one protected her.
Its clear to me. I won't let anyone harm something I care about again. If there's anything in life worth saving, then it is your job to protect it. I rise to my feet, swaying with a weak sense of balance. Using the teleport crystal to take me back to Wonder. Not sure of many things - Why they targeted us, or even whether they left me alive intentionally or not… But there is one thing I'm certain of; I didn't do my job.
Some time after cleaning myself up, I walk into Wonder, autonomously walking to the forge. The large metal door to the blacksmith's forge opens with some force, a gust of warm air hits my face, a man calls to me in a typical NPC voice, "What can I do for you today?"
"I need to buy a sword."