Prologue: In Which There Was No "Hero"
(After the Final Battle)

Footsteps treaded on the cold ground of Mac Anu. Raindrops came down hard. Materialized blood dripped from the player's hands, torso, and face. Tears were visible in the player's character design. His weapon dragged behind him, almost reaching the ground. A group of players surrounded him as he barely drug himself across the town. He headed to the back of the town; there were three other players shrouded around that area as he stopped.

A girl with light, rose colored hair and lots of armor held an outstretched hand to the boy, "Do you want a Health Drink?" The boy looked away as if he was ashamed of her approaching him.

"You put a great amount on the line for this game. I am truly impressed..." A man with white hair and a type of armor with a feathered accessory looked at the boy in gratitude. All that the boy could do was turn to face the other way.

"Why the HELL are you ignoring us, you baka?!" The girl gave the boy an ungrateful glare and went up o him angrily, "You saved us, and we're thanking you." The boy started trudging away slowly. "You," the girl pointed her finger in the air and waved it back and forth, "you... THAT'S ALL WE GET FOR HELPING AND CONGRATULATING YOU?! We tried to HELP!! And what do we get, HUH?!" The boy gave her a hidden smirk, raised his arm in the air, and kept walking.

"... He sure is stubborn." A woman showing much skin hovered from her resting spot in the back of the two other players. "Just like the pig, he has his ways. The best thing that we can do for him right now is leave him alone." The man with the feathered-up character design turned to the woman in a rage.

"But Hel--"

"Leave him alone, Balmung!"

"But--"

"I said..." She cut him off again, "Leave him alone. He needs his time."

The girl with the light rose colored hair muttered to herself, "Who does that bastard think he is? Acting that way to someone who is saying 'thank you'... is pathetic."

"BlackRose..." Balmung went to help her up, but Helba stopped him once again.

BlackRose sank to the ground; her face was as red as the flag on a nearby shop. Balmung and Helba were silent. "You can't just act that way to someone who..." Her voice trailed off as she stood up and logged out of "The World." The other two did the same.

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The boy was now walking along the trail of the river that flowed through the Aqua Capital. He sat down beside it, feet dangling out over the river. A young Wavemaster with short blue hair walked up to the boy.

"Hi, Kite-sama." The sitting boy payed no attention to the boy standing up. "Are you still having fun playing "The World?" Kite still refused to answer. That's when the blue-haired boy started worrying, "Kite-sama, I know you defeated that big monster thing and you're probably tired, but..." He paused to think, and Kite started flicking his feet back and forth in the river's cold water. The air that crept around them like a ghost was cold also. "... Will you come with me to find Mia? I might have found a place that she is at, because I know she is logged on. Please!" Kite stood up and started walking to the Chaos Gate at the front of the town. "Kite-sama..." The blue-haired boy presented a hint of congratulations in his voice as he watched Kite travel to another part of the large Root Town.

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There were teddy bears sitting at every corner of the vibe-creating room. Butterflies fluttered across the open space of white and gold colored objects laying around. A gold bed sat in the middle of the room with a picture of a woman with no face above it. The picture hung sadly in the room as Kite appeared.

"What do you want out of "The World?"

A voice came out of nowhere in the room. Kite had heard this voice a few times in the past.

'I want to cease the existance of every player...'

The conversation went on...