I pulled the sword out of it sheathe and up in to the air. The light hit its iron blade causing a glare to appear. Tonka grinned and dashed forward, quickly he leaped in the air.

"Kahhhh!"

My hand lifted the sword up to block his downward slash, the sound of swords clashing ringed out. Then I swung horizontally at his open torso. The sword slashed through halfway before Tonka dashed back to recover. Quickly I regained my stance and waited for him again. This technique I used often in beta. I would wait for the opponent to attack me and then I would attack them on their recover. Tonka came at me again this time dragging his sword behind him. His sword was covered in an orange light. He was trying to use a 'Sword Skill' on me. 'Sword Skills' are special abilities you can use to deal more damage than a normal attack. The move he was using is called Rage Spike. It charges the user towards his/her opponent and stabs them.

With no time for a proper block I swing my blade to a slant, also activating a Sword Skill. Our blades meet again this time knocking us both back. He comes at me again with a barrage of slant attacks. Doing my best to block them he makes it through slicing my shoulder and torso.

Tonka falls back to recover. This is my chance; his stamina can't be much after his barrage.

"Haaa!" I yell running towards him.

As I approach him my sword gets covered in green and I lift it up fast in an uppercut motion singling the Skill. Tonka does his best to block but his sword gets knocked out of his hand. My blade soars up his body only leaving a red strip behind it. Quickly I follow up with a downward vertical slash. It sends his body crashing in to the dirt. Tonka's HP bar begins to move down to a one hit range.

His breathing is all I could hear as I kicked him over on his back. Oddly he was smiling. He had to understand that he was about to die in real life not just the game.

Coughing he said "You're going to go far kid."

I stepped back stunned. I'm going to go far by killing this man. It didn't seem right. But it had to be down. Tonka would have killed more players than just me.

"You fought well Tonka."

"My name is Kai." He said.

I placed my blade to his neck. Looking away I pressed it inside him.

"Ughh!" he let out

"Farewell…Kai." I said lightly. His character exploding in to data fragments.

'Winner!' appeared over my head. The title meant nothing. I had just killed a man. Even if this game is just 3D renders a person was playing that character. In normal SAO I wouldn't be thinking about it too much but now that people die in real life because of death in game you have to think about it. If I want to represent everything Tonka wasn't I must refrain from this killing. I have to be better.

"I will be better…"

I swung the sword around my wrist and put back in its place. Then I continued down the road. Aincrads wind blew in my face; I lifted up my hand to block it and forced myself forward. It felt so real like I was there. If I didn't know about my real life I would swear this was it. The battle with Tonka felt real even though what we did was impossible to our life laws. This feeling of new life was something well welcomed.

In the real world I was just your average high schooler. I wasn't as much as loner more like an outcast. Of course I had my friends but I never fit in with them. Most of them were older anyway. Either out of school or still in just higher grade. My age group was annoying and loud. These guys were more laid back and chill, just my style you could say. I just wonder if any of them entered SAO. They all seemed interested in it. And one of them actually had a Nervegear. Only way to know if they are in SAO is to look around town.

Town.

A place that was probably filled with tears. Players in groups sobbing, panicking and questioning. We all question the motive behind this but we need to be focused on getting out. They can cry all they want be this won't end till Floor 100 is cleared. In order to clear any other the floors we needed to be stronger. It would take all of our strength…all of my strength.

When the wind died down I continued my sprint for town, encountering a boar.

It was of a normal boar shape but had long tusk and blood red eyes that complimented its dark indigo fur.

"Well hello there!" I said kneeling down to its level my hair flowed down with me.

The pig only snorted and rammed in to me knocking my over. It kept rushing straight before turning in to the tall grass.

"Oh…Damn…Where did he go?"

I stand up drawing my blade. Patiently I waited, listening for the grass to rumble. Another minute or two went by, still no sign of it.

"Oh come on!" I yell.

"HELP!"

My head turns to the cry. It came from my left, the same way the boar turned. Quickly I dashed in to the grass, pushing and tugging it out of my way.

"HELP ME SOMEBODY!"

That one was closer. I dive out of the grass and slide in behind the boar. It had a male player cornered in front a tree. In a matter of seconds dashed up the pig dragging my sword behind me. It glowed in green as I was activating Rage Spike. The boar was defenseless as I came from behind. My blade pieced right through the hide sending the pig flying towards the player. He jumped in a nick of time making the pig smack right in to the tree. Orbs dropped and the body exploded in to its polygons.

Level 3!

"Easy." I remarked.

The male was still shaking. Judging by his tall slinky like structure he is rather wimpy. But hey. My build isn't all that impressive also this guy could become the game's best player. That's if he doesn't get killed by boars.

"Uh…huh…Thanks." He mumbled.

"What?"

"I said thanks" he spoke more clear.

I tilted my head back.

"Oh! You're welcome."

"It just came out of nowhere…"

Yeah I was one the pissed it off. But he doesn't need to know that.

"Good thing I was walking on the road. Or you might've…"

"Died? Yeah I know."

He had a rather timid but exciting voice in him. It matched his body movements well since his fidgeted here and there.

"Riku." I said throwing my hair back.

"Nice to meet you Rika I'm -" He flung back and covered his mouth. "Rik-u. Sorry."

I laughed and put my sword back in its sheathe. Then walked over to time, extending my hand.

"Haruo." He finished shaking my hand.

"So first time player?" I asked.

"Yeah. A real poop first time if you ask me."

I flashed the same smile Tonka did when we met and slapped him on the shoulder.

"It will get better as you grow in strength."

Meeting Haruo made me recall yesterday's events. I killed Tonka, the first player I had contact with. His death will always be in the back of my mind. It will linger in the deepest depths but even such negative thought would bring me great strength to win this game. Strength that I will need.

"Riku what are you doing out here?"

"I'm looking for gear. Wanna join?"

Haruo smiled and nodded. "Mhm."

I opened up the menu and sent him a invite, I flew up in front of his avatar.

"Accepted." He said smiling still.