A/N Hi guys! I'm back with more for you! This time around things will definitely get better, as I will start to deviate more heavily and things get darker and more serious. Honestly, I loved the light novels and Reki Kawahara's narration and the anime adaption but I felt like that he skipped around the floors too much without giving details to many. I would've loved an episode for every floor if it were up to me. But regardless, I enjoyed both the novels and the anime. Anyways, happy reading!

It wasn't even an hour since I had abandoned Klein.

I kept running on the designated path to «Horunka», the second town after the «Starting City». There were definite advantages to being a beta tester, and one of them was prior knowledge. There was a certain quest I wanted to complete and the reward would give me good head start on everyone else.

Selfish, I know, but then again, if I were to be the one to complete the game, that would benefit everyone wouldn't it? Admittedly that wasn't my first goal in mind to save everyone, it was just a given. I had the potential to become the best, end the game, free everyone, and hopefully when I got back, fix my relationship with my 'sister'.

There was no time to discuss the morality in which I followed so I continued running to the next town, all the while killing any hostile NPCs in my way. This allowed me to level up one and I gained health, skill points and money. I didn't bother checking what I obtained, there was time for that later. The important thing was to get to the quest ASAP.

I finally reached the town. I went into the weapon shop first. I had stocked up on raw materials earlier, so I had plenty to sell. To me, production skills were of lesser importance so I wouldn't waster my future skill slots on them. That's not saying I could never attempt trying to produce something myself, but it was riskier if you didn't put in the investment. There were supposedly an unlimited amount of skills. In the beta I remembered you gained a skill slot every five levels starting with level 1. So 5, 10, 15 and so on. I focused mainly on skills that would allow me a better combat advantage. I wasn't looking to become a tank player who relied too much on defense and would be very slow for my standards, nor was I willing to become a normal player who didn't really specialize in anything while maintaining a fair balance. I suppose I took the riskier route for trading defense for attack. Offense was the main way I would be advancing through the game. There probably wouldn't be a day I went without killing something(note: I'm not a sociopath).

There were many other skills and these were all divided into categories. General skills, combat skills, extra skills and even unique skills. The game classified combat related skills as, the 'Sword Arts'.

Catchy. But the reality was they would keep you alive, so it's best to take things serious.

After I bought a leather coat I went to the alchemy shop and bought as many health potions and antidotes as possible. I had no where near enough money for a teleport or warp crystal so that had to wait. I could've bought some light metal armor but that would honestly weigh me down. I centered my combat stats on attack, speed, and health. That was a good combination. If I could deal heavy damage, be able to escape danger, and had a ridiculous amount of health, I could outlast this game and win. I know doing this alone sounds impossible, but even one person can make a difference. I could do anything as long as I had strength. I can go the distance.

I went over into a private house. There was an old missus who offered me pot of soup. After a while, a golden question mark appeared above her head denoting a quest that could be undertaken. On instinct I accepted and she went into a long explanation of how her daughter was severely sick and not even the best medicine could cure her ailment. The illness could only be uplifted by acquiring a flower called «Little Nepent's Ovule» to be made into medicine.

I set off to find these plants and hope that my luck would allow me to finish this quest quickly without needlessly farming. I reached a certain part of the forest that was the spawning point for some Nepents.

Most were level 1 or 2, with cursor of red. The shade of color indicated how tough it was to kill it and also as a hint as to whether or not to fight it. This ranged from light pink(almost white) to purple, which was essentially suicide. If you were an average player anyway...

But I gave no regards to the level of the opponent. It was down to basics, all the same to me. As long as I have a means to win, I will fight. The only difference between every enemy is how long it takes to beat them.

I started up my fight by slashing at the weak points of the smaller meter-height plants. They did not have flowers on them, no, but the chances of one appearing increase along with how many you kill. So it wasn't all pointless. In the process of killing about ten or so, I gained enough XP to meet the requirements to level up. Now I was to level 3, the equivalent of the toughest Nepent. However, they were still marked with a purple cursor.

I allotted to spend my skill points on Strength and Agility. Two of my most important priorities. Health would just increase on its own. My other skill slot, aside from One-Handed Straight Swords, was «Searching». I chose this over «Hiding» because although both are useful, «Searching» allows you to improve on hunting while «Hiding» may not always work when facing certain enemies and situations. It was better on relying on a skill I knew would always work, so I saved «Hiding» for later.

After I finished up distributing my recently gained points, I heard a sudden noise... clapping?

I jumped a bit and turned around suspiciously staring at the source of the sound.

Another player. A boy no older than me albeit a little taller with slightly long brown hair.

"Sorry if I startled you. Congrats on the level up," he said. I liked praise although I didn't need it. I was still wary. Why was there another player here?

I thought I had more time that this... That must mean he's a beta tester as well, I concluded in my mind. Not bad for someone who wasn't me, but I had no time to waste with irrelevant chit-chat.

"Thanks, I guess... what do you want?" I asked directly in a rather rude way. I would be more polite but seeing as I had limited interaction with people, I really didn't care. Besides he interrupted my quiet solo time.

"I'm guessing you're here on that quest as well? I'm surprised, I thought I would get here first. But I guess you're pretty good at this game," he said in a more gracious manner than me brushing off the slight hostility I was emanating. Then he directed another question towards me.

"You must be beta tester too, right? Well I have a proposition. How about we work together on this quest? We can get it done quicker and get ahead of everyone. What do you say?" He said quite convincingly.

It was a tempting offer, but I wasn't going to let my guard down.

"Isn't this supposed to be one person quest?" I asked as a counterargument.

"True, but it can be done multiple times. You can get the first flower," he added. I suppose that was a fair deal. And if this was a one-time thing I could just forget it in the end.

"I... accept," I said without much conviction but it seemed to have won him over.

"Great. My name's Coper by the way," he added in a light manner. More friendly than I would ever be.

"It's Kirito," I said and turned my back and continues slaughtering all in front of me. Even the level 3 Nepent was no great difficulty for a veteran like me.

Coper and I continued this for a while, progressively moving deeper into the forest. Eventually we reached our goal, and I was able to obtain the flower.

"Got it!" I shouted out, signaling that our job was half-done. I suppose I owed him a favor for speeding up the process so I stayed to obtain the 2nd flower.

"Nice! I knew I could count on you, Kirito!" He said with a smile. A dark smile that is, in which I didn't see with my back turned.

We started to head back to the village after I obtained the second flower. I felt satisfied with what we accomplished. Maybe working in a team wouldn't be as bad as I thought.

That idea was quickly put out.

"Hey, Coper. You alright back there?" I called out. He had been quiet thus far on the way back and that was strange, contrasting with his initial approach.

"Coper?..." I asked quietly and slowly turned around. I saw him a little way back facing a Nepent. He faced me in a sideways glance.

"Sorry... Kirito," he said and he slashed the Nepent with «Vertical». Something burst in the distance.

Shit.

Was the first thought I had. Coper just destroyed the «Seed» on a Nepent. There was a foul stench that filled the air. But I wasn't worried about the smell, I was worried about the effect.

Soon enough the area swarmed with dozens of Nepents and I was quickly surrounded. I was about to tell off Coper for being a fucking idiot but he was nowhere to be found. I had no choice but to face the oncoming threat.

Individually these plants had no chance against me. But I guess here is where strength in numbers really comes into effect. Had I been a few levels higher I could have attained sufficient skills to finish them all off, killing multiple enemies at one time, chain moves, and area-of-effect abilities. But seeing as I was still level 3, I had to face them one by one. This was gonna kill me... figuratively anyway.

I hacked and slashed all that I could, occasionally taking a hit from a vine from being unable to sidestep the attack. I don't know how many there were, but there were too many to just barge through, even with my agility.

God damn it! Where is he when I need him? I thought, but then a horrible realization came to me.

Of course he's not going to help. He tried to... kill me.

My eyes darkened and my mind went crazy with anger. So that's how he plays.

I further assumed Coper meant to surround me with enemies and hide away, so he could up the leftovers, more specifically the flowers I held. He must've wanted to use one for the reward and sell the other. It was smart I admit, but I would never go to such extents just to get ahead. Yes, I didn't really care for other players that much, but that didn't mean I walked around killing others because I can. Well, I guess such selfishness inspires others to do the same. In a way I kind of deserved it, but at least I had good intentions behind them. I really doubt he had similar reasoning to mine.

I was growing tired. Fatigue would not affect your health meter, but it would affect your overall performance. And I was slowing down, taking more hits than I should've.

I was losing hope. The endless waves were a depressing factor and fact that I was set up angered me for letting my guard down.

I guess I should be more careful of who I trust, I thought quietly. Then I had an idea.

I smiled darkly and switched up my strategy.

I killed the current Nepent in my way and made a break for it. I used my «Searching» skill to find my target. Then instead of attacking, I ran past it.

"Sorry... Coper," I said.

The bushes I ran past rustled slightly. I think I could see his eyes flash in surprise. After stopping at a distance, I turned around to look at the oncoming threat. I made ready to face them, with my sword in my right hand held ready for a «Slant» attack.

But they didn't attack. Not me, anyway.

Instead they turned to the bushes and that forced a snake in the grass(well bush but same concept) out.

Coper.

He was now faced with my former predicament and found it difficult to keep the enemy at bay after being shocked out of hiding. He was faring much worse than me but that was expected of. People who use traps, indirect methods of fighting are often weaker when faced with actual fighting.

I should help him, I mused silently. I should...

But 'should' is just an opinionated word. Why should I? He just showed his true colors. Still, the humanity in me cried guilt.

"Kirito! Help!" Coper cried. He looked desperate and I would've stepped in, but then...

What if he did the same thing again to me? Or even to someone else? I would be a fool to get deceived by the same trick twice. No, even with sincerity, I couldn't risk it. I guess I'd already made my decision when I diverted the danger to someone else.

«Hiding» was a good skill. However, it doesn't always work. In this case, I used it to my advantage. With high enough «Detection», you could dispel and render this ability useless. The Nepents proved this and I watched the result of faulty judgement.

You can't hide from this game, Coper. You can only fight, and fight on til' it's over... guess it is over for you, though... I thought and walked away slowly from the fight.

I didn't have to confirm it, but I'm pretty sure Coper died. It was as I evaluated earlier. Some are bound to die. It's not easy to accept but that's how it is. I felt guilty inside, but if the roles were switched, would he feel guilty? And even if he did, it wouldn't change what he did. It's all a matter of opinion, I guess. Some people who understand me for what I did just now, others would hate me to no end. But at the very least, it wasn't for nothing.

I re-entered the home of the old missus and gave her the flower. She was exalted with tears and gave me a lengthy word of appreciation. Finally she brought out my reward. The «Anneal Blade». Not only was this stronger than the initial Small Sword everyone started with, it was why I didn't get the Bronze Sword from the weapon shop back then. Not only was this blade stronger, it lasted longer and was more resistant. I replaced this sword with my initial one, selling it to the NPC shop. Not much, but at least something.

I continued walking while I pulled up the map. I suppose I should continue farming and grinding for better gear and more money. There's really not much else to do since nothing else interested me.

I started heading back to town.

I need a place to stay. Some food and drink, too. A base to return to is always welcome, I thought. I'd rather avoid wandering around if I could help it. It's also better to have some sort of system set up. It takes a little pressure and tension off my shoulders.

Guilt. That feeling seized my heart again.

I didn't kill him... I argued to myself. I just... didn't save him...

It felt wrong trying to justify what I did. But then again, an eye for an eye right?

I didn't really have another option, and even if I did, it would prove pointless if he were to turn against me again.

Still... I don't know if this technically counted as PKing. I didn't do it, I just caused it. Was that the same thing?

Ugh... I really stress myself out. Shut up, brain, I thought and with that I focused on the current objective. The guilt never went away, though.

I found a farmer and made a deal to rent out his house for the entire 2nd floor for 120 Col a night. It was a pretty good deal. A little more the inns but much better for just 20 Col more. 2 bedrooms, plenty of milk, a nice view and a bathroom. Subtle and decent.

I rested up on the bed nearest to the window. While staring outside I could see that the entire sky went dark. Well, it wasn't the 'sky' but just the bottom of the next floor. And there were 99 more to go. I sighed.

99 problems and I'm still on the first one...

There was no point in going out late at night. The risk was increased even the rewards may be raised. I was going to wait a few more levels before I started to hunt at night. It would be a while, but at least I could enjoy the view now and rest. Tomorrow was one step further to conquering this obstacle.

And I will conquer it... no matter what it takes. I will be... *yawn*... no, I am the best.

And with that I fell asleep.

The next day was more or less the same. Since SAO was a pretty realistic game, it synchronized real time so I had actually gotten about 8 hours of sleep. I went to bed early in order to get up early.

6 on the dot. November 7th. A cool 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

I couldn't imagine what had to be happening in the real world right now. I suppose authorities must be trying to find Kayaba Akihiko and bring him to justice. However that gave me no comfort. If he was as mad as I thought he was, he wouldn't release us, even if they caught him.

There's was nothing I could do for now, except play the 'game'. I never really respected authority, and I hated the fact that I had no other choice but to do what he wanted.

I went outside into the forest. It was early for most people, so I thought I would at least be alone for a while. With that in mind, I took to hunting in peace.

I went deeper and deeper into the vast forest. However, since the floor is automatically mapped, I wasn't worried about getting lost. Certain areas of course, couldn't be mapped, but I hadn't run into the situation yet. Even for a crazed game creator, making the first level impossibly difficult would be unfair.

I encountered a variety of enemies. The Nepents from yesterday, wolves, boars, bees and even insects. I simply stepped on the small ones.

It was quiet aside from the constant swing of my sword and the occasional wind. I estimated it was, what, a straight hour hunting?

Mhm... an hour closer to getting back home, I hoped mentally.

I continued this until I felt tired. After the sun had risen up and all the forest was illuminated, I headed back to my rented 2nd floor. I rested for a while there before going out to buy food for I was hungry.

Hunger. Odd for a game. It wasn't exactly necessary, but it was necessary to satisfy if you didn't want to hinder your general performance. I suppose the game was designed to stimulate our senses for hunger, which was unaffected by the outside world. I couldn't imagine the hospitals would be force-feeding us so they must be inserting tubes and applying nourishment that way. It sounded weird, I know, but how else can you give nutrients to someone essentially in a coma?

I would admire the detail and level of thought given to this game, if not for being trapped inside it for who knows how long. I really doubted I would ever be the same in the end.

After purchasing some bread, cheese, meat, eggs and water, I returned to my rented space. I prepared the stove for boiling some soup. As it heated up I looked out the window.

Players.

Not a colony or anything but a few walking into town. Hmph. I had expected I would have more time alone, but I guess it can't be helped. I wasn't planning to stay long anyway.

After lunch, I considered what my future plans were. If people were starting to come in, that either means I was too slow or they were catching up to me. The people I could assume being a potential rival/threat to me would be another beta tester.

Well... there is one less beta tester now.

A grim thought, but I felt little remorse. He was asking for it.

But every life has some value, an annoying but morally righteous voice in my head said. I shook my head.

Morals can't save everyone... I countered. It's a price but, ends are greater than means... no matter how much it hurts to say it... he was... collateral damage.

I was tired of fighting with myself. I promised to never trust again, unless I had to. Maybe that would be best. I mean, if they don't lie to me, I won't lie to them, right?

I stayed in my room for the rest of the day. I didn't want to reveal myself to the public just yet. I had dinner and before I fell asleep I looked out the window.

A red hooded figure. Maroon shaded, and walking into town. Hmm... there was something peculiar about that figure... but I was too tired to make out the details.

The same process repeated for about a week. I don't know whether I should care or not, but the updated news showed that more people had died. Not in the triple digits, though... not yet at least.

I felt bad for them, in a way. But honestly, I couldn't take care of everyone. I tried to take care of one person, look where that got me. I guess I was being biased as Coper was only one person out of thousands and I knew not everyone was the same as him, but still. It did not make want to go out and shake hands with anyone.

This is what being alone meant. No one knows about you, no one really cares. In exchange for loneliness, you got peace and quiet. Time to think and make your own decisions. I felt glad that I had not interacted with anyone since a week ago. It seems I even got used to it a bit. But it was almost high time for me to leave this place.

I headed out to the forest again. I could barely make out the sun in the distance. I was going to my usual hunting grounds when I heard something.

The swift rush of metal.

A sword. Listening closer I could discern that the wielder was using «Linear» over and over. Interested, I looked for the source of the sound. With a bit of walking and peering into an open area I saw who I was looking for.

The red-hooded figure.

If it was white it might've been Ezio but no, this person seemed to my height, and was just finishing off a frenzy boar.

A quick lunge and a 180° spin followed by another stab and finally the figure jumped to execute a downward «Linear».

The enemy exploded to pieces and the figure leveled up. The familiar sound of fanfare welcomed the still air. This person quickly dismissed this, however, and suddenly sagged from exhaustion.

I don't know why, but I decided to approach this person.

"Impressive. But you're doing «Overkill», which is more damage than necessary. I'll admit sometimes I do it for show, but overdoing this leads to fast depletion of stamina. You'd be more efficient in learning precision.

The hooded-one looked over at me. I couldn't see their eyes or face but I saw the rigid look on their lips. I was about to turn away but-

"Does it matter? It's dead, right?" The hooded person said. What a gentle voice... beautiful even. A... girl?

I never really talked to many girls, except for one during the beta testing, but I had some sort of idea on how you were supposed to carry on a conversation.

"True, but you'll tired from fighting like this. You should think a bit more carefully next time. It'll you survive," I added trying to sway her opinion. I sensed the conversation was getting awkward so I turned to leave. Before I could walk away, however-

"That's pointless, everyone's going to die in the end anyway..." She said in an empty, given-up kind of way.

Wow. I never thought I would meet someone as emo as I was but that was pretty dark. I agreed to that statement to some extent, but I had to provide a better answer than, 'You're right, so I'll agree to make you feel better', or something.

"That's inevitable for humans, but we don't have to die here. There's too much to lose if we don't get back to the real world. You don't have to listen to me, but just think about it," I said in a soft voice. Comforting girls requires extensive thinking and sweet words. At least, I think the safe way would be so.

She didn't say anything, but it looked like my words got through to her.

"You look really tired. Have you eaten recently? When's the last time you rested?" I asked sincerely. She thought for a moment.

"Not since this morning... and... it's been two days since I've rested?..." She said uncertainly. Wow. I won't deny that's an impressive streak to go on, but it was awfully risky and no doubt stupid. I guess I'm one to be talking, though... First I critique her on fighting style when I said ends over means then I go and try to change her opinion... hypocrisy gets the best of us, doesn't it?

"Well, I think this should suffice," I said and I pulled up a trade menu offering all my leftovers. A bit of bread, some cheese, and one steak. I waited for her to accept and she did.

"Thank you, but why are you doing this?" She asked. She was polite enough not to sound suspicious, but then I couldn't blame her. People don't just go out and hand stuff away. You know, unless you're one of those religious people with little bibles to hand out.

"I guess I... feel a little guilty for not helping others. And plus, you look ridiculously exhausted, I can't just leave you out here," I finished and turned away, fighting a blush on my face.

Ugh... suck it up, already Casanova...

"Well, thanks again... I don't know if I could ever repay you..." She trailed off nervously. I will never say this out loud but the innocent way she just ended her sentence was indefinitely cute. I honestly didn't care if she paid me back, everything in this world was digitized anyway... except for people I guess. By that I mean the essence of who they are.

"You don't have to pay me back at all... the food was going to expire if I didn't get rid of it anyway. It's fresh for another 3 days or so. But I'm leaving this place soon, anyway..." I said in an offhand way. Brushing her off gently seemed the way to go, as I had no further interest. Apparently, however, she was.

"Why are you leaving?" She asked sincerely. God, that voice was mesmerizing. But I answered calmly with no change in tone.

"Too many people are coming into town. No offense, but, I'd rather be alone. I think it would be best for everyone," I added in an undertone. She fell silent. I felt bad if I had hurt her somehow, but what did I know about this girl? Why do I even care, I just happened to meet her, it's not as though I'll ever see her again...

"Where are you staying again? I think you ought to get some rest," I asked politely.

"Mhmm, the local inn. It's not much, just a floor mat but it's better than outside. Plus it's cheap, so... it was the first thing I thought of..." She said a little embarrassed.

I can't blame her but the conditions she described sounded pitiful. I guess I was about to play the 'nice guy' card again... and no I have no ulterior motives, so shut up...

"If you want, you can have my place. Note for the future, you can rent other places than just inns, you know. I'll lead you there, there's 2 bedrooms, a nice view, a bathroom, unlimited milk-"

She suddenly grabbed my collar with the speed of light.

She doesn't have a hidden blade, does she? I wondered nervously. She was up in my face in an instant and looked pretty threatening.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" She asked emphasizing every word.

"Which part? The milk?" I offered humorously.

"No, the other part." She said in an overly-serious manner.

"The nice view? I don't know if you're a bird watcher or anything, but-"

"NO! The part after that!" She yelled in a quiet manner directed at me.

"Ohhh..." I said. I got what she was getting at, but I decided to play around a little more.

"I did say there are two bedrooms. Don't worry we don't have to share one..." I said mockingly. I could see her face reddening. I was confident that since she was indebted, she wouldn't kill her benefactor for such a joke. She did however pummel me on the chest with a hard fist. Ouch... what is her strength level any way...

"Don't worry, I would've slept on the floor if you wanted. You meant the bathroom, now? Well, sure I'm leaving anyway, so it'll be all yours for, for let's see... the next 3 days? You can always pay for the next days. I just paid for 10 in advance. Well, this way, Red Riding Hood," I said and turned around to hide my smirk. I caught her pouting and that expression was so cute. Nevertheless, she followed me home. That sounds weird, but go with it, I did not intend to make her out to be a stray cat or anything...

We reached my place a few minutes later. I let her take a bath while I prepared dinner. It was simple but I think it would be sufficient. I'm not aiming to be Chef Ramsey or anything...

I couldn't help but hear her moan through the door to the bathroom. No, I'm not pervy enough to start eavesdropping like that so get out. But I had to admit, when she gave off those sounds it made me relax. I don't know, maybe it was just the presence of a female. That's not to say I'm going to ask her out or anything... then again, I didn't even know her name. Go figure. Invite a stranger who looks dangerously close to an assassin with that hood.

I waited for a while and she finally got out. Must've been a good bath. She definitely looked like she was glowing more.

"Well... I'm not religious or anything so we don't have to say 'Grace', so let's eat," I said bluntly.

She sat down gracefully with the hood on. She looked slightly scary like she was gonna stab me, but I would never admit that.

"Thanks. You know... for a solo player, you're really nice," She said truthfully. I didn't know what to say to that. A compliment coming from her seemed to put me at ease, but at the same time, I felt like I didn't deserve it. I mean, part of the reason I treated thus far was partially because I felt guilty and wanted repentance.

"'Nice' is a strong word," I said distantly. I couldn't tell her what I meant by that so I hoped she stayed silent. Luckily, she did and I was spared the misfortune to tell her the truth behind my words or at least try to come up with a lie.

Dinner was nice and simple. We ate in silence and cleaned up our plates afterwards. I showed her to the bedrooms.

"You can choose either one, I really don't care. They'll be yours either way," I said and patiently waited. She, of course, chose the one close to the window. Fair enough, I did the same thing. The scenery right now was dark outside, but you could make out the stars. I wondered sometimes, did those stars represent each of us? Did one disappear when someone died? Or was it the other way around, in which you join the stars when you died? Well, it was pointless thought, I only wandered around in my thoughts when I was bored.

"Well, good night, I guess," I said awkwardly. Hey, what was I supposed to say to a girl going to sleep when I didn't even know her name?

Somehow she picked up on my thoughts.

"I never introduced myself, did I?" She said shyly. Adorable. I mean, *cough* that reasonable to say.

"You don't have to, I mean we're just strangers who met up through a game..." I said straight-forwardly. She cast her head down. Then she slowly took her hood off.

A cascade of luscious chestnut hair fell down followed by a face that was worth dying for. Is this what they call an angel?...

"You're very pretty," I let out in a whisper unintentionally. I think she turned away in embarrassment when she caught that. I think I was about to pull out my sword and stab myself. No, not that kind of sword... pervs.

"Wh- wh- what?" She stuttered out very shyly with her cheeks blushing a light pink. Never have I wished more for time travel to exist.

What are you doing you idiot? A voice inside of me said. I was literally frozen up and unable to form coherent words. Luckily instincts kicked in and reminded me of the situation so I came up with something on the spot.

"I said 'It's very windy', so you should probably take my blanket," I said hoping she would buy this and take what I said as poor pronunciation.

"Oh, thank you. That's very considerate," she said fighting down the blush. However, now she looked disappointed... What?

Stop thinking so much, said the last logical part of my brain. Yeah, this is why I like to be alone. I'm no expert in these situations, I'm literally helpless. See? I barely sidestepped a disaster...

I was about to just go to sleep and forget everything but then she spoke.

"My name's Asuna, it's nice to meet you," she said, no longer blushing but avoiding my eyes. I caught sight of her eyes, though, and they were the same color as her hair. A kind of mix between orange and brown. They were exceptionally beautiful, but I don't need to unintentionally compliment her eyes either... so I decided to safely end the conversation before I dragged it into dangerous waters and started drowning.

"It's nice to meet you back, I'm Kirito," I said and looked the other way. I lied down without facing her but before I went to sleep she said-

"Good night, Kirito, thank you... for everything," Asuna said very genuinely. I felt happy inside, but I didn't let that show. Instead I responded in a light way to brush off her appreciation but acknowledge it all the same.

"It's nothing. You would've done the same for me... I think..." I added in a lighthearted way. She giggled and that was enough for me. I needed to sleep before she seduced me with her cuteness. Ahhh... what's wrong with me... she's too kawaii for a girl to be...

As the night fell even further, so did my spirits.

I really don't deserve her company... It's best I prepare to leave, I thought to myself.

Then again, it would be rather rude to leave a girl in the middle of the night... not to mention it would look extremely suspicious.

I looked up to the sky one more time.

It was a starless night.

The next morning I woke up early as usual. It just turned six and I felt well-rested. I lifted myself up and turned to see Asuna. She looked adorable sleeping with her hair fallen gently by her side and a few strands caressing her face. I shouldn't really care but this was one of the few times I associated with girls and one of the very few times I had a sleepover with a girl. The only other time was when I was young, sometimes my sister was frightened in the night, so I had to accompany her while sleeping.

Mhmm... the contrast between the two was noticeable, however. Asuna looked at peace but I could see the pent-up frustration inside her expression compared to the innocence of my sister. It must've felt longer than it really was for Asuna to look so tired. This was the first real rest she had in a while. I guess it was time to make breakfast.

Like any generic morning, eggs seemed to be the proper way to start the day. I preferred scrambled myself, and I had to assume Asuna wouldn't mind. I added in a bit of salt, basil and some cheese. There were essentially two ways of cooking in SAO: you can select the 'Simplified' version of cooking, or the classic style of 'Realistic' cooking. The former was much quicker but if you were a true chef(in which I'm not) you would get bored easily. I really couldn't care less, but since I had the time I opted for the second style. I'll admit, when you do everything out step-by-step, the results seem to taste better.

I finished preparing breakfast and placed two plates on the table. I only had to wait a few minutes before Asuna woke up. She stretched her arms and sighed contently. It seems like she had a good sleep. When she opened her eyes, the room seemed to have gotten brighter.

"Morning, I hope last night was to your satisfaction," I greeted politely. She gave me a warm smile and returned the greeting.

"Good morning, Kirito. Hmm... you made breakfast? You shouldn't have," Asuna said playfully. But she appreciated it nonetheless.

As she took her seat we ate in the quiet peace of the early morning. There was a light breeze outside. There was a trace of morning light glimmering in the distance. We finished in relatively ten minutes or so and quenched ourselves with milk. I stood up and checked my inventory, stats and equipment.

I was ready to leave. I felt a small pang of regret but I let that go quickly. Time is of the essence.

There was no news so far of the «Boss Room», let alone the dungeon. If I had to, I would face the boss alone. I couldn't stand waiting around for something to happen. I'd rather be the one constantly on the move trying to make some sort of progress at least. Though it was comfortable to spend the day with someone yesterday, that wouldn't get me any closer to ending this game. It was taking too long for my taste to clear the first floor, never mind the rest. I hoped that when I reached them, I could clear them quickly to make up for lost time.

Asuna was looking out the window. This time her hood was down, allowing me to see the luscious, straight locks of her hair. I felt saddened and guilty again.

Leaving. I was leaving someone again. I suppose at the very least, I gained a memory to cherish. I decided to break the silence.

"I suppose this is goodbye..." I said to her back. She turned around a little surprised. Then she remembered my words and looked down a little disappointed like last night.

"I guess you're busy, but, thanks for everything. Again..." Asuna said a little embarrassed but pleased all the same that I had stuck around long enough to say farewell properly instead of slipping out the door rudely.

"There's not much else I can give you except good luck... so I'll see you around," I said sincerely. If I could, I would stay honestly, but the looming reality kept me motivated to keep going.

"Say... do you think we'll ever meet again?" Asuna asked casually, or at least she tried. I could see the slight hopefulness in her eyes. Just like Klein. I was afraid I was going to disappoint her just like him, but at the last minute I changed my response.

"Maybe if you start pulling all-nighters again," I joked. Then I gave a serious answer. "There's circulation of news that a meeting for the discussion of the 1st floor boss 3 weeks from now. It's held in «Tolbana» inside the amphitheater. You should go, it might help," I said solemnly. I planned on going, even though it wouldn't necessarily help, it was an occasion that shouldn't be passed up, just in case.

"Really? You're going, right, Kirito?" Asuna asked. I nodded. Asuna took this news with a slightly happy expression.

"Then I'll see you in 3 weeks," Asuna said with eagerness. I smiled, very amused by her expression. *sigh* It'll be a while before I see her again.

"As a parting gift, I'll leave you with this," I said and opened up the trade menu. She accepted and before she could say thanks, I left.

Yeah, that was pretty rude, but knowing her, I'd end up talking more than I planned to do so. Still, I think she'll forgive me later anyway.

Kirito left rather rudely. I was going to thank him but he was gone by the time I looked up from receiving the gift he gave me. *sigh* Alone again. It was nice to actually spend time with someone else. It was something I lacked doing ever since the beginning of this game. I wanted to talk to him more, tell him about myself, ask about his life, and more importantly why he so rudely left. But the thing that kept running through my mind was: Why did he help me?

I felt like giving up in this game, but he gave me hope. He made me retain my vision to live on and see the other world again. *sigh* I wish I could've asked to accompany him on his journey, but I guess I have my own. I opened up the gift he gave me. It was a jar of... cream?

I spread it on my fingers tentatively. Then I licked a small portion of the cream. Delicious.

It was really sweet so I finished licking up the rest from my fingers and applied the rest to the bread he gave me. Soon enough, the jar emptied and dissolved into nothingness.

"Uhah... I wish I had more..." I said to myself wistfully.

I wondered what Kirito must be doing. During the time I spent with him, he seemed to be wearing leather gear only. I had purchased some light metal earlier in the game, but I took it off because it decreased the speed of my «Wind Fleuret». I wondered what type of player he was and why he was intent on leaving. I know he said he wanted to avoid too many people, but was that the only reason?

He was such a mystery, but like him, I should get a move on.

I had 3 free days left on this rented room. I might as well use it for what it's worth. Then, I'll prepare to leave as well. There was still so much to this world that I didn't know about. Hopefully sometime in the future, I might get to see what it was all meant for.

3 weeks later

I came back from hunting in the forest. I had finally exhausted all my health potions. Not that I bought many because I hardly used them, so I only got the small, quick healing sizes in limited quantity.

I think had garnered up enough experience and Col. I collected quite a bit of raw materials to sell as well. Whenever the occasion rose, I sold some of it to other players who were looking to complete small optional delivery quests or the like. Some players were actually trying to level up their production skills. Tch. Time well wasted, at least in my opinion. Not all production skills were useless, but only the few that actually paid off, according to my knowledge anyway.

By this time I had raised my level to 11, which, by recommendation by myself and other beta testers, was the proper level to be to face a boss.

There was a guidebook that had recently been distributed via the markets for free. Player-made and compiled info from various sources, myself included. I felt that was the least I could do in order to help others and make up for my still generally selfish nature. 40 pages of info on not just the boss, but also tips on running a good lifestyle.

In any case, the meeting was happening today in the morning. About a month had passed since the game had started. By now people were separated into 4 general categories:

First there were those who naively thought that the government would be able to take of the situation at hand, and so they didn't do anything to help the progression of the game. They merely stayed indoors, only showing outside to earn money wherever possible for food and water. Pitiful, but I guess some people are that weak. Unable to accept reality, they ignored those who were trying to beat the game.

Which leads onto the second group, which were those on the front lines. As the name suggests, these were the true players of SAO who made an effort. I would be grouped into this category, except for one important detail. But, I'll get to that in a bit.

The third group was miscellaneous and made up of many kinds of people. These people didn't have a clear function or goal, but eventually most just joined a large group which was rounding up volunteers with 'promises' of salvation and rewards. These were really mostly threats and force in order to gain more members.

Then there was the fourth group. My group.

We were the beta testers. Most of us were on our own, if not, we were secretly among the rest of the people. We rarely interacted with other players, and if we did, usually the result was trouble. I had so far managed to avoid such matters, aside from my encounter with a certain other beta tester and as you can see, that didn't end well...

We were the most secretive of all the groups, and by that I mean we were very closed off from society and not very willing to share. I could understand these people the best because I was one of them. I'll bet many of them like me started regretting ever getting involved in Sword Art since the beta. But at the same time, we were glad to have gleaned information in advance, and thanks to that, most of us were still alive. Most.

In any game, even the most experienced can still lose. A few of my 'kind' had been unfortunate enough to be killed. Most details were muddy, but it was assumed that they took too big a risk and it didn't pay off. I was a bit skeptical on that part but I wasn't about to go Batman and work as a detective figuring out the cause of deaths. In any case, it was grim to say so, but their deaths taught the rest of us to be careful and most importantly to remember, even with prior knowledge, you're not invincible.

I sat down the steps nearest to the edge on the right of the stadium. There were two main entrances on the east and west. A few dozen had assembled here. From my recently acquired «Detection» skill I could sense that there were a few who lingered outside, listening in on the meeting. Maybe they were shy?

My other recently gained skill was «Hiding». This I chose in order to use when I needed to tail someone, stalk some prey, or simply hide away to be alone. It proved useful enough, though there weren't many instances in which I had to use it since I've been alone most of the game.

I looked around the stadium. People were talking to one another animatedly. It seemed as though they were unaware of the gravity of the situation. I was a little jealous for some reason. I wished I could not care as much like them, but I can't really change that. I directed my attention away and in an accidental glance to the side, I saw a familiar red-hooded figure. Asuna.

She seemed quiet. And scary. Much like the first time I met her. I wanted to say a word of greeting but I felt too awkward with so many people about. Maybe later, when the place thinned out.

A new figure walked out onto the stage. Everyone's conversations quickly subsided and attention was pointed at the blue-haired person.

He wore light metal armor and a sort of shield emblem on his chest. Relatively blue-themed clothing and a iron sword at his side. A handsome player, for a guy I guess(I don't roll that way). He looked around for a second and then addressed the crowd.

"Greetings and thank you to all who came to the first ever official boss meeting! My name is Diabel, and I hope we can work together to defeat the boss and become one step closer to freedom!" He shouted very confidently and that won him some light applause. Pretty words, but does he actually have the means to take action?

"Let's get straight to the point. Today, our scouting team has found the entrance to the first floor dungeon," he said and people started to hang on his word more closely. I could see figures in the shadows of the entrances listening in. Undoubtedly, betas like myself who didn't want to be exposed.

"We have found out that the boss's name is Illfang the Kobold Lord. He used sentinels to send into battle and has four health bars. When he reaches a 1/3 of his health, he switches his bone axe for a talwar," he finished and everyone looked impressed at this amount of information. As expected I learned nothing new, having played the beta and knowing that I helped contribute to the 1st edition of the player-made guidebook. I suppose I sounded arrogant, but at least I kept it to myself.

"And now, I'd like to propose our conceived strategy in order to-"

"Wait just a moment!" A new voice said. I looked behind me.

A new player with brown cactus-like hair appeared before us and jumped down the steps. He looked extremely irritable and automatically pissed me off with just his voice.

Who's this asshole? I thought immediately. I'm not one for manners, but at least I'm honest in my opinions.

"Before we go on merrily to beat the boss, I think some of you here have to apologize! My name is Kibaou and I know there are beta testers here! You should all grovel on your knees and give up the stuff you've been hoarding to yourselves! You think you're so cool being beta testers! There are people dead because of you!" He declared angrily and expectantly. I looked down, in mostly anger, but a bit of guilt.

Ehh... as much as I hate to admit it, he's kind of right... I thought bitterly. I left Klein, and his friends. I even left Asuna. But the anger surged inside me. I didn't kill those people. Maybe I was responsible for one death but I didn't go strutting about and getting people killed. I was about to stand up and face this jerk head-on, temporarily forgetting my objective of being incognito when-

"Excuse me," said another figure. A tall, muscular African man who had an axe swung around his back. He addressed the player who had burst out earlier.

"So you're saying because of the beta testers being unwilling to help, all the other deaths were their responsibility?" He asked. The stubborn idiot nodded. Hey, I'm narrating, I can call people whatever I like.

"My name is Agil. I'm a non-beta tester myself like most of you, but from what I can gather, the betas have helped us more than you know. This book," Agil said pulling said book out, "Was made from the knowledge of various beta testers. And even so, some betas have died," he finished, leaving the opposition looking embarrassed and unsure. However, this debate was in front of an audience and so it was liable for something like-

"Yeah, but compared to us non-betas, how many of them have died? Maybe a few, but that's nothing compared to our numbers, which might I remind you, has reached about 2000 in death toll," countered a new voice belonging to brown-haired player with drooping eyes. He didn't look particularly impressive, but his words gathered a few others who agreed with him.

Every person who died so far has had their name crossed off in a place called the «Monument of Life». It depicted the cause, the time, the day, and the month of death. I saw it up close during my second week into the game. It was located at the «Black Iron Castle» fittingly. I went there out of interest, not because I was convicted or anything, as that place also served as jail.

But anyhow, a storm was starting to brew among the crowd. Mutterings of agreement and disagreement. This could get out of hand. I thought about leaving. Surely that wouldn't be a rude decision in this case...

"You can't blame the betas for all those deaths! They didn't intend to kill anyone!" said a moderately tall, well-combed, brunette male.

"Oh, and I suppose you really think that, don't you? Maybe it's because you're a beta, aren't you?!" Kibaou shouted, having regained his confidence. Everyone else started bursting into a commotion. All the while, subconsciously maybe, the sides divided in two. It was clear that one was all non-betas and the other was, or at least those who didn't accuse them. I remained where I was and looked over to Asuna. Thankfully, she didn't join the fray.

Somehow Diabel managed to calm things down. After that, he asked those who would participate to organize into groups of six. Everyone got into groups pretty quick and that left a few, including me and Asuna left out.

I can't believe I'm doing this... but for appearances at least... I thought as I walked over to Asuna who looked up with a slight smile.

"Ummm..." I said uncomfortably. It was not my strong suit to ask a girl for anything. But I knew no one else, so...

"Would you, I don't know, like to form a party with me?" I asked, determinedly not looking at her. She chuckled lightly.

"Never asked a girl out before?" She teased. I pouted. Oh, just accept...

"Well, I guess since you asked so nicely," Asuna remarked in a playful manner. Ugh, girls. Making guys feel awkward since forever.

Diabel informed us that the raid would take place at noon. We would meet outside the dungeon at 6PM.

Finally, some actual progress.

I had no intention of dying during this endeavor, but a little bit of warming up wouldn't hurt. I stood to leave and Asuna followed my lead.

Suddenly, Diabel called my name.

"Oi, Kirito! I'd like a word," he said. I walked over, slightly wary.

"Yes?" I asked stiffly. He didn't really know me, and I didn't know him, so I didn't care about courtesy or anything.

"I heard that you have a +6 Anneal Blade," Diabel said interested, wishing to confirm this. I nodded.

"Would you care about selling it, for say, 29.8k Col?" He said temptingly. I was surprised. If I was normal player, I would've accepted. However, so far there were no better swords out there and plus, this is my sword that I earned. I didn't like parting with what was dear to me. Recently, I learned what it means to appreciate what you have.

Sugu...

No, this sword right now, was my best chance to clear this floor and maybe the next few, should there be no opportunities for better swords. I politely declined.

"I'm sorry, but I can't accept that offer," I said without a hesitation. He looked a bit more serious now, maybe even a hint of anger.

"I insist, Kirito. Perhaps you should reconsider. A deal such as this does not show up everyday..." he added in an attempt to persuade me.

That's true, maybe. But money shows up everywhere. Everyday. It can't replace something like a person you miss... I thought and that solidified my answer.

"No, and I won't change that answer. You can pawn off someone else," I said coldly and turned away and walked out with Asuna. I think I felt a glare on my back and mutterings reaching my ears. Doesn't matter. I have what I need, I don't have to care about anything outside that.

We walked through the forest looking for decent kill. Asuna and I remained silent.

She must be full of questions, I thought. But I had to focus. Extraneous thoughts would cloud my judgement and my instincts would get rusty.

We found a few wolves to fight. They were too easy and were only one-hit kills. By now we were wandering around aimlessly. I suggested we head to the dungeon entrance early to discuss tactics. True, Diabel had already issued instructions depicting how each group worked and what we were supposed to do, but since he pissed me off a bit, I decided not to give a fuck.

Apparently this was Asuna's first time partying with someone. I was surprised but at least we caught this early on. I explained to her the basics and then more intermediate tactics. The most advanced moves could only be executed by partners that have known each other for a while and learned each others fighting styles. I was still a little cloudy on Asuna's style of fighting. She was just as(but hopefully not more) fast as me. I couldn't help but be impressed by her. As the sun went down we fell into silence. I think I was half-sleeping against a tree at one point. I felt something on my right shoulder. Asuna was leaning her head there lightly.

I was going to leave her like that, but I was forced to wake her up prematurely. The other groups had begun arriving. I shook Asuna lightly and she woke up with her eyes struggling to lift. Cute. I mean, it's a good thing she's not a heavy sleeper...

"The rest of them are here, let's go," I said offering my hand to lift her up. She smiled lightly and graciously accepted. There was a spark from touching her hand. Maybe I was feeling things... the sun may have been getting to me.

We all walked into dungeon and stopped at the doors. Nice. Dark and foreboding. But if SAO followed the usual concept of most games, the first floor should be relatively easy.

Diabel stood facing us. I think he intentionally did not look at me.

"I have one thing to say: Let's win!" He said encouragingly to the rest of us. They all, except for me and Asuna, gave a cheer and readied their weapons. I drew my sword slowly and dramatically. One step closer.

Diabel opened the doors and we rushed inside. It was dark and there was not much I could add detail to because... well it's dark. I'm going to make that simple.

Then suddenly lights upon the wall lit up the room and everything was made clear. We were staring right at the boss. Illfang. A blue-grey, dog-faced, two-meter tall, kind of fat humanoid creature equipped with a bone axe as detailed in the guidebook.

The designated group meant to take the front charged at him. Immediately, he dispatched his Ruin Kobold Sentinels to join the battle. And there was my job to take care of the lesser threat.

Asuna followed me into battle and working together, I provided slash combos while she finished them off with «Linears». It was beautiful teamwork and we cut through many Sentinels.

The main group was busy hacking away the boss's health. It reached about a third and suddenly threw away its axe and shield. Another detail depicted in the guidebook. However, what it pulled out wasn't a «Talwar», it was a «Nodachi».

Suddenly Diabel rushed forward yelling to everyone to let him handle it.

Baka, I thought. Why would you-

Then I realized it. He must've been a beta as well. Every beta knew about the «Last Attack» bonus. As mentioned, if you get it you're able to get a rare drop, and if you're lucky, it might be exclusive.

That's why he wanted my sword. To increase his chances of getting the LA, I thought bitterly at my slow revelation. I can't really blame him, since in the beta I was usually the one who picked up the last attack by calculating when to use my best sword skills.

Still, he was risking his life for one drop.

And the risk... didn't pay off.

The boss caught him off guard by leaping above him and ground-pounding the floor which knocked him into the air and set him up for a deadly combo.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

That's how many hits it took for him to die.

Diabel crashed to ground and ran over to him without thinking. His health was decreasing at an alarming rate. The system was slowly registering the damage, much like a delayed announcement when someone flatlines in the hospital. He coughed a bit and turned his head to face me. Although he had selfish motives, I could understand them. He was not unlike me, but we were still two different people. I managed to catch his last words.

"Ki-ki-kirito... I guess this is karma, isn't it? *cough* If only I were, ugh, a little wiser and maybe- ahh, more selfless. Still, the least I can do is to wish you the best. Defeat the boss... please, for everyone..." He said and for once I would honor his words. Mostly because it was the obvious thing to do. Partially out of respect.

I handed him a health potion, but by the time he held it up to his mouth he burst into thousands of blue shards.

Death.

The second one I witnessed personally so far. I felt a little sorry for him, but it was not the time to mourn, not that I knew him personally well anyway...

Now all that was left was to finish off the boss. Asuna stood by my side.

"I'll go with you. We're partners after all," Asuna said smiling at me. I felt appreciative of her considering us partners. I turned my attention to the boss.

Just a bit of precision.

I lined up my posture for a «Vertical Arc» which was a V-shaped strike. Asuna prepared to deliver her signature «Linear». We charged and she broke Illfang's defense by knocking his guard up. This opened an opportunity for me and I quickly capitalized by executing my charged sword skill. I didn't bother to look around as I heard the boss get obliterated into pieces. A message popped up in front of me.

Congratulations! You got the last attack!

Following this message was an item. As promised, a rare drop called «Coat of Midnight», a black, simple long-coat. Nice. It's got a ring to it.

Everyone celebrated the victory. There were cheers and high-fives all around. Minus the one casualty, everything seemed to go well. Asuna gave me an admiring glance along with a subtle smile. You know, maybe that was a better reward than the rare drop anyway...

I felt good. We achieved some progress today. Even if it was one floor, it proved we could conquer the rest. That was an encouraging thought. Everything was well until-

"WHHHHYYYYY?!" Shouted someone. I turned to look at the perpetrator.

It was Kibaou. Of course. Maybe he was sore I got the bonus instead of him...

But his question caught me off guard.

"Why did you let Diabel die?!" He asked angrily. I narrowed my eyes, a bit offended.

"Let... him die?" I repeated quietly. There were mutterings around and all eyes on me. Suspicion filled their minds and doubt among their faith. This was not good.

"Exactly! You- you must have been a beta tester! That's how knew he the bosses attack patterns! That's why you got the last hit!" Kibaou said accusingly.

Half of that was true. I was a beta tester, but I didn't know the patterns. The beta was different from the current version of Sword Art. If this held true for the rest of game, it was likely most features were updated and previous knowledge was now obsolete.

"Calm down, we can't start pointing fingers! And besides, Kirito helped us clear the 1st floor today! How can you speak like this?" Asked Agil, rushing to my defense. I felt a hint of gratitude towards him.

"Maybe we were given false info... no wonder they call Argo «The Rat». Yes, that must be it... she did credit herself as the main source of info..." Said the voice of the droopy-eyed boy.

"Or maybe the betas conspired and did this on purpose to trick the rest of us! They must've been hoping for the boss to have eliminated more of us so eventually, there would be no competition!" Called a black-haired boy. This incited a commotion. Now the victory of today seemed to work conversely on us.

This was getting out of hand. Not only was Argo being slandered, the betas' reputation was decreasing even further. I thought of all the possible courses of action I could take and evaluated the results. One would be to simply ignore this situation completely, slip out unnoticed and continue on my way as if nothing happened. The second option was to try and negotiate with the non-betas.

Yeah... that sounds impossible. Too bad they aren't pacifists... I thought bitterly. This left me with the third choice.

Well... it wasn't going to be pretty. And it most definitely increases my chances of dying. I was going to hated, slandered, condemned. But... I could salvage the reputation of the betas(kind of) and throw the heat off Argo. I knew her personally and she was a good person, albeit a little financially-centered and too business-like sometimes. I did not expect to be paid back, but maybe some people would understand what I was about to do. Better one person be hated than an entire group.

"We should refrain from ever working with beta testers again!" Shouted Kibaou, gathering the support of regrettably, yet unsurprisingly, many players.

"This includes him!" He added pointing a finger at me, centering me out. Asuna looked ready to kill him my defense which was truthfully, very touching. However, I decided to take of this on my own.

I started to laugh. Quiet, and soon it turned into a mocking laughter that drew everyone's attentions and struck them confused.

"Beta tester?... Oh please... out of all the 1000 applicants, how many do you think were real players?" I said feigning arrogance and scorn. Everybody looked shocked at what I was saying.

"During the beta test, I reached floors no one else could. I did the impossible, I was the best. Unlike most of the betas, I knew how to level up properly, find all the hidden secrets, figure out the best locations for profit. In short, I hope you don't ever again confuse me with those 'beta testers'," I finished coldly. Surely, I must sound like an asshole. That was the intended effect. Drawing all their hatred onto to me was the only way to save the other betas. I don't know why I did this selfless act but maybe it had to do with recent events... or maybe just the guilt... or maybe... Asuna?...

"Th-th-that's way worse than a beta! You're just a- a- cheater! No, a beater!" Shouted Kibaou and the phrase caught on quickly. The newly coined word, 'beater', was directed towards me from all directions. Ironic how you can go from hero to hated. Honestly, I couldn't care about being the hero or the villain, just so long as I was acknowledged as the best. Still, I refrained from doing any real dishonorable acts besides the acted one just now.

Whatever. It's not as though I planned to play with anyone anyway... not for long, and definitely not forever...

Asuna looked at me with shocked disappointment. She was... hurt? I felt bad about that so I sent her a significant look, trying desperately to convey the unsaid explanation. I have no idea if telepathy actually works but it looks like she got the message. She didn't look sad anymore at least, just understanding. It beats seeing her sad... I think that would kill me inside...

I equipped the «Coat of Midnight» and let it dramatically wave as it descended its presence. I addressed the crowd one more time for good measure.

"Not that anyone should be interested, but if you want to follow me, be prepared to die in battle," I spat viciously. Almost everyone's opinion of me solidified with hatred and anger there. That was the point. They forgot all about the other betas and Argo now. It wasn't for nothing, and although it's weird to think of it this way, I did get famous. Well, infamous, but same concept basically... Optimism sure has its ways...

I walked toward the door behind the throne. I opened the it and it led to a spiral staircase. I would have to climb the steps to the next floor and then head to the center of the district town «Urbus» and touch the «Teleport Gate» in order to activate it and link it to the first. This would be the case for all the rest so that would be how «Aincrad», the name of this entire place, would be connected. I guess you could say, it was a huge, connected sandbox.

I reached the top and stepped out. It was nice and grassy along with many flat mountains in the landscape. I heard steps behind me. I had a hunch on who it was, and sure enough...

"Kirito-kun..." Asuna said softly. I turned to face her. For some reason she looked a little embarrassed.

"What's up?" I asked genuinely curious as to why she followed me. She was looking away a bit, but then turned to face me.

"I have messages from Agil and the rest," She said.

"Really?" I asked not surprised. With the mess I just made for myself, that was to be expected.

"Agil says he understands what you were trying to accomplishing after discussing it with me. And the rest... well, they're still angry and refuse to ever work with you again," she said bluntly. I appreciated her modified message.

"Thanks for cutting out the 'extra' parts. Tell Agil I send my thanks," I said and Asuna nodded.

"I also came here to ask you something myself... where will you go now? What will you do?..." She asked in a worried way. It was too cute to watch but I'm never going to act upon it. I decided to give the honest answer.

"I'm going to do the only thing I can: keep going and hope for the best. I'm going to become stronger... this time for more than just my sake," I said thinking about Sugu. Asuna nodded but still looked troubled.

"So... doesn't that mean you're going to go alone?... Isn't that dangerous?" Asuna said and I had to agree with her words. But that was what I got myself into and I had to accept it. You can't bring back time...

"Yeah, it does... and of course it's dangerous... but I'd rather not risk anything by working with others. Don't get me wrong, it was nice to work with you, Asuna. Truly, but that was a one-time thing. I can't go around partying with everyone I meet. I'm sorry..." I said regretfully. I didn't want to admit it, but I half-wanted Asuna to protest and argue with me on this matter. But she seemed resigned and accepted the conditions. It was painful to see that face, but I dealt with it grudgingly.

It's better this way... for everyone. You can't join me, Asuna... I'm sorry, but you at least, must live on...

"This is where we part. You'll be great, Asuna," I said, trying to cheer her up. "You'll become stronger, I can see your potential. People will look towards you for hope. You can do what I can't..." I finished and she seemed to be blushing and tried to hide it by turning away. Cute. But I've spent enough time with her. I turned away and started walking.

There were a few seconds of silence. Then-

"KIRITO-KUN!" Asuna yelled. I turned on reaction to face her... and almost got knocked down.

Asuna had sprinted towards me and hugged me. I felt my face reddening and was confused. Note to self: never mention this to anyone, including me. Embarrassment was one of my weaknesses.

She let go and I felt relieved but saddened at the same time.

"That's... how I'll say thanks... for everything..." Asuna said almost embarrassed as I was. She looked content, though, and that made everything worthwhile.

"Can I ask you something?" She added. I nodded, hoping it wasn't what I thought it was.

"If you ever feel like it... would you want to party up again?..." Asuna asked very quietly. I could hear the hope in her voice but I realized all the same how unrealistic this would be. I decided to give a mixed answer that was both truthful and decisive.

"That's unlikely, Asuna..." I said grimly. She nodded very crestfallen. I expected this reaction, so I responded with on a brighter note.

"I said 'unlikely', not impossible," I said comfortingly. Her expression brightened up instantly and she decided to settle for this answer.

"Good luck... Kirito-kun," Asuna said sincerely. I nodded accepting her sincerity.

"Thanks... you're special, you know that, Asuna?" I said teasingly. She got flushed with embarrassment and punched me on the shoulder. Oww... I rubbed my right shoulder. I'm still wondering what her Strength level is... and her Speed, too...

"See you around, Asuna-chan," I said and left with a wave of my hand. She waved back and watched me leave. Undoubtedly, soon the rest of the players including her would catch up later, so I wasn't too worried. What I was worried about was how I was going to manage now. Then again, I came this far, I was not going to back down. With this resolution, I pressed relentlessly forward.

I wondered whether I would ever get the chance to meet him again. And if I did, how long would that be, and what would happen in between then? Still, a week ago I wouldn't have cared, but Kirito gave me someone to work towards. A goal. A purpose. Now that I had a reason in mind, I felt like I could do anything. I felt very appreciative for his kindness. Still, he was such a mystery. Maybe in time, things would sort themselves out and things would become clearer. There's still a long way to go...

But I'll definitely meet Kirito-kun again. I smiled. He may be hated by the public now, separated from the betas, but to me, I had my own opinion of him, and that was all that mattered.

To me... he was the best person I've ever met. He was, in this game... the Alpha.

A/N I hope this chapter was satisfactory despite its excessive length. I apologize if it's too long(5k vs 13k wow) compared to the other chapter. But if you do enjoy long reads, reviews are appreciated. Please tell me what I could work on in polite way and I will try to acknowledge that into my work if I feel it's true. As always please R & R!