The Shadow of the Starless Night

Chapter Two: Eyes

A/N:

So yeah, I guess I did introduce one canon character, but how could I not use the creator of SAO? But the thing is… who said that he would become Heathcliff?

I don't feel like giving any more spoilers, so I'll just proceed to the story.

See ya at the bottom!

Walking back through the forest after defeating the «Winter Demon», I admired the white scenery that was beginning to form on top of all the objects in the wood.

"It really is… just like the snow from that day."

When I arrived back at the third village on the twenty-fifth floor, I couldn't help but notice how deserted the snow-covered streets were.

Well, I was the first person to get to this city… I guess the front-liners just haven't got here yet. And hopefully, they won't get here until I'm gone.

I didn't really have the best of relations with the front-liners. When one of them saw me beat a mini-boss on my own, the person quickly informed the rest of the group. Then, as soon as one of them saw me later that week, she tried to get me to come with her to the upcoming boss raid. I still remember what happened vividly.

"Not interested," I said flatly, my expression matching my tone. "Why should I risk my life in a room with a giant monster, fighting for people I don't even know?"

The look in her eyes was almost frightening. "You selfish coward! Don't you have anything on the other side you want to go back to?"

Images of my brother flew through my mind, and I momentarily had second thoughts about refusing her. I then remembered what was at stake, should I lose all my HP.

I wouldn't be able to see him again anyway.

With that in mind, I said, "I do, but that's exactly why I hang in the shadows. If I die in battle, I won't be able to go back anyway. It's best for me to let the people with a strong resolve beat the game."

"What if everyone thought like that?! Nothing would ever get done, and then our real bodies would just waste away in hospital beds for years on end until we…! Even if someone on the outside managed to rescue us, we would be too weak to do anything once we woke up!"

I turned around swiftly, walking away.

I opened my menu, going into the friend-tracer window. I found Xenex, my only friend in the death game known a «Sword Art Online», one village behind me.

So, since he and his sister are always at the head of the clearing party, that means that I've gotta haul ass to the next village before they catch up.

I had almost turned the whole thing into a game. As soon as a new floor was opened up, I would go up and start moving my way through the cities and villages of that floor, always trying to stay one step ahead of the clearers to avoid getting unnecessary attention. Then, when it was time for the clearers to fight the floor boss, I would use my now-mastered «Hiding Skill» to disappear from the maps, yet still fight nearby.

This game had gone on for more than twenty floors before that girl made everything go to hell by causing a scene.

In a few minutes, I had bought up a few potions and status-healing crystals with most of my money, seeing as my «Moon Set» gave me enough bonuses to let me be at ease about my equipment for at least seven floors.

And yet… the moon set doesn't have even a trace of metal armor. All black leather, I thought as I looked down on my long black coat, clack boots, black shirt, black pants, and black gloves, all with silver trim, and all parts of the «Moon Set».

No wonder they call me the «Shadow». The only parts of my appearance that aren't black are my skin and hair, and even those are covered by extra equipment a lot of the time.

When I walked out of the village, the first thing I saw was another seasonal mob, a level thirty-three «Snow Murderer». The «Snow Murderer» was another humanoid mob, and its entire outer skin was made of snow, making it weak to fire-imbued attacks. It held a white scythe in its right hand, which stood almost as tall as the mob itself, and the mob was two meters tall.

I ran at it, my bored expression remaining unchanged. I drew my two swords from my coat as I ran, beginning the initial motions of a fire and dark-imbued skill known as «Red Moon».

The «Snow Murderer» noticed me, beginning to charge up an ice-imbued spinning scythe skill, «Freezing Razor».

My skill burst to life right before we collided, my left sword glowing with a bright red light, and my right sword glowing with an indigo light.

The first hit of the skill, a double-upward swing, knocking the «Snow Murderer's» scythe upward and out of the way. My body then closed in to the mob on its own, the «System Assist» taking effect. The next hit, a double-downward strike, slashed its abdomen, and the «Snow Murderer» roared in pain.

My body moved back slightly, then closed back in for a double thrust, which hit the same mark as before. Yet again, I moved back a bit, and this time a jumping double right slash hit its chest, followed by a double left slash. My swords were a blur, and my swift and powerful strikes didn't give the large, snowy monster time to react.

Then, when the mob finally started to attack, the skill made me do another double-upward slash that pulled me into the air and made me perform a backflip, dodging the attack and making me land just out of the scythe's reach.

Staying silent, I ran in, giving a thrust with my left sword, then my right, and then a spin attack that put me facing away from the mob. Then, I did an upward slash with my right sword, and the blade extended all the way to the other side of the «Snow Murderer's» body upon contact, doing double the damage of the other strikes.

The «Snow Murderer» shattered into innumerable polygons, creating a shower of white light behind me.

Its HP had hit zero less than halfway through the fourteen-hit combo, but that was purely intentional.

I love how my «Moon Swords» turn overkill damage into EXP. It helps me out so much when I'm grinding.

I walked north toward the next village, admiring the white scenery as I went.

"Wow… everything looks so nice and white. It almost makes me want to lie down and make snow angels," I muttered, chuckling at the thought.

Then, I decided to look at the floor map to see if there were any shortcuts to the next village.

Let's see… the safest path is the one that goes around the mountain range, but… it looks like there's a cave that cuts through the mountains, allowing me to travel in a straight line to the next village. All right, I guess I'm going into a cave for a bit.

Walking through the «Cave of Seasons», I couldn't help but notice the lack of mobs to grind with. I continued walking, lost in thought.

Why would the shortcut have even fewer mobs than the long path? It doesn't make any sense! Wait a minute…

Just as I figured out the situation, something dropped down from the ceiling, landing five meters in front of me.

It took the form of a three-meter tall muscled skeleton with a hooded white cloak, though the hood was down, allowing full view of its disturbing skull. Its skull had four eyes and several large, gleaming fangs that looked like they could snap my weapons in half. In its left hand, it held a massive two-handed sword that had a curve on the tip, making it look like a cross between a sword and a scythe… and maybe it was.

Two health bars filled up next to its head, one stacking on top of the other, and a name appeared above its head.

«The Freezing Reaper»

What… the hell?!

None of the immense fear inside me showed on my face, however, as I drew my swords from my coat. When the mini-boss turned my way, it immediately ran at me, and I returned the gesture.

We met in the middle within less than a second, and I instantly realized something.

With a mini-boss as fast as this one, skills with a lot of hits are going to be pointless because of how slow they usually are! I have to use only short and fast skills with low post-motion delays if I want to beat this thing!

It swung its sword-scythe down on me, and I activated a parrying skill to stun it briefly.

I activated a two-hit combo, «Double Circular» while it was stunned, my right sword coming in an upward jab. My left sword soon followed suit, and then I jumped back to avoid an incoming slash.

I ran back in, dodging a powerful downward strike and letting it dig into the ground. I jumped onto the back spine of the sword, running up it and delivering a four-hit combo known as «Starlight Spear» to its head with my left blade, sending the mini-boss down to the ground because of the power of the thrusts.

After I landed, I began to attack it with a series of slashes that couldn't be followed by the human eye. I looked at its health bars, seeing that the first had gone down by about half.

Too easy.

As soon as it got back up, I hit it with a knockback skill known as «Bear Swipe», sending it flying backwards and back down onto the ground. I ran over to it and used a stun skill, «Blade Bash» with my right sword to keep it down, proceeding to bombard it with fast low-level skills. Even though they were low-level skills, my attack power and STR stat were creating a massive damage output.

By the time its first health bar had been fully depleted, I hadn't even broke a sweat.

Well, the skills do most of the moving anyway.

When it started to get up, I jumped back, instinctively putting my swords in an X parallel to the ground to activate one of my most powerful skills.

Crap!

The activation of the medium-low damage twenty-six hit combo, «Lunar Eclipse» had been set into motion.

It began much like «Red Moon». My swords began to glow with two different colors, my left with silver, and my right with a dark crimson.

The first hit, a double jab, cut through its abdomen, and then the skill sent me backwards just in time to avoid a punch from its right hand. I closed back in, delivering a double-upward slash that sent two red damage lines all the way up its body.

The skill pulled me backward again just in time to avoid a swing from the mini-boss's sword-scythe, and then I realized something.

The skill is adapting to make me dodge the mini-boss's attacks!

My right sword came in for a diagonal-downward slash and then I jumped back to avoid yet another slash from its sword-scythe. I closed in again, delivering a double right, then double left, and jumping back to evade yet another attack. My right sword pulled me in for a horizontal right slash, followed by a powerful downward slash that sent me skidding back from its force. I came back in with an upward slash with my right sword, then a double-diagonal down-left slash.

The tenth hit, a double-upward slash, sent me sliding back from the force. I jumped back in, doing another double-upward slash so powerful that it sent me into the air, where I did a backflip. It swung its sword at me, making the first hit on me.

Damn it!

I flew back, partly because of the skill, and partly because of the impact of the hit I took. I ran back in, continuing the skill's onslaught.

The next hit was a downward strike from my left sword, followed by another with my right. I jumped into the air, delivering a diagonal down-left slash with my left sword, then a downward strike with my right. I jumped again, hitting its chest with a horizontal-right slash from my right sword, followed by a diagonal spin that blocked a strike from the mini-boss's sword-scythe. Another spin attack followed, then reversed into a double-left strike.

I continued with a diagonal up-left strike with my left sword, doing the same with my right. I followed up with a diagonal up-right slash, then reversed directions into a spin attack. Then, I did a downward V-slash with both of my swords, proceeding to stun it and knock its weapon out of the way with a powerful upward X.

While its weapon was out of the way, I finally started the last hit of the skill: a thrust at its solar plexus with my left sword.

"HAAAAAAH!" an uncharacteristic yell forced its way out of my mouth due to the skill as the hit made contact, creating an explosion of raw power that sent it flying back into a wall.

All was silent for five seconds… and then…

«The Freezing Reaper» shattered into countless polygons, signifying the end of the battle.

A victory window appeared, telling me that I beat the boss, and on top of that window, a level-up sign appeared, showing that I moved up to level fifty. I looked at my HP bar.

2480/9920

Well, that's to be expected. I only got hit directly once, but it was with a huge sword, so I guess it would do a lot of damage. Plus, I had to block and parry a bit, so that would drain a little HP each time.

"Well, that was certainly impressive," a masculine voice said from behind me. "Still, I find it odd that you didn't show any emotion until the end."

I turned around, giving him a blank stare. "My emotional state is none of your concern."

Upon closer inspection, I found that the teenager standing before me to be one of the more well-known members of the clearing group. He had short gray hair and condescending teal eyes. I had never met him before, but I knew who he was due to the expensive, gleaming silver armor with the name "Gin" engraved on his left breastplate.

"You're the «Shadow», I presume?"

"I don't know. Do you know of anyone else in the game with a full «Moon Set»?" I asked, my blank expression changing into an analytical stare.

From where he stood, I could see annoyance in his eyes, and the hand on his «Tachi» didn't look too friendly.

"Going to attack me?" I asked him, pointing to his left hand, which gripped the slightly curved handle of his «Tachi», which hung on his belt. "If I were you, I wouldn't do that. If you attack me… let's just say that I don't have any qualms about killing in self-defense. Plus, any overkill damage turns into EXP because of my right sword's effect, which makes it all the more rewarding."

He flinched for a moment, taken aback by my words. "I came here to challenge you, but not to a death match. I came to challenge you to a duel."

"And why, might I ask, would you challenge someone with the full «Moon Set» in a cave? My «Moonlit Cloak» enhances my «Battle Healing» skill in the night or when I'm in a cave, making me almost impossible to kill here. Besides, even if we were in broad daylight, I could still beat you without breaking a sweat."

"Care to test that theory?" he asked, making the motions with his right hands to open the menu. After a little while, a window popped up.

Duel Invitation

Accept Duel?

Gin VS Yami

Mode

I tapped the mode button and opened a sub-window, scrolling down to the third option, «First Strike Mode».

There's no way he'll land a clean hit or take me down to the yellow, even if I'm only at seventy-five percent HP right now, I thought, looking up at my HP bar.

I tapped on «First Strike Mode», and the sub-window disappeared. I hit the blue circle at the bottom of the window, and it asked me for confirmation. I hit the confirmation button, and a timer appeared in between us.

59, 58, 57, 56, 55—

He drew his «Tachi» from its sheath at his right side, putting it out in front of him and putting his right hand on the curved tip of the hilt.

He must be trying to imitate kendo style, but in reverse. What a fool.

35, 34, 33, 32, 31—

I finally decided to start getting serious, putting my swords parallel to my body and perpendicular to the ground.

"Quite the flawed style," Gin said cockily.

I stayed silent, not falling for the taunt.

19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14—

I analyzed him for any weak spots, any areas that I could strike.

He's leaving that spot wide open, but if I aim for that area, I'll be wide open… so I just have to make an opening myself.

3, 2, 1—

The buzzer sounded, and just like that, we met each other in the middle.

"HA!"

He slashed downwards at my head, and I swiftly evaded to the left, making a swing at his right side with my right sword. He just barely dodged in time, taking a horizontal swing at my head. I ducked under his blade, proceeding to swing my swords around in a spin attack. However, by the time my attack began, he had already moved out of the way.

Our eyes met, and no words needed to be exchanged. We already knew what the other had to say.

You're good… but I'm still gonna win!

We ran at each other once more, hacking and slashing at each other without end. Still, it was very clear who had control of the battle. I could see the foolish smirk on his face.

This is too damn easy! He may think he has me on the ropes, but he's in for a huge surprise!

"I would think someone like you would be stronger than this," he said, his smirk widening. "I'm getting bored. If you're going to get serious, do it now."

"Well, if you want me to get serious, I won't be one to disappoint," I said, my bored look remaining unchanged.

I began to attack with an incredible ferocity and speed, quickly taking control of the battle. Still, he just barely managed to block every attack.

Come on! I can still get better!

Then, it happened. At the same time, we both landed a scratch on each other's left cheeks. I jumped back, not even fazed by the scratch. Gin, however, seemed very angry.

Taking advantage of his pause, I instinctively put my swords in an X at a thirty degree angle towards the ground, activating a thirteen-hit combo with an insanely high damage output.

«Starlight Breaker»

Crap! This'll kill him if he takes even two hits!

And it began.

I rushed at him, my swords taking a white glow. I slashed at him with an insanely high speed, but all of my attacks seemed to be blocked by his weapon… no…

The skill is aiming for a «Weapon Break»!

Five hits into the combo, the attacks began to get even faster. I slashed down on his «Tachi» with my right sword while simultaneously slashing up on it with my left. Right when my two swords made contact with his blade, a shrill sound could be heard throughout the cave.

His «Tachi» broke.

My skill kept going, and I said, "You have to dodge all of these strikes. Just two direct hits from this combo will kill you."

He looked stunned. Almost scared, even. He just barely managed to dodge every strike, but then, the last attack…

The last hit of the skill sent me into a spin attack, hitting Gin in the abdomen and sending him flying back into a wall.

The window showing me as the victor appeared in between us, but I couldn't care less. I ran over to Gin, looking at his HP bar.

It was in the red…

And still going down.

I quickly got out a potion from my pocket and put it in his hands, saying, "Take it."

He took it and drank from it and when his HP started to go up, he shouted, "What the hell?!"

"Huh?"

"Why would you activate a skill that could kill me?!"

"Instinct. Remember, I only really fight strong mobs and mini-bosses, so I only think to activate either fast or strong skills. I'm not used to fighting beings with as low HP as players."

"So now you're insulting the players?"

Ignoring his angry remark, I asked, "What level are you?"

"Don't ignore my—"

My expression changed slightly, showing the slightest hint of annoyance. "What level are you?" I asked him darkly.

"Th-thirty nine," he said, flinching.

Are they all really that scared of me?

"So I'm that far above the clearers, huh?" I said absentmindedly, looking up at the cave ceiling. "I just got to level fifty after that mini-boss fight."

I got up, beginning to walk away. "Well, you can go back to the clearing group now. I'm going ahead. I'll probably be off the maps or dead by the time you guys get to the boss dungeon, so don't try to look for me."

"Wait!" Gin shouted. "Why… why did you leave them to die?"

I gasped, my face finally showing emotion. How the hell does he know about that?!

I decided to be honest for once, even if it was with a stranger. I needed to get it off my chest. "You know… I ask myself that same question every night, right before I fall asleep to nightmares about what happened that night.

"But like one of them told me once, I just had to keep moving forward. There wasn't anything I could do."

I started walking again, and as soon as I found my way out of the cave, I ran. I tried to run away from Gin, my problems…

And myself.

A/N:

I don't really know what to say down here, so…

Well, I guess I should explain ta bit about what Yami and Gin were talking about towards the end. wait, no I shouldn't! I don't want to spoil you guys!

If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to leave a review or PM me! I'll do my best to respond to questions as soon as possible!

Here we go! It's time for the disclaimer!

I don't own the Sword Art Online light novel series or any of its adaptations! (Though I do own a copy of the PSP game.)

See you next chapter!