An Empty Life: Darkened Path
[Entry: A Knight of Blood]
The day after I defeated the Ninth Floor Boss, I wandered among the other players exploring the newly unlocked tenth floor. Of course, I was not dressed in my usual attire. My reputation as the War Machine was already infamous and widespread. As said War Machine was also notorious for being the first Player Killer, it would be foolish at best and suicidal at worst to reveal my face.
No. At the moment, I was equipped with a full suit of platemail, obscuring any discerning features, and wielded a broadsword. It was nothing out of the ordinary for this level, and something that enabled me to freely mingle among the masses.
The tenth floor, it appeared, was modeled after feudal Japan. The starting town for the floor itself appeared as if it was a set from an olden movie or an animation based on those times.
I made my way towards what passed as a 'pub' in this setting and ordered a drink from an NPC. As it was daytime, there was nothing more for me to do than wait, due to Cursed Fate drawing monsters to me, so I used that time to relax and listen into the conversations around me.
"-I'm telling you that the boss was cleared by a single person!"
An exasperated sigh. "And I'm telling you that it's not possible, Klein. The game isn't designed for a person to be able to solo a boss."
Klein?
I looked around the room. It could have been my imagination, but that voice had been familiar. The other as well.
"Well apparently, that War Machine guy's an exception! Argh!"
A cup slammed against a wooden table, and I found them.
Klein ran a hand through his hair, face set in a resigned expression. "It's all his fault that people are dying!"
His companion sighed. Another familiar face. Black hair, onyx eyes...
Kirito.
What a coincidence. I had not expected to run across them here.
"Don't tell me you believe that too, Klein."
Klein raised his cup and glared at Kirito. "How else do you explain it?! This War Machine guy kills a bunch of people, and then suddenly manages to kill the boss by himself... what makes you so sure Kayaba didn't program some hidden sword skill you unlock for killing people?"
I tensed. That... could it be? The thought hadn't crossed my mind.
It was possible. It was completely possible.
An incentive for murder. Perhaps a hidden update to the world that gave bonus stats-
No. I would have noticed it.
Klein downed his cup and waved over the NPC for more. "...His fault. It's all his fault that they died. Bastard." He let out a long sigh and then looked up at Kirito. "Anyway... you have to join our guild, Kirito. I know you're uncomfortable with it, but-"
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the Knights of Blood.
"Your drink, sir."
"Ah. Thank you."
I gave a brief nod to the NPC and turned my attention to my drink.
I took a sip, going over what I had just heard.
Klein's guild... could it be that some members have died? At the hands of other players?
I shook my head. No. It could just be some other people he knew. More likely at that, as Kirito would have mentioned it.
There was another interesting point they mentioned. Were people believing that killing others would grant more strength?
It was a ridiculous notion. That was my first impression, but when I reexamined that thought, I couldn't find much fault in it.
After all, no one knew of my unique skill.
Had I inadvertently set a dangerous precedent? I had been so preoccupied with gaining strength that I had not considered that scenario...
Should I reveal myself and attempt to explain?
No. That was foolish. As it was, I would be hauled off to the Aincrad Jail in an instant by either the Army or the Knights of Blood. There was no doubt I was persona non grata amongst the players. Should I reveal myself in town, the only way I could speak to the masses, I would be unjustly persecuted.
I doubted that they would believe my skill being the cause for the player deaths I had performed either.
...Then again, did it matter if I was sent to the jail or not? I had already accomplished my goal, and there was not much else I desired.
A hollow feeling in my heart.
I cringed, feeling overwhelmed for a brief moment at the unexpected sensation.
That's right... I succeeded.
I was known by all. My strength was evident. Though I would have preferred it to be in a positive light, this reputation as a 'villain' was not dissatisfying.
I took a look around. It seemed that Klein and Kirito had left during my pondering, as well as a majority of the other players. The only ones left were the Knights of Blood and myself...
A sudden sense of foreboding.
They were talking casually amongst themselves, but I could sense eyes on me for some reason-
Ah.
In hindsight, perhaps it wasn't a good idea to wear full platemail as a disguise.
Fortunately, my seat was near the exit, and my agility stat was higher than what I expected the average value of the Knights of Blood.
A split decision.
I threw my cup at a random knight, and then burst out of the pub.
"Sub-leader! We found him! He's heading your way!"
I kept my gaze forward and ran towards the exit. Unfortunately, it appeared that I had underestimated the Knights of Blood. The exit to the town had been cordoned off, with a platoon of knights standing in my way.
One brave soul raised their sword and said, "Halt! Resistance is futile, War Machine! You can't hope to match us with that equipment!"
They were right. As it was, I wouldn't be able to hold off against even one of those knights. Due to both the guild's popularity and skill, every member of the Knights of Blood were equipped with at least mithril equipment at this time. My current set of steel armor and weapons would suffer due to the great differences in durability.
It was an unfortunate state of affairs.
So I changed it.
My right hand swept in a flurry of practiced motions, and I changed into my regular equipment, the set of armor forged for me by Lisbeth, the Unmarked Blade, and a Damascus long sword.
All of this I did while dashing towards the platoon of knights, all of whom realized that I would not be stopping.
A majority scrambled to ready their shields. The brave knight who had called out raised his own sword to meet me, though I noted that his arms trembled.
I swung my blades.
-I had not slacked in my training. Sword skills were imitated with meticulous effort, trained and repeated until they matched, if not surpassed the speed of the original. As it was, my regular attacks were enough to stop most ordinary attacks cold, if not repel them completely.
So, when my blades clashed against those knights in my way, there was only one outcome.
They flew.
Screams of terror, shouts for the knights to maintain order, and strangled articulations of rage.
I ignored them and ran out into the rice paddies, out of the town's limits as well as the restriction against dealing damage to others.
A brief whistle in the air.
Instincts triggered and I spun, cutting down the javelin that would have struck me.
A soft ding and a flash of purple. Deathmatch had been triggered.
"Tch. Fools."
I looked at the ones before me, memorizing each face of those I would now have to kill.
"What- Captain! We can't retreat!"
"What do you mean we can't-!"
A gasp.
It seemed that they realized it.
I threw my Damascus long sword, activating Sealed Sword to restrict their Sword Skills, and said, "You should not have pursued me. Now there may only be one survivor... and I have no intention of dying today."
"Wha-what are you guys waiting for?! Attack him!"
The speaker was the same courageous... or should I say foolish, knight who had first obstructed me. At his command, the platoon of knights shifted to various Sword Skill stances.
Nothing happened.
"Captain-!"
"My turn."
A flash of steel, and a flurry of combat. Though the knights were skilled, in the ensuing chaos, it was easy for me to defeat them. One. Three. Ten knights had fallen before I knew it, until there was only one left.
Surprisingly, it was that same knight who was once courageous. Now, he had been reduced to crawling away, begging for his life.
I strode towards him, Unmarked Blade raised to end his pitiful existence.
"N-no! Please-"
I swung my sword-
"Wait-!"
-and it depleted the last of the knight's health.
With that done, I looked up to see the fool who wanted me to stop and-
NO. DON'T.
A girl. Chestnut hair. Kind almond colored eyes that were wide in disbelief and horror.
I took a step back.
"No," she said. "It can't be..."
All murderous thoughts vanished in an instant, and my mind was filled with a crystal clarity.
Asuna. That was right. Asuna was the sub-leader of the Knights of Blood. My cousin who had also been thrown into this world.
...I could not kill her. I WOULD NOT KILL HER.
A staccato of system sounds, and garbled messages. Deathmatch flickered between on and off.
"Sen... You're War Machine?" A hushed voice. "You... killed them?"
"No. NO!"
I won't allow it! I won't kill her!
"...Run."
"What?"
I ground my teeth, trying to stop Deathmatch with force of will.
It finally disappeared, but I had the feeling that it would return the moment my will wavered.
"Run, Asuna. Please... just leave. I-"
My vision blurred. Strange. Why would it do that?
"I don't want to have to kill you too."
A look of confusion. "Sen, what are you-"
"GO!"
She stared at me for a moment, biting her lip, and then nodded. "Alright. I'll go." She took a deep breath and then turned around. "Goodbye, Sen."
Sayonara.
I waited until she was gone, and then let out a breath I had not realize I was holding.
Instantly, Deathmatch reactivated.
I straightened and turned around, making my way far from the city, far from anyone else.
Alone, with not even a hollow desire to pursue.
My Cursed Fate.