Chapter 6

March 6th, 2024

I tried my best to focus on the map in front of me, but I was all too aware of the players surrounding me. We were all packed uncomfortably into a small cave just outside of the town on the 56th Floor. I flinched every time I was jostled by another player shifting their weight. I didn't blame them; I knew that they didn't mean to bump into me. That didn't stop me from feeling slightly claustrophobic and warm. I sighed after a player apologized for nudging my shoulder and refocused on the floor map.

The advancing of the front lines had been stymied by one particular Field Boss. The Geocrawler was heavily armored in almost every area; its long horns and heavy frontal armor made it impervious to harm. Nothing anybody had tried had worked. Due to the particular formation of the valley where it waited, we couldn't even flank it and attack from multiple angles; the large, steep valley walls prevented any sort of attack but one from the front. There was one place that was vulnerable, its large and unarmored stomach, but the sheer size of the Geocrawler made that approach an impossibility as well.

I tried every trick I knew to make a plan form from the scattered details I knew, but it was no use. No matter how much or how hard I glared at the map, a plan refused to create itself. It was very aggravating. Taking a small break from the useless task, I let my gaze roam around the room. Kirito was standing beside me and was focused on the map. Most players looked as clueless as I felt; I didn't see any players working out any sort of plan. The leaders of each segment of the guilds were frowning at the maps. The rank and file were murmuring, a soft hypnotic sound that threatened to snap my already frayed temper. I looked around; a lot of players were staring at me. I was slightly uncomfortable with the sheer number of players watching me expectantly, as if they were waiting for me to come up with some brilliant plan out of nothing. I felt strangely defensive; I didn't see them getting anything done, so why should I be expected to pull something out of my hat like a magician?

A loud slam made me spin back to the map and bite off a half-formed curse. Asuna was standing over the map, one hand on the table. "Lure it to the village. That's how we get the boss." A loud roaring of shock washed over me as the gathered players started talking about her words all at once.

I waited for her to continue, but it became painfully obvious that was the extent of her plans. I nudged Kirito. "I heard the set-up, but I'm still waiting for the punch line," I whispered. Asuna's plan sounded like a bad joke.

Kirito stepped forward. "Wait, you can't be serious. If we do, the boss will go after the villagers –"

"Yes, that's the idea," Asuna interrupted him. "And while the boss is busy killing NPCs, we can attack it." I was amazed. Her plan relied entirely on the boss being too stupid to realize the people running away from it were a lesser threat than the people hitting it with sharp sticks. I would have laughed if I hadn't been so shocked. "And kill it." She didn't even have a way of approaching the attack.

Kirito stepped forward, getting closer and raising a hand to emphasize his point. "But they're not just objects! NPCs are different than rocks or trees!" He shook his head, frustration tinging his voice. "Look, they're –"

Asuna glared at him. "You think they're alive? Really?" Kirito flinched slightly. "In this game, they are just objects. And unlike us, if they're killed they can always respawn." She did have a point; NPCs were functionally immortal, unlike the players.

Kirito dropped his hand and shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm not cool with that plan."

I figured it was about time to add my own two cents. "I won't be a part of this either. Your plan has as many holes in it as a net, and while I can't say I particularly care if an NPC dies, the fact is that anyone dying is wrong." I was being deliberately cruel, and I didn't much care. "Kayaba would never have designed a boss with 'acceptable casualties'," I used finger quotes to mock the words, "being part of the method to beat it." I frowned. "There has to be something we're missing."

Asuna glared at the two of us. "I'm running this operation, okay?" Her voice was chill – as befit a leader whose position was being threatened. "In case you forgot, I'm still second-in-command of the Knights of the Blood." How could anyone forget? She carried herself as if she had to prove something to somebody. "You'll obey my orders, like it or not."

I smirked. "Oh? Which forms should I sign in triplicate to go take a piss?" I knew that would start the arguing between the two of us as it usually did. I would say something insulting, she would fire back, and we would more and more vicious as the fight wore on. I was deliberately provoking her in an attempt to distract the assembled players from her plan. "I'm a solo player, and I don't answer to you. I'm in this solely because I want to be."

The fight only got worse from there.

Eventually, the meeting broke apart. We hadn't managed to come to an agreement. The gathered players left in their parties of three or six, and Kirito and I made our way outside. I stretched in the sunlight and sighed, no longer feeling like someone was breathing down my neck. The two of us set off toward the boss – I intended to do some more scouting of my own to try to learn what the boss's weakness was.

"Hey!" A deep voice made the two of us stop and turn around. A tall dark-skinned man was making his way toward us. "What's with you guys?"

I waved. "Hey, Agil. What are you talking about?" Kirito made a questioning noise.

He put his hands on his hips. "You two and the second in command. You're always getting into it…" He grinned. "And not in a good way." I briefly wondered if there was a good way to get into things with Asuna. I blinked, then laughed. My thoughts had gone strange places very quickly.

Kirito shrugged. "I guess we don't click, Agil." He fell silent, and I saw no reason to expand on what he had said. What was between me and Asuna was private matters. While it made working with her awkward sometimes, I never let my emotions get in the way of business. I would only pick a fight when she attacked me first or when I had a reason, like the argument back in the cave. "Well, she took my advice…" I looked at Kirito, confused at first before remembering his parting words on the first floor. It felt like ages ago that the three of us had killed Illfang the Kobold Lord, working together. That had been the last time the three of us had been in a party together. "But who knew she'd join the top guild, and be a floor-clearing badass?"

I shrugged. "I could have told you about either of those, Kirito. You just never asked." He just looked at me and I grinned. "I know, I know. I've been talking to Argo too much; she's rubbed off on me." The two of us said goodbye to Agil and went off to try to find something we could use against the Geocrawler. Nothing I had seen had helped the last time I was there; I had a few more things to try, but I was more or less out of ideas.

April 11th, 2024

I strolled through the forest, enjoying myself. I was training on the 57th Floor. Normally, I would have been up on the front lines, exploring the Labyrinth, but it was a magnificent day out, and so I chose to take the day off, so to speak. The monsters on the 57th Floor were strong enough that I could get in trouble if I wasn't careful, but weak enough that I could fight mostly on autopilot.

A loud snarling alerted me to a monster about to attack. I went on guard, drawing the Nightblade so as to defend myself. A rustling from the bushes on my right told me where the monster was hiding. I turned to face it, placing the Nightblade between me and the bush. I thought I knew what monster was about to attack. As expected, a large brown shape leapt out of the bushes, straight at my head. Without thinking I reacted, ducking under the lunge and bringing the Nightblade up to score the creature's underside. It landed on the ground behind me, whimpering as the poison quickly took effect. I knew that it killed in 100 seconds; the poison did 1% of the target's max HP every second.

I studied the monster while it regained its footing. It was a typical Feral Lion; it attacked using claws and fangs mostly. Its large mane extended down most of its body, making it somewhat difficult to fight as it blocked most sword slices. In a sense, it was a lot like the Geocrawler; protected most places except for the underbelly. They had a habit of pouncing from a hiding spot, something that I used to get access to the soft unprotected belly. Fortunately, its mane didn't protect it from blunt force damage, the type that my Martial Arts skill used. I was used to fighting this particular enemy and it was alone; I let myself fight on autopilot, devoting only enough attention to the Feral Lion to track its movements. The rest of my focus was devoted to thinking. I studied the Feral Lion almost automatically, just absorbing its appearance. The tawny fur contrasted with its large green eyes, making them almost appear to glow. When I wasn't crouched and the Feral Lion wasn't in the middle of trying to claw me apart, it would probably reach my waist – I briefly toyed with the idea of taming one to use as a mount. I wondered if Sword Art Online even had rules relegated to mounted combat. Before long, though, I realized that I had killed the Feral Lion. I shrugged and went on my way. It was an easy fight; I hadn't even felt the rush of adrenaline.

Things continued that way for some time; I would be walking around, I would be attacked, and I would kill whatever attacked me. I had plenty of goods to sell for Col. I suddenly blinked, coming out of my thoughts to realize that I was in an area that I had never explored before. Curious, I started poking around. That probably wasn't the smartest move. I rounded a corner and heard several snarls from in front of me. I chuckled nervously. "Just passing through?" I heard snarls surrounding me as more monsters approached from behind trees. They had been hiding there, waiting for an unwary or stupid traveler to walk into their trap. Like an idiot, I had stuck my head straight into the noose. I drew the Nightblade as I turned slowly, looking around me. I had been surrounded, and I couldn't see where the monsters where. I frowned. I'd have to use every tool at my disposal to win. I sighed and activated the skill I used as a last resort.

I blinked. When I refocused, the world had gone slightly grayer than before; I could still see colors, but it was as if I was viewing them through a lens. Suddenly, a stream of red light appeared, piercing through my chest. I didn't hesitate; I threw myself to the side. Suddenly, a roar sounded and a monster lunged, following the path marked out by the red light perfectly. That was the benefit of my skill; it would tell me exactly where a Sword Skill would land. It also had an unintended side effect; I was able to calm down and think, rather than react. I looked at the single monster that had revealed itself to me; it was called a Lesser Chimera. A chimera was an amalgamation of different creatures, typically goat, lion, and snake. This one didn't have the goat portion, made solely of lion and snake. It actually appeared a lot like the Feral Lion – however, the Feral Lion's tail wasn't a snake. I knew I wouldn't be able to attack on my own terms until I was out of the circle of enemies. Dodging and striking when able, I worked on extricating myself from the precarious situation. If I didn't have the advantage of knowing when and where they'd strike, I'd have been in a lot of trouble.

I eventually managed to find a small hill with no trees nearby. I decided to make my stand there; even if they could still surround me, I would have the high ground and the Lesser Chimeras wouldn't be able to hide. I would have preferred to have something solid at my back, but the 57th Floor was filled with rolling hills and some wooded areas. It wasn't conducive to my survival at the time, but I couldn't be picky. I picked out a red streak that told me exactly where a Lesser Chimera would attack; it was the first to do so, being braver or less cautious than the others. The path it intended to take would clip my right shoulder. I shifted my weight, leaning left and bracing myself with my right hand. As the Lesser Chimera lunged, I brought up the Nightblade, stabbing it in the gut. I jerked downward with all my strength, leaving a nasty slash that sliced open the stomach. I had no intention of fighting fair against these monsters. The Chimera landed behind me and I stood back up. A lance of red light seemed to pass through my neck. I reacted automatically, turning and raising my hands to grasp at the light. The Lesser Chimera's snake tail lashed forward. I grabbed and pulled, using its momentum to fling the Lesser Chimera at several of its colleagues at the base of the hill. It bit at one that it landed on, and I grinned. If they wanted to fight amongst themselves, I would have no problem with that. I dashed down the hill toward another group of Lesser Chimeras, taking the offensive.

By the time I had killed all of the Lesser Chimeras, it was nearing the end of the day. I made my way back to town to rest and sell the fruits of my endeavors, passing by other players leaving in parties. I knew some of them were looking back at me, recognizing my armor and putting the name to my face. I just ignored their looks. If they had a problem with me or my actions, I could defend myself sufficiently, even without resorting to the Nightblade.

A figure dressed in black caught my eyes. Kirito was sitting on a stone fence, legs crossed. His eyes were closed, but he opened them as I drew near. He smiled. "Rythin."

"Kirito." I waved. "Took the day off too, I see." I sat down next to him. "Is there a reason Asuna is sleeping behind you?"

I laughed when he sighed. "I was relaxing under the tree when she came to bother me. I convinced her to relax too, but…" He shrugged. "She fell asleep."

I nodded. "And you didn't want to leave her alone thanks to the recent rise in sleep PKs." He nodded. Sleep Player Killings, or sleep PKs, was a relatively new development in the 'metagame' of Aincrad. Normally, players were protected by the AREA and couldn't be harmed. Duels were the only way to get around this protection; in a duel, a player lost health when they were injured. Normally, duels were only fought until one player's health dropped into the yellow zone; Kirito had fought a duel against Asuna only a month ago and won. However, red players had found a way to manipulate the duels. By finding a sleeping player and forcing their hand to accept the duel, the red player would be able to attack the sleeping player unhindered. As Aincrad didn't replicate pain, but only a numbing sensation, the target wouldn't wake up and eventually would die. It was a gruesome deed; players had started avoiding sleeping outdoors or alone, choosing instead to only sleep in locked rooms. It wasn't helping the mental state of players much. After all, it was supposed to be us against the game, not us against each other.

We sat in silence for a while, enjoying the setting sun. I broke the quiet first. "Kirito, you asked me a few months ago about why I kinda hid from everyone." He looked over at me, and I tried to ignore my rising heart rate and tensing muscles. I had to tell him everything. "I told you I would tell you when I was ready." I sighed. "I'll see if I can work my way up to it. You know I don't like most people, right?" He nodded. "I actually hate most people. I don't tolerate idiocy well, and so I rarely get close enough to anybody to become friends with them. So to me, a friend is someone I trust completely." I smiled. "You're one of the few people I consider a friend."

"I'm honored."

I laughed. "As you should be." I grew serious quickly. "Anyway, when you went suicidal on us, I felt betrayed. I felt like I had lost one of my friends." He sighed. "But that was fine; I was hurt, but I had someone else to trust."

He blinked. "Asuna, right?"

I closed my eyes. "Right. Asuna. See, when you were off power levelling, the two of us got pretty close. And just before midnight on Christmas Eve, she told me she wanted to be more than just friends." I could almost feel him stare at me in surprise. "I said no." I hurried to continue before he could say something and break my focus. "See, there's something about me that I've never told anybody. It's incredibly personal, and I don't talk about it much."

I took a deep breath. "I identify as asexual."

I let it sink in for a moment, but Kirito didn't say anything. "Physically, everything works as it should, but mentally…" I shrugged. "There's no drive. And so I wouldn't let Asuna get involved with me; I could tell she wasn't like me and that she'd be unhappy."

From my right, Kirito's voice. "I never guessed."

I laughed. "That's because I'm good at keeping secrets."

"How long have you known?"

"I figured it out just before…" I opened my eyes and gestured out in front of myself. "Before all of this." I grimaced. "There was… a similar incident involving another close friend of mine. More or less the same as what happened here, though there was no threat of death involved." I sighed. "Just two lonely kids that found each other and things got out of hand. But as for your second, unspoken, question, you're the first one I've told. Probably because you're the first one I trust enough to know."

I felt Kirito start to reach over, but stop. I laughed bitterly. "I'm not sure, but I think that might be where my distaste for personal contact comes from. I don't know if it caused my… orientation, or if that caused my hate for being touched, or if the two are even related. All I know is what I know." I sighed. "I get lonely sometimes, though. And so when I find someone like you, or like Asuna, someone I can rely on and trust, I do so completely." I knew I was messed up emotionally. I rested unsteadily on the pillar of Kirito's support; without that, I would be no better than a sociopath, just going through the day-to-day motions without actually caring. In short, much like the two months after Christmas when I had lost both his and Asuna's support. I would return to only caring about myself and choosing actions based on what could earn me the most profit. "Basically, I'm normal except I don't care about sex." I grinned honestly for the first time since I had started telling Kirito my secrets. "I can't really understand it, actually. All I know is that girls go wild over you. Must be the hair."

He grinned. "I take it insults are your way of showing affection?"

"No, they're my way of hiding my deep-set jealousy. But, honestly, yeah." I laughed. "People develop their people skills for two reasons: to get paid and get laid. I don't care about the second one and I have – or, had – a part time job which takes care of the first." I could be polite very well; it was all lying. You pretended that you cared, they pretended that they cared, and politeness was preserved. I knew my outlook on life was cynical and didn't really care. "So I choose to mock people. It's more fun that way." I leaned forward slightly, eyes shadowed. "I think it stems from my inability to believe that anybody actually would like me."

"Well, believe it or not, I do like you and I want to be your friend."

I smiled. "Thanks; I probably won't believe you, but thanks. That means a lot."

Kirito made a noise that I chose to interpret as thoughtful and fell silent. After some time, he spoke. "Well, I guess since you confided in me I should confide in you."

I waved my hand. "Nah, there's no pressure. I'm good at keeping secrets, but don't feel obliged to share one just because I did."

He shook his head. "I want to share this one." He swallowed. "Don't get mad, okay?"

"What did I just say? I trust you completely. The only thing that would get me mad would be to betray me."

He laughed uneasily. "Right… anyway, thing is, I have a special skill." I raised my eyebrow, inviting him to continue. "I just found it on my skill list one day as I was grinding. I've been training it in secret ever since."

"That's nice and all, but what's it called?" My curiosity was getting the best of me.

"It's called Dual Blades."

"Huh." I thought about it for a second, putting this new piece into the puzzle that was Kirito. "Lets you use two swords, one in each hand, right? And you use this skill routinely." He nodded, a shocked expression on his face. "Don't be too surprised; I wondered about that when I never saw you use a shield."

He laughed. "I should have known I couldn't keep something from you. After all, you are the Diamond Tactician, the smartest player in Sword Art Online."

I grimaced. "I hate that title. I wish I could have a cool one, like the Black Swordsman. Now, that's cool." He laughed, and I grinned. "I mean seriously, what's up with my title?" I pitched my voice slightly higher. "Ooh, I'm so smart and shiny, please talk about my physical characteristics." I laughed. "Anyway, there is one more thing I haven't told you." He looked at me. "See, I have a special skill of my own." He didn't say anything, urging me on silently. "According to the system, it's called Future Step."

"Huh. Sounds strange. What's it do?"

I activated the skill. "When I use it, my eyes change color to red." I figured that out when I triggered it and looked in a pond. "Cool part aside, whenever someone uses a Sword Skill, I see this red area that tells me where it will hit." I grinned, turning off the skill. "It lets me dodge the attack. All it does, though, is show where it will be; I still have to dodge it under my own power."

"I'd wondered how you managed to dodge some attacks. Especially the ones that came from behind." He muttered out loud.

"We should have a duel. You and me, one on one, just to train the skills. That way, nobody else has to know about them." I assumed he had a reason for keeping his skill secret. I just kept all of my information hidden until I chose to reveal it. "I don't know where it came from, but it showed up just after Christmas. How about you?"

"Same, though it showed up sometime in October." He was about to say more, but a sneeze from behind us made him stop talking.

We both turned around; Asuna had woken up and was peering around groggily. A blade of grass was stuck to her cheek and I thought I saw some saliva on her chin. I was a restless sleeper, but I didn't drool, something I was happy about. "Kirito, Asuna is now awake." I said to him without looking away from Asuna. He murmured something. "If I ran now, it would look pretty bad, wouldn't it?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him nod and I sighed. "I'm so screwed…"

Asuna's eyes landed on us and for a few seconds she just stared, still sleepy. Suddenly, she gasped and was wide awake. "Wh- ah- eh…"

Kirito smiled. "G'morning. You slept like a rock."

Asuna lunged to her feet and started to draw her rapier. Kirito and I panicked; fear overtook me and I jumped off the stone fence, using it as a barrier. Asuna stopped herself, blade half drawn, and stood there shaking. I didn't move or straighten up until her rapier was fully sheathed. She slowly took her hand off of its hilt and pointed at us, shaking the whole time. I couldn't tell if she was shaking in anger, fear, or embarrassment; it didn't much matter, as I was in trouble no matter what happened. "You get one meal." Her voice shook as much as her hand did.

Kirito and I looked at each other blankly. "Huh?"

Asuna straightened and looked to the side, refusing to meet Kirito's eyes. "One meal. All you can eat, my treat." She glared at him. "Then we'll be even. Deal?"

I could tell the offer wasn't for me. Kirito crouched behind the wall, wide-eyed. He must not have expected Asuna's violent reaction either. He nodded absentmindedly.

I stood up and hesitantly backed away. Instantly, Asuna was glaring at me. "And where do you think you're going?"

I froze like a deer in the headlights. "I, eh... have to, uh… go… sleep?" I winced internally. I had prepared several excuses in case an event like this ever occurred. Half of them were even true. Unfortunately, they slipped away like sand through my mind's clutching fingers. I knew she wouldn't accept my stuttered mess of an excuse. I was usually so glib; I was off my game due to my brief talk with Kirito.

"We have to talk." It was amazing. The four worst words a man could ever hear, and I was hearing them. Conversations that started that way never ended well. "Alone." There was that fifth word. I knew I was doomed. "We can talk later." And lo, the sundering of the earth ceased and the apocalypse stopped. I was safe until Kirito finished his meal.

I didn't dare leave. I followed Kirito and Asuna as they went to a restaurant on the 57th Floor. I had eaten there before, though it wasn't one of my favorites. A corner table was available, and I sighed, grateful for small mercies. I hated not having a wall to at least one of my sides when I ate. Kirito and I sat on one side of the table, and Asuna sat on the other. An awkward silence filled the table.

The silence was not broken by the many whispers that had started up by our appearance. From nearby, I could hear people whispering about 'the Lightning Flash', a 'shady-looking guy dressed in black', and 'the Tactician'. I could feel their eyes on my back, and I studiously ignored them, choosing instead to stare out of the window. Asuna was staring straight ahead, and Kirito had rested his chin on one hand, glancing around him every so often.

Asuna was the first to break the tense atmosphere. "Well, anyway…" Kirito and I looked at her, and she was looking at Kirito out of the corner of her eyes. "Thank you. For today."

I remained silent, as was my habit when not comfortable in a situation. "Why?" asked Kirito.

"For keeping an eye on me." Asuna said as if it was obvious. In her defense, however, it was.

"Oh…sure."

Asuna folded her hands in front of her, but she kept fiddling with her fingers nervously. "The towns are supposed to be safe zones. And unless you've agreed to a duel, a player can't attack – or kill – you." Asuna stared at the table. "But when you're asleep, you're vulnerable."

I tuned out the rest of the conversation. I had already thought about the recent string of player killings, and I didn't want to think about them again. I stared out the window instead, half-listening to their conversation in the event that something was addressed to me.

As they talked, I wondered about what Asuna wanted to say to me. There was only one thing that she would feel necessary to speak to me alone about, and that was the events of Christmas Eve. I didn't look forward to the confrontation. Strangely, though, I felt ready to talk to her about it; speaking with Kirito had given me the confidence to deal with any fallout from my actions that night. I would simply tell her what I told him; that I was asexual and that it wouldn't be fair to her to allow her to convince herself that she was happy. I wasn't entirely sure how that would go over; I fully expected to have to defend myself at some point.

The flow of conversation around me had stopped, and I came back to reality to find both Asuna and Kirito silent. Another awkward silence filled the air. I sighed mentally; there had been quite a few of those recently, and until the issues with Asuna were resolved I didn't foresee them going away.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, to break the silence when a loud scream pierced the air. I jumped, startled, and lunged out of my chair at the same time as Kirito and Asuna. The restaurant quickly emptied, and the three of us hurried outside to find the source of the scream.

We rounded a corner. Kirito and Asuna looked around wildly, and then gasped simultaneously. I looked at them, followed their line of sight and swore under my breath; a player had been hanged. He was dressed in large plate mail. That wasn't the worst of our problems, however; he had been pierced by a large weapon. He had both of his hands wrapped around it, trying to pull it out. I looked around us, and swore again, louder this time; a crowd had gathered, drawn by the scream, and there was no way of hiding this event. If word got out that a player had been killed inside the AREA, we would have widespread panic.

Kirito, Asuna, and I ran up to the man. "Hurry! Pull it out!" Kirito shouted. If the player could remove whatever weapon had pierced him, he would stabilize. The man looked down as if he just noticed the crowd and tried desperately to pull out the weapon. He seemed to be struggling; I assumed that it would be difficult to pull it out when he had no leverage.

"I'll cut him down, you catch him." Asuna dashed inside the building.

Kirito nodded. "Got it!" He ran over to the dangling player. "Help's on the way!"

The man tried even harder to pull the weapon out. He screamed, loudly. Suddenly, he went limp. His appearance shook, and he burst into polygons. The noose that had been around his neck swung grimly in the air. The weapon dropped to the ground landing point first and sinking into the cobblestone floor. Several players surrounding the incident screamed.

Kirito stared at where the player had been hanging just moments before, then whipped around. I followed his train of thought with lightning speed. "Everyone! Look for the player with the Winner icon!" I shouted. The only possible way for a player to be killed in the AREA was during a duel; he must have been the victim of a Sleep PK.

Asuna walked out onto the balcony. "There's no one here, the room's empty!" Kirito and I scanned the crowd, searching desperately for a player with the betraying sign hanging over his head. We had no luck.

With a sinking feeling, I walked over and pulled out the weapon. It appeared to be some sort of spear, though not one I recognized. I handed it over to Kirito; he thanked me and went inside to talk to Asuna. I looked over the crowd; they were in shock at the moment, though it would soon fade. When it did, we would be lucky to be faced with a mob. If word got out that a player could be killed in the streets of the town, panic would spread. I needed to find a scapegoat for the incident.

I swallowed as my thoughts ran to their inevitable conclusion. I would have to talk to the crowd and manipulate their feelings so as to avoid a riot or worse. I told myself that when in a crowd, a person was less likely to stand out and draw attention to themselves. If I took control now, I most likely wouldn't have to deal with anybody personally. With luck, they would listen and follow anything I said. They were about ten seconds from panic, and somebody, anybody, taking control of the situation would be welcome.

I stood on the steps to the building and took a deep breath. I told myself that this was just manipulating emotions in the direction I wanted them to go – this was nothing new. I told myself that stupidity wasn't catching and that I had to do this. "What you have just seen was murder." I used my loudest and most authoritative voice. I saved this for when I needed everybody's attention on me and me alone; the last time I had used it was when I detailed the plan for the 42nd Floor's boss encounter. "It seems to be the work of a player killer taking advantage of an exploit in the duel system." There was no use in sugarcoating my words; they would only serve to convince people I was trying to hide something, and that would only spread the rumors faster. "This exploit requires the victim to be alone and asleep." I had them, now. I could tell by the way every eye was watching me. I swallowed; this was the tricky part. "When you start to feel drowsy, try to make sure you are in a safe place. I would suggest an inn room. If it is impossible to be in a secure location, ensure that you have someone that you trust watching over you." People were nodding and murmuring, now; by bringing the problem to their attention and solving it, I was directing their anxiety over the killing to a problem they could solve. "It is impossible to be too safe. Please take all precautions; this is a problem that can be avoided." If this were real life, sweat would have been beading on my forehead. I hated talking to people; crowds were more or less torture.

I heard a cry echo from the room above me and glanced up. Several birds had been startled by the loud cry and had taken wing. I shook my head; Kirito had probably said something stupid to Asuna. My attention was caught by the swaying noose, and something popped into my mind. "There is one more thing," I said as I turned back to the crowd. I knew what I was about to say was stupid, but I couldn't resist. "When you ask someone to hang out, make sure nobody gets the wrong idea." I got a few scattered groans; that was good. Groans meant that people weren't in shock any more.

Asuna's voice echoed from behind me. "This really isn't the time, Rythin." She and Kirito walked out onto the steps.

I turned and fell back, yielding the floor to them. "I could always break down and have a panic attack instead. I thought that was worse."

Asuna ignored me, as usual, and Kirito stepped forward. "Listen up! Did anyone see what happened before that player died? If someone did, please speak up." The crowd started murmuring amongst themselves, and I winced. Isolating someone as a witness was the last thing we wanted to do; if the killer had some method of killing in a safe zone, they would be willing to remove witnesses. I didn't say anything, though; this was Kirito and Asuna's show right now.

Against all odds, a player stepped forward. She was young and appeared absolutely terrified. Asuna's expression softened. "Sorry. I can imagine how frightened you are." She wouldn't have to imagine; it was plain on the girl's face. "Can you tell us your name?"

The girl inhaled. "Sure… my name's Yoruko…" If I hadn't been able to tell by her expression, her voice would have revealed her trauma; her voice trembled. She was very close to a nervous breakdown.

"Was that you?" Upon realizing his question was vague, Kirito rephrased it. "I mean, were you the one who screamed?"

Yoruko nodded carefully. "I – I knew him." She was pale; the freckles under her eyes stood out sharply. "His name was Kains and the two of us used to belong in the same guild." No wonder she was terrified; she knew the victim personally. "Anyway, we came here together today. We were going to have dinner somewhere in town." She clenched her eyes, tears streaming down her face. "But we got separated in the plaza. I looked around for him, and then I saw him hanging from that balcony and –" She couldn't continue; her voice had been growing shakier and shakier as she told her story, and she had finally broken down and started sobbing.

Asuna walked close to her and started rubbing her back comfortingly. "Was there anyone else up there?"

Yoruko pulled herself together enough to respond. "For a second there, I'm not sure, but I did see someone standing behind Kains…" Asuna, Kirito, and I met gazes. If there had been someone there, they must have escaped during the confusion. That would be no mean trick; they couldn't have escaped from the balcony or someone would have seen them, and we were standing in front of the only exit to the building.

Asuna leaned a little closer. "And this person, had you seen them before?" Yoruko just shook her head, unable to speak.

"Um, I know this is hard for you, but think back and try to remember." Kirito's voice took on a pleading tone. "Could there be someone, anyone, with a reason to kill him?"

Yoruko trembled, but shook her head. Asuna and Kirito glanced at each other; they knew as well as I did that we weren't going to get any more information out of Yoruko that night. Suddenly, she opened her eyes; they were startlingly blue in her pale face. We took her inside where she would be out of the public view, and waited for nightfall.

After the crowd dispersed and the sun had gone down, we walked Yoruko back to her inn. She was staying at the Yamahya Lodge, a relatively cheap place to stay for a few nights. I had stayed there when I was helping clear the floor. The brief respite had allowed Yoruko to compose herself. "Thank you for walking me back. Sorry if it's out of your way."

Asuna shook her head. "No worries. But we'd like to talk to you again tomorrow, if you're feeling up to it."

"Okay…." I wasn't entirely sure if Yoruko would be up to it; by the sound of her voice, the trauma hadn't fully sunk in yet. It was possible that she would be even worse the next day. She walked inside, turned, and bowed to us, closing the door behind her.

Kirito turned to me and Asuna. "So, what do we do?"

We started walking, and it was some time before Asuna answered him. "Simple. We follow the only solid clue we have."

I frowned. "The spear."

She nodded. "If we can find out where that spear came from, it might lead us straight to the killer."

Kirito sighed. "Well, we'll need to find someone with an appraisal skill." The last time I had needed an appraiser was when I received my Nightblade. "I mean, it's pretty obvious you don't have one."

"No, I don't. And neither do you." Asuna's tone was arch. "Oh, and by the way? Try not to be so rude when you're speaking to me." I glanced back at her; she was standing, hands on her hips.

Kirito turned back. "Oh…okay, should I call you Miss next time?" Asuna glared at him. "Second in command?" Her expression didn't change one bit. "Lightning Flash?"

I shook my head. "It's obvious that she wants you to call her Mistress." I watched Asuna's expression closely and was rewarded when she glared at me. I only grinned in response.

She sighed. "Oh, never mind. Call me Asuna."

"Okay…" Kirito nodded. "Sure. Back to the appraisal skill though. Do you know anyone who has it?" From what I remembered, Heathcliff had it at some point. I didn't think he'd kept the skill, however.

"Hmmm…" Asuna hummed thoughtfully. "I've got a friend who does. She's a weapons merchant. But she's really busy these days so I don't think she'll have time to help us." Asuna looked up at the sky.

I caught Kirito's eye. "Kirito, what about Agil?" Agil had set up shop on the 50th floor. I figured that he'd have the skill at a high enough level.

Kirito nodded. "Asuna, we know an item merchant who might be able to help us out."

We traveled to Agil's shop. It was tucked away in a small alley; perfect for a smaller shop that only needed a few customers. I knew Agil still fought on the front lines occasionally – I assumed that was how he funded his shop. As we approached, the door opened and a spear-wielding player staggered out. From inside, I could hear Agil's enthusiastic voice. "Thanks, my man. Come back any time." The player only muttered something unintelligible and waved. I laughed.

I walked into the shop just behind Kirito. "Agil, shouldn't you be off fleecing more fools? How come you're still here?"

He straightened up and turned around. "No way. Kirito and Rythin!" We walked up to the counter. I leaned on the counter to Agil's right. "Buy cheap and sell cheap, that's my motto. I'm a business man, you know that."

I snorted and Kirito laughed. "That selling cheap part's a lie, though," said Kirito with a smile. The two bumped fists, and I traded nods with Agil. He knew I didn't like to be touched after an issue occurred in his shop.

"Don't go slandering my good name, brother." Agil looked like he was going to say something else, but Asuna chose that moment to walk around the corner. Agil stiffened and choked on the air. He grabbed Kirito and pulled him halfway over the counter, ducking down behind the counter. I leaned over at his imperious gesture. "What the hell has gotten into you two? You're supposed to be solo players, man, what are you doing hanging around with Asuna?" His voice was getting louder and louder; I grinned. "I thought you hated each other's guts!" That last part was directed to me specifically. I glanced up and saw Asuna laughing nervously.

After we explained our situation, Agil took us into the back room. We took seats around a round table. I pulled a stool back and propped myself up with my feet, balancing the stool on two legs. Agil stared at the spear for a minute. "His HP dropped to zero in a safe zone? You sure it wasn't a duel?"

I shook my head. "I'm fairly certain it wasn't. There was nobody nearby with a Winner icon."

"We can also rule out the murder being a Sleep PK." The three of us glanced at Asuna. "He was walking with Yoruko before it happened."

Kirito nodded. "And besides, his death was too elaborate to be some random duel. The PKer who did this had it planned out." I took his word for it; all I saw was his death. I hadn't gone up to the room that led to the balcony. "We're pretty sure of that. And then…" He dropped his gaze to the red spear. "There's this."

Agil frowned in concentration as he picked up the spear. Swiping open a menu, he tapped the appraise icon. It whirred for a few seconds before beeping as Kirito, Asuna and I waited in silence. "A player made this." I inhaled sharply.

Kirito leaned forward. "Really?"

"Who was it? Can you tell?" asked Asuna.

"Grimlock." Agil frowned. "Never heard that name before. He's not one of the top blacksmiths, that's for damn sure. Far as I can tell, there's nothing special about this." I trusted his words; he was the one who discovered the properties of the Nightblade. If he said there wasn't anything unique about the spear, then I believed him. That opened up a whole new can of worms, however; how had the player died?

Asuna frowned. "Yeah, but… It's something to go on, right?"

Kirito nodded. "Is there an item name listed?"

"You'll love it. Guilty Thorn – there's a name for you. Kinda fits, though, don't you think?"

I laughed. "How appropriate. I wonder if there's another one out there. I'd call it Innocent Rose."

Kirito took back the spear. "Seriously? Guilty Thorn?" He stared at the spear as if he hoped something would pop out and tell him what killed the player. I sat on my stool, still balanced, thinking about the weapon. If it had no special properties, then how could the player have died? I resolved to go check the memorial on the first floor to make sure he was actually dead. I'd need the spelling of his name, something I made a mental reminder to ask Yoruko about the next day. "Here goes…" Kirito's voice made me look over. He switched the grip of the spear, pointing it toward his hand. I wasn't too worried; if there was an issue, he could always pull out the spear. In any case, the AREA would prevent it from actually causing harm.

"Wait, stop!" Asuna cried as she lunged forward, catching his hand. Her sudden movement made me lose my balance and I toppled over, landing on the floor and hitting my head.

I sat up, rubbing the back of my head. "A little warning next time would be nice."

She glanced at me briefly. "Sorry, Rythin. I didn't mean to make you fall over."

Kirito looked over at Asuna. "What's the matter?"

"What do you mean, 'what's the matter'? Are you out of your mind?" If I didn't know better, I would have said that she was worried about him. I chalked it up to her not wanting to deal with me by herself. "That thing's already killed one person!"

"I know. But we need to find out what this thing's capable of," said Kirito. "Don't we?"

I groaned. "There wasn't any danger, Asuna."

She glared at both of us. "Would you stop being so reckless?" She grabbed the spear out of Kirito's hand and gave it to Agil. "Agil, would you please hold on to this for us?"

He took it, and I could tell by his face that he wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. "Uh, yeah…" Asuna turned around and glared at us. I shared a confused look with Kirito – neither of us could guess why she was so upset.

April 12th, 2024

We met Yoruko the next day. I knew the conversation would be awkward and stilted due to her fear. I also knew that I wouldn't be able to contribute in any meaningful way; I was too harsh and blunt to deal with her trauma. In order to escape the meeting, as soon as she sat down I asked her politely for the spelling of Kains's name. She spelled it for me, and I gratefully left, telling Kirito and Asuna where I was going. They nodded, and I walked out of the restaurant.

The glow of teleportation faded away, and I walked out among the players on the first floor. I had taken the precaution of covering my armor; a clearer on the first floor was cause for concern no matter what the issue was. After dealing with the crowd the day before, I didn't want to cause a panic just by being there.

I made my way to the Monument of Life. It was placed prominently where the respawn area was supposed to be; a cruel irony that nevertheless made me laugh every time I saw it. I approached, trying to ignore the large amount of lines through the names of players. Those lines signified that the player was dead. By tapping on the lines, I could view a screen that told me the month and day a player had died, as well as the cause of death. I searched through the names, searching for Kains. "K…K….K-A….ah, here we go. Kains." I tapped his name; the screen appeared in my vision. I exhaled sharply – the month and day matched, as well as the cause of death. Piercing damage over time; that certainly fit.

I wasn't sure how long I stood there, staring at the name. If Kains was dead – and the Monument of Life proved that – then we had a big issue on our hands. At least one player had learned a way to get around the AREA's protections; that was the largest issue, dwarfing all others. I walked over to the wall and leaned against it. I studied the case from every angle I could imagine. The only way a player could die in a safe zone that I knew of was in a duel. However, we had ruled out the possibility of a duel. Therefore, there was some other exploit that allowed a killer to get around the protections. It was seemingly impossible for a player's health to go down while in the AREA, but somehow Kains had lost all of his HP without leaving the zone. I saw him shatter into polygons myself. Therefore, the AREA was not infallible. I had to study the AREA in depth; I needed to know what it protected and what it didn't.

Something about my thoughts bothered me. There was some clue I was missing; some piece of the puzzle was in the wrong spot. Before I could track it down, however, I received a message from Kirito. They had finished talking to Yoruko and were waiting for me to rejoin them. I stood up and teleported straight to the 57th Floor. I saw them waiting for me under the cover of a roof; it was raining. The same nudge came from seeing the teleportation crystal, but I put it aside. It was more important to learn what Kirito and Asuna had to tell me.

They caught me up as we walked through the various alleyways. We were taking a long and circuitous path in order to have privacy. According to Yoruko, she and Kains had been part of a guild called the Golden Apple. One day, a rare ring dropped while the guild was grinding out in the field. They put it to a vote, and the guild voted five to three to sell it. Kains and Yoruko had been two of the three that wanted to keep it. Their leader, Griselda, left. She never returned. Upon learning of her murder, the guild broke apart and each member went their own ways. It turned out that Grimlock, the player that had made the spear, was Griselda's husband in the game. The other new piece of news was that Schmidt, the leader of one of the defense teams in the Holy Dragon Alliance, was the third player who didn't want to sell the ring. We had our prime suspect – Schmidt.

In exchange for their information about the Golden Apple guild and the murder that started this entire incident, I told them what I had found out. "According to the Monument, Kains really is dead. Everything checked out. Month, day, and manner of death." Something about my words sounded wrong, and I frowned.

I couldn't focus long before Asuna spoke up. "Okay, so, how do you think a murder like this happened in the safe zone?"

Kirito frowned. "I can see three ways it could've. Right off the bat, it's possible it was a fair duel."

I shook my head. "I already went over that with a fine-toothed comb. There's no way it was a duel – Kains was being hanged, and that's not something you do in a fair duel."

"Maybe…someone took advantage of a bug that combines a bunch of different kill methods." Kirito's second idea was appealing. It answered the how, though it seemed far-fetched. The only kill method I had seen was a spear through the chest. After all, that was what finally killed him.

"Yeah, I can see that happening." It clearly appealed to Asuna as well. "And the third?"

"Use something to bypass the protection of a safe zone." He frowned. "Some kind of skill, or maybe an item." He stopped. "No, on second thought that third idea's impossible."

I nodded. "There's no way anything like that could exist. Rare skills do exist, but I doubt one would exist that allows for murdering other players." Kirito glanced at me. I shook my head minutely; I wasn't going to say anything about Dual Blades or Future Step. I wasn't sure how Asuna would react.

"What do you mean, impossible?"

"Because it's unfair." Kirito replied absently, still deep in thought. "I kinda hate to admit it, but it's true. The rules of SAO are essentially fair for every player in the game."

I frowned. "And unlike most rules, these particular rules can't be broken. It's impossible to get around the protection of the safe zone because the rules say so. There's no way the game would allow killing in safe zones."

"I see…" whispered Asuna.

We killed time until the meeting with Schmidt, walking around town and thinking of other ways Kains could have died. The three of us couldn't come up with any possible solutions to our problem, and before long 4:45 rolled around. We gathered in Yoruko's room; Schmidt sat in one chair facing the window. Yoruko was perched in another chair facing Schmidt, and Asuna, Kirito, and I had taken up positions standing around Schmidt. Asuna stood beside his chair, Kirito was leaning against a table, and I lounged against the wall.

A grim silence hovered over the five of us, only broken by Schmidt's nervous motions. He couldn't keep his knee still, and it betrayed his nervousness. We had explained everything to him when he entered, and he was still processing the information. "So that's what killed Kains…" His voice broke the silence. "And you're sure about the spear. Was it really Grimlock's?" His voice had a note of panic in it. I had heard he was terrified of death; hence his particular build. He had focused on pure defense, becoming a mountain of HP.

Yoruko nodded slowly. "There's no doubt." Her voice was steadier than it had been, though I could hear it trembling slightly.

Schmidt's fist clenched convulsively. He stood up with a jerk. "Then why would he wait six months to kill him? Unless…" Something seemed to occur to him. "Wait, could he have stolen the ring? Do you think it's possible he killed Griselda after all?" He sank back down into his chair, all energy seemingly gone. He slammed his fist onto his knee. "Does Grimlock want to kill the three of us because we didn't want to sell the damn ring?" He buried his face in his hands. "Is that why he's after you and me now?"

I didn't say anything throughout this entire scene. If I interfered, nothing would get resolved and we couldn't progress. It was also entirely possible that in his panic Schmidt would say something that could give us a clue.

Yoruko stared straight ahead. "Maybe Grimlock made the spear for someone else for our guild." That was a scenario that hadn't occurred to me; I had assumed that Grimlock had used the spear. It was too easy to trace back to him otherwise. "Maybe they're the ones who killed Kains. Or maybe…" A wind starting blowing, coming through the open window. "Griselda's come back from the dead to get her revenge." Schmidt started. I narrowed my eyes; that made no sense. However, it stuck with me, whispering in my ear. It could work; after all, a ghost wouldn't be bound to the same rules as a player or a monster. I felt cold as the thought ran to its inevitable conclusion. A ghost would be able to hurt and kill a player while inside a safe zone. "A player can't kill another player inside a safe zone. But something else, like a ghost, could." Her words were so tempting to listen to. If we could blame this on a ghost, we could defuse the entire situation for the general public. Most players wouldn't be worried about a ghost; even if they believed in them, they would be safe from the specter. Anybody killed by a ghost would be someone who deserved it. I felt myself tempted to accept that explanation, and I shook my head. That wasn't the answer. The sudden breeze was certainly appropriate to this kind of discussion, though. I grinned sardonically.

Schmidt gasped, moving his mouth as he tried vainly to speak. Kirito, Asuna and I shared a glance. I assumed they had thought of the same things that I had. Yoruko, wide eyed, stood. "I couldn't sleep at all last night. So I stayed up thinking…" Suddenly, she hunched over. "It was everyone's fault! Everyone in the guild is guilty! Her blood is on all our hands!" I straightened up. Yoruko was having a panic attack, and I wanted to be ready for any event. "Her fate was sealed when that ring dropped! We shouldn't have voted!" She dropped her hands, and I was startled again by the brilliant blue of her eyes. "We should have done whatever Griselda told us to do!" I resolved to always get a good night's sleep if this was the result of losing just one night.

I looked at Asuna, but she wasn't moving. I couldn't even break myself out a panic attack, and Asuna was going to be the only one who could stop this. Fortunately, Yoruko seemed to snap out of it. She staggered backward until she reached the windowsill, sinking down onto it. "Grimlock was the only one. The only member of the guild who said we should leave the decision to Griselda." She stared straight ahead, but I could tell that she wasn't really seeing us. "You see? He's the only one of us who can avenge Griselda. He's the only member of our guild who has the right to avenge her."

Schmidt was shaking. "You've gotta be kidding… You gotta be kidding!" He buried his head in his hands. "Why now? After all this time?" His voice was thick. I wasn't entirely sure, but I had a suspicion he was sobbing. "Why kill us now?" He stood up, wide eyed and fully in the grips of panic. "You can't be okay with this, Yoruko!" He took a small step forward. "How can you accept being killed over some stupid vendetta?" He would have done more, but Kirito grabbed his arm. He started and turned to glance at Kirito. I stretched and cracked my knuckles. If Schmidt really was the murderer, he'd have some way to attack Kirito in the AREA. I triggered Future Step, raising a hand to my head as if I was scratching it to hide the tell-tale red color of my eyes. If he used a Sword Skill, I'd know and be able to warn Kirito.

At that moment, everybody's eyes were off of Yoruko. A loud crunch echoed through the room. I turned and stared unthinkingly. Yoruko jerked forward. I gave a strangled cry. Asuna glanced at me once, and did a double take when she saw the red sheen in my eyes. I ignored her; I could always explain it as a trick of the light later. My entire focus was on Yoruko; she slowly turned, wide-eyed. I couldn't see the expressions of the others from where I stood, but I guessed they would be the same as mine. Everyone was staring at her. It was as if time had slowed to a crawl. Strangely, her eyes were still that same brilliant shade of blue even through the filter of Future Step.

A breeze kicked up, blowing aside Yoruko's hair and revealing a dagger stabbed into the small of her back. Red polygons floated away from the ugly wound. Ever so slowly, she tipped over the window and fell. I couldn't move. Kirito rushed to the window to try to save her, but it was too late. I heard him cry out her name, but the only sound in response was the shattering sound made when an object in the game shattered; the sound a player made when they died. Shortly after that, I saw the blue polygons floating away. The strange dagger clattered to the ground outside.

We now had another murder.

That's not good.

Many thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, or left a review. Every bit helps.