A/N: So everyone I have some exciting news I am doing a collab with PhunnyStuff the author of Code to my Heart one of the many Sword Art Online fanfics and her OC Fumiko Mori will be making an appearance in mine. Check out Code to my heart where she will be posting her POV in a couple of days. Enjoy and now I bring you The Bounty Arc Part 1: Killing Time

Bounty Arc Part 1:

Killing Time

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness -Desmond Tutu

Asuna and I walked out of the villa and we made it to Granzam in no problem. As we were walking through the town I saw wanted posters of Fumiko Mori aka "The Ranger".

"Why is she on the wanted posters?" I asked grabbing the ripping the poster off the wall and examining it.

"Haven't you heard she's Fumiko Mori, co-creator of SAO. When she's captured she will be put on trial for treason and for her innocence," Asuna finishes and I'm shocked.

"And she should go to trial because of that? I understand your reasoning but if she created the game to hurt us why would she come back and risk her life protecting everyone?" I ask.

"What's done is done she will be put to trial when captured," Asuna stated as we walked through the doors of KoB headquarters.

"Alright so what are we doing here?" I ask.

"Heathcliff is going to inform us of the situation at hand I'm going to try and get in contact with Kirito to see if he's been attacked," Asuna opens the door for me and leaves me in the room with Heathcliff.

"Asuna has informed you off the situation?" Heathcliff asks as he sits down in his chair.

"Yes I would like to know all the details as well" I reply.

"Well Shantotto it seems that the Laughing Coffin has been targeting clearers for a while but now they seem to have a new incentive."

"So they are targeting us then," I say.

"Yes but now it seems that PoH has made it his goal to kill all clearers to keep everyone in the game forever."

"Why? Shouldn't they want to get out too?"

"It seems they believe it is their right to kill us saying that we are the impurities that try to corrupt everyone's mind, with the bounties on our heads people are starting to get riled up" Heathcliff explains.

"What does this have to do with me?" I ask.

"Our insider gave us a tip that one of their members, Johnny Black, will be in town trying to kill you. We will use this as a trap to lure him out to capture and interrogate him."

"Alright tell me when and where."

"The town of Alexandria 6 miles from here"

"Alright I assume I will travel by myself."

"No Asuna will accompany you while we set up an ambush at Alexandria."

"Ok I'll get ready… Heathcliff can I ask you something?"

"What will that be Shantotto?"

"Are you really going to put The Ranger on trial?"

"Yes. If she is smart she will turn herself in. We will find her she can't hind for much longer."

"Well I believe that she's good just misunderstood like Kirito and me. But now look at us we are both accepted by everyone. It is your choice, however, I cannot change that but please reconsider," I say as I walk away.

Later That Day

After leaving Granzam we immediately left for Alexandria, the town where the ambush will be placed. Asuna is still by my side as we walk to town. After getting in contact with Kirito he said it was safe to come.

"This is a horrible plan," I say as were walking down the road.

"Well this is the best we got on short notice alright," Asuna retorted.

"Well we are coming on the way to the town it should happen any minute now" I say and we see 5 people appear before us.

"Johnny Black I presume?" I say getting my staff ready.

"Huh you already knew who I am, I'm impressed. I bet you know why I'm here then," he says getting his dagger.

"Not so fast. Bind!" As I cast the spell Johnny goes stiff and falls to the ground while his partners are being teleported to jail.

"What did you do to me?" Johnny struggles to say as the spell takes it effect.

"Our plan was simply to take you into custody to be interrogated. We figured you would come after me so I used my strongest Binding spell to paralyze you for about 3 hours. Your guild isn't the only ones who are good with potions I am a witch after all," I explain as he is being cuffed.

But Johnny starts to laugh as he is stood up. "We already knew your plans Shantotto that's why I came here with more than two people!"

Laughing Coffin members come out from the forest and we get ready to fight.

The first one tries to attack me but I cast a blizzard spells which stuns him and is brought down. Asuna and the others are taking care of their opponents but they just keep coming. When two more come at me Asuna notices and attempts to run after me and team up. I use an earthquake to catch them off guard and hit the first one with my staff and Asuna finishes the other off with relative ease but we were starting to get tired along with the rest of our team. We were beginning to lose hope until an arrow comes out of nowhere and hits a person who attempted to backstab me.

Up the road I saw "The Ranger" Fumiko Mori in archer garb and all with her bow in hand with Klein besides her charging forward. She helps me up and we cover each other's backs. I cast spells and she uses her arrows to take them down and after a couple of minutes the last off the coffin retreat back in the forest.

"Thanks for that but why are you here?" I ask her.

"I think it's time for me to come out of the shadows. I came here to protect people not hide from them. If I want to do that again I have to get people to trust me and this is the best way. Asuna, I give myself up to the Knights of Blood," Fumiko says and she puts her hands behind her head.

"Hey I don't believe it" I say as were walking back.

"Believe what?" she asks

"That you're the one who put us all in here, I mean why would someone who would make a death game put themselves in it and help us?" I say and she laughs and looks at me.

"So what do you believe about me?"

"You didn't know what Kayaba was doing when helping him make SAO. You came into this game to help people not hurt them. Maybe they'll let you off if you tell them the full story."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Fumiko says solemnly

After the ambush we start to move back to Granzam I notice other people gathering around us looking at Fumiko as if she was carrying the black plague. We arrive at headquarters to see Heathcliff waiting for us.

"Asuna take Fumiko down to the cells, Shantotto you'll accompany me and Johnny to the interrogation room," Asuna nods and takes Fumiko away while we teleport down to the interrogation room. I lean on the wall while Johnny is put into a chair and Heathcliff sits in his.

"So Johnny Black I'm going to ask you a couple of questions. If you answer them truthfully you will live but if you don't you will die," I never seen Heathcliff so serious even in battle he doesn't look like this.

"As you well know we are almost to the end of the game but our guild doesn't want the completion of the game we want to stay here," Johnny says with a crazed look in his eye.

"Why would you want this?" I ask.

"Because we will rule supreme in this world it is our god given right to kill those who should be killed and that includes every clearer."

"But you do realize if we stay here any longer our real bodies will die," Heathcliff says.

Johnny laughs again and it turns into a crazed laughter.

"WE DON'T CARE! IN HERE WE ARE GODS AMONGST MEN! WE WILL HAVE OUR KINGDOM AND WE KILL WHO WE SEE FIT!"

"Then tell me this: who initialized this crusade?" I ask.

"PoH our lord and savior" he begins to laugh again and I start to feel worried. Heathcliff sees the look of distress on my face and takes action.

"Guards take him to the dungeon," Heathcliff says and as they take him I still hear his laughter along the corridors.

"So that was something. Now what?" I ask him and Heathcliff gets up and walks towards the door and stops.

"Since we have Fumiko Mori in our hands we will go prepare for her trial."

"I still don't believe she is guilty. Haven't you heard of innocent until proven guilty?" I say.

"Well, yes, we will have a trial for her if she give us a valid reason on her behalf she will be released but if she doesn't…"

"You know killing her won't do a damn thing," I say but he walks off without a response. Tommorow's going be a long day