April 8th 2023 Floor 26

I was pacing in my room, I was back to being a green player, so I went outside every once in a while, but I knew I was going to be scarred the rest of my life. I decided to talk to Argo about Zatoichi Style, recently we found out that it was not a unique skill but a hidden skill, meaning the prerequisites to get the skill are not on the info broker, it's actually simple to get, you just have to reverse your grip on your sword, kill an enemy like that, and it just appears. I experimented this with some random players, and sure enough, it worked, however, they couldn't copy my twister skill, since I created it without the system assisting me.

I decided to go to the pub on floor 20, it was the best one in my opinion. I needed a drink, I was turning 17 in about two months, and even so, it's a game, it doesn't matter.

"(Sigh) I wonder how Aero's doing?" I muttered to myself on my way to the teleport gate. "Pretty good, you?" I jumped a mile high before I turned to see my green-eyed spear wielding partner doubled over at my reaction. "Holy Hell! Dear God!" I exclaim, holding my chest with my right hand and panting, "S-sorry, i-it was t-too funny!" she stuttered out in between laughs, I sighed. One of these days I might die from an in-game heart attack because of her!

"You going to the pub?" she asked once she got over her laugh fest, I nodded, "Yeah, you wanna come buy a drink with me?" she nods. So we walked towards the teleport gate together, simply chatting about how things were doing. Ever since I was publicly made a bounty hunter, overall crime rate had significantly decreased, instead of getting missions about four times a week, it became about once a week.

"Teleport: Yurna!" we commanded once we reached the teleport gate. After a flash of blue we were we commanded to go. As we walked towards the pub, I noticed Aero seemed a bit…fidgety. "You alright Aero?" I asked her concerned, "Yeah, I just don't drink much" I raised an eyebrow at this, "Then why are you coming with me?". She pouted, "What? I said 'much', I do drink sometimes, and you make it sound like you don't enjoy my company!"

I furiously waved my hands in front of my chest, "I-I didn't mean it like that! I enjoy your company!" realizing what I said I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. Aero went red at my statement as well. "Well well well if it ain't the lovebirds?" a voice taunted from behind us. We both groaned, Dusk had been teasing us about that for the past month, except for when...that happened. Just thinking about still makes me disgusted with myself.

"What is it Dusk?" Aero asked him annoyed, not even bothering to turn around to face him. "What? Can I not see my friends?" he asked cheekily, Blizzard cooing in agreement. I sighed, "Dusk, you and I see each other everyday, and Aero often drops by at least once a day"

Dusk chuckled, "Alright you got me, I'll leave you two alone" I silently cheered in my head, "for today" he added with a smirk, before walking away. Needless to say my internal cheering stopped.

Aero and I shook our heads at Dusk's comment, and went inside the pub. When we opened the doors however, I was given a most surprising sight, Kirito looked like he was in a guild! Aero noticed my expression, "What is it?" "I'm not sure, could you wait for me?" I requested, she nodded.

I walked over to Kirito and put my hand on the back of his chair, "Hey Kirito! How's it going?" I greeted. He jumped, obviously not expecting me, "Oh! Hey Draxen!" he replied back, but somewhat nervous. I wonder why…

"Kirito you know him?" a man with brown hair and eyes spoke, he looked to be a tad bit taller than me… "Yeah, we were partners during the first floor boss raid" I raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing.

"Did you know that he's been a solo player this whole time? And he got up this far and he's only level 20 like us!" a shorter boy with tufts of yellow hair under a black beanie. Now I understood what was going on, Kirito didn't believe he would be accepted if he told them his true level, which was level 40. "Really? That is quite impressive" I lied, letting Kirito slide this time, but I will be talking to him later.

"Hey, what level are you? You seem pretty powerful!" a boy my height asks, he has brown hair and green eyes, and is wearing some kind of hat. "Level 40, I work with the assault teams as a bounty hunter as well as help in the boss raids" they all awed at him. "Woah, Kirito, you're friends with an Assault team member?!" the weird hat weared asked. Kirito nodded.

"Hey, you mind if I borrow Kirito for a moment?" I asked them, they nodded and the brown haired man said, "Yeah, it's fine, you two would want to catch up" I bowed, "Thanks for understanding. I took Kirito by the shoulder and took him over to Aero, who was by the bar, and I explained what was going on.

"So Kirito, tell us about them" Aero asked, Kirito nodded, and explained how he met the guild, Moonlit Black Cats, and when he saved one of their guild members, he saw how they acted like family, and he wanted to feel some of that himself. Aero and I nodded in understanding.

"Alright, but if anything goes wrong, tell me in a heartbeat alright?" Kirito looked like he was about of protest, but I cut him off, "You helped me at my darkest hour, without even thinking about it, and for that I am eternally grateful, and I hope to someday repay such a debt, so please, contact me if something goes wrong okay?" I told him firmly, grasping his shoulders. After a moment Kirito nodded, I smiled and let him go, but not before patting his shoulder, "Good, now go join them"

He nodded gratefully and went back over to them, and Aero and I enjoyed our drinks.


June 22nd, 2023

I was on my way back to Dusk from a grinding session, I had gotten to level 50 at last. I suddenly got a message, I opened it and I was immediately filled with dread. I quickly went straight towards the teleport gate to go and find him before something bad happens, or maybe I should say, before something worse happens.

Sachi and the others are dead, Keito killed himself when I told him. It's all my fault…

-Kirito


And that's chapter 8! Have no fear, this will continue on in chapter 9!