Interlude 1 – Fall and rise (1/2)
While it has been my greatest joy and privilege to tell you about the epic of SAO, contemplating how to portray this amazing tale was definitely an arduous – and at times painful – task. For many days I grappled with countless questions: as the narrator, what kind of voice should I speak with? Should I portray the events chronologically, or would a non-linear approach be more intriguing? Would it be better to focus on a particular individual throughout the entire story or regularly alternate perspectives? How can I recreate Aincrad's artificial yet unparalleled beauty when all I have are mere words? The end result of my long hours of musing is, of course, the story you have been patiently listening to. Admittedly, my narrating skills leave much to be desired; for that I sincerely apologise. Fortunately, there is still much storytelling to be done so I will have plenty of opportunities to improve and redeem myself – but I digress.
Differing perspectives can make a story more interesting, so I thought it'd be a good idea to include a few short episodes about other players here and there at the slight cost of briefly interrupting the 'main story'. Having said that, I am now going to shift the focus from my merry companions and I to someone who I respect a lot. I will step into the shadows so that he may walk onto the stage and bask in the spotlight. My dear audience, allow me the honour of telling you about the fall and rise of Oshiro Daisuke, otherwise known by his SAO username Dillon. For those who may have forgotten, he is the purple-haired teenager Asuna, Liz and I saved from that particularly nasty Field Boss on Floor 2. Let us return to the halcyon days of May 2022, six months before the death trap disguised as an innocent VR game was released to the public.
"I'm home!"
Daisuke, the youngest member of a household of four, announced as he entered his house. He was a rather tall yet skinny fifteen-year-old junior high student with short, spiky black hair and light beige skin. The four-eyed teenager (two of his eyes were brown, the other two rectangular) stepped into the living room to find his older sister lazily lounging on the couch reading a fashion magazine. The TV was turned on but she didn't seem to be paying it any attention.
"Yo. Where were you, Daisuke?"
"Akira's."
"Typical. All you ever do is hang out with Akira and Ryouta. Why don't you do something more meaningful like joining an afterschool club?"
"I'll pass. None of the club activities interest me."
"You say that, but didn't you join the volleyball club last year?"
"That was only because Ryouta thought it'd be fun and convinced me to try it out with him. I quit after he broke his foot two weeks later."
"You make it sound like Ryouta was your only friend there. Did you not get along with the other club members?"
"It's not as if we disliked each other, we just never really clicked."
"Oh, is that so."
Daisuke was by no means a misanthropic person. He was, however, quite shy and awkward when it came to people he was unfamiliar with. This particular shortcoming made it difficult for him to form any close attachments with his peers, even though he generally got on well enough with though. Among the handful of people whom he considered as friends, he got on best with two teenagers called Akira and Ryouta; the former was his neighbour and the latter was someone he'd known since elementary school. Fortunately for Daisuke, both were in his class.
"It's not like I can join a club now even if I wanted to. I promised mom that I'll start going to juku (cram school) so I won't have time for afterschool activities," Daisuke told his sister.
"Seriously? How come?" The elder Oshiro asked in surprise. Their mother had been concerned about Daisuke's senior high entrance exams and was insistent on enrolling her son to a juku to ensure that he was on top of his schoolwork. It took the teen no small amount of persuasion for Mrs. Oshiro to change her mind (the fact that Daisuke had consistently good grades helped his case tremendously).
"That was the only way I could convince her to let me get a copy of SAO when it comes out in November. It was a painful but necessary sacrifice."
"So you're willing to sit through hours of remedial classes just for the sake of one video game? Doesn't seem worth it to me."
Daisuke stared at his sister as if she were a heretic.
"Oh my g – you don't understand anything! SAO isn't just some video game; it's a huge milestone in VR technology! People have been dreaming about something like this for years! Existing VR games have practical issues such as spatial restrictions and limited range of motions, but SAO breaks down all those physical barriers and –"
"I get it, I get it! SAO is great, bla bla bla, you can stop right there!" Daisuke's sister spoke hurriedly to interrupt her brother's passionate speech. "Sheesh, is everybody as hyped up about this SAO game as you, or are you a special case?"
"DID YOU SEE THE NEW SAO TRAILER!? IT'S SO COOL!"
"Dude, stop shouting. You're hurting my ears," Daisuke reprimanded. Ryouta's loud voice provoked a few stares from their classmates. It was lunch break the next day and the two friends were in their classroom chatting between mouthfuls of food. "But yeah, that trailer was the sickest thing ever! The graphics were amazing and the combat looks so smooth!"
"I know right!? I really hope we get chosen as beta testers. Seeing video clips of Aincrad is one thing; actually being there is another!"
"We'll be busy preparing for our January entrance exams over the winter break so the only time we can really let loose and enjoy SAO will be during the beta test in August."
"Now why'd you have to bring that up!? I was trying to forget about them entrance exams man!" Ryouta exclaimed sadly. Daisuke couldn't help but smile at his friend's dismayed expression. "By the way, do you wanna hang after school?"
"Definitely. It'll be just the two of us since Akira's ill. I sure didn't expect him to be bedridden with a fever, he was completely fine when we were at his place yesterday."
"Meh, shit happens. Hey, why don't we get Shinichi to join us?" Nagata Shinichi – Akira's younger brother – was a first-year at Daisuke's school. He was a meek, honest boy who tended to act impulsively when excited (and he was quite excitable). Daisuke was on good terms with Shinichi as they not only grew up together in the same neighbourhood but also shared similar interests.
"Sure, let's go ask him if he's free." Daisuke quickly packed up his empty bento (prepared by mommy dearest), stuffed it into his school bag and followed Ryouta to a lower floor of the school building. Contrary to expectations Shinichi was absent from his classroom.
"Nagata? Oh, he was called out by Masato-senpai. Not sure where they went to," one of the first-years told the duo. Alarm bells went off in Daisuke's head. He shared an unsettled glance with Ryouta before they split up and searched for Shinichi worriedly.
Masato Katowaki was probably the most popular student in the whole school. He was admired by his peers and favoured by the teachers for his nice personality and incredible talents: the third-year was not only an exceptional baseball player who led the school team to countless victories as its captain, he was also one of the top scorers (academically) of his year. However, some claim that underneath Katowaki's good-natured façade was a nasty bully who derived pleasure from tormenting others – though most believed that this 'dark side' of the model student was nothing but a mere fabrication.
Daisuke and Ryouta never gave the rumours much thought. Katowaki wasn't someone they associated with so they couldn't care less about hearsay relating to him. Yet, at the moment the rumours were the only reasonable explanation as to why the third-year would seek out Shinichi when the two were unacquainted and uninvolved in the first place (the entire situation could be a misunderstanding but better to be safe than sorry).
Several minutes later, Daisuke was the one who found Shinichi and a black-haired female cornered by Katowaki at the bottom of a staircase.
"You're getting on my nerves, you damn brats! Give me your money now or I'll beat it out of you!" The third-year threatened. Shinichi was clearly fearful of Katowaki (his legs were shaking) but refused to give in to his demands. The anonymous girl next to him wore a defiant expression. She was about to make a retort but Daisuke chose that exact moment to interfere.
"Oi! Leave them alone!" Daisuke yelled, stepping between the bully and his targets. Perhaps it was because of the adrenaline rush but the normally shy Daisuke had not trouble staring Katowaki dead in the eye.
"Oh? Who do you think you are, punk!?" Katowaki grabbed Daisuke by the collar. Normally the forceful move would incite fear and panic, yet the four-eyed teen's glare did not falter in the slightest (aren't adrenaline rushes amazing?). Irritated by his adversary's lack of reaction, the bully shoved Daisuke roughly so that his body collided with Shinichi's and the girl's before painfully slamming into the wall behind him.
Daisuke was furious, but he absolutely lost it when Katowaki spat on him.
"You fucking bastard!" Daisuke roared. He would've attacked the sneering third-year if the girl by his side hadn't held him back. She was MUCH stronger than her physical appearance suggested.
"Masato, you should leave before you get hurt. Injuries could spell the end of your baseball career," she warned. Daisuke would've been impressed with her calmness if he wasn't so furious.
"Bitch, you think I can't take that loser in a fight!?"
"Do you really want to take the risk?"
There was a tense silence as both parties stared down each other. Nobody made a move. Daisuke took a deep breath to steady himself but otherwise stood his ground.
"Daaaaaaamn Masato! Back at it again with the shitty bullying!" Everybody turned their heads to see Ryouta approach them. The teen wore a cheerful expression but there was an edge to his voice. The bully was aware that the sudden appearance of a second adversary meant his chances at emerging from a potential fight unscathed had gone down drastically.
"Tch… this isn't over. You better grow eyes out of the back of your heads!" Katowaki threatened as he stormed away, barging into Ryouta in the process. The optimistic boy knew better than to retaliate and kept his cool.
"Shinichi, are you alright?" Daisuke asked. The black-haired girl had stopped restraining him so he was free to check up on his friend.
"Aah… that was so scary! If you and Suguh –"
"Ahem!"
"I-I mean, if you and Kirigaya weren't here, I would've been in big trouble," Shinichi finished feebly.
"Even though you were afraid, you did a good job not caving in. Well done," the girl, now known as Kirigaya, said to Shinichi. Her praise caused his expression to brighten up considerably. She then turned her attention to the two third-years. "Thank you for stepping in, senpais. We were in a pretty bad spot so it was a huge relief when you two came to our defence."
"It's a good thing we got here in time!" Ryouta commented with a victorious grin. "But I thought Shinichi was the only Masato targeted. How did you get involved, uh… wait, what was your name again? By the way, I'm Yamada Ryouta, and he's Oshiro Daisuke! Both of us are third-years."
"My name is Kirigaya Suguha, I'm in the same class as Nagata," Suguha introduced herself. "I thought something was strange when Masato approached Nagata out of the blue so I followed them here. I immediately intervened when he was getting harassed although in hindsight I probably should've gone and get help instead. Oh well, all's well that ends well."
"I'm glad you stopped me from punching Masato, things would've been messy if you didn't step in. Also, I appreciate you standing up for Shinichi, what you did was very brave," Daisuke thanked Suguha.
"I could say the same for you. You didn't even flinch when he grabbed you by the collar; not many people are capable of that."
"I, uh – erm, I'm usually not like… that," the four-eyed replied, blushing fiercely. He was feeling extremely self-conscious. Now that his anger had eviscerated and his adrenaline rush was over Daisuke had reverted back to his bashful, awkward self. "I-I don't know what came over me, really."
"Doesn't that make your actions even more impressive?" Suguha smiled encouragingly as she spoke.
"W-well, if you say so…"
"Oh, lunch break's going to end soon! We'd better head back. Shinichi, Kirigaya, be careful of Masato alright? If he tries anything again let us know and we'll do something about him. We're in class 3-A if you need us," Ryouta offered. Shinichi and Suguha thanked him before the four students returned to their respective classrooms.
Fortunately, Katowaki never bothered them again. A couple days later his misdeeds were exposed by one of his victims; one thing led to another, and he ended up transferring to a different school in shame. Although he was a big, bad bully, in a way he was quite pitiable. Insufferably high expectations had been placed on him by his teachers, fellow schoolmates and strict parents; he was never praised for his numerous achievements – which were wrongly taken for granted – but was harshly criticised even when his performance slipped in the slightest. Regrettably, he chose to relieve his immense stress by causing others pain. His circumstances were certainly undesirable but that did not justify his wanton abuse. After transferring schools, his previous admirers – students and teachers alike – zeroed in on his wrongdoings and decried his maltreatment, yet they were part of the problem to begin with. At any rate, Masato Katowaki's role in this story has come to an end so I shall dwell on him no longer.
Shinichi and Suguha hung out with Daisuke and his friends every now and then. The former had become closer to Daisuke and Ryouta after the bullying incident while the latter enjoyed the company of her upperclassmen; she thought of them as genuinely nice people who were also fun to talk to. Spending time with them was a good change of pace from her club members and classmates.
"Congratulations on qualifying for (kendo) Nationals, Kirigaya! You were amazing!"
"Oh, thanks! I didn't know you guys were watching the preliminaries," Suguha said in response to Akira's praise. Their school's kendo team was renowned throughout the country; the fact that Suguha was chosen to be a member of that five-man squad was a testament to her boundless potential. The friendly, optimistic girl was well-liked so the seniors in the club were not resentful that an underclassman made the team when they failed to.
With the end of July rapidly approaching, the trio of Daisuke, Ryouta and Akira, as well as Shinichi and Suguha decided to spend some time together before summer break began. Although Ryouta and Daisuke had no tangible plans for the summer, the Nagata household was planning to go abroad for the holidays and Suguha had her hands full with the upcoming kendo tournament.
"Daisuke was really passionate about us coming to cheer you on!" Ryouta said, absentmindedly exposing his friend in the process. Daisuke inwardly swore at his friend for his lack of tact.
"Man, I'm envious that you guys are going to Europe for the holidays!" Daisuke said to Akira and Shinichi in a desperate attempt to change the conversation topic. "On the other hand, my summer plans completely fell through. Ain't that right, Ryouta?"
"We really got shit luck, don't we! All of that anticipation was for nothing. Nothing I say, nothing!" Ryouta exclaimed dispiritedly. Noticing that his friend was looking at the third-year with a puzzled expression, Shinichi decided to explain things to Suguha.
"Um, Sugu – I, I mean Kirigaya (Shinichi faltered under her glare). Have you heard about a VR game called Sword Art Online?"
"Yup, my brother spoke a lot about it. Isn't there a beta test next month?"
"Yeah, I'm surprised you know about that. Well, Ryouta and Daisuke applied for it but neither of them got accepted into the beta test," Shinichi explained.
"That's unfortunate. Oh yeah, speaking of SAO, this happened quite some time ago but one of the game developers actually came to our school," Suguha recounted.
…
"WHAT!?"
Suguha was not expecting the four males to react so strongly to what she just said.
"Why are we unaware of this!? We need details now!" Akira demanded.
"Actually I don't think anyone else knew who he was. Sensei told us that he was a guest who would watch us train so we kind of just ignored him. After practice he singled me out for an interview and introduced himself as a game developer. Apparently his boss was thinking about incorporating kendo techniques into the game so he was sent to do some research."
"Woah… that's so cool! Now I'm even more impatient. I just wish it'd be November already!" Ryouta complained. Daisuke silently agreed with his friend. Virtual reality had fascinated him greatly even when he was a child, and SAO was created using cutting edge technogoly. Needless to say, he was very excited about trying out the world's first VRMMO.
Summer break was excruciatingly dull. Aside from suffering through juku, Daisuke spent much of August in boredom alongside Ryouta. Both teenagers were rather envious of the one thousand people who were lucky enough to be selected as beta testers. Shinichi and Akira were enjoying themselves abroad but thankfully Suguha was eventually available to relieve them of their ennui. Speaking of the girl, her team managed to advance to the finals of the kendo Nationals but unfortunately fell short. She was understandably upset with the tough loss.
The kendo practitioner may have been unaware of it, but Daisuke was very grateful to Suguha as she had been a hugely positive influence on the four-eyed teen. Her optimism was contagious: even a simple 'good morning/afternoon!' when they passed by each other was enough to lift his spirits. More importantly, Suguha encouraged him to overcome his insecurities. You see, the fear of rejection was the reason behind Daisuke's discomfort towards those he was unfamiliar with: he was afraid that others would dislike him for who he was, and so he was afraid to try to know people better. It wasn't as if there was a particular reason for anyone to hate him, Daisuke just didn't have a very high opinion of himself. Perhaps the reason why he struggled to make friends was because he was subconsciously distancing himself from those around him.
"Don't take this the wrong way Kirigaya, but why do you bother spending time with someone like me? Surely hanging out with your friends would be more enjoyable?" Daisuke didn't actually intend to ask her that question. They happened to be alone one day, and the words slipped out before he could stop himself. Suguha looked at him strangely before she spoke.
"I don't know why you would say something like that but you should have more confidence in yourself. You're a brilliant person, and anyone who thinks otherwise is not worth your time." There was no hesitation in her voice whatsoever; in fact, Suguha even seemed a bit offended that Daisuke would think of himself in such a negative manner.
"T-t-thanks," Daisuke stammered as his face turned red. Part of him was afraid that Suguha would react badly to his unintended query so the genuine, supportive reply caught him off guard. He was a little embarrassed but also very, very happy.
Sometimes all it takes for people to believe in themselves is a little encouragement from those around them.
November eventually arrived. Daisuke, Akira, Ryouta and Shinichi waited impatiently in a long queue to buy their own copies of SAO. In the end, Daisuke actually managed to acquire the last copy of the game; his friends literally just missed out. Having secured the highly anticipated VRMMO, Daisuke immediately rushed home. He was thrilled to test out the game and was partly fearful that some disgruntled person who had been vainly waiting in line would try to steal his copy of the game.
"Guys, just give me one day. I'll lend you the game tomorrow," Daisuke promised. That brightened up his friends' moods. They bid the newly dubbed 'luckiest man in Japan' farewell, allowing him the chance to enjoy the long awaited game.
Daisuke removed two of his eyes and closed the other pair before putting on his NerveGear.
"Link start!"
And then Dillon came to life.
The refreshing scent of unpolluted air. An unending, chaotic chorus of voices. A fortress town full of people, all of them wearing smiling faces. Clouds sauntered in the bright, blue sky above. A downward glance revealed fingerless leather gloves wrapped around his hands – not too tightly, not too loosely.
The clacking of boots against flagstone. The rough texture of brick walls.
Weapons of different shapes and sizes available for sale. An eye-patch wearing storekeeper animatedly conversing (or haggling?) with a skeptical customer. The crisp, mouthwatering aroma of bread from a bakery nearby.
Quicker, louder footsteps.
A dirt path extending beyond the walls of the Town of Beginnings to who-knows-where. Lush, green fields stretching as far as the eye could see. The fresh fragrance of flora, reminiscent of the countryside. The whisper of a blade being drawn. The Bronze Sword in his hands was heavier than anticipated.
A deep breath to calm down a rapidly beating heart…
Then a vigorous war-cry as an exuberant purple-haired teen threw himself at a Frenzy Boar.
The unparalleled joy of unleashing a Sword Skill.
This world wasn't what Dillon expected; it was far more magnificent than his wildest imaginations. Then he was suddenly teleported into the town square along with everyone else, and his whole world came crashing down.
Dillon spent the remainder of the first day cooped up in an inn room trying to come to terms with everything that happened. He was too shocked, too distressed to do anything productive. Despite its inevitability, Dillon had always thought of dying as something abstract and distant; yet for the first time in his life, the hands of death were actually within reach. He went to bed without the faintest idea about what to do next, and did not fall asleep until way past midnight.
The next day, Dillon woke up disappointed. A part of him had futilely hoped that the death game was nothing more than a nightmare; sadly, for him and the thousands of other trapped players that wasn't the case. He thought long and hard about his circumstances, and he decided to wait for a day before taking action; surely twenty-four hours were more than enough time for the government to thwart the absurd schemes of a mad scientist? If the players were not set free by the following morning, Dillon would take matters into his own hands and do as Kayaba Akihiko suggested (beat the game). In the meantime, Dillon looked through the multi-layered game menu, studying the game mechanics in great detail so as to equip himself with the necessary knowledge for survival in case the government proved to be incompetent.
Dillon left his room in the evening when he couldn't bear his hunger any longer. As he was walking around the Town of Beginnings, he ran into what could only be described as a despondent, devastated man on the verge of going insane.
"…Ah…ha ha… it's over. I-I tried to stop them, but they never listened… ha ha…" Dillon had no intention to approach the man, but accidental eye-contact prompted the stranger to totter towards him. He could have outrun the despairing man, yet for some reason, Dillon found his legs rooted to the ground.
"H-h-hey you. You know what I'm t-t-t-talking about, don't you?" The anonymous man slurred as he pointed a shaky finger at Dillon.
"Uh… sorry, I don't have a clue," Dillon replied after a brief moment's hesitation. He was daunted by the unstable (both physically and mentally) stranger before him, and was trying his best to stay calm. Having heard his answer, the dispirited man's eyes widened and pointed behind him.
"T-t-those cliffs over there. All those p-p-people, they were j-j-jumped off those cliffs over there! I… I warned them! I told them that they'd die! I… hahaha, I begged them to stop! They never listened to me, they just killed themselves! I heard every single one of their bodies s-s-shatter into p-p-pieces! E-e-even him! He… I thought he trusted me! But he jumped! He killed himself! He… AAARRRGGGHHH! STOP IT, STOP IT! I don't want to hear that cracking anymore! It hurts! IT HURTS!"
Dillon froze. He wanted to throw up. He wanted to escape to somewhere far, far away from this unreasonable, deadly world. Both actions were unfortunately unavailable to him. Suicide was no foreign concept to Dillon but knowing that a mass suicide had occurred nearby caused him to freak out.
According to a certain reliable source, there were more than a hundred people who jumped to their deaths within the first two days.
The shocked teen broke out of his stupor when the despairing man spoke again.
"Aha… t-t-there's no point anymore. I s-shouldn't have come back here. I should've j-jumped. I should've gone with them. Hehe… I'll do that. Yes, yes, that's what I'll do… wait for brother, I'm coming. I'll be with you soon."
"No! You can't do that! You have to live!" Dillon urged frantically.
"Just let me go, please. The agony, it's too much to bear…" The expression on the man's face was foreign to Dillon. Mixed in with the weariness was an element of uncaring, a sense of abandonment. This was the first time Dillon saw the face of a person who had given up on life.
"Listen to me! Dying won't change anything, it won't bring anyone back to life. You have to be strong and live on –"
"Shut up, SHUT UP! Y-y-y-you don't fucking understand how much I'm suffering! I want to die – I NEED to die! T-t-that shattering sound, I'll never be at peace because of that damn shattering! If you stop me, I'll fucking kill you!" The suicidal man brandished a sword and screamed at the top of his lungs.
Perhaps he would've recalled the fact that they were inside a safe zone if he were a little calmer. Perhaps his persistence would've won out in the end if he had stood his ground, but we will never know the truth of that imaginary scenario. The anguished man's sudden hostility and the crazed gleam in his eyes frightened the already unnerved Dillon out of his mind. He ran away as quickly as his legs could carry him, retreating to the safety of his inn room.
Sick, scared and all alone, Dillon cried himself to sleep that night.
As he feared, help from the outside didn't come on the third day (or on the fourth, or on the fifth, or on the sixth…). After much procrastination, he eventually forced himself out of his room. Though Dillon was absolutely afraid of dying, he knew that facing the crazed GM's challenge head on was the only way he was getting back to the real world. Better to do something about the problem at hand than sitting around fearing it.
One does not simply clear a VRMMO as a solo player – that much was common knowledge to gamers. It was crucial to enlist the aid of others; Dillon reasoned that there might be other like-minded players grinding near the outskirts of the Town of Beginnings, thinking about fighting their way to the top. To his delight, he was right. Upon reaching the boundaries of the safe zone, Dillon saw different groups of players battling the boar monsters scattered around the lush, green fields. He silently watched them, not sure which to approach. Dillon zeroed in on the two parties closest to him. One was a team of six men. It was hard to tell, but it seemed like the man with a red bandana was the leader. The other party was a group of three consisting of a handsome man in his mid-twenties who used a sword, a rather attractive lady of similar age whose weapon was a dagger, and a fairly short axe-wielder who looked younger than his two allies.
In the end Dillon went for the smaller group. Although there was strength/safety in numbers, he felt that there was a higher probability of the three-man party accepting him. After all, the addition of an extra player meant much more to a three-man group than to a seven-man one. He figured that it wouldn't be too much of a problem if they rejected him; he'd simply move on to another group, and then to another group until someone accepted him.
"Sure, we'd be glad to have you!" The leader of the three-man party said amicably as he shook the teen's hand. "What's your name?"
"Oh, my name's Dillon. It's nice to meet you all."
"I'm Darcy! This is Elizabeth, and that's Akroor! The three of us are acquaintances in the real world."
"To be specific, Darcy's my fiancé and Akroor's a friend we've known for ages," Elizabeth added as she linked hands with Darcy (ah I'm so jealous). "I look forward to working with you, Dillon."
"Being a third wheel to this stupid couple all alone is excruciating so I look forward to you sharing my misery!" Akroor told Dillon with a mischievous grin. "Well then, we'll be counting on you, so you can count on us too!"
Dillon quickly discovered that fighting side by side in a death game was actually a good bonding activity; it wasn't long before he grew close to his party members, and vice versa. The four of them got along swimmingly and rarely quarrelled; even when they did, the arguments would be resolved quickly without any lingering resentment between them. Dillon liked his teammates and considered himself fortunate to have met them.
Though there was that one time he walked in on Darcy and Elizabeth making out. Blushing furiously, he ran out of the room screaming for brain bleach.
More than a month had gone by since the start of the death game. The success of the Illfang raid which Dillon's party had participated in was hugely motivating, though he had already grown accustomed to life in SAO way before Floor 1 was cleared; the day he decided to dye his black hair purple and change his brown eyes to a lighter shade of violet (he didn't bother getting a pair of glasses) was the day he came to the realisation that he had gotten comfortable with living in the floating castle. After all, would a person who had yet to adjust to the death game concern themselves with something like fashion?
At the moment his party was in a settlement on Floor 2 known as Albee Village, waiting for a certain someone to show up. Darcy and Elizabeth were discussing some random subject while Akroor was busy sorting out his inventory. Dillon didn't wish to disturb the latter, and the couple jumped from one topic to another too quickly for him to bother keeping up with their conversation. Thus he opted to just lean back and daydream.
He found himself thinking about those in the real world. Had the government given up on trying to free the SAO victims, or were they still trying? Did the foreign countries provide aid, or did they simply watch from the sidelines like curious bystanders? The fact that the players were still alive at least suggested that their real bodies were being taken care of, but preserving the players' comatose bodies might be the best those on the 'other side' could do. Dillon's thoughts then drifted towards the people he cared about. Were his parents alright? Dillon was glad that he wasn't an only child; at least his sister was there to comfort and support them. He was glad that Akira, Ryouta and Shinichi failed to acquire their own copies of SAO. Thinking back, it was ironic that they gave him the nickname of 'luckiest man in Japan'; it would only be appropriate, Dillon thought, to refer to them as the 'three lucky men' for barely missing out on the death game when he returned to the real world. If he returned. Suguha... a grin formed on his lips as he thought about her. He really missed her optimism, and he had yet to properly thank her for her encouragement; that was one more reason for the teen to try his damned hardest escape from Aincrad.
"What're you thinking about?" Akroor's voice snapped Dillon out of his thoughts.
"I was... it's nothing much." He thought it might've been insensitive to mention the real world.
"Out with it, Dillon. You were thinking about the 'other side', weren't you?" Akroor spoke with a knowing expression.
Oops. Busted.
"You got me," Dillon confessed with a sigh.
"Wanna talk about it? I don't actually know much about you so I'd love to learn about your friends and family." Dillon could see that his friend was genuinely interested, and he had nothing to hide from Akroor so he began talking about those he was close to. In return Akroor spoke about the people in the real world who he cared about.
"Kirigaya Suguha, huh? That's a nice name. So, is she your girlfriend?" Akroor asked with a smirk.
"What!? N-n-n-no, we aren't like that!" Dillon exclaimed, his face beet red. His strong reaction to Akroor's teasing words had caused Elizabeth and Darcy to cease their chatter. The couple shifted their attention to their teammates, listening in on their conversation.
"But do you like her? And when I say like, I mean it in the way Darcy and Elizabeth like each other."
"Well... yes, I do," Dillon answered shyly, rubbing his heated neck in embarrassment. He had a crush on the girl for quite a while, though he never thought about acting on his feelings. Even if she miraculously shared his sentiments, sustaining a relationship with her would be difficult due to the fact that he would be attending senior high the following year. He had always appreciated her friendliness, her uplifting presence, her impeccable body...
Dillon shook his head to free himself of any unnecessary thoughts.
"Nyahaha... I'd hate to break up this interestin' conversation but we've all got places to be and things to do!" The sudden, mirthful voice startled Dillon's party. The speaker was some sort of midget rat creature with an ego thrice the size of its tiny body (that description wasn't biased whatsoever). Poor Dillon was mortified; the last thing he wanted was for an informant, of all people, to overhear what he said.
"Hi, Argo. It's good to see you again."
"Hi yerself, Darcy. Lemme guess, ya want info 'bout the nearby settlements?"
"Yes, as usual," the party leader replied. Darcy was a very careful individual – perhaps a little too cautious at times – who never acted without sufficient information. He wasn't an outstanding combatant, and the same could be said for his teammates, but his constant preparedness was one of the main reasons why his party had lasted for so long. After receiving payment, Argo began revealing the information her customers wanted.
"… As fer Ivita Town, there's a Field Boss nearby called the Mutant Wind Wasp. It ain't a compulsory enemy but in case ya want to fight it fer some extra Exp and drops, I'd recommend scrapin' together a raid team of eight to ten people. I can tell ya 'bout the Mutant Wind Wasp's attack patterns and weaknesses but I'll have to charge ya extra."
"Okay, that's a fair trade," Darcy said as he transferred Argo an additional amount of Cor. Having told him all she knew about the boss, lil' miss mousey scurried off to her next business transaction. As he watched Argo leave, Dillon had no idea that the fateful day of parting was close at hand.
After reaching Ivita Town, the four of them agreed to take on the Mutant Wind Wasp and teamed up with a party of five who were also aiming to defeat the Field Boss.
The diabolical, gargantuan wasp was among the toughest opponents they had faced thus far, second only to Illfang. The nine of them struggled to deal with the creature's high speed, and would've had an even harder time if not for the information Darcy had bought from Argo (information which their allied party had gained through the same means). Nevertheless, the Field Boss raid party suffered no casualties and was still going strong by the time one of the monster's two life bars was completely diminished.
To say that nobody was expecting what happened next was an understatement.
One of the players from the other team – a spear-user who was more or less Dillon's age – failed to adapt to the Mutant Wind Wasp's increased speed in its second phase. The horrifying creature sank its teeth into him so that the upper half of his body was stuck inside the wasp's large mouth while the lower half dangled outside helplessly. He shattered into fragments before anyone could free him.
The rest of his teammates flew into a frenzied rage. They assaulted the Field Boss without paying heed to their own safety; all they cared about was avenging their fallen friend and tearing the Mutant Wind Wasp into bloody pieces. Dillon could only watch in stunned silence. Darcy, Elizabeth and Akroor screamed at them to retreat but their words fell on deaf ears.
The Field Boss impaled one of its attackers with its deadly stinger. He too was sent to the afterlife.
"Shit, we have to save them!" Akroor yelled as he recklessly charged forward to assist the remnants of the allied party. The death of yet another one of their friends only served to add fuel to the fire; the remaining three players were too hell-bent on revenge to rationally assess the situation.
"Wait, stop! Come back!"
"Akroor, no! That's too dangerous!"
"Don't do it, Akroor! We need to get out of here!"
Darcy knew that the battle was hopeless. The right move would've been to retreat, but Akroor refused to abandon their allies, and Darcy was unable to abandon him. Therefore he moved to attack the Field Boss, Dillon and Elizabeth following behind him.
The Mutant Wind Wasp claimed yet another life with its sharp fangs. A third of the nine-man party was wiped out.
Despite their best efforts, another player fell prey to the monstrous teeth of the Field Boss. To begin with, there was little Dillon and his teammates could've done; even the greatest fighters were powerless to protect someone who, with no regard for their own life, mindlessly threw themselves at a boss-level monster. There was only one player from the other party left, and Akroor was unwilling to abandon the sole survivor.
"Akroor, we have to go! NOW!" Darcy shouted. His friend didn't even spare him a glance. With a heavy heart, the party leader made the most painful decision of his life.
"Elizabeth, Dillon! We're running!" He answered their shocked, horrified looks with a resolute yet pained expression. It took the man all of his willpower to hold back his tears.
"... FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!" Dillon screamed in despair. If there was one thing the purple-haired teen prided himself on, it was his loyalty. However, he knew full well that loyalty was no excuse for him to throw away his life meaninglessly. Darcy, Elizabeth and Dillon fled for their lives. None of them dared to look back: they couldn't bear to see the Field Boss kill their friend, nor could they bear to see the expression Akroor made at their betrayal.
Two loud cracks told them all they needed to know. The kind yet foolish axe-wielder refused to give up on saving anyone, and as a result gave up on his life.
With its mouth agape, the Mutant Wind Wasp sped at the escaping trio at breakneck speed. Knowing that further sacrifices had to be made, Darcy intercepted the creature with a well-timed Sonic Leap, stunning it.
"GET OUT OF HERE! I'LL BUY YOU TIME!" Those were Darcy's last words as he took his valiant last stand.
Dillon had to manhandle Elizabeth as she refused to leave Darcy to die. She violently resisted his attempts to drag her away; even with his higher STR stats, Dillon struggled to move the desperate woman. Watching as Darcy was defeated and crumbled into nothingness, Elizabeth let out a grieved cry and stabbed herself in the neck, taking her own life. She died in the purple-haired teen's arms. Dillon was so traumatised that he lost track of reality; the boss gave him a rude awakening by smacking him to the ground.
"AAAAHHHHH! NOOOOO!"
Fear rooted Dillon to the spot. He couldn't move, couldn't defend himself, couldn't do anything as the Mutant Wind Wasp hovered above him, drool dripping out of its giant mouth.
Everything that happened next was a blur. Something slammed into the Field Boss, evoking a painful screech from the gigantic creature. Then there was a lot of yelling, and someone pulled him up by the arm while telling him to flee. Dillon fell flat on his face and had to be hauled away from the battlefield because of his trembling, dysfunctional legs.
The purple-haired victim was immediately fed a Health Potion after being removed from the Mutant Wind Wasp's field of activity. Normally he would recoil from its foul taste but this time consuming the medicinal fluid didn't cause him to react in the slightest. It was only at this point did the shaken teen manage to take in his saviour's appearance. He was a tall (and very, very, very good-looking) teenager with shoulder-length grey hair and dark, grey eyes full of concern. He wore an armour made of leather and had a dagger strapped to his waist.
After a nerve-wrecking close call with a Battering Bull that happened to spawn nearby, the three players who saved Dillon brought him back to Ivita Town. The shock and fear had worn off, and all that remained was grief. Once he was alone in his room Dillon cried uncontrollably. He wept for the party leader who sacrificed himself, for the woman who died in his arms, for the benevolent but imprudent friend whom he betrayed.
A/N: This isn't a self-insert, so the 'I' in the story and the 'I' in the author's notes can be considered separate entities. LOL may be my creation but his personality and background are not representative of my own. Similarly, his thoughts are not necessarily indicative of mine. With that said, some of the things I wrote in the first paragraph are my (the author's) genuine feelings.
I really am grateful to the people who read this story (even though writing can really be excruciating at times), especially those who followed, favourited or reviewed it. Special mention to NetherOrbit and Fireheart Feyre for not only providing me with great advice but also for creating OCs who enhance this story. NetherOrbit is responsible for creating Daisuke/Dillon and naming Akroor. As for Fireheart Feyre, their OC hasn't officially been introduced but has made cameos in certain chapters.
No omake this time. In a way this chapter already is one giant omake, and the same could be said for the next chapter.
Normally I'd tell you to check the profile page for updated info on the OCs, but this is a flashback episode of sorts so none of the information's changed. I've made some progress on the next chapter so it should come out relatively soon (unless something interrupts my writing, and I'm normally quite unlucky).