Party Status

LOL: lv.2, equipped with [Anneal Blade]

Lisbeth: lv.2, equipped with [Anneal Blade]

Argo: lv.3, equipped with [Sharp Dagger]


Argo and Lisbeth

So it wasn't a bad dream after all. How disappointing.

I slept soundly despite everything that happened yesterday, probably because of the overwhelming exhaustion.

Are you guys holding up fine? I'm sorry that I can't be there for you. Things must be pretty bad in the real world. I swear I'll be back as soon as I can so please, wait for me.

… Let's focus on the things I can do. That includes greeting Argo and Lisbeth with a smile. Emotions are contagious; I'll have to stay optimistic for their sakes.

The girls shared the room next to mine. I sent Argo a message saying that I'd meet them in the dining area downstairs.

Even in the virtual world eating was an indispensable activity. Starvation was an extremely unpleasant sensation, obviously, but fighting on an empty stomach was outright dangerous. A player who hadn't eaten for extended periods of time would be afflicted by various [debuffs] and gradually lose HP, though death by starvation wasn't a thing since hunger would never bring a player's HP below 1. At least the absence of a 'nutrition system' meant we could eat whatever we pleased.

(I once spent a whole week in Aincrad eating nothing but chocolate. Then I got sick of it)

"Good morning! Did you guys sleep well?" I greeted my friends as they joined me at my table.

"Nope. Liz's loud snorin' kept me up the whole night," Argo replied with a mischievous grin.

"Wha – hey! I don't snore. Don't make stuff up."

"If ya say so ~ "

It was nice to see them acting lively as opposed to stressing over the death game.

"Hey, Argo. What was the highest floor you got to during the beta test?" I asked between spoonfuls of bland oatmeal.

"We reached the 10th Floor just before the beta test ended. A lot of people were takin' it easy and stopped around Floor 6 but my friends and I were obsessed with goin' as far as we could. At that point, if we weren't playin' the game then we were makin' plans for the next time we logged in. Those were some fun times."

"If it took you guys six weeks to clear seven or eight floors, then beating all 100 floors would take approximately – "

"I'mma stop ya right there Liz," Argo interrupted. "It's a completely different situation now that SAO's a death game. People are gonna be way more careful this time so it'll probably take longer to clear each floor. Also, beatin' the game will be much harder if ya factor in stuff like burnout and emotional distress. Sorry, but that's just how things are right now."

Yeah, I was worried about that.

"Oh. I guess you're right," Liz said dejectedly.

"Look, you'll go crazy if ya keep thinkin' 'bout beatin' all 100 Floors. Set your sights lower, take it one day at a time." Liz mulled over Argo's words for a bit.

"That's sound advice. I'll try to do that."

"Argo, I've got a question. You've fought against some of the Floor Bosses before, how bad were they?" I asked.

"Hmm… they're alright if you're high-levelled enough but gettin' through the whole fight without losin' anyone is gonna be challengin'. We can worry 'bout that bridge when we cross it."

"Were any of them particularly difficult?"

"The 9th Floor Boss was pretty rough but I'm sure we can do better this time around now that we know how that… thing works. I lost an arm to the 7th Floor Boss, although that only happened because my friend was bein' an ass a tripped me up. Stupid Kii-bou…" Argo mumbled and took a swig of her drink.

"Wait, dismemberment is a thing in this game?" An alarmed Liz asked.

"Yup. Think of it as a rare debuff that only happens when yer fightin' certain bosses. Also ya can grow back a lost limb if ya use a [Healin' Crystal]."

Yuck! That sounds disgusting.

Argo chuckled upon seeing our uneasy expressions. "Relax! It ain't as gory as ya think. I'm pretty squeamish, and I wasn't scared at all when it happened to me."


Medai Hamlet was an idyllic rural settlement with just a handful of dwellers. There was an apothecary and a blacksmith but no inn; though the hamlet made for a good resting spot, it was not an ideal place to spend the evening. A creek ran adjacent to the tiny cluster of houses. Argo suggested dipping our feet in the water later.

Apparently the wolf monsters in this area were particularly active this time of the year. Thus, the desperate settles begged us to eliminate the lupine threat and promised a reward for our success. It was pretty clichéd, as RPGs go, but I wasn't going to complain about a quest being straightforward.

"Be wary, adventurers, for a [Dire Wolf] never hunts alone. Sometimes the wolves hunt in packs of three, sometimes in packs of five. They are cunning, vicious beasts with black fur and crimson eyes. Do not take them lightly." The quest-giver NPC, a middle-aged man wearing simple clothes, gestured wildly as he spoke. "Most of all, beware the pack leaders. Yes, the [Alpha Dire Wolves] are twice as deadly as their lackeys. And twice as large! Well then, brave adventurers, I shall be praying for yer safety. May we meet again."

Despite the villager's warning, the Dire Wolves really weren't much of a challenge. Their attack patterns were fairly predictable, their stats were mediocre, and (thankfully) they weren't capable of group tactics. The only problem was their numbers but even then there were ways to tip the scales in our favour.

"Betcha 50 Cor that I won't miss."

"Nope, no deal," Liz replied. Argo flashed her a grin then turned her focus to the trio of wolves that spawned near us. She cocked her arm back and took aim, a [throwing pick] sandwiched between her thumb and index fingers. Although this slender weapon had a low damage output, it was a useful combat tool as it drew any enemies it struck towards the user. Reacting to the opponent was one thing; controlling their behaviour was far more effective.

The Dire Wolf howled in pain as the sharp metal sank into its flesh. Yapping angrily, it bolted for Argo, intent on tearing her into pieces –

Liz and I skewered the beast with our blades. It was too focused on Argo to react to our attacks, and so paid the price with its life. The second Dire Wolf charged at us. Argo's dagger flew through the air, nailing it on the head. She ran to the stunned creature and retrieved her dagger, only to drive it deeper into the wolf's skull. Its remaining HP disappeared in an instant.

"Heads up! Alpha's comin'!" Argo warned. She watched as we moved to engage the ferocious pack leader. Liz grunted as she deflected the large wolf's claws. Barely keeping her balance, she slashed the monster across its face.

"Switch!" She yelled. I stepped forward and swung my shining blade at the alpha's neck.

Shit! Too shallow!

Misjudging my attack's range, what I intended to be a decisive blow failed to do much damage. The furious alpha wolf sank its teeth into my shoulder, flinging me away with a mighty swing of its head. Liz seized the chance to plunge her sword into the creature's side. It thrashed around wildly but she held onto the blade with all her strength. I recovered, darted towards the struggling monster and hacked it to death.

Ah shit, here we go again.

I reluctantly reached for the Health Potion in my belt pouch. The blood-red concoction was, without a doubt, one of the vilest things I had the displeasure of tasting.

"No point in delaying the inevitable. Procrastinating will only make it worse," Liz advised with a sympathetic smile. Sighing, I uncorked the potion flask, raised it towards the brown-haired girl as a quick toast and downed the intensely bitter medicine.

E #W&%W*!

"Blegh! I hate this thing! Somehow the stuff that's supposed to be good for you always tastes like crap."

"Ya can think of it as extra incentive to not get hurt. Anyways, that's the eighth alpha wolf we killed. Just two more to go and we'll be done with this annoyin' quest," Argo mumbled.

"What's so bad about this quest? It's simple and pretty easy," Liz asked her.

"I hate dogs. Hate 'em with a burnin' passion. And wolves are just bigger, hairier dogs with sharper teeth."

"Okay, that's unfair. Admittedly they're both canis lupus but dogs are cute and you can cuddle with them while wolves will gobble you up." Argo responded by childishly sticking her tongue at me.

"I think I'm fine with most animals but I can't stand lizards. Basically, I'm afraid that one day some house gecko will climb into my mouth while I'm asleep," Liz told us with a grimace.

No. Just no.

"Thanks for adding to my list of irrational fears," I deadpanned. Argo mimicked throwing up. "As for me, I hate spiders. Those things should just fuck off to the far ends of the universe."

"Hate to be the bearer of bad news," Argo said, "but there are plen-ty of humongous spiders on Floor 3."

"Well. Fuck my life."

Eventually we returned to Medai and claimed our reward from the very 'grateful' NPC. Unanimously agreeing to a short break, the three of us soaked our feet in the stream next to the hamlet while we chatted and ate lunch. We were within the boundaries of the safe zone; the worst that could happen would be some freshwater fish mistaking our wiggling toes for fat, juicy worms.

For a death game it was a remarkably ordinary moment.

We soon set out for the next town. There were some battles here and there but those were nothing to write home about. Our party had made more than half the journey when we came across an unknown player who was not too far away from us. I wasn't close enough to make out their appearance, though judging by height this person was likely male. He (?) wore a helmet and wielded a longsword.

The stranger was also surrounded by four wolves. With little room for movement and no openings to escape, it was a truly desperate situation.

Dagger in hand, Argo immediately rushed forward. We ran after her.

One of the monsters lunged but the stranger slew the beast with a powerful slash. Three adversaries – an Alpha Dire Wolf and its two minions – remained. The alpha's mouth opened wide, exposing its sharp teeth for the world to see. Due to the Post-Motion penalty, the surrounded player was completely defenceless.

Argo stopped and drew her arm back. She had a clear shot.

Like a steel trap, the alpha wolf's jaws clamped shut. The sound of glass shattering echoed throughout the area. If this were the real world, there would be a headless corpse lying in a pool of blood. But, without a doubt, there was one more dead body on a hospital bed somewhere in Japan.

Argo froze. Her dagger fell to the ground.

Liz went pale. A horrified whisper escaped from her lips.

I stared ahead numbly. For a brief moment I lost the ability to think.

W-we need t-t-to g-get out of h-here. N-now!

"Liz!" I squeezed the brown-haired girl's shoulder. "Breathe. Take a deep breath and count to three."

Staying calm was an impossible task. My emotions must've slipped through the cracks of my façade and showed in my voice, on my face. Nevertheless, my partner inhaled shakily.

"O-one…t-t-two…" Liz's voice was raspy. The poor girl was hyperventilating.

S-she's calmed d-down a little. Good. Now f-for Argo …

Said girl was a few paces ahead of us. I thought I saw her trembling; it was hard to tell since she wore a cloak. I reached out to her –

A bloodcurdling howl. My blood ran cold.

Shit! They spotted us!?

"Liz, stay back!" I yelled as I drew my blade. She was white as a sheet. I couldn't risk her fighting in that condition. "Argo, we have to fight! Are you – "

"Perfect."

Such sorrowful rage.

Argo's growl caught me off guard. It was heart-wrenching to see my friend consumed in anger. No human should be made to feel like that, least of all her.

Steeling myself, I zeroed in on the Dire Wolf that was running towards me. It pounced just as my blade shone blue.

Now!

My sword cleaved through the monster and it shattered into fragments. Argo was facing down the pack leader; the other Dire Wolf had already been dealt with. I thought about assisting her but decided that Liz was the one who really needed help.

Argo leapt back, effortlessly avoiding the alpha's razor-sharp teeth –

An agonised roar rang out. The large beast jerked its head back as it staggered. Argo had nailed the monster in its eyes with her throwing picks. Blinded, the alpha wolf swiped at her clumsily. She easily dodged its claws and moved to the creature's side. Holding her dagger in reverse grip Argo slashed upwards. The powerful attack lifted the Alpha Dire Wolf off the ground; it landed awkwardly on its fours.

Two lightning-fast cuts. The alpha's life was forfeit.

The savage thrashing wasn't enough to quench her fury. Yet, Argo's anger practically evaporated upon taking in our appearances; there was a flash of surprise before her countenance morphed from shock to shame. Liz, pale and shaken, was leaning onto me for support. I gently rubbed her arm while gripping my sword. I imagine I was wearing quite a pitiful expression.

" … There's a safe zone nearby. Come with me." Argo's voice had an uncharacteristic fragility to it. Wordlessly Liz and I followed her. I noticed that my hands were still shaking.

The hunter NPC didn't bat an eye when we barged into his house. His log cabin was a small resting place, a decent enough refuge for the weary, the lost and the vexed. The three of us stood in uncomfortable silence.

I don't know what to say. Maybe I should wait for them to open up. They'll talk when they're ready to.

"I'm sorry." "I'm sorry."

The two girls apologised at the same time. There was an awkward pause before Argo, wearing an expression of immense guilt, continued to speak.

"I completely neglected you two back there. I should've prioritised our safety but I didn't even so much as look at you guys. You could've been in danger and I wouldn't have known. As a friend and teammate I fucked up. Badly. Can you forgive me?" Argo struggled to maintain eye contact. It didn't matter that Liz and I were unharmed; to her, she had failed to fulfil her responsibility towards her party members and that was all that mattered.

"I'm the one who should apologise. I was completely useless when the wolves attacked. Even though we were all in shock, I was the only one who didn't do anything," Liz responded despondently.

"Don't say that. You just saw a person get – you just saw somethin' no one should ever have to see. Anyone would've panicked."

"Argo's right. You were a victim too, you shouldn't feel ashamed about being afraid," I added. "As for you Argo, of course we forgive you. Right, Liz?"

"Yes, I agree. Plus you protected us by taking out most of the wolves so if anything we should be thanking you."

"My thoughts exactly. Everybody makes mistakes, don't beat yourself up too much. Just be more careful next time."

"… Man, I suck. I'm the SAO veteran and the oldest of the group but I'm the one who needs consolin'," Argo remarked sadly. She let out a defeated sigh. "Liz, can you do me a favour? Turn around for a bit."

The taller girl did as requested. Argo walked over and buried her face into Liz's back, her hands gripping the brown-haired girl's top.

"… I really wanted to save that person."

"I know," Liz replied solemnly.

"Fuck. If I only I were faster…!"

"It wasn't your fault. You tried your best."

In just two days quite a few things had already gone wrong for Argo. She was powerless to stop the Nepenthes horde last night; all she could do was watch them pass by. She easily defeated the wolf pack earlier yet failed to intervene in time. Another day, another death, another failure to make a difference. To top it all off, in her fit of rage Argo had forgotten about her party's safety. Her actions led to no undesirable consequences, nor did anyone blame her for what she did but the girl couldn't forgive herself for her negligence.

She must've felt so frustratingly useless.

I could hear my mentor's soft sobbing. Clearly she didn't want to be seen in her current state so I turned around and looked out the window.

This is not the floating castle I dreamed of. Aincrad was supposed to be a place where people could be happy.

I swear, I will tear down this cheap imitation.

Despite everything, we managed to reach the next town safely.

Dinner was relatively quiet that evening. Some half-hearted conversation was thrown around but we eventually settled into a tired silence. Later I dropped by the girls' room with two mugs of warm milk and a plate of cookies to discuss our plans for the next day. Argo quickly grabbed one of the cups and a handful of treats. Liz picked up one of the cookies and regarded it with faux suspicion.

"This feels like a bribe. Spit it out, what do you want from us?"

"I wanted your brains, but there's not much material there so I'll settle for your souls."

"Nah. You'll need at least another plate of cookies for that," Liz said between bites.

"Hey, speak for yourself. My soul is worth way more than that," Argo chimed in.

I guess they're feeling better if they're in the mood for banter. That's good.

Argo gave us a quick rundown on our intended route tomorrow, including brief comments on the creatures we would come across. Apparently the bee monsters were capable of inflicting the [poisoned] status effect but that was nothing an antidote couldn't take care of.

"Hey." Argo took a deep breath and continued speaking. "There were some rough moments today but we pulled through. Ya'll did really well to get this far. I can't guarantee that tomorrow will be any better but let's continue doin' our best, yeah?"

"That goes without saying. Good night, I'll see you tomorrow," I said with a wave.

"Good night." (x2)

Lying in bed, I couldn't help but replay the afternoon's events in my mind. I recalled the stranger's demise. Argo's frustration. Liz's panic.

So much for saving people trapped in the game.

This was a world where lives could be lost in the blink of an eye. How much could someone like me even hope to accomplish here?

I've grossly overestimated my ability to make a difference. I must align my ambitions with my limitations. All this time I've wanted to help the SAO players but I've never really thought about it in practical terms. What am I even referring to when I tell myself to focus on the things I can do?

I don't know anything, do I?

Let's see if I can remedy that. I'll learn as much as I can about this world. Tomorrow, I'll give it my all as well.


The third day was relatively uneventful which was all I could ask for. It appeared that my friends had more or less gotten over yesterday's events. We might've been slightly overcautious at the beginning but we quickly got back into rhythm. The only deaths we'd witnessed that day were the ones we were responsible for (i.e. monster kills). Thoroughly exhausted from a long day of combat, Liz and I were quite keen to rest. Argo had other plans.

"Sparring?"

"Yup! PVP is the best way to train," Argo told us. Apparently she still had energy to spare.

"Isn't it kind of dangerous to fight each other in a death game?" Liz pointed out.

"Not if ya do it inside a safe zone. Trust me, sparrin' will be great practice for stuff down the road."

Practice for what? It's not like we'll be fighting other players anytime soon – wait, that's not true. It's entirely possible that some desperate person might end up attacking us.

"Sure, it sounds fun. Let's do it," I said.

"Aren't ya enthusiastic! Sensei is so very proud ~" Argo commented with a smirk.

"It's not every day that I get an excuse to beat you up."

"Why so bloodthirsty? What did I ever do to you?"

"I'm still salty that you put salt in my coffee this morning. Pun fully intended. And you," I jabbed a finger at Liz, "are a traitor for not saying anything, I thought we were friends?"

"I'm soooo sorry. I really wanted to tell you but Argo threatened me to stay silent. You have to believe me!" The brown-haired girl couldn't have sounded any more unconvincing. "Weren't we talking about sparring? Well, I'm down for anything that'll improve our chances. When do we start?"

"Right now. Get your lazy butts outside."

"Does the word 'fatigue' not mean anything to you?" Liz grumbled while peeling herself off the couch in her inn room.

"Argo must be some kind of new alien creature. From now on her species is officially known as hobbitus hyperactivus."

"Too much talkin', too little movin'. C'mon!"

Thus Liz and I found ourselves standing side by side with our weapons drawn. Standing opposite us was Argo, armed with her dagger and a confident grin.

"Gimme your best shot! I'll take this seriously so don't hold back."

Okay. I'll treat her as a normal monster then.

I ran at Argo and swung as hard as I could. Well, I tried to. She jerked forward without warning and floored me with a kick to the solar plexus. I lay on the ground gasping for air.

A streak of blue light shot across my field of vision. Liz lunged and stabbed her shining blade at Argo but the swift assault was avoided. When she came to a stop, the blunt side of Argo's dagger pressed against her neck. My partner flinched at the touch of cold steel.

"The timin' of your [Sonic Leap] was pretty good. Next time try getting a bit closer before usin' it," Argo advised. She then sent Liz sprawling with a strike to the back.

Despite our best efforts we failed to land a single hit on her. Argo wasn't that much faster than us but she read our movements perfectly and countered whatever we threw her way. Though Liz and I had battled a variety of monsters over the last few days, fighting a skilful player was an entirely different experience.

My sword glowed blue as I slashed at Argo. I didn't expect such a simple attack to connect but it was the best chance I had –

Argo's dagger flew out of her hand and landed nearby with a loud clang.

Wait, that worked!? Alright!

*Whack!*

She dropped me with a punch to the jaw. Dazed by the well-aimed blow, I barely put up any resistance as she snatched my sword away.

"Never let your guard down. Just because ya disarm someone doesn't mean the fight's over," Argo told me. Clearly she let me disarm her just to make a point.

… Wise words to live by!

With both hands I grabbed onto Argo's leg with all my might. "Liz! Now!"

Gah –

Something stabbed through my arms. My hold loosened and Argo freed herself.

Shit!

Pinned down by my own weapon, I could only watch as Argo evaded Liz's blade before she knocked her attacker down.

"Okay, let's stop here," Argo said. She pulled my sword out of the ground, freeing me from my incapacitated state and helped me to my feet.

"Dammit! We were so close!" Liz cried out in frustration as she sheathed her weapon.

"Don't be upset, you two actually did really well. Let's take a moment to think 'bout what lessons we can learn from our sparrin' session. By the way, sorry for bein' a bit rough on ya'll just now. I wanted to give ya an idea of how different PVP can be from fightin' mobs."

"Don't worry about it. But if you really want to apologise, buy us dinner," Liz told her with a smirk.

"Heh, sure. You guys more than deserve it."


"Has it only been five days? It feels like we've known each other for much longer," Liz told me. She lay on her bed as she sorted out her inventory. I was reading the strategy guide Argo gifted me. The manual was an invaluable source of information and I studied it closely everyday. Our mentor had stepped out to take care of some business.

"Yeah, I feel the same way. Maybe it's because you two are the only real human contact I've had over the last few days."

"Huh. Now that you mention it … Wow. that's weird."

Argo and Lisbeth were an absolute joy to be around. On the battlefield they were capable fighters; off the battlefield they were fun travelling companions. The pessimist in me was cautious about taking them for granted. Nothing lasts forever, especially when you factor in the unpredictable circumstances of a death game. Regardless, I hoped that our partnership would continue until the very end.

"I'm back!" Argo kicked the door open and slammed it behind her. "Ya know, I've been thinkin' – "

"Don't hurt yourself." Argo flipped the bird at me. She walked over to Liz who was still sprawled out on the bed and literally rolled her over – the other girl let out a yelp – to make space for herself.

"As I was sayin', I think we should split up."

What. Wait what.

The unexpected words made Liz sit up in alarm.

"Temporarily!" Argo hastily added. "I'm not tryin' to disband our party or anythin'. Listen, I think it's a good idea for ya guys to try teamin' up with other people. It'll be a good learnin' experience. Ya never know, someday I might not be around for whatever reason and you'll have to make do without me."

"Oh! I see, that makes sense. For a second I misunderstood what you meant by splitting up," Liz commented. The relief was apparent on her face; I'm sure my expression mirrored hers.

"Me too! Geez, you really need to pay more attention to your wording," I admonished the shorter girl.

"Hehe, sorry 'bout that. So, what do ya think?" We readily agreed with her suggestion. "Sweet. Take a look at your maps. Right now we're in Splitura Village, the halfway point between the Town of Beginnings and the Floor 1 Labyrinth. As ya can see, the road ahead splits into two. I'll take the left path through Merrona Village, you two take the right one through Malonna Village. Just so ya know, there ain't much difference between the left and right roads; if anythin' the right one's the scenic route. There, aren't I considerate?"

"I'm surprised you know that that word means." Argo stuck her tongue at Liz.

"Meanie. Anyways, the two paths join together at Merhjia Town. I'll meet ya there. Dependin' on who ya form a party with, it'll probably take somethin' like three or four days to get there. Ya cool with that?"

"Yup." "No problem."

I'm a bit nervous about not having Argo around but it's true that we can't keep depending on her forever. Well, she wouldn't have suggested this if she thought we couldn't manage without her. Still, it'd be great if we can team up with someone good… bah, no point thinking about stuff like that. Tomorrow's problems are for tomorrow.

"It's a bit too early to call it a day so why don't we have a quick spar outside?" Argo suggested.

"Are you that keen to beat us up? What kind of sadist are you?" Despite her words Liz prepared herself for combat.

"I won't be able to kick your asses for a while so I thought I'd get my fill tonight. Come on come on, let's go ~ "


Omake: Horunka Forest, another perspective

He sliced through the Nepenthes' stalk, obliterating the monster with a precise strike. Kirito wiped the sweat off his brow. Despite all the fighting he'd done, a flower-bearing Nepenthes had yet to appear.

I hope Klein and his friends are alright. Maybe I should message him when I'm done here …

The sound of soft applause caught his attention. Kirito spun around to see a squinty-eyed teenager who was more or less his age. The male's choice of weapon and armour coincided with the black-haired swordsman's.

"H-hey! You're here for the [Healing Ovule] quest as well, right? Do you want to, maybe, team up?" The stranger asked timidly. In a way, there was something… comforting (?) about his awkwardness. Perhaps it was because it made Kirito perceive the boy as someone who was similar to himself. "D-don't you think it'll be more efficient with two people?"

"Hmm…" Kirito took a while to think over the proposal. "Sure, but only if we agree that the first Healing Ovule we get goes to me."

"That's fine, you were here first. What's your name? I'm Coper."

"I'm Kirito."

"Kirito?" Coper had a contemplative as he repeated the name. "I swear I've heard that somewhere… whatever. Let's do this."

Coper proved to be an adept enough fighter. Though their teamwork was far from flawless, at the very least the boy was an asset to his survival. Kirito briefly toyed with the possibility of forming a long-lasting partnership with his new ally. Eventually a flower-bearing Nepenthes appeared before them. Kirito was the one who dealt the finishing blow; with a satisfied smile, he watched as the hideous plant creature shattered into pieces.

The familiar sound of a Sword Skill being activated came from behind. Kirito instinctively leapt forward; while in mid-air, he turned to see Coper's blade cut through the place he once stood.

"Tch. So close," Coper remarked his closely. Evidently, his earlier meekness was nothing but an act.

"Why!?" Even if he hadn't fully trusted Coper, the betrayal still came as a shock to Kirito.

"It's nothing personal. Just blame your shitty luck!" Coper yelled. Seeing his ex-teammate charge up another Sword Skill, Kirito quickly countered with his own.

*Clang!*

The two attacks cancelled out each other, leaving both combatants in a brief blade lock before they disengaged and jumped back. Kirito quickly went for an overhead strike. Caught off guard by his opponent's aggressiveness, Coper hastily raised his sword to defend –

An uppercut to the chin sent Coper reeling. Kirito grabbed the back of his head and yanked it towards himself only to smash the hilt of his blade into Coper's face. Though pain was dampened in the virtual world, the impact made Coper stumble and drop his blade.

"Sonnuva – "

Before he could even finish, Kirito slashed him across the chest. Coper crashed into a tree violently.

"Surrender!" Kirito commanded. The tip of his sword hovered dangerously close to his opponent's neck. For a moment, Coper was terrified. His plan to kill Kirito and take the Healing Ovule from him backfired spectacularly, and he was about to lose his life for his failure.

But then, he realised that Kirito didn't plan to kill him.

And then, he noticed his opponent's trembling hand.

"What's this?" Coper's smile was downright nefarious. "You can't kill me, can you."

With an exaggerated motion, the unarmed player stepped forward. Kirito quickly moved back. Although his blade was still directed at Coper, the weapon no longer posed a threat.

"Ha, I fucking knew it."

Coper lunged. Reflexively, Kirito jerked his blade out of the way and was tackled to the ground. He struggled to keep his sword out of reach as his attacker scratched, struck and choked him. Kirito managed to shove Coper off him but the squinty-eyed teen took the chance to fetch his own sword.

Rearmed but also armed with the knowledge that his opponent lacked the will to kill, Coper was more dangerous than ever. Kirito was running out of options. Defeating Coper without immobilising or killing him was meaningless. Fleeing would be difficult; even if he succeeded, the threat Coper posed would still remain. Giving up his belongings to the aggressor was an option, but Kirito had little faith that this would effectively appease a treacherous person like Coper.

A low, guttural screech grabbed their attention. Both boys turned to see a fruit-bearing Little Nepenthes watching them.

Out of desperation, Kirito's mind formulated a plan.

Out of desperation, he launched a throwing pick at the plant-type monster. The red, bulbous fruit burst and a pink-coloured juice spilled out from it, the liquid completely drenching the Nepenthes that bore it. A powerful fruity stench filled the air.

"Y-you're crazy!" Coper exclaimed in fear. Both players were well aware of the consequences of Kirito's action.

The black-haired boy immediately turned and ran. With a roar the (once) fruit-bearing Nepenthes lashed at him with its vine; its knife-sharp leaf whizzed harmlessly behind the fleeing boy. Through a combination of skill and luck he managed to escape from the incoming Nepenthes horde, but just barely. Coper darted to the nearest tree and activated his [hiding] skill. In his panic, he had forgotten that the carnivorous plants were blind creatures who hunted using smell, and was slain after a futile struggle.

Upon returning to the safety of his room Kirito curled up into a ball and cried himself to sleep. He did not collect the quest rewards that evening, nor did he read the string of messages Argo later sent him.

The next day, Kirito stopped by a certain town to resupply. When he passed by a fruit stall, the scent made him so sick that he collapsed to his knees. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't throw up since the act of vomiting was impossible in SAO.

It was then he realised how much the Horunka Forest incident had traumatised him.


A/N: Just for reference, Argo doesn't have her whiskers yet. Lisbeth's appearance is based on her cameo in the first episode of the anime. Argo is 17 years old, Lisbeth is 15.

I don't intend to cover every single floor of Aincrad so there will be time skips here and there.

The omakes aren't narrated by the protagonist, as reflected by the third person writing. The protagonist may not necessarily be aware of the events that happened in the omake.

As always, thanks for reading and have a good day! Or whatever's left of it