Chapter I: Beginnings in the Castle


6th November 2022—Aincrad. Floor 1, Town of Beginnings

"This… has got to be a joke."

'You can say that again.'

The irony. The bloody irony of the entire situation is not lost on him, and Kirito didn't know whether he should be laughing or cursing to the sky right now because quite honestly, he's very certain that he's lost at least half of his ability to think anymore.

Seriously?! Igor's prophecy of people getting trapped and dying turns out to be 'Sword Art Online', the video game, which ends up turning into a death game?!

He understands now that tarot cards are not meant to be underestimated. Those things are so damned powerful. To predict a catastrophe that is meant to happen months from that day was nothing short of impressive.

Still, what the hell was he supposed to do? All that Vabel did with him was talk about cards, and nothing more! She essentially told him nothing!

'Urgh, this sucks,' silently groaning to himself, both for his stupidity and because of the lack of preparation that he has made, he simply looks to the maroon-haired man standing beside him, the background filled with screaming and terror that it gets him to cringe. 'Damn, things are bad right now…'

Supposedly, around 500 people have already died, either because they accidentally died in the game or someone attempted to remove their 'Nerve Gear' from their head. The 'Nerve Gear' is then programmed to launch a dense microwave attack to their brains, thus killing them on the spot.

That, too, is just ironic. The very microwaves that are sending them into this world is also capable of killing them. Kayaba, that bastard.

'First, we need to deal with all this chaos,' he thought to himself, unable to tear his gaze away from all the panic. 'What do I do..?'

Had Kirito from months prior been put in this present situation now, he might have just opted to run away and simply ignore them. He would prioritise getting stronger over their problems, because he understood that that was the only option that was both pragmatic and logical—in this world, strength meant everything, and being strong to climb these floors were going to mean more than anything else.

And yet… right now, he just couldn't. His heart wouldn't allow it, and his legs wouldn't move.

It's odd. This… This empathy. This sense of understanding. Why does he care so much about them?

Perhaps it was because he was scared, and they were equally terrified. Who wouldn't be? They're basically trapped in a different world with their life in their hands. If they wanted to get out of here, they basically had to fight through the floors and get to the hundredth floor. And they were literally separated from their families.

Looking around, he does spot some pretty young players, even if this game technically had an age limit. This is definitely going to end up as more than just traumatizing for them, especially.

'I… I need to do something,' he decided then, tapping his friend on the shoulder and getting his attention. "Klein, I need your help. You don't mind?"

"Huh? Uhh, sure, I guess," nodded the man with a confused look. "What do I do?"

"Just stand right where you are, and play along," he says, taking a few steps away from his friend. Kirito takes in a deep breath, more so to calm down his palpitating heart than his actual need to breathe (this is a virtual world, after all) before he begins unsheathing his starter sword—

*Shing!*

And an incredibly loud slash resounds throughout the plaza, immediately silencing everyone's screaming, their attention now on the source of the sound.

Right there, a boy with black hair has his right hand outstretched towards his left, sword in his hand, the gleam a clear sign of it having used a «Sword Skill».

That… was probably the dumbest thing that he could have done. But he didn't know what else to do to get everyone's attention!

"And that's a «Horizontal»!" He shouted, almost as if he were trying to get everyone to hear him. He sheathes his sword and looks at his friend, who was blinking at him. "Anything else you need to know?"

Please let this work, please let this work, please let this work..!

"…Oh!" It took some time but he finally got it. Yes! "Can you teach me some other easy «Sword Skills», man? It would be really important if I could at least learn a few!"

Kirito silently thanks his friend for his understanding before nodding back. "Sure. But what sort of weapon are you even planning to make use of in the future? I'm planning to go for a one-handed sword. You?"

"Uh? Oh, what is my weapon then?" He asked, drawing out his blade and showing it to Kirito.

He already knew what it is because, when he first started out, Klein had approached him and asked him for some help, somehow having identified him as a Beta Tester. Hence, they got to experiment with some stuff at first, so that at least got him a headstart.

Still, for the sake of this play, they simply have to play their roles, and that would be enough.

"Yours… is a one-handed curved sword," he answers, having remembered several «Sword Skills» for that one. Just a bit, though. "Try «Reaver». To activate it, you place it on your shoulder and lower your body a little. Then, you leap forwards in a straight thrust. Give it a try."

Klein nods back, and thanks to Kirito's guidance from earlier today, was able to pull of the attack with ease. "Hah!" He shouts, drifting through the air like a missile before coming to a stop. He does put on a wide smile at the end of it, though. "I did it!"

The black-haired boy grins back, ready to walk over before he gets approached by someone else. "Hmm?"

"H-Hey, dude. You must be a Beta Tester, right? Can you help me too?" Asked a short lad, holding a pretty large two-handed axe. "I'd really appreciate it if you could help me out!"

"M-Me too!" A girl in a brown tunic stepped forwards, nodding. "Please teach me!"

"I want help too!"

"Yeah! Please teach us, man!"

"You need to help us too!"

Immediately, like a swarm of bees to honey, everyone started flocking over to the black-haired boy, who raised his arms and gave off a nervous smile as he was suddenly overwhelmed by all these players.

Klein walked over to help distance them from him, something that he appreciated. He looked back to the players, staring into all of their eyes, and nodded.

"Alright then. I may be a sword-user, but I'm pretty confident that I've memorized all the «Sword Skills» for all weapon types," he says, a determined look on his face. "Okay, who's ready?!"

"We are!"


That went swimmingly.

Throughout the day, Kirito spends his time helping the other players through the motions, understanding how the game works and some of its features. Luckily, everyone were patient enough not to overwhelm him like they did earlier, though they were pretty excited to have him teach them.

It's odd, teaching people how to play games… but it wasn't a bad feeling, though. It felt pretty nice.

Klein had met up with his friends, and all of them together decided to help him with the sessions, which at least lightened the burdens on his shoulders. Six people altogether, with Klein being their frontmost guy, possibly the leader of the bunch.

They looked like good people, that's for sure.

"Man, I am pooped…"

"Definitely, but you did such an awesome job, dude!"

Grinning back at his friend's compliment, Kirito simply pulls out his water canteen and begins drinking before returning it to his inventory, sitting at a bench in the plaza.

It had all gone pretty well, and with Klein's and his friends' help, they were able to get it done by six. Oh, damn. An entire hour after his promised meeting time with his sister.

Granted, four hours sound like a pretty short time for him to be playing 'Sword Art Online', but he did promise to meet his sister. And now that he can't, he's definitely going to owe her tons of apologies once he gets out.

If? No. Once he gets out. That much, he'll make sure of.

But man… for how long it'll take them, he wasn't sure of that part.

"So, K-dog," the boy raised a brow at that nickname, but didn't make a move to comment. "You planning on going anywhere? If you want, you can hang out with us."

"Hmm… A nice offer, but no thanks. I've a place to head to," he says in response, looking out to the exit gate. "Horunka Village. There's a pretty hard quest there that rewards you with a pretty good sword. Plus, I don't know what to feel about hanging around a bunch of adults."

"Hey, look at that. You can be pretty sarcastic when you want to," snickered the redhead before tapping on some buttons. "Then how about we become friends?"

A friend invitation is sent to Kirito, who blinks at the notification before smiling, tapping on the blue button to accept.

"Don't get the wrong idea, though. We technically already are… but thanks all the same," nodding, he got up and raised a closed fist. "Let's meet again in the future. Hopefully, during the boss battle so that I get to flex my skills at you."

"Hah, we'll just have to wait and see by then!" Laughing, Klein simple fistbumps him back before waving the boy off. "See ya', Kirito!"

Kirito waves back before breaking into a sprint towards the exit. Once more, the stone and street turned into a stretch of grass and flowers, a boar up ahead cleaved apart in one fell swoop as his blade cuts it apart.

He's no longer in the Safe Zone. He was putting himself out here on the field, danger at every corner and ready to kill him at any given time.

And yet, he just can't help but smile through it all, the sheer determination pumping in his veins carrying him forwards.

'No matter what,' he promised to himself, to Klein and his sister. 'We'll make it out! No matter how long it'll take!'

All that he had to do now was play the game!


8th November 2022—Aincrad. Floor 1, Horunka Village

Okay, this shouldn't be reason enough to douse out his spirit, but it was certainly more than surprising.

When he had done his training session with all the other players, he had recognized not a single face here. That's to be expected, obviously, considering that everyone here were now wearing their real faces; not virtual masks as they had been, but their actual faces back in reality.

Something of which he would never understand why Kayaba did it, other than for the sheer sake of his own twisted sense of humour, he supposed.

That aside, however, he now had six faces in his memory bank; Klein and his friends. Yeah, he only added Klein to his friends list, but he generally hoped that those guys liked him enough to consider him a friend too, and vice versa.

Nonetheless, nothing had put a brake on his plans. His momentum hadn't stopped, and he had kept going through it all, slaying several monsters on his way to Horunka. A thick forest awaited him, northwest from where the Town of Beginnings was. He had found the place.

And… everything is turned on its head.

Scratch his earlier surprise. This is downright gobsmacking.

In the game, each player are designated a coloured cursor—a green cursor indicates a normal player, while a player who has committed PK (Player-Killing) is granted an orange cursor. The orange cursor will remain in place for a few days at best, but if the player continuously kills other players, then the orange cursor will become permanent.

As for NPC's (Non-Player Characters) in the game, they won't have any cursors whatsoever. Sometimes, they might have quest indicators above their heads, but other than that, nothing else.

So the person standing right outside of a house, just beside a fancy-looking door with blue smoke wafting from it, having no cursor above her head whatsoever, is just downright shocking.

"What the… Vabel?"

"Ah, Kaz—I mean, Kirito. A pleasure to meet you again."

The last time he saw her was literally two days ago, when she had come over and requested some tea because his mom made some pretty great tea—he agrees with her on that sentiment, totally. But why is she here, and how come she has no cursor over her head?

She's also here wearing that unique black dress that she has, which strangely looks fitting for her. Though, considering the medieval setting of this game, it's a little strange for her to be wearing that, as she looks like she came from the future, or some fantasy world.

"You're… here," he began, unsure of what to make of this. "In this game."

"I am," she nods back. "I did promise to help you, did I not?"

He sweat-dropped at that, not sure if she did make such a promise before, but that's semantics he supposed.

"So, you see now, that the prophecy my master had foreseen that day has become true," she says, and the seriousness behind their current situation makes him draw in a sharp breath in anticipation. "Truly, the situation at hand is not exactly a good one."

"You think..?" He'd apologize for that snarky remark, but he couldn't help it. "What do I do now, Vabel? Err, I mean…"

"No worries. I have entered this world using my real name," shook her head the girl.

His earlier look of surprise turned into a deadpanning stare. Seriously? Just using her own name?

And entered this world? Well, that sounds suspicious indeed.

"Should you even be here? You're putting yourself in unnecessary danger," he quips, crossing his arms.

"I appreciate the sentiment, Kirito, but I am more capable than you think I am," chuckled the girl. "Believe me when I say this. I can protect myself all the same, and knowing you, you will be there to protect me as well, won't you?"

"I… Damn it," she got him there. There was no way he was going to let her get killed, knowing that she was basically facing the same amounts of danger as he and every other 'SAO' players were. "Fine. But what are you doing here anyways?"

His question reverts her smile to her normal emotionless look, nodding. "To answer your question, my master has commanded that I assist you in your journey. And I personally want to help you as well, to be honest."

"I… see," that was surprising. Not what he expected whatsoever, he'll give her that. "Thanks, I guess. But all of that aside, what should we—"

"Eehhhh? Kii-bou, I didn't think you already had a girl! If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered you!"

"Hmm? Is this your friend, Kirito?"

'Uhhhhhhh…'

This cannot get any worse.

No, it can.

His body turns around like a clunky, mechanical device, slow and stiff. In his vision, now, an auburn-haired girl wearing a cloak, with whiskers adorning her cheeks and a teasing smile right there.

"Well, well! It's been some time since we met!" A wide grin on her face and a cheeky expression altogether, this certainly matches the person he was thinking of. "Caught news about what'cha did back at the starting town. Not bad!"

"It was… I didn't know what to do and panicked," admitted the boy without a shred of shame, staring back into his friend's eyes with a clear sense of understanding between the two.

"Hmm, yeah, I guess I can understand where you're coming from… But hey! Who do we have here?" She's suddenly dancing around the other girl like a serpent, her voice so sharp and wavy at the same time. "You seem to know Kii-bou quite well."

"I do," nodded the girl. "I have met him in real life, and had entered the game with him as well."

"Oh, you did? I see, I see," nodding, she turns her gaze over to the boy—there's a glimmer in her eyes that is barely noticeable, but it certainly spells out curiosity. "Aren't you going to introduce us to each other, eh?"

"Why don't you do it yourself..?" He muttered quietly before shaking his head. Better he get it over with or else she'll do something to him. "Vabel, meet Argo. She's a Beta Tester and a friend of mine whom I played with during the Beta stage of the game, and the best information broker there is… although she's pretty volatile. You might want to be careful with her. And Argo, meet Persona Vabel. She's… a friend of mine I met IRL. We started a project of sorts, but that's all there is."

"Ehh? Is that so?" While his description of her was a little too on-point, she supposed it's fine. "Well, nice to meet ya', Vabel-chan! I'm Argo, and as Kii-bou here has said, I'm the best information broker there is! If ya' ever need ta' know anything about anything, then I'm your gal!"

"I see. Very well, I look forward to working with you," bowing, she then turns her attention up towards the sky, noticing how it's getting darker. "Night will come soon. Though I wouldn't mind staying up with the two of you to train and whatnot, would it be preferable if we turn in for night?"

"Hmm… Yeah, I guess that would make sense," nodding, he pointed to a building in the distance. Both girls follow his gaze, all the way to where an inn was. "We can book two rooms in there. Argo, Vabel, the both of you will share rooms. I'll get one for myself. We'll talk in mine."

"Ehh? But what about we save money and—"

"Understood."

Pouting at the other girl's agreement, he silently thanked her for being able to keep her calm and simply accept his decision, unlike the trickster that is Argo.

Huh. Wouldn't she be «The Fool» then? Hmm…


6th November 2022—Aincrad. Floor 1, Horunka Village, In an Inn

The sky is swallowed by the darkness, marking the end of the first day as everyone settles in for the night. NPC's return to their homes, players search the city for any inns or camp outside in the wilderness, and Kirito removes his chestplate, sighing in relief as he sat on his bed.

No joke, this place is really cool. With how it's surrounded by so many trees, thus making it so calming and natural, it makes for a really comfortable place to live in. Plus, not many monsters spawn around here, so that's a bonus.

'But that's not what matters,' he shook his head of his thoughts, understanding what really matters right now. 'It's to get out, no matter what.'

That was the goal in the end. Getting all 9000+ players in 'Sword Art Online' out, no matter the cost.

These people, they're all just like him. People who have homes, have lives, have families. He, too, has a sister, mother and father of his own, and they're waiting for him back home. Perhaps they're praying for his safety, and were that so, then he would accept such prayers, and promise to get back as quickly as he could.

Still, one hundred floors… That's nuts. How long is it going to take, he wondered…

*Knock knock!*

"Kii-bou~! We're here!"

"Yes, we are here."

He doesn't know what sort of entity thought it was a good idea to pair him up with two girls but decided to push that thought aside, unlocking his door and allowing Argo and Vabel—both of whom were dressed in sleepwear, or whatever was close to such—to enter his room.

"Oof!" Argo had claimed the bed for herself, sprawling her body all across the mattress before turning onto her side, shooting her a smirk. "My bunker."

"Then the wall is mine," snorted the boy, leaning against the wall close to the door. Vabel, then, chose to take a seat. "So…"

…Damn. He didn't think things far enough.

Granted, this is just the first floor so there might not necessarily be a lot of things for them to do, but it still felt odd not having a proper plan.

All he could think of doing was levelling up and beating the bosses, but those are the major steps. As for the minor ones, however, he was lost.

"Let's talk about how things are as of currently," he began, finding that an acceptable topic for now. He turned his gaze over to his information broker friend, crossing his arms. "How are things, Argo?"

As expected, she frowned. And a frowning Argo meant serious business. "Not good, I can tell ya'. Lots'a players have already accidentally died in the game, which leaves about nine thousand players and more alive. People are certainly going to be afraid to venture out into the wilderness after this."

"Damn… Yeah, I guess that makes sense," sighing, he scratched the back of his head. "Who would have thought, huh? Some videogame ends up trapping us all inside, and we have to win the game or else we die in real life if we get killed in this one. What was Kayaba thinking..?"

"It's no use, Kii-bou. Bastard's probably watching us from his computer or something right now," snorted the girl. Her gaze does become morose, however, a sharp contrast to her usual jolliness. "And for what..? Some game?"

To that, the boy hadn't a definitive answer of his one, just as lost as she was. He knew that Kayaba must have had his reasons for doing whatever he did back then, but for him to simply play with their lives like this…

Once they get out of this game, Kirito swore he was going to track down Kayaba no matter how far he went and… do something terrible to him. He wasn't sure what, but yes.

"All of that aside!" With her energy returning once more, the other two people in the room looked at the girl. She had her attention focused on Vabel, her gaze sharp and curious. "Following our introduction earlier this afternoon. Vabel-chan, how come you don't have a cursor, eh?"

Kirito silently glances over to his fellow Beta Tester, and honestly? He feels nothing towards her but respect.

Definitely, she asked a good question. That was something he was wondering about too, though he hadn't exactly thought much about it following Argo's sudden arrival. It's pretty curious how she's able to not have a cursor. Is she not a player?

Actually, never mind. He could somewhat predict what sort of absurd answer she was about to give.

She's definitely going to use some weird reason, he just—"I used an illegal technique unknown to anyone else to enter this world."

…He knew she was mysterious, and she wasn't even trying to hide it. Only this time, it also sounded ominous.

Despite her casual answer, it does get the other player to blink back in surprise. Argo speaks up after her brain managed to reboot enough. "Err… and what method are we talking here?"

She looks at the information broker for a solid five seconds, blinks, then says the forbidden word. "Magic."

Yeah, of course she'd go for that. And she's technically not wrong.

"…You better start believing it, but Vabel here is no ordinary girl," finally getting to say that with a heavy sigh has just lifted a burden off of his shoulders, one that he didn't even know he had. "I don't know who or what she is, but she's certainly unique. I'll give you that."

"Thank you. And yes, it would be hard to define me as you would for any other human being," she nods back, and the two stare at her with looks that didn't give anything away.

As if to emphasize on that part, she raises her hand in the air… and a flicker of fire sparks to life, catching the mousy girl by surprise. Kirito, however, wasn't too surprised, considering that she is an attendant of some otherworldly room and serving a mysterious man.

The information broker blinked for a couple of times, staring at the spectacle. "What the… There's no such thing as magic in this game. You're serious, aren't you?"

"I am, yes," she nods, dispelling the flames with a small wave of her hand. "I am, as some would prefer to put it, ethereal. Though I am also quite similar to a normal girl in several regards, should you choose to ignore that little detail."

Little? Yeah, he's pretty sure that being able to use magic, warp worlds and trespass boundaries that separated realms from one another should be considered little!

For the love of God, this girl is either too airheaded to really understand the normalcy of things or is just doing this for the kick of things. Then again, considering that it's Vabel, he's leaning more to the former option.

"…Yeah, this is definitely going to take a while to get used to," surprise in her tone and expression, it all soon turned into that of a surrender. "Well, I don't know much about you, so I guess we'll just have to take the time to learn more of you, yeah?"

"Learn each other… Yes, that sounds nice. I accept the proposal," she's smiling once more, and the other two players realize how radiant she looks with it. It's a small change, but with it a great impact all the same. "And it's with that, I wish to accompany the both of you in your journey. Kirito," the boy hummed, looking at her. "There are a lot of things that I haven't explained to you, and for that, I'm sorry. I can only ask you to be patient, and simply work as hard as you can for now. In the meantime, I shall stand by your side and work hard to assist you in your journey."

Confused, lost, and utterly tired. These were the sort of feelings that were going through the player known as Kirito right now.

Seriously, he knew next to nothing, and he had simply thought himself to be crazy to believe in Igor or whatever. But it turns out true, and right now, he doesn't know what else to do.

But screw it. If the only way to get out of here was to work as hard as he planned to…

Kirito fixes a determined look on his face and nods back at Vabel, steeled black orbs staring into equally onyx ones. "Got it. I'll do my best, and I hope to have you watch my back as well. And Argo, you don't mind hanging out with us?"

"Heh, why'd ya' think I came over? Of course I'm coming with you guys!" Snickering, she lifts her hand and forms a thumbs-up. "You can count on me too!"

Working with other people… Yeah, he definitely would not have done this months prior. Hell, he was a freaking solo player.

But he'll have to admit, this is nice too.

"With that over, I believe I shall take my leave for now. A good night's sleep shall do us well. Farewell," she does a bow before leaving the two on their own, shutting the door behind herself.

Argo raises a brow as she watches her leave, only speaking up when she was finally gone. "She's a weird one, huh?"

"She… means well," that's the best he's got, really. She isn't a bad person, just quirky. Like Argo over here. "Anyways, she's right. We should get some sleep first. I'm planning to take a quest first thing tomorrow. It's the one that gives the Annealed Blade. You want to come with?"

"Ooh, I remember that one. Yeah, it's with all those difficult plant monsters. Little Nepenthes, I think," shuddering, she shakes her head. "No thanks. I think I'll sit this one out. I'm gonna' snoop around the village and the city to get some juicy info. If you need anything, just message me!"

She clicks on some stuff and takes her leave. Before he could call out to her, a notification sound beckons for his attention, and it's a friend invitation from Argo.

He sighs at this, but simply accepts it nonetheless.

First things first, sleep. Everything else will come later.


1st December 2022—Aincrad. Floor 1, Dungeons

The first day in 'Sword Art Online' kicked off without a hitch. Or he would say that if it didn't involve with all living players becoming living vegetables in the real world and facing possible death if they do end up expiring in the game, the fear of which had kept a number of players holed up in the Town of Beginnings.

Thankfully, that number wasn't exactly large, as players found the determination to leave their safe space and attempt to grind on monsters, levelling up.

And as for Kirito, he was doing just peachy.

"I still can't believe that you're already [Lvl 6]. What did you do?"

"He has been grinding nonstop on the Little Nepentheses and came up with an interesting theory to cheat their spawn rate and allow himself infinite training."

"You don't have to say it like that, but yeah, she's right."

It's pretty interesting, really. In fighting a group of Little Nepentheses, he could then leave the grounds and return to the spawning grounds, thus triggering the spawning of said monsters. Sometimes, he'd be lucky to get a Little Nepenthes with a fruit, which when damaged would release a scent that attracts lots more Little Nepentheses.

That would have been a suicidal move for any ordinary player, but thankfully, he wasn't foolish.

Well, he is «The Fool», but that's beside the point.

Thing is, the spawning grounds of these suckers are occasionally in pretty tight spaces. What does work, however, is the fact that once they've chosen a target, they're not letting them go whatsoever. Their best tactic is all about surrounding, and Kirito had, at times, almost gotten surrounded himself. Thankfully, however, he had been able to avoid such a fate, having gotten to multiple clearings to take them all out.

Nothing impressive, really. Utilizing wide-ranged «Swords Skills» such as «Horizontal» helped a lot. He was also capable of moving faster than they were, be it in terms of actual movement speed and reaction time, granting him countless windows of opportunity to either claim some distance or strike back.

The fruit-bearing Little Nepenthes are pains in the sides, and he has to be incredibly careful of them. They're not any different in terms of abilities or level, but their ability to summon more monsters is dangerous. Still, nothing so terrible has happened thus far, and he simply thanked his luck for that.

So at the end of it all, he was now sitting at [Lvl 6], which he felt is pretty good, all things considered.

Argo's just [Lvl 2], though that's understandable given that she had allotted most of her points to her speed, so she's not much of a fighter. Vabel, due to her powers, isn't exactly registered as a player of this game, so she's incapable of utilizing certain game mechanics—such as the menu, inventory or having her own level.

Curious. She certainly is an anomaly in this entire situation.

"So, what are we doing here again?" He asked Vabel, who had brought the other two players here, though without any form of explanation.

Her lack of answer at first isn't so unusual now, and having observed her for so long, there are little signs that give off what she's thinking—when she's looking around, it's a means of considering her words. Sometimes, her eyes would narrow perhaps a centimetre. A minute change that means something is bothering her.

Right now, she's merely thinking of what to say before nodding, then turning her gaze towards the two. "I've actually come here before, and this place seems to be the dungeon that leads to the boss room."

"Wait, really?!" A sharp gasp is followed suit by quickly claiming her shoulders, shaking her around. "Are you serious, Vabel-chan?!"

"I am. This is indeed the dungeon that shall take us to the boss room, should we proceed," calmly answered the black-haired girl. "However, that would not be advisable, for the boss is higher levelled compared to us."

"Yeah, that makes sense. It would be pretty risky to just go in on our own," scoffing at that, he shakes his head before looking back from where they came from. "We should leave. Probably tell the other players about this place too. We can then formulate the plans from there."

"Then leave that stuff to me. I'll get every player in Tolbana for the meeting," quickly answered Argo with a hint of professionality that it astounds him. "And I've got a guy who's happy to do the talking in your stead, if you want."

That last part has him nodding quickly in response, enough to tell her that he wasn't exactly keen on having the spotlight on himself.

Understandable. She wouldn't want to do the talking herself too.

And if anyone asks, no, he won't do anything remotely public anymore. He already almost lost his wits after that demonstration back during the first day. He could deal with not having to repeat that ever again, thank you very much.

Memorizing the pathways and whatnot, Kirito and his friends prepare to leave this place.

*…Clink…*

"Huh?" Only for him to pause in his step, looking around with narrowed eyes. "That was…"

"Hmm? Something wrong, Kii-bou?" Asked his auburn-haired friend.

"…I heard fighting," he replies, a hand hovering over the grip of his Annealed Blade. "Where the hell is it coming from..?"

"…There," quickly pointing in another direction, one that branched off from the path that they came from, she drew forth her rapier. "Shall we investigate?"

"Definitely. There might be another player who's in trouble," so saying, he unsheathed his weapon while Argo brought out her dagger. "Lead the way."

Quickly, the group of three rushed down the path in search of the sounds of swords clashing, ringing across the grounds and walls of the labyrinth. The farther they go, the clearer it all gets, and Kirito could only assume that whomever it was out here at this sort of time (it's freaking night time. Who else would be up at this time?) was probably fighting Lizardmen Lords.

Those guys are blue-skinned, bipedal sword-wielding lizards. Their levels are technically higher than the other monsters on this floor, around [Lvl 4], which definitely puts them right on the dangerous scale of things.

Whoever it was better not be trying to find a good reason to—

"There," she points towards the right. "What now?"

"Hold up," he says, raising a hand as he backs into the wall. Argo and Vabel, too, follow his movement and lean against the walls, peeking over to look at what was the cause of all that commotion.

*Shing!*

Just in time to witness a smooth swing of a rapier, cutting down a Lizardman Lord right in the centre, killing it instantly as its body explodes into fragments of polygon and colours.

His mouth falls slightly apart, catching sight of the red hood and skirt, the dainty-looking arms and the rapier in her hand. That's definitely a girl, and her movements are so clean, almost like a dancer.

But that blade she's wielding is close to breaking, judging by the faint cracks on its surface.

His body moved on automatic. "Rush in!"

His shouting alerted the fencer, her head turning around towards him. "Huh?"

*Pssh..!*

Just in time for her rapier to shatter.

A Lizardman Lord readies his curved sword and leaps forwards, a streak of orange light that blurs behind the blade that is aimed for her throat. The girl simply stares back, her heel getting stuck in between two loose tiles and causing her to trip backwards.

What should have been her end is ultimately averted as a black sword cleaves the Lizardman apart like butter, ultimately decimating it in just one clean swipe. Somewhere in the back, a blur of vorpal black and a rush of orange cut down the mobs surrounding her, explosions and white light forming everywhere around them.

Sword swings, monstrous growls and explosions—and all of it lasted a mere ten seconds.

When everything was done, all three fighters around her had put away their weapons, the person at the lead staring at her with a calm gaze.

"Well, that was a little dangerous. Hey, you alright?" He asks, turning his head over to gaze at her.

The girl seemed shocked for a moment, voice coming out in soft stutters. "Y-You're…"

She barely had the chance to finish her words before her eyes flutter shut and her body collapsed almost immediately, falling forwards. Vabel is quick to catch her, however, which was a good thing or else she'd end up face-first on the ground.

Argo was immediately quick to move to her side, moving aside the girl's hood and hair to check on her, and Kirito's body tenses up.

"…She looks alright," said the information broker, looking up to her friend, though noticing how he seemed to be frozen on the spot. "Kii-bou?"

"…She's playing this game too?" His hand brushes right through his hair, a breath expelled. "Huh. I mean, not like she can't play the game, but still…"

"Do you know this girl, Kirito?" Vabel asked.

He nodded back, rubbing the back of his head. "I won't say her real name, but I will say that I've actually met her before around the time I met you. I didn't think I'd be seeing her in 'SAO' again… Alright, let's get back to the inn in Horunka. I'll carry her."

"Ooh, offering her a piggyback ride? How come I don't get one?" That pout she made was just fake, but it certainly was more than enough to get him to roll his eyes.

"Maybe next time," it was said in jest, but he may as well as humour her someday. Grunting, he picked her up and settled the girl on his back, making sure that she didn't fall off. "Alright, let's go. Vabel, Argo, watch our flanks."

"Of course," the black-haired girl quickly pulled out her rapier. "Argo."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you both," with her characteristic tease and her dagger out, the girl covered his right flank. "Let's go home already."

"Not technically home, but alright," and with that, the group of three left the dungeons behind.


2nd December 2022—Aincrad. Floor 1, Horunka Village, In an Inn

…Something soft is underneath her body. Is this a… bed? It has to be, and it's so soft…

The girl lets out a soft yawn and rolls herself onto her stomach, burying her face into the pillow with a small hum, savouring in this brief moment of comfort that she's experiencing.

This is nice… Have the inns back in the starting city finally changed their beds? Because this one is so comfortable, so fluffy… She can't help but want to stay here for as long as she could.

Seriously, she just feels so tired… When has it been since she got a good night's sleep? Probably not, considering all that's been happening around her, but last night was such a good sleep… She doesn't want to wake up…

'I wonder what I've been doing last night…' She thought, lips smacking one another as her body shifts around a little under the sheets. 'I must have been out in a dungeon last night, and I was fighting some monsters. Then I came back here…'

Satisfied with that, the girl allows a smile to form as she simply settles in to return to sleep once more.

And yet… something felt off.

She didn't come here. Actually, where is she even? She didn't remember ever walking back home, or even paying for a night. And hadn't her weapon..?

'…Wait, that's it!' Any remaining dredges of sleep is completely flushed from her system before she hastily pushes her up into a seating position, brain now wide awake. 'My weapon broke, and—'

"It seems you've finally woken up."

"Eep!"

In her shock, she accidentally pushed herself back until she smacked into the wall, a soft groan leaving her lips due to the impact. Thankfully, what with the fact that they were in a Safe Zone and there was a pain absorber in place, she hadn't gained any damage and didn't feel much pain from this.

"Ah, forgive me for surprising you," says the girl standing at the door, making a small bow. Her entire mannerism reminds her of some sort of noble, for some odd reason. "I am Persona Vabel, but you may simply call me Vabel."

"Vabel..?" She repeated, getting a nod. "I see… I'm Asuna. It's nice to meet you."

"And the same for me as well," nodded the ravenette in turn. "Do you require anything? You have been unconscious for a considerably long time, so it would be fitting if you were to eat something. Come with me. My friends are currently outside."

"Ah… I wouldn't want to intrude—"

"Please. I assure you, it would be fine."

Well, there goes that idea.

Sighing, the girl relents in the end and joins her acquaintance outside of the inn, noticing two other figures talking to one another; well, it looked more like the girl was just running her mouth about some stuff and the boy was listening to her and responding when necessary while keeping his eyes glued to a book he had in his hands.

She feels herself tense up, however, something about that boy feeling strangely familiar…

"Kirito, Argo, I have brought her," spoke Vabel, alerting the other two players of their presence. "Her name is Asuna. She seems to be in good spirits."

"Asuna? Ooh, pretty name!" With a small wink, the auburn-haired girl waved at her. "Name's Argo! Kirito, wanna' say something?"

"…No wonder you look familiar. And seriously, you used your real name as your in-game persona too?" He asks with a cocked brow, shutting his book—she recognized it to be the guidebook distributed by the in town vendors.

His tone, his looks… It finally dawns on her, and the girl is left reeling back. "K-Kazuto!"

"H-Hey! Shush! It's Kirito in this game," with a small sweat-drop, the boy ends up shaking his head with a sigh. "Honestly… Why did you use your real name for this?"

"Wait, we don't… W-Well, I didn't know, alright?! It asked for a name, so…"

"…Right."

She's never played a videogame before this! How was she meant to know about that?

And judging by how he was quick to silence her when she called him by his real name, it's probably taboo to mention one's real identity while playing a game. She'll have to remember that in the future.

"…Well, no use changing it now. You've set your name as your in-game identity, so we'll just have to roll with it," with a hum, he rubs the back of his neck. "Anyways, introductions. I'm Kirito. You already met Vabel, and Argo's already introduced herself."

"A-Ah, nice to meet you too. Asuna," she nods back, though with slight hesitation. "So anyways… what happened to me yesterday?"

"Ya' passed out while fighting all those mobs back in the dungeon, Aa-chan," answered the mousy girl, catching her off-guard with the use of the pet name. Even so, her tone was filled with genuine concern, her lips drawing a frown. "Ya' need to pace yourself, ya' know, or else you'll collapse out there in the field like you did yesterday and get yourself killed."

At that, her face faltered, eyes dropping to the ground as she rubbed the side of her arm, words failing her as she attempted to make an excuse for herself.

She fails, however, as the three worriedly watch her for a while before it was Kirito who made the first move to speak.

His words, however… hit her harder than any attack she's suffered from before.

"You weren't grinding earlier for levels. You gave up, didn't you?" As he asked this, he crosses his arms and staring at her with a cold, calculated look. "Judging by your delay—hesitation in response and that look on your face, along with your poor equipment and the time… you were just out there to fight for the sake of fighting, weren't you?"

Someone could assume that he was making that up, but seeing how her fists clenched, it certainly meant that he hit the target.

"…And what's so wrong about that?" She silently cursed at herself for suddenly sounding so angry, knowing that he was right. But she couldn't hold it in anymore. "What's wrong about me wanting to fight until I die..? Is it so wrong when, in the end, nothing is going to change? All of us are stuck here, Kirito-kun! We're all going to die! Don't you get it?! I don't want to be like everyone else who are stuck in the city, wasting their lives away like that! I'll never..! Damn it..!"

Certain bodily functions were locked so that they could prevent any sort of problems, such as the need to excrete, sleep or eat, though there were certain benefits to consuming food and drinks like temporary buffs. Sweating though is made natural, and sleeping is kind of a need since it is technically the best rest for the body.

However, in this very moment, however, the tears that spilled forwards were products of her own despair of their situation, having come to terms with what they're facing now but still unable to fully accept it.

She could die at any given point in time… and she refused to die doing nothing. Even if she dies fighting, then that would be enough for her.

But…

"…That has got to be the most ridiculous thing that I've ever heard."

"H-Huh?"

"K-Kii-bou!"

"Kirito…"

Two voices rung out in soft panic while Asuna stares right at the black-haired boy who has his gaze focused on her. But where there should have been sympathy or a critical look as she had expected…

There was nothing but understanding.

Because he, too, was just like her, she realized. He was in every bit of danger as the rest of them are, and he too could die if they were careless. He understood that very well, but he didn't want to let that stop him.

"You're scared. Who isn't? But you can't let that be the reason for you to do nothing," he says, disappointment now colouring his tone. "I don't know what to tell you, but there are people who're fighting to get all of us out of here. People who legitimately want to get out of here and go back home, myself included. Your sort of mindset goes against everything that we're fighting for. Are you so cynical that you can't even believe in the rest of us too?"

Whatever retort she wished she could have made in that moment is all but erased, and she genuinely didn't know what to say anymore, averting her gaze from him with a timid whimper.

To think that this was also the same boy that she had met in the library that fateful day…

The other two girls were probably too shocked that they couldn't say or do anything. No, they understood that they weren't in the position to say anything, so they could only settle for being quiet.

She, too, was unable to do anything. Against such an intimidating gaze, there was no use.

*Shing…*

"Take this," the sound of something being materialized and his own voice breaks her out of her stupor. She focuses on him once more, and she sees the rapier he's holding in his right hand. "Right now, you're too weak. But I know that you can change. Anyone can. Take this rapier if you're prepared to cut a path of your very own. No, I will make you cut your own path."

Confused, uncertain, she still reaches out for the weapon. It felt lighter in her grip, but doable all the same.

With that, he brought out his menu and started tapping buttons. The girls watched him in curiosity before two of them received new pop-ups.

Argo is the first to cock a brow, sounding curious. "Party invite?"

"Considering how we're going to be travelling together—yes, Asuna, you are coming with us," the tone of his voice left no room for argument. "It would be better if we just partied together. It's the most logical step."

He would have sent a party invite to Vabel, but given her strange situation (strange doesn't even do it justice at this point), he would have to settle for the other two.

"That's certainly reasonable," nodded the black-haired girl. "I've already offered you my blade before, but I can reaffirm you that I will fight with you no matter what."

"Hmm… Yeah, I'm good with this! You guys will be fun to hang out with, for sure," Argo didn't hesitate to punch the accept button, thus committing to the party formation. Everyone then looked to Asuna. "Aa-chan, how 'bout ya'?"

She clearly looked hesitant, judging by how she was still staring at the pop-up screen quietly, with nary a sound save for her own breathing.

Kirito wouldn't offer her an apology. He meant every word he said back there, though a small part of his brain was beginning to realize how harsh he may have sounded. Still, that apathy of hers is only going to end up with her killed all of a sudden, so having her join the party will let him keep an eye on her.

Or at least, he hoped she would accept the party invite.

"I…" She paused to look down at the ground before her lips naturally contort into a smile, looking up to the other players' eyes. "Yes. I think I will."

She pressed the blue button to accept, thus becoming a member of this little party.

Her choice satisfies Kirito, who smiles back with a nod. "Good to have you with us, Asuna. Now then! Let's do some quick grinding sessions!"

His choice of words confuses the girl, tilting her head. "Grinding?"

"It's a term for fighting mobs repeatedly to gain high amounts of Exp. and money," answered Argo in his stead before shooting him a grin. "And count me in! I'm itching to get some levels in, already."

"I as well. It would do me well to at least get some practice in," agreed Vabel.

That left Asuna, who was silently impressed by how optimistic her friends are. Even with the fact that their lives are on the line, they're still able to look forwards and do their best, just so that they could break free from this prison.

Her answer comes easily, and her smile is just as bigger. "Of course!"

Together, the four rush off into the wilderness, intending to do whatever they can to claim their future.

Life in 'Sword Art Online' goes on.


Author's Notes:

In case you guys are wondering, yes, I rewrote some parts of this chapter.

Thanks to several reviews I've received in the Fanfiction website, it actually helped me go back to take a look at the entirety of the story (I've actually written all the way to the sixth chapter by the time I'm publishing this fixed chapter) and I realized that the pacing's pretty awful. Plus, some elements of both series…es? Of both series are used poorly, so I'm working to remedy all of that.

So, here I am! I said I'm gonna' do it right, I'm gonna' do it right God damn it! But yeah, that's that for now. I'll explain more in future chapters. Thanks for reading (again, if you haven't read it before).