Azure King: Hello everyone, here's the second chapter of Crossing Edges, whelp time for some Q and A
LL: Dude I totally agree with you on that. So much could've been done for a real The World and other projects so sad...
Matman: Thank for you support and and kind words. I hope you will send that review soon my friend.
The Wind God of the Leaf: Don't worry there's still more laughs with this story.
Alright let's get this story started!
"Strea?" Naruto yelled exiting a dark and crumbling building. "Damn this floor doesn't have her here either."Quickly letting a sigh out he throw away his cracked knife as it broke into a thousand pieces. "Maybe she's on the next floor, seems I have to join that raid next week."
It's been three months since the start of the Death Game, Sword Art Online. Nearly around 2500 people have been dead, Naruto himself was glad to know that none of the names on the list was neither Aura nor Strea, making him still believe she is alive.
"Though I wonder how the hell is she still missing?" Naruto spoke out his mind while rubbing his chin in deep thought. It was true that first month, Naruto nearly spent looking for Strea all over floor one…but no luck. Back in the Beta-test the Friend List option in the menu allowed you to find anybody in the game as long as the floor has been cleared. So after some debate and ideas, it's possible that Strea somehow is on the upper floors when Kayaba told everyone about the Death Game.
But how in the name of swords, did Strea get to the upper floors? Maybe it's that fact she also cleared floor 25 and keep her level making possible that she also can go back up where she left off? If so why didn't she contact him or reach him any possible way?
The blonde took out a piece of charred meat and savagely ate it in one bite throwing the rest in front of him. After chewing the meat and swallowing it, Naruto jumped up and kicked downward where a bear was standing in his former spot. "Dead!" Naruto shouts out before stabbing a knife into the beast's mouth and forcing it down into the throat!
Naruto can only smile as his menu appeared before him, [Level up 35 - 36],"Good nothing else to report. So might as well wait in town for my info broker to come to me."
The blonde walk forward to head back to the town, despite the fact that his only friend is possible in constant danger. This game has brought Naruto eternal boredom to an end, he enjoyed the danger of dying and constant fighting.
Before he can think more about that thought Naruto had already return to the town where players gaze at his arrival. He silently continued his pace sitting on a bench and closing his eyes.
"Finally getting tired?"
Naruto's eyes open slightly to see a girl in front of him, she wore a brown coat and had red markings that look like whiskers, "Argo...I pay you for I formation not for your gob. Any news?"
"I'm afraid not. No player was found with the description you gave has been seen so far. You sure she is still alive...I mean was she really here in first day of the game?"
Naruto look up, remembering the soft and warm body that press down on his body when Strea jumped him. "Yeah...see ya."
"Oi, wait, I have something; apparently, many female players around here have been taken by red players, meaning they were not killed. It's a dark thought but maybe-" Argo turned to Naruto to onlysee was already running. "Naruto! Great, I just lost a high-paying client…well there's always Kirito."
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IN REAL LIFE, NARUTO'S HOSPITAL ROOM
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A sleeping Naruto was in lying in a bed with hundreds of machines monitoring every possible thing in his body. If something, god forbid anything, all the doctors will be page to his side ASAP, thanks to the director of the hospital. Every since Naruto entered the room, nothing but depressing things could be said by the other doctors.
Dreary…
Creepy…
Sad…
Hollow…
All were brief about on who he was up-to-date, thus causing nearly all the doctors to either pity the boy's detached to the world, while the others just felt creeped out that the boy was probably enjoying the challenge from the death game if what they heard was anything to go by.
But now all those words and theories were long gone, when finally the room look a hundred-
No a million times better when a young doctor spotted a girl walking into Naruto's room later that afternoon. She called in the others to check if she was seeing things and to her luck…she wasn't!
"Naruto." Suguha said placing down flowers on a stand, which was next to Naruto's bed.
"This is so endearing." A female doctor said with waterfall tears running down her eyes. The others nodded also mimicking her tears on their faces.
"Why are you all standing there?"
All the medical professionals all turn snowy white as they look to see their boss in front of them with a glare. "Tsunade we-"
"BACK TO WORK, OR I'LL KICK MAKE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU CLEAN THE ASSES OF THE SAO VICTIMS FOR THE NEXT YEAR!" Tsunade yelled as Suguha giggled at this event.
It's been like this for the last month, ever since she worked up the courage to see Naruto and Kazuto in the hospital. All the doctors would greeted her like she work here with them, watch her enter Naruto's room, and Tsunade would berate them. Wait wasn't there-
"Hey."
The young kendo member looks up to see the blonde woman in front of her, "Tsunade-sensei…"
"He's happy." Tsunade said walking to the other side of the bed laying her fingers on cheeks that weren't covered by the NerveGear. "Even when his mind is stuck in a game, I can always tell when's he happy."
Suguha unconsciously smiled at that fact, "About what?"
"I…don't know. To be honest I was afraid he might be like his godfather, a super pervert. Now I wish he was he acting like that dead idiot. Now I have to watch every minute of the day wondering if he's going to live or die." Tsunade mumbled as she looked at the ceiling.
"Was Naruto…livelier before my mom and dad adopted him?"Suguha asked wondering what Naruto was like before he started to act all…uncaring.
"He was, he took after his mother, Kushina Uzumaki. When he was just barely four he would cry about not having a cup of ramen when dinner was up. Jiraiya, his godfather, would send me pictures of him and Naruto playing in his backyard or games before his…death." Tsunade said with a slight crack in her voice. "But now to my surprise he is so…numb to everything."
"…" Suguha could only look down, "I rather have him saying 'maybe tomorrow' to me everyday of my life then look at him like this."
"I rather have Jiraiya make him the next super-prevent, then to see him in a death game." Tsunade said before clenching her fists. "Damn you Kayaba."
"I won't worry though."
"What?"
Suguha looks at the doctor with warm smile while holding onto his hand, "He's the most strongest person in all of the world. He acts like he doesn't care but deep down Naruto loves protecting others. He hates doing trivial things, but in actuality he finds them oddly fun. Naruto…won't ever lose to someone stupid game, because when someone strong appears…he'll be ten times stronger just to win."
Tsunade just stared at the girl stunned at the declaration, "I…" She stuttered before laughing out loud. "Whoo…you are related to Naruto, even not by blood, seriously it sounds like you love him."
"I-I-I didn't mean-"
The blonde doctor raised her hand, "I know, come on, lets get something to eat. The food here sucks, so let's get take-out and bring it in. Naruto did love watching other people eat for some reason."
Suguha nodded getting her coat, following the doctor before looking back to Naruto. "I'll be back." The girl quickly went to his side to hold his hand again. "I need to tell you something soon."
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Sword Art Online, The Mystic Forest
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"Donde esta Vicious?" Naruto spoke in Spanish as he held up a man, who in the last hour ONLY SPOKE SPANISH!
"Ahi!" The man said pointing North as Naruto punched him to where he was going to the red zone and drop a large crystal in his chest.
"Tell ALA that they need more men up here, understand?"
"…Una vez más?"
"I mean The Ainclad Liberation Army, for fuck's sake-" Naruto growled before stomping on the crystal to send the man to the Blackgate prison. "Wait…when did I learn Spanish?"
Ignoring that sudden skill Naruto went to the direction he was told to enter from the orange player. Naruto look for the red player group since he meet with Argo, if they were kidnapping girls into dungeons since the game started, it might a good chance to say Strea is there.
*Zzzt*
Naruto eyes widen as he throw a spare sword at a tree only to see a rabbit with five of its children running away, "The hell? I could have sworn that- tch, got to move on."
If the blonde had stay he would have notice a stone creature slowly manifesting next to the tree that the sword hit. Slowly raising the air it vanished as the air rippled and distorted to hide the being again.
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A FEW HOURS LATER
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"Five in front of the cave dungeon, who knows who else are inside, I've only got a couple of force teleport crystals left. I might have to use that to take them down."
Naruto watched as the five red players just talked until another came, "Hmm?" Naruto closed his eyes as he amped up his Listening skills to hear what they were saying.
"Listen the boss says that girl we caught can be useful in more ways than one." One the henchmen said with a lecherous look.
"Sweet!" The other cheered as all but one went with the man. The last member just stood at the entrance before dropping his sword. "Whoops."
No sooner than hearing that reaction, the blonde swiftly jumps while throwing another crystal and sword to stab the man sending the man away. The blonde boy smiled as he walked forward checking his inventory and narrow his eyes when realizing he just used his last crystal.
Normally he would buy more at this point, but the other red players were probably notify by his is arrival. No choice...
With a few strokes of his fingers, Naruto back glowed as a huge brown box was now attached to his back with a black leather strap wrapping his body to it. "Oof..." The blonde bend his knees as the weight of the new addition to his body caused him to be off by it.
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HALF AN HOUR LATER
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Naruto was slowly sneaking by breathing heavily, for the last hour Naruto has been silently taking down the red players and stealing their own escape and teleport crystals. The blonde at this point had unholy, unyielding rage when passing by female players, all stripped down to the very clothes even the undergarments. He had no care for them, but he would flat out murder-
SHIT!
The blonde rolled to dodge a heavy claymore blade, his eyes turn to see a man holding a girl that was in a bag…how did he know it was a girl? Well the chest level was a sticking forward a bit, "I guess you're the kidnapper, Vicious."
"Hehehe, looks like someone wants to take my flower garden!" The man said throwing the girl to the side.
Naruto took notice to the man; he was naked save for a pair of leather pants, besides that and an odd symbol on his chest that look like coffin Naruto sighed. "Whatever, time to die."
"Agreed!"
Naruto throws the case at the man who just jumps over it as the blonde pulled out a katana to block a machete. Naruto smiled as his health slowly went down, it seems this leader was not bad, "Oof!" Naruto gasped when the man kick him in the stomach. "Geh!" Naruto grunted in pain when the machete was stab into his back.
"DIE!"
"Tch!" Naruto bite down his teeth, "Didn't want to spoil this, but if you did touch my Aura…" The blonde fell to his knees while laying his hands on the ground.
"Ha, sorry to break to you." Vicious said grinning, "I love taking my time touching and-" The man said before raising an eyebrow at Naruto who was shaking.
Naruto looks up with a savage grin as he pulled on two different chains, "I don't want you to live!"
"What the-?!" The man looked back to only look at the ground…upside down…his head was floating in the air as Naruto caught a scythe connected to a chain. All he could see next was Naruto smiling as he attached the scythe to his back and the chain to his belt that was on his around his pants.
CRSSSSSH!
Naruto took a deep breath as he enjoyed the battle, but it was overshadowed…by the sensation of killing that red player… "Huh?" Naruto mind was halted when seeing a message.
Ongoing Quest Achieved, Player-Killer Killer Started
(1/100) Kills
"P…K…K…?" Naruto eyes slowly narrowed as he looked at the detailed, "To complete kill up to 100 Red Players/Player Killers."
"So that means…" Naruto said slowly enjoying the thought of fighting more…fighting…OH CRAP! Naruto moved toward the bag as he lifted the person to sit up.
"Hey…HEY!" The blonde shook the bag that held the girl inside. "If you can hear me, speak…c'mon Strea this isn't a joke! Strea!"
"Who's Strea?"
Naruto eyes widen as he took his scythe's head and ripped the bag to…a normal girl…not his friend. This girl was a red haired female, she wore something like a ninja outfit, "T-Thanks, I owe ya. My name's- Wait where ya going!?"
"Anywhere but here, I can't believe I wasted my time with you." Naruto growled looking up at the map of the floor he was on, 100% cleared and no sign of Strea… "DAMMIT! I used my newest weapon for nothing!"
"Hey!" The red haired girl said walking in front of Naruto, "You saved me and tons of other girls here from that crazed son of a bitch!"
"Like I care, I was only trying my friend. I don't care about you or any of the people." Naruto said walking out and grab the keys the recently PK'ed player. "Tch, now I have to head for the raid now under a few hours."
"Wait! Hold on, you're in the red zone!" The girl declared running Naruto while handing him a healing crystal. "Heal first!"
"Fine." The boy said crushing the crystal with his bare hands recovering half of his lost health. "Look girlie, you better not stay-"
"My name is Alkaid!" The girl said looking at Naruto with a stern look. "And I'm coming with you, sensei!"
That comment made Naruto look back at the girl with wide eyes, "Sensei?"
"Yeah I want to learn how to fight like you! You see, I'm pretty famous around here as the Warrior Princess, Red Ninja and- WAIT!"
"I have no time for idiots." Naruto simply said as he walked ahead. "Unless you can help me scout a girl named Strea, then get lost."
"Strea? Wait…was she wearing a white cloak and had light purple hair?" Alkaid started however blushed when the blonde quickly was nearly an inch away from her face. "O-Oi."
"Where is she?! Where did you see!?"
"A little over a week ago when the floor was open, she was…odd. Like she was dying even though the status was green, and all the monsters just ignore her. But back to what I was saying, she was out of it…like someone who lost the meaning of her life."
"No, no, no, no." Naruto shook his head worrying the mental image and state of his only friend.
"Actually she did say something but I couldn't understand." Alkaid said taking a sword out. It was golden blade with hilt that was design as a flower. "Here…it was another language but my subtitled function show the words."
Naruto watched and head tilted in confusion, as the words read 'Mutter...warum machst du das? Vater, wo bist du...Naruto...Naruto...muss schützen...nicht-' It was German, Aura taught him some words in the Beta-test and he continue to learn afterword. It translated as 'Mother…why are you doing this? Father, where are you…Naruto…Naruto…must protect…can't-' His blood, in his mind, froze at the words Alkaid finished.
"She…just teleported away afterword, but with no crystal or anything...she just vanished." Alkaid said watching Naruto's saddening look. "But, if she was alive there, then she can be alive now right?"
"Yeah…thank you for your time." Naruto said walking ahead but Alkaid cut him off again. "What is it now?"
"Let me help! That way we can clear the maps faster and probably find that girl faster, all I ask is that you teach me to fight like that!"
Naruto hums to himself deep in thought wondering to take it or not. Indeed if Naruto has someone to stay behind while he is on a raid, if Strea appears he can make Alkaid get her. He can also use her to help in heavier quests and make her a good blacksmith…
"Fine, here." Naruto said throwing her a escape and teleport crystal with the keys he got. "Your first duty is to get all of these female players out, if you let one die then don't bother looking for me in town. If you do get them all back, I'll be waiting at the fountain."
With that Naruto already crush his own escape crystal and was…on the entrance of the first floor? "The hell?" The blonde said before walking forward to leave the cave dungeon, before loud static was loudly heard to the point Naruto covered his ears to try to block it! "GAH!"
However the noise was the least of Naruto's concerns as the forest in front of him was now blurring and slowly changing. In a matter of mere moments he was now in a stone field with glowing teal rocks. But the odd thing was the floating debris of land and buildings.
DINGGGGGG~!
"A in C major…" Naruto slowly said as he heard that tone before…however he couldn't indulge in it since he saw that…
A stone creature that looks something from an art project, it had two long stone 'legs' that were floating next to the main body, the 'arms' 'hands' and 'shoulders' were also like the legs made of stones floating spaciously. The head which had a odd ring going around its head, unlike the rest of the floating limbs, was attached to the boy with three dark black holes that Naruto can only deduced were the eyes of the monster. In its right 'hand' was a red Celtic cross, it lifted it up with ease and pointed to Naruto as if to say 'You're next…'
However Naruto was shaking with only one thing in his mind, 'Kill…' this monster health was hidden. That means it was a level so high Naruto's, mastered, scanning skill is unable to read it…only one thing appeared.
Skeith: The Terror of Death
Phase 1
Naruto spun his scythe as his eyes glowed with excitement, "This is it…my heart is going fast. My hands are shaking, my REWARD! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!" The blond laughed running towards Skeith ready to battle.
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REAL WORLD
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"I wonder what made Naruto so detached from everything." Suguha asked Tsunade who sighed.
The blonde doctor and Suguha were coming back to the hospital after getting some Chinese food and some sweets to stay in Naruto's room a bit longer, now they were currently walking in the hallway to head in Naruto's room. "I wish I knew, after Jiraiya died Naruto didn't even once send me anything to tell me he was fine. In about three months, I was able to ask your mother if he was fine when I heard your family adopted him."
"Yeah and what the-" Suguha said as she saw doctor after doctor running past them. "What's going on?"
"I don't know, and I don't like it. Hey!" Tsunade yelled grabbing one female doctor. "What's going on?!"
"It's Naruto! His vitals are spiking through the roof!" The woman said making Tsunade eyes wide.
"Is he waking up?" The older woman said with hope rising only to be in horror when the woman shook her head.
"It's like he's being torture! He's seizing up and blood is escaping from his lips!"
"Naruto!" Suguha scream pushing the women out of her way to rush into Naruto's room.
"Suguha wait!"
She didn't listen as she barge into the room were five doctors were holding down a twitching and seizing Naruto who was coughing out blood. "Naruto!" She scream out running to grab the hand of the person she loved. "Stay with me!" The boy just continue to move erratically but if anyone had the time to notice, it was slightly better than it was…until a doctor pull the young girl away from Naruto's hand. "No! Please, I have to stay with him!"
"Get her out of here! I'm calling the time of death if the NerveGear kills him!" A doctor said watching the vitals spike every few seconds as the other medical professionals held him down.
"KILL?!" Suguha shouted as she tried her damned hardest to break free, with her only free hand, Suguha desperately tried to reach Naruto's form. "Naruto, Naruto! Naruto!"
Tsunade helped the other doctor with pulling Suguha from the room, "I'm sorry, but if it does happen…I can't allow you to watch it."
"NO! LET ME GO! NARUTO!...ONII-SANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!" Suguha cried as the door was closed and now she had to wait to see if Naruto is going to live or not.
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WITH STREA
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The young woman was sitting in a pedestal in a lonely church as a chain was wrap around her neck, two for each arm, one for each leg, and one around her waist. Eight Chains in total, the girl's eyes were now lifeless and hollow as she can only moan out sounds…
Creeeeeek~
Suddenly like flipping on a switch from off to on, Strea's chain on her neck seemed to slowly rust and chipped, "…Na…Na…Naruto…"
The girl smiled sadly before closing her eyes and her head limply looking downwards.
But even then that sweet loving smile never left her face.
CHAPTER END
AK: Hello~! Yes things have happen, Naruto killed someone, saved Alkaid, currently fighting Skieth...but is it too soon?...Nah, trust me and wait for the next chapter my friends, please leave reviews for this story/chapter.