Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fic except my OC and storyline. All things related with SAO belongs to Reki Kawahara, and every other reference belongs to their respective owners.

As soon as Ilsamor closed his eyes, he found himself standing in front of the throne with three fulcrums. He blinked a few times to clear his head's dizziness, then turned to the Lady, who was pacing in front of her throne nervously. "Wow, that's new…" he thought. "Last I saw her nervous was…"

Come to think of it, he had never seen Lady this nervous before.

He waited for a few moments to see whether the Lady will notice him or not, and when she didn't, he kneeled and bowed his head before speaking "I am ready milady. Please guide me through this ordeal."

Lady suddenly stopped her pacing and looked to him with a nervous expression. "So, you have Ilsamor. It seems you are sure from your choice." Ilsamor nodded "Yeah. I have made up my mind. Definitely."

"Then there is little I can say to you, but you must stay vigilant…" Lady warned him. "Forgetfulness is not just a curse, but also a blessing that allows your brain to move on. You may see and remember many memories you needed to forget in the past. You may lose your live to will if you become too tired."

Losing his will to live?

He raised his brows "W-Why did you say something like that Mistress? Is it really possible?" Lady nodded in a grim manner "Completing this procedure is about your will to move forward. You will live your whole life on a speed you deem fit. Maybe once they were spread to years they were weak, but now, they can be fatal."

He clenched his fists.

So be it then. It would be his price to pay.

"I am ready. I cannot turn back now."

Lady nodded "I knew you would give me this answer. I will try to help you as you move forward, but in the end, it is up to you. Good luck, my Champion."

She moved behind her throne and opened a brown to an unending darkness. As a cold wind blew on his face, Ilsamor closed his eyes and prepared himself. He knew what was waiting for him at the beginning of the road.

And he entered the darkness of his mind after he took a deep breath.

When one decided to forge a sword, first thing it must choose is its type. What does the blacksmith want to achieve with this weapon? Is he desires the speed of katana, or might of greatsword or balance of longsword?

Second point is the material. Is this sword just a material for another humanity greed competition or this sword will be used for a battle against gods?

After that, it is the standard procedure.

Heat, hammer it and gave it shape.

Then cool it.

That is the story of creation of the Silver Blade…

He is a blade, because it requires more finesse than a mace, it is faster than a greatsword and it is easier hide than a spear. All of these can be given as examples, and many more can be mentioned regarding its type.

Why is it silver though?

That's easy.

Because silver, since the time immemorial, has been one of the humanity's first line of defense against the monsters.

He opened his eyes to a seemingly corner of paradise.

He felt himself too small, his fingers, his arms all of them were small enough to be held with one hand.

He was watching the blue sky above him, white clouds were passing with funny shapes with a gentle breeze. His forehead was being heated by the sun, after a point he became discomforted and hide his head to the bosom he was lying on.

He couldn't figure out the place he was in until he smelled the air.

It was linden.

What had his old self told him?

"We always liked linden, because our mother used to take us to our garden and sang us lullaby while we were smelling the sweet air…"

Then this woman was…

"My beautiful …"

Her voice was like a river, washing his soul from impurities.

"Be strong … Be kind, be compassionate. But most importantly my son, be happy."

She gave him a tender kiss on his cheek "Because you are my hope… You are my joy… And you are my courage. I love you, so much."

He felt his tears gathered near his eyes.

Then she raised her head and took a breath. The lullaby she sang was neither English nor Japanese, but the melody itself, combined with her enchanting voice, slowly sapped his strength, and he felt like his eyelids getting heavier.

It was a good thing that he started the journey on his memory line with a rather pleasant one.

Because he need the nerves of steel for the rest of them.

"HOW COULD THEY LET HIM FREE?!"

He awakened his next memory with a rather familiar shout.

He slowly opened his eyes. This time, rather than that pleasant garden, he was lying in a room which was painted with yellow. He was lying on a white cradle, and he had several stuffed animals as toy companions.

To be honest, he was surprised a bit. Over the years he had heard his father's shout for many times, but this one was different.

This one was including much sadness beside anger. That shout was followed by a clothe rustle. "P-Please… Tel me this is a joke. How can they let such a monster go free?! After all that evidence and witnesses… How can they let him go?"

He was sounded like a crying man, which was far more interesting for Ilsamor.

He had never heard his father's cry before.

"I am sorry sir. I am truly sorry on behalf of the justice system of my country."

He heard as if something heavy had fallen to the ground accompanied by his father's wail.

He too felt something in his heart, as if it has been held by a hot clamp.

His mother had not just died, she was murdered. What's worse, according to the conversation he heard, his killer was… deemed innocent by the court.

It was unforgivable. Truly unforgivable.

Because this moment was the point where his future began to change. Nothing would stay the same.

When he was little, he had always wondered if his father was like this when he was younger. The man he had spent his life with was strict, merciless and harsh. As he was aware that he would live them once more soon enough, he did not forgive even the slightest mistakes in their trainings, be it may physical or mental.

Was this the push that pushed his father over the edge?

Was that why he began a harsh physical training program and a heavy educational program on his son?

He knew that he won't be able to look at his father with same eyes anymore. That was his thoughts while he listened his wailings from the hall and he too cried silently to a loss he recognized its size too late.

And this was the beginning of a hard childhood.

He fell to the ground while feeling pain from several different sources.

"You are still too slow! Again!"

"D-Dad, please… I am tired a-and it hurts so much…" he answered while hardly holding back his tears.

He couldn't cry. That would only make things worse. Last time he had beat him pretty hard due to "Showing his weakness to the enemy". Bruises hadn't healed yet, thus he had no need for a second round.

His father shook his head with disgust. "You have disappointed me." However, his disappointment would not make his son on his feet in no time. "Then we end it for tonight. But don't think this will go unpunished. No meal tonight, you hear me? Now treat your wounds and go to your room."

Ilsamor was still too weak, and he just nodded for an answer. In the darkness created by his eyelids, he listened his father's bare feet's sound on the training mat. With a click sound door was opened and after another click sound, he knew he was standing inside the training room all alone.

He groaned and raised on his elbows. All of his body was rebelling against him for his movements, but he still crawled to the med pack at the corner of training room. Only after he reached it, he took a sitting position and put some alcohol to clear his wounds.

While his past self was doing what he had done at that time, he was thinking. How long it has been? He didn't know in the real world wise, but he was suffering this harsh training for four years by now. At that time, he thought this was outright torture, but now, he could see that while it was cruel and standing at the very limits for his age, this "training" was still appliable for his age at that time.

Yet this was no reason for not hating it.

He watched his younger self clear his wounds with alcohol and regained his composure.

While he was now standing and his face was emotionless, he could still feel all the pain he suffered. Unlike his younger self's body, damage he took with his memory were not healing. He was carrying a small portion of the all of that suffering within him.

It had started to become painful.

He couldn't understand though. Why wouldn't that pain go away? What was the reason he was still feeling the pain from his first training with his father?

His younger self moved to his room while he was busy thinking about it.

While he used to get a "night with no meals" at least once per week, he only suffered through them at initial times. After seeing the dire situation, he began to secretly store portions from his meals for emergency uses.

What he could get was mostly a sandwich and a glass of water as a meal, but still, he knew that it was better than nothing.

He ran to his room and closed the door. With the door's closing sound, he managed to relax for time for this day.

He hated Thursdays.

After composing himself a little bit, he took his meal from his stash and with a silent prayer, he began to eat it. While eating, he glanced to his bed but soon shook his head with sadness.

How much he wanted to sleep doesn't matter. If he didn't finish his homework, he would receive yet another punishment, and frankly, he had suffered enough from them for now.

Time was still early, but he knew his reason for loving to sleep that much.

It was because of the dreams.

He started seeing them at the same year that his mother had died. In his dreams, there were no shortage of the roles he uptake. Few of them only seen to him once, but some of them were like series, he was keep seeing the new parts continuously. They were mostly from first person view, so he couldn't see what he looked like in the dreams. But certain things were always the same, at least a piece of his clothes was carrying the white color and he always had a sword (no matter the era).

Those dreams were the only reason back then that prompted him to live through another day.

With a renewed vigor, he returned to his homework. At least his father made the decency of putting the lessons he really loved to the day of training, which were history and philosophy.

As he continued his lesson, sun slowly descended, and night's reign began. One hour later he closed his books with a sigh and prepared for the bed. He had no idea what other children do at the nighttime, and to be honest, it was a good thing as it could only made this life harder for him.

He closed his eyes.

As sleep slowly embraced him, he found himself on a too familiar ship. However, things were tad bit different this time.

He was in his own body.

With surprise he looked around him.

Ship was built from a mysterious tree, which had a light brown color. Different from what he read at books; ship was mostly clean. Actually, even crew members looked more like modern sailors from military, almost none of them were carrying the famous beard of the pirates.

All these were pointing that this ship was not a usual pirate ship. Another thing was its different Jolly Rogers. At the normal place of the skulled banner, it was just carrying a single white longsword on a black background.

His eyes slowly darted to the usual spot and his eyes widened with amazement.

The man he was looking at had an average height. His ankle length white leather coat was waving against the wind. His famous saber was hanged to his belly while he held his black hat under his arm. Under the sun's waning light, he saw that his had a dark brown hair.

He slowly watched him until a crewmember who seemed like a lieutenant approached him. "A moment of your time captain."

Captain turned to his lieutenant and smiled "For you, always Jerry. What's the matter?"

Jerry seemed hesitant "It is about our current target sir. Lads are afraid, thinking no sane captain should ever approach him."

Captain's smile slowly faded, replaced by a silent determination. He turned to his back and stand above the deck. "Sailors! Listen to me!"

Crew's attention turned to him. The air indicated him that they were expecting this talk for a long time.

"Yes, rumors you heard are true. It's him we are after."

Crew looked like they heard their death sentence. Captain continued:

"Since we first disembarked on this ship, we have always stood against the honorless thieves, crazy killers and plunderers of poor. We went further than any other have ever gone, sailed in the most dangerous seas of the world. We lost our friends, our brothers and our fathers in these journeys…"

He saw some among the crew took off their hat. Captain's eyes were shining with slowly gathering tears.

"…After such a prideful and virtuous journey, it was their ultimate right to stand beside our generous lord, and feast from his table. Yet we learned that due to incompetence and laziness of a certain man, they remained on this world and forced into a life of infinite servitude. I do not accept this! I cannot accept this! It is my utmost debt to them to see their leave to the heaven!"

His gaze wandered around his crew, whose eyes started to fill with a sort of determination. "I have never tried to force you into anything. I always gave you a choice before the fights. And right now, you have such a choice once more."

He stood silent.

Wind's breeze was the only sound beside the waves slow rhythm.

Then a crewmember with blonde hair came in front of him and left his hat in front of the captain. "You have never failed us captain. Never let us down. And so, for the sake of our brothers, lead us to victory."

Remaining crewmembers followed their friend's suit and soon many hats were standing before the captain.

Captain nodded and held his saber under his coat. As he unsheathed his sword, night was illuminated with a flash of heavenly light for a brief period.

"War has been declared. For the fallen and the neglected!"

He was watching this under amazement. His confidence, his attitude… All were amazing.

But he had a slightly sorrowful air around him.

This was when he heard it. It was hidden in the wind like a whistle, from lands beyond captain's reach.

Ilsamor…

A woman's voice, full of longing and love. Captain just clenched his fists. He somehow understood what captain was thinking.

I still have a long way to you.

"Exciting, isn't it?"

He turned towards to voice with scare.

A man had appeared near him from nowhere.

He seemed like a young man, had spiky black hair. His existence and movements had a perfect flow, like everything he did and said was like how it should have been. It was perfect, too perfect.

"You come here quite often, don't you?"

He couldn't answer. After all, he didn't have much contact with anyone beside his father for years. Lucky for him, young man didn't care for it and turned back to captain. "Although I can understand why you love this place so much. Anyway, I did not come here for this and my time is not much, so can you dream a more, how should I say, "grounded" place?"

He nodded still in bewilderment and turned his dream to city area.

"Yes, that's better. Now, we have something to talk about."

He turned towards him "Well, I won't beat around the bush. I am here for just one question…"

He gave all of his attention to young man while his mind was racing. Why did I not remember this memory?

"Would like to become a person like that captain or that other guys in your other dreams?"

His eyes widened.

The scene changed, now he was standing in a dark building, only ones in the sight were five armed people. Leading one's figure was familiar for him.

"Captain Ilsamor, sir!"

Ilsamor again.

His young self had no idea what was happening but Ilsamor had understood it.

"You are me then"

Scene changed again, this time he was a swordsman, carrying a golden sword while everyone was firing things like flares at each other.

"I am the Sword Wizard, Ilsamor!"

Again.

Scene changed, for many times. He saw the first he experienced from firsthand at third person view. And everywhere, it was him. Leading, fighting, staggering and rising again.

He loved, and he was loved. He hated and in return he was hated.

But most importantly for the boy who watched him with admire…

He lived.

Whatever the consequences, decisions or obstacles he never shut himself off. He was always active, always behind his decisions, always with his friends, with his men, always on something.

Decision did not require even the smallest frame of time.

"You see, I work for-"

"I-I accept!"

Young man seemed surprised. "Well, that was easy. I knew it would be easy with a child, but you seemed to want this more than I expected."

He just nodded, young man sighed and smiled. "Well not that I care. You seem like an interesting subject to study. Then allow me…"

Before he did anything, young man held his hand and he grasped something inside his chest. When he pulled his back, a sphere with golden light was in his hands. "Well, that's a copy, so don't worry about it. They are still linked, so it should grow with you."

He put the sphere to his bag and turned to him. "Few more warnings before I leave. Don't expect an immediate effect…"

"I…see… Then when?"

"And don't expect an easy life."

"I was fated, you say… Fated to live this hell"

"See you on the other side of the moon."

He swung his hand and some kind of teleportation circle appeared under him.

"Good luck."

With just like that, he was disappeared.

Then young boy looked back to the man, who was lost in thoughts while gazing the sea.

Then I… will wait. I will bear those shackles, bear with these bonds and bear with this damned guardian, for one day I will be so free that I will be sick of freedom. I will fight so long, that my hands will go numb, and I will love someone, and be loved by her, till then end of my days. That is, if my days ever ends."

When that boy awoke neither he nor the one who tries to remember couldn't remember what they saw that night, so awoken boy just sighed.

Another hard day was coming for him.

"It is the second time ….. Do you had enough?"

Of course I hadn't, you sadistic son of a-

"After all I have taught you, this is your repayment to your old father? Escaping from the house?! Do you have any idea how much did you make me worry?!"

Young man slowly raised his head.

It had been becoming unbearable at each passing year. At first, his father was cautious of not passing certain lines, but after some time, this was gone too. That thing which resembled training even a little was a complete torture right now.

"I had not neglected-"

"It was your fault that I failed."

His father's talk stopped.

"Yes, you taught me many things. You forcibly taught me some of the martial arts, math, science and history but what you never taught me was how should I talk with people!"

His father was looking at him with bewilderment.

"That was why I caught, you know. The fact that I couldn't talk properly with a cashier had denied me another day away from this goddamn prison! You keep saying that you will give me my freedom once you die…"

He knew his next line would break the dam.

"Then why don't you just put a bullet in your head!"

SLAP!

His father was shaking due to anger. He held his cheek. "Because you don't know maybe, but every day, you are taking another chance of mine to live a normal life."

Then he rushed to his room.

Next three days were passed in utter silence. Neither his father nor he made any moves to repair broken bridges.

Inside his mind, Ilsamor was suffering. All the emotional pain and physical pain were welling up inside him. He felt like his arms were full of bruises, he had a terrible stomachache and his speed to move through these memories were declining fast.

He understood why he felt pain, but he didn't know why this pain just don't heal.

Door was knocked, which brought him back to real world. He did not dare to answer it because he knew he would enter either way.

However, for the first time his father was not alone.

Man near him had short black hair. His expression was carrying confidence and compassion. From the looks of it, he loved to eat a lot and from the glasses he was wearing, next thing he liked much was reading.

He looked expectantly at his father for answer.

His father took a deep breath. "The things you said that day made me realize something. Really, no matter how much I teach you, they are all useless if you don't understand how to utilize this knowledge. Beside that, we were nearing the edge of my knowledge in certain aspects of your training, especially in positive sciences. That's why I've made a decision."

He pointed towards to stranger. "This gentleman's name is Daiki. He is your new teacher."

He blinked. Then took a skeptical glance at the newcomer. He just smiled and raised a hand "Hello. I am looking forward to working with you …..-kun."

His father left the room and with the click of the door, he left alone with his new teacher. It was clear that Daiki was a bit nervous with his slightly wild responses. To relax his mind, he began looking around his room.

He glanced at his library. At that moment it was mainly consisted of history books, as they were the only things he took a little pleasure from reading. He took one of them, seemingly the most frequent read one.

"WWII eh? It seems we have some common ground after all."

He raised his head to look at Daiki. He seemed a little nervous "It seems you are interested in Eastern Front too. Can you tell me, which one those battles is your favorite?"

He thought before answering.

"B-Battle of Kursk."

Daiki smiled. "Mine too! It is really interesting as it is the first battle that Blitzkrieg failed to pierce through enemy lines."

His eyes widened. "I-I did not know that. I love it b-because of the biggest tank battle in history."

Daiki laughed this time "Well, I have forgotten about it. There was that too, wasn't it? Hey, what's this?"

Daiki reached a small notebook and he felt his breathing became faster.

That notebook was some sort of dream chronicle for him. He was drawing and writing the stories he saw from his dreams. Not that he was a prodigy in writing or drawing, but it was one of his very few activities to pass time.

Daiki looked to pages of notebook with interest. "These are very cool. But is it just me, or hero of these stories is always the same guy?"

He flipped a few pages.

"A pirate, commando, swordsman, wizard…" He laughed "One life is not enough to do all of this I am afraid."

He did not answer but bowed his head like he was embarrassed. Daiki must have noticed it because he apologized "I am sorry, I did not mean to mock you. Actually, can you tell their stories to me?"

He was not sure, but still, it was a good feeling to find someone who was interested in the same things he had interest in.

That's how Daiki or later as Ilsamor nicknamed "The Sensei" came into his life. As his father explained, Daiki's job was to teach him advanced parts of the positive sciences and prepare him for the outside life.

Daiki taught him many things, and his knowledge about the fantasy literature started with him. He brought him books, films and even persuaded his father to buy a computer for gaming (said games would act as a simulation). He was only allowed to play offline games, but still he felt like it was heaven.

They played many games and watched many films together. Sometimes Daiki would stop a film or a game suddenly and discussed protagonist's choices with him, be it ethical or technical. Finishing certain games took way more time than it would originally do due to this fact.

In the end, while his father only became his combat trainer, Daiki became something like a father for him. He had a big role in establishing his moral codes for his life.

After all, it was Daiki that brought him NerveGear.

He felt the soothing effect of these memories on his pained body.

"Sensei, you can't be serious!"

He screamed with excitement. Daiki just smiled "Yes I am. I think you have earned it ….-kun. You sucked every bit of information I have taught you, and I believe it's time to have your first real interaction with people. I know it is a game, but still…"

He hugged him. Even when he was still not allowed to go out, this was priceless. Even better, it was a game! No one to know his real name, his real face…

It was like a dream.

"Sensei, how did you manage to persuade my father?"

Daiki nervously scratched his neck "Well, it's more like I 'forget' to tell him. He is away for few hours; I think it will be enough for your first day."

He nodded and put it on his head.

Now he needed a username.

It was not hard to think. There was only one person in his life that he wanted to become more than anyone.

Ilsamor.

As he entered a tunnel of rainbow, he was full of excitement.

Players, I wish you good luck...

He still remembered those words as he walked towards the Beginner's Town at 1st floor.

It had been one month since the game started, and it became clear to him that life would be indeed hard as hell to him.

To be honest he did not make a bad head start. While he was pretty weak in social skills, he had an ample amount of experience in gaming due to Daiki's 'lessons', and while other players still in shock, he was one of the few players left the square early and begin grinding. He had not participated in beta tests but he very well knew that some rules were the basics for gaming and they could not be changed. And thanks to his two hours spent with handbook, he knew few missions he could easily handle.

Around the end of the second week, he had managed to gain a set of gear that while could not be considered top class, it was not definitely something to be laugh at. He was mostly alone because of his shyness, still he tried to help many players, which helped him to become a relatively known figure at the beginning.

However, there was a saying that everybody knows: "No good deeds go unpunished."

Things began to turn sour for him at the beginning of the third week. It was usual as always, he was wandering at the fields, looking for item and material drops. He had an interest in a particular sword, that was his motivation that day.

During his search, he heard the sounds of a fight and when he went there to investigate, he saw a player who tried to bite more than he could chew. He was about to be overwhelmed from mobs. There was not really a matter of choice. He went in and helped him to gain the upper hand.

After that they had introduced themselves to each other. His name was Kelarus and he looked like a player searching for a party to grind some harder mobs. Since Ilsamor had no problem with it, and there was a chance to become friends with him, he accepted.

They really travelled to dangerous areas that only few ever dared to enter, which was definitely not went unrewarded. Ilsamor's inventory was full of loots that he was looking forward to spending inside the town.

And that was where things went wrong.

They went inside a cave where Kelarus said there was a very big loot was hidden. However as soon as they have entered, Ilsamor found himself at the ground. Before he understood what was happening, a group of approximately ten players had surrounded him.

"I have told you, he was a total fool. Well, what are you waiting for, rob him blind!"

R-Rob him?! B-B-But how?!

Before he managed to shake off the shock, one of the players forced his hand to open his menu and put everything in his inventory to a trade window sent to him by Kelarus.

"N-No… Please, don't do it!"

His pleads fell on deaf ears. After a few seconds, he had lost everything he had collected to Kelarus. Before he was released Kelarus patted on his head "Well, it was a good one Ilsamor. See you on the next week."

Then he and his friends left the cave, leaving a shocked Ilsamor behind them.

Only after a few minutes later he managed to gather himself and thought about looking at his inventory.

At that moment a lump sat on his throat. He couldn't held back his tears.

He had given everything to that player against the starter equipment and he was trapped inside a relatively high-level area.

And this was just the beginning.

Next week, they came at him again. This time he was relatively ready, but this did not prevent him to live a near death experience, and once again forced to give up everything he had.

He tried everything he could ever think, but except shutting himself in the safe zones, none had worked and after living years inside a closed life, he hated the idea itself.

Days went by while he was searching for a way out of this dilemma, and assault team had reached 16th floor.

Dark cave was echoing his sobs.

He once again found himself on a high-level dungeon, according to Kelarus it was his punishment for delaying the tribute. They had left him in a dungeon where his current equipment had no way would be enough for him to survive.

He was sitting while hugging his knees and trying to not make a sound while hiding behind a rock. His only hope was another player with enough level and courage to come and clear this dungeon which would also allow him to escape. He did not have any other option as they had stolen his teleportation crystals too.

He was lost in thoughts when another player approached him with a torch in hand. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

He slowly raised his head and looked at the player standing in front of him.

Player was an African-American man with a well-build body. His baritone voice was filled with confidence and the eyes looking at him was carrying an emotion that Ilsamor had only saw at the eyes of Daiki.

It was mercy.

His eyes watered against his will, while the player's curiosity was only increased after he saw that Ilsamor was only wearing the basic equipment for that floor. "What are you doing with such a low-level equipment in this dungeon? How did you manage to come here in the first place?"

He could not held back any longer, and he began to cry. Understanding the situation was somehow more complicated, player scratched his head then opened a trade window.

Ilsamor gasped and raised his head.

"I can give you the minimal equipment to survive through this dungeon but later you will tell me your story, deal?"

Ilsamor slowly nodded while his eyes were beaming with gratitude, and he pushed the blue button to accept equipment.

"I am Agil by the way. What's your name?"

"I-Ilsamor sir. Thank you for rescuing me."

Agil scratched his neck nervously "Now, now, you don't need to be so formal. You can just call me Agil…" But after he saw the nervous expression Ilsamor's face he added "Okay, how about Agil-san then?"

Ilsamor thought it for a moment and nodded.

"Okay then Ilsamor, you better be a good fighter. Let's do this!"

Ilsamor quickly donned the armor and weapon Agil provided for him. When Agil saw that he raised his two-handed axe and took the lead.

At this point, he knew that his old self was not good as him before he got trained by the Lady, but still constant robbing of his equipment forced Ilsamor to learn and abuse the critical points of enemies.

It took them one and a half hour to clear the dungeon.

When they finally got out Ilsamor get on his knees and sighed as relaxation began to sat in. Agil chuckled "Okay there Ilsamor, calm down. Let's go to my shop at town. You still owe me a story, you remember right?"

Ilsamor nodded and stood up with a small smile on his lips "T-Then please lead on Agil-san!"

Agil chuckled once more. "What a strange kid…" he thought. He had no idea that kid' backstory would change a great deal for him.

He told his story to Agil, which made that carefree merchant really angry. Ilsamor was living the life of a bullied kid inside a death game, and it was going like this for weeks. He wanted to help, but Ilsamor just shook his head, telling that if he bring outside help, then they could too.

He believed he needed to finish this his own.

While Agil wanted to argue he knew it would be pointless. Instead, he offered a deal to Ilsamor. He would work for him on quests and in return Agil would provide him both shelter for his rare equipment and he would sell him equipment for tribute against Kelarus on a reasonable price.

A deal which Ilsamor quickly accepted.

For days Ilsamor continued towards to his target, each step left him in more pain and in more misery mentally. While for his old self things were not so bad, he was on the verge of breaking due to all those painful experiences coming at him all of a sudden.

"N-No more… I can't… No more…"

He was feeling everything raging from his father's first kick to Kelarus' sword hits after he refused to pay tribute for first time.

Yet…

"That scene… seems… too…familiar…"

His old self was walking in a crossroad, weather was foggy. He remembered; he was here because he was searching for a rumor about a mission with rare item.

"Umm, I am sorry but can you help me mister?"

He raised his head in confusion and saw a peasant girl with tattered clothes, brown hair and blue eyes.

His old self smiled "Yes, what's the matter?"

So, we have come to that finally.

Fate finally decided to hammer the ore that became red hot due to all that hardship he had endured. And his time had finally come.

My Lady…

A/N: Sorry for the long interval and some parts that may not make sense from SAO perspective but are required for the future of this story. Don't worry too much about them thugh as they will not be mentioned until the very later parts of this story and I will mostly remain in track of SAO universe.

Well, see you on the part 2, take care yourselfs!