"You're very special Kazu-kun." She murmured into his ear.

"I am?" He asked, trying to squirm out of her lap to no avail.

"Of course, dear." She hugged him tightly, stopping his struggling. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

He sat in her lap, contemplating her words. She sounded proud yet sad at the same time. "Mommy?"

"My little genius... you're going to go so far." She cooed, snuggling against his hair. "And probably break so many hearts in the process."

He blushed as she complimented him, not even minding the way she was babying him at the moment. Today was a rare day where their whole family could be together. Usually, either his mother or father were preoccupied with something.

"But don't forget, Kazu-kun."

He looked up curiously at his mother.

"About those around you."

It was cold.

As far as he could see, and all around him, was covered in snow. He was thankful for the lack of snowfall as the biting winds that tore into him were already brutal enough. He trudged on uncaringly, despite his ill-prepared clothing. It was not like he could get sick in this game.

Still, he felt every bit of the cold against him. His high-level leather jacket offered some protection against the weather, though his exposed skin, primarily his face, felt extra cold against the bitter wind. He wished he was at home, by the warmth of the fireplace.

But he couldn't, not after his argument earlier. Immediately, he felt a sense of regret rise from within. It had gotten out of his control, and harsh words were exchanged. It was the first 'fight' he had with any of the girls. Although they liked to bicker and argue sometimes, it had all been in good faith; they never fought with another. They didn't need to, because they all understood and cared for one another.

He never expected to get into a heated argument with Argo of all people. Though she frequently teased and harassed him, he knew that she only did so in order to loosen him up. And every time there was a conflict, she sided with him. Sometimes, he thought that she understood him better than he did. For that reason, he always confided in her.

It wasn't her fault.

He was stubborn. He could freely admit that; it was a trait he shared with his family. Sometimes it was hard to admit when he was wrong. More than that, he should never have accused her of ignoring his feelings. He recalled the flash of hurt on her face as soon as the words flew from his mouth. For a split second, her usually carefree nature was replaced. She truly did care for him.

Shaking his head, he squinted his eyes at the horizon. Though he was in a seemingly endless wasteland of snow, he knew where he was heading. This particular area on the 20th floor was a favourite of his. It was a perfect place to calm down, and to gather his thoughts.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the familiar blinking icon signifying new PM's. He chose to ignore the icon in favour of scanning his surroundings once more. He knew he would be in trouble later on with the girls, for suddenly running out of the house in a fit of anger. For now, he would concentrate on his initial goal.

There was a flicker of movement from his peripheral vision, and he immediately manoeuvred his body to face it. A large shape that was slightly off-coloured compared to its snowy surroundings confirmed his suspicions. The monster seemed content to remain in hiding, not that Kirito minded. He dashed forward, feet crunching loudly in the heavy snow.

As soon as he was within lunging distance, the large mound erupted, shaking the surrounding area with its force. Leaping back for the moment, and shielding his eyes from the displaced snow, Kirito waited for the monster to reveal itself. He didn't have to wait long as a loud guttural roar resounded over the tundra. While the beast's fur had blended in with the snow almost perfectly, the only thing that was not a pristine white were its eyes. Two beady orbs of red glared down at him, and the yeti stood up fully, casting a long shadow over him.

To a newer player, the sight of the enormous creature before him would have sent them scurrying. Even for Kirito, these monsters had been a challenge when they had been clearing this floor. They were resilient to the extreme, and went into an enraged state after half of their health had been depleted.

That had been then.

Now, against a player that regularly cleared the 40th floor dungeons, the fearsome beast proved no match. He wasn't here for a challenge, he was simply here to relieve some stress. That was why, as the yeti roared in defiance and charged forward, he remained in his spot unflinchingly.

The large beast was surprisingly mobile, despite its size, and appeared before him in the blink of an eye. As the large hand came crashing down, Kirito brought his favoured sword up. Normally, one could never parry such a blow with a single sword, the sheer power difference would have broken through any guard. Kirito, with his abnormally high strength stats however, proved to be an exception.

He grinned as the beast reared back its arm to try again. The powerful impact was blocked once more in the same fashion. It was satisfying to see the ease in which he could defend against such a monster. He remembered the struggles they had when this was considered the front lines. Even the heaviest of shield-users were sent flying by these large beasts. Now, he felt that even Silica would have zero issues taking down the yeti mob.

The creature roared again, raising both of its hands together and bringing them down with tremendous force in a hammer-like action. Its large, coupled fist glowed a bright red as it came hurtling towards him. Kirito lept deftly to his left, not willing to take on a «Sword Skill» like that head-on. The yeti remained stunned for a brief second, which Kirito utilized to his advantage. He jumped onto the closest arm, breaking into a sprint upwards. Leaping just as the creature regained control of its arms, Kirito readied his own «Sword Skill».

At the apex of his jump, he realized that he could not reach the monster's face with his sword. Thinking quickly, his hands immediately followed the motions to trigger his most recently acquired «Vorpal Strike». It was a highly accelerated stab that resulted in a jagged flash of purple extending from his sword. The monster reared back in pain, the strike landing right between its eyes.

Kirito eyed the mob's HP bar decreasing rapidly with some surprise. It seemed that his new «Sword Skill» had such a long cooldown for a reason. Its damage potential was absurd, especially when you considered the bonus reach it added. Numerous scenarios flashed through his mind, and he immediately found a new favourite skill. After leveling his «One Handed Sword Skill» to 950, he supposed that it was worth it.

The moan of pain was suddenly cut off, immediately changing into a deep snarl. The creature's smooth white fur turned a jagged grey, signalling its transition into its enraged mode. Now, it would be much faster, and stronger, while its fur would become much thicker. Kirito supposed that he should have been worried, rather than excited.

He ducked just in time to dodge a swipe from the yeti, feeling the displacement of the air from the sheer speed of the attack. Leaping back to avoid a powerful fist, he decided to stop playing. He needed to finish this, and go on home. Parrying the next blow, he rushed towards the beast, past its guard. His sword flashed, leaving long streaks of red as he ducked past an attempt to grab him. Twirling around the creature's short legs, he slashed repeatedly at its stout body.

He didn't need to think, only react. His body continued to dance past the creature's clumsy attempts with graceful steps. His hands continued to guide his sword all the while, increasing in speed with each passing moment. This was not something that he showed often, even to his guild. Most would have called him careless, and perhaps even cocky. But this was how he fought best.

With an overwhelming offensive.

One after another, he chained his sword skills together to form a violent, yet beautiful dance of death. Fragments of light flashed all around him, as the creature's HP was carved away bit by bit. Nothing would survive such an onslaught for long. At last, the creature let out a final cry of pain, as its HP bar was finally depleted. It dispersed in a shattering of light, bringing silence to the clearing.

Kirito sighed, sheathing his sword. The fight was rather cathartic, but it hadn't been a challenge. There was no point in remaining however, as the yeti mob was a rare spawn, he would need to travel quite a distance to find another one. The blinking icon in the corner of his vision reminded him of his priorities. With a heavy heart, he began the long trudge back home, dreading the inevitable scolding he would receive.

He would have to apologize to Argo, that was for sure. She never failed him before, and deep down, he knew that she was looking out for him. His reasoning for not wanting to recruit more members was not because he couldn't see the benefits. Far from it, since he knew how unreliable some of the clearers were. No, it was his own selfishness that prevented him from supporting her idea.

Ever since the beginning of this death game, he had tried to justify his playing style. He went solo because it was the most efficient way for himself, and by becoming strong, he could clear this game faster for others. Or at least, that was what he told himself. In actuality, he was scared of that responsibility. To have people looking up to him, trusting him with their lives... the very thought was daunting.

It didn't help that the very first encounter he had with another player after the announcement was with someone who had tried to kill him. The selfishness in Coper's actions had left a deep scar, and despite Kirito's rational side, he had never forgotten that moment completely. The moment where he saw the true extent of human fear. To be willing to murder someone over a thing such as a quest reward... it was disgusting.

It was starting to snow now. He wasn't surprised, the weather on this particular floor was highly inconsistent. One moment could be crystal blue skies, the next an intense hail storm. It was something that had proved to be a major annoyance when they were clearing the floor. The heavy snow impairing his vision harshly, Kirito could barely see a few yards in front of him, and he was glad that he knew the way by heart.

He suddenly stopped.

There was a figure at the edge of his vision. He rubbed at his eyes in disbelief, before squinting them. Sure enough, the familiar green cursor indicating a player-controlled character hovered over the head of the figure. The player was facing away from him, in a crouched position. There was little he could distinguish from his current distance, but the sight of a player on this usually empty floor was quite unusual.

Just as he was about to shout out a greeting, the figure slowly stood up, brandishing a weapon in the process. The chosen weapon seemed to gleam despite the harsh snowfall around them. It seemed to be a spear, made of a glittering ruby crystal. He did not recognize anything about the weapon, but even from his limited point of view, he could tell that it was in a class of its own, surpassing any player-made weapon.

Hefting the spear, the player seemed to prepare him or herself to throw the weapon. But that was foolish, as there was nothing to be gained from throwing the spear in such a way. The «Weapon Throw» skill was not usable on spears, it was restricted to small, light-oriented weapons. The player did not seem to care, however, and readied the weapon over his or her shoulders.

The stormy hail of snow seemed to let up for a moment, allowing Kirito to see what the target of this strange player seemed to be. It was a small creature, and much like most of the mobs on this floor, blended in perfectly with the snow. The «White-Furred Fox» was by far the rarest mob on the floor. It was known to drop an S-Ranked «Raw Material» item with each kill, and its spawn rate was incredibly low. It shared one other known feature with rare mobs of the same type; it sprinted away at the first sign of danger.

The player threw the ruby spear with fluidity, and to Kirito's shock, it flew through the air. A blue glow enveloped the intricate weapon as it soared towards its target. The speed far exceeded what he could normally achieve with throwing weapons. The fox mob had no chance, and promptly disintegrated into glowing particles. To further his shock, the ruby spear glowed briefly before disappearing. It appeared back in its owner's hand. Astounded at what he had just witnessed, he gasped.

The player turned around sharply, alarmed at the noise.

The snow had stopped, and everything was clear as day. The player's hood fell over at the sudden motion, allowing Kirito a glimpse at the face of the spear-user.

Startled violet orbs met his stare head-on.

He walked up the steps of the Inn slowly, trying to gather his thoughts. At the top of the stairs, he caught the gaze of his friend. He shared a gloomy nod with the boy, and noted that he looked notably ragged. He probably looked worse himself.

"Anything?" He asked softly. The boy shook his head sadly in answer. He wasn't surprised. Sighing as he passed his friend, he patted him on the shoulders before continuing. He was hurting... but then again, they were all hurting.

He arrived at the entrance to the long hallway of the inn. This place had been their home since the beginning of this death game. It was comforting to come 'home' every day, despite the fact that they did not own this building. But it was theirs anyway, becoming theirs by virtue of staying here every night since the beginning. Their home had always been a welcoming place after a long day of training.

Now, the house felt foreign to him, almost alien.

This particular inn was small in comparison to the others, only consisting of five rooms available for rent. At the beginning, they could only afford two rooms. One room was always reserved for Sachi, as a female, while the males shared the rest. Eventually, they were able to afford a separate room for each of them. Essentially, the inn had become theirs, as long as they paid their rent.

He walked down the narrow corridor with soft, hesitant steps. As he passed the third door down, he paused. Shaking his head, he moved on. There was no need to get lost in his thoughts once again. He had done enough of that lately. Now, he had to move on.

At the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall and facing the last door of the inn, was a boy with curly hair. The boy was looking down in a daze when he finally noticed his approach. He shook his head, and joined him by the wall.

"How is she?" He asked in a hushed whisper.

The boy sighed before answering. "She hasn't responded at all, Keita."

"You try knocking?"

"Every few minutes or so."

They stood there in silence, each wondering how to proceed. Keita stared at the door in quiet contemplation. He supposed that it was up to him now. He owed it to them all, as the leader of their guild. As the one who brought them into this death game... and the one who had failed them.

Stepping up to the door, he knocked twice firmly on the wood. Each hit resounded, echoing loudly through the corridor.

"Sachi." He called out with a level tone.

There was no response. He had not expected any, but he had to try. He knew she could hear him, despite being on the other side of a wall. Normally, all sounds would be blocked out once you closed a door. It was a privacy feature of SAO that was well known to all players. If you were in the same guild or party however, that privacy feature was removed.

"Sachi." He tried again, this time with a louder voice.

Still no response. It was plain to see that Sachi was deliberately ignoring them. With a loud sigh, he backed away from the door. There was nothing he could do for the moment, other than to give the girl some space.

"I... we will be out in the hallway, Sachi." He said hollowly. Sharing a sad look with Sasamaru he sat down against the opposing wall.

Inside the room, a girl sat lifelessly on her bed. She heard the voices of her guildmates, heard their concerned tones. But she did not acknowledge them... would not acknowledge them. Not when they couldn't understand. What she had done was unforgivable. Someone like her did not deserve their concern.

A murderer. That was who she was.

Her mind continued to replay a certain scene back to her. A whirlwind of emotions surged through her, but there was one that constantly rose to the surface.

Regret.

The cottage was just as he had left it. There didn't seem to be anything amiss as he traveled the familiar cobblestone steps to the front door. The entire area was bathed in a dull orange light, indicating the approaching sunset. Usually, arriving back home would fill him with a sense of relief. Now however, he felt hesitant, and dare he say it, fearful.

He stood before the doors nervously, unsure if he should just walk in or knock first. He usually just walked in, but with the way he had left the girls... it might be better to knock. He gathered himself before raising his hand. He was just about to knock on the door when it flew open.

"Kirito-kun!"

"Oof."

He was immediately embraced by a familiar chestnut-haired girl. The force of the embrace caused him to stumble back, and to almost fall over. The girl in his arms seemed content to remain in his arms while he steadied himself.

"A-asuna?" He called out. Hesitantly, he embraced her back, surprised at her display of affection.

The girl nuzzled into his chest for a split second before stiffening. She suddenly pushed him away, holding him at an arms length. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and anger. "Where. Have. You. Been!" Each word was accompanied by a sharp poke to his chest.

He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck in an innocent gesture. "Uhm..."

Before he could formulate a possible defense, several heads peaked out from the door.

"Kirito!"

"Oof!"

A feeling of deja-vu rose from within him as he was promptly tackled by two separate blurs. He had to smile as Lisbeth and Silica embraced him in a similar manner. It seemed that they were all worried about him, and he felt touched. He felt regretful as the girls began scolding him, but did not protest as he was led inside.

He was pushed into the living room, and shoved into the soft loveseat. The girls promptly surrounded him and began their interrogation. He did not complain, knowing that the fiery looks in their eyes meant they were in a dangerous mood, despite the relieved expressions.

"So? Where have you been?" Lisbeth asked sternly, hands by her hips. He absently noted that she fitted the stern role quite naturally. He would never voice that aloud of course.

"Just on the 20th floor, I wanted to cool off." He answered truthfully. And if his method of cooling off was to hunt down some elite mobs... well, he still wasn't lying.

She narrowed her eyes in slight suspicion, causing Kirito to shiver slightly. To his relief, she slowly softened her glare.

"We were worried about you... idiot." She said the last part in a whisper.

"I know... I'm sorry." He said quietly, taking in the concerned expressions from all of the girls around him. Silica even seemed to be teary-eyed, while the twins were sniffling softy in the back. He never meant for it to be taken this far.

"I..." His voice trailed off. "Where is she?"

He wanted to apologize to the girl he had wronged, and the fact that she was not here did not bode well. The girls all shared a look, causing a feeling of dread to creep through his heart.

"She's upstairs, Kirito-kun." Asuna told him reluctantly. "You really hurt her you know."

Lisbeth and Silica nodded. "She ran up the stairs as soon as you left." Lisbeth added.

"I've never seen Argo-chan like that..." Silica frowned, recalling the tortured expression that had been on the girl's face. It had looked completely bizarre on her usually grinning features.

"I..." He didn't know what to say. He sat still for a moment, then slowly got up and began to make his way over to the stairs.

The girls watched him go silently, each of them hoping for the best. This had been the first time any of them had actually fought with one another. Hopefully it would be the last, because the world had been one big mess the entire day.

Kirito traversed the wooden staircase in silence, inwardly thinking on how to apologize to his friend. He didn't know what he was thinking when he had yelled at her in the first place. There had been no reason to, because if he truly insisted, then she would have caved in; that he was sure of. She wouldn't have liked it, but there was a reason why she valued his opinion. She respected him.

The hallway was dimly lit, as the sun had begun to set and the lights had not yet been switched on. From his view of the hallway, he could see that the double-doors to the second floor balcony was wide open.

He felt his feet take him to the balcony, despite his growing reluctance. As he arrived at the doorway to the balcony, he spotted her.

Her auburn locks fluttered lightly in the evening breeze, and he was suddenly stricken by the sight. She did not have her make-up applied, showing a perfectly unblemished face. From his vantage point he could only see her side profile, but her expression... was completely blank as she stared out over the balcony. Her eyes held a dull glow, a contrast from her usual vibrant brown orbs.

She looked... alone.

He found himself just staring at her for a few moments, not knowing what to say. He hadn't needed to begin, as Argo seemed to sense him.

"Kirito-kun." She mumbled, turning her head slightly so that she could look at him. Her mouth twitched upwards for a grin, but fell swiftly. She turned away from him; the action hurt him, but he understood why.

"Argo..." He called her name softly, and after a pause, slowly continued, "I..."

He stepped closer, but stopped halfway. He wanted to apologize, but couldn't formulate the right words. He wanted to tell her that he was wrong, and that he had been selfish. She had been looking out for him, and instead of appreciating her efforts, he spurned her.

Sighing, he closed the gap between them and embraced her from behind. He smiled as she squeaked loudly at the action. She went stiff in his arms, but he didn't mind, he wanted to convey something to her.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into her ears.

Those two words seemed to sap the strength from the girl in his arms. She sunk into his embrace and Kirito had to tighten his hold in order to keep her upright. "A-argo?"

She mumbled quietly in a low voice. He looked down in confusion as he could not hear what she was saying. "Argo?" He asked again.

She turned suddenly around in his hold, facing him head-on. "You're not fair, Kirito-kun..." She murmured, adding to his confusion. "I'm supposed to be mad at you." She buried her face into the crook of his neck, suddenly hugging him back. "And yet..."

He smiled sadly. "My bad." He apologized with a quiet tone, receiving a soft giggle in return. The two of them were content to remain in each others' arms for the moment. The sun had finally set, casting the area into sudden darkness. A moment later, the lighting system came to life, and the two lanterns by the door bathed the area in its ethereal glow.

It was Kirito who broke the silence. "I was selfish." He said. Argo gave no indication she heard him, but did not interrupt him. "You were right, and I was wrong." He continued, this time receiving a 'hmph' from the girl. "Do you forgive me?" He finally asked.

She slowly broke away from the deep embrace, eyeing him with a carefully neutral expression. He was worried for a moment, before she smirked mischievously. "That depends, Ki-bou." She said coyly. "What do I get in return?" She sniggered.

Sighing aloud, but inwardly, he was glad to see a sign of the old Argo. It seemed that she was willing to forgive him after all. He resigned himself to doing whatever she wanted for the time being; after all, he had brought it all down upon them. From now on, he vowed to trust the girl in front of him completely. She deserved nothing less.

Laughing lightly, she took his arm in hers. "Come on, Ki-bou, let's see what Asuna-chi has for dinner."

Humming as she led them towards the others, she abruptly looked back at him in curiosity. "Where did you go anyway?"

Her question immediately reminded him of something that had happened earlier today. He had put the encounter to the back of his mind since entering the cottage, but now that Argo had forgiven him, it was brought back to the front.

"About that, is it possible for you to find information about a particular player?" He asked. She looked at him in disbelief, as if she could not believe what she had just heard. "I mean with just a description." He added quickly, not wanting to insult her knowledge-gathering prowess.

"Of course!" She answered smugly. "I know everything and everyone!"

Kirito smiled at her exuberant answer. He didn't know why the brief encounter had sparked his interest so badly, but there was one thing that he knew for sure.

Those eyes, those purple orbs... he recognized them.

The area around him was very familiar. It was a short distance away from the southern gates of the «Starting City». Its major landmark was a tall willow tree that towered over the immediate area. With a scattering of large rocks, a couple of fallen logs that littered the area, and being enveloped by a large pond... It was a scene of tranquility.

Kirito felt nostalgic as he took in the scenery. The very first time he had encountered this area was a week into the game. He had been ragged from the excessive amount of grinding he had been doing. As he began the long trek back to his home, he accidently stumbled upon this place. At night, the pond glittered with an ethereal light, and the willow tree rustled gently in the breeze. He fell asleep at the foot of the tree, and for the first time in that week, he had woken up fully rested.

The second time he encountered the area, was when he arranged for the first meeting of the clearers. He had been filled with a nervous trepidation that day. Full of doubt and second guesses. What if they did not listen? What if he only served to highlight their differences? And what if it was an impossibility after all? Somewhere along the way, he lost his doubts. He gained something that day. A measure of hope.

Now, returning to the beginning, and coming to this very area... Kirito had no more doubts. He wasn't the one with the doubts however, as the myriad of players around the area interacted nervously with one another. He eyed them with slight amusement, wondering why they seemed so twitchy. It probably had something to do with the way Argo was eyeing them, a predatory expression on her face.

It was quite a different bunch of players they had gathered here today. Spanning from players who had barely leveled up at all, to players that could have been on the front lines. They were all painstakingly selected between the five of them, after carefully examining the details that Argo and the twins provided. They were mostly looking only for one thing; loyalty and potential.

In that regard, a good majority of the players in the clearing were actually part of an existing party or group. These stragglers were those that did not join a major guild, and instead partied with one another. There was a surprising number of these groups of players, who did not fit into any of the existing categories. Typically, you placed the players of Aincrad into three groupings. Those who did not fight, such as the majority of the merchant classes, and those who had given up on clearing were in the first group. Then there were those who fell into the middle-tier, those who 'played' the game, venturing out carefully several floors below the front lines. Lastly, you had the clearers, who took to the front lines.

These were friends who gathered together, each of them with different levels of resolve. Even if some of them were strong enough to fight on the front lines, they chose to stay with their friends. It was an admirable trait, and that was why Argo primarily selected them. Loyalty to friends was something to be prized.

There was an abundance of girls in the crowd, much to his surprise. It seemed that a good many of the female players had banded together in small groups. That did not mean they were weak however, as he could tell from the determination in their eyes, that they were willing to fight. Some of them threw him an errant glance every now and then.

"So, what do you think?" A voice asked from behind him.

He turned around casually, not surprised to find Argo smirking, arms crossed with a smug expression on her face. She had reason to be smug after all, being the one to assemble the crowd before him. It was one thing to read up on all of the information on a certain player, it was another to see them in person. And judging by how they handled themselves, the information that Argo provided was uncannily accurate.

"They have potential." He admitted. If all of the information that she provided were true, then he could see several of them working together. Now, he just needed to make sure that they were all willing. "So... how do we do this?" He asked curiously.

Argo blinked. "Uhm... you're the leader." She stated, as if that answered his question.

He sighed at her response. He wasn't really surprised at her behaviour however, and began to gesture for the girls to gather. Asuna, Lisbeth, and Silica had been engaging several of the groups in conversation, but broke off as they saw his signalling. They arrived promptly, giving him a curious glance.

"Right, well, since I have no idea how to... recruit someone, let's just go with your personal opinions." He stated.

"Ah, what do you mean?" Lisbeth asked. "Just talk to them?"

"Really?"

"Not very smooth, Ki-bou." Argo teased, to which he sent her an exasperated look.

"I trust your judgement." He told the girls. "If you think that they can work with us, then invite them."

All of the girls had an Officer role in the guild system, meaning they could freely invite members as they pleased. None of them had taken advantage of this feature, except for Argo. They all nodded in understanding.

"Alright, I'll talk to the girls on the left." Asuna said with a grin. She had made friends with the large group of female players as soon as they had entered the clearing. It seemed that they had connected with her, judging by their looks of happiness as she walked over to them.

The other girls followed in a similar manner, each of them taking a general direction and grabbing the attention of the players scattered there. Hopefully, they would be able to get a good feeling just from conversing, as Kirito did not know any other manner of assessing the members. He believed that every player had the potential, and that it was only their level of commitment that held them back.

He looked to his right, finding the adorable sight of Silica nervously looking around, trying to decide if she should be joining them in recruiting. Pina sat on her shoulders, looking startled as his owner seemed quite agitated.

"It's fine Silica." He said, startling the girl slightly. He patted her head fondly. "I think they can handle it."

Indeed, the girls had found a tempo that seemed to work, judging by the serious expressions on the players' faces. They each paid rapt attention as the girls spoke, and did not interrupt unless they were asked a question. He found it oddly humorous that Argo was talking amiably with a small group of male players, as they seemed to tower over her short stature. Lisbeth was talking with another mixed group, apparently appraising their weapons for some reason.

"Ah, but I- I wanted to help." Silica said sadly, pouting as she remained by his side. Kirito simply chuckled, furthering the girl's pout.

"Come, sit with me." He said in a soft tone. She fell into step beside him, and he led the two towards the lake. He figured that the girls could handle things for now.

He sat down atop a fallen log, and Silica sat next to him, her legs dangling over the edge of the water. Pina flew over the lake in happiness, and together, the two of them gazed out into the glittering mass of water. It really was a serene sight. He supposed that the recruiting was going well, surpassing his original expectations. All of the potential recruits really did seem to be interested in joining their guild, and not just because of their reputation.

"Neh, Kirito-kun." She asked from beside him.

"Mmm?"

She looked back curiously at the gathered recruits, before turning back to him. "Do we really need to recruit more people?" She asked curiously, her head tilted to the side. "I mean, we have been doing fine haven't we?"

Kirito sent her a smile. The girl beside him was someone that had surprised him time and time again. Despite her short stature, Silica had proved herself to be someone worthy of fighting alongside them. In the beginning, he wouldn't have minded if the younger girl had decided to step back from the boss battles. She never did, and instead, seemed almost eager to battle these days.

"We have." He agreed. "But the main reason we are doing this... well, it isn't entirely for ourselves."

Silica looked confused at that. "Not for ourselves?" She asked.

"It's for everyone else. The players that came here today, they all have the same goal as us." He said wistfully. "But not all of them have had the advantages that we had."

"Advantages... ah..." Silica thought for a moment. "You mean you and Argo-chan?"

Kirito hummed in agreement. He never tried to hide the fact that he had been a beta tester, as he had felt that it would only help others. Argo was the same way, but chose to use her beta tester knowledge in a more discreet manner. The information booklet that she had contrived in the beginning had probably saved countless number of lives.

"We did try out best in the beginning, to help as many as we can." He remembered coming back from his training sessions a tired mess, but still tried to help any players he encountered on the way.

"It had been a mess in the beginning, and it still is at times." He admitted. In the first few weeks, tensions had been incredibly high, and he felt himself refraining from helping out as much. Somewhere along the way, he gave up entirely on offering help.

Silica nodded, remembering the atmosphere of those days. It had been suffocating. "The same goal..." She murmured.

"We need all the help we can get, in order to clear this game." He finished. Instead of hiding and wasting the days away, he felt that the majority of the population should be helping to clear the game. It was a worrisome sight, to see a good portion of the playerbase simply give up, and try their best to live in the game.

"I see..." She seemed to consider his words, brows furrowed in thought.

Kirito sighed in slight exasperation, suddenly pulling the smaller girl to his side.

"Eep!"

"You're overthinking it, Silica." He ruffled the girls hair, causing her to pout. "Don't worry, with those three leading the way, there's nothing to worry about."

The smaller girl had to giggle at that. If there was a force of nature in Aincrad, then it was probably the trio of girls that were currently doing the recruitment work. They were incredibly scary when they had the same goal in mind.

The two fell into companionable silence, content to simply observe the beautiful scenery around them. She rested her head against his side, and he brought her closer to him. The girl seemed content for the moment.

Looking around the area carefully, he made note of how many people they would be recruiting. Since the players were all in groups, he doubted that they would join without all of the other members of their party. Altogether there were about two dozen new members that would be joining them, if they were all accepted. It was a novel idea, and he wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it.

He was startled out of his thoughts when a resounding -ding- sounded throughout the clearing. Initially, he thought it came from one of the gathered players, but soon found the blinking icon at the edge of his vision. Somebody had sent him a PM.

"Kirito-kun?" Silica asked, jolting him from his thoughts.

"Ah, just a PM..." He trailed off, frowning as he brought up the game menu.

His friend's list was very short, with only the girls and a scattering of contacts being on it. If it was not the girls that contacted him, then it was probably one of his contacts on the front lines. He hoped it was not anything that would be a cause for concern. He certainly had enough of that these days.

The message was from Keita. Kirito blinked at the PM on display, he could not imagine what the leader of the Black Cat's wanted from him. It had been a month or so since they had last contacted one another. He knew the girls kept in touch with Sachi, but he himself did not really socialize with the others.

As he scanned the contents of the brief message, his brows furrowed in alarm. There wasn't any details in the message... but it left a sinking feeling in his gut.

Keita: We need your help Kirito. Please answer as soon as you can.

He stood up swiftly.

The main city of the first floor was as massive as ever. Of course, having been designed to be able to house 10,000 people at the same time, its size was quite reasonable. It had been a comforting sight to the majority of the players who had made it their home. As the weeks continued to pile on however, they began to grow sick of the familiar buildings and structures. It began to feel like a prison.

A part of the reason why people constantly moved up to the upper floors was because they did not want to be reminded of their current state. The «Starting City» was essentially the place where there nightmare began. As such, a good number of players had left the city for good, choosing to never return. Those who remained however... stayed because they still clung on to that small fragment of hope. To huddle in safety, never venturing beyond the first floor, and to wait. Wait for their rescue.

Kirito did not understand how the players could remain day after day in the city, especially after almost a year had passed. Did they not realise their situation? That they were alone, and that the only chance they had of escaping was to fight. He hoped that they would realize the truth soon, because they would need all the help they could get in order to fully clear this game.

"There's still so many people here..." Asuna whispered from his side. He nodded in agreement, seeing the amount of attention they drew.

"They never moved on." He said in answer to her unspoken question. They mostly loitered in the streets, conversing with each other, and sometimes the merchants. This was not like the crowds on the upper levels however, as the general atmosphere was quite depressing. Their eyes were dull and their expressions hopeless.

As they traversed the wide streets of the city, most of the crowd moved out of the way for them. He made quite the sight along with Asuna, both of them dressed regally in their royal uniform. From just their clothing alone, they already made a stark contrast with their surroundings. Most of the players had transitioned to basic cloth armour, made for comfort wear. There were no signs of weaponry, a strange sight considering the nature of the game.

Some of them recognized the two, and whispers broke out as they passed them. He supposed it was only natural, having rarely been to the «Starting City» since the first floor was cleared. Especially now that it was peak hours.

They did not have to walk far to get to their destination. The store they stopped at was one of the more expensive restaurants in the city. That did not mean much, considering how high leveled they were. The most expensive items in this restaurant did not hold a candle to the luxurious shops currently on the front line.

The sign outside of the shop illustrated the head of a boar, and matched the theme of high quality wood that was prevalent along the street. Stepping inside of the restaurant, he held the door open for Asuna. She gave him a smile as she stepped inside.

As they entered the restaurant, they were immediately hit by the scent of smoke. The low lighting took a toll on their eyes, and they had to squint for several moments, getting used to the light. It had a 'bar' type of feel to it, being mostly outfitted with wooden furniture. There was a scattering of players in the restaurant, and they briefly glanced up at the duo that entered. They quickly averted their eyes when Kirito scanned the room.

He saw the lone figure sitting by the corner almost immediately, and gestured for Asuna to follow him. As they arrived at the table, he took in the male player before him appraisingly. There was definitely something wrong in the general atmosphere, as the player in front of him seemed to be half-dead.

"Keita-san?" He asked, startling the man. He sat up suddenly, eyes wide and snapping at every direction in a panic. As he saw the two in front of him, he immediately relaxed, sinking back down into his seat.

"A-ah... Kirito-san, Asuna-san." He muttered, holding a hand to his chest, trying to calm his erratic breathing. His eyes looked bloodshot, causing Kirito to frown.

"Keita-san, are you okay?" Asuna asked in slight alarm. The usually friendly and talkative player in front of them seemed to be a completely different person.

"I'm fine." He replied in a tired voice, not reassuring them one bit.

Kirito examined him with a critical eye. "When was the last time you slept, Keita-san?" He asked sharply.

The player before them did not answer, merely choosing to stare down at the table. He shared a look of concern with Asuna, before sitting down across from him. They sat in a restless silence for a few moments.

"I... I don't know how to say this." Keita began tonelessly, he refrained from looking up at them.

"Take it easy, Keita-san." Kirito encouraged slightly. The player in front of him shifted slightly, clenching his fist that were on the table. He relaxed the gesture after a few moments, seemingly forcing himself to relax.

"Ducker is gone." He stated hollowly.

Kirito blanched, surprise and shock apparent on his face. He sunk into his seat in disbelief.

"...What?" Asuna asked, confusion evident on her face. She did not make the connection yet. She was someone who did not immediately think the worst of a given situation.

Kirito was someone who did. "You mean... ?"

"He's dead." Keita finished in an emotionless voice. Asuna immediately gasped, bringing her hands up to cup her mouth in horror. "It was my fault." He added.

He understood now, given the situation at hand. The death of a guild member... it was something that kept him up at times. Nightmares about one of the girls dying as a consequence of a boss battle gone wrong, or in a dungeon. But the reality of the situation was something that he had experienced before.

The death of a player under his command. The first time it happened, he had been speechless, utterly shocked. It happened so fast, that he could not even associate the dispersing polygons with the fallen player. Death in Aincrad was a brutal procedure... because it happened in a flash, leaving no sign that the player, a human being, had lived.

But those deaths were not a direct result of his actions, he could only imagine what Keita must be feeling right now.

"Is everyone else safe?" He asked, unsure if he wanted an answer.

"Yes." Keita replied simply. "But... " He trailed off, trying to formulate the right words. "Sachi." He finished.

Asuna gasped once again. "Oh no... " She could only imagine what the poor girl must be feeling right now. Sachi had told her that the people in her guild were her family, and that, if not for them, she would be hopelessly lost.

"How is she?" Kirito asked in place of Asuna. He himself, was worried too, as the timid girl had made an impression on all of them over the past few months. Their most recent meeting had been when they had helped them tackle a dungeon together, and to their surprise, she had been the one leading the way.

"Not so well, since..." The leader of the Black Cats did not know how to properly say it. "She was the only one who saw Ducker... when he died."

Asuna had grabbed Kirito's hands under the table, and squeezed it for comfort. It was more for her own, as she seemed to be on the edge of her seat. He knew that she wanted to immediately go to the girl, and could not blame her. Friends were important.

"What happened, Keita?" He asked seriously. The Black Cats had been at the point where they could be considered a mid-tiered guild. They had been steadily reducing the gap between the front lines, and had been tackling the dungeons that were a few floors below.

"I don't know." Keita answered helplessly, shaking his head in despair. "I mean... one moment we were clearing the dungeon perfectly, our HP bar barely falling, and the next..." He closed his eyes, remembering the startled shouts as Ducker sprinted past them. "The next... " He couldn't finish.

Kirito grimaced, trying to imagine the scene. "Where was it?" He asked.

Keita took a moment before answering. "It was an «Undiscovered Dungeon» on the 27th floor." His tone was broken as he continued. "We... we thought we could do it. I- I truly believed that we could." He swallowed. "I failed them."

He wanted to open his mouth and assure him that he did not, but knew that his words would be empty. This was a combination of survivor's guilt, and of course, the guilt that came with being a leader. "You didn't know." He said simply.

"That's the point. I didn't know." He scrunched his eyes in pain. "I didn't know anything... about the dungeon... about the game..." He recalled how Ducker had been explaining to him a few weeks before, about how some of the traps worked in a dungeon. Ducker had been their resident 'thief' class, even before becoming trapped in SAO. He was one of the players that really got into their role, so much that they tended to research every bit of information in order to best play their part. He had overlooked the information, and zoned out on his excitable ramblings.

"Keita..."

"We heard Sachi shouting, and when we got there... she was pointing at a door, crying and screaming, and... we just watched... we..." He slammed his fists onto the table, startling the two of them, and the few patrons of the restaurant. "He died alone." He added in a whisper.

There was complete silence, as all eyes turned to the wreck of a player. He had tears streaming down his face. The sight was hard to take in. Kirito turned around to glare at the curious eyes of the diners, causing most of them to look away.

Keita rubbed away the tears on his face, taking a moment to compose himself. Kirito and Asuna sat there awkwardly, neither of them knowing what to do.

"Kirito-san... Asuna-san..." He said softly, this time with a pleading tone. "I need- no, Sachi needs your help."

"Of course, anything we can do Keita-san." He assured him.

"Thank you." He met their gaze for a few seconds, genuinely appreciating their help. "We're... hurting, but Sachi... we don't know what to do. She hasn't come out of her room in the past three days, and nothing we say or do can get her to answer us." He revealed with a grimace.

"Three days?" Asuna gasped, alarmed. Although you would not perish from the lack of food or water in SAO, it took a very special mindset in order to constantly ignore the natural urges. She herself had done the same thing in the first week, barely remembering what she had been doing at the time.

Keita nodded solemnly. "We've been taking turns outside of her room... just looking out for her, but..." He looked away. "She won't talk to us."

Kirito shared a look with Asuna, and was unsurprised to see the resolve in her eyes. Looking back towards Keita, he gave him a firm stare. "We will do our best, Keita-san."

A look of relief washed over the solemn leader. "Thank you... once again..." He stood up, and bowed low. He watched on as the two stood up, and began to make their way out of the restaurant.

He stared at the backs of the two strongest players in Aincrad, hesitating before following.

"If only I were stronger..." He whispered, his voice unheard.

The inn was just as he remembered it; small and quaint, it gave off a homely aura. He walked in slowly, almost afraid of what he would find inside. Asuna and Keita followed him in a moment later.

They ignored the standard greeting from the inn-keeper, in favour of making their way up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, Kirito waited for the two to catch up. Looking down the corridor, he saw the two familiar faces of Sasamaru and Tetsuo. The two of them were leaning against the wall, facing the very last door of the hall. They shared the same gloomy and desperate look as their guild leader. It seemed that none of the Black Cats had been sleeping.

Keita led the three of them down the corridor, immediately attracting the attention of his two guild members. They looked up with surprise as they took in the regal uniforms of the two players behind him.

"Keita!" Tetsuo exclaimed. He blinked as Kirito and Asuna came up next to his guild leader. "Kirito-san, Asuna-san..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Tetsuo." Kirito greeted. He shared a look with Asuna, neither of them knew what to say.

Thankfully, it was Keita who came to their rescue. "They're here to help." He stated firmly.

Sasaumaru and Tetsuo nodded, and made room for the three of them. They walked past the two, and stopped before the door that was undoubtedly Sachi's, given Keita's solemn expression.

He gave the two of them a small glance, before turning his attention to the door. He knocked twice, each knock resounding loudly. "Sachi." He called out. "There's someone here to see you."

The group waited awkwardly outside of the door, awaiting some sort of acknowledgement from the girl inside.

There was none.

"Keita-san." Kirito grabbed the leader's attention. "Perhaps it would be better if you left us alone with her." He offered.

He did not know what Sachi was feeling, but he could guess that a big part of her not wanting to talk had to do with her guild members. It would be a slight chance, but it might be better if Sachi only heard from a voice that she confided in.

"I..." Keita started to say, but closed his mouth. "Alright." He agreed with a sigh. He was simply too tired to argue for the moment. "Just... do your best." He called over his shoulders.

He grabbed the remaining two members of his damaged guild before walking away from them. Asuna and Kirito watched the trio trudge on in a defeated manner. The atmosphere was gloomy and filled with despair. They could not fault them for that however, as one of the pillars of their group had fallen. Never to rise again.

"What do we do now, Kirito-kun?" Asuna asked in a low whisper. She was incredibly worried for Sachi, but did not know how to proceed. It was hard to talk to someone you could not see after all.

"She should be able to hear us... we're on her friends list." He noted softly. He had been surprised when the shy girl had added him as a friend, but had gladly accepted. She sent him the odd private message now and then, often asking for tips.

He took a moment to think, before nodding. "Talk to her Asuna, you know her better than I do."

It was true, as Asuna and the girls frequently met with Sachi on a regular basis. What they got up to when they were together was a mystery to him. But one thing he knew for sure, was that Asuna had made a great friend in the blue-haired girl. He felt that the girl beside him would have a much better chance than anyone else at getting through to the girl.

Asuna hesitated, looking worried and nervous at the same time. She swallowed, and seemed to gather all of her resolve. Turning to face the door, she cleared her throat, before knocking.

"Sachi?" She called out hesitantly. Her ears were pressed against the door, hoping to hear a hint of the girl hidden inside. "Sachi." She repeated, this time in a louder voice.

There was a very faint sound of shuffling.

Asuna blinked, and hesitated again. She could not be sure if she had actually heard something, but she felt that the girl was definitely inside. "Sachi, I..." She trailed off, unsure of exactly what to say. Mere words of sympathy felt lacking and empty. What could you say to someone who had experienced such a loss?

Nothing.

"Sachi, are you alright?" She said with a worried tone. "I- we're all worried, Sachi." She closed her eyes in thought, trying to formulate her next words. "Your friends... Keita, Sasamaru, Tetsuo, and us. We're terribly worried."

There was no response, and Asuna felt her heart drop. She looked helplessly back at Kirito, who looked down. He was no good in something like this. Give him a task, something that he could physically do, and he would accomplish it by the end of the day. But mending the hearts of others... that was not his talent. Despite what the girls believed, he was not someone that connected easily.

Asuna leaned her head against the door, she felt helpless. "We will wait, Sachi. Right outside here, alright? Anytime you're ready... just..." She trailed off.

She backed away from the door slowly, stopping beside Kirito. He patted her on the shoulders, trying to comfort the distraught girl. She looked to be on the verge of tears. "She won't answer..."

"Give her time." He said softly. They stared at the door in silence, each of them wanting to help, but unable to find a way.

It was after staring at the door for a good five minutes later, that Kirito finally decided to try something. "Asuna." He called out slowly. "I want to speak with Sachi alone."

She looked at him with slight surprise and curiosity. "Uhm... okay. But why?" She asked. Asuna trusted him completely, that was without a doubt, but she could not imagine any reason for Kirito to speak with Sachi alone.

"I think there's something she needs to hear... in private." He stated simply, hoping that she wouldn't question him on it. Thankfully, Asuna simply nodded in response.

"Alright... I'll wait over by the stairs." She replied. "I... good luck, Kirito-kun." She said earnestly.

Watching her go with a wistful expression, Kirito silently readied himself for what he was about to say. From what he knew of the current mess, it was that Ducker had sacrificed himself for Sachi. He was the only one who had the right skills in order to detect the trap ahead of time. The fact that he reacted instantly only added to his theory. Ducker had to have made the decision almost instantly... the thought chilled him.

He went up the door, but did not knock. "Sachi." He called out with a steady voice. He waited for a reply, desperately hoping for a sign of life. As he expected, there was none, and he resigned himself to his original plan. "It's me, Kirito." He added.

Taking a few moments to gather himself, he continued. "You probably don't want to hear this from me, but... Ducker wouldn't have wanted this."

Nothing.

"He gave his life for you." He paused, as he definitely heard a sound of movement. A minute passed, before he continued. "You have to live on for his sake... and continue to move on." He told her, hoping to get some sort of reaction.

Silence.

He was worried now. His words were true, but he had wanted some sort of reaction from her, whether it was angry or sad. The fact that she did not even react did not sit well with him. It was even worse than he thought.

"I'm going to go now, Sachi." He said with a resigned tone. As he stepped away from the door, he hesitated. There was still one thing he could say that could possibly coax a reaction from her, but he did not know if he wanted to go down that path. He furrowed his brows in thought, wondering if the girl inside was as distraught as he believed. If she continued this way... he shook his head, it was best not to think of the worst.

A sign of life. That was what they needed.

He moved back in front of the door. "There's a rumour going around, Sachi." He began, his tone was serious. "It's not very credible, but I think it could be worth looking into." This was it, no going back. "It's said that on the eve of Christmas, a unique boss will appear on a certain floor in Aincrad... It is also said to drop an extremely rare item... that will be able to revive a player." He finished.

He waited with a baited breath, for any sign of life from the girl. He had hoped that the rumour would gather a reaction from the girl inside, but it seemed that she was ignoring him. He had been ready to leave when a series of rapid footsteps sounded from inside the room.

The door opened with a bang.

The blue-haired girl was ragged and her eyes were bloodshot, devoid of life. She stared into his eyes with a burning hunger. He was speechless.

"Tell me everything."

A/N: Thanks for reading!

So, we have an official meeting with Sinonon, but alas, she is quite shy at the moment, bolting after meeting him. She was familiar to Kirito however, which does not bode well for her independance. Kirito is rather persistent when he is properly motivated after all. (Oh, and no, she does not have a Unique Skill.)

An argument with Argo, and the recruitment session. I wasn't planning on making Argo clash with Kirito, but Fool's Journey pointed out how brash and assertive she was being last chapter, and I agreed. She tried to do everything her way, without consulting Kirito at first. But of course, they made up, because in the end, she was only looking out for him.

Minor tidbit about the recruitment scene, as you might have noticed that I didn't spend time on specifics. I never put the focus on OC's, and rarely show a scene from their perspective. And I probably never will in this story, simply because the canon characters have so much more potential to be explored. The added members are simply to create a more impacting influence with the guild, after all, you can't have Royalty without some subjects. A hint at Silica's growth too btw.

Focusing on the Black Cats. Poor Sachi huh? Improved her confidence to extreme levels, only to have it all dissipate in a single moment. She is in quite a worrisome state at the moment, which can only get worse as she pushes herself to the limit, trying to accomplish her goal of redemption.

Most of these is for future developments, as I like to introduce interesting ideas/scenes in a more cohesive manner.

Tell me if you hate/like the developments, or the way the story seems to be heading. At this rate, the game is approaching the 1 year mark, which is also near the half point of my expected story length. Of course, the most amazing conflicts is still waiting to be written, so look forward to that.

As always, I want to thank everyone for reviewing so far, and for following this story. The support has been tremendous. I really didn't expect to continue this story for long.

Thanks to my betas (n0mster, and Victory3114) for their hard work.

Next Chapter: A White Christmas

SAO fic recommendations of the day:

Swords of the Living Dead by nanaya88

-Very interesting concept with adding the undead into SAO. The fact that players return to life after being killed is... very cruel.

-Featuring Sinon and Kirito, which is awesome.

-Not completely focused on the undead element, as there is still the usual humour associated with the cast.