Another Survivor

The world around them was different from what they were used to. Yusei and Kira didn't know where to even start. The map given to them was difficult to understand. They started exploring the city they fell in. They could see players with their screen name over their heads.

It felt surreal seeing them since they look normal but with an upgrade. They were wearing special suits, armor and gear that is meant for a soldier about to head into battle. No one realized they were actually in the game and not avatars.

They see players vanish in plain sight with no reaction from the others. Kira can judge it was them logging out of the game. "This is really happening" she thought, feeling out of place. Although, she had heard of the game but not played it herself. It's highly popular because it gives an experience someone would dream of. She started checking her status and can see her skills and levels of each one. Out of them all, her sword skills are the highest one. "So it matches with your current level in the real world" she thought. She can see potential in this. She looked over at Yusei who was silent. His expression never stopped being serious. His eyes were dead set looking forward.

"Tell me...who is Jason? It seems like you two know each other?" Kira asked.

There was no response or reaction from Yusei. Kira's eye twitched a little. She was getting frustrated with him. She straightened her back and quickly walked to his side. This was the last person she wanted to be stuck with in a game.

"Hey, didn't your mother teach you to respond to someone who is talking to you" Kira spoke.

For a second she thought she saw a reaction.

"Have you heard of the Grim?" said a male player to his group of friends.

"ya...I heard he is a player who died from the original game but his soul returned to this game" said another.

"Pfft...that's just a rumor" said another male who is the tallest of the group.

"Oh really...how about the players that fought against him...not one has been seen ever since!"

"Means those players were weak" said the tallest player summoning a rifle and swinging it but stops the moment he spots Yusei who quickly stopped walking.

Yusei's eyes were staring at the hole of the rifle. He raises his eyes to the player holding the gun. "Apex" he thought reading his name above his head.

"Hey watch where you are pointing that" Kira spoke in a serious tone.

"oh..Apex careful-!" said his friend Seth.

"What's with the stare" Apex asked Yusei not liking how he was looking at him. "Have you not seen a rifle before?"

Yusei stayed quite continuing giving a cold stare. Apex kissed his teeth then raised the tip of the rifle to Yusei's head.

"Apex!-" the other players said.

"Hey!" Kira shouted, feeling her heart speeding up.

Kira couldn't stop thinking about the letter they received when they got here. If they die in this world, they die in the real one but these players here don't know this fact about their situation. They know that if they do any harm to a player in the game, they won't feel it in real life.

Yusei leaned his forehead against the tip of the rifle. Everyone including Kira were shocked. His eyes were dead set on Apex who gave him an awful look. Yusei knew the consequences but, the only thing in his mind was getting revenge against Max. The feeling of anger and hate consumed his heart that was empty before.

"What are you waiting for?" Yusei spoke in a deep tone.

Kira's eyes widen a bit hearing those words come out of his mouth. She couldn't believe what he said. Apex had his finger on the trigger.

Click.

OOO

"Gruh!" Kirito groans leaning against a rocky wall holding his stomach.

This pain felt so real to him. It didn't make sense how he was feeling it if he is inside of this world. He didn't know how he got himself inside in the first place. He was in a forest trying to run away from the beast chasing him. The moment he came to this world, a monster was trying to kill him.

Luckily, it seems like the account he is using is his sword art online. Which explains his situation. He doesn't see the log out button. He is assuming, the same rules apply as back then. He thought it was over. He hears a twig snap.

He starts running. He pulls out a potion and drinks it. The wound went away and his health bar increased. He increases his speed and dashes from the beast chasing him. He couldn't quite identify what it was. The lag on it was real. He feels like it's a virus since whatever it touches, glitches out of control.

Himself included. He hated seeing Asuna look so sad when she was so close to him. He was going to figure a way out of this. He turns around and stops running. He pulls out his two swords.

"ok..I had enough of you!" Kirito shouts. "Lets try this again!"

His swords glow an aqua blue colour. He dashes to the monster and swings once. The instant it touches the beast, Kirito starts glitching chaotically until they both disappear.

OOO

"Not even a flinch" Apex said slowly lifting his gun rifle away, staring dead in the eye of Yusei. "Your a tough one"

"What" Kira said confused what didn't happen.

"It looks to me you two are new around here judging by your levels" Apex states. "We're in a restricted area. Disabling the ability to attack someone with a weapon"

Apex swings his rifle and pulls the trigger a few times in random directions but no bullet came out. His rifle disappears entering back into his inventory. Yusei's gaze never left Apex.

"Careful with that stare...you can make enemies here with it" Apex said in a serious tone.

"How did you get your weapon?" Yusei asked.

"You really are noobs" Apex said sighing. "I'll give you a short tutorial for making your girl worried-"

"HEY!...we are not together" Kira shouts with rage.

Apex turns around and starts walking toward a dome building. His friends followed behind as well as Yusei who kept his expression. It wasn't aimed toward Apex. The image of Max is the only thing he sees.

OOO

It's been five hours and nothing new happened. Asuna and everyone were in the summer home feeling exhausted. Kirito's location is becoming very unpredictable. It was driving everyone frustrated. Especially Asuna who wants to continue to search for him but in her state now, she is going to pass out.

She was sitting with her back arched forward. She was looking down holding her head. Lisbeth was next to her. She had her hand on her shoulder.

"We are going to find him Asuna that's for certain but not like this. We need to rest so we can search again tomorrow" Lisbeth said in a comforting tone.

"I know," Asuna said, leaning back and looking at everyone. "Thank you everyone for helping me"
"Of course..Kirito is our friend. He helped us before...it's time to return the favor" Klein said with a smile.

"Ya don't worry we will find him" Silica states with confidence in her expression.

Asuna smiles at her friends. They all have been through alot together. They all got to know each other because of Kirito. "Kirito...everyone is not going to give up on you...so whatever your fighting with don't give up" she thought thinking back at the thing attacking him.

"Yui..did you find anything on what that thing was?" Sinon asked her.

"It's some kind of computer virus. I don't recognize its data but it causes glitches to any part of the world it touches" Yui answers her.

"Who was able to hack their way into this world" Lisbeth states astounded.

"Someone smart and evil" Klein states.

"The strange part is...this virus came even before Kirito went missing" Yui exclaims.

"What...how didn't we not know it was here" Lisbeth asked.

"It mutated. From what I can gather, the data rapidly changes mixing with the code of this world but it's more like it's trying to merge" Yui exclaims.

"So someone is behind this," Sinon states.

Asuna can't believe someone was trying to hack into the virtual world. What benefit would they get in hacking this world and planting a virus that causes glitches. Is it connected with Kirito or that mark? She feels that there is more to this then they know.

OOO

There was a long empty room that had windows with no glass. Kirito appears slamming into the wall. He looked beat up and his health bar was in the yellow. He was breathing heavily. He was sitting down finally getting rested. It took him a couple of swings to really do some damage. Question is, did he kill it. Kirito sensed someone was in the room with him. He gripped his swords and stood up. The lower part of the room was shadowed.

"Who's there?" Kirito asked.

He started hearing footsteps coming closer to him. A player had armor pads on his forearms, legs and a chest plate. He had a complete visor showing Kirito's reflection. He also had a hoodie on. Kirito didn't think he was an ordinary player. "Nautilus" he thought, seeing his username. It wasn't familiar to him.

"Who are you?" Kirito asked.

"...your Kirito...the hero of SAO" he spoke.

"Uh..you know me? That means.." Kirito said, realizing who he might be. "Your one of the survivors"

"Yes I am" Nautilus spoke. "It seems like your in trouble"
"Ya a little" Kirito said softly chuckling. "Something strange is going on and found myself in the middle of it"

"I'm in a similar situation myself" Nautilus said, turning to the window.

There was a good view of the city. He could see the dome at the center of it. Kirito look as well and realized this wasn't alfheim. "I'm in gungale" he thought. Suddenly, Kirito felt a blade went through his shoulder. His eyes widen with shock staring at Nautilus who had his blade pointing to the ceiling.

"Guh" Kirito said, falling to his knees holding the part that connected with his arm. "ARGHHHHH!"

The pain was incredible. Kirito could feel his body in shock. The feeling of his left arm wasn't there. He was breathing heavily trying to feel. He felt his head getting stomped by Nautilus.

"Grrrh...w-what are you d-doing-" Kirito said confused and afraid.

"Trying to make you feel pain..then" Nautilus said in a cold tone. "Kill you"

Nautilus pointed his blade at Kirito who couldn't react or do anything. The pain was clouding his mind and preventing him from moving. "Am I going to die" he thought. Memories of Asuna came flooding to him. He remembered when he was close to death, Asuna came right in front of him and died in his arms.

Kirito's breathing slowed down. That memory kept replaying in his mind. "No...Asuna" he thought. His heart was remembering the feelings he felt in that moment. He was powerless, weak and had nothing to live for.

Nautilus watches Kirito sink into despair. There was a cloak of darkness consuming Kirito. It took him a second to pull his blade away and turn around.

"This is no fun for me...there is a tournament coming up...if you're going to come after me..you will find me there" he states disappearing in the darkness.

Kirito had his forehead against the floor with tears dripping from his eyes. He was regaining his senses. "What was that?"

OOO

Upon entering the building, Yusei and Kira saw many players hanging out. Some had their weapons on them. They were enjoying themselves. There were lineups in front of shops for different items.

"This is where you can buy a weapon but it doesn't come cheap" Apex states turning his head to the prices of each weapon. "To get the money needed you can either use real money or completing missions but for a good weapon...that will take lots of grinding"

"These prices are insane...how much do we get if we complete a mission?" Kira asked.

"Depends on the mission...there are different kinds of rewards" said one of Apex's friends wearing glasses. His player name is Seth.

Kira crosses her arms and stares at a gun that looks like it can take on a tank. Though the price was over 50,000. Plus, she doesn't know how to use a gun so it would be pointless for her if she doesn't know how to use it. However, she is going to need some kind of weapon to fight Max if she can't access her power.

"Is there a faster way into getting money?" Yusei asked.

"No-" Seth said.

"There is a tournament happening and the winner gets 100,000" Apex states. "But, the players participating are on a higher level with experience and great weapons also...I'm playing to win...you wouldn't have a chance if you tried"
"I wouldn't uh?" Yusei said, giving a sharp glare at Apex.

"Now calm down," Kira said, getting in the middle of it. "He has a point...we will be fools if we tried with no weapon"
"Well actually" said another of Apex's friends with the player name, Nate. "there is are a preset weapon which are a pistol, grenades and a lightsaber"

"A lightsaber," Kira said to herself, remembering a certain famous movie. "Where do you sign up?"

"Uh?" the three said surprised at her.

Kira raised an eyebrow confused at their reaction. A lightsaber was like a sword and her skill level on that is high and she knows her way around a sword. That's the advantage she has. Unfortunately, that's Yusei's disadvantage and the other weapons didn't sound fitting for him. She is going to take the lead.

"Sign me up," Kira said again, then looked back at Yusei. "Let me take care of this...your going to have to stay put-"
"What?" Yusei responds not liking that plan. "I'm not going to be doing nothing-"
"That's the only way we can win...I'll get the money and split it with you-" Kira said with certainty.

"It sounds like you think you're going to win" Apex spoke, breaking the two. "Don't embarrassed yourself-"
"You mean don't embarrass you" Kira said with a smirk giving a confident glare. "Don't underestimate me or you will end up losing your pride"

"She is a fiesty one," Apex said with a slight grin. "Where did you find her Yusei?"

Yusei didn't respond and looked away. He wasn't too happy with this. He started walking away.

"Well if you want to join so bad...follow me to register" Apex said.

OOO

Kirito makes it outside. His arm came back and he can feel it again but the pain still lingers. "Good...I can reattach my arm again if it happens again" he thought, trying to bring humor into his situation. He realized where he was which made him think back at what Nautilus did. This zone should restrict any harm by a weapon. "Does that mean...he isn't a normal player" he thought, causing his hands to shake. If his theory is right, Nautilus can actually kill someone in this game just like death gun.

"Did you hear about the reaper?" said a random player.

"The rumored player who sends people to hell"

Kirito overhears two players talking close by.

"He is no ordinary player...if you come across him...your life is done"
"Nah...that can't be real"

Kirito leaned against the wall and clenched his fist. His hair was shadowing his eyes. He understands the situation he is in now but it has more risk. Not just his own life but others. Kirito starts walking to the dome building. He needed to register if he was going to find Nautilus. Before entering, the door slides open. His eyes met with another pair of black orbs belonging to Yusei.