~December 10th 2022~

His eyes slowly moved up from the ground glancing up in front of him as he leaned back against the wall of one of the towns shops. Kazuto closed his eyes for a moment crossing his arms.
Around a month had passed by now since the players had been trapped inside of this death game and already just under two thousand players had died. Those players deaths had confirmed the fears of everyone trapped in the game.
Once the players died inside of the game none of them ever showed back up which meant one thing. That what Kayaba had said was true and if you died inside the game you died in the real world as well.
After learning that what had been said was true most of the players had been horrified and hadn't moved away from the town of begginings safe zone. Not a single player including Kazuto had made it past the first floor yet.

There had however been a few players decide to venture out and try to figure out how to start defeating this game and get out of it. A guild had been formed called the army.
It was filled with a group of players who had decided they were going to try and clear the first floor and the rest of the game poclaiming themselves to be the army of the people of SAO.
It was a little much for Kazuto but he did agree with their idea to clear the game even if they were a little to flamboyant about it for his taste. It also seemed to be working so maybe it was what the players needed.
Most of the other players in SAO looked at this group as heroes and had seemed to gain a bit of hope since they had started up with their crusade.

Kazutos eyes moved over as a man began to speak up standing in the center of the town of beginnings people stopping and listening.

"Listen good people of Aincraid you all know me as the leader of the army and we have breaking news for you all! our group has discovered the the first floor boss room!"

Kazutos eyes flashed staring at the man. Was this true they had found the first floor boss? Listening more intently now Kazuto leaned up off of the wall staring at the man as he spoke.

"We plan on clearing the first floor and this entire game! but we need all of your help that are capable and we will be having a meeting about facing the first floor boss in a few hours! we will survive my people!"

Kazuto glanced around as most of the people around them began to cheer and wave there hands unable to help a small grin spreading across his face.A bit later Kazuto walked over toward the meeting place that the army had set up and sat down resting his chin on his hand.
He listened as the same man from earlier spoke but then watched as another man with spikey red hair jumped down from the bleachers and slid to a stop.

"Listen up my name i Kibaou and I have something to say!"

Kazuto raised an eyebrow staring down at the red haired man wondering what he was wanting to say so badly.

"I think that we are all owed an apology from all those dirty beta testers that allowed so many of us to die early on! hell I bet some you sitting there are them!"

Kazutos eyes widened as he listened to the man speak swallowing hard. He was right in a way ... Kazuto thought back to when things first began and he allowed Klein to go off on his own without going with him to meet his friends. His hands clenched togeather tightly but blinked looking up as he heard something else.
He locked his eyes on a very large man thought was now standing up from his seat.

"Mind if I say somethin?" the man asked as he stepped down the seats towering over the spikey haired male "my name is Agil and if i'm not mistaken you are trying to say that the beta testers are to blame for all of the peoples previous deaths am I right?"

"yeah your right ..." the spikey haired man replied crossing his arms.

Agil simply nodded "well did you get one of these" he asked pulling out a small book "it's an instruction manual to help out new players".

Kibaou shrugged looking at the larger man "yeah of course I got one so what?"

Agil held the book up toward the people out in the stands "well guess who this book was made by?" he asked waiting "this book was created to help new players by the beta testers themselves and everyone had equal acess to it."

A few gasps could be heard from the stands and Kazuto closed his eyes sighing as he listened to Agil.

Kibaou puffed out his chest "hmphhh" the man hummed moving over toward a seat and crossing his hands behind his head.

Agil walked back over to his seat and sat down.

"alright well now that we have got that out of the way" the army leader said looking to the people "we can't go at this boss liek normal we must pair up into severeal partys and go after it together".

Kazuto nodded as he listened to the army leader speak but then his eyes widened looking around as he noticed that pretty much everyone had already partied up with each other and his head flashed around "guh...!" he stopped catching sight of a hooded person sitting by themselves a few feet away from him and began to scoot over toward them "hey ... you don't have a partner either huh?" he asked looking at them .

The hooded person just sat there and then shook their head "it seemed like they all already knew each other" they said simply.

Kazuto nodded "yeah well ummmmm do you want to partner up with me I mean you heard the guy we can't go at this boss alone" he said looking at them but swallowed as they just sat there and said nothing.
He sighed "listen it doesn't mean were joining a guild together or anything it's just a one time thing" he said.

The hooded figure turned their head looking over toward him and then finally nodded bringing up their menu and sending him a request to join their party.

Kazuto let out a sigh of relief and then scrunched his eyes looking closely as they sent him the request reading the name next to their health bar, Asuna ...
He accepted the request and then smiled looking at them "so do you wanna discuss strategy or anythi ..." he stopped getting cut off jaw dropping a bit as the hooded person got up and turned away starting off.

"no" the hooded person answered simply as they walked away back into town.

Kazuto sighed letting them leave. Later that day Kazuto walked through the dimly lit town glancing around. He caught sight of the person that he was looking for and then began to walk over.
He looked at the hooded person and tilted his head to the side a bit "hey mind if I sit down?" he asked watching as the person scooted over away a bit as he did and sighed taking out a biscuit "these are pretty good aren't they?" he asked.

The hooded figure looked over at him "you think these taste good?" they asked.

Kazuto nodded "yeah i've had one pretty much every day that I have been in this town but I do have a trick to make them taste better" he said truthfully.

They looked at him "a trick?"

Kazuto nodded "mhm" he said bringing up his menu and spreading something across the his biscuit "here try some" he said reaching it over to the hooded person.

They tilted their head a bit looking at it and then spread some of it across the biscuit "cream?" they muttered looking at it. They watched as he ate his and them slowly brought it up to their lips.
They froze as it first touched their lips and then within seconds devoured the rest of the roll wiping their mouth.

Kazuto looked over at the person "you want to know the mission that I got it from?" he asked.

They shook their head "no i'm not here to eat good food" they said simply "i'm just here to make sure that I stay myself. I'm not going to stay hidden and holed up in the town and become a shell even if it means dying" they said standing up and walking away.

Kazuto watched them walk away and just sighed finishing his biscuit "well I wouldn't want a party member dying on me so try not to die tomorrow okay?" he called out before heading back toward the towns inn. He blinked as he walked inside someone running up to him and laughed lightly "Tomoya" he said with a nod to the boy.
Kazuto had ran into the boy that he had helped out after things started getting hectic once everyone learned about the death game. He had been pretty frightened but Kazuto had tried to help him stay calm.
Since then the boy had been staying inside the same inn and Kazuto next door. He didn't have enough money but Kazuto had more than enough to pay for it. Tomoya looked at him "so I bet your going with them to fight the boss right?" he laughed.

Kazuto tilted his head looking down at him and nodded "yeah were going tomorrow" he said.

"I knew it!" he laughed "I bet your actually stronger than the army leader guy himself!" he said proudly putting his hands on his hips with a laugh but blinked as his hair went into his face shaking his head "huhhh..."

Kazuto listened to him and just grinned reaching down and ruffling his hair "you should be getting some sleep i'll see you tomorrow Tomoya" he said walking up to his room.

Tomoya nodded and laughed "oh yeah alright seeya later Kirito!"

~December 11th 2022~

Kazuto stayed focused looking around as he walked through the forest with the rest of the group and the Army toward the dungeon of the boss floor. He was in the back with the hooded person.
He looked over toward them and brought up his menu going through some things "so listen were the support so we will be taking out the smaller monsters and keeping them off of the army members taking out the boss" he said simply.
"so the best way to go about it will be to switch in and out. I will go in and block and parry the monsters attacks and you will go straight in afterwords and attack them alright?"

The hooded person looked at him as they walked through the lush green forest "switch?" they asked.

Kazutos eyes widened mouth dropping open a bit "wait... you don't know what switch means? is this your first mmorpg?" he asked in shock.

They nodded and continued walking not thinking anything of it.

Kazuto froze standing in place for a moment.

The hooded person stopped when they noticed that he was following and turned a bit looking at him.

Kazuto looked at the person and shook his head sighing "oh my god" he muttered slapping his hand over his face.

Kazuto stopped and looked around as they all arrived at the dungeon and listened to the orders given by the army leader "got it!" they all nodded.

"now let's set forth and clear this floor for all of the people of Aincraid!" the army leader exclaimed as the doors to the boss room opened.

All of the players rushed in watching as suddenly the smaller monsters and then the much larger boss appeared in front of them.

"units attack!" the leader exclaimed loudly.

Kazuto darted off to the side with the hooded figure and looked at them "alright remember what I said let's go!" he said rushing forward towards the smaller monsters with his sword. He gritted his teeth and brought his sword up at just the right moment blocking the monsters attack and then knocking it back "switch!" he called out jumping back his eyes widening as his hair flew around his face as the hooded figure blew by him "I thought they were a beginner?" he said impressed by their speed.

The hooded figure attacked the monsters gliding through the air on their feet and stabbing at it with their rapier. Kazuto smirked moving forward again and repeating the same action as before "switch!" he called out much more confident know that he knew his partner was good.

"got it!" the hooded person called out stabbing at the monsters.

Kazuto smiled watching but then turned around a bit as he heard the army leader call out for the other men to back off. He narrowed his eyes and then watched as the boss monster switched it's weapon his eyes widening.
He stared at the large blade in the monsters hand "no way ..." he gritted his teeth as the army leader charged the monster "no stop! it's not what you think it's a different weapon!" he yelled trying to warn him.

The army leader blinked shocked as the monster launched upward and in a different pattern than expected before finally launching down and slashing across his chest knocking him in the air "guhhhhhhh!" he choked out and then flew across the room being slashed again.
The rest of the army members and other players stared in horror and shock as he went flying.

Kazuto watched in horror rushing over toward the man with a potion "here drink this" he said but watched as the man stopped him.

"you tried to warn me your a beta ... tester to aren't you?" he asked.

Kazuto just looked at the man and slowly nodded "yeah so that's what you were trying to do get the last hit bonus" he said looking at him.

The man just smiled lightly "beat it save these people" he said simply before disappearing.

Kazuto watched in shock listening to the man as he disappeared in his hands. He just sat there for a moment looking down and then slowly stood up.

The rest of the players were completely backed off shaken and in shock.

Kazuto turned around swinging his blade down staring directly at the monster ans squaring up with it. He moved his eyes over a bit as the hooded player stood beside him.

"i'll go to" they said with their weapon ready waiting.

Kazuto nodded "alright same way as before let's go!" he said rushing forward at high speed gritting his teeth as the heavy blade clashed against his sending the boss monsters attack away "switch!" he called out rolling to the side as the monster attacked again.

The hooded player rushed forward quickly striking at the monster and sliding back as it attacked.

Kazuto blocked another attack and then slid back "switch!" he yelled watching and then watched as the monster switched it's attack patterns again "Asuna watch out!"

The hooded player managed to just dodge the monsters blade her hood being ripped off long braided hair flowing around her shoulders as she kept her eyes locked up at the monster.

Kazuto watched as the players hood was cut off and blinked "woah..." he muttered looking at her but shook his head rushing forward again weaving through the monsters attacks and switching with her.
He went to block another attack but his eyes widened as it doubled up on the attack and slashed him across the chest sending him flying back.

Asunas eyes widened as the dark haired boy was struck and came flying back into her both crashing to the ground. Asuna flinched slowly bringing her head up looking down at the dark haired boys health gauge her hand resting on his shoulder.
She looked up toward the monster coming and then back at him. She stood up not knowing if she could block the attack but had to try. She blinked as the man named Agil from before blocked it.

Agil nodded to the young boy and girl "we'll hold it off until you can recover" he said knocking the monsters bade back.

Kazuto nodded flinching and forcing himself up "thanks" he said taking a deep breath and looking over at Asuna "ready? let's finish this"

Asuna nodded getting in position beside him "yeah!"

The two rushed forward together in perfect sync moving in and out striking and blocking. Kauzto gritted his teeth launching forward toward the monster in the air slashing into it "Asuna!" he called out.
She nodded moving like a flash in and attacking the monster gritting her teeth as the dark haired boy and herself slashed the monster togeather in the air. The two landed on their feet behind the monster and then suddenly it dissolved.

Kazuto dropped to his knees breathing deeply and looked up at the signal that the boss monster had been defeated.

Cheers erupted from the people around them.

Kazuto blinked looking behind him a bit at the people cheering and clapping but looked over as someone else spoke up. It was the same red haired guy from before.

Kibaou gritted his teeth and clenched his fists togeather "stop cheering him!" he said angrily as everyone stopped "why did you let him die?" he asked angrily "why didn't you warn him and maybe he would have had a chance!"

Kazuto just looked back at the man as the others stopped and then a few other players started yelling nonsense about beta testers again.

Agil through his hands up "what are you talking about if it wasn't for him then we would all be dead" he said looking at the red haired man.

Asuna just stood there next to Agil in front of Kirito crossing her arms.

Kazuto looked down at the ground and clenched his fists. He remembered back on how the army had been giving the people hope and if they knew that their leader had only been in it for the item and exp and that was why he had ignored Kazutos warning then that would break them.
On the other hand it wouldn't be that big of a deal for them to think that he was the bad guy. He just layed there a moment and then began to laugh out loud.

Everyone stopped and became silent looking over toward his direction.

Kazuto stood up looking at the people "you think that i'm a beta tester?" he asked putting his hands on his hips "don't put me in the same breath as those rookies hell even you guys are stronger than most of them"

Agil blinked looking back at the boy confused. Asuna narrowed her eyes watching him knowing that something wasn't right about this and what he was doing.

Kibaou gritted his teeth but stayed back frightened.

Kauzto smirked "i'm not just a beta tester I made it further than any other and I know things that you couldn't even imagine" he said.

Kiabous mouth dropped open in shock "tha that's even worse your not just a beta your a cheater and a beta tester! your a your a beater!"

He just nodded smiling ignoring the whispers of the people around him "Beater huh? I like it" he said stepping forward a bit "you can call me that just don't get me confused with those beta test rookies" he said bringing up his menu.
He equipped the black coat of midnight that he had won fom the boss drop and turned his back from all of the people.

"we won't forget this!" the red haired man yelled but was far to afraid to go after him.

Kazuto turned his head back a bit smiling "alright" he said simply stepping up toward the teleport sliding his hands into his pockets but stopped as something grabbed at his coat.

Asuna looked up toward the dark haired boy knowing everything that he was saying wasn't true but didn't know what to say "my name" she said simply.

Kazuto glanced back looking down at her calmly "what did I pronounce it wrong? I wasn't trying to be rude"

She shook her head "how did you even know it?"

He pointed up toward his health bar ""you see the little bar below yours look to the side hard and you will see it there"

Asuna blinked scrunching her eyes and looking at it "Kir ... Kirito" she read it remembering the name.

He just stood there looking at her.

Asunas face softened and she giggled covering her mouth "Oh my wow it was there the whole time and I didn't know it im so stupid" she laughed."

Kazuto tilted his head to the side looking down at the girl "your good you will do well but there is only so far you can go solo in this game so if you find a guild that you trust join it" he said looking at her.

Asuna looked at him "but your going solo what about you?" she asked.

Kazuto just turned away stepping up toward the portal "see you later Asuna" he said simply pulling up his collar and stepping through.

Asuna just stood there watching as the boy walked through the portal "Kirto..." she repeated remembering the name.

Next Chapter~ Chapter 3-The Wolf and the sheep.