~September 23rd 2023~

Kirito couldn't help but let a small grin cross his features as he relaxed back in his seat.

"yeah right I bet I could even take you!" Tomoya giggled running around Tetsuo.

Tetsuo pouted a bit and began chasing Tomoya around.

"oh yeah runt! come back here!"

the rest of the guild all laughed watching them.

Kirito for the first time since he had been here in SAO. Inside of this death had actually been relaxing a bit and even enjoying himself. It was all because of the group of people sitting around him inside the inn right now. The guild known as the Moonlit Black Cats.

Kirito had been out one day and was making his way back from leveling on an above floor when he began to hear the sounds of a struggle off in the distance. When had went to look he found a small group battling with a large group of monsters that they probably had bitten off more than they could chew with. A female member of the guild was about to get attacked and it was quite clear that she wasn't the fighter of the group. Kirito had easily taken the monster out and helped the guild finish off the remainder of them. They had all been grateful for him helping them.

The leader of this small guild invited Kirito to dinner to thank him and wouldn't take no for an answer. Normally he would have went on his way but there was just something that had drawn him to this guild from the start. He agreed to go to dinner with them and had a great time. After they finished eating the leader asked him to join them. Having lied about his level thinking that they would want no part of him Kirito finally after debate decided to join them. If nothing else Tomoya would be even safer with more players watching him and around him.

The months passed by and things continued to go great with the guild. They all took to Tomoya and even he seemed happier. With Kirito helping them they had even started to get quite strong. Keita had an ambition once they were strong enough for them to join the other top guilds on the front lines to help end this game. With his ways of thinking they could bring a whole new mentality to the front lines. The time continued to fly by and they had all become close friends. Kirito had always been a solo player but he was glad that he had decided to join the Moonlit Black Cats.

"Kirito? ...hey Kirito!"

Kirito blinked and looked in front of him as he snapped back into things. He looked at Tomoya who was shaking him.

Tomoya chuckled.

"Daydreaming again? such a loser!' he stuck his tounge out pulling him up.

"come on were going to go check out this new quest then eat!"

Kirito smiled and laughed standing up.

"alright let's go."

~September 25th 2023~

Keita leaned back against the wall and grinned.

"Don't worry Sacchi you'll get it soon no rush."

Sacchi sighed looking down.

Kirto smiled looking over at Sacchi.

"hey he's right. You don't even have to learn forward if you don't want to i'm good with it anyway."

Sacchi looked up at him and forced a smile.

"thank you..."

Kirito gave her a nod and looked over at the others as they began to speak.

Tetsuo laughed loudly waving his hands.

"Hey! so we've got enough for that house then if were going to keep Sacchi at her current position for now right!"

Keita nodded "i'll head out to go look into it at the end of the week."

They all cheered.

Kirito stood up with a smile and looked over at Keita as he walked over.

"Keita i'm going to go take care of a few things i'll catch up with you guys tomorrow"

Keita nodded with a smile.

"yeah sure."

Kirito gave Tomoya a nod and then walked outside of the inn. He looked around carefully to make sure that he wasn't being watched or followed and then headed out.

Kirito glanced around the sound of his boots crunching was about the only thing that could be heard out here in the plains. This was a fairly common leveling spot for high level players but most of them came here during the day. Kirito on the other hand preferred to do it during the night for more privacy and it being less crowded. He tilted his head though as he noticed another player with a small group walking from up ahead. He smiled when he seen who it was. Another player that preferred to do their leveling during the night

"hey Klein, what's up?"

Klein chuckled as he noticed Kirito and shrugged his shoulders.

"ya know the usual. You gonna get some late night leveling in?"

Klein couldn't help but grin a bit. He didn't know what it was but lately Kirito had been in a much better mood and seemed to be alot happier. He figured that it had to be that guild that he joined almost three months ago. He had been pretty shocked when he first seen the guild emblem above Kiritos cursor but he was glad that he was like this now.

"tell Tomoya I said what's up?" he laughed walking off.

Kirito nodded with a smile.

"I will"

Kirito made his way up to the plains and grinned taking out his sword watching as the wolves entered the plains.

"come on" he said with a smirk.

Off in the distance a rapier slid back into it's shieth. Asuna tilted her head looking down from the hill at the dark haired solo player that she had grown accustom to seeing around these types of areas. He had seemed different lately more upbeat. It was rather odd though that he had joined a guild and was still going at it alone. She also wondered why he hadn't chosen one of the top guilds. She didn't know what guild he had joined but knew that it wasn't one of the top tier or she would have found out either from an info broker or just gossip. From all she had seen though she wouldn't be to surprised if this player was stronger than most of the top guilds leaders. She just looked on at him before heading off.

"Kirito..." she muttered the name.

Kirito slid back across the dirt after taking out the last of the wolves grinning.

"got em" he said blinking as he noticed that he had a message. Kirito brought up his menu and looked at it.

"from Keita?" he muttered

Kirito narrowed his eyes as he read the message from Keita. Sacchi had gone missing and none of the guild members could find her. Kirito put away his weapon and headed straight back to town.

Looking around Kirito once again brought up his menu and scrolled through selecting a skill. His eyes lit up a bright greenish brown color and he looked around the streets. He found the trail that he was looking for and then exited his menu following it. Kirito stepped around a wall and looked to see Sacchi sitting next to a small lake with her knees up to her chest.

"Sacchi? what are you doing the guild is worried looking for you." he said stepping forward.

Sacchi glanced over and smiled lightly.

"of course you would find me..your Kirito" she shook her head placing her face in her knees.

"let's run away." she said simply.

Kirito raised an eyebrow walking over closer.

"run away from what?" he asked confused looking down at her.

Sacchi just sat there.

"everything...this world, the guild, the monsters..."

Kiritos eyes widened.

"woah wait do you mean suicide?" he asked.

Sacch looked up with small tears in her eyes and laughed lightly.

"that is an idea" she said looking at Kirito as she noticed the look on his face. "no if I had the guts to do that I wouldn't be so afraid of dying in the first place."

Kirito frowned looking down at her "it's that bad for you huh?" he asked sitting down beside of her.

Sacchi just clutched her knees.

"I don't want to die... i'm just a weak nerd from a computer class... why is this happening what is the point of this all?"

Kirito just kept his eyes locked up ahead of him.

"there is no point to any of it." he answered simply before looking over at her. "I promise though I won't let you die."

Sacch looked over at him wiping tears from her eyes "how can you be so sure?"

He looked over at her and smiled "i'll protect you. I'll protect you and the rest of the guild and one day we'll all get out of here I promise."

Sacchi smiled.

After getting back to the inn and letting the others know that he had found Sacchi and that everything was alright Kirito headed back to his room. He sighed once he took off all of his normal gear stretching out his arms in a black t shirt. He brought up his menu going through his stats when there was a knock at the door. He quickly exited his menu and turned around.

"come in!"

Sacchi slowly opened the door smiling lightly.

"i'm sorry I couldn't sleep...would you mind?"

Kirito laid in his bed glancing over toward a sleeping Sacchi. He moved his eyes up toward the ceiling. There had to be so many people just like her inside of this game. People that are absolutely horrified and afraid of dying. He had to clear this game for all of those people. He reached his hand up clenching it tightly.

Kirito sat up going through his menu.

Sacchi blinked feeling some movement afraid that Kirito was leaving and glanced behind her. She looked at him sitting on the side of the bed going through his menu. Her eyes widened for a moment and she just sat there before smiling and closing her eyes happily.

~September 28th 2023~

Kirito reached over toward his room door when he felt someone grab the edge of his coat. He looked down to see Tomoya in his pjs and laughed lightly.

"hey what's up?" he asked.

Tomoya smiled looking down a bit embarrassed before looking back up at Kirito Max standing beside of him.

"were going with Keita to buy our own house tomorrow right!?" he asked with a smile.

Kirito smiled and nodded.

"that's right."

Tomoya smiled looking down again before looking back up at Kirito "hey um..."

Kirito blinked tilting his head as he looked down at Tomoya. He waited as he just stood there.

"what is it Tomoya?" he asked.

Tomoya bit his lip before looking up at him.

"I just wanted to say thanks for not leaving me and those other people int he town of beginnings that day. Know one as had helped us even though they could until you did and most people wouldn't."

Kirito blinked surprised by what he was saying.

Tomoya smiled.

"and for everything else...I was so horrified and knew that I was going to die for sure you stayed around that town and then even more once we joined up with the black cats and everything I actually felt hope. I mean I have had a ton of fun!" he laughed. "I just know that your going to be the one to clear this game and i've known for awhile. I just wanted to say that. For some reason I had a feeling that I needed to." he smiled.

Kirito just kept his eyes on the boy a bit shocked. This was one of the strangest feelings Kirito had ever felt and he couldn't explain it. He just smiled and kneeled down looking at Tomoya.

"Hey? no need to worry alright? were all going to get out of here and your right I will clear this game alright?"

Tomoya nodded with a smile.

"now get some sleep." he said ruffling his hair.

Tomoya chuckled running off with Max.

Kirito watched him run off with a smile and then just stood there a moment thinking about everything that Tomoya had just said. He then opened the door and went inside his room.

~September 29th 2023~

Kirito stood with Tomoya and the others as Keita waved going off to purchase their new house.

"hey let's go to that new dungeon down below and get some extra exp and money to surprise Keita when he get's back!" Tatsuo said grinning.

Sacchi smiled clapping her hands.

"yeah we can buy furniture then!'

Kirito frowned a little.

"i'm not sure about that maybe we should go to our usual hunting place that dungeon is brand new. Nothing is known about it yet."

Tatsuo laughed.

"come on! at our levels it'll be no problem and we'll make a ton with nobody having been down there yet!"

Kirito just stood there and then glanced down as Tomoya tugged on his coat.

"it'll be fine let's go I can buy Max a dog house to!"

Kirito looked around at them and then sighed smiling.

"yeah okay"

they all cheered.

Kirito glanced around alertly sword in hand as they walked through the odd looking dungeon. He looked down at Tomoya.

"Tomoya you and max should really go back and wait for us." he had tried to get him not to come but he refused to stay behind.

Tomoya shook his head looking at him.

"nope i'm coming with you guys. Plus i'd be in more danger alone back there than with you guys in a dungeon." he laughed.

Kirito just frowned. He had a bad feeling about all of this.

Tatsuo blinked as something came into sight up ahead.

"hey a secret room!' he rushed up toward it.

The others quickly rushed up toward it with him.

Kirito narrowed his eyes following them all and then looked inside the room. He scrunched his eyes a bit seeing something inside.

Tatsuos mouth dropped open.

"A treasure chest!" he darted forward laughing.

Kiritos eyes widened.

"no wait don't go in!" he yelled.

The others rushed in behind Tatsuo.

Tomoya ran inside laughing but glanced back as he heard Kirito yell confused.

The room started blinking red lights and letting off the sound of sirens.

Kirito looked around gritting his teeth. He watched as the only door closed shut and watched as the room began to fill with hundreds of dwarf like monsters holding axes.

"hurry up use your teleport crystals now!".

"there not working!" Tatsuo yelled back nervously.

Tomoya clinged to Max tightly.

Kiritos eyes widened looking around.

"it's a trap..."

He gritted his teeth bringing up his blade as the monsters closed in blocking an attack and knocking another back.

"ahhhhh!" Tatsuo screamed as he was hit by a few of the monsters and then suddenly faded.

"Tatsuo!" Sacchi screamed horrified.

Kirito glanced back eyes wide as Tatsuo disappeared. He gritted his teeth getting hit and slashed down a few of the monsters. He tried to fight as many off as possible but then watched as everyone was taken out except for Sacchi and... He rushed forward as two of the monsters attacked Tomoya. He blocked and attacked furiously keeping them off of him.

"ahhhh!"

Kirito turned to see Sacchi falling toward the ground and then vanish.

Tomoya backed away shakily with tears in his eyes.

"Kirito their... their old dead!." he cried out.

Kirito knocked the monsters back and slashed it looking around trying to gauge how many there were but before he even could a large chunk of them attacked him. He gritted his teeth fighting them off.

"noooooooooooooo!" Tomoya screamed.

Kiritos eyes flashed back to see max jumping in front of Tomoya and then vanish. He watched in horror as Tomoya was surrounded by a group of the dwarfs. He slashed wildly and recklessly pushing through trying to get to him through the monsters not even trying to block or dodge ignoring the hits he was taking.

"damn it! Tomoya!" he yelled.

Tomoya watched Kirito and then slowly looked around at the monsters around him. He just looked down for a moment holding his hands to his chest before looking up with a smile wiping the tears from his face.

"beat this game. beat it for me and get all of these people out of here." he said quietly.

Kiritos eyes widened hearing him and shook his head wildly tears flying from his eyes as he fought.

"No Tomoya! nooooooooooooooo!' he screamed lunging forward.

Tomoya just closed his eyes.

"beat this game and get out of here big brother...get out of here."

Kiritos eyes widened as he watched one of the dwarfs axes go down toward Tomoya and then he just froze watching. The grip on his sword loosened almost falling out of his hand and he just stood there.

~Next Chapter 5-Broken~