Chapter 2: Time Passed

With a grunt Yashin launched himself from the branch he was standing on and landed flawlessly on the branch in front of him. Jumping upwards he began to scale the tree, and within a minute was at the top of it. He gazed out at the forest that stretched out in all directions around him and marveled once more at realism of the game's engine. Even though it had been months since they got stuck here, it was still astounding. You could feel the wind in your hair, taste the brisk morning air, even hear the faint cries for help from some poor group of people who were being robbed...

He paused for a moment. Now that wasn't right. Glancing around at the forest beneath him he spotted the group who were getting robbed. There was no way he would be able to get there in time if he just scaled down the tree, so he decided to take the fast way down. He stepped forward and dropped.

"Arrivederci!"

Yashin crossed his arms as he plummeted towards the forest floor, smashing through numerous branches on the way down.
I sure hope that there's something at the bottom, he thought.

With a thud he landed in a convenient pile of leaves that just happened to at the bottom of the tree. Wading out of the pile he began to sprint towards where he had seen the people. He paused behind a tree and peered out from behind it. In front of him a group of about 10 players with red cursors had surrounded a smaller group of players with green cursors.

The person that he assumed was the leader of the reds pushed one of the green players down, before motioning one of his other fellow players forward. A player with a giant axe stepped forward and raised it over his head. He decided that this was a good time to put an end to this.

Yashin stepped out from behind the tree and yelled at them. "NYPD! Stop what you are doing, and get on the ground! Hands behind your head!"

All of the red players froze and one of them even dropped to the ground and started to put his hands behind his head, before one of other red players slapped him.

Yashin smiled cheerily. "Hey, you might want to cut down on those American crime shows. Really, how gullible can you be? We're in Japan, in a video game. New York could hardly be farther from here."

The man who Yashin had pinned as the leader pointed his sword at him.

"Hey kid, get outta here. This is none of your business, leave now and you'll live." He made a shooing motion towards Yashin before turning away, probably assuming that he would comply with the order.

Yashin shrugged, turned around, and began to walk away before spinning around and lunging towards the red players, catching one of them with a vicious right hook and sending him stumbling back. A flash of steel flickered in the sunlight and one of the red players gave a cry of pain and clutched at the stump where his arm used to be. From Yashin's left sleeve a blade had extended, and with his right hand he drew the sword that had been hanging at his side. Yashin spun it skillfully, before settling into a defensive stance and addressing the leader of the red players.

"I wasn't kidding when I said to stop. Now how about you let those green players go? It would be a pity to have to kill you." The red players just laughed at him.

"You might have some degree of skill, but you'd never kill anyone. Besides, the only reason you managed to even hurt one of my men was because you caught them unprepared." The red player leader said mockingly to Yashin. "But it would be a shame to let talent go to waste. How about joining us?"

"No." The reply was instant.

"Are you sure? You would get an even share of the loot." The red leader tried again.

"Never."

The red leader looked slightly annoyed by now. "Last chance, join or die!"

Yashin grinned. "And thrice do I say to thee, bit me."

The red leader growled at him. "Fine, have it your way. Kill him."

With a shout all of the red players charged at him. The axe wielding player who had been about to behead the green led the charge. Silver flashed in the light and the man slumped backwards, breaking into a shower of polygons.

That brought the bandits up short and they stared at him in shock. Yashin just looked back at them coldly, smile falling from his face. "What was that about not killing, hmm?"

"You little…" One of the bandits rushed him again. Yashin sighed.

"Playtime's over, time to die."

Ducking under the strike, his blade flashed once more. The man was sent to the ground, shattering just like the one before. Yashin just kept moving, tearing into the bandits. Steel met steel, again and again. And he still pushed on, even as five more of the bandits shattered into pieces.

"Monster!" One of the remaining bandits turned to run, and caught a knife in his back sending him to the ground. In a second Yashin was on top of him, his blade lodging in the man's head. Rising from the ground Yashin lashed out, cutting down another bandit. He turned to the bandit leader, who was the only one left standing.

"I will say this once. Drop. Your. Sword."

The man cursed, and let his sword fall to the ground.

"Good. There really was no reason for you to die as well." Yashin turned to the players he had saved, who were still looking at him in shock.

"I have somewhere to be, so could I ask you to take him back to the tow…" He was interrupted by one of the players pointing behind him.

"Look out!"

Dropping to the ground, Yashin swung his blade, catching the bandit leader in the throat. The man stumbled backwards, the dagger in his hand clattering to the ground.
Yashin glanced back at the players he had saved and nodded his head. "Ah. Thank you. I didn't think he would have been brave enough to try something like that. I suppose that you don't have to take him back to town then. But as I said, I really must be going."

Turning away, Yashin began to stroll into the forest, fading into the shadows.

One of the players, a young women turned to the man beside her. "Oi Gato, do you know who that was?"

Gato shrugged. "I can't say for sure, but I there have been some rumors going around. A man cloaked in white and red, who has been going around saving players. No one knows his real name, so people have made up a few. I think the most memorable was given on account of how he appears out of nowhere, and has tended kill whatever the threat is. I believe it was… Hmm, what was that again?"

One of the other players broke in. "The Assassin?"

"That's right! Pretty fitting, I think?"

The group nodded in agreement, even as they began to head back to the town. Shaken up from their brush with death, but still breathing.

Kayaba glanced over towards his monitor, and blinked in surprise. "I had thought that they would have been killed. You really are shaking things up, aren't you. But I wonder if that is enough. I'll have to test him, perhaps he will be what is needed."

Tapping out a few commands, Kayaba sat back, satisfied with his work. "Now that, that should challenge our young assassin." And then he turned away, moving on to other things. He had bigger things to worry about that An Assassin.