TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

XXXXX

Chapter Seven: The Black Swordsman

[Floor Seventy-Four] [Labyrinth] [October 19th, 2024] [1:23 PM] [Asuna]

I smiled, watching the two boys have a ball as they slaughtered [Mobs] together. Sachi and I had decided to take a break, and let the boys take care of things. Really, we weren't needed all that badly. They both knew how to take care of themselves. Taking care of each other? Well, yeah, they could do that, too. Kirito served more as vanguard, cutting down anything in his way, while Keito provided a more [Supporting] role, taking care of any [Mobs] that slipped past Kirito, or ones that he wouldn't be able to reach before they attacked him. If I didn't know any better, they almost seemed like brothers.

Kirito, the reckless younger sibling, getting himself into trouble but taking up most of the attention. It was true, Kirito had made a name for himself as the deadly 'Black Swordsman', a beast beyond most other players. He and Sachi made up the only two remaining members of the [Moonlit Black Cats], with Sachi as the [Guild Master]. It was surprising at first, their roles, but Kirito had brushed any questioning aside, claiming that since she was technically his elder in the [Guild], he let her keep the title. It was kind of sweet.

Keito, the watchful older brother, stronger than the younger brother, but standing back so the younger can experience glory and excitement. Keito had set a place for himself as the 'Big Brother' of the [Clearers], tending and caring for them as best as he could. While Kai tool the role as the 'Hero', defending and fighting for everyone under him, Keito took the time to know the names and faces of those around him. It was kind of a cute little back-and-forth they had.

Thinking of it, the guys; Kai, Kirito, Keito, MechManiC, Klein, and Hisao, were starting to hang out more recently. Every other night they'd be out at a bar, drinking and telling stories and playing games. I only knew of this because Keito had told Lilly and I one night after coming home particularly late. And drunk. I didn't take him to be one to drink in excess, but I guess after several years of being sober, he wanted to catch up a little bit.

"So…" Sachi tried to start another conversation as we walked behind the boys. "I hear that DaTa's been going on his own, recently?" I nodded, sighing.

"He's been training himself to the bone," I replied, looking worriedly at my boyfriend. "I told Aya and Hanako this, but I think he's trying to get prepared for the next [Floor Boss]." She nodded slightly.

"It's the next quarter…" she mumbled, half to herself. "The last quarter…"

"And definitely more dangerous," I added. I smiled as Keito punched DaTa on the shoulder for dishing out the last hit. "I just hope we all make it out. We've had far fewer deaths ever since Kai made some renovations to how the[Clearers] formed [Parties], and Kai's making sure everyone stays safe." I paused. "I think having Thinker join the [Clearers] was a good move. That man… he'd put DaTa and MechManiC in a run for their money." DaTa and Mech were both known for their incredible strategies, but not really good at improvisation. That was left to Thinker, who could come up with brilliant strategies on the fly if something went wrong. Sachi paused for a moment.

"Kirito… wasn't always like how he was, you know," Sachi spoke softly. "I don't want to be the only one who knows this."

"You mean he wasn't always an asshole? That's kind of hard to believe," I rolled my eyes. Sachi shot me a glare, but we both knew I was right. "So if he was a nicer guy, what happened?"

"Well… he told me one night about his family…" Sachi mumbled. I smiled slyly.

"Oooh, did you get to experience his 'sword skills' firsthand?" I asked, making the girl blush deeply. I took it as a yes.

"Th-That's personal!" Sachi squeaked. "A-Anyway… Kirito told me… how he found out that his parents were killed, and he was adopted by his aunt…" I frowned, not understanding.

"Ok? So what's that got to do with him being an ass to everyone?" I asked, confused. Sachi sighed.

"Well, they died when he was really little, so he didn't remember them… you know, dying. Well… his aunt always told him that she was his mom, and that his cousin was his sister…" I still wasn't getting the point. This just seemed like useless information to me.

"I'm still not getting your drift, Sachi," I told her. "Do you mind speeding it up?"

"Well, how would you feel if everything about your family was a lie?" she asked me. I thought for a moment. "That your family, the people you thought you could trust the most, were lying to you?"

"I'd understand," I told her in response. Sachi shook her head.

"Kirito… has…" she paused. "He has problems with trusting people because of what happened with his family. So he pushes people away by being a jerk to them before they can get close." She paused. "Ah, he doesn't mean to! I mean, maybe he did at first, but it's just… kind of second nature, now." I frowned.

"That sounds like a really stupid excuse," I told her. She sighed and looked at her feet.

"I know, but… that's how it is," she replied. "Kirito's really observant on the things around him. He's… well, he's kind of the epitome of an impressionable teenager. As a kid, he'd see a lot of bad things happening in the news, and started thinking that bad things happening to good people was normal. When he got interested in computers, those thoughts became even more justified to him as he'd go looking around the internet and news articles would pop up wth all sorts of bad things going on."

"Well, I guess that makes a little bit of sense…" I admitted, watching as Keito and Kirito took down a particularly nasty [Demonic Servant]. "Still, it seems like a really stupid reason to be an asshole to everyone." She shrugged.

"Some people have different ways of coping with the things around them," she offered. I guess that made a bit more sense. I watched as Keito broke out into song, and was trying to get Kirito to join him. The sight made me smile. I guess Sachi had some merit to her words. Out of all the things Keito had become in this life, he decided to try and be as normal as he could. Bet even then, he couldn't stop the fighter in his heart, and had joined this game. What I saw in front of me was the result of Keito trying to cope, to be as normal as he possibly could without losing what he was, a warrior.

"Has Kirito ever been pushed?" I asked Sachi. She tilted her head, confused. "I mean; has he ever been challenged? Had his beliefs struck down?"

"Where are you going with this?" she asked me. I shrugged, watching the two boys in front of us. "He was pretty upset when the rest of our [Guild] died, and I've been trying to get him to be less of a jerk to others."

"That's not what I mean," I told her. "DaTa told me once that a person can't discover who they truly are, until faced with an insurmountable challenge." I sighed. "You… saw Kai face down his. He had a choice, to back down from PoH and have everything go on as they always had, or stand up, and change the way he lived his life." I glanced back at Sachi. "I think, that on that day, Kai decided to become a real hero. Not just boast about being one, but actually be one."

Sachi thought over my words for a moment. "No, he hasn't," she replied after a few seconds. "I don't think he ever will, either. There's not really much that could be a challenge for him, these days. Not unless he tried to do something absolutely suicidal." Her eyes narrowed. "Which isn't going to happen." I smiled at her passion for the boy.

"I'm glad he has you," I told her, genuinely. "He really seems to care about you." Sachi merely nodded, blushing a little bit. I turned to the two boys as we came closer to a [Safe Zone]. "Hey guys, I think it's about time we took a rest for lunch!" Keito's eyes lit up and he grinned widely, zipping towards us at speeds I didn't he was capable of.

"Yes!" he shouted. "Food!" Kirito was close behind, though he was just walking. "Alright! Sandwiches!" Keito cheered as we entered the [Safe Zone]. I couldn't help but smile as we all sat against a stone wall on the other side of the [Safe Zone]. Keito was fidgeting as he sat, giving me a wide grin full of anticipation. There were times that I forgot that not only was he a king, and a highly feared warrior, but a boy who never really had much of a childhood. Most of the time he had been alive, he was either expected to act like an adult, or already had the mentality of one. Sometimes I forgot just how childish he could be about certain things, like food and love.

"Calm down," I smiled, opening my [Inventory]. I had made sandwiches for us before I left the apartment. His was different than mine. Mine actually had a lot of healthy [Ingredients] in it, like some [Lush Lettuce] and [Juicy Tomatoes]. Keito's sandwich was actually a pretty complex meal, and was easily twice the size of mine. It was a pain to make with his constant micro-managing, but he'd let me have a bite of one of the sandwiches he'd made himself. It was incredible! Still, I wanted to make his lunch. It wouldn't be as good as his, but I knew he'd love it anyway. "Here," I gave him his lunch, and it was as if he'd won the lottery. He smiled widely. I looked over at Kirito and Sachi, seeing that the girl had made sushi. Kirito seemed almost as excited as Keito, so her [Cooking] must have been maxed out like mine, or somewhere close.

"Yeeaaaaaaash…." Keito seemed tomoan with pleasure as he took a bite out of his food, making Kiriot and Sachi send him worried looks.

"Is… he ok?" Sachi asked. I smiled a bit bashfully.

"Eheheh… DaTa really likes my cooking…" I told them. Sachi still looked a bit concerned. I could tell that Keito was eating the sandwich with vigor and excitement.

"Hey, it's Kirito," I heard a voice announce itself from the border of the [Safe Zone]. I looked up, seeing a player named Klein, who was walking towards us with his [Guild]. I never really talked to him very often, but Keito and Kai seemed to like him. "And DaTa. What's up guys?"

"Not much," Keito stood, brushing himself off. "Just stopping for lunch, yourself?"

"Kai called for all the [Clearers] to start actively going through the [Labyrinth] later today," Klein stated. "I thought I'd grab my [Guild] and get some [Grinding] done before everyone got here. Lo and behold, it's pretty empty though, I guess you guys had a hand in that?"

"Yup," Kirito stood, stretching. "Just being a couple of badasses. You know, the usual." I rolled my eyes, and Sachi giggled.

"Right," Klein humored the boy. I glanced behind Klein, spotting a large group of people coming. It looked like they were from the [ALF].

"Hey!" Keito waved to them, drawing everyone else's attention to the approaching players. "What's up guys!? You with the [Clearers]?" My eyes narrowed. While the player in front looked fine, the ones following him were stumbling, limping, and breathing heavily. They looked exhausted!

"Yes," spoke the man up front. "My name is Kobatz, and I am the head of this [Raid Party]." He nodded towards Keito. "Has the path ahead been cleared?"

"All but the [Boss Room]," Kirito mumbled. Kobatz grinned.

"Magnificent!" he turned to his men. "Let's move, men!"

"Are you crazy!?" Klein protested, "Your guys are in no shape to keep going, even less to fight a [Boss]!"

"Nonsense," Kobatz replied. "My men are in top form! Now move aside, or you will be moved!" I turned to Keito, but he was making no move to stop them. He looked conflicted, though. As they all walked past us, Keito turned to Kirito.

"We have to help them," he told the boy, making Kirito face him.

"What? Why?" Keito glared at Kirito when he responded like that. "Seriously, they can take care of themselves!"

"Kid, it's time to grow up," Keito spoke in a serious tone that I'd only ever heard a handful of times. "The world is changing outside, and you need to be prepared for it." Kirito's right eye twitched. "For better or for worse, you need to start giving a damn and-"

"Shut up!" Kirito growled, getting in Keito's face. I immediately reached for my rapier, Klein doing the same for his katana, and Sachi with her spear. "I don't have to do anything for them! Since when have they done anything for me!?" Sachi rested her hand on his shoulder, but Kirito brushed her off, glaring at Keito. "And since when have you gotten the right to be all high and mighty!? You're the one who left us all to die on the last floor!" Keito's glare turned stone cold. I froze, it almost felt like the air temperature was dropping. Klein, Sachi, and Kirito could feel it as well, I could see them shaking. What was this ungodly pressure!? My heart rate was skyrocketing, and I felt like I could almost see Keito slaughtering us all out of pure anger! As soon as it came, it disappeared. Sachi and Klein both seemed to recover as well, but Kirito's shaking got even worse.

"Don't ever accuse me of leaving my comrades behind," Keito growled. Kirito gasped, and fell to his knees. "If you won't help them, then I will." He turned away and started heading to the [Boos Room], but stopped after a few steps. "I left because I thought you would be a capable leader in the absence of Kai and myself. I assumed wrong." Keito took off towards the [Boss Room], leaving us all behind. Sachi was kneeling beside her boyfriend, and was holding his shoulder. Klein turned to me and frowned.

"Just what the hell was that!?" he demanded of me. I knew that he meant.

"I have no clue," I responded. "He never told me of any [Skill] like that." I held back the rest. I knew that it must have been something from one of his past lives. There was no way it couldn't have been. He'd told me about something similar before, something called Killing Intent, that people would use against one another to terrify others and make it easier to kill them. It sounded barbaric, but if what we felt was Killing Intent, then I had to admit it was practical. It didn't mean I liked it, though.

"Dammit!" Kirito growled, standing up. He ran in the same direction as Keito. I glanced at Sachi, who had a bright smile on her face.

"What did you do?" I asked her, curious. With a light blush on her face, she responded.

"I told him what would happen if he started helping other people," she replied. "Never mind that, let's go follow them! We need to help those players, too!" I nodded in response, and Sachi and I both started [Sprinting] to the [Boss Room], with Klein and his [Guild] trying to catch up with us. Kirito was already at the door, staring in. Inside the [Boss Room], Keito was trying to grab people and shove them out of the way of the [Boss's] attack. It was massive, towering over everyone at almost four times my height. It was a massive blue minotaur like monster, with shining red eyes and a golden scimitar. It had four [Health Bars], with the first one still almost full, and the name of [The Gleam Eyes].

I growled, turning to Kirito. "Why are you standing here? We have to help them!" Sachi and Klein with his [Guild] were already running inside. "Kirito! Are you even listening to me!?"

"God, help me!" someone from the [ALF] screamed. I turned just in time to see Keito try and save the man, before he was sliced in half by the [Boss]. I grabbed Kirito by the shoulders and shook him.

"Dammit, Kirito! Get off your ass and let's go!"

XXXXX

[Kirito]

"Kirito!" No! No! What was this feeling!? Why was I feeling this!? I didn't care! I shouldn't care! These people meant nothing to me! Hell, they meant nothing to DaTa either! Why was he helping them!? I grimaced, flashes of… something, going through my head. A tall man with long black hair and a smirk on his face. A grinning blonde with whisker marks. A tall man between them, a proud expression on his face. Who were they!? And why was this image making me feel things!?

"Kirito!" No, this was all just a bad dream. I'll wake up, and everything will be back to normal. DaTa won't be putting his life in danger and acting like he's my teacher. Asuna will go back to looking at me like a carpet stain and do her best to ignore me. Sachi will… Sachi… Oh god, that's where it started! She made me have feelings! But why…? How did she manage to make me have these things when no one else could!?

Before I could think twice, I was already running. Ducker… Tetsuo… Keita… Sasamaru… What were your thoughts before you died? Did you hate me? Did you forgive me? If you did, what are you thinking now, watching me? Would you be proud? Would Sachi be proud? I guess… that was something that mattered now, wasn't it?

I found myself gazing up at [The Gleam Eyes], striking its back before it could crush any other players. "Fuck you!" I screamed. I wasn't sure at who, though. DaTa? [The Gleam Eyes]? Sachi? Myself? I didn't care. All I knew, was I wanted this big blue piece of shit dead! [The Gleam Eyes] turned to face me and roared. I grit my teeth, prepared for any move it would throw at me. I could see in the corner of my vision that everyone else were moving the [ALF] members to a safer distance. Finally, my enemy moved, swinging down with its massive scimitar. I weaved to the side, backing up to do a little bit of strategy. I knew Sachi wasn't ready to double a [Boss] with me. Asuna would rather see me impaled then help me. I didn't know if DaTa would help me, and if Klein even could. That left me on my own.

I charged the giant blue bastard, yelling as it made a sideways swing at me. I slid under its curved blade and kept [Sprinting] towards it. I was helping these idiots, whether I liked it or not. It's what Sachi wanted me to do, I could see it on her face. Her sweet smile on that pale, beautiful face… I didn't notice [The Gleam Eyes] rear back for another swing. My eyes widened as I watched its scimitar swing down. "Kirito!" Sachi cried. Suddenly the blow was stopped. I watched with wide eyes, my tender Sachi holding back the massive blade all on her own. Had she been training in secret? There was no way she could possibly be that strong! Even I wouldn't be able to block that attack!

"Sachi! What are you doing!?" I screamed. She looked back at me, with a smile on her face, and tears in her eyes.

"I can't just let… huff… my boyfriend die… Can I…?" she grunted, struggling to keep blocking the attack as [The Gleam Eyes] gripped its weapon with both hands, forcing more pressure on her. "Aaaah!" Sachi screamed as the monster suddenly lifted up, throwing her off balance, before swinging in a circular motion, slamming his weapon into her before I could move. She went flying back. I watched helplessly.

"Agh!" screams of Ducker rang through my head.

"Wha-Why!?" followed by the terrified cries of Tetsuo.

"You let them die…" Keita… "You let them die! They trusted you and they died because of you!"

XXXXX Flashback XXXXX

[Floor Twenty] [Sunshine Forest] [April 8th, 2023] [7:25 PM] [Kirito]

"Hah!" I grunted, slicing through another [Hungry Mantis]. These mobs were super easy now. I didn't want to train near the front lines though, Kai was getting on my nerves and DaTa wasn't being any better, just following Kai like a blind sheep. We were the three strongest players in the game, and they were trying to be 'humble' about it! No! People should be on their knees by now, worship the ground we stood on! We were the ones risking our necks to get us out of this game, and what did they call us? The 'Baitor'. The 'Doormat'. The 'Sociopath'. Most people in Aincrad hated Kai and me, and they took advantage of DaTa whenever they could! And he just let them! They were all idiots.

"H-Help!" someone screamed.

"We're cornered, there's no way out!" someone else yelled from the same direction. I sighed. Them dying would put a huge damper on my mood, so I decided to investigate. I was met by a colorful bunch of people, like the Power Rangers, but probably more competent. They were indeed surrounded by [Hungry Mantises]. From one side.

"Oh come on!" I shouted at them. "Just run the other way through the bushes!" Seriously, this was stupid!

"We would, but Ducker's paralyzed!" the one with reddish armor yelled back.

"Then cut your losses and leave him!" I shouted back. In the back of my mind, I wondered if the [Hungry Mantises] were actually just waiting for us to finish shouting at one another before killing them.

"That's horrible!"

"It's life!" I told them.

"P-Please don't leave me behind!" the one with the stupid hat yelled. I groaned.

"Fine, just stand there!" I finally told them. "Noobs…" I grumbled under my breath, rushing forward to the tree [Mobs]. It was over in an instant; they didn't even pose a challenge. The five players, though, looked like I was Gandhi or something.

"That was incredible!" the one with green armor shouted, obviously easily impressed.

"Not really. A twelve-year-old could handle them," I deadpanned. "Seriously, are you guys stupid? Don't you have any [Healing Crystals]?"

"We kind of… don't have any," said the one with red armor. "We don't really have the money to. Hey, how about we treat you to dinner? For saving us, I mean."

"No wonder you don't have the money," I told them. "You give it out to any schmuck who saves your sorry asses."

"Look, do you want the food, or not?" the guy asked, obviously pretty irritated.

"I didn't say I didn't," I told him.

XXXXX

[Solis, Fancy Ladybug Inn]

"So, since you're eating away the last of our [Guild Funds]," the guy who I assumed was the [GM] in the group spoke up. I gazed over the many plates before me. I wanted my money's worth, "which we were going to use to buy a [Guild House]. Well, in that case…" I blinked as a [Guild Invitation] popped up in front of me. "Join our [Guild]."

"Wait, what!?" I protested. The guy nodded sagely.

"We could use someone as strong as you," he said. "And since you decided to so graciously dig deep into our pockets and spend almost every [Col] we had… Well, I'll just call that a… generous invitation." He looked down at me with crafty eyes. "Now, hit [Accept], or we'll just have to run you dry of every [Col] you own."

"Excuse me?" I had to laugh. "You? The guys who couldn't even take down three [Hungry Mantises] are gonna extort [Col] out of me?" I laughed again. The guy's smile didn't leave his face.

"Oh no, not us," he said. "I already know we're no match for you, Mr. 'Sociopath'." My laughing stopped. "You've been missing from the [Clearers] recently, right? Well, as it turns out, not many people are happy with you."

"No duh," I rolled my eyes. "People are just too stupid to gaze upon my magnificence, so I decided to train down here."

"The point is, I have direct connections to TheKaiSenpai," he said. I froze. "Yep. Every [Guild] in this game is invited into the [League of Aincrad], a group consisting of almost every [GM] in the game. Of which I am a member of. And which Kai is a founding member."

"W-When did this happen?" I asked, not wanting to get found so soon. I'd reported my leave to all of them, but I'd left before they could approve it.

"A few days after you disappeared from the front lines," the guy replied to me. "It pays to be in the know." I glared at him. "Just push the button, Kirito," he said it so simply, I wanted to punch him in his stupid, smug face. I growled and pressed [Accept]. "Great! Let's welcome our newest member of the [Midnight Black Cats]!" I didn't feel like celebrating. Still, though, they dragged me into their little party. I guess it was kind of fun, getting to know new people. I still hated them all, though.

XXXXX

[Floor Twenty] [Sunshine Forest] [May 10th, 2023] [3:20 PM]

"Man, the [Clearers] are so cool…" Keita, the guy in red armor, spoke aloud. He had a newspaper in his hands, published by Argo and her [Guild] of information brokers. General information was sold in the papers for ten [Col], while more detailed things were where it got pricey, and you'd have to find an information broker for it. "They've already cleared the twenty-eighth [Floor]!" I glanced at the [Guild], sitting off to the side. They were ok, I guess. A little annoying at times, but it was kind of cool. They looked up to me now. I guess I was their teacher. I had been training them to become strong enough to join the [Clearers]. It was tedious, but they learned quickly. All except Sachi. I stared at the dark-haired girl. She was as shy as they come, a real wallflower. It was pathetic how weak she was compared to everyone else. She was just holding them all back. Aside from Ducker, the girl was dead weight. Better as cannon fodder. Still…

Sometimes I saw a different side of her. She was always protective of her friends, and if any of them ever got seriously hurt, she would instantly switch places with them until they could fight again. It was sad to watch, really, but I guess even sheep had feelings. It made me want to puke. She was too nice, and was scared of every monster we came across. She'd rather make friends with others than fight. She'd tried doing it with me, but I pushed her away. I didn't need another sack of sand on my back to carry.

XXXXX

[Floor Twenty] [Solis, Alleyways] [May 20th, 2023] [9:26 PM]

I groaned, activating my [Detection] [Skill], searching for Sachi's footprints. Apparently the sack of sand decided to go on her merry own, and nobody else could find her. Leave it to the only one in this [Guild] who could actually fight, I guess. They were idiots, but they were my [Guild Mates]. I guess that meant I had to watch out for them. I followed the footprints to underneath a bridge, spotting the girl huddled up in a corner. "What's up, sunshine?" I called out to her, getting her attention. "Trying to go all rogue and mysterious on us? Become the brooding detective who strikes from the shadows? Cause lemme tell you something. It doesn't work." Sachi let out a loud sigh. I groaned and sat down beside her. "I really don't want to do this, but I guess I have no choice. What's wrong with you? Keita said you ran off."

"I'm just… scared…" Sachi whispered under her breath.

"Of what, getting abused in your sleep?" I rolled my eyes. "Please, I'm Pretty sure our [GM] plays for the other team. If anything I should be worried about that."

"No… I'm scared that I'll get myself and everyone else killed because… because I can't fight…" she admitted. I frowned, trying to think of a joke. My mind was pulling blanks, though. "It's terrifying… knowing that everyone else is being held back because of me… They could already be on the front lines by now, if I wasn't so weak…" I was still pulling up empty.

"Wow, I have no clue how to make fun of that," I told her. She looked over at me with sad eyes.

"Do you… really have to make fun of it…?" she asked. I shrugged.

"It's kind of my thing," I told her. She looked back down at her feet.

"Maybe that's why people think you're an asshole…" she said.

"Wait, people think I'm an asshole!?" I feigned surprise. She glanced at me, reading the sarcastic expression I was wearing. "I couldn't tell!"

"Kirito…" she mumbled. "Why do you hate me so much…?" I looked at her, kind of surprised. Where'd that come from? "Don't look so shocked. I've seen how you look at me… You look disgusted by me…" Tears pooled in her eyes. "Is it because I'm weak…? Or… Or am I ugly…? Why do you hate me and not the others?"

"Whoa, whoa, I don't hate you!" I denied. "Yeah, you're weak, but I don't really hate you. I mean, I don't hate anyone in the [Guild], I guess. You just don't try like the others do, and it's annoying." She kept silent, listening to me. "Spear users can be pretty strong when they fight the right way, so it's annoying that you aren't stronger than everyone else by now. You could do it."

"Really…?" she asked cautiously. "Are you… complimenting me?" I frowned. Was I? What brought this on? Was I really being nice to her and complimenting her? That didn't sound like me. But… maybe I was. I mean, she wasn't really bad looking. She was kind of cute, actually. She wasn't confrontational like Asuna, so that was a plus in my books. Maybe… she wasn't so bad. Maybe even better than the others.

"Yeah…" I told her slowly. "I guess I am…"

XXXXX Flashback End XXXXX

[Floor Seventy-Four] [Boss Room] [October 19th, 2024] [2:45 PM] [Kirito]

[ watch?v=nrHHXGggcmI ]

"I'll fucking kill you!" I screamed, running at [The Gleam Eyes] again, ready to murder it. It just hurt Sachi. It hurt Sachi! It hurt my girlfriend! I saw red as it thrusted towards me. I [Parried] the blow, pissed off. How dare this thing lay even a finger on my Sachi!? I lost it. "You… I'll be right back…" I growled. "Klein! DaTa! Keep him back for ten seconds!" I retreated for a moment.

"You got it!" DaTa shouted in return. I opened my [Menu], hearing the sounds of them keeping that thing occupied. [Skill Menu]. [Dual Wielding]. I growled, glaring at the stupid fucker who dared to face me. I had calmed down a little, and could see Asuna healing Sachi. That was all I needed to know. Maybe I could care. No, it was obvious I already did. I cared about these people, and I hated it. But still…

I cared about DaTa, as annoying as he was trying to teach me at every corner.

I cared about Klein, the guy who backed me up whenever he could.

I cared about Kai, who was the only person I could consider my best friend.

I cared about Sachi, the girl I loved.

I was filled with determination.

[Equip].

I roared, [Sprinting] towards my target. "Switch!" I called out, feeling my second blade forming in my grip. Unlike [Elucidator +7], which was a black longsword, the second blade was a bright and vibrant purple. It was just barely longer than [Elucidator +7]. The sword itself was shaped like a knight's sword, with a round pommel and rectangular guards that curved upwards, like miniature side points of a trident. I'd had it made by the [Guild Blacksmith] of the [Hopeful Foxes], which Kai had allowed. I didn't have a name when it was created, so I'd called it [Dark Twilight]. It was at [+6].

"Whoa…" I heard Klein mumble in awe, before I started my assault. I roared in anger, hacking, slashing the blue bastard. I hated it! It dared to hurt me! To hurt Sachi! To hurt innocent players!

"I hate you!" I screamed. "And you know what…? I hate you more than I hate people!" I kept attacking, not even bothering to block its attacks. I was causing more damage on it than it could do to me, anyway. "They're ignorant, racist, intolerant fucktards who can't do anything right! I mean, look at what they've done over the years! Genocide! Terrorism! Wars! Hate crimes!" Faster! Faster! I had to hit harder! "It's a never-ending line of stupidity, fuck ups, and death! They are by far a pathetic waste of a species, and don't deserve to even exist!" I roared as I thrust forward with [Dark Twilight +6], [Parrying] a thrust with [Elucidator +7]. "And how dare you make me care about them!?" Smash! Exploded [The Gleam Eyes] as I thrust my blade through it. I felt woozy. My vision was going black. Was I…? My [HP]… It was in the red… I grunted. "Now…" I breathed out. "You can all… Go fuck yourselves…" I fell to my knees and passed out.

XXXXX

[DaTa]

I smiled softly as I watched Sachi run to Kirito's side. It wasn't really what I was expecting, but I think he did well. "Heal!" Sachi shouted, the [Health Crystal] she was holding shattering in her hand as Kirito's [HP] returned to full. I smiled and walked over to them, Klein and his [Guild] doing the same. Kirito was laying in Sachi's arms, a bit dazed, but looking fine overall.

"Not bad, kid," I told him, getting the middle finger in return. I smirked.

"Dude, what was that?" Klein asked, searching through his [Menu]. "How can you use two swords at once, man? That [Skill's] not even in the [Directory]!" Kirito looked away.

"Do I really have to answer that…?" he mumbled.

"Yeah man!" Klein insisted. "This is big!" I watched as the [ALF] members made their way to the stairs. I guess they didn't want to stick around. "With that [Skill], we could get a ton of payers like you and just run through every [Boss] in the game!"

"To be honest, I don't really know," Kirito replied. "It just showed up one day in my [Menu]. I didn't even do anything." Sachi was running her fingers through Kirito's hair, looking shaken, but more relaxed than before.

"Well, just another thing you needed," Klein sighed, turning around. "Something else to make you ridiculously more powerful than everyone else. Well, I need a nap and whatever passes for sake. So I guess I'll see you all around."

"Seeya, Klein," I told him, patting him on the shoulder as he passed by me. Asuna came to my side as I approached the other couple. "Hey, Kirito," I spoke up, getting both of their attention. "Maybe you shouldn't give up on humanity just yet. Sure, they have some bad spots, but… I think you need to stop ignoring the good parts, too." I winked at him and motioned towards Sachi. "Maybe not all at once, but… Baby steps." I gave him a smile and turned to Asuna. "Let's get going. Lilly will kill us if we're late for dinner."

"Yeah," she replied with a sweet smile. "I'd like that." I took her hand in mine, leaving the young couple behind us. It might have been my imagination, but I could've sworn I'd heard someone say behind me…

"Thanks… sensei…"

XXXXX

A/N: If you haven't noticed, reincarnation is a theme in this story. Of who? Well, it should be fairly obvious with some of the characters. Also, yes, I did leave out Kirito's meeting with the [Midnight Black Cats] for this very reason. I was hoping it'd have more weight to it if we saw it from his perspective. And damn, it's hard doing Kirito's PoV! I'm not normally an asshole like Abridged!Kirito, who I've been using as a basis. It's pretty hard for me to draw on that characterization. The reason I use that version of Kirito is because that's how most gamers his age act. You have the merry handful who are actually decent people, but most of them are still kids who think they're all that.

I also had trouble creating a turning point for Kirito. Throughout this whole story I've made him into a selfish asshole who does what he wants, even in terms with Sachi. I actually went through several drafts where he got angry because DaTa was stealing his limelight. A few others where Klein dies in front of him, reminding him of the [Midnight Black Cats]. I even once considered killing Sachi, who I decided instead would get injured. And boy, was I surprised. Despite his uncaring demeanor, Kirito's pretty possessive! All of the battle was written in one sitting today and the first half was all written the day I came out with Chapter Six. I had a three-day writer's block, and the idea of Kirito caring about others eluded me. But this one instance just made sense to me, and it all came flooding out. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Review and tell me what you think of it, it helps me be a better writer! Ta ta!