I just want to say thanks to DuelingFreak for letting me use his OC. Hope u like it.
/

It's been a week since the [Death game] has started.

Since Kayaba Akihiko-the game master-has announced that "manual log-out was disabled" and that "the only way out was if someone 'cleared' the game", the 10, 000 players trapped in Sword art online have either tried to level up and 'clear ' the game, frantically completing quests, and getting to the third town of the floor, where the staircase was.

Although, not every gamer was successful. The unfortunate few were killed by the mobs while clearing dungeons; while others, who couldn't take it, jumped off the edge of Aincrad, ending their lives.

But, there was a third group: a small number of players, less than 100, hid themselves in inns, unable with the fear of dying inside the game but are not strong enough to kill themselves.

One of those players was me.

I was never confident with my skills as a gamer, nor was I even sure how I was going to survive in this game. Having tried out every weapon available, I realized that I was very bad at this game.

I stumbled, stuttered, missed, flinched, and every single thing that could kill me.

Scared, I feared the worst case scenario, and decided to stick with my stay-in-an-inn-and-wait-for-someone-to-finish-the-game plan. Which invlolves me doing nothing, but hug my legs in a corner and hope for whoever completes it to do it quickly.

But, something quickly got in my way.

"I'm sorry sir, but it seems you don't have enough gold to stay for the night"

"ah, is that so.."

After spending the first 7 days after the game master's appearance in a inn, I have used up every last gold I have left.

I'm starting to regret even buying every weapon type on the market, since that really ate most of the gold I given to me at the start.

Heaving I sigh, I waved goodbye at the npc at the inn's counter

"Please take care. And come again soon" she said, bearing the same warmth and welcome feeling similar to humans.

It seems a bit hard to believe that it's from a computer program simulation of a human being.

But, there was one obvious difference between the two-

"Umm… can you, well, give me just one night free?"

"sorry, I can't help you there"

"Uh, how about letting me stay in your room, just one night?"

NPC's, unlike players, they only respond based on a reaction tree system.

In other words

"You really can't help me out, can't you?" I said, in one last attempt

But, the answer didn't change

"Sorry, I can't help you there"

And with that, I gave up, and left.

/

Three lizard humanoid creatures stood around in a circle, seemingly speaking to each other.

They haven't noticed my presence, as I hid at a nearby bush, peeking in and waiting for the right moment.

My primary weapon was a dagger. Quick speed, but short reach, but makes up for its flexibility

I was comfortable this way, and being comfortable means you'll be able to move right, and moving right is exactly what I needed to survive.

One of the lizard men nodded, followed by the two leaving him.

In this moment, I assumed that this lizard was the leader of the pack. If I attacked him first, others would follow, but disorderly. So, all I need to do was hack and slash, and I'll clear this part.

I raised the dagger just above my brow; it started to glow with a red light.

The energy started to build up within the blade, as if it was finding a way out.

But, even if it did, I held it in.

The lizard man still held his shield up, expecting as if something was going to happen.

But, a small window of opportunity appeared.

For some odd reason, the beast held his head up high, looking at something on his left.

In that instant, my gamer instincts kicked in.

I let out the energy stored inside the blade, causing my body to dash forward.

Because of system assist, I was able to dash a few meters, closing in the distance between me and my target.

"Rya-"

The beast let out a cry, but was cut short, as I stabbed the dagger in between his lizard eyes, causing him to shatter into countless polygon shards.

"…one down…"

I said quietly in my mind.

One of the other two noticed my presence, turning my way and letting out a lizard squeal.

He raised his curved blade high above his head, charged towards me.

He closes in quick, slashing down his blade on my head.

I parried it, then slashed its head as a counter.

It stepped back in response, but I didn't give it time. I quickly raised my right hand over my brow, the blade pointed towards the beast in front.

A red light engulfed my blade, an energy built, and was quickly released.

The dagger skill [piercing needle] activated, lunging me towards the lizard, plunging my dagger onto him.

But, he managed to block using his shield, and pushed me away, dagger still stuck on the shield.

"chh…"

I clicked my tounge seeing this.

But, he didn't give me time to recover, dropping his sword on my arm.

"arrghh"

I gritted my teeth, as the blade slashed my arm, lowering the green bar on the left of my vision around 70%.

The lizard stepped back, putting up his shield in guard.

The black hilted dagger still stayed wedged on the shield

A man without a weapon in a dungeon is as good as dead in this world

With that thought in my mind, i began thinking irrationally.

Without second thought, I dashed forward, trying to grab my dagger. My outstretched hand held onto its grip, but was thrown back by the shield.

I was knocked out balance, landing on my butt.

My health bar went down further, its green colour suddenly turned yellow.

I gripped my dagger, but before I could activate a skill, he pinned me down, slashing me with his sword.

"Gyah!"

Although the game didn't simulate pain, I could still feel the blade slashing onto my body. It wasn't a pleasant experience.

Helplessly, I watched as my life bar lowered down to 50%

…40%...

…25%...

Even lower to a 10%, where the bar turned red: the danger limit.

When it reaches 0%, my nerve gear would kill me.

Hopefully, death I this game wasn't painful; that It was quick, and painless.

In the darkness, I awaited the inevitable end.

All the lizard needed to do was hit me once more, then I'll be dead

I gripped hardly to my dagger.

A tear slipped out of my eye.

I was scared. I didn't want to die. But, I cannot.

It's not like a miracle would suddenly happen.

I opened my left eye slightly, seeing the lizard man raise his silver sword above, and, like an executioner, swung it down.

At that moment, I shut my eyes.

But, silence followed.

No sword pierced my skin.

Nothing hit me

And, when I slightly peeked open my eyes, my health bar remained dangerously at 10%, with a faint warning siren like tone playing in my eye.

But, the lizard man was gone.

I couldn't see him.

He was gone, but how?

I forced myself to sit up, still holding on to my blade.

I glanced at it, and thought.

I'm switching to sword.

Not taking chances, nor wanting that to happen again, he tossed his dagger aside, which shattered upon landing.

With that dagger out of the way, he thought to himself:

"What happened?"

The lizard man's sword was all that was left of him. But, he was nowhere to be scene.

Gingerly, I reached for the weapon.

When I held it, a menu popped out.

New item received

Grunt Lizardman word

Somehow, seeing the word grunt in its name made me a bit disappointed.

I almost got killed….by a grunt…?

In most RPG's, grunts are the weakest of the weak minions of a boss. And, being almost killed by one meant I was merely a noob.

"I have a lot to learn…" I mumbled softly to myself.

"Yeah, you sure do"

What I didn't expect, was that I was answered.

I quickly took my stance, facing the area where the voice came from.

The figure, the one who spoke, raised his hands up, showing that he meant no harm.

"Well that's no way to treat someone who saved your life."

He said a guy around my age or so, with brown hair on his head, with bangs that covered his left eye. He also wore a blue shirt, copper breast plate, baggy pants, and leather boots: the typical beginner gear.

"Wh-who are you?" I asked, stuttering slightly

"Just a fellow player like you, I guess" he spoke, in a matter-of-fact kind of way, which made me slightly pissed.

I nearly got killed, and now this guy acts all nothing happened on me?

"I said who you are!?" I repeated, saying it firmer this time.

"as I said, a fellow playe-"

I pointed at his throat with the heavy sword. Although I was not used to its weight, I managed to keep it up, even if it wobbled a bit.

"Who…are…you…?"

"Vendette. Ven for short. And,"

He placed a finger onto the blade, applying a bit of pressure on it.

Even if I tried, the sword became too hard to hold, causing it to fall out of my hand, and onto the floor.

"Don't do that. We are all players here, so be friendly, alright?"

What I hated the most about him was how he was able to smiel in admist this situation.

He knelt down, and picked up my blade, handing it over to me.

"You're lucky I just so happened to be around, or else you could have been another killed by this stupid game."

I didn't trust him, but it's not like I have much of a choice right now.

Besides, if it wasn't for him, I'd be dead.

"Fine" I said simply, grabbing the blade's hilt from him.

With the blade back on me, a sheathe appeared on my back, on which I sheathed my blade.

As I did, the guy just casually walked past me, hands behind his head.

I simply watched him, not really sure if I should trust this guy or not.

After a few more steps, he stopped, turned a half a half circle around, and started walking backwards.

"Are you coming?"

"Where are we going?"

He shrugged.

"Where else? To the next village."

"But, doesn't that mean we have to complete this dungeon together."

"….oh yeah."

As if he remembered something suddenly, his eyes popped open.

Doing a swiping gesture with his right I index and middle finger, he opened the menu, pressing a few buttons, and then a menu appeared in front of me.

Vendette wants to form a party with you

0 yes X no

I paused for a moment to think. I even hesitated, but in the end I pressed yes.

A smile grew on his face, as another green bar appeared bellow mine.

With it, his name was shown.

"Well, it's great to have you with. Let's beat this game, shall we?"

He stretched his hand forward to me

"…yeah, let's"

I grabbed it, and shook it.

"Names vendetta. Ven for short."

And, with a smile, I said.

"Thanatos."