Chapter 25: The Stalker and Shadows.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online

Husharu's P.O.V

How interesting… it seems Kirito-san has actually made it to the Floor of Exile… I didn't know he would go that far for someone that isn't even much of a friend to him compared to the others… well— he is Kirito so what did I expect? Anyways I could sense that Sharower has already begun his time with Kirito as well… Now it's my turn. I must tail his friends so I can gather the things I need to make this work out… Sharower, you better not do anything hostile to Kirito….

My first prey is the slightly analytic Asada Shino, A.K.A Sinon… The reason is because she would not be able to fend me off when she attacks me… she focuses on long range while I focus on the complete opposite… Plus, her partner in fighting is imprisoned so if this were to become open conflict, I'll be able to protect myself… I followed her around until she reached the prison where Tadaiku was held. I don't know what she's planning to pull off but I have to shadow her so that I can gather the info I need… I managed to eavesdrop on a conversation and so I listened:

"Why can't you just let Tadaiku go at this time? I heard from Kirito that Koyero wasn't actually dead so why keep him here?" Sinon questioned Zero, the player who is currently on guard.

"Just in case he's planning to lie to us… who knows? The words he admitted to us just might be lies to assassinate… I trust Kirito and Koyero but I don't trust this player even one bit…" Zero spoke back to Sinon which made a silence as they glared at each other. Zero's full mask now shows his eyes and some of his hair.

"… Can I at least have a visit then if you really want to be so stubborn of this matter?" Sinon glanced at him after calming down a bit. "I know him more than any player in Sword Art Online so I might be able to help in questioning him… in exchange, you have to let me visit him…"

"… So be it… Now, open the doors!" Zero turned around and shouted an order then the door opened. "Let's see if what you say is true then, Sinon… Tadaiku should be in the deepest part of the prison so I'll go with you just in case you plan any jailbreak for him…" They both went in.

Interesting… it seems like Sinon still cares for that guy even if he has committed such an act. Actually the act isn't as bad as it looks but banishing and exiling in this game has various reasons for it to be a hostile act… anyway I'm not done just yet… I have to head in that area and continue shadowing… this part of conversation isn't the informative part yet… I must continue it so I can get the info against them. I need it for my guild as well although I am guild leader, it doesn't mean I should just slack off… Now, I continue to shadow the both of them in hopes for information.

This prison is a bit over the top if you ask me. It had numerous gates in the entrances and exits and you could see so many players imprisoned in each segment. There have been numerous crimes these days so it's not really surprising. Sinon and Zero were almost out of my hearing range so I had to sneak just a tiny bit closer but that backfired when I was 'this' close to being spotted by them but luckily I hid right before. So the conversations start again:

"We're here… Oi, Tadaiku! You have a visitor that would want to talk to you…" Zero knocked on his cell door and went to the background to listen from there.

"S-Sinon-san?! What are you doing here? I thought you were going to go help the Knights of Blood in completing the succeeding floors while I'm imprisoned here… you don't have to pity me. I'm just an average player who did such a thing that got me here." Tadaiku went out of the cell so that he can speak to Sinon more clearly.

"Abandon you? No, there's no way I'd abandon my comrade, baka… you know that. Anyway I'm here to say that Kirito's going to attempt to take your brother back via Floor of Exile. He's also told me to help you out when you get out…" Sinon explained as she fixed her bow on her back so it wouldn't fall or anything.

"Now do your part, Sinon… question him for the information…" Zero grew impatient which meant that he really needs it… apparently I did as well so I had to stay hidden…

"Hmm? Whatever do you mean Zero? I can't say anything or even comment about anything that happened right now even if Sinon-san is here…" Tadaiku refused his order which made Zero wince and made Sinon surprised.

"Nani? Why Tadaiku-san? What has gotten into you? This isn't like you to refuse what a girl would ask from you… Did Zero torture you too much? Gomen for not coming in time if so…" Sinon wasn't showing a worried expression but you can tell from her words that she really is worried.

"Tsk… Why not? Why can't you just spit out the truth?! I need the info right now!" Zero complained when Tadaiku refused.

"It is because we have someone eavesdropping on our conversation…" Tadaiku suddenly lunged at me with some rod and hit my head.

"K-Kuso!" My shadowing skill deactivated at the time when I got hit by Tadaiku.

"Who may you be?" Sinon saw me after my skill deactivated then she was already ready to shoot an arrow.

"You are unauthorized to go here so you must—" Zero couldn't finish his statement when I activated my skill again and ran away and the words I can here were the info and the constant footsteps of other guards but finally I escaped… I have failed in this one but if I can get info from someone else… I can still do it…

My next prey is the depressed Silica so I might as well take the direct approach and consult her without acting all stalker-like since it won't work if it's just one person. I used one of my teleport crystals so that I can teleport to Floor 1 since I'm in a hurry. My current goal cannot be said in public at all… My position as guild leader isn't for nothing… I must do my work of shadowing so I can deliver the info to him… I must know what really happened in that time… Without that info, I cannot proceed…

Sharower's P.O.V

Taking Kirito away from that floor was harder than I thought… He literally attempted to escape the area we are in numerous times but all his attempts were failures. He really is restless, just like Husharu warned… Anyway, where are my manners? I am Sharower, a follower and comrade of Husharu... I'm in charge of taking care and training the Black Swordsman… quite ironic isn't it? I only manage to restrict him to this area because of some extravagant powers that dwell within me… what am I exactly? Husharu just made me part of his guild since I had nowhere to go so that is what I am grateful for…

I really don't recall how I started this game but all I do know is that Husharu was the very first person I met that I remember… All I remember is my life in this beautiful world and nowhere else. Actually… he is the only thing I remember ever since being here… Anyways I'm about 5'4 and I have slightly blue tinted hair and crimson red soulless eyes but I am very 'soulful' if you ask me. My weapon is a long dual sided spear and I have been appointed to teach Kirito about 'Juggling'…

"Kirito-san, please control yourself… I am not a foe but at the same time not a friend… I am just here to help you with your skills in this game… especially your newest one, Multi-wielding…" I attempted to hinder him from his attempts but he took it as a sign of something different and evaded my grab as he suddenly went out of my range.

"I don't know you all that much but what do you intend to do to me? I would really want to get out of this place of restriction you made and continue my search for my lost friend, Koyero…" He wanted to go away from me already but I really needed to do it… even if he's Level 98 already… he needed mastery over his new skill so I had to do what I did…

"*sigh* If you really want to get out of this domain then you must beat me, the one nicknamed, 'Manipulator'… I don't know why I have these skills but let me show you why you must master that new skill…" I challenged Kirito and he seems to have accepted. "If you lose though, you must stay here for the time being as I show you how to master your skill… It is better to be patient than heading out for battle even without knowledge of skills… that is suicide even if it's for a friend…"

"You wouldn't understand… This is different from what friends are to you… For me, they are always the reasons for you doing things that seem hopeless… Asuna was a friend of mine and then it developed to love and now she's my in-game wife… To me, you must never abandon a single one of them even if it's going to kill you. I failed to protect my friends in my old guild but I'll make sure that I protect all my friends in this one…" Kirito's energy seems to have changed but unfortunately he didn't know the powers of his blade yet… or does he?

"No, I understand… Friends are very special people but there has only been one person that has been my friend and that was Husharu! You think I don't understand?!" I snapped our duel started, first one to yellow HP loses. "Strike! My Kushimu! My dual-sided spear…" We clashed with each other as I was being pushed back already.

"I may not know how to use my Equalizer but my instincts tell me exactly what to do so that I can save my friend… Equalizer, separate!" He was holding the hilt with his two hands then suddenly there was 2 Equalizers for each of his hand… it isn't in full potential just yet… he needs to learn 'juggling' for it to be most effective… "I hope you're prepared for—" I cut him from finishing.

"Kushimu… activated… now… let's fight for real then… I am not the right hand of Husharu for nothing!" My spear began glowing as I clashed with him again but this time I was the one pushing him back. "I don't know how my skills activate and how I got them but all I know is my name is Sharower and I woke up one day on the fields near The Town of Beginnings after the 1st boss was defeated… I got these skills that I can't even comprehend and whenever I finish or stay in a battle for too long, I begin to feel weakened… and I don't know why."

"H-How are you pushing me back so easily unlike before?" Kirito struggled to push me back now. "Y-You aren't an ordinary player…" He attempted to do it once more but I staggered him after pushing his blade back.

"I already told you Kirito-san… if you cannot use your Equalizer right, you won't be saving anyone… even if you do save your friend Koyero, you shall experience an inevitable fate not so later if your mastery isn't high enough…" I raised Kushimu which signalled that I was going to attack and so I leaped into the air. "Kushimu, activate… Aerial Assault!" My weapon gleamed a second time and I did some tricks then landed a hit on his Equalizer and the first blade broke like glass.

"N-Nani?! E-Equalizer broke and in just one hit?!" Kirito staggered even more as I made him fall down from the force of that hit. "What kind of weapon is your Kushimu?!" He asked as he stood up once more and formed a new blade from Equalizer's ability.

"Kushimu… is my own being… I will defeat you and show you why you need to train to save your friend… you cannot beat the higher floors with this kind of sloppy—" Digital blood came from my mouth which surprised me and Kirito. "N-Nani?! Not… now…" I fell on one knee while panting hard like I was running for 5 miles in total in some kind of marathon.

I was pretty sure that Kirito would just finish me off and go on saving his friend but I was wrong about him… He did the exact same opposite of what I thought he was going to do. He sheathed his Equalizer and went to my aid. I don't know why I'm like this even if I'm still in green H.P. I was supposed to use Kushimu for the third time but it seems this body couldn't handle anymore… Kirito used some sort of healing crystal on me and I felt better… why is he doing this for a stranger like me? I managed to stand up and so I thanked him and I gave my first sincere smile to someone like him.

"Kirito… Arigato for healing me but… you really must train for—" He stopped me from speaking and so he responded.

"I know… and I guess you're right… I'll go with this training of yours for now but I will tell you that after this, I will save my friend with no further interruptions…" Kirito finally accepted the offer and I smiled. "But wait… can I hit you?"

"Nani? Why would you ask such a request?"

"I need to… clarify something…"

"Umm… sure but if you're going to hit me too much, I'll take it as a sign of hostility and fight you again."

"Fine…" Kirito gave a huge slash on my chest which made me twitch but it didn't really hurt much to my surprise until I saw Kirito give a look and sigh as he sheathed his blade… why did he do that?

"Luckily that didn't hurt much… anyway my armor is quite high so I think that's the reason why I'm still at green H.P… nothing to worry about!" I assured him but he didn't look convinced.

"Let me take a look at your stats than I will stop messing with you." Kirito gave one last request and so I just showed him my stats but again, why does he ask?

"I'm not sure why you want to look at my stats but I do understand that I have to make you trust me so is that it?" I closed my menu and awkwardly, I saw a 'full log-in' button… what the hell? I saw this before but I kept ignoring it but this one looks legit!

"… May I call you a different name?"

"Sure, Kirito…"

"Can I call you Kushimu? I don't really want to call you Sharower, no insults."

"I'm fine with it! People also call me Kushimu so it's like my second name or something but it's also the name of my spear so I'm fine with it."

"Glad we agreed on it… now let me ask one last thing… Kushimu, are you a game program?" His question made me astonished.

"W-What made you think that?! I'm fully human… I'm a player but I don't remember anything except for the game…" I shuddered a bit.

"I'm pretty sure I saw 'Immortal Object' in your skills… it's either you're a game admin or a game program and so I think you're a program… You don't recognize anything except this game so that might be an explanation…" He informed me which made me feel grim.

"T-This can't be…" I fell on my knees with my eyes bringing out tears. "H-Husharu-sama promised me that he will help me see the outside world once more… h-how can he do that if I'm just a program? I-I want to be real… not just a memory but a friend by his side… He gave me the name Sharower since he named me after himself when he found me on those fields… I-I—" Kirito silenced me by beginning to try comforting me.

"It's alright…" He patted my shoulders. "There is also someone like you and we want to make her in the real world as well…" Kirito understood the mixed-up emotions I was feeling right now.

"A-Another one in the same boat as me? Who could that be, Kirito? Only Husharu-sama will understand me enough to know how to make me feel a 100% again… he is like a brother to me ever since the beginning…" I gazed at him with curiosity.

"To see if you really are a program, try pressing that button… then we will know the truth…" How did he know about the button?!

"It seems you are right on that one though… I'll try to do so then so that I will see if what you say is true…" I pressed the button and gave a deep breath. "System Full log-in… Codename: Kushimu… Password: … (Cannot be read). I log-in, as Kushimu!"

After muttering the words I have said, I suddenly felt a sting as I was hit by a small beam of light and the markings of a game program appeared on my neck as it is also seen on my left wrist which made me know the truth now… I really was a game program but how did I get here? I turned my attention to Kirito as he looked surprised when he was right. I remember now… I was one of the rejected programs which Kayaba threw away to some sort of recycle bin in the game but I escaped and that is when some kind of force made me forget everything about it but I remember now… but I am still I debt to my sworn brother, Husharu so I shall still follow him…

I feel the perks of log-in as my Kushimu grew some blades out on the sides and that the Immortal Object skill was fully in play but I still shouldn't fight or else I will be erased from existence again… I was just lucky to have escaped from the recycle bin but if that happens again, I don't think I'll be so lucky… I unsheathed my Kushimu and logged out from full log-in and so I went to him.

"Ok Kirito-san… It's time to train now so let's do it now since we apparently don't have much time so we have to do it as fast as we can in order for me to teach you the skill 'juggle'…" I told him and he followed. The Black Swordsman really is a tough player but I must teach him this skill so that he can rescue the players here… I will aid him in his quest as well… I will make myself useful and do this for all of these players even if they kill one another… one will be the leader of all players against Kayaba and that will be Kirito… I know it… he is one of the few players that is high-levelled and will always aid a friend… Tsk…I guess I'll be rooting for his success then.

Husharu's P.O.V

Well… I can sense that Kirito-san has made him realize his true self. I must acknowledge him for that but now isn't the time… I must get the information out of this… I must know what truly happened… Why did he do that Exile? Anyway, I was now standing in front of the front door of Silica's house and so I knocked.

"… Who is it?" A girl which was probably Silica opened the door while looking depressed and her feather dragon was asleep.

"Why hello there, Beast Tamer Silica, or should is say Ayano Keiko?" I greeted which made her shocked when I knew he real name.

"H-How did you know my real name?! I only told my name to Koyero and the other option is that you're part of Scarlet Temptation… What do you want from me?!" Silica suddenly became aggravated when I greeted her like that but I did neither option…

"I do my research… anyway I didn't come here to make friends with you… I am here to investigate about Koyero…" I explained myself which made her back to depressed mode.

"…Fine… come in then." She let me in as she sat on one of the chairs, emoting.

The place was quite decent though… hard to believe that this was made by just one player and a few NPC workers… anyways I sat on a chair as well then I was about to question her but she stopped me from doing so and then she gave a deep breath before she started speaking… She was one of those beast tamers which is quite rare to see in Sword Art Online… though I must gather as much information from this little girl in order to break the chain of fate and unseal the limiter…

"So… how did he exactly get exiled by his own brother?" I leaned on the table and gave this question to her.

"He didn't get exiled… he was killed by Tadaiku!" Silica corrected and she seems to be in a terrible mood right now, between anger and sorrow. "I-I don't know the real story but I am very sure that he literally slashed across his neck with that Feral Zweihander of his…"

"No, you're wrong! Silica, apparently he isn't dead ya know…. He has been exiled and currently Kirito wants to attempt to break the limits with his dual-wielding and change into the more powerful, multi-wielding… To make it short, he is far from dead…" I assured her as my long sword gave a small sting to my back. "It seems I feel quite hungry right now… is that all the info you can give?"

"… He isn't dead? H-How?" Silica was in a state of surprise and happiness currently.

"I'll be going, Ma'am… see ya…" I stormed off before she could notice.

So it seems that he was taken away by a slash, eh? … This could prove to be an obstacle… I must feed my long sword already though… it seems like the crescent is beginning to be unbalanced and so I must feed my blade… Might as well fight some monsters then… I continued my search for a monster to fight but it seems I found something better… It was Ushara Figo… what a delicious prey he could be… I approached him and greeted him which surprised him.

"Ohayo leader of Azure Sky! A fine morning we have, don't we Figo?" I continued greeting him. "How's your guild and training for Dark Radiance faring? I know that it is difficult to control but trust me, you will master it soon enough."

"Umm… Gomen but may I ask who you are?" Figo stared at me and he seemed quite disturbed that I knew his power over his Unique Skill. "Also, what do you want with me? People don't usually talk to me just for leisure unless they're part of my guild…"

"May I have the honor to spar with you, Ushara Figo? I am Husharu, a guild leader just like you and I lead that shadowy guild all of you don't know about… We are a non-existent guild after all so why bother?" I challenged him which made him nod his head and unsheathe his blade and grab his sheathe with his left hand. "So I guess I'll take it as a yes then…" I pulled out my long sword.

My blade needed to feed right now… One strike shall do the trick especially against such a vessel like Dark Radiance… What delicious power he may have… We circled around while the fight was a duel which was First-Strike mode… I'd prefer to do battle until one of us gets yellow HP but I'm quite fine with this as well so fine. Figo was a guild leader and so was I so this could be interesting… he will really feed my sword well with that power of his…

"Why did you want to spar with me anyway? You could have sparred with many other players but why me?" Figo raised an eyebrow as we clashed our blades. "I'm a bit adept on my Dark Radiance now and so I'm warning you about it for now."

"I want to have a taste of your power…" I gave a slight grin as I kicked his leg and slashed his sheathe away.

"N-Nani?! What do you mean by that?!" Figo's eyes widened in horror when I gave him a very fast slash before he could react. "Y-You win?! I-I must acknowledge you for that though… it was a fair duel but how did you attack so fast?"

"The energy you have… it-it's… delicious…" I was trying to keep myself under control as I felt my sword resonating. "My sword loved it… That duel we had maxed out its charges… Figo, you were a very good opponent but it seems we must part ways for I do not wish to pull you with me in my mission to break the seal and the chains…" I used a crystal and now I was on top of a tall tree… yes, this is the checkpoint I used.

The view from here was amazing. Even if this is just Floor 1, the scenery is still quite good here. A flowing river can be seen south, rigid mountains that came from an update can be seen north, the vast field were all those boars reside are west and finally everything else was east… I always make trees my checkpoint so that I can have a height advantage if needed and so that I can see players even if they're far away.

Anyway back to business… my guild is like one of SAO's forgotten guilds. Before, we were known to all floors of Aincrad but soon enough, someone took the spotlight and that guild was Scarlet Temptation because of their well-known cruelty and Knights of Blood because of them being the leading guild in completing floors along with the other guild which means something was up in here… I went down the tree by climbing down since jumping would be suicide… unless you can land on a haystack or something but I wouldn't take that risk…

My mission for now wasn't clear but all I could do is wait for Kushimu to finish up in training the Black Swordsman… I felt that my blade would rather want to socialize with Silica more than just to wait… well then… I have another meeting with Beast Tamer Silica then… I began walking towards her house again. Something inside of me made me feel quite elated but I decided to ignore it and just continue… Whatever's going to happen will end up with one of the guild's falling so I can't even prevent it but can break the seal and chains… and soon… peace will come… I went in the house after reflecting on my next move.

End of Chapter 25

Next Chapter: Realization!

Next Extra Scene: Real Life: Game Programs.