Chapter 4

Hitomi

I had trouble processing the last few minutes I'd logged into the game.

Kayaba Akihiko had showed up. He said we couldn't log out, and if we died in the game, we'd die for real. No one on the outside could remove our NerveGear either. To free ourselves from the game, we had to clear all 100 floors of the game.

"No. No, this can't be happening."

I loved the virtual world. I loved being able to walk, to run, to fight. I was free.

But Taku needed me. Father needed me. And I was stuck in this game. If I died here, I'd never see them again.

Father's too busy. He has to work hard to maintain the business. Taku is weak. He needs me by his side to feed him, change him, comfort him…

No. This can't be happening. It just can't.

"I want to leave!" A girl a few years younger than me collapsed to the floor in tears.

"Let us out, Akihiko!" A middle-aged man yelled to the sky.

"I didn't agree to this!"

"Will we really die?"

Players began crying, shouting out possibilities, protesting. "This can't be!" People cried. Everyone was grief stricken, still shocked from the announcement. We were all trapped in this game. And we would die as soon as our hp level hit zero.

I glanced at the cloaked figure besides me. He was Hotaru, a boy I just saved not too long ago. He had his hood on, so I couldn't see his face. He didn't seem different, though, even after those mirrors changed everyone's appearance to their normal form. The only difference I noticed was that his dark hair had turned white.

"Why did I even save him?"

He had been thrown around by a group of jerks in the fields, and on impulse, I had saved him. But he was rude and ungrateful, and he got on my nerves, which was rare. And now, he just simply stood there calmly, staring up at the sky where Kayaba Akihiko had previously been in silence.

A small "pop" sound in front of me brought me back to my senses. It was a message from Victor, the vice-commander of my guild. I opened the message.

"Did you hear what happened? This can't be happening. Leave town square and teleport to headquarters."

I sent back a message saying "Roger" and began weaving through the crowd. Then I remembered Hotaru, who still stood there amidst the chaos.

"Just leave him. He's an ungrateful little brat. And he seriously irks me."

I didn't even know him. He was a shady guy I'd only just met. But he was a new player. And he'd just discovered that he had logged onto a death game. There was no way I could leave him here.

I gritted my teeth. "C'mon." I grabbed his wrist, catching him by surprise, and dragged him through the crowd. We ran through the horrified crowds towards the fields where I normally teleported to headquarters from.

I stopped and whirled around to face him. "Look. I'm the commander of the Black Vampire Bats. We are one of the most successful guilds in Aincrad, with a strong system and capable fighters. And now we have to fight even harder than before to reach the top of this game so we can escape with our lives. This may be too sudden, since you just logged on, but would you like to become a member of our guild?"

"What am I doing? I don't want to babysit a wimp. I don't even know him."

Guess I'm just too considerate.

"Black Vampire Bats?" Hotaru echoed thoughtfully. Then he smiled brightly. "I refuse."

"Great. I'll bring you to-" I brought out a teleportation crystal, then dropped it when I realized what he'd just said. "Wait, what?"

"Gomen. I don't want to join your guild." Hotaru smiled apologetically from under his hood.

"What?" I couldn't believe my ears. Here he was, a beginner in an entirely different world where you can actually get killed. He had just been given the opportunity to join one of the safest and securest guilds in all of Aincrad, and he just…refused?

"Y-you really are an idiot, aren't you?!" I fumed. "Did you not get what Kayaba Akihiko just said? You can't log out! If your hp reaches zero, you die! Our guild is assured to give you proper protection and training to defend yourself."

"No is no." Hotaru outstretched his arms as if he weren't trapped in a death game. "Or do you really want me to join? You like me?"

"Wha-" I fumbled. "A-As if! Anyway, if you don't want to join, you're really an idiot. So, just-"

"Watch out!"

I grabbed the hilt of my sword, but it was too late. I felt a sharp pain in my back.

"A bug monster? Why is there even one here?"

I readied my sword, but before I could even unsheathe the blade, a flash of light sliced through the air. In just a few seconds, the bug was in pieces. With a loud screech, it dissipated.

"What just happened?" I hauled myself onto my elbows and looked up. Standing above me was Hotaru. He had a small dagger in hand, still glowing from the attack.

No way. A level one shouldn't have been able to defeat that monster with just one blow. I squinted at the green bar floating above his head. His level number was missing. Maybe he had hid the icon? But he just logged on today, right? Obviously, he was on level one. So, how…?

"See?" Hotaru faced me and smiled. "I can take care of myself just fine."

"Wh-where'd that dagger come from?" I demanded, trying to regain my composure. "Eh?" He glanced at the dagger as if he'd just noticed it was there. "Hmmm…I don't know."

An idiot. This guy was a real idiot.

"Whatever." I scowled. He held out his hand, but I swatted it away and got up on my own. "I have to get to headquarters. At least friend me. If you have any questions or need any help, just message me." He seemed kind of taken aback by my offer which seriously pissed me off.

"Fine."

I opened up my menu and typed in his name. A message appeared before him, saying "Hitomi wishes to become friends? Accept?" Hesitantly, he pressed "Yes."

"Well, message me whenever you need me." I said and picked up my teleportation crystal. I closed my eyes, gripped the crystal tight, and chanted.

"Teleport, Black Vampire Bat headquarters!"

I could feel the world around me dissolve, and Hotaru disappeared.

"Hopefully, I won't have to deal with that guy ever again."

It only took a few seconds before the grand castle that was Black Vampire Bats' headquarters appeared in front of me. I strode in to find hundreds of guild members in panic. Men were arguing with each other Girls were crying. Elders were trying to comfort younger subordinates.

"This is terrible." I muttered.

"Hitomi-sama!" A small girl with short brown hair ran towards me. "Um, you are…?' I blankly asked. "It's me, Sharon!"

"Sh-Sharon?" Sharon was one of my closest friends in the guild. She was a strong, capable warrior with a strong build and beautiful features. Then I remembered that the mirror Kayaba Akihiko had given us returned everyone to their normal appearances. So this was what Sharon really looked like.

"Oh, sorry, didn't recognize you." I apologized. "You're not that much different, though." Sharon noted. "So? How is it?" I asked her.

"Honestly, not so good." Sharon reported. "Fights are starting to break out."

I grimaced. I brought my fingers to my lips and let out a long whistle. Everyone went quiet and turned their attention towards me. This was the kind of authority I could never get back home.

"Commander! Tell us what to do!"

"We're doomed!"

"Do something!"

"Quiet!" I boomed "I know that this is quite a shock. It's scary and dangerous. If we are killed here, our bodies in the real world will die as well. I cannot guarantee that no lives will be lost. But we cannot continue grieving. We are the Black Vampire Bats! We are one of the most respected guilds in all of Aincrad! We just have to fight strong as we usually do! But we must proceed with more caution. We are not just a guild. We are a family. We will have each other's backs and protect each other! Isn't that what our guild is all about?"

"Is it really all right for you to be our commander?" One man in the far back called out. "You're just a little girl. Shouldn't our commander be someone stronger and more capable of leading our guild?" H-Hitomi-sama is a thousand times stronger than you!" Sharon snapped. "She's a girl!" Another man exclaimed. "Why should we have to listen to her? "What is she, twelve?"

"I am not!" I shouted without thinking. I've always hated my childish-face. Growling, I leapt into the air. I smoothly slid my sword from its sheathe and gracefully spun around. Before anyone could blink, I was standing before the man who had offended me with my sword pointed at his chest. "If you have any complaints you'd like to state or wish to duel with me for the position as commander, then feel free. But I do not intend to stand down. I may seem weak, but my abilities are just as strong as before."

The man scowled but said nothing. Then he bowed stiffly. "I apologize, Commander." I curtly nodded. "Does anyone else have anything to say to me?" No one spoke. "Good. It has been a long day. Head to your homes and get a good night's rest. Make sure to securely lock your houses. We will begin discussing on what we shall do tomorrow morning. Dismiss."

The crowd gradually began to break apart as people headed for their rooms. Some were still crying while others discussed about what would happen to them from now on.

"Good work, Hito-chan."

My vice-commander, Victor, stood behind me. He was shorter and had longer, darker hair than before, but I could recognize his voice instantly "I'm sure you're gonna be fine." "Right. Because any high school girl can lead a huge guild to victory without getting them killed in a high-tech virtual reality game where you can actually die." I scowled.

Victor smirked. "So cold as usual."

"D-do you really think we'll be fine?" Sharon asked with uncertainty. We paused. No one could answer that. This was supposed to be a fun game where you could battle and socialize. Not a game where you have to fight for your life.

Was it really going to be fine?

"Don't worry. We'll get out of here." I said firmly, trying to sound as truthful as possible. Sharon looked up at me with wide eyes, then smiled softly. "Yeah. Because we have you." "That's the Hito-chan we know." Victor grinned. "I said stop calling me that." I punched him lightly. He chuckled. "You know, you're way too calm." I noted.

"Ah, well, panicking and thinking about all the negatives things isn't really my thing, ya know." Victor sighed. "I just have to focus on getting out of the game. That's all there is to it."

Victor can be obnoxious and immature at times, but he was a brave and reliable player. I was glad to have him as my vice-commander. We walked out of headquarters together towards the portal that led to our homes.

"Well, I'll see you two tomorrow!" Victor waved. "Don't let this whole thing get to ya! We'll work it out somehow!"

"Yeah!" Sharon nodded. "See you tomorrow, Hitomi-sama!"

I bid them good-bye as they stepped through the portal.

"Will it really be fine?" I wondered. I looked down at my hands, then at my feet. In this world, they could stand on their own. But I'd give that up for Taku and father any day.

"It has to be fine. I have to get back to Taku and father."

With these thoughts in mind, I stepped through the portal.