Thanks for all your support so far! I'll be working on my fanfics all Winter Break so make sure to check up for updates!
I'd appreciate as many followers and reviews as possible! :)
Also, should I do a wider variety of POVs? I may do some chapters from te POVs of members of the Black Vampire Bats and Midnight White Wolves. Please tell me what you think! :D

Chapter 8

Hitomi

I didn't want to admit it, but knowing that Yuta was here made me feel a little better in this death world.
He visited as often as he could, claiming security back at headquarters was poor so he had no problem sneaking out. I had missed his easy-going, calm, composed personality. All the stress built up from keeping the Guild under order was killing me, but being with Yuta made me forget about it all.

Sharon and Mary have been constantly teasing me about him, though. There was no way I could possibly have feelings for Yuta. He was just a friend. Plus, me being leader of the Black Vampire backs and hin being leader of the Holy Dragon Alliance, there was no way a relationship would work out.

We spent most of our days in the dungeons or on the front lines fighting. Clearing floors had become much easier than before, and many guilds were growing stronger as more people leveled up.

But many people weren't even willing to move their lazy asses out of the Town of Beginnings, which I found to be stupid. We needed all the help we could get, and all those bastards were just lying around as if they really lived there.

But this wasn't the real world. And I needed to get back Taku and father. They had no time to be worried about me.

"Iura!"

I looked up from the pile of papers I was sorting through at my desk. Akira had slipped into my office unnoticed, as usual. That guy always popped up out of nowhere. One time he scared the hell outta me and I was only inches away from slicing his throat.

"Come in normally for once." I scowled.

Out of everyone, I think I was the most comfortable with Akira. We had the most in common. He had a serious personality and was an excellent fighter. But I wasn't as rash as he was. I think he was well-known for throwing seniors out of the window at his school.

"What do you mean by that?" He returned my scowl. "What do you want?" "Everyone wanted to eat out tonight." Akira shoved his hands in the pockets of his black pants. He wore a trench coat that was purple on the outside and black on the inside. He had a purple shirt under and black hunting boots. His unruly blonde hair and cold eyes gave him even more of a delinquent appearance.

"I'll pass." I sighed and ran a hand through my dark strands. "Honestly, do they really think they should be lying around at a time like this?" "You sound like an old lady." He walked up to me and snatched the papers out of my hands.

"Hey! What are you-"

"They promised they'd pay for the meal." He waved the papers in the air. "Don't make me come here for nothing."

"That's Akira for you."

I groaned. "Fine. I'll get Nai to fill in for me while I'm gone or something."

After making sure the guild would be gone in my absence, I changed into a blue top and white skirt. I held my hair up with a ribbon and fastened my sword to my belt.

"Look who decided to show up." Victor grinned. He was waiting along with Mary and Sharon at the front entrance. They were all dressed in casual clothes as well. I joined them along with Akira.

"Ok, that's everyone!" Sharon clasped her hands together. "Let's head off!"

We always normally ate at a small restaurant in the center of Zerian, a town north of headquarters. We even had our own table.

"I'm starving!" Victor groaned as he took a seat. "Just remember that you're paying." I picked up a menu and began flipping through it. "You don't have to remind me." Victor mumbled from behind his menu.

It felt nice to be out with friends for once. In the real world, I never went out and had fun. I was always taking care of Taku. Plus, I had no friends.

"Soooo…" Mary leaned in awfully close. "Progress report?" "For what?" I scowled. "You and Yuta." Mary rolled her eyes. "Though I don't know why he'd be interested in a girl like you…"

I flicked her on the head. "I have no feelings for him. And what is that supposed to mean?" "Nothing, really." Mary said with an oviously sarcastic voice. She covered it up by taking a long sip out of her goblet.

"Now, see here, you-"

Our normal, pointless arguments were about to begin when all of a sudden a scream shook the air.

"What was that?" I jumped out of my chair instantly along with the others.

We ran out of the restaurant and towards the town square where the scream had been heard. A crowd had gathered in front of the clock tower. People were panicking, whispering, and staring up in horror.

"What's going on?" I demanded. One girl pointed shakily at the tower. "Th-That man…"

I looked up and gasped.

A man in heavy silver armor was pinned to the tower with a lance. He was gripping the blade in a failed attempt to free himself. He was groaning in pain and sweating all over.

"What the-!" Victor gaped. "It's impossible to player-kill in a safezone!" Sharon exclaimed. I gritted my teeth and ran up the tower as fast as I could.

"What's going on? You can't player-kill here!"

"Hang on!" I shouted out the side of the window once I reached the top. "I'll get you down!" The man simply continued to groan in pain. I grabbed a sturdy stone in the wall and swung my body outwards, then pulled myself flat against the wall. With my free hand, I gripped the lance and pulled with all my might, but the lance wouldn't budge.

"Aghhh!" The man arched his head. His body began to shine.

"No-!"

He screamed in agony, and he shattered into a thousand pieces. I watched, horrified, as the remains of his body scattered into the air and dissolved. The crowd below gasped.

"Hitomi-sama!" Sharon's head popped out of the window. "Are you all right?" She spotted the now-gone man and lance still impaled in the wall and gasped "Th…That can't be…" The rest of the gang. They appeared.

"He's…dead…?" Mary muttered. "But…how?"

I twisted my body and leapt back into the room. "This is impossible." I grimaced. "This town is a safe-zone. No one can die here."

"But he just did" Akira glanced out the window again. "For starters, we should find out who he was." He leaned out farther and yelled out. "Oi! Does anyone know the guy who just died here?"

"So straightforward." Victor sweatdropped. "No kidding." Mary sighed.

"No one?" Akira scanned the crowd.

"U-Um…"

A frail girl with long, wavy purple hair stepped forward. "I-I knew that man."

We brought her to a café next to the crime scene. She sat awkward with her head low, hands between her knees.

"I am Yoruko" The girl slowly introduced herself. "That man was a friend of mine, Kains." "Did you see him when he was impaled?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "We had met up in the town's square earlier. I had left just for a second to restock supplies when I heard a scream. I came running back and found him…" Her voice faltered. She buried her face in her hands. Sharon comfortingly patted her back.

"So you have no idea how it happened?" Victor asked. "Um, actually…" Yoruko mumbled. " I saw a shadow in the window after I arrived. Th-That may have been the murderer, but I didn't actually see the face."

"So basically, nothing, huh?" I sighed. "I think this is enough." Sharon said. "She's already in enough shock. Would you like us to walk you home?"

She lived in an inn on the other side of town. It was a tense, silent walk. Once we reached the inn, she turned towards us and bowed.

"Thank you." She said softly. "Don't mention it." Victor said. "We'll be back for more questioning later, but for now, rest." I said softly. She nodded and headed inside.

"Poor girl." Sharon watched her with sympathy. "How could this be?"

"I know." I sighed. "Still, how exactly was Kains killed?"

No one could answer. A murder inside a safezone had never been heard of.

Which could only mean someone had found a new exploit to kill players.