Chapter Eleven

The White Scythe

Warning: there's swearing ahead.

Seconds later, polygons exploded everywhere, lighting up the area eerie whitish-blue. I sighed with relief as I went to retrieve the blade that I threw, the drop from LinLong; [[Peat-Soaked Fang]].

"Well, I think I'll call it a day. Two levels will be enough for now," I said contentedly as I walked to the inn.

"Impressive," someone said from behind me.

"Rita? What're you doing here?"

"Out leveling, same as you."

"I see… hey… Rita?" I started.

"Yeah?"

"Why is the forest behind you burning?"

"Oh, that? My sword did it."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, right. The boss drop I got inflicts burns and does fire damage. Since there are flammable gases all over the place, it causes stuff to catch fire when I make contact with a mob or field boss," Rita explained.

"Does that mean you actually went up against a field boss already?"

"Yeah. But don't worry, I'm fine! It took triple damage because of the fire element of my katana."

I sighed. Kami-sama, this girl is either really smart or really stupid.

"Might I ask which field boss you went up against?"

"I think… Oh yeah! [[LinLong the Swamp Dragon]]! That's it!"

"Ah-eh-ah… HOW IN THE HELL?!"

"What do you mean? Oh, right, I guess I did just solo a field boss. This thing inflicts burn to enemies, so it went down even easier," she said.

"Don't give me that. That katana was a Crimson item, right? They all have drawbacks. So, what kind of damage did it do to you?"

"Well… hehe… it gives me a—"

Her eyes rolled up into her head, and she collapsed limply.

"Rita? Rita, wake up!"

(Asuna)

I have no idea what to do. Heathcliff asked me to join his guild, but… what of Kirito?

Could I really just abandon Kirito-kun to join Heathcliff's forming guild? But then… Heathcliff said that…

I wandered in a daze until I ran into a certain information broker.

"… Argo?"

Hours earlier

"He will be safe. Let him go."

"H-Heathcliff?" Kirito said, turning around to face a now better-armored Heathcliff.

After a few seconds, Kirito gently pushed me away from him.

"All right, I'm going now. Thanks, Heathcliff."

Kirito walked quickly, out into the swamp.

"Kirito…-kun…" I called out quietly.

"Don't worry, he is the strongest player in the whole of SAO. There's something… special about him, something I can't explain in words," Heathcliff said, smiling nostalgically.

"I agree."

"Well, I have a proposal for you, Asuna-kun. If I can convince Kirito-kun to join, would you be willing to become a part of my guild once it is created?" Heathcliff asked me.

"S-sure!" I said, noting that I sounded a little too enthusiastic.

"And if he were not to join with you? He does not really need you or me, so I cannot guarantee he will join my guild."

He… doesn't need me?

I was paralyzed. I couldn't breathe. If he didn't need me, then what was I to him?

As Heathcliff walked away, he left a parting comment.

"I hope you will consider my offer, Asuna-kun. Farewell."

"So, what you're saying is that the guy Kirito dueled in Phibbius' cave asked you to join his guild, telling you that Kirito doesn't need you? That snake!"

"Calm down, Argo. I think… I think he's right. Kirito doesn't need anyone to get in his way, least of all me… I wasn't in the beta like all his other friends…"

"Well, there's Rita! She's not a beta-tester! Don't worry, he—"

Just then, Argo received a PM from someone. Her face turned frantic.

"I've gotta go, Asuna! I'll see you later!"

Once she left, I sunk back into the depths of depression and doubt.

Am I just… a nuisance? Could that really be all I am to him?

Should I join Heathcliff's guild? If my first friend thinks of me as a nuisance, then what do my other friends think of me? Kamiko, Cirdan, Aria and Argo are all beta-testers, and Rita is super strong… Would I be better off with a fresh start?

(Kirito)

Three hours later, in the town's inn, Rita had yet to wake, so I remained with her. I had given her a [[Status Healing Potion A]] to heal her [[Burn]] condition, but she still hadn't shown any hints of awakening.

"Rita… don't do this to me… I still have questions for you, so if you don't wake up, I won't forgive you!"

*Yawn* "What kind of questions?"

Rita sat up in her bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Rita? You're finally awake," I sighed in relief.

"As for the questions… how were you able to block the attacks of Phibbius with just your katana without taking severe damage? And how the heck did you defeat LinLong all by yourself? It doesn't add up. You're hiding something."

"I can't hide anything from you, can I? Did you ever get a message from a GM saying something about the fatal flaw of the [[Cardinal System]]?"

"Hmmm… " I contemplated. "Now that I think about it, yeah," I said.

"Did he or she give you anything?"

"Yeah… where are you going with this?"

"What did he or she give you?"

"I don't know if I should be telling you this, but she gave me the most powerful one-handed swords in the game, [[Dual Wield]], and an ability to use with them."

"Why haven't you used those swords, then? You would easily be able to level up and beat the game faster!" Rita asked, glaring at me.

"Take a look for yourself," I said.

I pulled up my inventory, going into the extra folder, [[Gifts From Rinko]]. "See, the items are all grayed out. Even if they weren't, it would draw too much attention. If one of the GMs, or even Kayaba himself saw me with them, they might delete me from the system. Then I wouldn't be able to help everyone."

"I see… that makes sense. Well, I'm going to get back to sleep now, the sun has almost set already!" she said.

"But Kirito… would you mind staying here, at least until I fall asleep? I… I get nightmares easily."

Just like Kamiko.

"Sure, I don't mind."

"Thank you, Kirito…" and with that, Rita flopped back onto the bed, already asleep.

It was only an hour later, when I was about to fall asleep next to her, that I realized something. She never answered my questions!

I sat up, wondering what time it was. Opening my in-game menu, I realized that I was running out of daylight… fast.

Wait a second, when did I start laying down? Well, it doesn't matter. I just need to get up.

Suddenly, a PM from Argo appeared in my inbox. I opened it and read,

"Kirito, my sources are telling me that something really bad is happening in the [[Swamp of Chaos]]! Several people have died as soon as they entered! You've got to go see what's going on!

-Argo"

"She didn't even call me Ki-Bou. This must be serious."

(?)

It seems that making my master go to the trouble of forming a guild was worth it. Look at this magnificent landscape! It's the perfect place for a guild headquarters! Now, if only those pesky low-leveled players would stop getting in my way. I don't really like having to kill people, but if they keep barging in here and trying to level, then I won't hesitate.

"Hey, supervisor! Where do we start with the building process thing?"

*Sigh* "Good for nothings…" I mumbled. "We need to build walls to seal off the entrance first! Those annoying newbies keep barging in, and I can only kill so many people in a day without getting tired of it. However, I never get tired of killing people who don't follow my orders."

"Y-yes sir!"

(Kirito)

When I arrived at the [[Swamp of Chaos]], I found giant walls guarding the inner area.

"These weren't here when Heathcliff and I fought LinLong… something's wrong."

A player ran up to me, gasping and begging for help.

"What's wrong?!" I yelled, running over when he collapsed.

"My party just wanted… to level in the swamp… but these players in gray cloaks… they wiped every single one of us out… even I…" he paused, starting to cough violently. "I'm poisoned…"

"Hang in there!" I shouted. Frenzied, I pulled out an antidote potion.

Just before it reached his mouth, the man's body shattered into countless polygons.

"Damn. Just my luck… his HP ran out just before I could finish him off!" a voice yelled with agitation.

I got up to face the man clad in gray. "You… are you the one who did this?" I asked in a low voice.

"Yeah, what're you gonna do about it, pretty boy?"

Red slowly consumed my vision. "This… can end in two ways… one: you get down on your knees and grovel for forgiveness like the sick dog you are… or two: you die to my sword!"

"Big talk, now let's see you do the walk! Raaagh!"

I may have been consumed by anger, but that didn't mean I became stupid. I waited for him to come to me, and when he struck, I allowed the slash to make a miniscule scratch on my cheek.

Now that it was considered self-defense, I quickly retaliated with a swift [[Anneal Driver]] to the spine.

"AAAAAGH!" the man dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. Seconds later, a sound akin to shattering glass could be heard throughout the swamp. I had done it. I killed him.

Six more appeared. One of them pointed to me and shouted, "He destroyed Johnson! Everybody, kill that man!"

"Just you f***ing try it!" I snarled back.

They charged at me, all slashing wildly. Each one landed a small scratch on my arms or legs. I didn't even flinch. Instead, I activated [[Chain Skill]].

I started with a deadly [[Inch Slash]], aiming my attack toward the wall. Once I slashed through a player and reached the wall, I sprinted upwards and jumped off at the top, delivering an [[Impact Force]] to the ground below the remaining five, sending them backwards into the sky.

Once they landed, I continued with an [[Impact Wave]], slashing the air several times to create five shock waves that slashed through all of the players. They exploded into countless polygons of all shapes and sizes, never to return to the real world.

"Well, you took them out with no problem at all. It is to be expected, after all, seeing as you are a [[Champion]]," said an arrogant voice behind me.

I found a man in a white cloak, equipped with a kind of weapon I had never seen before, even in the beta—a scythe. The man walked over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"The hell's a [[Champion]]?" I asked while swatting his hand away.

"A [[Champion]] is one of the five most powerful warriors in this world," he said. "Of course, one of the other requirements has almost nothing to do with that."

"And what would that be?"

"You have to have survived."

"Survived what?"

"I have no obligation to answer that question. However, I do have an obligation by my master to test your limits."

"Hehehe… AHAHAHA! Bring it on!" I thundered.

"Before we start, I'd like you to use everything you've got, including your [[Dual Wield]]."

He knows?! Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter now! I'll crush him!

I manipulated my menu, equipping my newest sword, the quest reward known as [[Cronus' Sword]].

"{{System Influence: Orange Override}}!"

Shit! He's a GM?! My rational self inquired from deep in the confines of my soul, forcing me out of my rage. Oh well, I just have to fight!

I charged, slashing with my left sword and preparing a skill with my right. The man immediately caught on, bashing me with the butt of his scythe and sending me flying back.

As he ran toward me, his weapon did something I never would have expected. It disconnected at the center, the other half forming into another scythe.

"It's on!" he shouted.

CLASH, CLASH, CLASH!

I could barely keep up. His attacks were just too fast. He kept me permanently on the defense. I didn't have the time to retaliate, let alone activate a skill.

"I don't know what my master sees in you, but it's certainly hard to believe that you're a [[Champion]]. Weakling," the man said with disdain.

Red filled my vision once more. I hadn't felt this enraged in years. I howled in pure rage.

"RAAAAAAGH!"

The shock on his face gave me the opening I needed to go back on the offensive.

Left, right, up, down, diagonal up, cleave, double jab-

The second jab hit him right in the stomach, to which he responded by immediately ripping my right sword out of my hand and sending it flying to the right with his left scythe. He followed up with a jab from the blunt tip of his right scythe, which I blocked with some effort.

I dashed towards my second sword, but the man appeared in front of me in a blur just before I got to it, knocking me to the ground and putting both of his scythes around my neck. He pressed them to my neck, making my HP drop by just a small amount, red marks appearing where he put pressure.

Is he going to… kill me?

"You lose," the man said simply.

Drawing his scythes away from my neck, he walked over to my sword and picked it up. After tossing it up me, he said, "Here's your sword. You did better than I expected, so I'll tell you what. We'll stop PKing for a little while, and we'll take our base of operations elsewhere. My name is Yami. Remember it. Ja ne, Kirito."

As he walked away, he faded into the fog. The red in my vision subsided as soon as he fully disappeared.

Several seconds later, everything faded into black.

When I woke up, I found a girl with long chestnut hair sitting on the floor next to my bed, one hand over mine.

"Asuna?"

"Uuuh…" she mumbled groggily, raising her head. "Kirito-kun? You're awake?"

"Yeah, I'm awake. How did you find me? I know that you weren't in the area…"

"I traced you on the friend checker menu. That reminds me… I have a question. Please… answer it truthfully," Asuna said sadly.

"Go ahead," I replied carefully.

She seems so fragile right now. I hope I can make her feel better. I just have to.

"… What am I to you?"

"What?"

"Am I just a nuisance? I'm not as strong as you… no one is… I know you don't need anyone, you've made it obvious… but… am I at least a little important to you?" Asuna asked shakily, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Of course you're important to me. You're one of the first friends I met in this game, and nothing will change the fact that you're my treasured friend," I said with sincerity.

"Thank you, Kirito-kun… I… I…" Asuna uttered. Sniffling, she started to cry.

I felt so bad for giving her the wrong impression. I hugged her tightly, saying, "There, there… don't cry. I'm sorry that I made you think that way about me. I promise that you will remain special to me. You'll never feel any other way about me again, I'll make sure of it."

What the hell am I doing? I don't want her to be too attached to me, and yet here I am saying all these things to her without hesitation!

"Kiri-kun, are you okay? I heard you were injured— what's going on here, Kiri-kun?"

Kamiko?! Oh crap!

"It's nothing," Asuna said quickly, cheeks stained with red. Getting up, she walked to the door.

"I'm going to go level…"

"Wait, don't!" I shouted frantically.

"What? Why?" Asuna and Kamiko inquired in unison.

"The reason you found me unconscious… there are PKers running loose." I tried to convey my sense of foreboding.

"What?! You mean that they…? Why didn't they kill you?" they asked, in perfect sync.

"It's a long story."

"We've got time."

"Okay… here goes. I received a PM from Argo telling me that something bad was happening at the [[Swamp of Chaos]]. When I went to check it out, a man came to me and told me that his entire party had been PKed. He told me that he had been poisoned, and just before I fed him an antidote potion, he died.

"Then, a man appeared and told me he was the one who poisoned the now dead man. Red filled my vision, and I… killed him. After I did that, several more, I think six, came and tried to kill me. After I killed them, another man came, telling me that I was a… a [[Champion]]. I still have no idea what he meant by that. He said that his master wanted him to test my limits, and then we fought. He was using a kind of weapon I had never seen before, not even in the beta. He was using a scythe.

"He told me that he knew about my [[Dual Wield]], and that he wanted me to use it. When I complied, he used some kind of command. He said '{{System Influence: Orange Override}}.'

"He then split his scythe into two scythes, charging at me and totally overwhelming me.

"I couldn't get back to the offense. He was just too fast. After a while, he called me a weakling, sparking an even deeper rage within me. I got back on the offense and scored a single hit before he ripped my [[Anneal Blade]] from my hand. When I ran over to get it, he appeared in front of me and knocked me to the ground, putting both of his scythes around my neck.

"After that, all he said was a simple 'You lose' and retracted his scythes. He went over to my sword and tossed it back to me. He told me I did better than expected, and said that he'd make his lackeys stop PKing for a while and move his base of operations elsewhere. He told me his name was Yami, and he left."

"But there wasn't anything there when I found you… they couldn't have moved entire walls that quickly, could they?" Asuna stated, perplexed.

What?!

A/N:

Wow. That was crazy. Kirito lost!

So, it finally happened. I've been trying to drive the point home for a while now, and I finally found a way to do it! If this doesn't make you happy, then I don't know what will.

Also, I've gotten some nasty reviews from various guests out there. I realize these kind of reviews can "come with the territory," but a recent rash of them has been the last straw. If lurkers come to my stories just to hate and don't have the guts to sign in or make an account, then I will delete their reviews on the spot. They can take their idiocy somewhere else.

Ahem. Anyway, who was that cloaked stranger? (Names aren't everything!) How does he know about Kirito's [[Dual Wield]]? What is he trying to do? Who are his followers? What master is he following? Guess what? I'm not going to tell you!

Yep, that's right. I'm not going to explain any of that in this A/N! Instead, I'm going to tell you the stats of Kirito's new weapon, the [[Cronus' Sword]]! (I know I didn't use the [[Peat-Soaked Fang]] in this chapter, but there's a good reason which will be explained in the next chapter.)

Weapon name: Cronus' Sword (obviously!)

Type: One-handed Longsword

Floor acquired: Floor 3

Method Acquired: Completion of the [[Titans' Threat]] quest.

Attack Power: 270-295 (Increases by five per upgrade)

Passive modifiers: Varies depending on the class it's given. (The reward is GUARANTEED to have a special class.) Kirito's is a (Rare) class, with Attack + 5% and Movement speed + 1.

Upgrade attempts: 9

Stat Bonuses: STR + 23 DEX + 17 CON + 15

Notes: For each extra weapon Kirito has on him, his attack is increased by 2.5%. (Throwing picks count as one weapon. Kirito's second sword, the [[Anneal Blade]], also counts as an additional weapon, making his attack at + 10% with the (Rare) class bonus.)

All right, it's disclaimer time!

I don't own SAO, any of its characters, or anything else used from it in this story!

See ya!