Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online. If I did, I wouldn't be placing this disclaimer on every single chapter.

Author's Note: Sorry for the late update guys! Life's been keeping me busy lately and I haven't had much time to work on the story. Figured I've kept you guys waiting long enough, so I did some quick proofreading and decided to post this up! Sorry if there are mistakes or if it isn't top-notch quality. I didn't have a chance to thoroughly read everything. Now time for the story!

Chapter 4: Duel

"You're awake," said the cloaked figure in a monotone.

"Ah, yes, I am," Kirito replied hesitantly. He was never good at talking to girls. Or people in general.

"You must be the one who saved me earlier. Thank you, I'll make sure to pay you back for the inn. Keeping me here for 15 days and nights must have cost you a fortune," Kirito said.

"Don't mention it. Everything in this game is false and meaningless anyways, I just need enough Col to survive," replied the figure, "Besides anyone would've done the same. I just happened to be the one there."

"I don't know about that, risking your life for someone you just met and then even taking care of them until they recovered isn't something just anyone would do, Asuna," Argo interjected.

Kirito nodded his head in agreement and stated with a small smile, "Yeah, I owe you one."

Asuna remained silent at this. No one spoke for a moment. Kirito, realizing he hadn't properly introduced himself yet, broke the silence and said, "So your name is Asuna? I'm Kirito, it's nice to meet you."

Asuna hesitated a moment then took off her hood and said, "My name is Asuna. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

Kirito blinked once, then twice. He stared at her for a moment, unable to take his eyes off the girl. Never before in his life had he ever seen someone who he thought was so attractive. She was beautiful. Asuna began to avert her gaze uncomfortably.

"Hey, Ki-bou. I understand you're lovestruck and all but I think that's enough staring," Argo teased.

"O-oh yeah sorry," Kirito apologized, "And I am not lovestruck!" he said, blushing furiously in denial.

Well that was the worst first impression ever, Kirito thought to himself. He could only hope that Asuna hadn't already made him out to be some kind of pervert.

There was no way a girl this beautiful existed in the real world. Even if she did, why would she be here? Surely someone as beautiful as her was popular in the real world and would be living the fulfilling high school life Kazuto could only read about in Manga. A girl like this wouldn't be playing a video game. In that case there was only one explanation. "S-so, Asuna. I was wondering, how did you manage to keep your in-game avatar? If possible I was hoping I could switch back to mine as well," Kirito asked, attempting to break the ice.

Argo visibly face-palmed, "Really, Ki-bou?"

"What?" Kirito asked, confused, "That can't really be how she looks in the real world, that flawless face and model body, no one looks that perfect, right?"

It was faint, but there was a slight trace of a blush coming from Asuna. One look at Argo's blank face was all it took to get an answer. It was as if she was telling him "What kind of an idiot are you? Of course that's her real life appearance!"

"T-Then…" Kirito said, looking back at Asuna who still had her eyes averted. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to come off as a pervert," Kirito exclaimed, bowing his head.

Asuna responded with a dead silence, causing Kirito to feel even more uncomfortable. Officially the worst first impression ever, thought Kirito despairingly.

Kirito normally didn't like talking to people. Rather, it wouldn't be exaggerating to say he avoided any type of communication at all costs. But something about this situation, this silence, was making him feel even more uncomfortable than he could bear. At another attempt to break the ice, Kirito asked, "So, I've been asleep for 15 days right? How much progress has been made towards clearing the game? With this many people I assume we're at least close to clearing the first floor, if that hasn't been done already."

There was a gloomy silence. Damn it Kazuto, what did you do this time? No one's saying anything... Why can't you communicate with people like a normal person? Asuna and Argo probably think you're a total weirdo now.

Finally breaking the silence, Asuna spoke up. "Clearing the game?" she scoffed, "Do you really think that's possible?"

"What?" Kirito asked, "Of course I do. Surely there have been some higher-leveled players who've cleared a floor by now."

"Nobody has found the first floor boss yet. In fact, almost no one even dares to venture out of these walls. Not that it's much safer in this town, anyways," Asuna said in a cold monotone.

"You're kidding me…" Kirito said in disbelief.

"She's telling the truth, Ki-bou. People are too scared of the pain and no one wants to risk the death penalty," Argo added on. She explained everything that's happened while Kirito was unconscious and how the game had changed dramatically from the one they once knew. This was no longer a game. This was their reality.

"I see…" he said, unable to come up with a better response. The situation did seem pretty hopeless, even from his perspective.

"Most people have already given up the will to do anything, and for the better, if you ask me. It means everyone will keep their lives a bit longer," Asuna stated, "They've either accepted reality or denied it. Those who've accepted reality realize their fate is to die here in this world eventually. Those who haven't still hope on getting help from the real world. And the most insane and desperate even jump off the edge of the cities, adding to the death toll of this death game," Asuna stated sorrowfully, her eyes cold and empty.

"By the way, Klein told me to give you a message when you woke up," Argo said.

"What? You know Klein? How's he doing?" Kirito asked, hoping for some news on the red-head.

"He's fine. He and his friends are probably out somewhere a few towns away by now. They're all pretty skilled so I wouldn't worry about them too much. He said he sent you a few messages, you should check your inbox," Argo replied.

Kirito obeyed and opened up his inbox. "T-Two hundred eighty-seven unread messages?! I know he must have been worried and all but isn't this a little too much?" Kirito said, shocked and somewhat amazed.

"...That's what Klein calls a few messages?" Argo said dumbfounded.

Skimming through the messages, Kirito was able to deduce that Klein had been looking for Kirito for some time before coming into contact with Argo and Asuna and finding out his location.

"He says to make sure you don't do anything reckless, and that if you needed anything at all to message him," Argo continued after Kirito had finished reading the messages.

Kirito gave a slight chuckle, That's just like Klein, always worrying about the safety of others even when his life is at the same risk. "Well guess I better get going and catch up to them," Kirito said as he forced himself out of bed. "Thanks for everything Asuna. I promise I'll pay you back for this someday," Kirito said. He slowly moved his body out of bed and attempted to stand. Kirito struggled on his feet and almost ended up falling over.

Dang it, I guess my body is still in no condition to move. Kirito willed his body to stay up as he tried to leave the room.

"Wait, where do you think you're going?" Asuna questioned.

"I told Klein I would meet up with him and his friends but ended up collapsing earlier. I intend to keep my word though and meet them at whatever town they've gotten to now," Kirito replied, struggling to stay on his feet.

"In that condition, you aren't going anywhere," Asuna said in a strict tone, standing in his way.

Kirito opened his mouth to object when Argo said, "Ki-bou, she's right. You're in no condition to fight. Look at you, you're struggling just to move. Even if by some miracle you did make it to them alive, you'd just be a burden until you've recovered."

Kirito looked down dejectedly. They were right. Though he wanted to do something, there was nothing he could do in that condition.

"Rest until you fully recover. These are the orders of the person who saved your life," Asuna said to Kirito.

Kirito gave a sigh. Asuna was the one who risked her life to save him. She didn't have to and it was only because of her that he was still alive. He owed her his life and shouldn't be acting recklessly. Giving in, Kirito sat back down on the bed, "Fine, fine I get it. I'll rest up a bit longer until I recover. Until then, I'll be in your care, Asuna," he said with a smile.

·:·:·:·:·:·

About 20 minutes had passed since Kirito had finally woken up. Argo had some errands to do so it was just Asuna and Kirito in the room. Neither said a word to the other, creating an awkward atmosphere. Kirito tried to think of a topic to talk about but could come up with nothing.

Suddenly, a loud growling sound came from his stomach causing him to become flustered.

Asuna looked like she had to hold in a laugh. "Did you want to get something to eat, Kirito?" Asuna asked, showing a small smile. She immediately stopped herself. For the first time since Kayaba had announced this death game, she had finally smiled, no matter how small it was. Everything in this world is fake, she reminded herself, the sounds coming from his stomach included.

"A-ah no, I'm fine! I don't have any Col on me anyways," Kirito waved his hands, trying to hide how embarrassed he was.

"Don't lie," Asuna replied, "You haven't eaten in 15 days. There's no way you wouldn't be starving by now."

Kirito turned his head, avoiding eye contact and not giving a response. With a sigh, Asuna continued, "Anyways, Argo said this changed from the beta but you now lose HP if you don't eat. If you don't eat anything it could eventually be a problem. We've been keeping you alive until now by having you drink HP potions every other day."

If he was being honest, Kirito had to admit he was starving. "I guess I'll have to take you up on that offer then. Sorry for causing you so much trouble."

"You don't have to apologize, it's no trouble at all. I'm the one that insisted you stay in the first place," Asuna said nonchalantly.

Asuna had put her cloak back on and the two of them walked out of the inn, though for Kirito it was more like limping than walking. Kirito took a breath, savoring the fresh air that he hadn't been able to breathe while he was unconscious in the inn. He took a look at his surroundings. At first glance, the town seemed to be energetic with people bustling and working to do their own individual tasks. Upon closer observation though, Kirito saw scattered people who appeared to be homeless, just sitting in the streets looking helpless and desperate. Are those players? And if so, are the more energetic ones supposed to be the NPCs? Kirito was surprised to see that colored cursors no longer appeared above people's heads, showing whether they were a player or NPC. If it weren't for the huge difference in attitude between the players and NPCs, he doubted he'd be able to tell the difference between them at all just by looking.

"The whole town is like this," Asuna said, noticing Kirito looking at the current state of the town. "They've all lost the will to fight."

Kirito remained silent. It truly did seem hopeless when you saw everyone like that. They continued to walk until they reached the entrance of a bakery. Asuna took off her hood, as they walked in.

"Welcome!" said one of the waiters, "Table for two? Are you both on a date?"

"N-no it's not like that!" replied Kirito, flustered. He looked over at Asuna to see that she had on the emotionless expression she normally wore. Why am I getting flustered over something like this? Asuna seems completely fine with it. Kirito silently cursed the fact he had no experience with girls.

"What a shame, you two would make such a cute couple, too," the waiter said, causing Kirito to become even more embarrassed, "Anyways, let's get you seated first and then I'll take your orders."

They followed the waiter over to a table and grabbed the menus. Without even looking at her menu, Asuna said to the waiter, "I'll take the black bread."

"Make that two, please," Kirito added on.

"Alright, two black breads, will that be all?" the waiter asked.

"Yes..." Asuna replied, staring at Kirito questioningly.

"Okay, your order will be here shortly," said the waiter as she turned around and headed off.

Noticing Asuna's stare, Kirito asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Didn't you want to get something, I don't know, that tastes better than that?" asked Asuna.

"Huh? But I actually like the black bread," answered Kirito honestly, "You don't?"

"The bread is hard and tasteless. How could anyone like it?" answered Asuna, skeptically.

"Why didn't you order something else, then? You could've gotten a pancake for just 3 Col more," replied Kirito, puzzled.

"I'm not here to eat good food. I said it once already, didn't I? Everything in this world is fake anyways. Black bread costs only 1 Col, it's the cheapest thing on the menu. I'll be able to survive just eating one of those a day," Asuna replied.

"Even if that's the case, enjoying yourself a little isn't a bad thing," Kirito stated.

Asuna just remained silent for a moment. "The way you act is so carefree. Do you not understand the situation you're in? You very well could have died if I hadn't been there by chance," she said vexed. It hadn't even been a month but she had already seen people die yet here this boy was acting like the world was fine.

"Of course I realize that, but panicking or getting depressed won't solve anything. If that's the case, why not enjoy living while you can?" Kirito replied.

"You can call this living?" Asuna challenged, trembling slightly, "We're trapped in this world. It's basically a giant cage with pretty graphics. We're prisoners in this death game. We might as well be dead."

Kirito paused, trying to think of the right words to say. "The your thoughts, the decisions you make, the emotions you feel, they're all real. They're proof that we're still living here in this world. Those are things that no one will ever be able to take from us. I won't let this Kayaba or this death game change me into something I'm not. We definitely have the potential to become stronger than all of this. Panicking is a sure way to get yourself killed. Sitting around not doing anything won't help, either. I have a family in the real world that I need to get back to. If I lose hope and don't do anything, I'm as good as dead. That's why even if it's all virtual, I have accept it and live."

Asuna sat there without a sound as she reflected on his words. A family to return to…

Asuna's thoughts went to her family. They were all likely worried sick about her. Knowing her brother, he'd be blaming himself for this mess and for giving her the game. She felt a pain in her chest. She missed her family dearly. No matter what, she wanted to be free from this game. She wanted to be able to see all of them again. Tears threatened to form. Asuna tried to maintain her composure and questioned Kirito, "I asked this before, however I want to ask again. Now that you've seen the town a little and better understand the situation, do you still really think we have a chance of clearing the game?"

"Yes, I do; I have to," replied Kirito, "If we try, there's a chance we can win. If we don't, we'll definitely lose. If that's the case, I'll fight, not just for my sake, but for those waiting for me in the real world, too."

Asuna stopped responding, seeming to have calmed down a bit. They sat together in silence before the waiter came back with their two breads. "Sorry for the wait. Enjoy your meal, you two."

"Thank you," Kirito and Asuna replied. The waiter turned around and walked away.

"What is that?" Asuna questioned as she saw Kirito take out a jar of some kind of cream and placed it on his bread with a butter knife.

"Oh this? It's a type of cream I normally add to my bread to give it a twist. You can get it from a quest from an old lady who lives alone just outside the fields of this town. Klein and I did the quest a few times when I was teaching him how to fight. Did you want some?" replied Kirito.

"No thanks," Asuna said, "I just said I didn't come here to eat good food, didn't I?"

"Just try a little bit," Kirito insisted.

Sighing, Asuna gave in and allowed him to put the cream on her bread. Kirito then handed her bread back to her and took a bite of his.

He sure looks like he's enjoying it, Asuna thought, Though I guess anyone would if they hadn't eaten for 15 days.

Asuna took her first bite out of her bread. She was filled with shock. What was this? It was delicious! It was by no means on the level of a cake but it tasted a hundred times better than the hard, stale bread she was used to eating every day. Asuna took another bite, then another. Unable to stop herself, she took many more consecutive bites into the bread, finishing the meal within 3 seconds. Asuna let out a sigh of satisfaction. It had been awhile since she tasted anything good.

Kirito, who had been watching the entire scene, stopped eating his bread for a moment. Then all of a sudden he started laughing. He tried to hold it in but he couldn't after seeing the sight before him. While she was eating, her facial expression was the polar opposite of what he was used to seeing on her. She seemed happy.

"What is it?" Asuna said, quite flustered and showing hints of anger.

"S-sorry," Kirito said as he tried to stop laughing. "You seemed to enjoy the bread a lot," Kirito finished with a smile.

"Hmph I was just surprised it tasted so different just by adding that cream!" Asuna said in denial. "That's all that it was," she said pouting.

So you can make expressions like that, too. Kirito thought to himself, unintentionally staring at Asuna's face. Her face was usually expressionless, hiding hints of pain and despair. It saddened him seeing her like that so he was glad she was finally beginning to show other emotions.

"What are you looking at?" Asuna said, breaking Kirito out of his daze.

"Oh, erm, nothing!" Kirito answered. Asuna looked at him doubtfully.

"Anyways," Asuna announced, "For laughing at my expense, I'll be making you pay for the meal," Asuna told him.

"What? How am I supposed to do that? I'm completely out of Col and you won't even let me go outside to earn some," Kirito said.

Pondering his question for a moment, Asuna thought of an answer, "That sword of yours... you can sell that for at least 300 Col, can't you?"

"Y-You're joking, right?" Kirito asked fearfully.

"Eh? Why would I be joking?" Asuna smiled evilly, "Waiter, I'd like to order another cake please!"

·:·:·:·:·:·

"102 Col," Kirito groaned, "I had to spend 100 Col on that one cake! Why'd you have to get the most expensive thing on the menu?"

The two of them had just left the bakery and were heading back to the inn. Asuna was in front leading the way. She seemed more energetic than usual and slightly more cheerful.

"It was a new item that I didn't try yet," Asuna said simply.

"And I thought you said good food didn't matter to you," Kirito replied.

Asuna ignored his comment. Kirito sighed, deciding to let it slide since this was the most lively he'd seen her since he met her.

"That was really too cruel, though," Kirito complained, "I almost lost my beloved sword to pay for the cake. Luckily, the bakery owner was interested in the cream I got from the quest and was willing to let us eat free if I told him where to get it."

Asuna laughed a little at his predicament and turned around with a whole-hearted genuine smile.

"Thank you, Kirito-kun," she said, slightly teasing but really meaning it at the same time.

Kirito couldn't help but think she was beautiful when she smiled. Blushing slightly, Kirito averted his eyes. "Y-you're welcome," Kirito replied while scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, you seem more energetic than usual, Asuna. Did something perhaps happen between the two of you?" a voice came from behind Asuna.

"Argo!" she yelled, somewhat blushing while turning towards the direction of the voice.

"The one and only," Argo said with a smirk.

"Nothing happened," Asuna answered, calming her voice down a little.

"Hey, Argo-san," Kirito greeted.

"Hey Kirito. How are ya feeling?" asked Argo.

"Well, I haven't fallen on my face yet so I'd say I'm doing better," Kirito answered.

"That's good. Anyways, I didn't come here just to chitchat. The both of you need to know something," Argo replied.

"What is it?" asked Asuna questioningly.

"So you know, lately there have been witnesses of players being robbed and even being attacked by people. But no one was willing to go as far as murder," Argo started, "That was until now anyways."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Asuna asked, hoping she misheard what Argo had just said.

"Just yesterday, a group of 5 players came into the town wearing cloaks. Their faces were covered so no one could give any details about their appearance. They didn't do anything at first but then suddenly... They started attacking people. They didn't even attack them for the items. Witnesses say they didn't take anything with them and just continued to kill. They fought simply for the sake of murdering people. The five didn't hold back on anyone, even a few children were killed in the slaughter," Argo said, disgusted, "In the end, some of the players fought back and the red players were soon outnumbered. They fled the scene once they realized they were losing. 17 people were killed, and one missing. After the attackers fled, a boy pursued them alone and never returned."

"That can't be!" Kirito shouted. He wasn't willing to accept that there were people who could treat life as nothing more than their toys. That they could just kill people without a care.

"It's the truth, Ki-bou. There are people who are crazy enough to PK in this world. They don't give a damn about our lives. They treat it as if it were just a game like in the beta," Argo replied, clearly angered.

Kirito clenched his fists, his blood boiling, "We have to do something to stop them. Something, anything! If they're not taken care of who more innocent people are going to die. I can't stand knowing that they might be out there somewhere right now, not caring about the lives they've taken."

"Oh? You've changed Ki-bou. What happened to the solo player I knew that rarely showed any concern towards others?" Argo mused.

Kirito was taken aback for a moment. Had he changed? I guess I have, he thought to himself silently, The old me was going to leave a friend behind, just so that I could survive. I didn't care about anything but my own life. In that aspect, you could say I was similar to the PKers... But... I don't want to be that person anymore. "The stakes are different now, if we die, it means our actual lives are at risk. I… I couldn't forgive myself if I just stood by and did nothing. Not when I know people may be dying right now," Kirito replied.

"17 people…" said Asuna. Her voice was trembling. "17 people… even children. You can't be serious… Why would anyone..." she stopped, unable to say more than that. Asuna never had a younger sibling but she had always wanted one. Children were such adorable, precious things with their joyful laughter, their bright smiles and their innocent eyes that haven't yet been tainted by the world. How could anyone take all of that away without even batting an eye?

"I'll never forgive them," Asuna stated in a cold monotone, seemingly regaining her composure, "Argo, do you know where they are right now or have a hint to their whereabouts?"

"Unfortunately, I don't. Give me a few days and I can definitely find out," Argo said with a confident smirk, "What would you be planning to do with such information, though?"

"Isn't that obvious? I'll find them and-" Asuna paused. What would she do after that? Scold them? As if that would change a thing. Fight them? Then what after? Had she been planning on killing them? Asuna shuddered. No… She didn't want to be a killer. Regardless of how justified the killing may be, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't want to. How could she bear the guilt? Asuna went quiet.

"I'll do it," Kirito suddenly answered, "I'll deal with them. If you find out any information about them Argo, please, tell me."

"Wait what do you mean you'll do it?" asked Asuna.

"If someone doesn't stop them, they'll continue to kill more and more innocent people. Someone has to carry the burden and dirty their hands. I don't want that person to have to be you," Kirito replied.

"But I can't let it be you, either!" Asuna shouted in objection.

"So we don't do anything and more people end up dying? Most of these people haven't even left the town, they're total noobs. Some are even children, how could they possibly fight yet? At least I have some actual experience from the beta. If I don't do something about it, tell me, who will? We can't expect a hero won't come out of nowhere to save the day," Kirito replied, serious about his decision.

Asuna opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Kirito wasn't wrong, she knew that. Even so though, she couldn't just accept his decision.

Argo spoke up. "I don't like the idea of either of you doing anything. Both of you aren't too far from being kids yourselves. You're too young to shoulder that kind of burden," Argo said, despite not being much older than them, "But if you can pay, Ki-bou, I guess I'll have to tell you. I'll be charging you 10 times the normal amount of money, though."

"Thanks, Argo," Kirito replied, knowing that this was just her way of showing worry and trying to convince him out of it. On the outside she may seem greedy and selfish, but deep down, Argo really was a good person. Though she didn't show it much, she was concerned about all her friends and wanted to help people.

"Anyways, for all the information I've given to the both of you so far, I'm charging Ki-bou 200 Col," Argo said with a smile.

"What? Why only me!?" Kirito objected.

"Because you're Ki-bou," Argo replied simply.

Okay maybe her being greedy and selfish isn't completely just on the outside. "Fine fine, I owe Asuna a lot anyways. I don't currently have any Col though so can I pay you back in a few days?"

"Sure. There's a 50% interest rate for everyday you're late though," Argo said.

Kirito's face whitened, "Y-you're joking right Argo?"

"You should already know the answer to that," Argo said flatly.

·:·:·:·:·:·

As the sun drowned in the horizon, it's rays of glimmering light shone across the late, evening sky. The clouds slowly darkened and began to fade from sight.

"It really is beautiful," Kirito said, staring at the sky in wonder.

"You seem to be forgetting that this is all fake," Asuna replied. Though she said that, her eyes were still drawn to the alluring view.

A little over a week had passed since Kirito awoke from his comatose state. He had started feeling well enough to move and was undergoing rehabilitation under Asuna's careful watch. The duo had spent the better part of the day training. At first, they would just go on simple walks to see how Kirito managed. Since he seemed to be getting better, Asuna had allowed him to train with her in the fields just outside the town. Though he was still weakened, he had enough strength to at least hold his own in a fight.

As soon as Kirito was well enough to move, he had done a few basic quests with Asuna such as searching for lost dogs and returning them. From what he had learned, quests had changed since in the beta. They were no longer always the same and recurring. Whenever an NPC needed help with something, you would see a yellow exclamation mark appear above their heads. You could then talk to them to help them out and once you successfully finished the quest, they would pay you. The ability to see when an NPC needed help was an ability all the players had. The same quest usually didn't happen again though unless it was something that the NPC would need help with frequently. To the NPCs, the players were guardians of some sort, sent to the world by the gods to protect and aid them. Kirito assumed all this was done to make the game's story as real as possible.

Kirito had used the money from the quests to buy his own room in the inn since it was awkward for Asuna and himself to have to sleep in the same room.

Kirito gave a small laugh, "Can't you just agree and enjoy the view?"

"Of course I can't, it's just an artificial imitation. It's all fake," Asuna said, still unable to look away from the sky. "Though, I guess it is a little pretty…"

Kirito smiled to himself. Asuna was slowly beginning to allow herself some enjoyment in this world. Though the changes were small, she seemed more cheerful. She wasn't exactly the depiction of happines,s but her spirits no longer seemed to be as gloomy.

"We should head back soon," Asuna stated, "It's dangerous here at night."

"Ah, wait a moment," Kirito said as Asuna started walking to the town.

"What is it?" she asked, turning her head around.

"I actually wanted to train for a bit longer. I'm over half a month behind, I need to catch up," Kirito told her.

"The enemies that come now are going to be more powerful than anything we've fought so far. We should just come back here early in the morning," Asuna replied.

"All the more reason to stay. It'd be a good experience fighting tougher enemies and I want to make sure I can hold my own against tougher enemies in a fight," reasoned Kirito.

Asuna gave a sigh, "Are you sure your body can handle it right now? And you better not lie, we've been here for most the day. If you're tired, we're heading back."

"I'm sure," Kirito answered confidently.

"Fine, just until midnight, though," Asuna complied.

The two searched the fields together, looking for monsters to battle. They ran into a «Dire Wolf» that charged straight at them.

"Heh, I was wondering when I'd see one of you again," Kirito dashed towards the wolf and activated the sword skill «Horizontal», cutting the side of the wolf. The wolf howled in pain as it turned around and glared at Kirito. Charging at him once again, the wolf leapt and attempted to attack the boy. Kirito quickly sidestepped and slashed into the wolf's neck, ending its life.

"You can let me attack, too, you know," Asuna said as she walked up to Kirito.

"Oh, sorry," Kirito replied sheepishly, "I guess I got too into the fight."

"Well at least you have to be doing well to move that quickly," Asuna replied with a small smile. She had heard from Argo that Kirito was incredibly skilled in the beta, unmatched by most of the others. It had still surprised her when she saw Kirito's first battle against a monster. Though Kirito still had difficulty moving, he made up for that with the skill he displayed. He hardly wasted any movements and took down the enemy, barely moving from his spot. Now that he was able to move his body more swiftly, he was even stronger.

Asuna dropped her smile as she remembered what would happen after he healed. As soon as Kirito recovered, he had been planning to leave the town and try to clear the game. It would be dangerous and there was no telling if he would survive. Asuna still doubted beating the game was even possible.

"Asuna? Is something wrong?" Kirito asked, noticing the look on her face.

"Ah, no, it's nothing," Asuna said. "Anyways let's go. We don't have too much time before midnight."

·:·:·:·:·:·

Kirito awoke early the next morning; he hoped no one else would be up yet. Kirito decided he had stayed at the Town of Beginnings long enough, it was time to leave. Kirito considered telling Asuna about his plan to leave last night, but decided against it. There was a chance she might try to stop him again. He had made up his mind, he wanted to show Asuna and everyone else there was hope in clearing this death game, that it was possible. He put on his equipment as he exited his room.

Kirito walked quietly, trying not to make a sound.

"Wait," a voice came from behind him.

"So, you woke up," Kirito said as he turned around. Asuna stood there, already dressed and ready.

"More like I couldn't fall asleep," Asuna replied tiredly. "But that's beside the point. What are you doing?" she questioned.

Kirito hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should make an excuse or just be honest with her. He looked into Asuna's eyes and decided he couldn't lie to the girl, he didn't want to. "I'm going," Kirito replied simply with resolve.

"I see," Asuna said bitterly. It was obvious she was still against Kirito leaving. "I don't want to see anyone else die but at the same time I know I can't keep you here against your will. So how about a compromise?"

"A compromise?" Kirito asked.

"Yes, as payment for sheltering you for the past month I ask this one thing. Duel me," replied Asuna in a serious tone.

Kirito was taken aback. Did he hear her correctly? "Wait, duel you? Why would you want to-"

"I'm making a deal. It's also a test to see if you really have recovered enough to fight. If you win, you're free to go and do as you please. Your debt to me will be paid. If not then you have to listen to everything I say. Will those conditions suffice?" Asuna questioned.

"Wait! You heard what Kayaba said. Pain absorbers are off, any damage you take will feel real!" Kirito exclaimed, trying to convince her out of it.

"If you're worried about pain, then you should forget about fighting hordes of monsters," Asuna replied firmly.

I was more worried about hurting you, Kirito thought to himself.

"Still, isn't that just a little unfair? You're a level 3 while I'm still just a level 2," Kirito complained trying to change his arguement, "I'm half a month behind."

"Red players and monsters aren't going to care if it's 'unfair'," Asuna said flatly.

I guess she does have a point, Kirito thought to himself, not fully wanting to admit it.

"If that's all, then duel me," Asuna said.

"What's all the ruckus about?" Argo said in slight annoyance as she came out of her room.

"Kirito wants to leave again so I'm allowing him to only if he can defeat me in a duel," Asuna told her.

"That's why you made so much noise and woke me up?" Argo said, half asleep and still annoyed, "Wait, Ki-bou you're leaving?"

"I was planning to at least. Asuna's against it, though. Argo will you please tell her the duel is a bad idea? Not only would the pain be excruciating, but revives are no longer possible. If an accident happens and our HP reaches 0, that'll be the end of us," Kirito said to the information dealer.

"Eh? I actually think it's a good way to test your strength and see if you're really ready to leave yet. As for dying, you don't have to worry about that. Duels are still safe. Even if all your HP vanishes, at the end of the duel you'll be healed a small amount and your life won't be in danger," Argo replied.

"You didn't know that?" Asuna asked Kirito, dumbfounded, "Weren't you supposed to be some experienced veteran in this game?"

"Give me a break, this is my first duel since the beta test," Kirito said defensively, a little flustered. He still didn't want to accept the duel, however. He was about to reject the duel again, but stopped himself. He looked into her hazel brown eyes and saw something. They were no longer cold and empty as they had been before. Asuna stared at him as if she was looking at him for an answer.

"'We definitely have the potential to become stronger than all of this.' That's what you said to me isn't it? If you can beat this game, I want you to prove it to me. Show me what you said was true, that your words weren't empty," Asuna said, almost losing her composure. Though it was slowly, Asuna was beginning to have hope again. She still had many doubts but she wanted to put her faith in the words Kirito had spoken to her. This was a duel Kirito couldn't pass down; he had to prove himself to her.

"Alright, I get it. I accept your challenge, Asuna," Kirito replied, ready to give it his all. The three of them went outside the inn to find a more open area in the town.

"Hm… This place will do," Asuna said as they entered a wide street with only a few people passing by.

"Alright, are you sure you want to do this?" Kirito asked one more time to confirm.

Asuna nodded her head in response. Argo stood nearby observing the duel. She couldn't see a clear winner to this fight. Though Kirito's skill surpassed Asuna's, he was weakened and wasn't nearly as quick as he used to be. Even though Asuna lacked experience, her insane, natural speed made up for it.

Asuna made a few hand movements in the air as she opened a holographic menu and sent Kirito a duel request.

«Asuna has challenge you to a duel. Do you accept?»

Kirito consented to the duel. As soon as he did, a holographic timer appeared over their heads.

«3… 2… 1… DUEL START!»

Asuna was the first to close the distance between them as she ran towards Kirito and activated the 1-handed sword skill, «Linear». Her rapier flashed with a blinding white light as it moved straight for Kirito's heart. Kirito desperately activated the sword skill «Diagonal», barely managing to parry the attack. A loud, metallic clang rung throughout the area as metal hit metal. The deflected rapier narrowly missed Kirito's head, cutting off a few strands of hair. Kirito jumped backwards, putting some distance between them again.

"That was just a warning shot," Asuna said in a cool demeanor. Even with him still being sick he was able to block that? His reaction time is a lot faster than I thought.

"You're movement speed is just way too fast, it's hard to believe you weren't a beta-tester," Kirito said half-jokingly with adrenaline rushing through his veins. I'm going to have to be completely serious if I want even a chance at defeating her.

This time, Kirito was the one to charge at Asuna. He swung his sword in a downward slashing motion. Asuna nimbly sidestepped and dodged the strike. Without wasting a moment, Asuna then swung her rapier at Kirito who managed to block it. With their swords locked together, Kirito used his free hand to try to break Asuna's grip on the sword. Reading his movements, Asuna stopped his hand with hers.

Asuna jumped back, trying to give herself breathing space. She then launches a flurry of piercing attacks using the length of her arm and sword to give her extra range. Unable to keep up with that many consecutive hits, Kirito backed up. Damn, I still can't move my body as quickly as I used to. Since she has to retract her arm for every strike I have a chance to parry her sword and counter-attack. Given her insane speeds, the window of opportunity is small and I have to time this perfectly, Kirito thought to himself.

As Asuna pulled back her rapier again, Kirito launched himself towards her with a single leap. Aiming for her upper body, Kirito activated the sword skill «Vertical». The system assist takes over, building up energy in his arm and causing his sword began glowing a blue ethereal sheen. Kirito's blade whistled as it cut through the air. This time, Asuna was the one struggling to parry the attack by activating her «Linear». After Asuna managed to parry the attack, the two exchanged several more blows, neither of them able to land the decisive blow. Minutes passed and the both began to be covered with sweat. The two ended up locking their swords together once again.

"You know, you're pretty good at this for someone who was new to gaming until recently," Kirito said out of breath.

"And your movements don't seem like something a sick person could pull off," Asuna said panting.

Kirito gave a small laugh and said with a grin, "It looks like we're both getting tired out. I say it's about time we finished this."

"I was just thinking the same!" Asuna shouted as she pushed put all her weight into the swing. With her superior level and strength stat, she forced Kirito to be pushed back.

"It must be convenient being a higher level," Kirito said jokingly as he regained his footing.

"It must be nice having gained experience in the beta test," Asuna countered smirking.

"Point taken," Kirito replied with a grin.

Asuna stabbed her rapier towards Kirito's chest. He sidestepped but the attack had still cut his left arm. Without wasting a moment, Kirito swung his sword in a horizontal motion, grazing Asuna's left leg.

It's now or never! they both thought simultaneously. Gritting his teeth to fight off the sharp pain, Kirito decided to go all in. He swung his sword with all his might at Asuna's vulnerable side as she did the same. I... I can't do it. Kirito stopped his blade an inch short of her neck. He closed his eyes, waiting for Asuna's strike to land and the agonizing pain that promised to follow. One second passed, then two. He still felt nothing. Kirito curiously opened one of his eyes to see that she too had halted her blade and had her eyes closed waiting for the impact.

Slowly Asuna opened one of her eyes in a manner likewise to Kirito. "E-eh? Why didn't you attack? You could've won."

"Same goes for you," Kirito stated, sheathing his sword, "Why didn't you land the finishing blow?"

"I asked you first," Asuna replied defiantly.

Kirito laughed at her response. "I just couldn't bring myself to hurt you. I didn't want to," he replied simply.

"Even though that meant not only would you have lost, but also suffered from some pretty intense pain?" Asuna stared at him questionably.

"Winning wasn't worth hurting you. I'd rather suffer the pain than see you go through it," Kirito replied.

"I see…" Asuna replied. Kirito thought he saw Asuna's blush slightly for a moment but brushed it off as his imagination.

"Now what about you? Why didn't you finish me off?" Kirito asked.

"I thought about what you said and decided you were right. I don't want it to change me into someone I'm not; I don't want to lose to this world. Even if beating this game is truly impossible, I can't let myself sit around and cower in fear. That would basically mean admitting defeat wouldn't it? I want to fight, even if it is hopeless," Asuna stated with newfound resolve.

Kirito smiled, glad that Asuna had once again regained her will to survive. "Draw?" he offered.

"Draw," Asuna replied contently.

«DUEL DRAW!»

Suddenly there was a clap, followed by many other claps and cheering. Asuna and Kirito looked around, finally noticing the audience of people that had gathered to watch their fight. The audience showed a mixture of satisfaction at seeing an entertaining fight and relief that no one was hurt. It was the most lively any of them had been in awhile. Kirito was somewhat embarrassed, not used to getting this much attention from people. Asuna didn't seem to be feeling any more confident than him. They both just looked at the crowd with awkward smiles and bowed.

"I have to say I'm impressed you two," Argo said walking towards them with a smile, "I figured it would be a good fight but you guys went beyond my expectations."

"Thanks," Kirito and Asuna both replied a bit sheepishly.

"Ow, it hurts," Asuna winced in pain as she tried to take a step to walk.

"Here, use this," Kirito said taking out a health potion from his inventory and handing it to the girl.

"Thanks," she replied softly before uncorking the vial and drinking the red mixture inside of it. Kirito opened a health potion for himself and also drank down its contents. The wounds that both of them had suffered slowly vanished as their HP bars gradually refilled.

"Ugh, I'll never get used to these disgusting potions," Asuna grimaced, "They taste like medicine."

"Well that's exactly what it is," Kirito laughed, "Don't worry. The elixirs on the higher leveled floors will taste better, almost like a variety of juices. Eventually, there will be magic healing crystals that heal you and don't require drinking altogether."

"You really are confident that we'll make it to the next floor," Asuna hummed, amused. "Well it's settled then. You're taking me along for your journey," Asuna ordered.

"W-what?" Kirito said surprised. He hadn't expected her to actually want to go with him and the way she said it seemed like a command. "It's dangerous out there, Asuna. There's no telling what might happen and I can't guarantee your safety."

"I didn't ask for your protection," Asuna replied stubbornly, "I just said to let me tag along."

"I don't know…" Kirito replied hesitantly. It's not like he didn't enjoy her company, quite the opposite actually. However, Kirito didn't know if he'd be able to protect her. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if she died because of him. Isn't this just like what happened with Klein, though? Do I really want to leave her behind, too?

"Did you already forget about our agreement? You have to listen to everything I say," Asuna said.

"What? But I didn't lose," Kirito exclaimed in confusion.

"That's not what we agreed on," Asuna replied with a sly smirk. "I said if you win, then you can go. If not you'd have to listen to me. Consider your debt paid," she said with feign innocence.

"I- T-that is," Kirito stuttered trying to say something. She was totally right, that was what they agreed on. Though he didn't lose, he didn't win either. He gave a sigh in defeat. "You do know that you're putting your life in my hands... Do you trust me?"

Asuna tilted her head as if the answer was as plain as day. Her expression was free of any conflict or doubt. "Of course I do. I'll be traveling together with you from now on. Please take care of me, Kirito-kun."

Author's Note: So for those of you asking for more Kirito, I hope this chapter pleases you. Liked it? Hated it? Again, leave a review! If you have any suggestions please let me know. Criticism is welcome and if you catch a mistake, please let me know. Thanks for reading!