Kaneki's POV...
"Good work" Asuna praised Kirito as she walk towards him.
"That was splendid swordsmanship.." Egil stood there with us, praising Kirito as well. He forced a shy smile, embarrassed to hear such great words."Congratulations, we owe this victory to you.."
"No.." he scratch his nape. A tiny blush appeared on his cheeks. It feels like he was praised for the first time. Well, I know that feeling already. Although, I can't say much to Kirito but I do admire his leadership skills for leading us. Which, among the slight chance of victory, he somehow defeated the Boss.
Everyone cheered with joy. The Boss had been defeated and so as the feeling of death. We have all survived. But, our celebrations were cut short as a wail of disagreement filled the air.
"Why?!"
All the players, along with Egil, Asuna and Kirito looked at the moaning figure at the far back with some of the players crying in tears. The other one was down on his knees. His fist collided on the cold floor. "why...why did you let Diabel die?!"
"let him die..?" Kirito lowly questioned, but among his looks he felt guilty. Its not my business to pry but I've already overheard Kirito and Diabel's conversation. Thinking through, it seems this person, Kibaou, have not know about the true motive of Diabel's death. This doesn't look good. But, what can I do to say?
"That's right! You knew the techniques that the boss used!" Now that s a bold way to say. "If you had given us that information from the get-go Diabel wouldn't have died!" As the words have spread, everyone starts to have doubts.
Some among them muttered, "He must've been a Beta Tester! That's how he knew all the Boss's attack patterns. He knew but he didn't tell us!" he then pointed an accusing finger at Kirito. "There are other Beta Testers here too right!? Show yourselves!" A number of shadows of doubt occurred through their glances. Every person got their situations to solve, and, out of all the other possibilities, chooses to blame.
This is not going good..
Kirito's POV...
At this rate...
["For everyone's sake.."]
Their glances hurt. Those eyes, that could spook any weak player to shame. I couldn't even bare to face them. I was telling the truth. Diabel died because he refused to take the potion which resulted to his death. How was I supposed to know what had happen? I was frozen in place, due to fear. And because of that, I couldn't even save him. With no proof, no one would believe me, now that they got the right blame of calling me a Beta Tester. But still..the promises that I'll keep. I will fulfill them. I promised Diabel to led them out of this game so I will, but that said, I won't be able to. I need someone to do it in my place. And I know one person who could do it.
I gulp down my throat, readying my act.
This is for the best..
"Hey come on.." I heard Egil's voice, trying to appease Kibaou.
Asuna's POV...
During this blame campaign, in my own belief, I think he have an enough reason to this
or maybe he was having second thoughts to this-
A chuckling laugh broke my thoughts, bringing me back to the reality of the mess. I turn to the source but only to see "him" laughing in a sudden way. Although, his actions, made me curious. W-why is he laughing? After short minutes, his chuckles stopped, and begins to say a word.
"A Beta Tester you said?"
He said, then stood up in terrible calm. His black hair, covering the soles of his eyes. But, left a smirk on his face. Curving up in a sinister way of doing. "I'd rather you didn't compare me to those newbies.."
"Wh-what!?" Kibaou gasped. Hearing the result of their blame to be real.
"Most of the thousand SAO Beta Testers were beginners who didn't even know how to level up. You guys are better than they are. But I'm not like them.." he walked up towards to were Kibaou is. Others, in fear, gave way to the guilty player.
"..I made it further up than anyone else during the beta test. I only knew about the Boss's katana skills, because I fought katana-wielding monsters on floors far above here.." I can see a glimpse of him smiling. "I know a lot more than that. Way more than any information broker.."
"W-what..?" Kibaou responded in a disbelief shock, "that's way worst than a Beta Tester!"
Kibaou's words soon cause everyone, in chain reaction, starts up jeering insults at 'him'.
"You're cheating!"; "you're a cheater!"; "Yeah a cheater!"; "A Beta tester and a Cheater!"; "He's a Beater!"
"A Beater.." he spoke, as if finding the name with interest, "I like the sound of that.." everyone went quiet. He was admitting it and it was an enough satisfying response for everyone to hear. But to me, to be honest, there is something that's bothering me. The way how emotionless his eyes are to the empty smirks he was giving, his making quite a suspicious face.
"That's right, I'm a Beater from now on.." he declared, as if announcing a new discovery. Among our horrified looks, he opens up his items and clicks through the buttons. Then, with one click, his clothes changed. His normal blue wearing, suddenly changes into a abyss cloak. He took a glance at us then left a small smile and at last walked off without caring for the rude stares among the others, "Don't put me with those other testers..."
I ran up to him as he was nearing towards the door. "Wait.." With that, he stopped.
"You called out my name when we were fighting.." I spoked to him
"Sorry I referred to you so impolitely.." he replied unemotionally "..Or did I mess up the pronunciation?"
"How do you know it?" I asked
"You can see another HP gauge below yours around here right? Don't you see something written next to it? Aside from Kaneki's.."
In my upper vision on the left side of the corner, I see a bunch of names added. With the HP gauge he was talking about, my name was there at the bottom and there's Kaneki's name above me. His gauge didn't decrease from the fight. Plunging head-first without knowing his enemy, he must be lucky then. But- anyways, right atop, another name I haven't heard was above us both.
{Kirito }
[HP/ ]
{Kaneki}
[HP]
{Asuna}
[HP/ ]
"Ki-ri-to..." I lowly muttered, carefully reading the name right. Is that his name? "Kirito..?" I looked at him, his eyes doesn't seem to lit up from this, "..is that your name?"
"Yeah.."
I let out a childish laugh. I don't know why I'm giggling from this, "Oh, so it was there the whole time!"
"You'll soon become really powerful.." there's a lag in his response and I could tell that it must've held a meaning to it. Giving my courageous look at him, he looked away, turning back his gaze at the big door upfront him, "So, if someone you trust ever invites you to join a guild, don't turn them down.." joining a guild..? I was a bit lacking in my thinking. I was never used to joined up in groups but because of him and Kaneki, I found it somewhat okay "..There's a big limit to what you can do as a solo player.."
"But what about you?" Solo player? Isn't that what his about to do?
Kirito was doing something, but I couldn't see anything till, a white box appeared in front of me It said:
[Kirito had remove you and Kaneki in his group]
As soon as I got the message that somehow torn me, the door opens up before him and without any seconds hesitation, he walked through. His dark hair and cloak, camouflaged through the dark path as he enters. He vanished from our eyes as the door closed up with a loud bulky sound. From there, after experiencing the pain of being rejected out of a group, Egil came to comfort me if I was okay. How can I not be okay? I got rejected out for the first time. Was he really like this? But his eyes, they were so empty. It's still a big wonder if he can survive alone from this moment on.
"So..his doing solo from now on?" Egil asked me, but I've got no words to speak up. But, a keyword struck me, l looked at him.
"Speaking of solo players, have you seen Kaneki?"
"Kaneki..?" Egil wondered, "you mean the boy with white hair?"
"Well..who else is the only white haired in this group?"
"That's true..but" he looked a bit uneasy
"But?" I repeated, wanting an answer.
"I don't think I've seen him recently.." Egil's words doesn't seems to be a joke. He was serious and I turned to a shocking look. I began to asked everyone about the white hair but others didn't seem to saw him. I felt empty when everyone found it a bit odd as well, while others commented that he must've been on a break down knowing that the "Beater" like "Kirito" had only use his needs and then dispose of his presence of failure. When I heard, I was half doubtful. I never knew he had this side of him. Considering we've only known each other since yesterday till now. I've never really know off him. So, why am I still concern for him? Argh, I need to focus..
In the end, I realized that I was now alone. But the white haired, Kaneki. Was no longer found. Others begins to suspect of his disappearance as well.
Where did Kaneki go?