A/N: Thank you to NoirSwordsman, Awesomematth, Nazarkovn, and Andresfam for favoring and fallowing this story!

By the way sorry for taking a while to update. Been busy!

Anyways, on with the story!

"Day 42, Wednesday of November 19, 2023. Status; Level 34 on the 23rd floor, standard level being 20 with players as for Beaters its level 30. I'm planning on leading the Night Wolves into the 23rd dungeon boss. Were due to…"

Knock, knock!

"To leave in several…"

Knock, Knock!

"In several minutes…"

KNOCK, KNOCK!

"Rotsen, we're leaving now! Get a move on!" Kaya shouted from behind his door, making him close his journal. "Vulgar and the others are going to leave without us if we don't, oh you're alive."

The Beater rolled his eyes as he opened the door, standing just a few inches above eye level. It's been over two months since he'd first helped the Night Wolves out in getting Echo's Cloak. It was an easy sweep with him around and so they decided to give it to him when they defeated the mini boss. After that mission they asked if he needed help beating the boss on the fourth floor. Eventually it got into a trend of them helping him sweep every boss he was able to get to if they weren't already beaten by other group of players or the illusive player Kirito.

Eventually he found himself getting immersed into the guild and becoming a member, earning himself a new tunic from them, bearing the guild's logo. Over the months they haven't found much as upgrades for themselves but Rotsen had found plenty for himself. He still had Echo's Cloak, along with the tunic. He replaced his old blade for a new dagger, now duel wielding both Nature's Dagger and a golden dagger increasing his damage. He got around to writing a journal, wanting to keep everything down. If, no, when they get out he wanted a record of everything that happened. He even got around writing every moment he noticed himself getting taller, getting a little excited every time.

"Let's get a move on then." He blandly said as he walked past Kaya, heading for the inn's exit.

"So what's the boss this time?" Kaya asked curiously as she followed him out, now leading him once they were out on the dark streets. "What dirt did you get off the NPC's this time? Noah spent a few hours talking to loads of NPC's, trying to get ahead of you and found nothing."

Rotsen stiffened a little, lowly swearing at the role player. For the pass floors he'd been taking order of 'getting information' on the bosses. In actuality he knew every boss from floor 1 to floor 32 by heart. Knowing that Noah tried to do it on his own means he couldn't warn them of the boss's abilities. He couldn't tell them he was a Beater. He remembered the last time they across another Beater. Vulgar didn't take her lightly when she beaten the mini boss they were after. After that he hated all Beaters and swore to kill any he found.

"I don't know," the American lied through his teeth, getting a head of Kaya and pulling his hood on, hiding his facial expressions. "We're just going to have to luck it out."

The scene quickly changed to the whole guild, fighting in a circle, all cornered in the middle of the dungeon with Rotsen in the center. Vulgar was nowhere to be seen for he was trapped outside the boss room. The room itself was a cave like room, filled to the brim with red crystals, giving them light.

They were currently cornered by the Main Bosses' pawns. They were literally pawn like creatures, having heavy plated armor, much like medieval knights, and long swords armed in both hands. Their faces were covered by their helmets, but the sounds they were making weren't human, orcish maybe.

"Sir Rotsen!" Noah called back as he blocked another slash from the creatures. "How much longer until the boss shall appear?"

"Doesn't mater!" Hinata shouted back as he stabbed a creature with his spear, causing it to make it stumble back. "These things are gonna kill us before the boss even shows up!"

"We gonna die!?" Danny asked, so shaken up that he dropped his axe, leaving him completely expose.

Rotsen jumped in front of him before one of the creatures could hit him, blocking and quickly getting behind it, backstabbing the creature though it's armor.

As it disintegrated into code Rotsen knelt down to Danny, putting a hand on the little kid's shoulder. "Listen to me, no one's gonna die today. I promise."

"It's coming!" Kaya screamed as she felt the ground shake under. She quickly smacked her mace agents one of the creature's head, causing it to disintegrate.

Everyone quickly disposed the other pawns, finding their motivation to get the room cleared. When the last one was slashed into code Rotsen knelt down to the ground, waving for them all to do the same. Once they did they all saw the large crystal at the center of the ceiling start to crack. With every second small shards started to fall. Suddenly dozens of large chunks started to fell off until something fell with them.

A giant red Orc like creature with massive tusks stood in the center, holding two pickaxes. It was covered in steel armor, covering his entire body except for his head. His beady black eyes dilated before he roared a mighty roar, causing the entire cave to shake. As he stopped four orange bars appeared near his right shoulder and his name appeared over his head; King Dadongo!

"I got this!" Hinata yelled as he charged ahead of everyone, using his spear to launch himself into the air, heading straight first for the Orc's head.

"Hinata!" Rotsen yelled as he ran after him, seeing the Orc ready to slice him in mid air.

Rotsen quickly jumped into the air, hurdling himself between the two attacks. He quickly blocked both hits, causing himself and Hinata to fly back to the team and stumbling the boss. When they landed Hinata started to argue with him, again.

"The hell man! I had him!"

"No you fucking didn't! You were about to get sliced!"

"I know what I'm doing!"

With that Hinata ran to Dadongo, throwing his spear, successfully hitting his eye. As the boss screamed in pain, causing it to lose a quarter of the first bar of health the others rushed in, slashing at his legs.

"Guys, no, don't do that!" Rotsen yelled as he tried to warn them. Sadly he was too late.

With one stomp everyone was sent flying back, causing them all to lose over half their health points. Rotsen yelled in annoyance, opening his inventory and running to Kaya, now holding several healing potions.

"Kaya, start healing everyone, we gotta regroup and think of a plan."

Kaya nodded, understanding Rotsen's small retreat before her eyes wondered to one of the giant hunks of crystal. She suddenly screamed, pointing towards it. The American's eyes darted to the area she was pointing at. Atop the crystal was Hinata, now having his spear back. He was currently running atop the crystal, ready to launch himself into the air and standing the thing head on.

"Hinata!" Rotsen yelled as he ran towards him.

flashes of light filled the scene as the image kept jumping and changing from Hinata flying to through the air and his body lying on the floor. Hinata's health bar could be seen as it slowly dropped to zero. Then all that could be seen was his mouth, moving, saying only two small words.

"...I'm sorry..."

The scene then changed to the American, almost in a sense of blood rage as he slashed and stabbed the Orc boss, not losing the slightest bit of health. Red consumed the image as he continued to stab and slash with anger.

The scene finally changed to Vulgar, yelling at Rotsen as Noah and Kaya hold him back. Rotsen stayed a few steps away, holding his hands in front of him.

"Vulgar, I'm sorry, I couldn't stop him,"

"You could have! You could have saved my brother!"

"I couldn't, he was too far and the boss,"

"How come you didn't die!? How come you single handedly killed the boss all by yourself, with no shield or anything! Answer me that! You have a secret, tell me!"

"I'm a Beater!"

The scene changed again with Vulgar, trying to slash Rotsen into two. Rotsen kept blocking and dodging. Flashes of light kept shining until everything turned to darkness.

Rotsen desperately gasped for air as he urgently grabbed his torso, almost as if he was stabbed. He checked his surroundings, seeing that there was nothing but the candle lit wooden room.

"That's right..." He mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair. The image of himself getting pierced through the torso by Vulgar started to flash through his mind. "It's all just a memory."

The American got up lazily, trudging over to the door. It was already one in the morning and he needed to started leaving the town. It was already a week since the incident and he needed to keep moving. He had a job to do.

Another image started to flow through him as the scene of himself meeting with the members of Laughing Coffin.

He stood in the empty and cold bricked inn room, seeing the three figures sit before him. Oshoku, leader of the small guild sat between his two commanding officers, Kitub and Medusa. They're hoods were covering their faces but it didn't took a rocket scientist to tell who from who.

"So, have you finally decided, Mr. Rotsen?" Oshoku asked as he crossed his arms on the table, watching the Beater stand perfectly in the center.

"I have decided," Rotsen spoke lightly. He was tried from running, from both Vulgar and the players Vulgar had told that Rotsen was a Beater, so he was again back on the hunt. "As you promised, protection and freedom?"

"Yes and no mostly." Medusa answered strongly, something a little out of character for her. "You first have to pass an assignment."

"What is it?"

"You have to kill Yugo Batik," Kitub answered with a maniacal laugh. "Kill him on your own, keep it hush, hush, and your in."

"But then I'm gonna be labeled as a PK, making me a bigger target,"

"There is a way to keep you as an orange player," it was Oshoku's turn now to speak, almost as if it was a council. He held up two black cards, both with the Laughing Coffin Logo, one had almost a speech behind it while the other was completely blank. "Read what is said on this card. It'll anger the target and cause him to attack you first. Then it'll leave you open to do an act of self defense, auto locking you as an orange player. After the kill leave the other card where his body once laid. We need to show this world what were capable of."

Rotsen shook his head again as he took the image out of his head. With the information he was able to gather from other players he was able to know exactly where Yugo should be. He should be owning a bar on the 24th floor. Too his luck the bar looked like it was closing.

It was small looked almost like a standard inn on every floor. Once Rotsen stepped in he drew his Laughing Coffin hood. It hid his face well as he stepped through the nearly empty bar. It looked almost modern, with wooden tables all scattered in the center and bar stools by the liquor. These places were rare since liquor in the game wasn't cheap to make. Not to mention its easy to buy it if your not of age, just tip the barman more than usual and he could possibly set you up with a drink.

Rotsen's eyes peered to some players sitting at the stools, either passed out or still holding onto their virtual liquor. It always made him curious as to how they could get drunk off of nothing but intentions and thoughts.

He ignored the thought as he sat at the booth, waiting for the bartender, Yugo, to come serve him. He sighed tiredly as he realized he might get away with getting a drink since his feet couldn't touch the ground from his seat. As he waited he turned on his Detective Mode, a perk not many can get, and scanned the kitchen, seeing that is was completely empty of any entities.

He quickly turned it off when he was greeted by Yugo. A large fat man with a ginger beard and short ginger hair. He had on a green tunic and white apron. He looked the part of the a bar Scottish bar owner. He was even cleaning a mug as he walked over.

""Euro, what can I do ye for?"

"I'd take a Ship Sheraton..." As the American spoke he tried to sound several years older, and by the looks of it it was working.

He stared at the American's gloves and cloak before grabbing him by the scruff of the material and pulled him into the kitchen. Rotsen allowed it until they were in. He pushed the bartender back, their level difference could easily be seen from the small push.

"Who the bloody hell are you!?" He asked angrily as he pulled out a seven foot long steel sword. He held it defensively as sweat started to trickle down his large forehead.

"Yugo Batik, someone want's your head. I am a member of the Laughing Coffin. You are a target by the organization known as the Black Panthers,"

Yugo didn't let Rotsen finish. Once he said the name of the ones paying him the large man started to panic like a rat cornered. "Please, spare me! I'll get the money, it's just been slow lately!"

"It's about four weeks from Christmas and your telling me your having slow business? Either way it's not my choice if you live or die. If you chose to run then you may possibly live for another day, but in a much more painful death. If you face me now then it may be swift. Your choice."

With a mighty battle cry the bartender ran towards Rotsen, ready to slice the little American's head off. That was until it seemed like he had disappeared. Almost in a instant the lights in the kitchen went out. The bartender scrambled around as he kept the sword in a defensive position, waiting for any signs of the assassin.

Rotsen stood at the other end of the kitchen, whistling. It attracted the bartender, causing him to run in that direction and slashed forward. The American side stepped and stretched out his finger, letting it get pricked. Almost in a instant the green gem that was above Yugo was now orange, like Rotsen's and it didn't go unnoticed.

"What the hell was that? What did you do, you... you..."

He stopped talking as he saw the his health bar slowly go down, with the poison and paralyze symbol by his name. Yugo started to stagger down to the ground as he watched the health bar go down and watching the figure now taking form in front of him.

"No hard feelings pal. Just doing my job." As the American spoke he sheathed his daggers, dropping the card atop Yugo's torso. As it fell he walked away, heading for the exit.

"...you... what are you..." Yugo asked as he saw the yellow bar slowly drop to the red.

The American stopped, his hand already on the door. "I'm nothing more than a Beater..."

With that he left Yugo lying on the ground, not bothering to see the out come. As he walked out of the bar he saw the little alert about him being in battle disappear, now alerting he successfully acted in his self defense.

A/N: What'd you think of his chapter? Love it? Hate it so much you'd pay me to stop? Leave a review for me to know if you like it or hated it.

Also, remember if you do like it and want it to continue then leave a review, fallow, or a favorite. I'm not a mind reader so please let me know.

Till next time!