(A/N: I'm starting to rewrite some of the earlier chapters in an attempt to improve their quality. Same story just told and described in a slightly different way. If you've got time look back and tell me what you think.)

Kirito swung his blade up to meet the knife as PoH swung it down. Sparks flew as the blades impacted with each other. Yukki and Asuna moved up to attack the 3 other pkers whom, Kirito mused, were no more than cannon fodder.

"So what do intend to accomplish with this any way?" Kirito asked while dodging to the side before slashing up at PoH managing to get a glancing hit on him.

"What do I intend?" PoH replied smirking as he swung his blade 3 times rapidly scoring a glancing blow on Kirito. "Who knows?"

In his peripheral vision Kirito could just make out Asuna and Yukki fighting with the 3 pkers around 15 feet away. The match was obviously one sided, unlike PoH the other pkers were obviously just rank and file. This of course meant that Asuna and Yukki were rapidly tearing through the pkers health bars.

Kirito redoubled his effort to defeat PoH, he had to finish this quickly; Asuna and Yukki should not have to finish off the Pkers. It was better if their blood was on his hands instead, they were already stained anyway. People their age shouldn't have to kill, but his soul was already tainted and he would do his best to prevent them from sharing the same fate.

PoH was struggling to keep up and was well aware that the only reason he wasn't dead by now was that the risk of swords skills was too great in PvP combat. Despite this he spoke out coolly hoping to throw his opponent off. "You seem comfortable with the idea of killing Kirito-kun" he said mockingly

To his surprise Kirito didn't even blink instead speeding up his attack even more weaving and intricate web of strikes that hit the pker one after another. Kirito didn't speak for a moment before replying "Comfortable? Maybe, but I see it more as the numbness of someone whom has already killed." His voice was cold as ice.

"So you killed before? Well I suppose several of my Pkers have been killed in the past." He said cruelly "so how was it? The thrill of the kill?" he spoke as he his health bar continued to be whittled down, he was desperately hoping to throw Kirito off with his comment.

Kirito was silent for a moment merely striking faster and faster cutting through PoH's health bar which was now hovering around 60%. "Blood" Kirito spoke simply to which PoH blinked in surprise "There was a lot of blood" he said his voice neutral, no PoH realized, it wasn't calm, it was dead.

PoH felt a chill run down his spine as he met Kirito's eyes which stared out at him, emotionless and empty. In that moment he realized that the child, no the swordsman in front of him had seen and done things that no child his age should have to. He smirked and then nodded, he had seen enough. Jumping back and reaching into his pocket he called out "Nicely done Kirito-kun, you've passed with flying colors" before holding up a teleport crystal and, before Kirito could stop him, teleported away.

"Boss?" on the Pkers called out surprised as his leader disappeared.

Kirito grimaced before turning and charging towards the remaining pkers preparing to attack. Their health bars were all low with only around 40 % remaining in them. Kirito joined the two girls in attacking them.

"Wait, I surrender!" one them called out as he fell to the ground Yukki stumbled awkwardly stopping her attack. The Pker smirked as he surged up attempting to capitalize on her stumble; his blade charged a sword skill aiming directly at her exposed face going for the kill.

Kirito struck him quickly with a sword skill tearing through the last of his health. The pker looked horrified as he met Kirito's eyes for a moment before he shattered into polygons. The remaining two pkers backed up looking terrified at Kirito's lack of hesitation.

"You killed him! You fucking murdering bastard!" One of the pkers yelled out failing to realize the irony of his words

"I value the lives of my friends infinitely more that I value yours, surrender or die." His voice was cold and the pkers realized a chill going down their spines that his words weren't a threat, they were a statement. They dropped their blades without a second through and Kirito tossed two prison teleport crystals at them and they vanished immediately in an explosion of polygons.

Kirito stood there for a moment his back to Asuna and Yukki his hands hanging limply before speaking "I'm sorry you had to see that." He said his voice shaking slightly.

"Kirito" Asuna whispered looking at him sadly her voice sympathetic.

Yukki on the other hand was frozen shocked by the most recent reminder of her mortality. Shaking off her bewilderment she walked up to Kirito. She stood there for a moment before rapidly moving forward and wrapping her arms around him pressing her face into his back. "Thank you" she said simply

Asuna moved up quickly embracing Kirito as well. A single tear fell down his cheek, that single tear was soon joined by another as he began crying in their arms.

-Meanwhile-

Sinon loosed another arrow aiming at the mass of pkers attempting to fight their way to the front of the battlements. A group of 20 players formed a defensive line just in front of the Guard house wall. When the pkers had attack they had immediately realized that they had no real ranged combat power and they had chosen to take the fight to the pkers forcing them back outside of the gate. Klein and his squad were leading the defense alongside Argo, Lizbeth and Silica whom despite her small stature was a skilled fighter in her own right.

They outmatched the Pkers in every way; they were higher leveled, better equipped and more skilled. But there was one issue, the fact that these weren't monsters that would just respawn if killed. These were people no matter how twisted or cruel they were. So while they weren't taking any casualties they weren't getting anywhere. If someone on their side was low on hp they could just slip behind the defensive line for a moment and heal but the same went for their enemy. It was a stalemate.

No, Sinon realized, it wasn't, the pkers would take any chance they could to kill them and they couldn't, no rather they wouldn't take the same opportunities. She felt a chill run down her spin as she shot off another arrow; it was kill or be killed, but could she? Could she take another life? Could she steel herself and let her arrow fly knowing what the consequences were?

With these dark thoughts racing through her mind Sinon continued to release arrow after arrow on her enemies.

-In front of the Black Mark Base-

"What's the situation?" Kibaou yelled angrily to the man who had arrived to report the battle's progress.

"It's a stalemate sir" the pker said quickly "they won't kill us and we haven't managed to kill any of them yet either."

"Why the hell haven't you managed to kill anyone yet? Are you all a bunch of incompetent shit-stains?" Kibaou yelled at the man.

The man flinched and replied "They have a defensive line set up, anytime someone gets below 50% health or so they retreat and heal sir" he explained "In addition several of their tanks have a low level battle healing skill active."

"Where the hell is PoH? He's the one who always thinks up all the fancy plans" Kibaou snarled before continuing with spite "He probably went and got himself killed, dumb shit."

-With Kirito-

Kirito wiped his eyes as the tears stopped falling. He wasn't someone who cried easily but the combined force of the guilt at what he had done and the relief that Yukki and Asuna didn't seem to care had ended up being too much. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he spoke "we should get back now" he said his voice steadier than it had been a few minutes ago.

Yukki and Asuna nodded glad that Kirito seemed to have recovered a bit. They open their inventory and each pulled out a teleport crystal. Normally they wouldn't waste it on something this mundane but they both felt Kirito was still a bit too unstable to handle walking through town.

Kirito mimicked their action pulling out a teleport crystal and prepared to use it. Before activating the crystal he spoke "Could you not tell the others what happened? I don't really want to worry them at this point and I should be able to get over it soon."

"Are you sure Kirito?" Yukki asked "no one will think badly of you for it." She finished clearly concerned.

Kirito nodded "I just need some time to myself before I tell anyone else." He said

Asuna and Yukki both nodded and Kirito brought his teleport crystal up and spoke in a slightly shaky voice "Teleport: Fortified mansion" and waited to burst into polygons.

Nothing happened and they all froze when a popup appeared in front of Kirito.

Warning: Base under attack, teleport not available

"Shit."