Chapter 14
Author's Note: Alright, I'm gonna apologize for the shittyness of that last chapter, especially because of the time it took to write. I have no excuse, other than laziness. Now, addressing a guest review that I got on the first chapter, I don't remember saying that Seth's family was considered to be Japanese citizens. I just kinda assumed they were there on a work visa for Seth's father. But, I did research, and Seth would actually be a prime candidate for naturalization, having never lived anywhere else, and thus technically not having a citizenship anywhere. Anyway…on with the story.
July 14th, 2024
Drake's POV
I was all sorts of fucking done with today. My teleport crystal glitched, sending me to this fucking…I don't even know. Some kind of building. It was whitewashed, the ceiling, walls, and floors all so bright they hurt to look at. I staggered down another empty hallway, my steel mace tapping the wall as I turned the corner. Then suddenly, my eyes were flooded with color. No more painfully stark white. This was a pleasant beige. Soon after noticing that, I noticed the woman.
She was sitting in a large chair, typing away every now and then at a keyboard on her lap, looking up at a screen that was off to my right. She was young looking, a few years older than me, and she had short black hair. My eyes widened as I recognized her from all the articles from SAO's development. Koujiro Rinko. One of Kayaba Akihiko's right hand's during SAO's development.
I slid my hammer from its sheath. She helped Kayaba. She developed this hellhole we were all trapped in. And she was gonna pay.
I stepped out of the doorway, and her ears flickered. She'd heard me. I ran up to the chair, slamming my hammer down, but she rolled out of the chair, onto the floor. The keyboard crashed against the floor, and she charged at me. I swiped my hammer at her, and it clocked her on the side of the head. She grunted, quickly opening her inventory and drawing a hammer of her own. She swung it clumsily at me, and I knocked it aside, kicking her in the chest. She fell onto her back, and I brought my hammer down on her head.
I was breathing hard as the exhilaration from the battle died down. I did it! She'd be coming back soon, her NerveGear wouldn't kill her. Not if she had half a brain. I spared a glance at her hammer, before picking it up, and storing it in my inventory. I could at least get a few Col out of this. I scooped up her keyboard, and the name at the top changed. The small Rinko changed to Drake, and most of the options on the screen disappeared. There were only a few options left. Log out, which I tried to click immediately, but nothing happened. Well, that was expected. I clicked options next, but the only thing that happened was a few brightness and volume sliders came up. The same options from the main menu. I clicked back, and clicked the last option. Enter.
A flash, and I was standing in the cave I'd been in when I tried to teleport. The keyboard was gone, and the only trace of my journey was the small hammer sitting in my inventory. I finally saw the name of it, and my eyes lit up. Oh, this was gonna be fun.
Seth's POV
July 17th, 2024
I was leaving the shop in the early morning when Kirito sent me a message. "Hey, uh…I need a favor."
"What is it?" I sent back.
"There's this guy hanging around on floor 24. That main island, Panareze. He's been challenging people to duels for 2 days."
"Your point?"
"He's challenging them to Zero Health duels. He's killed 17 people so far."
"I see. And you can't take care of him because…?"
He didn't respond.
"You're hanging with Asuna again, aren't you?"
"I am not!"
"You are too."
"…Promise not to tell Lisbeth."
"Oh, I promise nothing."
"Just take care of this guy."
"I suppose I can manage it. I'll message you when it's done." I turned, heading to the teleport gate.
(X)
I arrived on the island just in time to watch as a crowd gathered around a large tree. In the middle, two fighters were facing off. One looked extremely distressed. He was glancing around at the crowd, muttering to himself as he clutched to a katana. The other one looked disturbingly calm, wielding a two-foot long wooden sledgehammer. I tilted my head as I noticed the duel screen above their heads displayed that the hammer guy's name was Drake, and he was relatively low on health, almost in the red zone. Katana boy, named Toma, had full health. But…that couldn't be right, it was Toma who looked like he was shitting himself. My thoughts were interrupted when the two forces dashed into each other.
Drake slammed his hammer towards Toma's head, but he blocked the strike with his blade. He spun, driving the hammer to the side, and completing the spin, slicing Drake's leg, making his health enter the red zone. But…Drake was grinning? Seriously, he'd gone from completely calm to smiling like a madman. I wondered why, until I noticed that Toma had taken a hit. It was a small one, taking off what couldn't even be considered a fraction of Toma's health, but there was no mistaking the red mark on Toma's back. Toma noticed it a second later…and he fucking lost it.
He instantly dropped his sword and started freaking out. "Oh, god! I don't want to do die!" I tilted my head. "Please! Someone help me!" A girl ran out from the crowd and wrapped Toma in a hug, and I was seriously wondering what the hell was going on…when Toma disappeared.
He didn't shatter. He didn't die. He didn't teleport. He just fucking disappeared.
I blinked. What? WHAT? I glanced up at the duel screen, and Toma's name and health bar had been replaced with [DISCONNECTED]. That…that wasn't possible. He'd left the game? HOW? No…no, he couldn't have left the game, the NerveGear would have never allowed that. It said…It said disconnected, as in from the server, not left the game. They were separate messages, I remembered from the Beta test. He'd been disconnected from the server with a single hit. I stiffened. Drake had a Ban Hammer.
For those of you not well versed in MMO technology, many Admin or Moderator avatar's inventories contain a weapon, usually skinned as a simple hammer, which can ban any player with a single hit. Toma was now desperately trying to log back into the single active server, which he was banned from. After a few hours of this, the NerveGear would recognize his inactivity, and…end him.
Drake chuckled as he shuffled through his menu, pulling out a healing potion, then turning to the crowd. "18 down!" he shouted triumphantly. "6000 to go. Who's next?"
I stiffened. 6…thousand? By my estimate, in addition to the 2000 that died in the first month, about 1400 people had died. I'd mentioned it to Heathcliff once, and he'd made it the official number. He wanted to kill everyone? Why? Most people would use a ban hammer for personal vendettas or something, but complete and utter eradication? WHY? I forced my brain to calm down as my limited experience in psychology kicked into gear.
Getting a weapon that can kill anyone in a single hit must've formed some kind of delusion of grandeur. Perhaps he thinks the hammer works on Mobs as well, and wants to be the sole survivor of the game or something?
I wouldn't blame him, buzzed the voice, echoing from the back of my skull. It didn't speak up often, and when it did, it was cocky and arrogant, to the point of narcissism. I didn't mind. Most of the time, it was right. No one knows what happens in here. If everyone else dies, he can spin all the tales he wants. Become a legend. Maybe even a god to some. It didn't sound disapproving. On the contrary, the voice seemed almost…jealous. The idea has gone to his head.
But that's ridiculous! Ban hammers only kill players, to everything else it's just a shitty hammer!
Yes, you and I know that. But are we sure he does?
Drake was still looking for someone to volunteer, but everyone still seemed stunned by the death of Toma. The girl who'd run in was long gone, disappearing into the crowd with a sob after he disappeared.
"Come on!" Drake shouted. "I'm the best challenge this game has to offer, and you're all just going to stand there like a bunch of limp-dicked cowards?!" I'd had enough. I gently pushed through the crowd, adjusting my bandanna.
"I'll have a go," I said. He spun in slight surprise.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A wanna-be skeleton with a scythe made of tin-foil."
"So are we gonna fight, or are you all talk?" If it's the latter, you could just tear his vocal chords out. Did I mention the voice REALLY liked violence?
"Oh, believe me. This isn't gonna be a fight. THIS is gonna be a slaughter."
I spun my scythe out of its sheath. "I couldn't agree more. Is there anything you'd like me to put on your grave?"
Hopefully I wasn't going to have to kill him. Ideally, I'd be able to get him to give me the hammer, and turn himself in. But I'd just be glad if I got the hammer away from him. The duel screen popped up in front of me, and I ticked the anonymous box before hitting accept. The countdown began, and I settled into my combat position. 30…10…5…4…3…2…1…Fight. I sprung forward, and the fight that changed my life began.
His first strike was a sideways swipe at my head. I raised the pole of my scythe to block it, but due to my position, I couldn't counter-attack him. Well, I could do it, with a spin, but there was no way in hell I was putting my back to this guy. I backed up, but he pressed me, not giving me any room. This was bad. He knew how to control the battlefield. And with a weapon like his, it wasn't particularly difficult. I knocked his hammer back, slicing across his side as he backed up. He narrowed his eyes as I tried to keep my cool.
He charged again, swinging the hammer upwards from his right. I put the top of my blade against it to parry, stepping in and bashing the underside of my pole into his face. He growled, and backed up. "Stop this," I said. "It's wrong."
He grinned, hissing in air. "No shit, Sherlock."
"Then why do it?"
His smile grew even wider. "You really don't know, do you?" I couldn't respond. His grin grew again. "It's not about the duels." He lunged to the side, swinging the hammer up into someone's jaw. He spun, driving it into the next person's side, and I dived forward, slamming my scythe down, forcing him to block. Those two disappeared as he continued. "It's about being the only one left."
It seems we were right.
It seems so.
Someone this determined isn't going to just let go of his weapon.
'Course he will. I just need to-
What? Convince a future hero that he can't have the power he wants?
No, make him realize that what he's doing-
Dodge.
Instinctively, I rolled backwards, and the guard break that Drake had started failed, and he tipped forward a bit. I tried to press that advantage, but he ducked under the blade of my scythe.
Next time, do a vertical slice.
Don't tell me what to do!
Have I ever been wrong?
Well…
Block.
I threw the pole of my scythe up, and it hit the head of his hammer. I pushed it forward a bit, then pulled, yanking the hammer out of his grasp. I turned, and bent, trying to pick it up, but he kicked me from behind, and I fell on the other side of it. He picked it up as I scrambled to my feet.
Quit distracting me!
I'm not distracting. I'm helping.
Says you.
I stepped towards him, spinning my scythe on my right. The blade knocked into his hammer, knocking it down. He came back up swinging, and I just barely changed the direction of the spin to block. "You're gonna have to kill me," Drake said. "You know that? You leave me here, I'll just find you. And then I'll kill you."
I can't do it.
What?
I can't kill him!
He. Will. Kill. You.
We both know I'm better than he is. We could go at this forever.
But you can't. You're already getting tired.
I can't! We just need to get his weapon-
"And then maybe…I move on to that pretty little wife of yours."
I felt anger. Hatred. Rage like I'd never felt before. And then, as I started to feel a loss of control, the voice once more buzzed in my skull.
You can't. But I can.
The Reaper opened his eyes. "Oh, it's good to be free," he muttered, using my voice. He cracked his neck.
Wha-…?
Shh. I'm in control. Just relax.
What? No…
I felt my consciousness flood with pain, and what little concentration I'd had dissipated.
The Reaper dived forward, locking weapons with Drake. He rolled back when Drake tried to push against him, and went for the vertical strike. The blade swiped at his shoulder, leaving a red mark, and taking a good portion of his health away. A small red icon appeared under Drake's health bar, signifying a bleeding effect. Drake's health started to slowly drain, and Drake grinned.
"Oh, are we trying now? Good. I might actually get a challenge out of you." The Reaper stepped forward, spinning the scythe on the left, across the front, on the right, then back to the left. He advanced towards Drake, keeping up this skillful maneuver.
I…this is wrong. I'm supposed to be…
Why can't you shut up? Is it always this annoying when I speak?
Drake tried to attack from the left while the scythe was on the right, but the Reaper turned, bringing the pole down onto the hammer, and spun, slicing his chest. The Reaper continued the spin, settling into a ready pose, unmoving. Waiting.
I could feel his consciousness pressing into mine, overpowering my control. I pushed against his, and his control faltered slightly.
I…want my body…back.
Shut up! You'll get us both killed!
Don't…care. Supposed to be in…control.
You don't know how things are supposed to be!
Drake tried to slam his hammer down on the Reaper's head, but he spun, driving it aside with the pole, then sliding the blade up towards his hand, continuing the spin, and impaling Drake on the blade.
He gasped in shock as he felt it, and the Reaper's eyes shot up to his health bar, which was a small sliver, getting smaller all the while.
I pushed harder, and I felt him slip. I was in control for a second, before he seized the reigns again.
Stop that! You'll get me killed!
I don't care!
He slipped his blade from Drake's body, and Drake grinned, making eye contact with the Reaper. With me.
"Congratulations," he said. "You're one us. Murderer."
The Reaper slashed one last time, the blade piercing his side as I pushed one more time. His control fell away, and I finally stopped the blade as it came out the other side of his body. He shattered in front of me, and, after a moment of shock, I spun my blade back into its sheath.
I stepped towards the crowd, and they parted, revealing my path to the exit. I could feel their eyes on me as I opened my menu, sending a message to Kirito.
"It's done."
"Really? What happened?"
"Seth? Aren't you going to talk?"
"Seth, you're really starting to worry me."
"Seth, Liz just sent me a message. You didn't come home last night. Are you okay? Message me back, as soon as you can."
"I don't know why I keep sending you these, you haven't talked to anyone in a week. But Liz and Asuna are really worried about you, and they no one's been able to track you. If you're reading this, please, talk to someone. We're your friends. And we're worried about you."
I flicked aside the last message, and stepped back into the entrance of the dungeon. No one could track me here. While I was here, they stayed safe.
Safe from what? From us?
From you.
Aw, don't you trust me?
I'm not going to dignify that with a response.
Listen, I don't want to hurt Liz. Or Kirito, or Asuna. I've been telling you this all week.
And I've been telling you all week. I don't believe you.
And I don't blame you. After that hell of an opening act, you're a little unwilling to move on to the next stage. But it's not like you think. I'm not some monster in your head. I care about Kirito as much as you do. And Asuna. And Liz-
Shut up.
I'm not the bad guy!
The hell you're not.
We're two sides of the same coin. You get to be the logical one. The one with morals. And when those morals back you into a corner, I get to step into save your ass.
So what? I'm supposed to praise you for being a sociopath?
Considering I saved your ass, yeah, pretty much.
This isn't going to become a regular thing.
We'll see about that.
Author's Note: Well. That was fun to write. I got my wisdom teeth out on Friday, so I'm in a shit-ton of pain, and on a shit-ton of pain meds. But I'm glad I was lucid enough to finally finish this chapter. One more thing I wanted to say, partly because of the random guy review claiming there was zero normalization in Japan, if you have any serious problems with my fic, PLEASE at least use a profile. That way, I can PM you, and we can have a reasonable discussion about your complaint. Anyway, love you guys, don't forget to favorite, follow, and review, and I'll see you guys next time.