A/N Hi guys! I realize it's been awhile since I've updated, so thanks for waiting patiently ^^ Truth is, I got a bit lazy and tired so I took a break watching anime. Besides that, I'm going into sophomore year this fall and as always at my school I've got summer homework so bear with me. I'll try to update as much as I can, but don't be surprised if I get a bad case of procrastination, it's a habit... sorry(happens to the best of us). I've read the reviews and I appreciate everyone who has read the entire thing so far. To address everything briefly, I will try to implement some of the suggestions I got from the feedback, however I must admit, I disagree with certain points made previously... not to go on a tangent, I'll cut this short so you can enjoy(I hope) the story. I will respond to the points made at a later time, most likely. Anyways, happy reading~
There was no interesting news that was worth reporting on the 8th floor except for rumors about «Beast Tamers». Supposedly, certain creatures in this game could be trained to become friendly and assist players in whatever they were specified to do. I thought about owning a dragon as a pet... I should've facepalmed myself.
Honestly, the odds of taming a beast seemed to be pretty low. I wouldn't bother in investing in such a risky endeavor. I'd rather stick by a surefire way to achieve success... or something such as safety for someone else...
Ends over means. That was how I lived for a long time, it's brought me up to here. I shouldn't complain... I shouldn't...
I was sitting in a bar in the corner, top left hand near the door on the side. It was one of those corner couches fitted around a table, red in color. The atmosphere was casual and the dim light of candles lit the premises. I felt drowsy, and tried to keep awake.
She's late... I thought. Trust a girl to be late on a meeting...
The door opened as I said that. In came Argo, the awaited one. She saw me and smiled, walking over to where I sat. I sighed. Is business always this punctual?...
"What's up, Kii-bou?" Argo asked me energetically like an old friend who I hadn't seen in a long time. "I hope you're doing well?"
I sighed. That's an ironic question... I quickly turned my exasperation into a face of extreme seriousness.
"I don't have time for small talk, Argo. I just need information," I said dismissively. The sooner I got things done, the less time I would lose, and I could minimize the negative impacts on myself... and those around me.
"Jeez, you're really cold... more than usual," Argo said sighing tiredly. That was an extraordinary thing to hear from someone who puts business in front of people...
"So, what great mystery does your anti-social mind ponder?" Argo asked mockingly. In a casual, friendly way, but I still felt offended. Just because it's true doesn't mean I want to hear it...
"I need to know about the Army's recent activities... more specifically anything about 'recruiting'," I said briefly. I in no way was indebted to that kid who got forced into service, I just felt guilty that I didn't do anything... then again, if I hadn't seen anything, would I still feel that way?... Do people just react to what they see, and ignore what they don't?
"Hmm... well, there's spread of news that the Army's numbers have been increasing, and lately they've been seen around town buying up excessive amounts of supplies and labeling certain areas, the 'Army's Territory'," Argo said with air quotes. I was able to deduce the other details without asking. Now I just needed to know something a little more specific...
"Do you know where their base is? Or anything about new members?" I asked inquisitively. This wasn't personal, but at same time it was... I guess I just needed one way to repent for past actions... and for something to do to keep busy.
"Well, not exactly, but I bet if you tail one of them you'll find it... or you can 'interrogate' one of them if you're not that patient..." Argo said joking offhandedly.
Sounds reasonable enough. That's all I need to know, I thought and quickly rose to leave. She looked a little disappointed, but I didn't care about showing a girl a good time...
"That's good enough for me. Thanks, Argo," I said and tossed a bag of money in payment. It was just loose change I had as leftover from purchases. I honestly didn't care if it was enough or more than the fee she charged. She stopped me before I could walk out the door.
"Say, Kirito... out of curiosity, why all the fuss about the Army all of a sudden?" She asked innocently. I couldn't blame her I guess... for the past 3 days until I finally tracked her down and arranged a meeting, I had been searching out any clues on the Army. Honestly, I didn't know why I went so far into this matter, but I guess it was pride... or something like that.
"It's a bit personal... don't worry, no one'll die... probably," I added as a dark joke. She smiled at my twisted comment and shook her head.
"Don't hurt yourself," Argo said genuinely anxious. I guess I appreciated the concern. It wasn't the same, though...
"I expect we'll have more meetings in the future," I said truthfully. That was how I was planning to go for the next few months or so. A freelancer if you will. Argo provided me the information, all I had to do was pick a job and achieve the objective. Just your generic briefing, dossier, and assignment process.
Fortunately, there were enough 'chores' for me to choose from and quite the variety. These ranged from settling disputes, escorting, stealing(I do not condone this... for the most part), to even relationship problems(hah...).
Argo said bye to me as I left the bar. I just nodded in recognition without glancing back. The best way to move forward is to not look back... people just tend to do it anyway, including me, admittedly...
I looked around with «Searching» activated. It would highlight my targets easier. Through the busy streets, I saw a peculiar man. Thin, tall but very timid-looking. I found my prey.
Looks like he'll break easily, I thought and started weaving through the crowd(no white hood, though). He was wearing a red sash, just like that other guy, except instead of a star badge pinned to him, there was a pair of wings. Undeniably, though, he was an Army soldier.
I think he started getting nervous as I approached him. He started moving away in a irregular pattern through the crowd. Then he took a turn into a corner alleyway. What a stupid move, doesn't he know what happens every time in the movies?
I glanced around the alley. It was dark(when is there ever a sunny alley?) and foreboding. He paused looking nervous but unaware I was watching him. I approached silently closer until I could hold him at knife-point.
"Move and you're dead," I said emptily. Those quiet, calm voices always freak most people out. Probably because it hints at a sadistic nature... which I didn't have... I think.
He started shaking and if I was real technical about the conditions I would've killed him, but you can't talk to dead people... and expect a response... most of the time...
"Tell me what you know about the Army's recent activities. And don't forget to include anything about their base and anything important," I said threateningly. "Do a good job, and we forget we even met, and I mean forget, or else..." I said not caring for his feelings. He stuttered out slowly what I wanted to hear.
To be safe I knocked him out when he was done and hid him in a dark corner. He'd wake up eventually. I suppose I should care about his safety a little bit more, but I didn't have time to waste. I just hoped for good luck for his sake.
Maybe I hit him hard enough to cause amnesia... saves me the trouble... I thought. And I left in pursuit of the kid I abandoned... technically.
Hang on kid, I got your back.
I didn't have his back. It was too late. I found where the Army's base was on the first floor in the Black Iron Castle. After infiltrating and 'interrogating' another soldier from the base with the same 'wings' badge, which incidentally referenced Hermes, the Greek messenger, I found out that the kid I was trying to save was killed in action. How sad.
I was more angry than sad, though. A life that I could've saved and I didn't. I suppose I didn't know him at all, and I was no way obligated to save him in the first place. Still, I felt sorry and I couldn't help but care. I guess being the best didn't do it this time. I'd have to try again... with a little more urgency.
The kid who was forcefully inducted was sent to scout ahead with a small squad of the Army. He and two others died in 'service'. The Army held a brief memorial and then pushed it aside for other matters to attend to. I saw the rough gravestones carved with their names and date of death. Inscribed was a brief message saying :memento mori. In Latin, which meant, 'remember that you will die'. What a promising statement.
It angered me that they had brushed off his death so quickly, but I guess I shouldn't be a hypocrite. More so, I couldn't help but blame the kid in a way for not standing up for himself. Hell, if it was me, I would've fought back or even run away. I'd rather keep my individual status than to uphold to something I'm not. But I guess fate forces injustice upon us... this was all just fuel to the fire for me, the anger inside started burning, and that turned to hateful strength. Vengeance was dripping through my veins, and I promised to avenge all the people who'd died because of being in a guild. The pressure was too much for one person to take.
I needed a clean slate. To start over and move relentlessly forward. That means leaving behind the past. To start, there was one thing I didn't do yet, because of my pride. I went into the 1st floor forest again. Searching for something trivial.
I think this is the one, I thought. The red bush looked like the Grim,(black dog, death omen) ironically. This is where he died.
I pulled out the small sword from my inventory that I had from the start of the game. I didn't use it anymore, but I guess I had a slight attachment to it. But it was time to part. I drove it into the soil. Then I tossed the Nepent flower beside it, which I had kept all this time. It was a makeshift grave for someone I buried in my mind because I couldn't actually bury him... after all this time, I still felt guilty. Now though, as I walked away, it slowly got replaced by a cold desire for progress. The tragic fate was mine. There was blood on my hands, I left the only girl I cared for, and now I'm to walk this path alone. Well, by that I meant without help, at least I would try to.
Try. Was that all I could do?...
For the next few months or so, despite all the achievements I made, was I really making progress?...
Asuna...
I've never been rejected in my life. So when it happened I was utterly broken up. I cried for a night after walking back from the bench I sat. I started to have a grudge against the 8th floor. I knew it was unreasonable, but I didn't care. Anything to blame for what happened that night. I guess, despite what happened, I didn't want to blame Kirito-kun...
I thought about what he said. He must really mean well, now that I had time to ponder. He said he wanted me to be strong, to be safe. But wasn't he a bit selfish for not caring how I felt?... You can have all the strength in the world, but you can break just as easily without mental willpower. I guess this was just a lesson I had to learn for myself... I had never had my defenses invaded and shattered so easily. I started to trust people less and less. Even my guild members.
Maybe I should've stayed solo... I thought sadly. Then I could follow him.
No. That wasn't the right choice. That was just what I wanted. I couldn't be like him and just throw off people like that. I had other people to fight for. Including him. I think I figured it out. He wanted this to happen so I would have motivation. A leader without strength and confidence couldn't guide people. This was my duty, my responsibility. I couldn't run away, no matter how tempting. The soft touch of his hands faded, the vivid memories of his presence became distant, but the gentle warmth of his feelings took place in my heart. It hurt now to see him anywhere, or hear anything about him. But I made a resolution. I was going to fight, like him, no matter what it took, disregarding how I did it, to see the end of this world. He saved me, and helped me so much. In addition, he was my only friend in this world. Currently, though, I had no idea how he was or what he was thinking. But when this was over, or I did enough to satisfy my desires, I would ask him everything I wanted to know. He would owe me at least that much. I didn't want everything here to be for nothing. So far, he was my only personal reason to fight...
I stared out the window, with shadows of my tears. My face gradually loss the innocent, abandoned, hurtful look and it was replaced by grudging perseverance and cold resolution.
If this is what he wanted... I'll do my best, I thought obstinately. I just want him back... is that too much?...
For the next few months or so, I would relentlessly push forward, not letting anything get in my way of progress. Not even him...
The eight floor was cleared in two days later. I delivered the killing blow but I felt no contentment from the victory. He was nearby somewhere, but he felt so far away. I caught him walking alone to the doors leading to the upper floor. Alone as always... I wish I could've been by his side.
"Congratulations! Good job, Asuna-sama!" Said one of my colleagues, who incidentally was an admirer I had already rejected about three times. "You look good, even in battle!" He added annoyingly as a stupid pickup line. I rolled my eyes with the shallow content of his words.
"Thanks, that's sweet I guess..." I said coldly dismissive. It wouldn't have been annoying if Kirito were the one to say it... but I can't expect that now.
I inspected the bonus item I got. «Adamant Shield». I scoffed. How ironic, protection from something that couldn't be deflected. The description said: Made from one of the most durable metals in the world, this shield is resistant to all elements. Contact with similar materials will damage the weaker substance. Lightweight material and especially resistant to extreme heat. Intended for dragon hunting.
Well, I wasn't planning on dragon hunting anytime soon, so I suppose I could've sold it for a good price. Still, maybe it was useful for future floors. I kept it, along with the «Silverlight Ingot» from before. I hoped luck would be on my side.
The ninth floor was an empty, granite gray. The wind blew in the background and there were trees to the north and south of the town. The two polarities were quite different, though. The north forest looked very dark and the south looked more tranquil and brighter. Maybe there's more significance to them...
Then I made the parallel of the two sides to me and Kirito. He was like the north, dark, unwelcoming, but he was moving forward. Which meant the south, representing me, was bright, serene, and welcoming... it was a nice thought, but I feared the truth of the actual meaning behind it. Would I always be caught up in the past?...
So many things just weren't fair it was surprising I hadn't broke apart inside. Theory was never so wrong when met with practical results. Or so it seemed at the moment. Just how much does emotion drive decision?...
These thoughts lingered as I took part in the boss meeting for the 9th floor. I didn't really take part so to speak, rather I just nodded and gave the occasional response as a sign that I was still alive. I knew that I should've been more attentive, but in the end, it's just about killing the boss. The difference was the strategy with every encounter.
I found myself growing tired of the relentless discussion and an inevitable ennui fell upon me. Like any girl, I fell into a state of apathy to the world around me and wrapped myself in my own thoughts. I rested my chin lightly on my right hand. I kept my facade as a look of polite acknowledgement for the conversation, but my mind wandered to the most sensitive subject of all.
I caught him leaning against the wall in a darkened side of the room. The premises were lit with pale yellow lights of numerous candles. It was nightfall and tomorrow would be the clearing of the 9th floor. Definitely compared to the beginning, people had more certainty in clearing the game. Some even boasted the prospect of being the hero(ine) that would save them all. To that statement I highly doubted, after evaluating other frontliners and analyzing their statistics. It's not because I felt I was outright better than them, though I was, it was because that role was out of their reach. There was someone else, who, I admit, would best even me.
He never looked intimidating, noticeable, or even friendly. But as I unconsciously gazed at him in his little emo corner(no offense), I wondered like I did the day I met him, who was he really? Under that armor, who was hiding?...
He reached out to me. It was strange and uncharacteristic, but I accepted his hand. What exactly were his thoughts? I would've given almost anything to know, and that was the part that frustrated me the most about him...
Kirito...
Looking back, he seemed to be so open with me. He even trusted me to a certain extent, so why? The insufferable urge to know and the fact that I had no means to gain access to this made me angry at him. I was mad for him being so closed up after being so nice to me... I felt a little betrayed but at the same time, guilty. No matter how I looked at it, I must the reason why. If I ever heard his explanation I wondered if it would make sense...
In response to this I carried on like it didn't bother me. But sometimes my actions were contradictory to my claims. I would wait, wait for a response. A proper elucidation to this unknown matter. And my feelings... would they be resolved?... Besides asking why, there was one question that recurred in my mind:
What does he really mean to me?
I was unsure, but maybe that was the better alternative. Fear of the answer always provides comfort as long as you don't know... but I would out. Someday...
Another night passed uneventfully. I slipped out as soon as the meeting ended. Pointless. I really didn't give a shit about talking strategies, since I was a reckless solo player with a dangerous mix of speed and damage. There were many players who chose the standard norm of balancing their combat stats. I noticed this over the past few battles. The thing that bothered me the most were the amount of shield users. Shields are defined as protection. By my standards that was a sign of fear. What happened when that shield broke?
I guess it was a personal opinion, but as the bosses grew steadily more difficult, I realized I had to prioritize my goals. It would be taxing, and damn right unreasonable according to common sense, but I knew what I had to do. I headed to the north forest. Alone, of course, but when I left I felt someone's eyes on me. A quick glance and my peripheral scan confirmed that it was Asuna. I felt a slight pain in my chest. I shook it off and walked on briskly to my destination.
I felt strange, with all the emotions bottled inside me. Guilt for the things that were out of reach, fear for the safety of others... mainly just one other... anger for the slow rate of progress, and ultimately hate for the lies I told myself and the hypocrisy I showed. I was contemptuous about shields when I was really hiding behind a lie. I told myself that strength was what I needed to clear this nightmare. But I didn't have strength, just utter weakness and a phobia for that. It was ironic, truthfully I didn't want to be alone, I wanted to depend on someone. I did, but then I remembered that would an concession to weakness. To rely on another meant you weren't strong enough on your own. So I chose to do what was logical... if you were as prideful and misguided as I was.
The price of being strong was a heavy one. At the same time, it was just a lie. It was really pretending you weren't hurt and acting as though you could take so many hits... was strength... just an illusion that I wanted to believe in? All these numbers, they don't mean anything realistically, so why do I care so much?...
But lies comforted me. They gave me an excuse to carry on, as though I never had a problem at all. And excuses are the easiest way to compensate for your own shortcomings.
I arrived at the Dark Elf Queen's domain. After receiving the «Queen's Knightsword», I flourished it to check out its properties. Heavy, dark, and better than most swords, so I intended to replace the «Anneal Blade» with it, but before that, I wanted to experiment with something.
I wouldn't be the first one to try, but I sure as hell would be the best at dual-wielding. I held the Knightsword in my right and Anneal grasped in my left. No, I didn't have the luxury of rude hand gestures to taunt enemies anymore, but if this worked it would be worth the trade. I tried to activate a sword skill by aligning my blades in one direction with my stance in a charging position. The ineffectiveness was confirmed by the lack of glowing light upon the blades. I figured as much. Then I tried to activate a skill with one blade only. The Knightsword was covered in a purple coat of light. I canceled the charge and quickly switched to the Anneal which enveloped itself in a light blue glow. This was what I was banking on.
If I couldn't use sword skills simultaneously, I could at least use them in rapid succession. I heard rumors from Argo that some people tried to achieve this concept... and failed miserably for the most part. In the entire world, you're either a rightie or a leftie, but every once and awhile, you get someone who's ambidextrous. Like me, I'm special like that. And for the record, I didn't achieve this by unconventional means... you know what I mean.
A little backstory to it, I used to be bored when practicing kendo, but I couldn't get it off my mind so easily, so I had to find ways to make it more interesting. Or at least exciting in my case. I know the proper way was to grip the handle with both hands, but I tried experimenting using a single hand. It proved difficult at first because of the weight of the bamboo, but eventually, and I mean eventually, I got the hang of it. I practiced this for about 7 months until my grandfather found out. Naturally he went on a rant about how I wasn't conforming to tradition and all this crap about not having discipline and a loss of focus which he blamed on me for my apathetic approach to practice. Obviously, as a younger and much less mature boy, I acted childishly rebellious and kept doing it anyway, only this time I limited myself to training in my room with rulers and yardsticks.
During that time, I became a little obsessed with the idea of dual-wielding, and I refused to concede until I was satisfied with my own competence. Of course during that period, my wrists and arms became tired with countless strokes and swings, incidentally, I turned towards learning pen tricks and spinning them in my hand. It would've been cool to do the same with a sword, but I guess that's less probable to be able to do...
My finesse increased day by day and when playing my RPGs and such, I felt the games were often too tame with their sword usage and the moves weren't very complex to entertain my tastes. That's why when Sword Art Online was released, I was surprised by the option of non-system assistance. I guess I liked the idea of running wild with my own skills, fighting however I felt like doing it. Freedom. That was the simple answer to my enjoyment. The beta offered that and now looking back, I wish this game had stayed in the beta... but crying over spilled milk doesn't refill the bottle.
Exploiting this «Outside System Skill» was how I was going to beat this game. Although the idea of dual-wielding wasn't unknown, but I was the only one who was going to keep using it. Even if there was no official skill to level it up, I could still increase the experience of my one-handed skill slot, which was nearing the halfway milestone.
When I reach him... I'm going to be ready, I thought to myself determined. I headed out to the plains between the two opposing forests on the west side. No one for miles to come... and all prey was mine. I took my two blades and went on an endless rampage slaughtering «Wandering Fiends» which were astral-type monsters. It didn't mean they were invincible, though, just more transparent and that they floated.
Normally I would have to search out or wait for respawns in order to continue my violent massacre, but recently I obtained a new skill. I used «Howl» which was a Hate Skill that attracted more attention to the one conveying it. Ironically, this was labelled as a defensive skill, but technically it was since it drew off the aggro on other team members... if I had any.
Instead, I used it to gather crowds of hostile NPCs, which quickly filled up my radar. I was going to be busy for hours, give or take a few. All I knew was, it would be over eventually...
I came near into the yellow zone a few times, but replenished my health with quick shots of health potions. It tasted like lemon juice sometimes, warm honey at others. I didn't pay much attention to taste, though, seeing as I'm not a food critic. Maybe except for sandwiches.
Damage consisted mainly of scratches due to a steady increase of exhaustion. I kept going, even though I could've bailed at anytime. The meeting ended at 11. It was now 4 in the morning.
"Five hours..." I breathed out visibly shaking, but not to a seizure-like degree. "That's nothing..."
If I strained my eyes, I could see the ever so faint light of day. Dawn was slowly creeping up. But I was motivated to go on, just until the next level.
The sun was nearly up halfway and the sky was a dark indigo mixed with pink and pale orange. One last fiend arrived to meet me. It fell to my blades as I jumped and spun tilted to the left with a double downward «Vertical». The welcoming sound of fanfare signified my accomplishment.
Level 30. 6 A.M. The boss battle was at 9. Considering all things, I tried to salvage the predicament I put myself in.
"Fuck it..." I said resigned and with a sigh. I looked around and saw nobody still and the outline of the town was bathed in a faint light. I walked over to a tree and pulled out the «Cloak of Midnight». I set my alarm to 8:30. I lied down against the tree while throwing the Cloak on to completely cover me.
Sleep is sleep, I don't give a shit where or how lo-lo- long... I yawned interrupting my thoughts. I fell unconscious after 15 seconds.
I hid my level from everyone, and that was a reasonable thing to do. Personal information was very important and dangerous. I wasn't the only who did it, but of course not everyone is a recluse like me. Some people flaunted their levels and I flashed them a slightly patronizing look. I tried not to smirk because that would most likely lead to another fight, and all the more reason for people to avoid me.
We were at the doors to the boss room. The giant hallway had many columns intertwined with green vines and black roots with sharp thorns. The contrast resembled the outside of this floor with the whole 'two sides' theme.
Heathcliff was delivering a short word of encouragement. I rolled my eyes. That was something anyone with a mouth could do...
I noticed Asuna purposefully not looking at me. There was something different in her expression, but I expected as much. She was a lot different than how I remembered her. From time to time, I would ask Argo for information about the Knights of the Blood Oath. Obviously, I wasn't really concerned with the group as a whole, rather, though I didn't say it out loud, I wanted to know that Asuna was doing alright. Argo might've picked up on this because she started teasing me every now and then before giving a serious answer after I stared her down. I still cared... I always did. Just, now I had to do it from a distance. I'm no guardian angel, but I personally wanted to make sure Asuna was okay. I don't know what she was thinking now, though...
The doors were pushed open and darkness greeted us. In the center of the room was a large spotlight. The boss was nowhere to be seen. I was the first to dare make a move to the center. Brandishing my new blade, I attracted a few looks of envy and disgust. As expected, so it didn't bother me. I planned on not displaying my dual-wielding unless I had to, though. The less they know, the safer I was. Or something like that...
As soon as I touched the light with my right foot, the boss appeared. «Dark Archfiend» was its name. It had a skeletal appearance and glowing red eyes. There were two devilishly curved horns and hollow wings with a bone-like structure. It had a muscular frame, black skin and sharpened claws. An intimidating look, but I held no fear. Just another boss to kill. I dropped my sword low enough that the tip hit the floor. Then I started gradually picking up speed towards the target, with a trace of sparks following me on the floor.
First blood.
With a combined effort of multiple switches, precise hacking and slashing, and graceful dodges by yours truly, the boss was reduced into the red zone of its health. Now it was time to take the kill.
Unfortunately, due to hasty maneuvers, a few deaths occurred. A couple players got swept away by the Archfiend's claws, and one was crushed in a vice grip. It was painful to watch but I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip on my sword. I rushed at the boss and when its arm extended towards me, I leapt on it and ran up to the head. It was too late by the time it realized my intentions as I jumped and fell down dramatically driving the blade into its skull. Before it burst and dissipated, I leapt back smoothly in a backflip and landed with a batman-esque drop. A familiar message popped up in front of me.
Congratulations! You got the last attack!
Following the update was the bonus item. «The Deceiver» which was a ring, with half the band colored silver and the other onyx. It was only fitting for it to follow the 'two sides' theme of the 9th floor. I proceeded to examine the description:
Made by the elves consisting of pure leukonite material and obsidian demonstone, this ring when worn allows the wearer to create a duplicate of themselves to trick opponents. The copy will vanish upon physical touch except by the user. Commands are limited to the owner's imagination. This item may be upgraded to further levels enhancing properties such as multiple copies and physical form. Material required: one quart of melted raw dragonstone.
That sounded pretty useful, so I decided to slip it on my right ring finger. I also made a mental note to fix up a time to upgrade this new item. It would help me in the long run.
I looked around the surrounding area. Six people had died. A shame, but I did what I could. Unfortunately, not everyone was going to make it, and I accepted that. I turned to leave and just as I reached the door to the next floor, someone called me out. Trouble must be my best friend.
"Hey you! Filthy beater, turn around and face me!" Challenged a rough voice. I tried to calm my nerves with deep breathing before turning around. I saw guy in grey clothing, chainmail and scimitar. Familiar...
"That's a nice sword you have, maybe you should give it up to 'compensate' us?" The guy said aggressively hinting at no chance for negotiation. I sighed exasperated. Another jerk I had to deal with...
"What do you mean by, 'compensate', I won this for myself. Get your own," I responded listlessly. He got mad of course and I was ready for that.
"You SEE here?! This guy's a selfish brat who let those other people die! Maybe if we had a fair distribution of items, we would've been able to save them today! This just proves that we can't trust this asshole who'd rather hog everything to himself! We should just TAKE the stuff he's got! If he's so good, he can manage WITHOUT them!" Shouted the stranger. People cast me doubtful looks and muttered sounds of agreement. Asuna, however, looked infuriated and clenched her fists at the guy. I almost smiled. So she still cared... touching. But I intended to deal with this on my own.
"Is that it?" I asked unsympathetically at the string of insults and ostracizing words of the immature crybaby. "Did you get your point across? What do you want me to do exactly? I can't bring back dead people, so stop antagonizing me as though I'm responsible... I never realized I had to hold your hands and babysit each and every one of you... those people died today because they got overconfident. If I recall right, I stepped in first to fight. I never asked for you to follow me, or risk your lives trying to get the Last Attack..." I spat venomously. It did indeed sound selfish to hog the glory and reap all the benefits, but who else could do the job right? I was willing to die to clear the game, that's why I made the first move... I guess they were too blind to appreciate what I was trying to do, but then, I guess I was unwilling to come upfront with them and decided to keep playing solo...
The crowd was left stunned and a renewed round of murmurs but this time with mixed opinions. There were probably a few betas there watching from afar. And at least Asuna wasn't against me...
The guy who addressed me approached with a furious expression. He was taller by at least a head, but I stared back nonchalantly, with an almost amused glint in my eye.
"Listen here, you cheat. I'm going teach you a lesson, and take revenge for my pal you thrashed back then. Winner takes all," he said forcefully and sent a duel invitation to me. I was going to accept instantly, but then I noticed something peculiar.
Isuke challenges you to a Death Match! Do you accept?
What the hell?... I didn't think he was this pissed off... I thought caught off guard. A Death Match. In all my time here, I had not even one Death Match yet... I considered the possible outcomes. One, was to face him and possibly kill another player. Sure it would be partially justified, but... this was another human. I hadn't ever killed anyone directly... and this thought brought a slight guilt from the back of my mind.
Two, I could decline the match and just leave. Sure, I'd lose face but, it was probably the most peaceful and logical decision. Walk away, and fight another time. Unfortunately, the latter was just a dream I would never achieve in real life. No matter how hard I tried, I had too much damn pride to just walk away... this guy had to know his place. I accepted the terms.
People were shocked to see the notice of a Death Match being agreed upon by both competitors. I knew Asuna was watching and I felt conflicted inside. But I made my choice, and well, if the ship's already sinking, might as well swim.
I readied my Knightsword and mirrored his stance to mock him. I saw the anger in his eyes and I smirked. Enraging him would guarantee him losing his cool, and without a clear head, he couldn't focus on the fight. In short, my ploy was to play with his mind so his moves wouldn't coordinate with him. This match would be over soon, but I wouldn't kill him... just humiliate him to the point of death and have him begging on his knees... and when he submitted, my victory would be all that mattered.
"Now I recognize you," I said tauntingly. "You're friends with that wannabe ninja, right? Same guild? How sweet, best friends til the end, huh? I just knew something was similar about you guys... you just look more pathetic than he does..." I said contemptuously arrogant. That did it for him, and he couldn't wait when the timer hit zero and charged at me with abandon.
The fight was finished from the start.
I toyed with him by parrying all his moves and dodging his sword skills. His movements were painfully sloppy and quite predictable. Even Klein could own this guy... speaking of which, I wondered what was happening with him... I hoped he didn't die yet, otherwise I could never apologize for what I did that day...
It had been about five minutes, but his sword was worn down. My Knightsword was «Decaying» his blade, and the quality of the metal was worsening with rust, cracks, and chips in the edge. I figured it was time to break the weapon and finish this trivial battle.
He charged at me, similar to how his friend did, with a slanted strike. I used a «Vertical» and broke the blade. The force of the deflection knocked him back but I grabbed him with my free left hand and pulled him into a right knee to his face with a small jump to add momentum. In real life, that would've shattered his nose. In SAO it just took away a third of his health. He was lucky my Strength level wasn't maxed out...
He collapsed on his back and before he could get up, I pointed the end of my sword in his face.
"Don't even bother," I said harshly. "Just give up and today there won't be seven casualties." He face sweatdropped and I could see him reaching for the Surrender option on the duel menu. Then he paused and gave a smirk. What?
Suddenly my «Hypersense» picked up a presence closing in behind me. I had no time to turn around so I was forced to use some of my special equipment. Luckily, SAO had customizable hotkeys, so I activated the one for my «Cloak of Midnight» and it instantly covered me. Using the temporary confusion of my opponent, I looked around and saw his friend who I beat before with a dagger held in reverse grip. He looked utterly perplexed at my sudden disappearance.
Dirty bastards... I thought. And they say I'm a cheating beater...
I then activated my newly acquired ring «The Deceiver» and a clone of me appeared where I originally was after I stepped stealthily around my surprise attacker.
"I GOT YOU, ASSHOLE! SERVES YOU RIGHT ACTING SO TOUGH!" Said Kotaru after recovering from his initial shock. He made to grab 'me' and stabbed the dagger into my back. I saw a green bottle glint on his belt. Paralysis. Clever, I'll admit, to rig the match and while I was immobilized take my stuff by force-trading and then killing me... who wouldn't love that glory, to have slain the infamous beater... It was a grim thought to think about my near death, but I managed to avoid it, and that's all that matters.
He was twice as shocked when 'I' disappeared again, shaking in bafflement and disbelief. I charged my blade and swung a clean hit on his back which struck him to floor. I then removed my Cloak with another hotkey and it disappeared to my inventory. I stood above them with an untamed look of revulsion.
"Get. Lost. I've beaten both of you now, and this is the second time I've had to deal with you assholes... don't make it a third, because that's when I'll kill you..." I ended on a threatening note. They gulped and shook their heads nervously watching me as though I was a rattlesnake staring them down. I sighed heavily, but at least that was over. I turned and left without a glance back. I could hear the whispers behind my back but I ignored their comments and headed up the stairs.
Fuck... I thought. I may have won, but I revealed some of my stuff in the process... I'll need to be more careful in the future...
I really didn't feel the need to show off my gear. Sure I liked to be fancy and all, but not unnecessarily. I needed tricks up my sleeve, should I ever have to pull out a hidden ace. Leaked knowledge like that would leave me with less resources in my arsenal... still, if not for the Cloak I had won earlier, today might've been game over for me... that was a nerve-wracking thought but I was relieved at still being alive. I wondered what would've happened if I did get paralyzed though... would they just let me die?... I know Asuna would've done something... but what if she couldn't stop them?...
I buried this extremely distressing thought and proceeded to activate the tenth floor «Teleport Gate». The geographic layout for this particular floor seemed to be very grassy with rocks littered among the ground. There was a small desert somewhere to the west. I'm not sure if I was hearing things, but I think I heard a hiss coming from, I supposed, a snake in the grass.
The walk to the Main town calmed my nerves and helped me forget the fight, at least for now. I regretted having to use my previously hidden equipment, but I suppose the situation called for it and it couldn't be avoided... Argo was going to bother me like hell, though...
I needed a new coat, now that I thought about it. It's not that my current «Coat of Midnight» was subpar per se, but I felt that new threads would help both practically and aesthetically. For those who didn't know my face, I could at least try to throw off attention. Clothes do make the man... kind of.
I rested leaning against a wall in an alleyway(pretty shady I know, but no one's here). I closed my eyes and prioritized what I had to do. I sighed serenely. At least I was alone here...
...And jinx. Moment's gone, and I was tapped on the shoulder.
"Asuna?... What're you doing here?" Kirito asked surprised. His eyes showed suspicion at first, but then it melted into a look of controlled calmness and his expression was of grudging politeness waiting for my reply. He hadn't changed, rather, he reverted back to his mask...
"I just wondered if you were alright," I said coldly, but inside I was glad he wasn't hurt. I caught sight of the paralysis on that other guy. That was a scary moment, and my first reaction was to rush out there to help him, but I guess he had it under control...
"I'm here, aren't I?" He said bluntly without facing me. I wish he could've refrained from answering so emptily. I could tell he wanted to avoid conversation, but I didn't care. I came here to ask him something important. After witnessing him almost dying, I realized I might not have gotten a chance to, or ever again...
"You could've died," I said fiercely and that shook him out of his place. He looked away with a painful expression which confirmed he knew what I was talking about. It hurt to see that emotion cross his face, but we weren't really on good terms anymore, so I continued my confrontation without pause.
"I was worried you know..." I said with a little difficulty admitting it, but his expression changed slightly signaling his invitation for me to go on. "If you died today... how much that would change everything... how much it would change me..." I said a little agonizingly. I saw his expression turn a little guilty but he said nothing. Instead he looked like he was about to give in, but turned away and started walking.
Ugh... the nerve of this guy... I thought agitated with his behavior but I called out to him.
"Why'd you do it?" I asked in a demanding tone. He stopped in his tracks and held his head down. A few awkward seconds passed before I repeated my question.
"Why'd. You. Do. It?" I asked emphasizing every word. He knew what I meant and it must've felt painful to hear. But I wanted to know. I might not get a chance again. The recent incident left me afraid for his safety. He looked like he was struggling to answer me, but he finally did, barely turning enough so that I could see the side of his face.
"There's a time and a place for that. I have business to take care of," he said and almost made to leave, but he stopped himself.
"If you want to find out sooner, tell me where I can find a good tailor," he said briefly. That wasn't what I wanted to hear, but I guess I had no choice but to cooperate. I didn't want to leave things in this condition.
"I know someone reliable. She's looking for a place to settle down, but if you ask around, you'll find her. Her name's Ashley. And she... has certain standards, but she's the most skilled tailor I know. She made my uniform," I added as an afterthought. He nodded in acknowledgement and turned his head back. I looked down in disappointment. I was hoping he would give me a real answer, but I guess there were other times... hopefully. Knowing him, he was unlikely to die so carelessly. Today's encounter would only make him stronger. Helping him was the least I could do...
Suddenly, he took my hand. It was gentle, but firm at the same time. I looked at our intertwined right hands, then at him. They say eyes are windows to the soul, and I could almost see the message he was trying to convey towards me. He wasn't smiling, but he gave a sorrowful but sympathetic look. He blinked but continued to look intently at me.
"I'm sorry..." he said genuinely regretful. "Give me a little more time... it'll all come clear... one day..." he finished solemnly drifting off. He let go of my hand. I felt saddened but a little less anxious, and a little more hopeful. I was reassured by his words, and I would hold him to it. He made to leave. I asked him one last question.
"Promise?" I said wonderingly. He turned back towards me. I saw the slightest of smiles cross his face. He held up his right pinkie and I wrapped mines around his in the sign of a promise, and we shook on it. I smiled very slightly.
"Promise," he said, and started walking away.
"God, you're hard to figure out..." I whispered and he must've caught that because he gave an amused scoff.
"This coming from a girl..." he said in mean, mocking voice. But I could hear the playfulness hidden within it. Almost like old times... I sighed.
"Baka..." I said annoyed. But I smiled anyway.
A/N And I will end it on that note. I know most of this chapter was narrative, but future chapters will contain more dialogue, so don't worry. Again, sorry for the wait, but hopefully that was worth it. I didn't want all of you to stay depressed(if you were) after Kirito split off from Asuna, so yeah. It's not completely ruined between, but we'll see the recovery of their relationship later. Also, a question aimed at the female audience reading this: How is my interpretation of Asuna? I'm just curious, but seeing as I'm a boy, I wouldn't have the total grasp of what a girl sounds like when she thinks or talks. I'm just using my past experiences with girls, observations and logical deduction. I'd really like to know how close or not I am to interpreting Asuna. Anyways, I'm going to be working on the next chapter tomorrow after I post this. I was originally planning to make this one longer, but I changed my mind. Don't worry, I will find the time to finish this story before summer vacation ends. I hope... please keep in mind I also have work and chores, along with gaming and anime ^^ but I will dedicate enough of my time for you guys, so thank you for all those who have kept up with the story so far. I'll try to make the next chapter longer. Let's say... over 9000? Jk, couldn't help it, but maybe it will. Anyways, thanks again and please R&R~