A/N First things first. I am REALLY sorry it's been FOREVER since I've updated. By now, most of you have probably grown frustrated waiting and I apologize. I will definitely try to pick up the slack but I've just have a lot happening these days. Ugh, 10th grade is a struggle. I mean, it's not all bad but it's not all great either. I wish I had more time and motivation to update this story. I will try my hardest so bear with me. Let's see now... what to address first... Well, I guess it's obligatory to say thanks for everyone who's been waiting and those who have read through the entire story so far. Extra thanks to those who favorited, followed, and/or reviewed. Now to address the future direction of this story: Violet will become the 3rd leading POV in this story. If it doesn't make sense now, it will later. Hmm... I've seen mixed reception of Violet so far, but I'm going to keep her because that's how I planned it earlier. She is a crucial part to the plot, so just go with it. As always, I am open to suggestions you guys have, as long as it's doable and has potential. You can just PM me or leave a review. Anyways, thank you so much for your patience and I hope to have more leisure time in the future. Once again, SO SORRY IT TOOK FOREVER. Happy reading.
I could taste the cold air. Fresh and alive.
I always thought the world was like a single, massive ocean. Vast and expanding many paths and many layers. And some too far and deep to fully grasp...
It took a while for Keita and the rest to respond to my request. They held similar expressions of surprise; maybe even fear. I guess I couldn't blame them.
Uniting betas and other players? Right. That sounded like Jews and Nazis on the same side...
The message sunk in, and didn't seem to resurface anytime soon. That is until Keita finally mustered up the nerve to break the ice.
"That is..." He paused apprehensively unsure of how to respond. "An interesting idea..." He admitted leaving his statement void of any useful contribution.
"Interesting? It sounds crazy..." Ducker said vehemently. I narrowed my eyes but restrained myself. It was too early to run out of patience.
Half of me agreed with this proposition. My prideful heart clearly rejected the concept of working with others. Not just because of old grudges and biased preference, but also because both sides considered the other an outsider.
On the other hand, my mind logically argued the added benefits of uniting the two factions. We truly needed every fighter we could have, and by cohesively depending on one another, we would strengthen unity and eliminate prejudice. I mean, 'United we stand, divided we fall,' right?
Perhaps I was asking for too much, and this ideal seemed too radical. But... I had seen enough death. I didn't need more because we weren't working towards our full potential. I hated to admit it, but my abilities alone weren't enough...
"Well... it's not that I wouldn't say 'yes' but... it's kinda hard to believe would happen..." Tetsuo voiced honestly. Sasamaru agreed nodding and Sachi remained silent. I suppose she was still afraid of actually fighting on the frontlines; or fighting at all for that matter. But I had to make my case clear. They were the perfect outlet for me to communicate through. I seriously doubted most people would listen to me about revolutionizing our goals and realigning them together. But maybe, through the Black Cats I had a chance.
"Listen. I know I'm asking for a lot. But hear me out. Don't you ever wonder about how many people have died because of... well, because of us. I believe that the reason so many have died, is because we've turned on each other. This schism between betas and non-betas has gone too far. How many lives do you think we could've saved had we all worked together? I... I've seen people change. I know how it is when fear and suspicion dilute your vision... those people back then... people from all 31 floors ago. They didn't have to die... but they did. And nothing was done for them. Sure, maybe a few people cried, a few mourned or passed on some condolences but really... aren't we all just too focused on keeping ourselves and our friends alive? Should we really just leave behind everyone else to fend for themselves? I mean, I realized, I didn't have to save you guys. It wasn't really my problem... but you know what? If everyone was like that, I think we'd all die soon enough... there has to be more than just looking out for a few people... it's about looking out for anyone who's still like us: still human. Undoubtedly, a few may have turned callous and abandoned regard for other people, but we can save those left behind. I see how many things could've been prevented had we been united... that's why I'm asking for your help. I can't do this alone. Please."
It wasn't the first time I delivered a sermon, but it was actually quite tiring. I hoped I never became a politician...
It took them a long while, at least from my point of view, for them to formulate a proper response. When they answered however, I was a little more hopeful.
"Do you really believe that, Kirito?" Keita asked me. I stared at him solemnly and nodded. Slowly, his expression started to change. Then he broke out in a small smile.
"Well, what do you say guys? I mean, we do owe him and, well, it couldn't hurt to try, right?" he voiced a little more encouragingly. Sachi expressed her support immediately and gradually everyone else followed the suit. Even Ducker, although he muttered a few disparaging comments such as me being insane.
Bitch, I might be... I mentally retorted. I don't know, I kind of liked him the least in the group for some reason. Maybe it was a bad vibe, or because he was the only naysayer.
"Thank you..." I muttered shyly. Keita clapped me on the back. I tried to keep from making eye contact, but I knew that all eyes were on me.
"No problem, buddy. You made a pretty epic speech just now," Tetsuo chimed in. I smiled slightly in acknowledgement at the praise.
"Oh please... I sounded like an old man..." I joked lightly and they all laughed cordially at my self-deprecating wisecrack.
Maybe there is some hope after all... I mused to myself.
A sudden, sharp pain ran through my mind and disappeared just as quickly.
What the hell is that?
The 32nd floor was cleared in about 4 days. The boss was called the «Misty Sprite».
In contrast with the open spaces of the outside area, the boss arena was quite compressed. Or maybe it was just the illusion of the room since it was filled with fog and mist. A light posse of fireflies flew in the distance.
With our vision obscured, it was hard to make out the enemy, but eventually Asuna saw through the mist, and with «Snakebiter», she managed to poison the enemy. Under the influence of the toxin, the boss started slowing down, showing cracks in the armor. Soon enough it dissipated and we moved onward to the 33rd floor.
Finally, we could say we made it through a third of this game. It was definite progress. A truly memorable achievement, even though it was still going to be a while in the long run.
The 33rd floor was reminiscent of an ruined city. Once great architectures were worn down from what appeared to be corrosion from mass warfare. As I walked into the town of «Alexandria», I could see greatness that had faded away. White marble had turned a graphite grey. Banners torn, cracked streets, a desolate air and darkened skies. I smelled a faint smoke passing on the wind, as though something was still burning. Perhaps it was just embers from an encampment.
I sighed as I sat down on a bench in the central plaza. There was a park fountain that sprinkled lightly. I saw a few coins that had been tossed in as offerings to it as a makeshift wishing well. People passed by me. In order to avoid notice, I opted to wear my 3rd Gen Midnight with the hood up. Honestly, after all this time I had to say I was tired. I was pulling through, but I was sick of waiting. I wanted so badly to get out of this place and come back home.
Waiting was the worst thing when you actually let reality sink in. Every second seems like a minute, every minute an hour, and hour might seem like countless days. In other words, my self-righteousness was wearing thin. I felt guilty, but not enough that I wouldn't go through with my plan. Yes, I had meant what I said to the Black Cats about trying to save everyone, but there were ulterior motives for all that. For one thing, I wanted to meet Asuna in the real world as soon as I could, and for another, I wanted to see my family again. More specifically, my sister. That made me question myself: Would I still do all this had I no other reason but moral decisiveness? Was I still really that selfish?
There were times I wish I never turned out this way. But at the same time, I wouldn't change it either. There had to be meaning behind all this. Although it was not Kayaba's intention, being held against my will, living in fear of death everyday with thousands of strangers I didn't even know, made me think about what kind of person I was. Now I saw the truth. And the truth was: How long could I keep my sanity? Would I always be weak, always be... so human?
I dwelt in silence for a while. Fortunately, the uncomfortable silence was broken soon enough.
"Kirito-kun?..." Asked a welcoming voice. I turned my head, and opened up with a slight smile.
"Asuna. It's nice to see you. What? You miss me already?" I teased lightly and she pouted while sitting down beside me. Luckily there weren't many people around. Still, it was awkward being next to each other in public.
"You wish... I just wondered how things are going from your end," she asked formally. I mulled that over for a moment before responding.
"I'm working on it. There's still a lot to do, but I've made some progress," I replied as accurately as I could.
"I see... well, from my end, I'm slowly gaining the support of my guild members to unite everyone. There were of course a few objections, but I quelled them with a strong argument. I'm hoping to start a public movement in a week or so," Asuna told me and I was satisfied with the response.
"That's good to know. I'm proud of you," I praised approvingly. She pretended to blush and turned away smiling. Then her expression grew unhappy.
"By the way... I've noticed you've been hanging out with some other girl... and recently I just saw you around another one from a guild... care to explain?" She asked with a passive aggressive accusatory tone. I gulped. I panicked slightly with hesitation trying to justify my actions and clear my name from the suspicion of triple-timing my dearest darling.
"Well, I... uhh... the first girl would be my 'associate'... the second girl would be, well... technically my representative. You know, an outlet to communicate indirectly with the public. In exchange, I'm training her guild for helping me. So yeah..." I finished rather weakly. She continued to give me a doubtful expression. I sweatdropped.
"Uh huh... and you just conveniently 'forgot' to mention this to me... especially the fact that your 'associate' is also a girl... you two seem rather close for 'associates'..." she trailed off leaving me with a feeling of uncomfortable guilt.
"That's beside the point... we're just working together, that's it. Come on, Asuna. Don't you trust me more than that?" I pleaded with her. She still looked warily suspicious but let it die.
"I'll take your word... for now. Don't disappoint me, Kirito," Asuna said levelly and stood to leave. I called out to her before she left.
"Hey Asuna!" I shouted at her. She turned around with a cool expression.
"What is it?" She replied placidly.
"You look prettier than usual," I complimented and her serious visage broke for an instant. She looked mad at herself for becoming flustered.
"Oh come up with something original..." she muttered but was blushing pink nonetheless. At the very least, I managed to mollify her feelings.
Back to the present, I now had to return to work. I needed to accomplish multiple tasks that would take time to complete. All I wondered was if I had what it took...
I spent hours monitoring the silver sphere. The sound of my fingers typing at the keyboard and constant swiping on the screen was methodical and dull. But this was very important to me, so I kept at it.
Finally, after 4 hours, it opened. From within, a girl came out. She had black hair tied in a ponytail. A small, delicate face. She seemed to be in a deep sleep. I sighed relieved. It seemed like she was going to be alright. I just needed to work on her recovery status. The progressive rate may have to start off slow. And there was still one problem left afterwards... but I would deal with it when I crossed that bridge.
I'm glad Kirito-kun's helping me, I thought to myself. It would've been much more difficult had I been on my own. I continued to track the sensory radar for any changes in the game. No further discrepancies yet...
I wondered how much time I had before I ran out of it. Would it be enough? I hoped so, but nothing was absolutely certain. There were still so many of them yet to be found...
I wondered how it would've felt to be normal. To be able to truly express my feelings. But I knew it was just a curiosity I couldn't satisfy. I could only try to emulate them as best I could.
I kept at the late-night monitoring, only falling asleep when I was unequivocally tired beyond my limit.
The next day I awoke in a slow manner. I brushed my lavender hair out of my face and stood up sluggishly to observe the subject. No signs of awakening yet. I examined the radar for any new updates.
As luck would have it, there it was. The second 'discrepancy'.
I needed to contact Kirito as soon as possible. So with one last glance back, I ran outside, closing the secret entrance with a swipe on the dark granite wall. I proceeded to the «Teleport Gate» to head back to the 33rd floor.
It was easy to find Kirito out in the fields. Even without having him on my friends list. I saw him farming for supplies alone, early in the morning. The sun had barely risen. I called out to him when I was within hearing range.
"Kirito. It's me. I need your help again," I stated out loud breaking the silence. He turned around with a darkened expression but replied nonetheless.
"Really? Then let's not waste any time..." he responded unenthusiastically. I grew curious. What was eating him? Regardless, I led the way back to town.
He didn't say anything and just continued to follow me from behind. I was growing concerned so I decided to confront him about it.
"Okay seriously, what's the problem? You seem more sulky than ever," I pointed out a little annoyed. I didn't like it when he gave me the silent treatment.
"Well... because of you, Asuna's jealous and I don't know how to deal with it," he confessed in a complaining manner. I sighed tiredly. Wow. This girl was high maintenance...
"So it's my fault... I see. Well, you know... it's probably just because she cares. I'm sure she would hate to lose you to me. It's only a natural reflex, so don't stress out about it," I advised him and his gloominess dispelled a bit.
"You really think so?..." he asked me for confirmation. A part of me really wanted to pull him in closer to comfort him, but another part of me just wanted to push him away. I opted to be noble in spite of my own selfish desires. Responsibility before emotions. That was how I had to live.
"I really do... don't worry about it. It's not as though I'm interested in you at all. Our relationship is just for business purposes after all..." I stated politely formal in a professional manner. Inside, it hurt to hear those words come out of my mouth, but I couldn't take them back now. I had to settle for this, if only for the best.
"I see... thanks for that... Violet," he stated seeming relieved. For a moment, I felt like Asuna had. Jealous. But I dismissed the fact that I couldn't have him. There were important things to take care of.
"Here, take this," I said tossing him the yellow «Marker». "That tower seems to be pretty high. I'll scout out the edges for a suitable coordinate. We can do the last one together like last time," I said and he nodded. I turned away and prepared to start moving.
"Hey Violet," Kirito addressed me. I turned around a little too hopefully.
"Yes?" I asked holding up my expectations a little too high.
"I- uh-" He seemed to struggle with his words to express his thoughts. He shook his head and sighed.
"Never mind..." he finished and I turned away disappointed. He might've been about to say something significant...
In about 20 minutes, we both positioned our «Markers» in the appropriate places. That left one for the both of us to place.
We found an area near a riverside. The contact between our fingers brushing up against one another was a little embarrassing but it was only for a fleeting moment. Afterwards, we pinpointed the location of the second 'discrepancy'.
As we stepped back into the «Void Space», it was an unsettling experience. The gate behind us closed in, so we would have to find another point.
The objective was less than 10 meters away. We closed the distance but it wasn't going to be that easy.
I reached for the silver sphere with a golden Δ symbol on it. It was socketed within a black cube. But then I felt a sudden surge of electricity discharge and strike my fingers. I hissed slightly and drew back in pain. I should've expected as much.
"Are you okay?" Kirito asked me concerned. I tried to pass it off as nothing.
"Yeah, but we need to worry about how we're going to extract this thing," I stated intently. We contemplated in silence until one of us came up with an acceptable strategy.
"Well... I've got one plan... it's not very innovative though..." Kirito contributed bashfully but I was willing to hear him out.
"Something is better than nothing. Let's hear it," I asked him politely.
"I'll reach for the sphere and then activate «Mecha Exo» as soon as I grab it. You'll have to pull me from behind and hopefully according to physics, we can pull it out without too much trouble," he said with confidence. It was a bit unrefined, but it was still a plan.
"If there's nothing better, then let's try it," I agreed and got behind him.
"Ready?" He asked me.
"More than you," I replied humorously as a challenge which he scoffed lightly at. He plunged his at directly at the sphere. He was shocked immediately as I was but endured the pain and subsequently activated his invincibility. I wrapped my arms around his waist and tugged hard. It took a few strenuous exertions, but I managed to pull back with enough force to rip the sphere from its socket. Inevitably, we fell to the ground. Kirito got up first and offered his hand to pull me up. I accepted it graciously.
"Are you okay?" He asked me slightly concerned.
"Fine, but thanks for asking," I replied back appreciatively.
"Let's look for the exit," he said and I nodded following him.
It was difficult to convince my guild mates to consider Kirito's proposal.
I admitted secretly to myself that I had a slight doubt at first, but I decided to put my faith in him. He had many shortcomings, but I believed he wouldn't give up in the face of adversity. I believed he would prevail. So I fought for his conviction. It was hard, but it was worth it. I just hoped things were going well on his side.
Aside from handling political matters, I still had duties as the sub-commander of the KoB. I was in charge of overseeing our plans, negotiating with others, keeping surveillance over the public, and working with my fellow colleagues. It hasn't really been easy to say the least...
Tensions with the Army and the DDA were rising up once again. There was a thin line now between maintaining 'peace' between the factions, and all-out war out in the open. Nothing had been declared public yet, but I felt the pressure like a dam containing water. But despite the struggle, I kept up a strong pretense and continued upholding my guild's expectations.
Tolerance was the only thing that was keeping us together. Barely. I hoped with all my heart that Kirito-kun would be able to take care of this soundly. It was a longshot, but those who aren't willing to sacrifice anything can never change the world.
I remembered there was a time where things were simpler. If you could call SAO that. After that first day, many people dwelled upon fear. It was just natural for human instinct to influence people in their decisions for survival. There was so much to lose, and so little to gain. In a way, none of it made any sense.
Why? Why did Kayaba wish for a world like this? And why did it have to be us? I remembered so clearly, had I not been so curious at the time, I would've never entered this death game. I could still be at home, safe. But then...
...All I would be doing was waiting. And for what? If I wasn't trapped, I would just be another bystander, taking in the horrific news of 10,000 players dying one by one. And I could do nothing...
I remember my brother had bought the game and wanted to play it the first chance he got. But suddenly a business trip required his attendance. I felt bad for him but grateful when he told me I could borrow his NerveGear to play for the meantime until he got back.
I sighed deeply. In truth, I wished I wasn't so curious at time. For that was the last time I got to see reality with my own two eyes.
After slipping on the helmeted console, it walked me through the requisite process to play the game. I had to 'calibrate' my own body entirely by touching myself everywhere... what a poor choice of words. I'm glad that I don't think out loud...
After that, I went through more procedures to set up the game. I assume most people have played some type of RPG so I won't bother with the standard details. It was interesting to note that after I customized my character to my heart's content, a loading screen appeared with a brief image of Kayaba Akihiko attached with a quote at the bottom:
"This is a game, but it isn't something you play."
Certainly the understatement of the year.
For a while, after that first day, I wept alone. Never had I cried so much before then. Now I really knew what it meant to be helpless, to be stranded. I was isolated from the real world, with no hope of communicating with anyone I once previously knew. For a time, I had given up.
But then I had a change of heart.
A sudden desire filled me. It wasn't anger, well... maybe a little. But mostly, I just couldn't accept giving up. I had not lived my life all the way up to this point just to give in to a madman. I had the means to fight back. Even if I failed, at least I tried and until the very end, I was myself. That was what Kayaba could never take from me.
Along the way, I couldn't say it was without hardship. Outside of SAO, I never really had to worry about anything. My life was perfectly made. A strong foundation, a rich and caring family, exemplary grades, and ambition. But in the real world, there was one wish I never got to realize until now, and perhaps that's the one good thing about this world.
I had freedom. The ability to choose for once.
My parents had always expected nothing below excellent from me. Although I never failed to meet that quota, I felt restricted. Here, even though it wasn't how I wanted it or thought it would be, I had many times in which I was able to make a choice. And that's made all the difference. I felt satisfied for the chance to show off what I could do, without the pressure, without the expectation.
And that's when I met him.
Kirito-kun.
Inside I felt a little guilty for rebelliously thinking against the standards of how my parents raised me. They'd probably say, 'don't do anything stupid', or 'listen to your elders.' But I had just about enough of that overbearing motif hammered into my head. If Kirito-kun has taught me anything, it's to be able to adapt. After he told me about his life leading up to how he became the way he was, I felt sympathetic, but most of all, I felt inspired. A visceral catharsis was stirred from within me. I had never truly experienced hardship until I became unwittingly trapped in SAO. There were dark hours, but at the very least, I've learned much. As I grew closer to Kirito, I began to understand more about him and myself, and well, humanity overall. The fact that we do suffer, but it's our choice to either keep meaninglessly wallowing in self-pity, or make the most of it. There was a line between giving up and being unable to do anything. I was unsure whether it would matter in the end, but Kirito-kun erased my doubts but showing me that it was possible. To fight against the odds, no matter the difficulty.
I had often wished I could console Kirito-kun. To comfort his emotional wounds. I knew he regretted much from his past, and bitterly hated his present. But whenever I was around, I could see him smile. And in those instances, I caught myself smiling many times.
It does sound silly. Like a teenage girl straight from her diary, but I had fallen in love. Not that superficial love, where you just have a dumb, fleeting crush on someone, but the genuine type, when your heart beats a little faster, and you feel happier and more at ease around that certain someone. There was a point where he crushed my heart, and almost crushed my spirits, but in the end, it did work out. If there was nothing left for me in the future, I would continue to fight. To fight and be willing to die for Kirito-kun. That's how much he means to me now. It's what I hold true.
Perhaps some would disagree with my decisions. The way I continued to interact with him, even though he was labelled a beta player and a beater. But that's just society. I knew from personal encounters, that he meant well, and it would take time for others to see that. I admired his courage and his indomitable will. But more importantly, it wasn't just his strength that attracted me to him. As a matter of fact...
It was his weakness. No matter how much he tried to hide it before. I knew deep inside what kind of person he really was. That's why I love him. Not for being strong, brave, humorous, handsome, a badass, or even lovably annoying... although those are all contributing factors. But because of his greatest weakness I found endearing. I loved him because...
...He's human. Heartbreakingly human.
Clearly not on the outside, at least not very often, because usually he'll sport an arrogant smirk or a disdainful unsmiling lip curl. But on the inside... I could see and feel that he cared very much so. For his friends, for me, and most notably his family. I was glad when I heard he wanted to help everyone else too, even though they didn't appreciate him enough. But I promised to stay by his side... despite everything, that was a promise I was going to keep. Why? Because...
We all make choices, but in the end, our choices make us.
It's been a while. Being trapped in this game. My thoughts seemed to synchronize with my footsteps as Violet and I exited the «Void Space».
We started to walk back to «Alexandria». The boss meeting would be taking place soon. The sun gave off a distant faded glow of red, darkened by the smoke in the sky.
I couldn't help but keep brooding over a bad feeling. Something was wrong but I didn't know what. Lately, I seemed to be on edge more often. Maybe it was the stress, the lack of sleep, or just growing paranoia. I hoped that it would subside soon.
"Kirito?..." Asked Violet as we walked toward the designated place for the meeting.
"Yeah?" I answered back without missing a beat.
"Are you okay?" She asked me concerned.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I directed at her with false conviction. She raised her eyebrows. Well, I assumed so. Her hood always shadowed her facial features partially.
"Well, if you say so... but you just looked troubled," she responded and I coughed slightly in amusement.
That's a word for it, I suppose... I thought to myself.
"Maybe a little troubled," I admitted in return.
"I can't really offer you any helpful words. But know that it's natural. And that you're not the only one..." Violet said to me genuinely. "You're not alone..." she added and I felt slightly better.
We arrived at our destination. I reflected upon her words. No, I wasn't alone anymore... but sometimes I felt that way. Sometimes, there were things you can't explain, and that's what troubled me.
It was fear of the unknown.
I forced myself to focus on the present. I settled into my customary dark corner with Violet at my side as everyone piled in to initiate the meeting. Something was off, but I couldn't tell what. But stressing myself out now wouldn't help, so I decided to dispel my paranoid thoughts. The constant relay of propositions and strategies at the meeting bored me, but it kept me from drifting away again. There was also something else. Something subtle. I looked to the side slightly and saw Violet clutching at my right sleeve. She wore an understanding countenance which seemed to be able to sense my discomfort. I felt a little bit more at ease and continued on in silence.
The 33rd floor boss was a humanoid gladiator with beast-like face called the «Punisher». He had rusted armor, a cracked shield, a chipped sword, and a scarred helmet but nevertheless looked threatening. We had all too well learned our lesson for underestimating our opponents.
During the fight, I couldn't help but feel distracted. I know this because I took more damage than usual. Nothing major but noticeable. Random images flashed through my mind, all involving dangers and none too light to be passed off.
I rushed in for first blood. Sword drawn, trailing behind me like a tail. A huge steel sword cast an «Avalanche» at me, which I spun around simultaneously sidestepping right to avoid and land the first blow with a connecting spin slash.
It was blocked. A metallic vibration rung as it hit the steel shield. I was forced to jump back as it aimed a shield bash at my abdomen. I bounced right back with a downward swipe which was countered and a grating sound was emitted as our swords locked. Given the size and strength of the boss, my stance started lowering downwards and my feet slipped back from the oncoming force. I chose to retreat for a respite so I shifted the angle of my Queen's Knightsword to let the other sword pass through and my opponent inadvertently fall forward. I stepped up on his left knee and did a backflip kick to face and followed up with a consecutive fully fused Black Fire Dart aimed right in the eye.
I hit my mark, but it did less damage then I thought it would. Instead, it seemed as though this boss also had immunities. I rushed forward to attack it again.
Unfortunately, I slipped up and fell for a feint. It made to launch another «Avalanche» but then stomped in front of me with its enormous foot. I barely dodged it, but then I met iron knuckles to the chest. I fell back rolling but managed to recover by ungracefully skidding on my feet. I carefully inspected my chest with my free left hand and shook it off. I checked my health bar: 11% damage. Sloppy. That meant I had 89% health left. And 89% is a B+.
Afterwards, everyone else charged forward in unison to attack the boss in volleys. We managed to chip away its health bit by bit, but it caught us off guard once by unleashing a «Cyclone» attack with an axe sheathed on its back.
This boss was a tank, because it felt like hours since the start of the fight. I suddenly felt a throbbing pain in my head that disappeared in an instant.
I took note of something peculiar. It was a brief sight, but I swear I saw something in the background shift. Then it just rectified itself... strange.
All the while, I saw people die before my very eyes. Then I realized something else was off...
...Though it was difficult to bear, my reaction came slightly delayed. As another fell, as another second passed, something was changing inside of me...
...Was I becoming less human?
For some reason, I felt desensitized to what was going around me. In a way, the more things change, the more they stay the same... I was starting to understand that now.
In my lapse of focus, a swinging blow was directed at me, I realized too late and raised my sword too weakly with subpar form. This was going to hurt.
Or so I thought.
With 3 swords united, Violet, Asuna and I rebuffed the boss's attack. I was surprised at the sight in front of me, but quickly regained control of my senses subsequently.
"Wake up, Kirito," Violet snapped at me lightly. She gave a slightly disapproving look and rejoined the battle.
Sassy girl, I thought, but I couldn't find reason to snap back.
"Kirito-kun, be more careful," Asuna said, much more delicately than Violet did. I graced her with a brief smile. And she returned it.
"Right. Let's win," I stated simply.
But that thought lingered its way to the back of my mind.
I would assume by now you all know the results of the boss battle. The next floor was the 34th. An... interesting floor.
The main town we entered was called «Temptra». The road leading to the main gate was very curvaceous.
At the entrance, the gates were pushed back and we entered to connect the new floor with all the others. The design for this floor appeared to be low key but held an enticing air about it. There were pale blue, pink and yellow lights adorned from lanterns and street lamps.
I guess sometimes, even in a world like SAO, you do get a break. I felt a little more relaxed on this floor for some strange reason. I would find out why later.
Recently a few days ago, I finished training the Black Cats of the Full Moon. I dismissed them with a silent wave of goodbye, nothing more, nothing less. Sachi seemed a bit disappointed, Keita thankful, Tetsuo grateful, Sasamaru appreciative, and Ducker begrudging. Well... I can't please everyone in the world.
Lately, I realized I had been quite stressed. If I didn't change the pace, I would be frozen with guilt, unable to function properly next time. So I decided to let it go. It was a bit chilly in the afternoon. Well, whatever. The cold never bothered me anyway...
I decided to take a break for today. I booked a room in a local inn. Having not found the ideal place to settle down, I just sought the most comfortable room to compensate. A nice one-room king's bed was available on the second floor. That seemed sufficient enough.
In a typical high school student fashion, I fell backwards onto my bed. It was nice and soft. Like Asuna. I wonder if she would take that comment well or not...
Slowing down the speed of perception allows you to appreciate them to their full extent. I reveled in the silk touch of the bed-sheets. The distant, light breeze outside. All the little things that pass by without getting noticed too often. Just for tonight, I would stop worrying about the future, and just take pause to live in the present. I guess we all need a moment in our lives to experience that.
I was at peace, at least for a while. Life seemed all too simple and serene. But after all this time, I've learned that that just means-
Knock. Knock. Right on time.
I hate being right... I mused bitterly but answered the door nonetheless. Violet.
She gave me a shadowed look under her hood, and I could tell she was raising her eyebrows questioningly. I let her in. After all this time miraculously, she still never revealed her face. Well, besides the lower portion of it. She had a thin, delicate set of lips with a faint pink tinge and an overall pale complexion (not to a vampire extent) but slightly rosy cheeks. Her frame was quite 'healthy' too, but I never said anything... Why? Cause I have a right to plead the fifth.
"How have you been?" She posed the question at me.
"Fine?... What else would I be?" I replied a little less seriously. She smiled momentarily and said, "I'd rather not answer that..." How sassy.
"Why are you here?" I asked a question of my own. She crossed her arms, but not in an angry way. Somehow I could tell.
"No real reason. I just wondered how you've been holding up... that's not illegal is it?" She said in a peculiar way that was not at all conspicuous. The angle that she was deliberately not looking my way... something was up.
"No... I guess not. But why are you so uptight?" I inquired and she slightly shifted away.
"I'm NOT uptight. And I suggest you don't ever say that to a girl," she remarked. I smirked.
"Right. So you're a bit tense," I said sarcastically. I couldn't see it, but I could sense she rolled her eyes.
"Say what you want," she replied curtly and made to leave abruptly. I wouldn't let her have it her way. I swiped her «Black Luster» away and she turned around automatically.
"GIVE. IT. BACK." She stated darkly but in a disturbing way with a light, airy voice as though she was sweet girl with a personality of sunshine. I didn't falter.
"Not until you tell me, why you're really here," I said stubbornly. She sighed. Wow. That was quick.
"Fine. I just wanted to know of your condition before we go on another 'assignment'. I can't expect you to be ready 24/7, but I'd you to be ready whenever possible... just not at the expense of your health..." she admitted begrudgingly with a pout. Wow. I've never met a bigger tsundere. I still refused to give her back her sword.
"Aww. You really do care," I jested lightly which annoyed her.
"Now give it back," she said 'calmly'. That's no fun at all.
"Make me," I snapped back childishly. She didn't put up with this.
With a sudden leap forward, she pounced on me and tackled me to the ground, simultaneously retrieving her sword. I was slightly impressed.
"How direct. You know, if you wanted a hug, you could've just asked..." I stated mockingly in a joking way. "Unless you wanted more than a hug..." I added on as an afterthought. She punched my shoulder. Hard. Reminiscent. Reminds me of someone. I suddenly flipped her over and pinned her to the ground.
"Guess you're not as good as you thought," I quipped and she gave me an angry look. Stealthily, she contracted her left leg back to kick me off, but at the worst possible time-
"Kirito-kun. What on earth are you doing?"Asuna asked in a fake angelic voice that was darkly disturbing just like Violet a few moments ago.
Oh boy. The struggle is real.
It must've looked really bad in Asuna's point of view. Here I was lying under Kirito, with my leg in a compromising position. I meant to push him off but of course, Asuna walks in at the right moment.
I halfheartedly wanted Kirito to get his just punishment in explaining what happened, which, if he was even lucky, would take about an hour to be generous. But, being the person I am, I decided to let him off the hook.
"This is a huge misunderstanding, Asuna," I stated and she looked at me with suspicious eyes. Can't really blame her.
"You see," I continued while motioning Kirito to get off, and he did and also helped me to my feet with an awkward hand. "Your boyfriend just has poor motor coordination and tripped. I tried to catch him, but he was so heavy I fell back. Crazy, right? I know. Another problem to fix in your relationship. Oh well. Life's just like that. Have a nice day and keep Fat Albert here on a diet. KK byes~" I said quickly waving and left the scene with an embarrassed Asuna at my explanation and an indignant Kirito. But I'm sure he knew that I meant well.
I actually just stood outside the door, faking extra footstep sounds as though I went downstairs. I leaned against the wall to listen clandestinely.
"Did it really happen the way she said it did?" Asuna inquired quietly, still a bit embarrassed that I had called Kirito her boyfriend and mentioned their relationship.
"Yeah, it did. I hope you're not mad," he said back sincerely. "It was an accident. Like she said... I have..." He struggled to say it. I wondered if he could tell I was eavesdropping.
"Poor motor coordination..." Kirito stated begrudgingly. Asuna didn't catch it but I heard him say under his breath, 'apparently, according to a certain someone'. I smirked lightly.
"Well, if it really was an accident, I guess there's nothing wrong," Asuna said relieved. Kirito threw in one of his winning phrases.
"What's with the sigh of relief? You know me better than that. You know me better than anyone," he said warmly and she blushed, I could tell. The floor creaked slightly and I didn't have to look back to know that they were embracing, and not just embracing, but kissing.
As if this world wasn't cold enough.
I should've left sooner.
A few days had passed since our arrival on the 34th floor. I was currently residing in the corner of a bar. From just a glance, I could tell why the males at least enjoyed this floor a lot.
There were many eye-catching female NPCs. Particularly, the shop assistants and waitresses. Wow. Every wet nerd's dream.
I sat silently sipping my lemonade. Its sweet taste soothed my nerves. Suddenly, I found my vision obscured by a soft hand. Regardless, I opened my mouth to ask the unknown assailant to get off before I kicked his-
"Surprise," said a, for better or worse, familiar voice. I sighed.
"Is this karma? What business do you have with me?" I asked resigned, knowing he was going to stay here for a while.
"I just wanted to thank you for covering up for me back then," he acknowledged in a heartfelt tone. I felt a little bit happier. But responded as characteristically as I could.
"Is that all I am to you? Just good for getting you out of trouble?" I quipped jokingly. He pouted but replied.
"Of course not. That'd be pretty shallow. I wouldn't ever treat a friend like that," he assured solemnly. My spirits fell a bit. A 'friend' huh? Well... that's better than nothing.
"I see. Well, thank you for your sentiments," I said simply. "You wanted something?"
"No. Well, I was just wondering if you needed my help," he said formally. Well, his expression gave away his true feelings. I smiled at his attempt to be nice to me. Genuinely.
"Not yet. But, I'll let you know when I do," I responded amicably. "For now, you wanna clear some floors?" He returned my smile.
"Sure," he replied with suppressed eagerness.
"Where's Asuna?" I asked, wondering why he wasn't spending time with her.
"She's busy managing new recruits right now," Kirito-kun said to me with a bitter expression.
"Why so serious?" I asked him with slight concern. He elaborated his displeasure.
"There's a new guy. I don't like him. Well, I don't like most of them. They keep hitting on Asuna," he said frankly and I felt slightly jealous that he would be so defensive about Asuna like that. But I waited for his response politely.
"His name is Kuradeel. He's... suspicious, to say the least. Hell, even his name pisses me off," he expressed openly. I remained silent for a while, contemplating this.
"Well, as long as he's not too big a problem yet, you can focus on the main problem, right?" I asked trying to lessen his acrid mood. He assented, slightly grudgingly.
"I suppose that's true... then let's get back in the game," he said cavalierly. I smirked. What an ironic phrase.
The 34th floor boss was cleared, obviously, but with difficulty.
The boss's name was «Siren Maiden» (catchy name). The boss arena was another aquatic design, with mist and varying levels of terrain. It was about 75% water and 25% land. Kinda like the earth.
The real issue with this battle, was that several players, mainly male, were lured to their deaths via being bewitched by the boss's special ability, «Charm». I'll assume you're smart enough to figure that out for yourself.
A highly deceptive ability that confuses perception and lowering your sense of security. Nevertheless, we prevailed. I caught Asuna in an unhappy mood for some reason after the boss fight. I caught a bit of her conversation with Kirito.
"Why'd you hesitate to kill the boss?" She accused.
"What are you talking about? I don't hesitate..." He replied defensively.
"Uh huh. Is that code for checking out the boss's body?" She attacked back.
"You're being really edgy. I would never do that with another girl. NPC or not," he assured her, but however much she was convinced I'm not sure. Sighing, he threw his arm around her, which mollified her expression. I caught her saying under her breath, 'pig'. It was amusing to see his expression but he remained silent nonetheless. Asuna was a little high maintenance today.
The 35th floor was cleared, but the speed in which it was performed was aggravatingly slow.
The boss's name was «Phaser» and it was an appropriate name. It moved so fast, you could only see the after-images.
Nonetheless, if there's a will, there's a way.
After a while I figured it out.
"He must be on the track team," Kirito joked to me quietly as we were standing side by side. I smirked.
"Maybe. I'll bet you wouldn't be on the track team... given your... coordination and... lbs," I jabbed at him humorously. He rolled his eyes.
"We need a plan of attack," He stated, ignoring my remark.
"I have a plan. Attack," I said and I led the assault.
If you ignored the distracting speed of the boss, you could see he had set patterns and obvious openings to a keen eye. To beat speed, we just needed to counter his moves before he made them. That's what you call thinking ahead.
After a while, Kirito managed to slow it down with a carefully placed dart. I finished up the job with a slice of fire via my «Black Luster».
"Not bad," Kirito commented.
"Better than you," I quipped back and he scoffed lightly.
The 35th floor was one of the more profitable areas in Aincrad. There was a particularly lucrative area called, the «Forest of Wandering». If you were willing to take the risk, you could end up exponentially richer than you were when you started. However, the forest, true to its name, was very difficult to conquer, because the area continually shifted its geography so it would get confusing to navigate your way out. The forest seemed to move on its own accord. Like Hogwarts.
The main town was called «Mishe». A fairly normal settlement with the basic components of a town.
Moving on to the 36th floor, the area was more circular, with many twists and bends. The fields were of different elevations and the hills were fairly grassy. You could spot verdant pasture and livestock wandering about the endless fields of grass, bending to the will of the wind.
The boss was cleared out in about a week. Nothing particularly special about this boss, except for the fact I ended up dizzy battling it. «Ringleader» was its name. The attack pattern on this boss focused upon throwing the opposition off balance and perpetually changing directions. It had possessed dual hook scythes in place of its hands and a creepy mask on its face. A sort of demented smile with blank eyes. Steeling myself, I defeated it with no real problem, though the expression would linger on my mind for a bit longer.
The 37th floor was more or less the same. Well... if you were careful that was.
This floor was a little bit more interesting than the last. The main town was called «Periculos». This floor appeared to be a run-of-the-mill, generic setting of a region, but it was more than that. People could prosper here...
...Or run into trouble.
Later on I would remember to ignore this certain floor. One because it was sketchy. Two because... better safe than sorry.
Most people like to invest in a surefire way to making financial gain. But sometimes... conventional methods may be too... slow.
So what do you do? Resort to 'alternate' methods of course.
Not all people are so virtuous as to earn money the 'right' or 'proper' way. On this floor, it specialized in thievery, gambling, and blackmail. The NPCs were no better either. Best to keep your head down low, and your feet moving quickly.
In any case, the 37th floor boss was cleared out soon enough.
And almost me with it.
I remember starting the fight like always. A clean flurry of swipes, with precise execution and grace. That forced the boss, «Shadow Edge», to draw back. So I thought.
But the more damage I inflicted, the faster the boss moved. The sinister dark purple cloak swirled in a deviously, fluid serpentine motion. Near the end, it was almost on par with me. That's when things got serious.
I was caught by surprise as it abandoned its hook blades and constrained me within its grip. It started pulsating and flashing an ominous red color.
At the last second, glimpsing my mortality, and barely beating it, I activated «Mecha Exo». Even with its shield protecting me, at a pointblank range, I felt the impact and I blacked out, distantly hearing the arena collapsing around me. Before losing consciousness, I saw a hood. A black hood. Inspecting me, almost as if I were... a target.
I awoke with a slow start. My vision still blurry from the explosion. I removed the rubble around me. It was just like last time. Except not, and I doubted I could fake my death again twice.
As soon as I could stand, I assumed the others must've went on to the next floor and connected the gate to the preceding one. I would have to catch up.
The 38th floor had an emphasis on social division. There was clearly a line dividing those in authority, and those who served it. It was evident in the NPCs and even in the landscape. Tall mansions and towers that decimated the standing of the moderately small peasant houses. It was one of my less favored floors to hang around.
There wasn't much to do lately, so I figured I would map out the area. Maybe get some hunting in for supplies and cash.
I walked along with the breeze. After renting out a space in the local inn, I rested for a few hours. The next day, I would begin in earnest.
It was sunrise when I started and sunset when I ended. It had been an ordinary day for me, and that was fine.
Truthfully, I hoped for some excitement, but I avoided voicing that out loud, for fear of jinxing my wishes.
Now thinking back, I had come a long way. So did everyone else, or at least most of them. Some days, it was hard to believe in hope, others it was a bit more tangible. All things considered, this was life. And I had come to recognize it like a second nature. I'm not sure I liked it better than my previous life, but it was something.
For some reason, I caught people sending me nasty looks. Everywhere I went in town, there were whispers and mutterings. Some people didn't even bother to have the decency to keep their voices down. I could only hope not everyone had fallen on board to this sudden hate wagon against me. I was confused and caught off guard, but with enough sense, I avoided other people as much as I could until I could figure this all out.
I was alone, walking down the middle of the road. I figured I should start heading back. And you might've guessed, but-
A tap on my shoulder. There were only so many people I could assume who it was. I looked back.
Violet. Standing there expectant of me. She really has to stop doing that.
"What's up?" I asked colloquially of her.
"The sky," she said sarcastically in an affectionately annoying way.
"Haha, how original..." I bit back with a slight smile.
"Been busy?" She asked me and I nodded, too lazy to actually speak.
"Well, that's good I guess. Takes your mind off things..." she trailed off and I raised my eyebrows at her.
"Alright, even for someone like me, it's pretty obvious something is up. Besides the sky," I added offhandedly and she laughed just a bit.
"Oh you caught me, whatever shall I do..." she said in a not at all serious manner. I waited for her to continue on.
"Let's take a walk," she said and went along beside her.
"It seems everything's pretty normal so far," she pointed out and I had nothing to say except nod slightly.
"It seems so anyway... hmm. The 38th floor already. I'm almost impressed," she added dismissively. I scoffed and wondered what she meant by that.
"You're welcome," I stated loftily and she smirked at my modesty.
"I hope you can keep it up, Kirito-kun," Violet said to me hinting at playful doubt. Suddenly, her expression became serious.
"Why's that?" I asked of her tentatively. She grew a bit silent and continued on a bit before resuming from where she left off.
"There's been murders near the outskirts of town on the last floor. You may have noticed you were left behind after the boss battle?..."
Now that she pointed that out, I started feeling a negative connotation being attached to that incident. I just passed it off as indifference. Nothing new I suppose...
"So your point is..." I trailed off leaving her to fill in the blanks.
"Unfortunately, even Asuna and Argo couldn't hang back to check on you. For a certain reason..." she elaborated and I grew wary of her words.
"What's happened now?" I more or less demanded of her. The building tension to the answer was suffocating me.
"There's been recent murders of at least a baker's dozen on the outskirts of the last town. You're on suspicion for being responsible."
What?
The words from her mouth traveled into my head and stayed there. I couldn't believe this blatantly outrageous bullshit.
"Exactly how did and who came to this conclusion?..." I voiced my resentment towards this unwarranted accusation.
"I know what you're thinking, and I understand how you feel. But it was obviously a staged, yet believable act of framing. According to reports, the killer had clothes exactly like you, and weapons exactly like yours. But what I noticed about these reports were overlooked. For one, the perpetrator was wearing a hood, so it could be anyone. Except it's not. I know you're innocent, and to narrow down the results, almost all the victims, reportedly, died from a peculiar combination of paralysis and poison... I think you can solve this puzzle now," Violet said breaking the cryptic exposition. My rage settled on the true criminals.
"It's about to get very busy for both of us. Laughing Coffin is mobilizing," she stated and I tightened my fingers into a fist.
"Did someone call? Or is it just us?"
Speak of the devil.
A/N Well, with a final push, I give you guys a new chapter! It only took 6 months... T_T Really sorry for that, everyone. Hmmm, well, I don't think it was my best chapter, but I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless and it was kind of worth waiting for?... I know, it could've been longer, but hey, it's something. I want to thank again, everyone who likes the story and is following it. That's not to say it's everyone, but hopefully most people. I would like to ask something of you all before posting this though. If you're going to review, at least try to send constructive criticism instead of outright conveying your distaste for my style of writing. If you don't like it, don't read, don't comment. Simple. There are plenty of other writers out there, with plenty of stories that will have at least one that appeals to you. I don't mean to rant, but I hope that everyone realizes it does take effort for me to post these chapters. It takes a good few hours, with grammatical construction and brainstorming to create new ideas that I hope would appeal to my general audience. I can accept that some of you don't like my story, and that's fine. But please try to be a little more considerate, because I just want to share with you my type of writing. So there's a few too many references maybe. That's how I wanted to write it. Anyways, on a more story-related note, expect it to change in the next arc. Specifically nearing the end of 13 and onward to 14 and up. I hope you guys welcome that change, if you haven't been completely satisfied with the narrative. Anyhow, thanks for reading and I hope everyone has an awesome day~ ^_^