I thank whitworth5274 for helping me.

May 16th, 2023, Floor 28

The last few months have been rough for Haruza and her fellow SAO players on the frontier. As they started to get going on the twentieth, tragedy nearly struck. Lind and several top officers of the Dragon Knight Brigade were trapped in a dungeon, and a small task force of four people were sent to investigate. While the DKB leadership would be found and eventually rescued later on, the task force was nearly wiped out by the player killers that trapped DKB in the first place.

Haruza would later hear the tale from her two friends that partook in the mission, in which one of them nearly gave his life for the three girls with him by not fighting back in exchange for their safety. However, he bought enough time for two guilds, Furinkazan and the Bro Squad, to arrive and save them.

On the snow-covered Floor 25, the greatest tragedy would strike SAO. The Aincrad Liberation Squad, led by Kibaou, would make a daring attempt at the labyrinth boss and clear the quarter-point alone. Despite being armed with the knowledge that the bosses get a slight hike in difficulty every five floors, and with this being a pivotal point in progression, ALS ventured onward…and paid a deadly price by losing many of its members in the battle. DKB, KoB, and smaller guilds and parties of the frontlines raced forward to save them, barely at that.

But it became clear that ALS didn't just go in foolishly; they went in unprepared.

On Floor 27, in the middle of a quest between the three guilds to support three houses of blacksmiths to forge the ultimate weapon, the truth was revealed: A member of ALS named Joe — the same Joe who branded Kirito a beater — turned out to be a member of the PKers and had intentionally kept a crucial piece of information from Kibaou and ALS about the boss two floors prior. Information about a specific attack pattern that, if unavoided, would and most certainly did cost lives.

Things had not been easy, but the grand mission to escape SAO continued for Haruza and the Assault Team. While Lind's DKB, Kibaou's ALS, and the now-Asuna led KoB currently lead the frontier on the thirtieth floor, Haruza finds herself two floors below.

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It took a certain kind of foolishness to brave the field at night. The dangers of night time in RPGs were well-known to the most veteran of players. Monsters were either somewhat stronger or the more dangerous beasts rear their heads at this time in-game. Visibility was lowered too, so if one's unprepared, they could be ambushed without seeing what came their way.

Then again, Haruza couldn't exactly talk. Unlike the group of fighters in red within the ruins at the foot she sat on, she was alone rather than in a group. She was doing some cautious night farming when she heard sounds of combat on her way back to town. That led her to Klein the wannabe samurai and his guild, Furinkazan.

With two of his mates flanking the Blood Wolf Leader, Klein held his katana up, charged up a sword skill and slayed the wolf with a single diagonal slash. Taking a breath in relief, the samurai glanced up towards a hill to the left of Haruza. He gasped in surprise and lowered his katana as he said, "What's up, Kirito?"

"Kirito!" Equally as surprised to see the swordsman, Haruza hopped on her feet and jogged to Kirito's position. "Oh, and hey Klein."

"Haruza? You're here too?" Sheathing his sword, he turned to the other men in red. "The trash mob's all yours, guys!"

"Sure!"

As Haruza approached him, Kirito acknowledged her with a nod. "It's been a while, Haruza."

"That it has."

Klein, excited, ran up the hill to Kirito and Haruza. "Man, it's been a while since I've seen you. What, you doing some late night leveling or something? Uh, what's up with that icon? Did you join a guild?"

Kirito looked away with a sad expression. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"It's all clear! We can move on!"

With that call from Klein's guildmates, Kirito stepped forward past Klein and Haruza. "See ya."

"Yeah…" Once Kirito is some distance away from Klein and Haruza, he murmured. "Oh, come on. Is it still bugging you?"

"… Sorry, Klein. It' was nice to catch up, but I'm going to follow Kirito." Klein nodded, stepping aside to let Haruza pass. She waved to the other members of Furinkazan before she caught up to Kirito, then waited until they were some distance away from the guild before she spoke up. "Kirito, I'm worried about you. We all are."

"Don't worry, I'm doing fine… But it's unusual to see you nowadays without Taicho."

Haruza totally forgot about her friend. She and Taicho had stuck together for the last couple of months, figuring safety comes in numbers with the activities of the player killers on the rise since Floor 20. It was a suggestion by their friend, being that he has a partner of his own to rely on. "Well, he's in town right now. I think I wore him out today, hehe… B-but that's not what I'm talking about! None of us have seen you since you exposed Joe on the twenty-seventh floor., and even then, you were distant. Are you really going out your way to avoid speaking to As—"

"I'm fine, Haruza."

He said that with some forcefulness, but there's an obvious strain in his tone. Sighing, she decided to drop the subject. "Okay, if you're going to be like this, I'm sticking with you for a while."

"Suit yourself."

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After an couple hours of hunting, Kirito and Haruza teleported to the twentieth floor. Part of Haruza wished she stayed behind and went to bed, but for the moment, the drive to make sure Kirito was alright won and granted her energy. She did tell Taicho she would be late, in case he decided to look for her.

Behind her, Kirito paused on the teleport gate's platform, standing still as if reading a message. After a couple of quiet seconds, he murmurs, "Sachi…"

"Is something wrong, Kirito?"

Kirito nodded and selected the option to make the message visible to Haruza. It read, "'This is Keita. Sachi has left and hasn't returned. We're heading to the dungeon area. if you learn anything, let me know.'"

Looking back up to Kirito, Haruza announced, "I'll help you find her."

"Thanks. But first." Clicking around to his skills menu, Kirito selected one. To her, his eyes went from onyx black to jade green, but in reality he's using the Tracking skill. If he's already selected a target, that being Sachi, he should be able to track her footsteps.

He caught sight of her steps, and gestured for Haruza to follow him. They'd taken quite a ways through the town, and spent about ten minutes running and following her lingering steps. Where they end is underneath a bridge over a waterway, and seated within the partially lantern-lit tunnel is Sachi, wrapping herself in a lengthy blue cloak.

"Saichi?"

With sad, narrowed eyes, Sachi lifted her head towards Kirito and Haruza. "Kirito. Oh, Haruza. Nice to see you."

Haruza waved politely. "Likewise. Why are you here?"

"Everyone's worried about you."

Sachi sighed and dropped her head back toward her crunched lap. Kirito and Haruza walked closer to her but not to her side. Instead, they stopped on the other side of the support pillars of the bridge above them and slide down the wall to sit.

"Kirito?"

"Yeah?"

"We should run away."

"Run away? From what?"

If she didn't know better, that would sound like a woman telling the man she loves that they should elope somewhere. Haruza knew better, and could tell Sachi was referring to the world around them. Who in SAO didn't have those thoughts at least once since last November, especially as a member of the Assault Team? "And where would you and Kirito run from?"

"From this town, from the monsters, from the Moonlit Black Cats. And from Sword Art Online, too."

Kirito, stunned, straigthened up in shock. "Uh, are you talking about suicide?"

"Heh, that's not such a bad idea." That gets another fearful reaction from Kirito and even Haruza. Sachi, however, quickly said, "Sorry, no. If I had the guts to die, I wouldn't be hiding in town where it's safe, would I? But really, why can't we just leave? Why do we have to die when it's just a stupid game? What's the point of going through this?"

Haruza sighed and faced the running water. "Believe me, I wish I knew."

"Yeah. There is no point, I guess."

"I... I'm so afraid of dying in here."

Kirito gasped again. "It's really that bad for you, huh?"

On the other side of Kirito, Sachi started to shudder, holding herself tighter. "I'm so scared. I haven't been able to get any sleep lately."

"You're not going to die."

"Huh?" In Haruza's mind, that was too confident coming from Kirito. Granted, he has survived some events that should have killed him. So has Haruza. But whether or not Kirito meant to comfort Sachi or truly meant that she wouldn't die, she couldn't follow that logic.

Sachi looked up to Kirito. "Really? How can you be so sure about that?"

"The Black Cats are strong enough as a guild. Besides, our margin of safety is well above the average. Plus, you've got Tetsuo and me up front. There's no reason to be on the frontlines with us."

"You honestly don't think I'll die? Will I make it back to the real world?"

"Yeah. You're not gonna die. You'll see. We'll clear this game and come home soon. Right, Haruza?"

Haruza opened her mouth, but no words came out. She couldn't find the right terms. No, she knew the right words to say; she just couldn't say them in confidence. She did believe the Assault Team could beat this game. But she couldn't say she's sure they'll beat it. But more importantly, she couldn't break the smile that formed on Sachi's face.

So the words that do come from her mouth is an escape. "…Oh, I got to go. Don't want to worry Taicho about my absence." Haruza stood up and waved farewell to Kirito and Sachi. "Goodnight, you two."

"Good night, Haruza."

"Good night."

Pivoting on her heel, Haruza headed back to the teleport gate. Along the way, she felt a little bad about lying to get away from the conversation. There's some truth to it; she was out later than she expected, but in reality, she was too worried to say that nothing is certain and anything can go wrong. She couldn't push herself to say Sachi and her guild wouldn't die. Giving false hope is a death sentence in it own right. The twentieth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-seventh floors were wake-up calls for the confidence of the Assault Team, and if they can feel the knife at their throats, it isn't right to tell the mid-level players that everything will be fine.

But most of all, if something happened to the Black Cats, she knew Kirito would blame himself.

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Upon her return to the main town of the twenty-eighth floor, Haruza made an unconscious beeline for the inn she'll be staying in for the night. When she got to her assigned room for the night, she found a human-sized obstacle in her path. its slumped against the door, sleeping soundly against the doorframe. Finding herself smiling at how cute the obstacle is acting, she discarded her previous thoughts as she knelt down and shook their shoulder.

"Taicho…"

Her friend slowly stirred, his eyes blinking at a snail's pace. When they open wide enough for him to spot her, he yawned and lifted his head upright: "Oh, you're back. Good."

"What are you doing out here?"

"I…was waiting on you."

Haruza feels heat on her face. Turning away quickly to see if anyone's nearby, she answered him swiftly. "An-Anyway, I saw Kirito tonight. You would never believe it, but he joined a guild. The Moonlit Black Cats."

"Those guys, huh?"

Haruza shifted her position to sit beside Taicho. Part of her mind wondered what someone would think if they passed by and saw them like this, but barely anyone was up at this time. Only the most hardcore of gamers or the lovey-doviest of couples would be up on a late Tuesday night. "Yeah. Kirito has been with them for quite a while apparently. Tonight, I encountered Sachi with him, and she was worried about dying. No, for a moment… I think she seriously wanted to die. And I…couldn't say anything. I couldn't tell her she isn't going to die. Have I accepted that there's a possibility that we may die here? Or is it more foolish to deny the fact that there's a possibility?"

Taicho had woken up during the monologue and remained silent until the very end. When Haruza finished, he looked up to the ceiling. "If you're that worried about Kirito and the Black Cats, maybe you should consider joining the Black Cats. If you're that worried about them, that is."

Haruza shook her head. "They know I'm a Beta Tester. They called me a Beater. Even if Kirito and Sachi accepted me, it would be 2 to 4. They don't even know how strong Kirito really is, because if he told them, he'd get treated like me. Maybe I'm overreacting. He would protect them if the need arises, I know that."

What follows is a sigh from Taicho. If Haruza dared to read more into it, she would say it sounded more like a sigh of relief. "Well, then…that is that." He rose to his feet and extended his hand to Haruza. When they're both standing, he released her hand and took a step toward his room next door to the right. "Goodnight, Haruza. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah… Goodnight, and thanks for listening to me."

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A month later, Haruza spied on Kirito and the Moonlit Black Cats close to the teleport gate of the twentieth floor. Eavesdropping on their conversation, it seemed like they're getting a new guild house.

"Hey, while Keita's off buying the house, what do you guys say we go out and raise some extra cash?"

"Oh, then we can buy furniture!"

"Come on! Let's go to a dungeon on a higher floor!"

"A higher floor?" Haruza murmured to herself. "What?! Is he crazy?! They're not strong enough to tackle a higher floor. They're going to get themselves killed."

Kirito, standing behind the group of friends, voiced her concern in his own way. "We should stick to our usual hunting spots."

One of the male Black Cats faced Kirito and said. "But up there, we could make more and faster."

"Yeah, and at our levels, we don't have anything to worry about."

With Kirito doing nothing, Haruza couldn't stay quiet. Making her appearance known, she shouted, "No!"

Sachi gasped in surprise as Haruza approached the group. "H-Haruza?"

Frowning, Haruza glared at the group and declared, "Dungeons are unpredictable and full of traps if you're not careful! Don't go!"

"And who are you to say what we can and cannot do?"

"I'm a member of the Assault Team, way stronger and more experienced than mid-level people like you. So when I say it's dangerous, it's dangerous!"

"Typical crap from a higher level player! You just don't want us getting stronger than you guys!"

Haruza, feeling a vein pop, tried softening her tone to persuade the boys of the guild. "No! You don't understand! Kirito, say something!"

"Maybe she's right," Sachi said with a worried tone.

Sasamaru shook his head. "No way. Sachi, we've come this far. We can do this without some big-shot Assault Team member in our way."

"Come on, guys."

As the Black Cats marched to the teleport gate, Haruza stepped between them and blocked their way with outstretched hands. "I won't let you kill yourselves!"

"Move it!" One of the guys brushed past Haruza, and the others followed. Sachi gave her an apologetic bow as she joined the rest of her group, and Kirito…didn't even spare her a look. Seconds later, the Black Moonlit Cats are gone from her sight.

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Later that day at sunset, Haruza found Kirito on the streets alone. She was happy to see him around, but as she approached him, she noticed his slouched posture and hollow expression. Much more noticeable is the lack of the four Moonlit Black Cats he ventured out with earlier.

"Kirito! What happened?! Where is everyone?" Kirito doesn't respond, instead he started to break down in tears. That told Haruza the worst had occurred, and in her own guilt and inability to stop the Moonlit Black Cats, she bowed her head. "I knew it… I knew nothing was certain they'd come back alive… And yet you promised Sachi she wouldn't die…"

"I… I just wanted to cheer her up."

"And I couldn't say anything back then because I didn't want Sachi to lose her smile when she first got it."

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Haruza followed Kirito to the leader of the Black Cats, Keita. She didn't say a word as Kirito explained what happened to the rest of the guild. But when Kirito spoke the truth of his level, that enraged Keita.

"You're a Beater! You had no right to be with us!"

Seeing the utter terror and rage in Keita's face, Haruza watched as he turned and climbed to the ledge of the balcony. Figuring what he's about to do, both Haruza and Kirito lunged for the boy. "Don't! You're not in your right mind!"

But it fell on deaf ears. Keita leaned forward, and dropped down from the balcony. Screeching to a halt, Haruza and Kirito could only watch as the boy disappeared through the clouds below the house and the cliff it stood on.

Haruza dropped to her knees, holding on to the wooden rail for no other reason than to support her upper body. "Idiot…"

"…It's my fault. My arrogance killed them."

"That's not true! I warned them not to go, but they wouldn't listen. They were overconfident."

"No. What you did was right. Whether they listened to you or not, the blame would be on them. But as someone who was there, someone in the guild, someone who knew better, I… I should have said something. Done something. But I was afriad of being who I am, a beater… So no, this is my fault."

"Kirito…" The Black Swordsman went cold and quiet after that, his eyes unmoved from the distance. He didn't say it, but it was well understood that he wanted to be alone. Picking herself up, she turned and stepped two paces away. She pasued, opening her mouth to say something, but she couldn't find the strength to say those words to him now.

Her final words to him were, "I'll…see you around…" and as she walked away, she hoped those words would be true one day.

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Time passed after the deaths of the Black Cats guild. Ever since then, Haruza hadn't seen or made contact with Kirito, but she kept busy as the Assault Team made it through the thirties and entered the fortieth floor. Spirits were high with the halfway mark within sight.

Two days after the floor opened, Haruza explored the main town of Achaion, a medieval-era town with the most serious-behaving people ever. Like Haruza felt her mom's attitude, in retrospect, is rather tame compared to the sternness the NPCs in Achaion display. Flutter around the frontline said that some players have been scolded for walking and chatting at night or loitering about.

From her favorite pair of heroes on the Assault Team, she learned that the theme of the floor is prison. The backstory of Achaion is that it's a castle town functioning as a prison. Haruza's coin quest took place in the outer court of the castle.

Before Aincrad's inception in the even known as the Great Separation, the nine kingdoms that ruled the land below constructed and operated the prison. While times have long changed, the security of Achaion has not. It's why the citizens are law-abiding to a fault. Hell, Haruza had to walk around without her sword on her back else she gained attention…again. She didn't expect the police to show up in this fantasy world.

Haruza had completed a quest earlier in the day where she had to find some old coins and trade them to a thief NPC for Col, so with nothing else to do and not wanting to encounter any troublesome guards in the evening hour, Haruza found herself walking to the town's square. There was a sizable crowd gathered, and the sound of music and someone singing coming from within. Pausing for a moment, Haruza listened for a moment.

I wanna meet you… If I can send more of this heart

Yes, to you

If you were to embrace me even if only in my dreams

She couldn't see the singer over the crowd, yet… A lute was being played…and that voice…it'd definitely been a while since she'd heard either noise, but she'd recognize the rising bard of SAO anywhere. Word has spread to the frontier players about a lutist with an amazing voice, their songs able to raise the most downtrodden of spirits.

"Thank you, everyone. Now please listen to my next song." Finding a space to squeeze through, Haruza finally caught sight of a girl her age in a white and blue bard's outfit. Her brown eyes lit with joy, the songstress strummed her white lute and said, "One more, then, And this one's going to be extra cheerful."

"Yuna." She found her way to this floor and put on a show for the frontier players? If she's here…he's not far behind, but for the moment, Haruza decided catching up with her friend later.

The cold asphalt is crowded with people.

The monochrome buildings hid the sky.

The selfish street light gathers the street signs.

With this hand, I at least will sketch you…

"The future is the Road of the End"

as the lamenting saint prophecized,

you held me close, but why did I cry?

Burn everything and become love.

Scorch everything to it's unrefined state…

I will protect you.

Everything should burn and become ash,

is that the freedom for this world?

Even if that smile of yours isn't from love,

I'll still love you!

As Yuna sang her next song, Haruza found herself clapping along with the crowd and even taking out a blue stone from the twenty-seventh floor like a glow stick and waving it elegantly in one hand in tandem with the beat.

"Hey, you over there! What're you doing here? It's dark out! Don't you go wandering around like that! And what's worse, you're loitering!"

Haruza paused in her waving, hearing that shout above the singing and cheering. "That line…" Oh, she totally forgot about the nature of the guards in this town.

And too late did anyone realize the guards had arrived. They came toward the crowd, shouting, "What are all of you doing here? Not only are you loitering at night, but you're making a ruckus too! Disperse at once!

"Resist and we'll detain you! Quiet down at once!"

In fear of being sent to Black Iron Palace, the prison of Sword Art Online, the crowd started to panic and disperse while the guards fought to contain and arrest them. Haruza watched as a swordsman and spearman were taken down by a pair of guards seeking to detail them. Haruza made noise to distract the NPC, which did just that. The pair of guards turned her way, Unfortunately, that only got Haruza in their sights. "And who do you think you are? Get in our way and you're going to be joining them in—"

Ba-dum.

"Huh?" Still standing in the middle of the square, Yuna played her lute as if nothing else had happened. Yet Haruza noticed that for some reason, the guards had ceased in arresting the disobedient players. And even more miraculously, they even gave up in detaining the players and started to filter out the square. Everyone in the crowd was transfixed by the strange behavior of the guards and the beauty of Yuna's song.

Whatever changed their hearts, it could only be done by the "Sweet Songstress" of SAO.

Finishing the last note, the lutist smiled to the crowd and bowed in thanks. "Thank you for all your help. Next up is a super-cheerful song, so I hope you all keep listening." As the crowd thinned out, some taking their time to thank Yuna for her performance, Haruza remained in place until Yuna spotted her. Eyes widening, Yuna excused herself from the remaining fans and jogged over to Haruza. "Haruza, it's been a while."

Haruza sadly smiled, "Yeah, it has."

"What's wrong? My song was super-cheerful."

"It's not your song. Things have been going really terrible for me lately."

Putting her lute in her inventory, Yuna gestured for Haruza to walk with her. "What happened?"

"Something awful had happened to my friend, Kirito."

After taking a moment to explain all that happened with Kirito and the Black Cats, Yuna and Haruza had entered the inn where Yuna decided to stay for the night. Haruza, who hadn't rented a room for the night, had no objections to doing the same, and continued her story in the connected tavern. When she was done, the songstress provided a sad smile of her own. "I see. I can only imagine how difficult it must've been for him. I mean, as a member of the Assault Team, you see a fair share of death — we all heard about the twenty-fifth floor, for example — but to see people die in that manner…"

"And no matter what I said, no matter what I did, I couldn't get through to him. He promised Sachi wouldn't die, but she died anyway. I don't know what to do."

"Maybe…you're not the one who'll get through to him. Maybe he needs more time to process it. In a world like this, where death in real life is just as real as the joy of having fun in a video game, who knows what's the right thing to do. How many scars will we bear when we leave this world?"

"Yeah…who knows..."

In their shared melancholy, a waiter returned with their food orders. "My apologies for the wait. Please enjoy." Haruza's mood was dampened by the recollection of months prior, but seeing the luxurious platter in front of her helped to lift her spirits. Before she took the first bite, though, she caught sight of Yuna waving her hand in the air. Looking up as a third figure joined them, she didn't even have to question who Yuna had called over.

"Oh, hi, Nautilus."

Nautilus nodded and took his seat beside Yuna. "Long time, no see. Is something going on?"

"I caught up with Haruza in the town square. I was putting on a performance there and drew a crowd. The guards got involved too!"

"Yuna, didn't I tell you not to do anything that would get you in trouble?"

"Hehe, you worry too much. I was fine in the end. As a matter of fact, I stopped the guards with my music."

Haruza smirked while chewing the delicious food. Nearly thirty floors have passed, but Nautilus and Yuna are the same now as they were on the thirteenth floor. Well, Nautilus seemed to grant Yuna some independence as long as she remained in the safe zone, so maybe he'd softened a bit.

"Oh, Haruza! If you don't have any plans, there's… actually a quest we wanted to do…"

Haruza swallowed her food and turned to Yuna. "What kind of quest?"

"It's called Evil for Good's Sake. It's more about talking to NPCs in town and solving a mystery than surviving a trap-laden dungeon."

"It's a bit of work given how long it takes, but it does award experience. I thought it's be safe for Yuna given what it involves. But looking into it, I realized there is at least some combat. I'd need help to protect Yuna if things went off the rails. Still, it's not like I could ask the Assault Team for help now. Given that you're here, I would be thankful if you assisted us."

Haruza nodded. "I'll help. I'm not going to let another friend die."

With a cheerful face, Yuna exclaimed, "Thank you. I'm happy to hear you say you'll help us."

"I appreciate it. To be honest… I'm relieved too. I didn't know who I could turn to if you turned us down."

Haruza would've recommended some people who she trusted if she had to turn them down, but not only was she free to aid Nautilus and Yuna, she believed this would help her as well. "If it will help me figure out what to do with Kirito, I'll do anything. I fear he might commit suicide some day soon and I have to stop him if he does."

"In that case, we can get started tomorrow. According to the NPC we got the quest from, we're to head straight to the castle's outer court. A guard NPC will arrive at a specific time who they say you need to talk to in order to receive the quest."

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The next morning, Haruza, Yuna, and Nautilus ventured out to the outer court of the castle again at the specified time Yuna mentioned. Stationed at the location they're heading to is a guard standing just beyond a village. Her excitement overflowing, Yuna stepped up to the guard. "Excuse me! I heard that a guard captain was looking for playe- …for adventures like us."

"Indeed, our captain is. If you say that you're adventures, allow me to show you to our headquarters. Follow me." He led them into the village, which seemed to follow the structure of Achaion in terms of security and civility. The only difference is that the people seemed less…inflexible to Haruza.

The guard led them inside a stone building near the village center and directed them to a large office. Seated at the large desk on the other side of the room is a tall, well-built man three times Haruza's age who the guard addressed. "Captain, sir. Here are a group of adventurers who've came to answer our request."

The guard captain stood up and dismissed his subordinate. "Thanks for coming all this way. I'm the captain of the guards in this village. But there's no need to be stiff. Relax and hear me out." He gestured to the two seats in front of the desk. Nautilus didn't advance toward the chairs, leaving them for Haruza and Yuna to sit on. Once the girls were seated, the captain sat back in his large leather chair and resumed speaking. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of my men, this is a relatively peaceful town. Still, I'm troubled by crime and other problems here."

"What kind of problems?"

"My men work hard to prevent crime, but are still short handed. That's why I wanted adventurers like you to help me with a problem."

Nautilus, standing between the two seated girls, crossed his arms. "I understand your situation. We'd be happy to help if you'll take us. What should we do first?"

"Thank you for your assistance. In that case, I'd like to start by asking you to transport something. We arrested a merchant running a dirty business on the side, and we seized so much evidence that I'd like for you to go retrieve it. My men will be near the castle's courtyard entrance. Meet them at the foot of the bridge. Oh… And there is a small complication as well. Hand what you get over to me directly, not to the people here. I'll be waiting for you at this location. Good luck."

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Their destination took them to the ruins of a smaller castle that looked like one of those medieval castles in the legends of King Arthur. At its gate was another guard NPC. Nautilus initiated conversation this time. "Do you have a moment? The guard captain sent us here to pick up seized evidence for him."

The guard nodded his head. "Yes, I received the orders from a messenger just a moment ago. The evidence is right here." The evidence would be automatically stored in Nautilus's inventory just like in any exchange between players and NPCs, so once he confirmed it, Nautilus bided the guard farewell and lef the girls on the next trek of their journey.

"This is pretty straightforward as far as mystery quests go," Yuna said after they put some distance between them and the previous castle. "Maybe it just starts off as a fetch quest."

"What have you heard about the mystery of this quest? It's only been three days since this floor opened, there can't be much on it."

"I was told it's about accepting a quest from the guards and exposing the conspiracy behind what's really happening in town—"

"Shh! I heard something…!" Haruza threw her hand out and paused. It was a faint sound, something that under different circumstances she would have ignored or not be overly alarmed about. But the dangers of wandering outside the safe zones are always present in Haruza's mind. Especially when it came to that group of player killers, who have been quiet since the thirty-fifth floor.

Yuna, confused, searched around. "Hm…? Isn't that the sound of the wind — Ahh!" Yuna fell to the ground after being pushed by Haruza, and she herself barely avoided the flying knife whizzing past her face. Leaning back up, Haruza caught sight of a figure in a black cloak and hood running toward them from the ruins. She drew her sword, gritting her teeth in the presence of one of those player killers. More likely than not, the one that Joe and another piece of work called Morte belonged to.

"Who are you?!"

"I am one who cannot abide wicked hearts like yours… I am one… of the Enraged. Enough talk. The guards, the nobles who control them, and all their collaborators- if the law cannot deal with them, I will."

The Enraged? She didn't know if that player killer group had an official name, but the way they're talking…then she glanced at the cursor above the human's head. It was red, not orange — this was an enemy NPC!

In that case, Haruza could let loose. Initiating the stance for the one-handed sword skill Vertical. "Naut! Stand back and watch my back! Protect Yuna!"

He said something snarky back about how he doesn't need to be told that, but Haruza ignored him as she started her attack.

And somehow missed the opening strike. Stunned by the speed of the assassin, Haruza barely has a millisecond to dodge the attacker's once the skill delay wore off. Seeking to attack again with the advantage a longsword has against a dagger. But the assassin is too fast as they put Haruza on the defensive.

As the duel proceeded, Haruza came to the conclusion that she wasn't fighting just any mob NPC. While she managed to turn on the offensive, she couldn't find an opening in her opponent's defenses. She knew the best dagger-user in the game personally and her speed and agility was second only to KoB's Flash. However, that person was nothing compared to this guy here. It was like he was stronger than a human, and his dagger is more like a shield.

"I see there are still some true warriors who side with the guards." The assassin stated. "Still, any who sully themselves with corruption must be erased."

"Corruption? What are you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid. Not after taking a bribe like that. I thought you had a spine, but now I see you're just another puppet. Die." He reversed his blade grip, and the curved blade took on a light blue hue.

Haruza rummaged through her knowledge of dagger sword skills in her head for what the incoming attack could be. However, it didn't take long for it to be identified by another dagger wielder — Yuna. "It's coming from below! An… "Upward Slash"? Well, whatever it's called! Oh, what was it? A dagger sword skill called… Nail Hammer!"

Trusting Yuna's knowledge, Haruza leaned backward and moved away, retreating from the path of the assassin's blade. He said nothing in response to his failed attack, instead taking another stance with his dagger glowing yellow.

"Um… That color and that light… Now I remember…! It's another dagger sword skill! It's a jumping technique called Kingfisher! It's a big jump right toward an enemy in order to stab from up close! Move sideways! Sideways, not back!

Haruza sidestepped as Yuna said, causing a second missed attack. Whether annoyed or entertained, the assassin's hooded face turned to Haruza's new position as he prepared his next attack. "The next attack will finish you. It's time for the final blow."

A green light flashed, but it wasn't the man's dagger that adopted the light, but his legs. That threw Haruza off guard…but not Yuna.

"Another dagger sword skill! If his legs are glowing and not his weapon… I think he's going to quickly dash behind you! Be careful, Haruza! That's Creeping Reaper! He'll try to go behind you in order to slit your throat!"

As detailed, the assassin quickly moved around Haruza. However, they moved much slower than Yuna's description of the attack, so Haruza already had her next move ready. Once the assassin was behind her, she immediately countered with a reverse elbow to the man's hard chest.

…Soft, squishy chest?

"Gah!" Before Haruza can process what she felt, the assassin NPC moved back and turned his sight on the still grounded Yuna. "Fine, I just need to kill you first…!"

Chasing after the speedy assassin, Haruza eyed Nautilus. "Nautilus! Protect Yuna!"

Nautilus turned to aid Yuna, but strangely he didn't move. "…Mgh!"

"Nautilus, what are you waiting for? Hurry!"

Nautilus has the face of someone stuck in a swampy mire. He wasn't moving, but clearly he was distressed enough to move. But the NPC reached Yuna, dagger held high: "Die."

"No! I won't let another friend die!" Her mind taking over, Haruza leapt in front of Yuna, taking the blow for herself. It's a strong hit, enough to drop her health from about eighty to somewhere close to thirty percent. If that hit Yuna, even though the songstress was at full health… Gripping and reversing her hold on her sword, Haruza countered by thrusting the end of the hilt into the liver of the assassin.

"Gfft…!" They collapse on the ground, disabled by the blow. As they moaned in pain, Haruza sighed in relief.

"Haruza! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, Yuna. What about you?"

"I'm completely fine."

Nautilus, now in motion, helped Yuna and Haruza to their feet. He took a glance at the fallen assassin, then faced Haruza apologetically. "…I'm sorry. If only I could've acted…"

"What happened? You just stood there."

Yuna, eyes downcasted, started to explain. "…Listen. Naut's…"

Nautilus held his hand up, stopping Yuna from saying more. "No… I'll tell her. I need to if she's helping us with a quest involving battles… where our lives are on the line…"

"Alright. Explain."

Nautilus cleared his throat and said, "FNC. I have FNC… FullDive Nonconformity. The reason I couldn't move just now… was because of that."

"Then, on the 13th Floor…"

"Yes… That was also because of my FNC. I… caused you and Taicho a lot of trouble then. My unconscious thoughts overwrite commands my consciousness sends. Even if I wanted to move just now, my mind said not to and I couldn't. This means I can't move the way I want in a VRMMO, where my avatar is controlled by my thoughts. I might even do the opposite. I'm controlled by my deepest thoughts… And that's why there's nothing I can do about it, even if Yuna's life's in danger."

This sounded oddly familiar to Haruza. "I don't think Kirito has FNC, but it seemed like something similar happened to him when the Black Cats wanted to do a dungeon a floor higher and he couldn't stop them."

Yuna cleaned her cloak (not that any dirt will linger long on it) and said, "I'm okay now. Don't worry about it, Naut. Let's go back to the Teleport Gate for now. We need to deliver what we've been given anyway."

xxxxxxxx

"I see you've brought the evidence. …Yes, it's all here. Good work."

Nautilus, arms crossed, handed the box to the captain of the guard. "Think you could tell us what's in the box? I think we were attacked by an assassin because we were carrying it around."

The guard captain frowned in thought. With a glance to his subordinate, he heaved a heavy breath as he leaned into his seat. "…I see. I apologize for that. Yes, perhaps I do need to tell you about this. A great number of coins are in this box - known as Golden Coins. Does that ring a bell?"

Haruza eyed the box. "I don't understand why we got attacked just for carrying these. Our attacker didn't seem interested in stealing them at all."

"They likely thought you were part of a corruption scheme. Many nurse these for that purpose."

"I need you to tell us more."

"I don't know the details at this point, but it's said that the coins are from before the Great Separation. They're ostensibly works of ancient art bought and collected by nobles. But they also have another hidden use. In essence, they act as receipts. AS they were made with ancient technology and can no longer be reproduced, they're used as a kind of certificate of receipt."

Yuna raised her hand to her chin. "What does that have to do with corruption, though? In fact, isn't corruption all about money that doesn't get tracked?"

"The coins are proof of payment to a noble. In other words, they can be redeemed for favors from influential figures."

"Having paid no small sum, those requests can include normally unthinkable ones. Plus, nobles oversee the guards, right?"

"Exactly. To be specific, these requests could include pretending a crime never happened. That's why everyone around wants these coins. Now that this pernicious practice has taken root, even if no payment was made to a noble… one found in the ruins can wipe out a crime. But while a misdemeanor may be one thing, many coins are needed for a serious offense. Especially for relative strangers like you. It may not be the easiest to do, but you'd still be able to erase your crimes. It's embarrassing that even my men have gotten involved. I could see them getting some funny ideas if they saw this many seized coins. That concern was why I had you deliver them in this manner. And that is why I wanted the help of travelers - those unaware of this town's wicked custom and free of any direct interests."

Haruza gasped. "Hey, these can reverse going orange!" If that's the case with NPCs, there's a great implication for players…especially when she considered the criminal code of SAO. The greatest offense was attacking another player or a yellow-indicator possessing NPCs, which turned the offender's indicator from green to orange. There were methods to restore it, but those depending on the number of offenses. But if these coins were any easy way out of the redemption quests, it's not orange players that she should be worried about; it's the reds - players with orange indicators who have killed another player or NPC. That category included the mysterious guild that had set the frontlines back multiple times.

"We seized these before they could be used for significant corruption. It's not every day that you get to see this many… But I understand that many times more are left inside the castle's jail: the Invulnerable Prison. While my men are posted there to ensure no one wanders in by accident, they're also keeping away anyone there after the coins. I know that rules are bent to get things done, but I want to do something about this rampant issue. Please, I need your help."

"No problem," Haruza said. "We'll sort this out together."

The captain smiled with relief. "I see. Thank you. I'm sorry to drag you into this, but I'm counting on you."

Nautilus cleared his throat. "Tell us what you know about the assassin from earlier. I assume we'll be attacked again on this mission, so anything will help."

"They believe in removing evildoers that the law cannot judge. The band of assassins call themselves the Enraged. As a result, they mostly target nobles and guards who use nefarious methods to cover up crimes. They use their frighteningly strong network of informants to pick their targets. Not even us guards know about all these "evildoers." I can't deny that they're punishing those who've escaped the law… But even so, we can't approve of their actions. They've even killed good, innocent men and women. When we follow up on their acts… we've found some who tried to act as whistleblowers. You be careful yourselves. The Enraged have ears everywhere, and they're quick to act. I don't want you falling victim to them. And while I'm sorry to day this right after that, I have my next request for you. The soldier you received this evidence from is one of my trusted men. I want you to deliver this written order to him."

xxxxxxxx

After delivering the letter to the guard, Haruza, Yuna, and Eiji are returning back to the village. Beside enemy monsters, they hadn't encountered any of the Enraged on the road to the guard and so far not on the way back. Haruza is starting to hope that the previous encounter is a one-time thing, or they'll face off against the Enraged in a later scenario.

How wrong she'd be.

"Oh no!" Yuna gasped, pointing to a figure in black laying off the beaten path. Based on how they're looking, they're not here for a frolick in the sunshine. "Someone's collapsed on the ground! Look, over there!"

"Quick! Let's get over there, now!" Yuna and Haruza ran to the person's side, They're alive, though barely alive at that. Haruza arriving first. Squatting to their side, she reached out and grabbed their shoulder. The person's cursor came up, and the first thing Haruza noticed is the yellow cursor. So this is an NPC…dressed in all black…and their name is "Enraged Assassin Eraser". Stunned, she retreated her hand. "This is the assassin who attacked us earlier."

"It looks like a pretty deep wound." Nautilus said. "…And he's even been poisoned. If we don't do something, he'll be dead soon."

"We can't just abandon him. Check if we have a Restorative Crystal and an Antidote Crystal!"

Nautilus didn't move a muscle to follow Haruza's command. "Hold on… I just want to be sure… Are you certain about this? This NPC is an enemy who tried to kill us. And even if he wasn't an enemy, he's an NPC. You want to use valuable crystals to save his life as you would a player's? And he may even attack us when he recovers."

Nautilus brought up a great point. NPC lives are not as important as player lives. There's no guarantee the NPC will die for good. But she was reminded of a case on the lower levels where Kirito and his party at the time witnessed the death of an NPC that gave out the main floor's quest. That put an end to future entries into the questline and took Kirito and the others on an alternate path.

But to intentionally let a person die instead of helping them out, no matter who they are, didn't sit right with Haruza. "Even if what you said is true, I can't abandon a dying person."

Yuna nodded. "Naut… Please… I'm asking you too…" Nautilus seemed sternly against helping the NPC, understandably so. The assassin did try to kill Yuna earlier, and Naut's standing by his argument. Yuna realized this and opened her own inventory. "Haruza, if it's an Antidote Crystal you need, I have one. Use it."

Haruza took the crystal and used it on the NPC. After a flash of green light, the NPC recovered quickly like a player. Grunting, they lifted up to their waist and raised their hand up, removing their hood over their head. Long brown hair came out the hood, covering a slightly tanned face with brown eyes and red lips. "Urgh… Where… am I…?" Facing forward, the NPC glanced around at the three adventurers and jumped in place. "Erase… the wicked…!"

Haruza groaned. "Would you just chill out?! We're not here to fight you! And stop moving around so much. A minute ago, you were on the verge of death."

"Like I'd believe any of you evildoers."

"She's telling the truth," Nautilus responds begrudgingly. "Those two used valuable crystals just to save you, someone who should be their enemy."

The assassin's eyes narrowed. "Even then… I can't overlook… those who secretly side with the corrupt!"

"We didn't even know anything about those coins. And that's not what we want to do." In her menu, she removed her sword and stepped back to show she meant no harm. The assassin remained on the ground, but the hostility marker by her cursor vanished. They seem more mesmerized that Haruza's sword disappeared.

"What was that?"

Haruza decided not to explain it and asked, "Why did you get hurt?"

"…I was attacked… by a mysterious and strangely dressed man. Likely an assassin. I never knew that other such organizations existed.

"A strangely dressed mysterious assassin?"

"A man with a bag on his head. I admit that he caught me when my guard was down, but I didn't expect his dagger to be poisoned, either."

A player with a bag over his head… "No… it can't be… that orange player!"

"You know of him?" Yuna inquired.

Haruza nodded. "He's a dangerous man who relishes hurting others. That's probably the reason why he attacked you too. Too bad for him we got here in time. My name's Haruza. Who are you?"

"We have no name. We live in the world of the darkness. We need no name."

"Well that sucks." Haruza's eyes floated to the cursor, reading "Enraged Assassin Eraser" hovered around the yellow cursor.

"Hm? Is there something above my head?"

"E..ra..ser… Alright, we'll call you Erassa."

The assassin tested the name on her lips a couple of times. "…What a strange woman. But fine, call me whatever you please. A token of my gratitude. You did indeed use valuable crystals to save my life. Plus, I don't want to owe anything to an enemy." Reaching into her cloak, she pulled out a satchel. She retrieved a rectangle bar from the pouch and handed one to Yuna first.

"Thanks. Is this candy? It kind of looks like a snack bar." She touched it to summon the properties window. "An 'Attic Meal?' What a name."

"A portable meal concocted using our organization's hidden methods. It provides all the nutrition and energy needed for a long ambush."

"I see. Well, here's something from me, then." Yuna took a bag of her own from her inventory, and gave Erassa a small, yellow-colored sphere.

Erassa took one and frowned quizzically. "What is this…? It looks like a candy… It's quite beautiful."

"Yep. It's a throat drop. It's lemon flavored and tastes nice and sweet."

Taking Yuna at her word, Erassa popped it into her mouth. "…It's so sweet!" She covered her mouth after the sudden shout, then murmured, …Excuse my loud voice. I've… never had anything as sweet as this before. I learned that meals are only meant to provide nutrition, and I've never had a reason to doubt such teachings."

Yuna grinned and looked up to the light at the ceiling of the fortieth floor. It's the bottom of the forty-first, and the sun's rays bounce off of it to create daytime, without looking at the time, one could assume the sun approached its noontime position. "You know… this is actually perfect timing. Let's all eat lunch together. I even have food with me. …And enough for you too, Erassa."

Haruza nodded and turned to their new companion. "Maybe you should join us, Erassa." Erassa looked to opt-out of spending lunch with them, but Yuna's wide smile sucked the argument out of the NPC.

"…Fine."

xxxxxxx

Yuna patted her stomach, elation drawn on her face. "That was delicious. This floor can be a little stuffy at times, but I do like how good the food is here."

Erassa looked at the empty containers that once held food Yuna bought from the village. "…All the flavors were new to me. Was that… what you would describe as 'delicious?'"

"That's right. I'm glad it was to your liking." A few hand swipes in the air later, Yuna materialized her white lute from her inventory. Sitting up straight, she said, "Would you be interested in listening to me as we digest?"

"I gotta say, your hat and clothes are super stylish," Haruza complimented. "The entire outfit matches your lute, and overall, white looks great on you. I still haven't found my signature outfit yet."

Yuna giggled. "Thank you. I like how much this outfit makes me look like a musician. It did cost a good bit of Col to put together, though… Since Erassa is here, why don't I sing a song that was popular in the real world? And Haruza, if you want, can you play your flute with me?"

"Yes!" Excited, Haruza pulled out her flute and stood up with Yuna. Yuna leaned over and spoke the title of a popular anime song. Instantly knowing the song as she's sang it multiple times in her secret free time, Haruza raised the flute to her lips and played the notes as best she could alongside Yuna's lute. Once it was time, Yuna jumped in to sing:

Simply crying is easy,

But it won't wash the sadness away

This love and our parting

Was my decision after all

Like a bird strayed away from its flock

I do not know where I'll head tomorrow

But even if I'm hurt and bleeding

I'll stay true to my hearts

And just flap my wings

Bluebird

Even if happiness is close by

Towards the sky I shall fly

And believe in my future

I will not forget you

But I cannot turn back to yesterday

Once the duet was done, Eiji and Erassa clapped as the girls took a bow. "I've never heard such music. Is it from some distant land? Still… it's strangely enjoyable."

"I'm glad you enjoy it," Yuna responded. "Okay, this next song will be for you. It was apparently written as a song to encourage girls." She gave Haruza the title of the next song, then Haruza started off with fingering the first note of the next song.

Can you heat it up at frozen night

Like a little match girl, yeah

Kiss me and burn it up

When I look into your heart

Even now, the small pages of childhood

are dreamed of by everyone, and

the frozen days of not being able to grow up

are happily sleeping

I can't see anything, only my white breath is dazzling,

gently supporting my clothes as they blow in the wind.

The townscape I walked through with cold bare feet

has already been decided,

the heroine is me

I want to burn out with your heart.

Kiss my sleep so much that

it melts away. I don't want to hear the withering heartbeat.

Just leave the screws unscrewed.

Once they're applauded for again, Haruza said, "I had a feeling Erassa was a girl when I felt that squish. Even though she was so tall and had a cool voice."

Erassa instinctively covered her already covered chest. "I cannot blame you. I've always been tall, and our leader said that I must further grow my body and defend myself with muscle."

"Your leader? Leader of what?"

"An organization that has developed unique techniques in order to erase those that the law cannot judge."

"Like that dagger of yours?"

"Yes. We have researched and passed down everything on our own. That is why this dagger also symbolizes membership in the group. Its tough blade can act as a shield as it is more sturdy than sharp. It is meant more for defense and can handle attacks in many ways. We wield them with this in mind. By watching an opponent's blade and parrying it, we can nullify their weapon before pinning them down."

Nautilus lowered his brow. "…I don't understand. That sounds like you're trying to nullify a foe and not kill them. Almost like the way the poli - a guard would fight."

Erassa nodded and continued, "We target nobles and guards who are allowed to carry blades, and so we train with them in mind. That is why I've forged my body so."

"So that's how it is… Oh!" Haruza slapped her right fist into the palm of her left hand, an idea forming in her head. "All this clothes talk has me wanting to go shopping for all kinds of clothes. It could be a nice girls outing."

"In that case, why don't I sing a song that gets you in the mood to shop for cute clothes?"

"I think that's enough songs for now," Nautilus stated. "Else you'll be singing all day."

Yuna squatted beside her friend and poked his cheek repeatedly. "Aww, Nautilus, do you not like listening to me sing?"

"…Not what I said…"

Erassa chuckled at the teasing, then said, "I don't know much about songs… But I believe you have a great voice and can play very well."

Yuna bore a sad smile as she held up her lute. "Thanks. But… if I'm being honest, I'm not sure if I made the right choice leveling up these skills anymore. Your position in SAO is determined by strength that matters in battle, like levels and strong skill. Right? My chanting skill is nothing more than a hobby in this world, but I'm devoting a valuable slot to it. I know that chanting does provide buffs, but that also causes me to be targeted by enemies. It's hard to use in battle in a lot of ways. I've considered forgetting my chanting skill and using the slot for a battle skill, but my aptitude is ultimately for singing… That's why I'm jealous of people who have a gift for battle skills and not a hobby skill like singing…"

Erassa shook her head. "I can't understand why someone would be jealous of another's abilities. At least, I've never felt that way. I was raised to do this job. It's my only reason for living. But you… Yuna, I think you're amazing. You're able to sing so well."

"And you're good at touching emotions," Haruza complimented. "I could learn something like that when trying to help Kirito."

"Thank you…"

Erassa shifted in her cloak, raising her hood over her head. "I think we've talked for too long. I'm going to go. If you ever affiliate with nobles or guard again to assist in their corruption, I will erase you then."

Without another word, Erassa departed as quickly as she originally appeared earlier in the day. "There she goes." Yuna, who waved until Erassa was out of sight, turned to Nautilus. "We should go back to town too and report to the captain."

As they walked back, Haruza brushed up against Yuna. "Yuna, I'm serious. I could use your advice to cheer people up. I do enjoy singing as much as I like playing the flute."

Yuna crossed her arms. "I don't know if I'm a total expert, but I'll see what I can do. Let's talk later about this."