Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 50, Algade) June 4th, 2023
"Oi, JoJo…"
"Yeah? What's up?"
Josuke was walking through unfamiliar streets with a certain gruff-looking boy similar in stature and frame to him.
The town of Algade was definitely indicative of its location at the halfway point of Aincrad, as its sheer size and magnitude put the other cities below to shame.
The towering buildings and complexes were arranged in a sprawling and intricate manner, creating a labyrinthine network of alleyways and shops that spread further than nearly any city on the lower floors.
The buildings seemed larger inside than their exterior frames suggested, like the door opened to entirely new levels of the town. Shops lined the alleyways, but it was difficult to tell what each vendor was selling.
Josuke gazed around him in wonder, watching as people walked past and beside him, going about their business. Josuke smiled at the sight, watching as the crowd moved in and out of the streets.
Josuke walked with stride, his hands behind his back in a laidback stance, a mood he hadn't felt in a while. Letting out a breath, Josuke sighed as he relaxed into his arms, feeling at peace with the world as Okuyasu went on a tangent, asking his question with childlike curiosity.
"I've been thinking… what happens when someone's Wi-Fi fails in this game?"
"Eh? What's that supposed to mean?" Josuke deadpanned, turning to his companion.
"Think about it! If someone lives somewhere with crappy internet, then logs into the game, would they lag like crazy?" Okuyasu asked.
"Well, that'd definitely be annoying. Imagine trying to talk to people or fight but everything spazzes out. You couldn't log out to fix it either." Josuke huffed out a breath as he pondered the scenario.
"Exactly! What happens if the connection fails? If the guy disconnects does that mean they'd die?" Okuyasu asked again as Josuke tilted his head in confusion and deep thought as he heard it.
"Huh… wonder if that's happened before…" Josuke muttered under his breath, turning his head to the sky in contemplation.
Suddenly, a familiar noise reached his ears as Josuke turned in front of him, opening his menu to check for updates. Gazing at his message inbox, he noticed a small alert noting he had a new message in for him. Tapping the alert, he took a moment to read it over.
"You alright there?" Okuyasu asked, curious as to why his friend stopped.
Josuke didn't answer right away, before a smile crept onto his face. "Nah, I'm fine. Kirito asked to meet up. Actually, why don't you tag along?"
Okuyasu's eyes widened as he paused in his step.
"M-me?" He asked, pointing to himself as Josuke laughed in response.
"Yeah, you! I wanna introduce you! Besides, it's been a while since we last met!" Josuke exclaimed as Okuyasu hummed in response.
"Say, you met him a while back, haven't ya? Since the beginning of the game?" He asked as Josuke nodded.
"Yep. He sure is something. Don't think I've met anyone who loved this virtual world more than he did, thrived in it more. He's not exactly a people person, but he's a great friend, that much I can guarantee!" Josuke smiled, letting out a sigh.
"I just hope he recovered…" Josuke muttered as Okuyasu cocked his head in confusion.
"What's that?"
"Nothing! Why don't we get going? Don't wanna keep him waiting." Josuke chuckled nervously, venturing through the streets with a confident stride.
Stand Showcase:
Lv. ? Stand: Null Strike, The Hand - It is said that to eliminate a problem is to strike at the root. However, those with the strength simply remove it altogether. Nothing is beyond your reach. No man can stand before your power.
Special: Erase: Scrapes away anything with the right hand, completely erasing anything caught in the attack.
Enhancement: N/A
Damage: 990 (S)
Speed: 300 (B)
Durability: 250 (C)
Range: 2m (D)
Precision: 50% (C)
Rank: Unique (S)
Selling Price: N/A
Owner: Okuyasu
Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 50, Algade) June 4th, 2023
The two Stand users walked into the restaurant, looking around at the interior.
The location was not exactly fancy, but it was certainly comfortable, a smidge more so than the pubs and taverns in other towns. Players of all kinds filled the tables, eating their fill and chatting up a storm that filled the place with a friendly atmosphere.
Josuke looked around the restaurant to spot teams of soldiers decked head to toe in armor and casual players alike conversing and having a good time, and skimmed over the crowd to find his friend.
Then his eyes drifted over to the table in the corner, where he spotted a player raising his hand and waving about, his gaze directed Josuke's way. The player's attire consisted of a familiar black coat that matched the dark color of his hair and eyes, his features soft and boyish.
Yeah. He found him.
Josuke walked over to the table, passing by several patrons as Okuyasu tagged along. As he neared his destination, Josuke turned to face his old friend, smiling as he took a seat.
"Been a while, huh?" He grinned, as Kirito let out a laugh.
"Sure has. How've you…been lately?" He asked with an awkward tone of voice, clearly less than prepared to face an old friend again.
"That's my line, jackass. I wanna know what you've been up to since we last met! Don't spare any of the deets!" Josuke laughed, watching Kirito recoil in his seat as he let out a nervous chuckle from the pressure.
"W-well…" He stammered out before a voice rang out, interrupting them.
"JoJo? Okuyasu! What're you two doing here?"
Both Stand users turned beside them in the newcomer's direction, their eyes widening to find the Lightning Flash, Asuna walking towards their table, drawing the curious and awestruck gazes of the other patrons.
"A-Asuna! How come you're here?" Okuyasu asked, curious as Asuna giggled under her breath.
"I'm sure Kirito over there can cover the details on that." Asuna smirked in the boy's direction, leading him to wince as he gripped the fabric on his coat tightly, leading Josuke and Okuyasu to turn his way with shocked expressions.
"H-hang on, you're treating her?" Okuyasu asked, bewildered.
"And here I thought you'd be lonely for the rest of this game-" Josuke snickered under his breath.
"COULD YOU NOT?" Kirito blurted out, his face red as he turned a piercing gaze to the floor at his feet.
"Alright, alright!" Josuke laughed, raising his hands as he relented, before taking a breath.
"But seriously, anything happen between you two? Sounds like quite the story!" Josuke asked, leading Kirito to sigh in defeat.
"Well, it's a long story…" Kirito lightly chuckled under his breath.
Some time passed by, as the group of four shared their experiences amongst one another, laughing and feasting as the sun dipped into evening, casting an orange glow into the building. As Josuke laughed and chatted with his friends, he felt a sense of nostalgia, a feeling he missed from days gone.
"So you just… fell asleep? On the side of the road?" Okuyasu laughed as Asuna's cheeks lit up with a blush.
"Y-yes…"
"B-but… how does that just happen?" Josuke snickered as he took another drink.
"Look, the weather just happened to be really nice that afternoon, alright?" Asuna huffed out in annoyance, her arms crossed in an indignant pout.
"You said it… you just can't help but enjoy those days of clear blue skies." Kirito mused, a content smile on his face.
"Some gentleman you are, standing watch over the princess over here." Josuke snarked at Kirito's expense, before Asuna directed a smug grin at him.
"Call me princess again, I dare you." She laughed with a sweet smile on her face, but her voice cold in a way that didn't mix well with that face.
"Don't mind this idiot over here. He really likes to run his mouth, but he can't take any hits of his own if his life depended on it." Kirito snickered, his face smug as he faced Josuke.
"Like you wouldn't know any better, you antisocial failure, you. Talk to any girl and your face burns hotter than the sun!" Josuke rebutted, leading Kirito to flinch in his chair as he let out a small laugh under his breath.
"At least I don't act like a raging manchild when someone looks at my hair wrong!" Kirito smirked, slamming his hands on the table.
"At least I don't shrink into a ball of crippling insecurity when someone speaks in my general direction!" Josuke laughed, returning his gesture.
"You're such a musclehead."
"And you're an edgelord."
"Dork."
"Dumbass."
There was silence as the two boys were now a nose's length of distance apart as they leaned forward opposite one another on the table. Asuna and Okuyasu simply watched from the side, confused.
The two boys continued to stare in silence at one another, before they both sat back down and leaned back into their chairs, sighing.
"You haven't changed at all, man."
They both said that at the exact same time. The pair of them then whipped their heads to face each other, in shock.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!"
The two of them were now laughing hysterically, erupting in loud, unrestrained laughter as Josuke leaned back in his chair, his hand over his eyes while Kirito's face was flat on the tabletop, his hand smacking the table as he laughed louder than he'd ever had in a while.
"Those two are certainly made for one another." Asuna muttered under her breath as she watched this ensue with a grin.
"Tell me about it." Okuyasu seconded, watching the two boys laugh for an extended period of time.
"AAAAIIIIEEEE!"
Suddenly, the mood changed in an instant. The group of four immediately flinched at the piercing scream that rang through the air, as Josuke and Kirito stopped laughing at the drop of a hat, jumping out of their seats in shock.
"What was that?!" Okuyasu screamed in surprise.
"Sounds like it came from outside!" Asuna exclaimed as the entire group ran for the exit, passing by confused and scared patrons as they burst out of the door and into the streets of Algade.
The streets were now abuzz as a crowd seemed to have amassed at a point in the road, as players spoke amongst themselves in frantic whispers and voices. Kirito was the first to reach the scene as he pushed his way through the crowd, stopping once he got a good look at the cause of the commotion.
Two pairs of eyes turned up to look at him, the first a woman lying on the ground against the wall, clearly in pain as she clutched her chest where she was grievously wounded, coughing under her breath. Kirito could only stare in shock at what appeared to be something stuck in her chest.
A thin, ornate arrow. The arrowhead that pierced her armor was golden and lavish, decorated with intricate engravings, giving way to a long and thin wooden shaft. The arrow pierced her avatar, and it was very visibly causing her pain.
Beside her, a young girl panicked, trying to heal her however she could as what appeared to be a Feathered Little Dragon floating next to her, administering Healing Breath. The girl looked like she couldn't have been older than elementary school age, her twintail hairstyle suggesting that further.
"Please! She needs help!" The girl pleaded to Kirito, who couldn't do much but stand there in indecision, before turning around to the rest of the group that came with him.
"JoJo! We need help over here!" He called out, just as the pompadoured teen in question emerged from the crowd.
"Way ahead of you!" Josuke said as he knelt down in front of the woman, moving to place his hands over her wound.
However, as his hands neared the arrow, it reacted. The arrow jerked backwards, removing itself from the woman's body as she grunted from the sudden movement of the arrow. Josuke then watched as the arrow shot off into the distance, leading Okuyasu to chase after it.
"Hey! Get back here!" He yelled out as he chased after the weapon, running down the road.
Josuke turned back to the woman, who let out ragged breaths as her wound lingered. Placing his hand over the wound, he brought forth Crazy Diamond as his Stand's power washed over her body.
"Don't worry! You'll be just fine!" Josuke assured her as the woman nodded with a wordless grin.
The woman's breathing slowed down as her wound closed up, her disheveled state cleaning up as she regained control over her body. Her childlike companion stood by, watching in awe as Crazy Diamond went to work, healing her friend.
"You're…" The girl began to squeak out, before Asuna and Kirito stepped in closer.
"Madam, are you alright? How'd this happen?" Asuna asked, extending a hand to the woman, who opened her eyes wider when Josuke lifted his hands from her body, leaving her completely healed.
The woman took Asuna's hand as she stood up on her feet, bearing a kind smile on her face.
"I'm fine, thank you. Also, please don't call me Madam. It makes me feel old…" The woman laughed, before Okuyasu came back, huffing exhausted breaths as he heaved over to regain his energy.
"That damn arrow's too fast! Couldn't catch up to it!" He groaned, as the group turned to the pair before them.
Something was afoot, and they could all sense it. Whatever it was, they were getting to the bottom of this.
Weapon Showcase:
Lv. 50 One-Handed Sword: Black Knight, Elucidator – The obsidian black sheen of this blade is as sharp as it is intimidating, and its ferocity is only matched by its infallible bastion. This sword fears no foe, and falters to no challenge, no matter how intimidating.
Special: Heart of the Hero: Activation time of all «Sword Skills» decreased by 50%, 30% more damage dealt to «Boss» enemies, all recovery time reduced by 30%
Enhancement: +10
Damage: 500 (A)
Speed: 350 (B)
Durability: 750 (S)
Range: 2m (B)
Precision: 65% (B)
Rank: Legendary, Boss Drop (S)
Selling Price: 100,000 Col
Owner: Kirito
Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 50, Kirito's Quarters, Algade) June 4th, 2023
Josuke took a good look at the space around him.
Kirito had offered to talk with the victims at his current living space, and with no other options offered up, the group decided to meet up there. Kirito's home was not exactly lavish, just a dime-a-dozen apartment block among the maze-like network of buildings that made up the city of Algade.
The space was quite cramped, consisting of a disheveled bed as well as a desk and a small bathroom, containing the base necessities and not much else. It wasn't flashy or excessive, but it was suitable for simple living space. It suited Kirito fairly well.
With these thoughts in his head, Josuke turned ahead of him to face the woman and her companion sitting on the bed as Kirito, Okuyasu and Asuna were also in the space, listening as the woman spoke up.
"Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Griselda. My friend over here is-" She woman introduced herself, before the girl piped up, her pet dragon resting atop her head.
"My name's Silica, and my little buddy over here is Pina! Say hi, Pina!" The girl introduced herself, followed by her dragon letting out a chirp of greeting, leading her to giggle.
"Nice to meet you two. My name's Asuna. This is Kirito, JoJo, and Okuyasu." Asuna was the first to speak, gesturing to herself and the rest of her compatriots, who each waved in a gesture of greeting at the mention of their respective names.
"It's nice to meet you too." Griselda smiled as she nodded gently to return their greetings, before bowing her head in Josuke's direction. "JoJo, my deepest thanks for healing me. I don't know how to repay you for this."
Josuke cocked his head to the side at this remark before laughing as he flippantly waved a hand. "Hey, there's no need for that. I'm just happy I was able to save you. To be honest, I wasn't sure if this would work."
"What do you mean by that?" Silica asked, curious as Asuna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers.
"I'm sure you're familiar with the rumors of murders within the different towns and villages?" Asuna asked, leading Griselda to dip her head, her eyes shaded by her hair.
"...yes. Silica and I were in the same guild, and we heard news of one of our former members being among those murdered, his name was Caynz. We came to the higher towns to ask around, maybe speak to his superiors and new guildmates. Not too long after that…" She spoke with a grim tone, clearly shaken at the implication.
"You know, that never made sense to me." Kirito piped up, his face scrunched in a state of deep contemplation, the gears in his head grinding.
"Why's that?" Josuke asked, as Kirito clapped his hands together in resolution.
"Well, all settlement areas are deemed official safe zones. No players are able to suffer damage while in these locations. Try stabbing someone, and your weapon bounces right off of an «Immortal Object» barrier. There should be only one way to damage someone inside a safe zone, and that's with a duel." Kirito explained, while Okuyasu cocked his head in confusion.
"How's that work? Not like anyone asks nicely to fight to the death, you know?" He asked, scratching his head as Kirito turned to him.
"You're exactly right. However, there are ways of exploiting the system to work around the consent barrier. Some people even got killed because they got challenged to a duel in their sleep. The killer moves the player's finger to accept the challenge, and the killer just hacks away to their leisure as the player sleeps soundly, feeling no pain whatsoever to wake them up. Then, they never wake up again." Kirito recounted, shivering at the thought as Silica recoiled in her seat, scooching closer to Griselda.
"T-that's awful!" The girl whimpered, horrified.
"However… that couldn't possibly be the case here. For starters, we have to consider the fact that this goes beyond the game system at this point." Kirito then reasoned, his eyes narrowing as he pondered further.
"That's right." Asuna seconded, as she placed a finger to her chin to think the situation over.
"That arrow… I guess that thing was behind the string of murders lately. The description seems to fit what happened to the others, too. We all saw how that thing flew away when we tried to nab it." Josuke offered his two cents, thinking back to Yuna and Nautilus' run-in with an unfortunate murder victim.
"How did you feel after that arrow hit you?" Asuna then asked Griselda, whose eyes narrowed as she tried to recall the events in her mind.
"W-well, when I was shot, I… didn't feel the pain from the impact, but… it kicked in not too long after." Griselda explained, her hand moving to her chest, where her wound used to be.
"That's… interesting." Kirito muttered, before Josuke and Asuna's eyes both flared.
"When Yuna came to me, she said she tried to heal Hector through potions and Chanting, but none of it could save him from dying, even if his health was completely full. The only explanation for that would be that the player was killed from the real world. That arrow, whatever it is, it's the cause of that." Asuna noted as she then turned to Josuke.
"Your Stand. Somehow, you were able to heal Griselda even once she was shot. There's a connection we're not seeing here." Asuna pondered as she narrowed her eyes, Josuke's own widening.
"What're you suggesting?" He asked, confused.
"Stands are the same, aren't they? They'd be able to affect people no matter the location or system restrictions, am I correct?" Asuna asked him with a serious expression.
Josuke felt his mind wander back to an old memory, to that fateful and horrible evening. That day he failed to save a dear friend, the day he cursed his own weakness and could only watch as Sachi was subjected to a terrible fate. His eyes absentmindedly turned to Kirito, who returned his gaze with widened eyes, immediately realizing what Josuke was thinking.
Kirito's hand immediately moved to his chest, clutching a moon emblem he wore over his neck. A memento of his first love, a symbol of his remembrance.
"...it's true." Josuke muttered, as the others' eyes widened.
"Then… can we assume this arrow's some kind of Stand?" Griselda asked, before Okuyasu spoke up.
"I… d-dunno…" He said, scratching the back of his head.
"Why not? It makes sense, right?" Silica asked, leading the more rugged-looking teen to work up a greater sweat.
"D-don't you feel we should be focusing on more important things here?" Okuyasu stammered, leading Josuke to cock his head at him, confused.
"And what would that be?" The other Stand user asked.
"He might have a point."
The group turned to Asuna, who crossed her arms under her chest as she stood up. "We already have a rough idea of what we're dealing with. What we need to know is the why. Why is this happening? Is there someone behind this?"
"You don't think Laughing Coffin or some other PK guild could be behind this? A lone serial killer, maybe?" Kirito asked, before Griselda raised her hand.
"I'm not sure it's Laughing Coffin. Those scum are indiscriminate in their murder. They kill just for the fun of it. These murders seem much too coordinated and inconspicuous to be them. Whoever's behind this, they didn't make themselves seen. Laughing Coffin revels in the spotlight, so they couldn't be the murderers." Griselda explained, Josuke turning to her with impressed eyes.
"You seem… versed in their affairs." Josuke muttered as the older woman sighed.
"I've been hunting PK guilds ever since our own guild disbanded. I can't stand to watch these people go about and do as they please when innocent lives are at risk." She elaborated as Silica nodded.
"Griselda's always looked out for others with a strong sense of justice. When Caynz was killed, we just had to come here and get to the bottom of things." The girl exclaimed.
"You… wouldn't happen to know of any other serial killers would you? One that uses a Stand?" Josuke asked, his voice stone cold as he directed an intense stare at Griselda.
Kirito watched this unfold before him and he recognized that look. It was the same one he saw that night, just before he ventured off on his own, to track down Sachi's mysterious killer.
"You haven't stopped looking, have you?" Kirito thought to himself, as Griselda stopped to think back.
"I'm… not aware of anything concrete. However, I have heard a few rumors. Of people wandering towns alone and disappearing without a trace. Some fleeting whispers, but nothing else. Sorry that I don't know anything further." Griselda frowned as Josuke sighed.
"It's… fine. Let's focus on the now, shall we?" Josuke relented before he rose to his feet, pinching his chin as he thought over his options.
"So we need a place to start looking, huh? Well, lucky for us, I happen to know someone who knows all the goings-on in this game." Josuke proclaimed, leading the others to raise their eyebrows in response, except for Kirito, who stood up as well, an indignant expression of concern on his face.
"You don't mean-"
"Yep."
"Her?"
"Yep."
"You're serious? Can we trust her?" Kirito asked, completely aware of who he was planning to ask.
"Are you kidding? Of course not!" Josuke replied.
"Then… you got enough?" Kirito asked, as Josuke's face lit up with a smug grin.
"Shouldn't be a problem! Besides, you guys'll be with me!"
Weapon Showcase:
Lv. 40 Dagger: Ebon Dagger – A swift and light tool, its size should not be underestimated as its dark and ebony blade gives way for precise and quick cuts. Look away for a second, and it might already be too late.
Special: Cursed Bone: All «Damage Over Time» inflicted lasts 10 seconds longer
Enhancement: +5
Damage: 200 (D)
Speed: 500 (A)
Durability: 150 (D)
Range: 0.5m (D)
Precision: 85% (A)
Rank: Rare (B)
Selling Price: 10,000 Col
Owner: Silica
Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 50, Algade) June 5th, 2023
"Jo-boy! So glad to see ya again! How've ya been?"
Argo greeted the Stand user with a chipper grin, much to the surprise of Kirito. The group now sat in one of the taverns in the massive city, their surroundings filled with the sounds of players drinking and laughing, a sharp contrast to the reason they came here.
They found Argo sitting at a table on her own, a mug of ale in her hand with her hood covering her face. As soon as they walked in, they saw Argo's eyes skim over them, before the girl's eyes met Josuke's, leading them to widen with a shimmer to match the fanged smile that crept onto her lips.
"How's business been, Argo?" Josuke asked with a smile, leading the money-grubbing weasel to let out a laugh as she put a hand on her mug.
"Ya know exactly how to speak with me, Jo-boy! I guess that's why you're a favorite client of mine!" Argo laughed, drinking another sip from her mug.
"Hoh…and what do you mean by "client"?" Josuke heard Kirito ask, a snide grin on his face as Josuke's eyebrow rose.
"Eh? What're you implying?" Josuke asked, only for Argo to giggle under her breath.
"Hehe… Ki-boy, you really wanna know~?" Argo smirked, her face twisted in a teasing gaze, leading Josuke to look at them with an unamused expression.
"That's not how it is and you know it." Josuke dryly rebutted, directing a blank stare Argo's way. Her face dropped into a deadpan expression as she took another sip from her mug.
"Aw~ you're no fun, Jo-boy." Argo sighed, slamming the mug down on the table.
Asuna, Okuyasu, Griselda, and Silica then took their seats alongside the duo, leading Argo to look over the two newcomers as she let out another exhausted breath, running a finger along the rim of her mug.
"Well, look at that. Yer back with Ki-boy? Gotta say, wondered when it'd happen. Certainly didn't expect ya to buddy up with Aa-chan over here, though." Argo smirked, nodding in Asuna's direction.
"A-Aa-chan?!" Asuna stammered, caught off-guard by the nickname, only to be ignored by the info broker.
"Looks like ya ended up among the elites after all… that's really neat, not gonna lie." Argo smiled, a hint of genuinity in her expression, not unnoticed by Josuke.
"Appreciate it…" He said, before Argo spoke up again.
"Anyways, why don't we get down to business? Wouldn't peg ya to come askin' to meet up unless ya had a favor to ask of lil' ol' me." Argo said, as Josuke's mischievous smirk returned to his face.
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that. What if I just wanted to chat out of the goodness of my heart?" Josuke asked, a smug grin on his face as Argo laughed even harder.
"First of all, that's just rich. Second, that's bullshit and ya know it, Jo-boy. You came here with a fat stack expectin' to fork it over, didn't ya? Ya know this rat too well not to." Argo's eyes flared with a signature aura of avarice, one that made Asuna shift in her seat from its intensity.
"Yeah, yeah. You're an expensive girl, you are, but hey, it's not impossible isn't it? What if I just considered you a friend and wanted to share a pint?" Josuke asked, grabbing his own mug and raising it level to Argo.
The girl stared at Josuke, then her eyes drifted to his mug. Pausing a moment, Argo snickered under her breath before leaning back in her chair, laughing harder than she ever did that night.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~! Aah… You see? This is why I like you, Jo-boy!" Argo laughed, raising her glass and toasting, taking a long gulp with the Stand user.
The rest of the group did the same, taking their mugs and drinking. Once it was done, Argo raised a hand to her lips to wipe the ale off, letting out a satisfied breath as she put her mug down.
"So, what do ya wanna know from this humble gal here?" Argo asked, her face now more serious in a professional way.
Josuke turned to the rest of the group and nodded, before facing Argo.
"Have you heard of the murders in the settlement areas lately?" Josuke asked Argo, who raised an eyebrow at the question.
"Of course I am. It ain't impossible, just very unintuitive in how it's done. What about it?" Argo asked, tilting her head as she pressed a bit further.
"What do you know about these murders?" Kirito asked as Argo tapped a finger on her chin.
"Well, I know that most of them involved similar causes of death. A single wound that resulted in death in more than one case. Strange, for sure." Argo hummed, before Asuna spoke up.
"Hold on… what do you mean by that?" She asked, leading Argo to turn to her, confused.
"Oi, what's got ya all spirited?"
"You said death occurred in more than one case. Does that mean there were others that survived besides me?" Griselda then piped up, leading Argo to turn to her with an intrigued expression on her face.
"Hoh… this is interesting. You're saying you were a murder victim and survived? That's crazy! Tell me the deets! Come on!" Argo egged on, her hungry eyes flashing as she inched closer, leaning over the tabletop and into the older woman's face, causing her to laugh nervously.
"Hey, slow down there. One thing at a time, Argo." Josuke laughed, leading Argo to sigh as she sat back down in her chair.
"Lemme guess, ya got shot by an arrow and Jo-boy, the saint he is, healed ya lickety-split. Am I right or am I right, huh?" Argo smirked, watching as Silica's eyes widened.
"H-how'd you-"
"I know almost everything that's all the rage here in SAO. Second of all, some of those murders had something in common. The murder weapon was there on the scene, then it decided to remove itself. Yer a lucky girl, ya know that?" Argo bragged, winking at Griselda, who shifted in her seat.
"Do you know anything about this arrow? Is it some kind of special item or something?" Kirito asked. Argo took a moment to pause as she thought over her next answer.
"Well… I don't think anyone knows what it is. For starters, not like it sticks around for an appraisal." Argo muttered.
"Yeah, that's pretty clear. However, I'm not asking for anything official, I wanna know what you think." Josuke then told her, raising his mug as Argo's smirk arose once again.
"Oh? Is that the case? My, my, Jo-boy." Argo snickered, before seeing Josuke's firm expression. Sighing, she relented.
"Well, I don't know where to begin. It's certainly possible it could be a Stand, but we're not sure on that. Second of all, I think it's strange to find an arrow here in this game to begin with." Argo pondered as Okuyasu quirked an eyebrow in confusion.
"Eh? What's that mean?"
"SAO doesn't have official ranged weapons aside from throwin' picks. An arrow shouldn't exist in this game, not at all." Argo noted with a serious expression.
With this piece of information, the group all looked to one another, sharing wordless expressions of surprise. This was definitely true, as one selling point of Sword Art Online was its complete lack of ranged combat or magic, which set it apart from many other games on the market aside from its unique platform of true virtual reality.
"Anything else?" Asuna asked, only for the info broker to sigh.
"I said that, but at the same time… Stands shouldn't exist in this game either, from what I understand." Argo thought out loud, leading Josuke and Okuyasu to turn to her, curious.
"What're you getting at?" Josuke asked.
"Think about it. What kind of game would isolate certain types of players with certain abilities only they could access? Besides, what'd you say a Stand was?" Argo asked Josuke, leading him to point a finger to his chin.
"Well, my family told me it was… a manifestation of the fighting spirit, of the soul. Another thing, Stands can't be seen by non-users in the real world, and yet people can see Crazy Diamond just fine in here." Josuke muttered, causing Argo to snap her fingers in response, like she had just realized something.
"That's… curious. Why would something like that translate into a player's avatar? I understand someone's natural reflexes and skills carryin' over to the game world, but that seems a bit out of place, don't ya think?" Argo pondered out loud.
"Yeah, I always wondered why Crazy Diamond was able to appear in this world, why something such as that could break the rules in such a way… are you suggesting the arrow's the same?" Josuke asked, as Argo nodded in affirmation.
"Yeah, either that or somethin' similar. The fact that people can see Stands in here and the fact they can show up at all seems really fishy to me, don't ya agree? This all seems connected to that idea." Argo ran her mouth, her eyes fixed down as she swirled her ale mug in her hand.
A pause, then she sighed as Argo raised her glass and drank from it. Rubbing the back of her neck, Argo turned to the group. "I… guess that's all I have to say about that arrow. Sorry if it ain't much."
"It's fine, Argo. It's more than enough for now." Josuke nodded his head, before turning back to the info broker.
"One last thing, what do you know of the other victims?" Josuke asked, leading Argo's ears to perk up.
"Now… that's what I find most interesting, actually." Argo gaped, as the others focused their attention to her.
"Almost none of the victims were causal players, the kind of people you'd expect to be the easiest pickings." Argo began, leading Okuyasu's eyes to widen.
"T-that's-"
"The people murdered seemed to be high-level players that either fought on the frontlines or made names for themselves, like Griselda over here. Ya say this Caynz guy was killed too? What kind of player was he?" Argo asked, before Silica spoke up.
"H-he used to be part of our guild, Golden Apple. Griselda was our leader. When the guild disbanded, he joined the Divine Dragon Alliance along with another member, Schmitt. Last I heard, he was telling us how he was planning to desert the DDA and try gunning for a spot in the Knights of the Blood Oath." Silica explained as Griselda nodded in agreement.
"Yes. He was a good man, he had a strong sense of justice. We came to this town immediately once we heard he was killed. Not too long after I had arrived, I was shot." She explained as Argo nodded.
"This… Schmitt. Ain't he a member of the vanguard up in the DDA?" Argo asked, her eyes blinking in familiarity.
"Y-yeah, he is…" Okuyasu muttered, as Argo hummed, her face entering deep thought.
"Schmitt… if I remember, he didn't approve of Caynz leaving the DDA…" Griselda noted, her fingers pinching her chin as Asuna and the rest of the group nodded to one another.
"Can we assume that he's behind the murders?" Kirito asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
"I… don't want to believe it. I-I can't…" Griselda muttered, her face showing distress as Silica tended to her.
"Well, why don't ya go and question him yerself? I think he'd know more than some money-grubbin' weasel like yours truly." Argo suggested, leaning back in her chair with a flippant wave of her hand. With that, Asuna turned to Griselda and Silica.
"Do you two still have his contact? Tell him to meet up. Let's get to the bottom of this."
The two nodded as Griselda opened her menu to contact Schmitt. Meanwhile, Josuke turned back to Argo, who slammed her now empty mug on the table top, directing another smug grin his way.
"Thanks for your time, Argo. We'll catch whoever's behind this thanks to you." Josuke smiled as Argo let out another laugh.
"No problemo, Jo-boy! You and Ki-boy gettin' back together'll just be the beginnin'! I bet you'll start givin' me prime material for the Weekly Argo in no time! Always glad to be of service to you lot!" Argo exclaimed, as Josuke nodded, but not before Argo got up from her seat and sauntered over to Josuke's seat.
"One last thing. As for my payment, pay my tab for tonight, and we'll be game, capiche?" The girl smirked at him, leading Josuke to send a dry grin her way.
"That's not very cash money of you, you weasel." He snarked.
"It's one mug, ya baby. Consider this a one-time deal." Argo laughed before she pulled her hood back over her head and walked out the door.
Weapon Showcase:
Lv. 50 Greatsword: Overture – The thumping beat, the weaving of the melody, the dance of the rhythm. The songs of your legend have yet to be sung, the first verse written by the strikes and slashes of the blade.
Special: Reverb: Increase all counter and parry damage by 30%, increase critical chance and critical damage VS «Staggered» enemies by 20%. «Perfect Parry» up to 10 times to unleash a powerful counterattack.
Enhancement: +5
Damage: 450 (A)
Speed: 255 (C)
Durability: 550 (S)
Range: 2.5m (B)
Precision: 50% (C)
Rank: Crafted, Legendary (A)
Selling Price: 80,000 Col
Owner: JoJo
Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 50, Algade) June 5th, 2023
"Caynz… murdered…"
The gang were now in another location of the city, a small inn that they had rented out for the night. Kirito sat next to Josuke and Asuna, while Okuyasu leaned against the wall, watching as Schmitt reconnected with Silica and Griselda.
"Y-yes… I'm sorry, Schmitt. I know how close you two were." Griselda frowned with a sullen expression, Silica's eyes starting to shed tears.
"T-this is… a lot to take in…" Schmitt muttered, putting a hand to his temple to calm himself down.
Silica patted him on his shoulder in an attempt to console him as Asuna spoke up next. "Schmitt, Griselda says she arrived in Algade hoping to find answers for Caynz's murder. We were lucky to save her from the same fate."
Schmitt's eyes widened when he heard those next words. "H-hold on, Griselda, you were attacked, too?"
"Yes. I was lucky JoJo was nearby to heal me before my wound could escalate to something more serious." Griselda noted, turning her gaze to Josuke, who waved a hand in response.
"T-thank goodness. So, where does this concern me?" Schmitt asked, his voice on edge.
This was when Kirito assumed a serious expression, his eyes focused on Schmitt with intensity as he stepped forward to approach the DDA soldier. "We've got reason to assume that whoever's behind this is targeting soldiers and high-rank players. Your life could be in danger, Schmitt."
The man's face went pale as he clung his head in his hands. "M-me? T-that's… oh, Gods…!"
Asuna took a good look at the man's face as he squirmed in his panicked state. She couldn't speak from the perspective of a true psychologist, but what she had was plenty of experience leading men like him in battle.
She had seen men persevere through their fear in order to fight on. She had seen men buckle under pressure and give in to their fear. What she was seeing with Schmitt reminded her greatly of the latter.
This cowering face wasn't of a murderer, but of a person who desperately and helplessly feared for his life. She had seen that face one too many times on the frontlines. At that moment, she had made up her mind. This man was not guilty of the murders.
"It's alright, Schmitt. We won't let you be hurt. We'll track down whoever's responsible for this, you can count on us." Asuna declared as the others nodded in agreement.
"Y-you're serious…"
Not exactly the response they were expecting. The man's tension still remained as he stared at Asuna, his eyes still filled with terror and panic. Nonetheless, they pressed on.
"Yeah, we will. All we need is for you to tell us what you know." Josuke asked him, leading the soldier to turn his way.
"W-what do you want to know?" Schmitt asked as Griselda faced him directly, her face serious.
"Everything you know. Do you know anyone else who was killed? Who they were?" Griselda questioned him, leading Schmitt to swallow a breath as he opened his mouth to speak.
"I-I don't know the specifics of things… but I do know that many of the murder victims were DDA soldiers…" Schmitt stammered out.
"Many of them? Okuyasu, did you know about this?" Josuke asked, turning to Okuyasu in the corner, who looked just as distressed.
"N-no… I knew it was bad… just not that most of them were our guys…" He muttered amidst a sweat.
"It started a while back… it started with an old captain. He was on top of his game and led his men well… a natural born leader. He was a diamond in the rough of the DDA. A good man, if a bit of a scaredy-cat. He'd act anxious and nervous at the idea of charging into battle. Didn't expect him to be the first to go…" Schmitt recounted, leading the others to listen closer.
"An arrow hit him, none of us knew what to do, and he died in front of his own men." Schmitt continued.
"The others were the same. Some of them managed to survive, but others weren't so lucky." Schmitt said, leading Griselda to lean in closer.
"Was there anything connecting these people together? Anything at all? A person they were serving under, perhaps?" Griselda asked, leading Schmitt's eyes to widen in realization.
"Y-yeah, actually. All the victims I know were…"
He started out, but his words quickly died in his mouth as his face paled over even more, a considerable sweat trickling down his forehead. He looked even more anxious than they'd ever seen him that day.
"...n-no… i-it can't be…" He muttered, his eyes frantic and his breathing urgent.
"Schmitt? I-is something wrong?" Silica asked, leading Schmitt to turn to the group immediately.
"N-no… I've said too much… He'll kill me!" Schmitt stammered, standing up from his seat and taking cautious steps back.
"O-oi, what're you…" Okuyasu began, moving from the wall and reaching out to Schmitt, which only agitated him more.
"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
"SCHMITT, LOOK OUT!"
Schmitt didn't even have time to react as Griselda moved from her seat, watching as a familiar arrow flew directly towards him through the open window behind him. The arrow soared through the air, nearing the window as Griselda saw it approaching quickly.
The entire group moved immediately, but they were too far away to help Schmitt move out of the way in time. However, Griselda was the closest to her former guildmate.
She reached out a hand, and much to the surprise of everyone present, a familiar aura of energy could be seen surging from within her and outwards, focusing into her hand as what appeared to be an ethereal copy of her limb separating from her body.
As Griselda yelled out to her friend, the energy reached its peak as a full body emerged from Griselda, making its appearance as it extended its reach to make it to Schmitt before the arrow could.
The spirit bore the appearance of a human, but not quite. Its body bore the appearance of wooden bark, bearing a similar appearance to a wooden manikin, but clearly different. For one, many similar fruit-shaped bulbs covered certain parts of its body, lining down its arms and along its knuckles. Secondly, leaf-like growths covered its head and shoulders among other parts, giving it a slightly more humanlike appearance.
The spirit released its palm, revealing a bulb that was broken open, releasing a particle into the air that landed between the arrow and Schmitt's body. The seed hit the arrow, and within a split-second, changed its form.
Spontaneously, the seed grew in size and shape, morphing into what seemed to be a tree, roots touching and planting into the ground within a mere millisecond. It all happened so fast, everyone in the room had little time to process it.
"G-Griselda… you… have a Stand…" Josuke could only mutter in shock, watching Griselda's face twist into complete shock as she stared in awe at the spirit standing beside her, awaiting her command diligently.
"T-this power… I did this?" Griselda stammered, staring forward at the tree she had summoned before a stunned Schmitt, a ripe sapling but enough so that the arrow remained firmly within its bark, vibrating in an attempt to escape or reach its target, but unable to budge from its position.
"Guys! This is our chance! To find out who owns this arrow!" Asuna yelled out, snapping everyone back to reality.
"Let's appraise it! We'll find out who owns this weapon in no time!" Josuke exclaimed, tapping the weapon, watching as the weapon's stats appeared on his menu.
Item Showcase:
Stand Arrow:
When piercing a target, kills those of lesser mental fortitude. Those with the will and fighting spirit deemed worthy will awaken the hidden power within the soul.
Uses: ∞
Owner: Straight Shooter
Josuke paused as his face paled.
The very instant he read that final line, he turned around to face the boy in question, but he was too slow as before he even managed to face the other way, he heard the door swing open as Okuyasu vanished from sight.
"GUYS! STAY HERE! MAKE SURE THAT ARROW STAYS PUT!" Josuke yelled out as he kicked up his feet, running as he slammed the door behind him, running down the inn's hallways and down to the exit.
Fiddling with his menu, Josuke immediately turned on his tracking vision as he watched Okuyasu's messy footprints flashed on the ground. Following the trail, Josuke kept up the pursuit, pushing past people in his way as he kept up the chase.
His mind raced as he ran, turning corner after corner as he eventually stopped at a dead-end alleyway, Okuyasu standing there, waiting for him.
"I… guess I didn't do a good job hiding it, huh?"
Stand Showcase:
Lv. ? Stand: Millennium Tree, Appleseed Cast – The tree grows tall and bears fruit, feeding those who eat off its branches. The tree withers and crumbles, but not before seeds give way for life to begin anew. This is the circle of life, the fate all creatures are bound to.
Special: Cultivate: Releases seeds into the air from its body, from which trees can rapidly grow at a speed, form, and rate controlled by the user.
Enhancement: N/A
Damage: 200 (D)
Speed: 500 (A)
Durability: 500 (A)
Range: 10m (B)
Precision: 75% (B)
Rank: Unique (S)
Selling Price: N/A
Owner: Griselda
Up next: Straight Shooter's Bad Company!
Hi! I know it's been a bit long since my last update. Got distracted a bit, and went through some trouble revising this. To top it off, I'm starting my spring quarter so expect at least weekly updates. So, as you can see, I've changed a lot of events. For starters, Griselda is alive here, so the misogynist killer arc is just axed in favor of this original one. Also, Caynz is actually dead, as in, it wasn't faked. The arrow actually did kill them. We finally have our first original Stand in the fanfic! Griselda's Stand, Appleseed Cast is a reference to the band of the same name. I'll be honest, I think the hardest part of doing this is finding names for the Stands because I had to dig deep to find this one. There will be more coming, just you wait. Finally, Silica is finally in the story! Let me be perfectly frank, I have little to no love for Silica, unlike other characters such as Lisbeth or Leafa. At least the latter two have something to them, (although much of Lisbeth I changed here to be a bit more nuanced like her banter with Asuna and Josuke). However, I feel like Silica's just there to fill in a character archetype, as a slot filler. As far as I know, she doesn't do anything at all in the show. Oh well. At least I got it out of the way, am I right? Now, after I wrap up Keicho's story I move on to SAO proper. From then on things should go a bit smoother, so look forward to it. That's about all I have to say, so thank you for reading, and I'll catch you next time.
Yet again, I'm pleading with you guys to review my story. It cannot be understated just how much I look forward to hearing what you guys think of my story. I respond to every single person who reviews my story in every chapter, and they all give me ideas and insight into what you want out of me or what I do right and wrong. I'm not saying I resent anyone for not reviewing, I'm saying that I'd be extremely grateful to hear from you guys.
DiRunner: Thank you for your kind words! I apologize, I was ranting because I was ready to fall asleep once I wrapped up that chapter.
Aurum79: You're right, you know. No Stand user so far has that as far as I know. Sorry, looks like you missed the mark just a bit! I have big plans for Kira, but whether they work, I hope you'll stick around to see if they do.