Chapter 3: A Hero's Vow

Izuku awoke the next morning to the dim light filtering through the thin curtains of the inn's modest room. The events of yesterday still weighed heavily on his mind, but today was another opportunity to grow stronger, to get closer to clearing the game. He got dressed and headed downstairs, where he found Melissa already waiting by the breakfast bar.

The inn they were staying at was far from luxurious. The breakfast offerings consisted of stale bread, thin soup, and some dubious-looking fruit. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Melissa wrinkled her nose as she poked at the bread. "I'm starting to think we should've splurged for a better hotel."

Izuku chuckled softly, grabbing a piece of the bread and taking a bite. "Yeah, it's pretty bad. But there's a quick quest we can do around here that rewards cream. It might make this a little more bearable."

Melissa glanced up at him, slightly amused. "A cream quest? Seriously?"

Izuku nodded, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, it's only available in this town. We should do it before we leave. Afterward, we'll head to the last town before the boss. I've heard rumors that a group is getting organized to take on the floor boss soon."

Melissa groaned in mock frustration, though her smile betrayed her amusement. "Fine, fine. Let's get your precious cream. But after that, it's straight to the eastern dungeon for one last XP grind, okay?"

"Deal," Izuku said with a grin.

The quest itself was simple enough—retrieving a special herb from the nearby forest for a local NPC. After about an hour, they returned victorious, the cream safely tucked away in their inventory. With their small breakfast finally made a bit more palatable, they headed out toward the eastern dungeon.

As they walked along the dirt path leading to the dungeon, Melissa continued to pepper Izuku with questions about the beta test.

"So," she began, glancing at him curiously. "How far did you get during the beta? What were the bosses like? And… what's the coolest thing you've seen so far?"

Izuku chuckled at her enthusiasm, his expression softening. "Who's the one muttering now?" he teased.

Melissa blushed slightly but gave him a playful nudge. "Hey, I'm just curious! Come on, spill!"

"Alright, alright," Izuku said with a smile. "I got up to Floor 22 during the beta. The bosses were… intense. Each one was more difficult than the last. They all had unique attack patterns, and some of them had abilities that were really hard to counter. The floor bosses weren't just about brute force, they required strategy. Especially as you got higher up."

Melissa listened intently, nodding along as Izuku described the different boss fights he had experienced.

"And the coolest thing?" Izuku thought for a moment before answering. "It's gotta be the forest on Floor 22. There's this beautiful lake, and right next to it, there's this cabin. The view from there… it's incredible. It might be the most peaceful place I've ever seen."

Melissa's eyes lit up with excitement. "You'll have to take me there someday."

Izuku smiled warmly at her suggestion but then noticed Melissa's expression growing more thoughtful as she asked another question. "By the way… I overheard some people bad-mouthing beta testers when we left the last town. Why is that?"

Izuku's face darkened slightly as he thought back to the resentment some players held toward beta testers. "It's because beta testers had a head start in the game. We knew things about the floors, the bosses, and the best strategies to survive. Some players think we should be sharing that knowledge with everyone, but others assume we're just hoarding it for ourselves to stay ahead. They think we're selfish."

Melissa shook her head, her voice firm. "That's ridiculous. Not all beta testers are like that. I mean, I'd probably be dead already if it wasn't for you."

Izuku blushed slightly at the compliment but gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Melissa. I just… I try to help where I can. Not all beta testers are bad, but I get why some people might be upset. It's a tough situation."

They continued their conversation as they approached the dungeon's entrance, the dark stone structure looming before them. The air grew colder as they stepped inside, the weight of the dungeon's dangers settling over them. The sound of their footsteps echoed against the stone walls as they ventured deeper into the labyrinth.

After a while of battling through the dungeon's monsters and gathering experience points, Melissa spotted something up ahead. "Hey, Deku, look! A treasure chest!"

Before Izuku could react, Melissa had already started running toward it. His eyes widened in panic as he realized what was happening. "No! Don't touch it!"

But it was too late. As soon as Melissa opened the chest, the dungeon doors slammed shut with a deafening clang. A chilling silence filled the room, and Izuku's stomach dropped. He knew what was coming.

Suddenly, the walls seemed to come alive as monsters poured into the room from every direction. There were too many of them, far more than they could handle alone.

"Get ready!" Izuku shouted, drawing his sword as the monsters closed in.

Melissa stood by his side, her own sword at the ready. Together, they fought valiantly, their blades flashing as they cut through the horde. But for every monster they felled, two more seemed to take its place. It was a losing battle.

Amid the chaos, Izuku and Melissa got separated. Izuku's heart raced as he watched from across the room, helpless, as Melissa was surrounded. She fought bravely, but the sheer number of enemies overwhelmed her. Izuku tried to push his way through the crowd, but he wasn't fast enough.

He saw it happen in slow motion. A monster's blade struck Melissa, and she staggered back, clutching her side. Izuku's eyes widened in horror. "Melissa!"

Desperation fueled his movements as he fought his way toward her, cutting down monsters in a frenzy. But when he finally reached her, it was too late. Melissa collapsed to her knees, her breathing labored.

"No, no, no!" Izuku cried, kneeling beside her as he fended off the remaining monsters.

Melissa smiled weakly, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry, Deku… I should've been more careful."

Tears streamed down Izuku's face as he shook his head. "No… don't apologize. You're going to be okay. Just hang on."

But Melissa knew the truth. Her health bar was nearly empty, and there was nothing that could be done. She looked up at Izuku, her eyes soft and filled with warmth. "Whatever it takes, Deku… save the people here. Become the hero of Aincrad."

With that, she reached out and put her hand on Izuku's cheek, giving him one last smile, saying, "Goodbye, Izuku", before her body glowed softly and broke into a cascade of shimmering light. Izuku's hand passed through the particles as they drifted away, his heart shattering as Melissa disappeared before his eyes.

For a moment, the world stood still. Izuku couldn't move, couldn't think. All he could feel was the weight of his loss, the unbearable grief that threatened to consume him. Then, something in him snapped.

He stood, his hands trembling as he gripped his sword. It was the same sword he had given Melissa. Now, as he looked at it, he could see the name inscribed on the blade: The Elucidator.

A burning rage welled up inside him, and with a guttural roar, he charged into the remaining monsters with a fury unlike anything he had ever felt before. His sword cut through the air with devastating precision, each swing fueled by his heartbreak and anger. The monsters fell before him, their bodies dissolving into nothingness as he tore through their ranks.

Izuku fought like a man possessed, his movements a blur of violence and raw emotion. He didn't care about the danger, didn't care about the wounds he sustained. All he wanted was to make them pay. For Melissa. For all the friends he had lost.

The battle seemed to stretch on forever, but eventually, the last monster fell, its body crumbling to dust. Izuku stood in the center of the room, panting heavily, his sword still clenched tightly in his hand. The silence that followed was deafening.

Tears streamed down his face as he looked at the spot where Melissa had disappeared. His heart felt like it had been ripped from his chest, and all he could do was whisper to himself, "Whatever it takes… I promise."

He collapsed to his knees, his sword slipping from his grasp as the weight of his grief overwhelmed him. Alone, in the middle of the dungeon, Izuku cried.

AUTHOR NOTES:Not going to lie, this might've been one of my fun, but most difficult chapters to write. I feel in love with the dynamic of these two characters and almost kept Melissa alive. However, one of my biggest problems with some anime's, like Naruto, is that it doesn't seem like anyone really important dies, don't remind me about Jirya though... I'm still heartbroken over that. (Also Naruto is one of my top three favorite animes but even the best have their slight problems).

So this is the point when we get to kind of see the Dark Deku Arc. I've already written about 11 chapters so far while I've been traveling for work but I haven't had the time to go through and fix the mistakes I have. I'm hoping so long as I don't get burned out I'll probably be posting in large portions (multiple chapters at a time). Again, if you have suggestions or just theories put them in the comments, I want to hear them!