Chapter 6: Silent Cries, and Unseen Scars

The room was tense as Asuna stood at the front of the gathering, her hand gripping the table in front of her. Floor 27 had been one of the toughest floors yet, and the upcoming boss battle would test the strength of everyone present. The tension in the air was palpable, with many of the players visibly nervous. There had been more deaths on the front lines than expected recently, and each meeting seemed to carry the weight of countless lives hanging in the balance.

Mito stood by her side, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Asuna could sense her unease. They had come far together, but the shadow of their shared history still loomed over their friendship. The moment Mito had left Asuna behind in those early days of the game was not something that could be forgotten easily. However, they had managed to form a strong team despite everything.

"I'm not letting that happen again," Mito had once promised her, and Asuna believed her.

Asuna's voice cut through the silence as she began laying out the battle plan. Her tone was calm, though the weight of the situation pressed heavily on her. As the second-in-command of the Knights of the Blood Oath, it was her responsibility to lead the raid in Heathcliff's absence. She couldn't afford to let her personal feelings interfere.

"According to the scouts, the boss on this floor uses ice-based attacks, which will slow us down. We need to focus on agility and coordination. Our best chance is to take down his weaker limbs first, which will—" she paused, her eyes scanning the room before continuing. "We'll also be using the NPC villagers as bait to keep the boss distracted."

At this, Asuna sensed a shift in the room. She could feel the confusion and unease growing in the air. Most players nodded in agreement, understanding the tactical advantage of using NPCs, even if it wasn't the most honorable tactic. It was common practice—NPCs respawned, unlike players. But Asuna's gaze flickered to the back of the room, where she caught sight of Deku.

He was standing alone, as usual, his arms crossed and a distant look in his eyes. His face was shadowed by the dim light in the room, but she could sense the tension building in him. And, like clockwork, his voice rang out, clear and disapproving.

"I'm not okay with that."

The room fell silent as every head turned toward him. Asuna watched as the confusion among the other players deepened. They knew Deku as a lone player, quiet and isolated, rarely interacting with anyone outside of combat. Yet here he was, challenging the strategy, his words carrying a weight of conviction that few had expected.

Asuna sighed inwardly, feeling the eyes of the other players on her. "They'll respawn. We won't. It only makes sense to take every advantage we can."

"I don't care if they respawn," Deku snapped, his tone sharper now. "I'm not okay with this."

There was an awkward murmur of confusion among the players. Some looked amused at what they thought was Deku taking a moral stand over NPCs.

Asuna kept her voice steady, but her frustration was evident. "Well, it's a good thing I'm in charge, then. Don't forget—just because you're a solo player doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want. Other lives are at stake here."

Deku's eyes narrowed, his voice lowering into a cold, dangerous tone. "I... know."

He turned away abruptly, signaling the end of his protest. But the room remained tense, with whispers of confusion and amusement rippling through the group. Asuna, however, wasn't amused. His outburst wasn't just unexpected; it was troubling. There was something about the way he spoke that felt… personal. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it nagged at her.

The meeting soon concluded, and the players began to disperse, preparing for the upcoming battle. Asuna caught a glimpse of Deku slipping out, always keeping his distance from the others. But she wasn't going to let him go this time.

Later that evening, Asuna found herself wandering the outskirts of the city, her mind still racing with thoughts of the day's meeting. The air was cool, and the sky had started to darken, casting a quiet, peaceful atmosphere over the woods. Yet despite the stillness, her mind was far from calm. She couldn't stop thinking about Deku's reaction. The way he'd spoken—there was something beneath the surface, something deeper than his usual aloofness.

Asuna's footsteps slowed as she spotted him again, sitting near a small stream, his back turned to her. She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to approach him or not. He didn't seem like the type who welcomed company, but something compelled her forward.

"If you're making sure I'm not doing anything stupid, you can just leave," Deku said suddenly, his voice cold and sharp, without turning around.

Caught off guard, Asuna blinked before frowning. She stepped closer anyway, crossing her arms. "I wasn't. Well… maybe I was. But can you blame me?" She tried to keep her tone light, though there was a touch of annoyance in her voice. "You're not exactly the most predictable person."

Deku's silence stretched on, and Asuna's frustration grew. She sighed, deciding to press a little further. "I don't understand you. You act like you don't care about anything, like nothing matters to you. But then today, you're the one who speaks up about NPCs. I don't get it."

He still didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the water. Asuna's annoyance shifted to something softer, more curious. She tried again, this time with a different approach.

"You know," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips, "for someone who's so tough, you sure have a soft spot for a bunch of respawning villagers."

There was a brief pause, and to her surprise, Deku's lips twitched slightly, as if suppressing a smirk. It wasn't much, but it was something. Asuna felt a tiny flicker of triumph—she had gotten through to him, even if only for a second.

But the moment was fleeting.

Encouraged by his reaction, Asuna took a step forward, her tone softening even more. "Listen, I get it. We're all carrying stuff in here, things that we don't talk about. But you don't have to be alone in it, Deku. You could let someone in. You could let me—"

That was when she saw it—his shoulders tensing, his fists clenching at his sides. His entire posture shifted from the brief moment of vulnerability back into something hard, cold, and unapproachable.

And then he snapped.

"You don't know anything!" Deku's voice rose suddenly, the sharp edge of pain and anger cutting through the air. Asuna took a step back, startled by the intensity in his voice.

He stood up abruptly, turning to face her. His eyes were blazing with emotions he had clearly been holding back for too long. "She was the only one who ever truly understood my pain. The only person here—or in the real world—who really knew where I came from!"

Asuna stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't know who he was talking about, but the raw emotion in his voice was undeniable.

"She believed in me," Deku said, his voice dropping to a low, sorrowful whisper. "She was the only one who ever believed in me."

His words hung in the air, the weight of them pressing down on Asuna like a physical force. She opened her mouth to respond, to say something—anything—but the words wouldn't come.

Realizing he had said too much, Deku quickly turned away, his shoulders slumping as he tried to regain control of himself. "Unless it's something related to the battle tomorrow, don't come and bother me," he muttered, his voice flat and distant once more.

Without another word, he walked away, leaving Asuna standing there, stunned and overwhelmed by everything she had just witnessed.

On her way back to the city, Asuna walked quietly beside Mito, her thoughts heavy on conversation in her head. Who was "she"? Whoever it was, she had clearly meant the world to Deku. Asuna had never seen him like that before—so vulnerable, so broken. It was a side of him she hadn't even known existed.

She had always thought of Deku as cold, distant, and unapproachable, but now she realized there was so much more to him. There was a deep pain that he carried with him, a pain that had shaped the person he had become.

"You okay?" Mito asked, sitting down beside her.

Asuna nodded slowly, though her mind was still far away. "Yeah... just thinking."

"About Deku?" Mito guessed, her tone light but knowing.

Asuna didn't respond, but the shocked look in her eyes and the mention of Deku was clear enough.

"Asuna," she said, glancing over at her friend. "I know you're curious about Deku, and I get it. But there's something about him... I don't know. I just think you need to be careful."

Asuna frowned, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

Mito hesitated for a moment, then leaned in a little closer. "There are... rumors about him. Take it with a grain of salt, of course. It's all just things I've heard from the frontlines, nothing confirmed. But some of them aren't exactly... good."

Asuna raised an eyebrow. "Rumors?"

Mito nodded, her expression cautious. "Yeah. For starters, people say he was a beta tester. But there's more. Some players—especially those who aren't too fond of the beta testers—spread stories that he's... not exactly a good guy."

Asuna's eyes widened. "What? That doesn't make any sense. He's done nothing but help people."

"I know, I know," Mito said quickly. "But you know how people get when they're scared. They make things up. I'm not saying any of it's true, just that those stories are out there."

Asuna frowned. "What kind of stories?"

Mito hesitated, clearly reluctant to share the details. "I heard some players say that he used to have a party member. A blond girl. And then, one day, she wasn't around anymore."

"A blond girl?" Asuna echoed, her mind flashing back to Deku's earlier outburst. He had mentioned someone important to him. Could it have been her?

"Yeah," Mito continued. "Some people say she... you know, died. And after that, he changed. Got colder. And the stories started to get worse."

Asuna shook her head, unable to reconcile the rumors with the image she had of Deku. "That doesn't sound like him at all."

"I'm just telling you what I've heard," Mito said, her tone more serious now. "Like I said, take it with a grain of salt. There's no way to know what's true and what's just fear talking. But still, it's clear that he's been through something big. And people can be unpredictable when they've lost someone."

Asuna was quiet for a moment, absorbing what Mito had said. The rumors didn't fit with the Deku she knew—the one who had saved her, the one who had quietly ensured she was taken care of during the first-floor battle. But there was no denying that something had happened to him, something that had changed him.

"I know he's been through something painful," Asuna said softly. "But I can't just ignore it, Mito. He saved my life. I owe him that much."

Mito sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I get that, Asuna. Really, I do. But just... be careful, okay? I don't want to see you get hurt because you're trying to fix someone who doesn't want to be fixed."

Asuna smiled faintly, appreciating the concern in Mito's voice. "I will. But he's not a bad guy. I know it."

Mito gave her a long, searching look before nodding. "Okay. Just... don't get too wrapped up in trying to figure him out. Sometimes, it's better to leave people to their own struggles."

"I'll keep that in mind," Asuna said, though she couldn't shake the feeling that Deku's struggles were far bigger than either of them realized.

With that, the two friends continued walking, the weight of their conversation settling between them like a shadow. But Asuna's mind stayed on Deku. She couldn't help but wonder about the girl Mito had mentioned—the blond girl who had been in his party. Whoever she was, it was clear that she had meant something to him, and her loss had left a deep scar.

Asuna's resolve hardened. She wasn't going to give up on understanding Deku, no matter what the rumors said. She had seen the good in him—the boy who had saved her life, who had helped her without asking for anything in return. And she wasn't going to let the rumors change her mind.

As the two of them parted ways, Asuna felt a renewed sense of determination. She had come too far to back down now. Whatever pain Deku was carrying, she was going to find a way to reach him, even if it took time.

The rest of the day passed in preparation for the upcoming battle. Asuna focused on her role within the Knights of the Blood Oath, leading the strategy and ensuring the players were ready. But in the back of her mind, Deku's words, his outburst, and the rumors Mito shared swirled together, leaving her more determined than ever to understand the boy who had helped her so much in the past.

That evening, as the sun set over Aincrad, Asuna sat alone in her room, the weight of the day pressing down on her. She thought back to her first encounter with Deku, the way he had saved her, how they had fought together during that first-floor boss fight. She remembered the bread they had shared and the kindness he had shown her in small, unspoken ways. She pulled out her sword and stared at it, remembering how he had bought it for her.

With a sigh, she sheathed the sword and leaned back against the wall, her mind still racing. "Deku... who are you really?" she whispered to herself.

Tomorrow would bring another battle, but for now, all she could do was wait.

The next morning, as they stood on the battlefield preparing to face the boss, Asuna found her eyes drifting too Deku.

He stood alone, as always, his face unreadable.

The chaos of the fight unfolded, and Asuna fought fiercely, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Deku.

The sound of clashing steel and the cries of players echoed around the battlefield. The boss's ice-coated form loomed large over the clearing, its glowing red eyes sweeping across the players as it lashed out with brutal swipes of its massive arms. Ice shards rained down, creating obstacles that slowed movement and shattered any sense of rhythm in the fight. Asuna led the front lines, her rapier flashing as she darted in and out, directing her fellow players to keep their coordination tight despite the chaos.

Every once in a while, her gaze flickered to Deku, who remained on the periphery, watching the battlefield with sharp eyes. He wasn't fighting yet, holding back as if assessing the best moment to strike. His strategy was different from the others—more methodical. Where most players rushed in, eager to take down the boss, Deku waited, calculated, and stayed cautious.

Asuna knew she should be focused entirely on the battle in front of her, but her thoughts kept drifting back to their conversation the night before. She had never seen him lose control like that, and now she understood—at least a little bit—why he was so distant. Whoever "she" was, her loss had broken something inside him. And now, as they fought for their lives, Asuna couldn't help but wonder what was going on behind his guarded exterior.

But there was no time to dwell on that now. The boss roared, swinging its massive ice axe down with a force that shook the ground. The front-line tank barely managed to block it, and Asuna quickly called for a heal, directing her fellow players to regroup. They needed to stick to the plan. She couldn't afford distractions.

Suddenly, the air grew still, and the temperature dropped even further. The boss reared back, its body glowing with an ominous light. The players froze for a split second, realizing too late what was about to happen.

"Get back!" Asuna shouted, but her voice was drowned out by the deafening roar of the boss unleashing its ultimate attack—a massive wave of freezing energy that spread out in all directions.

Most of the players managed to dodge or block in time, but not everyone was so lucky. Cries of pain filled the air as several players were caught in the blast, their health bars plummeting dangerously low.

And then, out of the corner of her eye, Asuna saw it—the raid leader, the tank who had been holding the front line, crumpled to the ground, his body shattered by the boss's attack. The shock of seeing him fall sent a wave of panic through the players, and the coordination they had worked so hard to maintain began to falter.

"We've lost the leader!" someone shouted, their voice tinged with fear.

Asuna felt her heart skip a beat. Without the leader, without someone to direct the team, this fight could fall apart. They were already teetering on the edge of disaster, and if things got any worse, more players could die.

For a brief moment, uncertainty gnawed at her. She had taken on leadership before, but this was different. The boss was too strong, the players too scattered, and she couldn't do it alone. Fear gripped her chest, but just as the panic started to rise—

"I'll take over."

The voice was calm, steady, and utterly decisive. Asuna looked up, startled, to see Deku stepping forward, his eyes locked on the boss with an intensity she hadn't seen before. His demeanor was completely different from the cold, distant figure she had come to know. Here, in the heat of battle, there was no hesitation, no retreat into himself—only focus.

"Deku...?" Asuna breathed, but he wasn't listening to her. His attention was fully on the battle, and in that moment, he wasn't the lone, brooding player they all knew. He was someone else entirely—someone she hadn't expected.

"Everyone, regroup!" Deku's voice cut through the chaos with surprising authority. He took charge without missing a beat, directing the remaining tanks to hold the boss's attention while the DPS players focused on attacking its weakened limbs. "Medics, prioritize the our shield users, their our front-line! Archers, you'll be behind them defending all of our weak point. Everybody else! Focus mobility and watch out for the boss's attacks. According to the info-brokers this boss could still have some things we don't know about, so be on guard…"

The players, still reeling from the loss of their leader, hesitated at first. But something about the way Deku spoke—the absolute certainty in his voice—made them listen. He moved swiftly, organizing the group with precision, barking out commands and repositioning the fighters. Under his direction, the team began to fall back into rhythm.

Asuna watched in awe as Deku continued to lead the charge. It was as if a switch had flipped inside him. This wasn't the Deku she knew—the quiet, brooding boy who stayed in the shadows, haunted by some distant pain. This Deku was a leader, someone who could step into the chaos and bring order to it.

And he was good at it.

For a brief moment, as Asuna fought alongside the other players, she caught a glimpse of who Deku might have been before this world had beaten him down. The way he carried himself—the way he took command so effortlessly—it reminded her of someone who had once believed in hope and heroism. The old Deku, perhaps, before everything changed.

But it wasn't long before the boss's health dropped dangerously low, and the battle intensified. The final phase had begun, and with it came a new set of challenges. The boss's attacks became faster, more erratic, and more deadly. Ice covered the ground, making it nearly impossible to keep footing. Players slipped, stumbled, and fought to stay upright as the boss unleashed a flurry of strikes.

Asuna gritted her teeth, darting in and out with her rapier, focusing on precise, critical strikes. She could see Deku doing the same, his movements calculated and sharp. For the first time, they fought side by side, their coordination seamless as they took down the boss's remaining defenses.

And then, in a final, climactic blow, Deku leaped forward, his sword flashing in the dim light as he delivered the finishing strike. The boss let out a deafening roar before collapsing, its massive form shattering into a cloud of data particles.

It was over.

The battlefield fell silent as the players processed what had just happened. They had won, but the cost had been high. Several players lay motionless on the ground, their bodies flickering as their health bars depleted completely.

Asuna's heart ached as she looked at them, her victory overshadowed by the weight of the losses they had suffered. She had fought in so many battles, but the death of a fellow player never got easier.

Deku, however, remained silent. He sheathed his sword and turned away, already beginning to walk toward the edge of the clearing, his expression unreadable.

Asuna knew she had to speak to him. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she needed to understand. But the moment she opened her mouth, Deku's sharp voice cut through the air once more.

"I'm fine."

Asuna blinked, startled. "But—"

"I said, I'm fine," he repeated, his tone colder than it had been during the battle. His back was still turned to her, but the tension in his shoulders told her everything. He wasn't fine—not even close.

Before she could respond, Deku's pace quickened, and he disappeared into the trees, leaving her standing there with a dozen unspoken questions and an even deeper sense of confusion.

Back in his small inn room, Deku leaned against the door, breathing heavily. His hands were trembling, and despite the victory, there was no sense of accomplishment—only an overwhelming emptiness.

He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself, but the memory of the battle still lingered in his mind. Leading the team, taking command—it had felt so natural, so familiar, but it had also stirred something inside him, something he had buried deep down.

Melissa...

The name echoed in his mind, and his heart twisted painfully. She had believed in him once. She had seen something in him that no one else had. And now, she was gone, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't bring her back.

Deku's gaze dropped to his hands, still shaking from the adrenaline of the fight. What kind of hero couldn't even save the one person who believed in him? What right did he have to lead anyone? To fight for anyone else?

AUTHOR NOTES: Yeahhh, so that wasn't suppose to take so long. This was suppose to get posted around like 6 hours ago. I may have gotten a little side tracked. But, because of that I now know how I'm going to connect/blend the SAO and MHA worlds in a MUCH better way that I'm really excited about and I think you all will too. Oh and just an FYI, don't worry I won't be implementing any of the weird love scenarios from SAO (AKA Kirito and his sister or cousin or whatever they call each other now) Well thats enough of my rant. Have a good one :)