Chapter 12: Shadows of Vengeance

Deku was just leaving the town, the weight of his new sword, the Dark Repulsor, resting heavily against his back. The recent events with Lisbeth had left him with a lot to process, but it felt good to have something tangible, something he could hold onto—a weapon that symbolized his growth. As he walked through the quiet streets, lost in thought, he heard a voice that broke through his haze.

"Deku! Hold up!"

He stopped in his tracks, instantly recognizing the voice. It was Present Mic, but the urgency in his tone was enough to make Deku spin around quickly, his eyes widening as he saw the pro hero sprinting toward him, his yellow scarf flapping in the breeze. Mic wasn't just calling out—he was frantic.

"Present Mic?" Deku called back, starting to jog toward him. "What's going on?"

Mic finally skidded to a halt in front of him, bent over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily. His sunglasses were slightly askew, and his usually animated face was etched with worry. "Deku… I need your help."

Deku's stomach dropped. It wasn't often that Mic asked for help, and the look on his face said everything. This wasn't a casual request. "What happened?"

After a few more heavy breaths, Present Mic straightened up, his voice still urgent but more measured now. "It's my students… a couple of them. You know, they've been having a really rough time since we all got trapped here." He paused, adjusting his sunglasses. "They were struggling… bad. Adjusting their fighting styles without quirks? It's been killing their confidence. I haven't seen them in days."

Deku's heart sank at the words. The terror of losing a quirk, the very thing that shaped who you were—it wasn't something everyone could handle. He knew that better than most. "When was the last time you saw them?"

"Four days ago," Mic said, his voice quieter now. "I thought they were just… laying low, figuring things out. You know how kids can be—trying to handle it on their own. But this time… I don't know, Deku, something feels wrong."

Deku felt the urgency in Mic's voice, the barely hidden guilt that laced his words. He knew what it was like to hesitate, to worry that you hadn't done enough soon enough. "Four days?" Deku echoed, his mind racing as he tried to assess the situation. "And they haven't sent any messages?"

Mic shook his head, and that gesture alone told Deku everything he needed to know.

"I need you to find them, Deku," Present Mic said, his voice quieter now, more vulnerable than Deku had ever heard. "I don't know who else to ask… or where else to go."

Deku's gaze shifted to the dark forest outside the town, and he felt that familiar sensation—like a knot tightening in his chest. "I'll find them," he said, determination rising in his voice. "I promise."

As Deku left Present Mic behind and made his way toward the forest, the weight of the situation pressed down on him. The absence of quirks in SAO was devastating for heroes who relied on their powers. Those students… they were heroes-in-training, what he aspired to be one day. But without their quirks, it was like they were being asked to fight with one hand tied behind their back.

"They must have felt so lost," Deku thought as he pushed through the tall grasses, his eyes scanning the forest ahead of him. "When your whole life is built around a quirk, losing it is like losing part of yourself. I get it... I really do."

He had never known what it felt like to wield a quirk, but he knew the feeling of helplessness. And that thought made him push faster, determined not to let those students slip through the cracks.

The deeper Deku ventured into the forest, the more ominous it felt. The towering trees stretched above him like dark sentinels, their branches creaking in the wind. The undergrowth rustled beneath his feet, the sound muffled by the fog that seemed to roll in from nowhere.

His breath came out in slow, controlled puffs as he surveyed his surroundings. This was no ordinary search—something was off here, he could feel it. It wasn't just about finding Mic's students anymore. The very air seemed thick with tension, like it was holding its breath, waiting for something.

Deku crouched down near the base of a large tree, his sharp eyes catching sight of something unusual. A branch had been snapped clean off, and there were tracks in the dirt—a scuffle. He reached out, fingers brushing against the disturbed earth.

"There was a fight here," he deduced, frowning as he picked up a small shard of something shiny. His eyes widened slightly as he realized what it was: a broken healing crystal. The edges were jagged as if someone had tried to use it in a hurry.

"Why didn't they get to use it?" Deku wondered, standing up slowly. The more he looked around, the more he began to see. Crushed leaves, snapped branches, and even a few torn pieces of cloth stuck in the bushes. All signs of a struggle, but it was the healing crystal that troubled him the most.

"They were overwhelmed. They didn't even have time to heal."

He moved on, weaving between the trees like a shadow, his senses on high alert. He needed to stay focused. His heart was pounding in his chest, his mind racing with the possibilities. What if they were already dead? What if he was too late? No—he couldn't think like that. Not yet.

After what felt like hours of moving through the forest, Deku stumbled across something that made him stop in his tracks. A small, makeshift campsite. The fire had long since gone out, but there were still traces of warmth in the ash. Someone had been here recently.

Deku crouched down, examining the ground again. There were footprints leading away from the camp, deeper into the woods, but it was the small items scattered around that caught his attention. A half-eaten piece of bread, a water canteen tipped over… and an emblem.

Deku's fingers closed around the emblem, his heart skipping a beat. It was a small, round piece of metal with a distinct insignia etched into it—an insignia he recognized immediately.

"This belonged to one of Mic's students," he whispered, his chest tightening. "They were here… but where did they go?"

He stood up, his eyes following the footprints that led away from the camp. They were small, hurried steps, as if the students had been running. Running from something.

"I'm getting closer," Deku thought, his grip tightening on the hilt of the Dark Repulsor. "But so are they."

As he pressed on, Deku began to see more signs of a struggle. The trees were marked with claw-like gashes, and there were small splatters of blood on the leaves. His heart raced faster, his mind flashing back to every battle he had ever fought.

"I have to be ready for anything," he told himself, his muscles tensing as he moved. "Whoever did this… they're not far."

Just then, his foot caught on something. Looking down, Deku saw another clue—a small recording device, half-buried in the dirt. He hesitated for a moment before picking it up, brushing the dirt away with his thumb.

With a deep breath, he pressed play.

The device crackled to life, the voice on the other end distorted by fear and static.

"If anyone finds this… we're being hunted. These guys… they're not just killing for fun, they're—"

The message cut off abruptly, leaving only silence.

Deku's blood ran cold. His grip tightened around the device, his heart pounding in his ears.

"I'm too late," he thought, his mind racing. "But maybe… maybe there's still time. I have to find them. I won't let anyone else die."

He stuffed the recorder into his pouch and began to move faster, his eyes darting between the trees, his ears straining for any sound that could lead him to the students. The shadows grew longer, and darker, and every rustle of the wind felt like a warning.

"They're close. And so am I."

Deku's heart sank as he stumbled upon the next clue. A sword, half-buried in the ground, its blade cracked and worn. He knelt down beside it, his fingers trembling slightly as he picked it up. His worst fears were confirmed when he accessed the system data—it belonged to one of Present Mic's students.

"I wasn't fast enough. Again."

Tears welled up in his eyes as memories of Melissa's death flooded back. The helplessness he felt then mirrored what he was feeling now. He gritted his teeth, fighting back the surge of emotions.

"But there's still one left. I can't fail them both."

The tension in the air thickened as Deku pushed on, the darkness of the forest seeming to close in around him. He wasn't just hunting now—he was being hunted too.

But he wasn't afraid. Not anymore.

Deku's pace quickened, each step feeling heavier, each breath more labored. The forest around him seemed to grow darker, more foreboding with every passing moment. The trees loomed tall, their branches twisting into the night sky like skeletal hands, blocking out most of the moonlight. Every rustle in the underbrush felt like it was following him, every shadow stretching longer, more sinister.

But he didn't slow down. He couldn't. He had to find the last student before it was too late.

"One student is already gone," Deku thought, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the path ahead. "But I can still save the other. I won't let this end in failure again."

His fingers twitched near the hilt of the Dark Repulsor, ready to draw it at any moment. The weight of the sword was heavy, but it felt steady in his grip, a reminder of the responsibility he carried. He couldn't afford to make a mistake now.

As Deku crept through the dense underbrush, he spotted a flicker of light in the distance. A faint glow—a campfire, he realized. The sound of distant voices reached his ears, growing louder the closer he got. He slowed his pace, moving silently through the shadows, every movement calculated, every step measured.

He pressed his back against a large boulder, peering over the edge to get a better view of the campfire. There were four of them—four players huddled around the fire, laughing and boasting as if they hadn't a care in the world.

His stomach churned with disgust as he listened to their words.

Killer 1, says while grinning: "That last one was pathetic. Barely put up a fight. You'd think these so-called 'heroes' would be tougher."
Killer 2, mockingly: "Without their quirks, they're nothing. Just a bunch of amateurs flailing around. No quirks, no chance."
Killer 3: "You know what the best part is? Watching them realize it's over. That moment right before they turn into pixels… It's almost like they know it's all pointless."

The fourth killer, a silent figure with a hood pulled low over their face, remained quiet, simply staring into the flames. Deku's eyes narrowed as he studied them. Something about this one felt off—different. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the aura around them was darker, more sinister than the rest.

"These monsters," Deku thought, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "They're not just killing—they're enjoying it. They're hunting people like it's some kind of game."

He felt his anger rising, a boiling fury threatening to spill over. But he couldn't afford to lose control now. He needed a plan. He needed to be methodical. Rushing in recklessly would only put the remaining student in more danger.

Deku crouched lower, his mind racing as he formulated his next move.

"I can't take them head-on. Not yet. I need to take them out one by one, silently, before they realize what's happening."

His fingers brushed against the hilt of the Dark Repulsor, his pulse steadying as he prepared himself.

"This is for them. For the people they killed. For every one they've hurt. I won't let them get away with this."

With the moon barely casting any light through the thick canopy, the shadows became Deku's ally. His black cloak allowed him to blend seamlessly into the night as he moved like a phantom, creeping closer to the group without making a sound.

The first killer—posted a short distance away from the campfire as a lookout—had no idea what was coming. Deku moved silently, his steps barely making a sound as he closed the distance. His grip tightened around the Dark Repulsor, but instead of using the blade, he flipped the sword in his hand, using the hilt instead.

With a swift, precise strike, Deku brought the hilt down on the back of the lookout's head, dazing him instantly. Before the player could react, Deku rolled behind him, his movements fluid and efficient. He wrapped his arm around the killer's neck, pulling him into a tight chokehold.

The player struggled for a moment, but Deku held firm, reaching into his inventory with his free hand. He pulled out a small vial of sedative, quickly administering it to the player. Within seconds, the killer's struggles ceased, his body going limp as the sedative took effect.

Deku gently lowered the unconscious player to the ground, ensuring he wouldn't make any noise to alert the others.

Killer 3, suddenly alert, "Did you hear that?"
Killer 2, frowning, "Hear what?"
Killer 3, "I swear I heard something. Like… someone moving."

Deku moved with precision, striking at the second killer with the hilt of his sword, knocking them unconscious before they even realized what was happening. He rolled forward, using the shadows to his advantage, and quickly closed the distance on the third player. Rather than a lethal blow, Deku swept his sword in a clean arc, cutting through the player's leg. The limb broke away into glowing pixels, the player collapsing to the ground, unable to move.

"Stay down," Deku muttered as he moved toward the fourth.

The final player, now alerted to Deku's presence, swung wildly at him. Deku dodged the attack with ease, sliding under the blow and bringing his sword up in a sharp motion, severing the player's arm. The limb dissolved into pieces of light, and the killer screamed as he dropped to his knees.

Deku stood over them, his breathing steady as he looked down at the incapacitated players. His voice was low but filled with righteous fury.

"You think this is fun? You think killing people is a game? You're worse than scum," Deku snarled, his eyes burning with intensity. "How can you enjoy something so twisted?

Deku's grip tightened on his sword, his eyes blazing with anger. "They didn't deserve any of this," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You treat people's lives like they're nothing, and you enjoy it."

One of the downed killers, laughing despite the pain, grinned up at Deku with a mad glint in his eyes. "Doesn't matter, hero. Cut one of us down, and two more will take our place. There's no stopping us now… No stopping what's coming."

He continued laughing like a maniac, the sound echoing eerily through the trees. Deku clenched his fist, preparing to retort when suddenly, a flash of movement caught his attention—a blur of light, faster than anything he'd seen.

A hooded figure appeared from the shadows, moving so swiftly that Deku barely registered the attack until it was already done. The mysterious figure had bypassed him entirely, heading straight for the laughing player.

"A second lookout?!" Deku thought in shock. "Why didn't he jump in before?"

The downed killer, now frantic, looked up at the hooded figure with wide, terrified eyes. "Wait, come on! Just-just give me another chance! I promise I won—"

His plea was cut short as the hooded figure swung his sword, held in a reverse grip, across the killer's neck. "Useless…"

The body immediately shattered into pieces of light, disappearing into the air as if he had never been there.

Deku's eyes widened in shock. "He killed his own teammate?!"

Deku's eyes narrowed as he stared at the new arrival, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Deku's grip tightened on his sword, his eyes narrowing. "You didn't kill them," he said. His voice low and dangerous. "Why?"

The fifth player's face was obscured by the hood, but Deku could see the faint glint of their blade—a weapon held backward, in an unusual grip.

In that moment, Deku's heart raced as he spotted something out of the corner of his eye—the final student, tied up and injured, lying just beyond the campfire. Without thinking, Deku sprinted toward them, his mind screaming in desperation.

"I can still save them!" Deku thought, his legs pumping harder. "I can't fail again!"

But the fifth player was faster.

In a blur of movement, the fifth player reached the student first, their blade flashing in the moonlight as they delivered the fatal blow. Deku skidded to a halt, his breath catching in his throat as he watched in horror.

The student locked eyes with Deku, his face pale and filled with terror. A single tear rolled down their cheek before their body dissolved into pixels, fading away like all the others.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Deku stood there, his sword hanging limply at his side as the reality of what had just happened sank in.

"No…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I was too late…"

The fifth player sheathed their sword, their cold eyes glancing around, noticing that the other players must've already retreated, he smiled. Then shifting his glance briefly at Deku. As he turned around to leave, slight chuckles escaped from the hooded figure as he stepped over the disintegrating particles of the player he just killed. He slowly turned his head toward Deku, an odd mask hung over his jaw-line, and the top half of his face was covered by his hood.

He said with mocking tone through his mask. "Heeyy, Black Swordsman..." the figure drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do me a favor and don't go clearing the game too fast."

With that, he turned around, his cloak swaying as he casually strolled away from the now scattered campsite, leaving Deku alone, surrounded by the fading remnants of the battle.

Deku fell to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground beside him. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared at the spot where the student had died, the weight of his failure pressing down on him like a physical force.

"I failed… again," he thought, his hands trembling as he clenched them into fists. "I couldn't save them…"

The silence of the forest pressed in around him, suffocating in its stillness. All he could hear was the sound of his own ragged breathing, the image of the student's tear-streaked face burned into his mind.

But as the tears streamed down his face, a fire ignited within Deku's chest. His hands stopped trembling, and his breathing, though heavy, began to steady. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and clenched his fists once more, this time with renewed determination.

"I failed them," Deku thought, his heart heavy but his spirit unbroken. "But I won't let this happen again. No more deaths… no more player killers getting away with this."

He stood slowly, his legs feeling like lead, but his resolve now stronger than it had been in months. The fifth player, whoever they were, had left an impression on him—one that shook him to his core. They were different from the others. They killed with intent, without hesitation, and with a cold, calculated precision that reminded Deku of his own meticulous planning in battle.

But this was something else. This was cruelty…

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale, eerie glow over the forest. Deku stood alone in the clearing, the wind rustling through the trees as the last remnants of the student's pixelated form disappeared into the night.

"I'll stop them," Deku vowed, his voice steady, despite the turmoil brewing inside him. "I'll stop all of them."

He turned his gaze toward the distant horizon, where the forest met the mountains, where the shadows loomed the darkest. Somewhere out there, the player killers were regrouping, planning their next move. Somewhere, the start of a guild, a guild of killers, were beginning to take shape.

And Deku knew, without a doubt, that he HAD to be there to stop them.

The moonlit forest stretched on behind him, silent but for the whisper of the wind. And in the distance, the faint, haunting laughter of the killers echoed through the trees, signaling the rise of a new, darker force within SAO.

With one last look at the clearing, Deku turned and began his trek back toward the town, his heart filled with a mix of sorrow and unrelenting resolve. He would need to prepare—mentally, physically—for what was coming next.

Because the battle against the player killers wasn't over. It had only just begun. But, for now, he had to go tell Present Mic that he failed… Again.

AUTHOR NOTES: With this, the chapter closes, setting the stage for Deku's next steps against the growing threat of Laughing Coffin, as well as his deepening inner struggle between heroism and vengeance. I thought that SAO did a lot right with their first arc, but they left a bunch of stories out there. Like Laughing Coffin, why they didn't make them a bigger thing and then eventually lead the story down to Akihiko Kayaba later on… I don't know, but hey without that, I wouldn't be here writing this, so I hope y'all like the direction of the story so far. Have a good one! :)