Sword Art Online: Aincrad's Hollow Fragment

April 8, 2023

Floor 11: Taft

A nice slew of people chatting filled the air in the tavern around me. Patrons were laughing with full drinks in their hands, telling tales about their adventures or reminding friends about upcoming activities that they can do the following day. I smiled as the crowd's warm atmosphere surrounded me, even more so when Kiyo ran up to me with my drink.

Kiyo- Here you are Papa! The barkeep said it was freshly made!

I nodded at my daughter and accepted the drink. Taking a small sip, it was the closest thing to an actual carbonated soda as this game could replicate, though it mostly tasted like sparkling water. I didn't mind as I was more focused on the group surrounding my table instead of the liquid I was consuming.

?- Here's to us, the Moonlit Black Cats! Cheers everyone!

A group of five clanked their cups together and drank from their silver goblets before looking over at Kiyo and I with giant grins on their faces. All of the members had iron plated armor surrounding their inner clothing with the group consisting of four males and one female. The men were wearing different colored under clothing from purple, green, yellow, and red. The female had her own set of clothing colored a nice cool light blue. 

I hadn't heard or been made aware of their names but the male in yellow cleared his throat.

Yellow- I've got another! Here's to the two who saved our lives! To Kazzu and Kiyo!

Group- To Kazzu and Kiyo!

Kiyo giggled right next to me as a nervous smile and a bead of sweat rolled down my head. This positive attention was... foreign to me for a long time. Ever since calling myself out as the Dark Prince, players have been treating me as the main threat of the game instead of my father. I didn't mind the hostility but being with people who didn't want to skin me alive immediately was a weird and nice change of pace.

"Cheers you guys. It was no problem at all."

Kiyo- Yea! We're happy to help players who need it!

Purple- You saved us back there!

Green- Thanks for the assistance!

Light Blue- Thank you... Thank you so much!

"Guys, seriously it's fine. It's nothing anyone else could've done. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

The girl in light blue stepped forward slightly, her voice soft and trembling a little as she spoke.

Light Blue- I can't tell you how scared I was. It made me so happy when you came to save us that I...

The girl started to tear up. Seeing this broke my heart. This girl was scared for her life, let alone scared for her friends. If she was like this who knew what her friends were thinking. Thinking back to where I found them, I may have an idea on how they were feeling.

Flashback

April 23, 2023

Floor 11: Labyrinth

Light Blue- Tetsuo!

The male wearing purple, Tetsuo, was knocked back hard towards the group, landing on his back and struggling to get up.

Red- He's hurting bad! We have to fall back!

Yellow- It's no use! We're surrounded!

Light Blue- What do we do!?

The sounds of shattering pixels filled the halls as Kiyo and I hacked and slashed through the monsters they were fighting. Kiyo and I worked in perfect sync where we knew each other's movements, allowing us to quickly reach the group and clear the surrounding area.

"Are you guys ok!?"

They said nothing but answered my question with a quick nod. Kiyo jogged up to Tetsuo and healed him with a healing crystal. He slowly stood back up and re-equipped his weapon. Monsters started to respawn, inching their way closer and closer to us. Looking at the state of the group, I noticed that the female had a spear equipped. It didn't take long for the gears in my head to started turning, coming up with a game plan.

"Miss, I need your spear!"

Light Blue- What? What for!?

"Just trust me, I'll return it once we leave!"

She hesitated for a second before offering me her spear in an inventory trade menu. I accepted her trade and equipped the spear, shield in front of me with the weapon resting on top. I looked back at the group.

"Everybody stand behind me! I'll take point and bash through the enemy defenses. Once their open, deal as much damage to them as you can!"

They all agreed and formed a small line behind me with Kiyo taking the caboose. The plan went off without a hitch as I charged through each of the monsters, breaking their guard and using the group to deal damage and kill a few. Once we escaped the labyrinth, me and the male in red quickly closed the door. The muffled sounds of growling, clawing and biting heard on the opposite ends of the door. It took a second before that noise died down. I took a sigh of relief and made sure each of the members were ok. They ended up fine aside from being short of breath. I walked up to the girl in light blue and handed her spear back.

"Thank you for that. Looks like you guys are safe now."

Light Blue- Y-yea...

Red- Dude! Thank you so much for the assistance, thank you both!

"It was nothing. I was looking for materials in that area anyway."

Kiyo- That and we heard you scream from the door.

Red- Please allow us to repay you. How about a drink?

End Flashback

Present Day

"I'm glad I made it there when I did. You guys are safe now so..."

I stood up and reached my thumb towards the little tear rolling down her cheek. I rubbed it off and sat back down, smirking at the girl.

"Smile. It'll suit you better."

She hid a feint red tint that appeared on her cheek as her friend in the red leaned down and started whispering to me. His voice a little high for someone of his stature but nice and gentle.

Red- Uh excuse me Kazzu sir? I hope I'm not out of line asking this, but I was wondering what level you and Kiyo are at.

The question was an odd one. Most player never enjoyed revealing their in-game stats in fear of people using their skills to further advance their own. As much as I wanted to believe this group wouldn't do that, I didn't want to risk it. Kiyo looked at me as well, as if to ask me if she should lie or tell the truth. I looked back at her, signaling to follow my lead.

"I'm level twenty-five while Kiyo here is a few levels behind me."

Kiyo- I may be level twenty but one day I'll be just as strong as you Papa!

"You don't need a number to prove your strength Kiyo. You're plenty strong without it."

Our little bonding moment was disturbed by the male's surprise. He grew a small grin and continued to whisper to me.

Red- Really!? You two are at our level and still solo players? You're an inspiration!

I didn't respond. I merely looked over at my health bar, which displayed my health and Kiyo's. Along with the health bars, right underneath them was where I could see our actual in game levels. I was sitting at level fifty while Kiyo was at level forty-three. This leap in numbers wasn't actually frowned upon by my daughter as she was adopted when she still at level one. She did want to be as strong as me but, in a way, she already was. Turning my attention back towards the male in red, I recalled his name and spoke to him directly.

"Keita, was it? Look we are not your superiors. Being solo means that we are mostly hunting enemies out in the boonies. It's not really efficient."

Keita- Oh... right... well in that case, I hate to spring this on you here but if you want, we'd love to have you in our guild.

That statement surprised Kiyo and I. These people who we barely knew now wanted us to join their guild just because we saved their lives? It didn't sound shady, but I couldn't join a guild only to have them turn on me because of who I am. Keita continued to plead his case.

Keita- Our mace wielder, Tetsuo, is the only one we can put out front right now. And then we got Sachi over here.

He walked next to the girl in light blue, Sachi, and patted her head.

Keita- I was thinking of having her switch to sword and shield that way she can fight on the front lines. The thing is, she says that she's not sure she can handle it. If you join us, maybe you could teach her a thing or two.

Sachi- Oh come on! I'm not that useless! Seriously, you can't just put me up front and expect me to know what to do. I'd be terrified!

Keita- It's no big deal just hide behind your shield.

Yellow- That's right. As long as I can remember, you've always been a scaredy cat.

Sachi puffed her cheeks which caused the group to laugh, Kiyo joining in with a small giggle. Keita turned his attention back to me.

Keita- We always joke around like that. See, in real life, we all go to the same high school and are members of the computer club. But if you're worried about fitting in with us, don't. As far as I'm concerned, you're already part of our group. Right?

The group nodded. Looking towards Sachi, her smile grew wider, but her eyes told me something else. They weren't happy eyes, they looked terrified, scared but at the same time they were hopeful. My own eyes widened at her forced smile as I thought it over. 

These people had no idea who I am, yet they accepted me with open arms. I could use this chance to start my path towards my family's redemption. To prove that I'm innocent in this endeavor as well as train these guys to better defend themselves. But if they realize the truth...

"Well... listen, I appreciate the offer but..."

I looked at Kiyo and took a deep breath. She never had friends outside of me and she had no opportunity to make more because she sided with me on the first floor. Not only would being with a guild offer her rest, but it could provide a happiness that I couldn't give her alone. I let out a sigh and looked at the group with a smile.

"I'll do it."

Their faces lit up, especially Keita and Sachi's. The group surrounded Kiyo and I in two separate group hugs where they introduced themselves: Keita was the leader in red, Sachi was the girl in blue, Ducker was the lad in yellow, Sasamaru was the dude in green and Tetsuo was the mace user in purple who I had met in the labyrinth. Keita had sent me and Kiyo a guild invite: "Keita would like you to join the Moonlit Black Cats, do you accept?". Kiyo had pressed the accept button in a heartbeat and smiled as the guild's name appeared underneath her name. I smiled and pressed the accept button as well, an overbearing weight flying off my shoulder as the guild name slowly appeared under my own name.

May 9, 2023

Floor 20: Sunlit Forest

It's been about a month since I had joined the Moonlit Black Cats and as much as I like their company, they needed a lot more work before they could truly defend themselves. More directly, Sachi. The seven of us were staring down the pincers of a giant mantis monster. 

The group was able to prod at it a bit but before Sachi could go in for an attack, it roared at her. This caused her to freeze in her actions and back off, allowing Sasamaru another stab at the monster with a spear. Kiyo and I stood in between the group observing but prepared to kill the beast should someone be in immediate danger. The mantis dropped its pincer down towards Sachi, who was able to block with her shield. I didn't want her taking most of the monsters' attention, so I switched my inventory and changed to a spear and shield, just like when I met them in the labyrinth.

"Sachi, get behind me. I got it."

She followed my order and stood behind me as the mantis attacked again. Before it's attack could connect, I countered with a precise strike back at its pincer. I cut through the green bugs limb, causing it to fall hard behind us and shattering. The monster's attention was now focused on me, allowing Sachi to retreat and me to parry another one of its attacks.

"Tetsuo, switch out!"

Tetsuo- Got it!

Tetsuo swung his mace directly at the monsters' neck, snapping it and killing the monster instantly. The rewards screen popped up where the group had received three hundred and fifty- two experience points each, one hundred and eighty Col each and Tetsuo had leveled up and been rewarded the item: "Scythe of Killer Mantis". The group ran up to Tetsuo and congratulated him, my smile quickly shifted to Sachi. She seemed happy that we had won the battle, but I was curious as to why she was holding back. She had been like this for a while now. We thought switching to sword and shield would help her gain confidence, but that theory so far had been proven incorrect. I decided to drop it for now and huddled up with the group.

"Alright guys, let's take a rest. I'm getting hungry."

Kiyo- Me too.

The group laughed at me and Kiyo's shared gluttony and agreed to have a small picnic. A few bottled drinks and food items resembling cream stuffed sweets later, we had our break. Keita pulled out a piece of paper that had a newsletter on it: "Weekly Argo".

Keita- The assault team made it through to floor twenty-eight. That's amazing!"

I continued to eat my sweets and act amazed with him. Little did he know, I was part of that same assault team even though they wanted my head on a pike. I've been helping them clear the bosses with my knowledge of skills, attack patterns and possible changes from the beta. I couldn't take all of the credit though. I did have help from a small information broker. The very same that wrote the information Keita was reading: Argo. Argo was also a beta tester who was nicknamed "The Rat" due to the painted whiskers on her face. No one knew why she had those whiskers in the first place. The reason why she agreed to be my own personal information broker is because of when we met. I had saved her from a few people claiming that her information was bad, calling her a fraud. I saved her skin by telling the angry crowd that her information was solid, they were just looking in the wrong places. After showing them where to find the location identified in Argo's information, they left her alone. She thanked me for helping her and said she owed me a favor. All I asked from her was to keep every player on the lower floors updated on the progress of the assault teams and to distribute information on monster hunting spots and material gathering spots for free.

Keita- Kazzu?

I shook my head, snapping out of my trance. Keita tilted his head confused and I laughed nervously.

"Sorry, my head was in the clouds. What were you saying?"

Keita- Well I was asking, what does the assault team have that we don't?

"Well, if you want me to answer truthfully, they have a number of things: resources, manpower, experience, that sort of thing. Plus, with their access to information, they can find easier ways to gain EXP and the greedy bastards don't share their info."

Keita- How do you know that?

"I asked for their help, and they refused it, saying that they had more important things to focus on."

Keita- Sorry man. That must've sucked.

"It's cool. It's didn't take me long to find the information myself."

Keita- You know. You're probably right about the assault team, but what I think really sets them apart is willpower.

"Mind explaining?"

Keita- I guess what I mean is, they have the will to stick up for their friends or any player for that matter. Truth is, I like to think we have that same type of drive, even though we still need the protection. That said, our first priority is looking out for each other. But someday, if we get strong enough, we'll join the elites on the assault team.

"I see... That's a good goal to have."

Kiyo- Hopefully we'll be there to help you reach that goal Mister Keita!

Keita started to get flustered, rubbing the back of his head while Ducker jumped down behind him.

Ducker- Hey leader? Give me some love!

Ducker then put Keita in a playful chokehold. Keita tried to fight back but couldn't as the rest of the guild joined us.

Tetsuo- You really think we could be as strong as the Holy Dragon Alliance or the Knights of the Blood Oath?

Those two names rang out in my mind like church bells. Those were the two main players of the assault team, being the strongest and well-funded among any other guild. The only reason I cared was because of the Knights of the Blood Oath. Not only were they the strongest guild in the game, supplied with the most experienced players in the game but Ashtry counted herself among them. It had been a long time since she had helped me on floor one, but for some reason her image kept creeping into my head as well as Klein's, Agil's, Diavel's, Kibaou's, Kirito's and Asuna's. They were the only people who didn't immediately hate me for my decision in becoming the Dark Prince, but time works in mysterious ways. Who knows what they thought of me now?

Keita- So what if I do believe we could be? There's nothing wrong with setting our sights high but we have to be level thirty first.

The group started claiming how the thought was impossible, but I believed they could do it. With more training and monster hunting, they had the potential to join the ranks of the assault team even if it meant they were at the lowest ranks of the team. Maybe Keita with his upbeat personality could even change the elitist attitude of the assault team if he joined. My head lowered as I looked back at the stats of me and my daughter. I had reached level 54 while Kiyo was at level 47. I still didn't have the heart to tell them who we really were. I didn't want the only friends I had in a long time to turn on me and join the blood hunt against Kiyo and I. I wanted to tell the truth, but I couldn't. Kiyo didn't rat us out either. I guess she was just as lonely as I thought. This was a nice change for the both of us, but I knew that the truth would be discovered eventually.

April 18. 2023

Floor 11: Taft

That night, we decided to go over our earnings from the raid. most of the men sat on a bed on one side while me, Sachi, Kiyo and Tetsuo sat on the other, opposite the rest. Keita stood up and made his voice heard.

Keita- I have an announcement. After our latest hunts in the field, we have two hundred thousand Col!

Even my eyes widened at how much we earned in a short amount of time. Kiyo happily clapped her hands in excitement while the others gasped in shock.

Tetsuo- Buying a house now doesn't seem like a pipe dream anymore.

A house? Was that what their current goal was? I had always assumed it was shooting for the ranks of the assault team. Maybe they had this goal before I joined up.

Sasamaru- I know, we should upgrade Sachi's equipment!

Keita- Good idea!

"I also agree. But we also need Sachi's input on this since it's her gear."

I turned my head towards Sachi, who was shaking her head in disagreement. We decided to hear out her disapproval.

Sachi- I'm fine with what I have.

Sasamaru- Oh come on! You know, it's not fair to have Kazzu be out front forever.

Sachi's eyes instantly shot towards me, telling me her apologetic look on her face was real.

"But I'm not the only one in the front. Tetsuo and Kiyo have been helping me too."

Sachi- I'm sorry... I had no idea...

"Don't worry about it Sachi. I'm more than glad to keep defending you. I can say that about each and every one in this group. However..."

She looked at me worried. I wanted to tell her the truth but didn't wish to upset her in front of her friends. In truth, she shouldn't be fighting at all. She's too scared and always freezes during fights. I didn't want the day to come where she would die to a monster simply because she was too afraid to fight.

"Nothing, it's just a weird thought."

Keita- Thanks Kazzu. Sachi, I know switching jobs isn't easy but seriously, you're almost there. You can do it, I know it!

She reluctantly agreed with our red clothed leader but the look on her face when she lowered her head said otherwise. I wanted to find out what was holding her back so I could help her break through it and make her realize her potential. We split off into our own rooms after a while but after tucking Kiyo into bed and turning off the light, I wasn't tired. I had too much flowing around in my brain, so I decided to head back out into the field to clear my head.

April 18, 2023

Floor 28: Wolf Plains

Walking out of the safe zone and into a weirdly quiet hunting ground, I heard growling, barking and grunting all together. Looking over a hill, I noticed seven guys wearing what looked to be red samurai armor fighting red wolves with spikes connected to their spines. Among these seven individuals, two of them caught my attention. The first was Klein, he was in front of a wolf with two others at its side, leading it away from the rest of the group. The other was Kirito. I looked down at him not wearing the guild's armor but still with them as if he was part of the guild. My attention turned back to Klein as he and the two others skidded to a halt, the wolf snaping it's teeth towards them. Klein readied a sword skill, his blade glowing red. A simple slash later and the wolf in front of him was shattered, along with the wolves the rest of his guild were fighting. Kirito walked up to Klein, garnering him a fist bump while they both put their weapons away. It didn't take long for Kirito to notice me, staring down at them with a smirk on my face.

Kirito- Klein, we have company.

Klein looked up my way, which I responded with a simple three finger salute.

Klein- Oh... well hey Kazzu.

Klein turned his head towards the rest of his guild, announcing them to take care of the rest that were deeper within. He then jogged up the hill to join me, Kirito cautiously following suit.

Klein- Man, it's been so long since I've seen you. What, you doing some late night leveling or something?

I didn't respond to him and looked Kirito's direction. His stern look piercing through my own. He motioned to Klein and then shook his head. Klein wasn't aware of what happened on the first floor.

Why? Why keep that information a secret from your party member? I thought everybody besides the Moonlit Black Cats knew about it. Could it be that the news just didn't reach some people?

I shook my head, shaking the thoughts off me for a moment. Klein looked at me with shock as he noticed my guild's icon above my health bar. I noticed the same with Kirito's, only his matched that of Klein's, confirming that he had joined Klein's guild.

Klein- What's with that icon man? Are you in a guild?

"Surprising, isn't it? I could ask the same question to Kirito. I always pegged you for a solo player."

Kirito- Maybe I followed your advice on the first floor. I'm happy to say that Klein accepted me with open arms.

Klein- As open as they can be. If you aren't with us, you're busy fighting with the assault team. How are you strong enough to join them and help us at the same time?

Kirito- I have my ways. Plus, you could always help the assault team yourself.

Klein- I can't force my guild to do that. If they want to sit the boss out, I'll sit it out with them.

One of Klein's guild members declared that the area was clear. I took that as my que to exit. I walked past Klein, bidding him farewell but stopped next to Kirito. We didn't need to look at each other as the feeling we shared were the same: passive, but ready to strike one another if they attacked first. All I said to him before I walked away was...

"Thanks"

April 18, 2023

Floor 11: Taft

After about an hour or two of fighting monsters, I returned to Taft feeling the game's motion of fatigue. It was more like a stiff feeling in my body, but I digress. As I started heading back towards our guild's base of operations, a message icon appeared in front of me. I opened it, reading aloud: "It's Keita. Sachi went off somewhere and hasn't come back yet. The rest of us are heading to a dungeon right now. Could you please let me know if you find anything out?"

"Sachi..."

Opening up my skills menu quickly, I pressed the "Track" skill and focused on Sachi's name. My eyes switching to a bright green hue as I scanned the area around me. I spotted a trail of footprints and followed them, eventually ending at a small underground waterway, where she was sitting all alone.

"Sachi?"

She looked towards me; her face sad but shocked to see me.

Sachi- Kazzu...

"Everyone was worried about you."

She lowered her head at the comment, allowing me to slowly approach her and sit down a few steps away from her. She seemed like she was lost in thought, and I didn't want to invade her personal bubble. She led off another conversation.

Sachi- Hey Kazzu?

"Yea?"

Sachi- We should... run away...

"Run away? What do you mean? From what?"

Sachi- From this town, from the monsters, from the Moonlit Black Cats... and from Sword Art Online too.

I gasped for breath, shocked at her declaration. Was this really what she was thinking about?

"Sachi, are you referring to suicide?"

Sachi- It doesn't seem like a bad idea but, no.

A sigh of relief escaped me. If she was really contemplating suicide, then it's even worse than I thought. It was bad enough that she agreed that it was a viable option.

Sachi- If I had the guts to die, I wouldn't be hiding in town where its safe now would I?

I guess that was true. If she really wanted to take the easy way out, she could've just left town and find the nearest hunting spot to crawl into. But then why was she hiding in the first place?

Sachi- But really, why can't we just leave? Why do we have to die when it's just a stupid game? What's the point of going through this?

I've heard those questions before from other players. It surrounded each and every town I snuck into while gathering food for me and Kiyo. Each time, the players would have their own thoughts, theories or opinions on the matter but none of them connected with what I knew: the truth. I stayed quiet as Sachi continued.

Sachi- I... I'm so afraid of dying in here.

My eyes widened as I shot my head over to her. That was it. That was holding her back. She wasn't afraid of fighting monsters. wasn't afraid of holding her guild back. She was afraid of death. Even as those words left her lips, I could see her whole body shaking, trembling in fear.

"It's really that bad for you, is it?"

Sachi- I'm so scared, to the point where I haven't been getting any sleep lately.

I thought for a moment before making a choice. A choice to offer a promise I did not know if I could keep.

"You're not going to die."

She looked up at me, her question demanding a response.

Sachi- Really? How can you be so sure about that?

"The Black Cats are strong enough as a guild. Besides, a margin of safety is well above the norm. Plus, you have me, Kiyo and Tetsuo out front, so there's no reason to be out on the front lines with us. Besides, the equipment you have isn't best suited for you."

Sachi- What do you mean?

"Judging by your skills on the field that I've seen and with what you just told me, a sword and shield isn't your best bet. A spear and shield is the best gear that you could have. You would be able to hide behind one of us but use the length of the spear to do backup bonus damage. The only problem being that you need to raise your spear skill and shield skill up to a certain degree, otherwise the game won't allow you to use both at the same time as I can."

Sachi- Well my shield skill is up to five hundred thanks to the raids we do. Is that high enough?

"For the shield yes. Now you just need to bring your spear skill up to around three hundred and fifty, then you should be set."

A smile then appeared on her face, looking at me with determination in her eyes.

Sachi- You really think I won't die? Will I make it back to the real world? You'll help me with my skills?

"Of course I will. We'll make it back. We'll beat this game; you and all of your friends will go home, and everything will be as it should. Trust me, ok?"

She took a gasp before smiling at me again, a single tear falling down her cheek.

We walked back to our little base while I escorted Sachi back to her room. Afterwards, I turned to walk to my own room before Sachi had grabbed my arm. I turned to her as her face was now covered cheek to cheek in red.

Sachi- Do you think... you could... stay with me tonight? I don't think I'll be able to get any sleep, despite our talk.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't blushing along with her. I saw no problem staying with her for the night as long as we didn't get... physical. I nodded silently as I walked into her room, taking my place on the right side of her bed. She turned off the lights and joined me on the opposite side, her back turned towards my own.

If I stay in this guild, she will be safe. I'll teach her how to use the spear so she can be comfortable in combat. Then we'll beat this game and make it back to the real world. I only hope that they'll forgive me once we leave.

Peeking back at Sachi, who was fully asleep, I started thinking about how many other players like her were in this game? 

How many people were scared to meet an unfortunate end at the hands of a simulated monster? How could they be so scared of death but, at the same time, be so positive? Positive enough to laugh and cry. I had never really thought about emotion in this game, since I assumed it was abandoned by many players.

The sound of the bed shifting was heard and before I could look back, a small pressure was added on my back. A second later, two more pressures laid flat against my back before griping my shirt and slightly pulling it towards them. Sachi was holding me from behind. She was... embracing me. My cheeks flustered up slightly, but I remained still.

Sachi- Kazzu? Promise me something?

"What is it?"

Sachi- Promise me you'll be there with me at the final moments. Whether I die by a monster or if we beat this game, just promise that you'll be there with me.

I shifted myself to face her. I didn't want her to be saying things like that but her smile... her smile that told me she was happy to be in my presence, even if that meant her death, gave me the instinct to wrap my own arms around her and pull her close. And that I did. I tucked her into my shoulder as I responded to her question.

"I promise."

June 12, 2023

Floor 11: Taft

Keita decided to take the money we had accrued and buy a house. We gave our goodbyes as he teleported away to the Town of Beginnings, leaving the rest of us to figure out what to do.

Sasamaru- Man can you believe it? I can't believe buying a house would be so exciting!

Ducker- Dude, you sound like an old man.

Tetsuo- Hey, while Keita is off buying the house, what do you guys say about going out and gaining some extra cash?

Sachi- Oh, then we could buy furniture!

Ducker- Come on, let's go to a dungeon on a higher floor!

Kiyo and I looked at each other, both getting the same idea and addressing the group.

"We should stick to our normal hunting spots."

Kiyo- We know the areas well and can earn more money without taking up a whole lot of time.

Sasamaru- But up there, we can make more and faster.

Ducker- Yea, thanks to you and Kiyo, at our levels there's nothing we need to worry about.

It seemed like Kiyo and I were outvoted as the group walked towards the teleport gate, even Sachi grabbed our hands and dragged us with her. Granted, they did level up quite a bit but taking on higher leveled dungeons had their own risks. I knew that me and Kiyo could handle them, but they might have more trouble. Kiyo and I would have to check up on each member to make sure they were doing fine, which would slow us down. But sticking together should be enough to get us through the dungeon with little to no injuries. Convincing myself and smiling down at Kiyo, we joined the group as we warped to a higher floor.

June 12, 2023

Floor 27: Dungeon

Shockingly enough, we cleared most of the dungeon without a hitch. Our group being able to overpower the monsters easily, even giving Kiyo and I a chance to go our own way and take a few more monsters out ourselves.

Ducker- See? I told you guys this was going to be cake!

Sasamaru- Maybe we'll be able to get to the front lines sooner!

Ducker- That's what I'm talking about!

He then gets a look of excitement on his face. He sprints towards a wall and presses his hand on it, causing a secret passageway to open up.

Kiyo- Whoa! Secret room!

Ducker- Which means secret treasure!

"Or secret monsters. We should stay alert."

Ducker- Don't worry, we've gotten this far without a problem. A few more monsters won't matter.

That's what had me worried. These guys were getting too cocky, too confident. If this kept up, monsters could use it to their advantage and wipe them all out. With Kiyo following my advice, we both kept our defenses up as the door fully opened, revealing a small room with a single treasure chest inside.

Ducker- A treasure chest! Woohoo!

Ducker, Tetsuo and Sasamaru ran into the room, leaving me Sachi and Kiyo outside. I analyzed the situation: Hidden room, small space, single chest. It seemed all too convenient for it to just be a hidden treasure room. My theory was confirmed as I activated a skill: "Trap Detection". Before I could call out to the group, Ducker had knelt down in front of the chest. A small click could be heard as I ran into the room followed by Sachi and Kiyo. The click didn't open the chest, instead turning the room around us red with an ear bursting alarm blaring around us.

Shit!

"Everyone, circle up! Back-to-back!"

They quickly followed my orders, joining each other in a circle as the door behind us slammed shut. Two more hidden passageways opened up, allowing small, armored goblin creatures to file in along with several rock golems which teleported in. We were completely surrounded.

"It's a trap! Hurry, let's get out of here!"

Everyone quickly grabbed small blue teleport crystals and tried to escape with no avail. They weren't working.

Ducker- Teleport, Taft!

Sachi- We can't use our crystals...

"They're probably being blocked by the walls..."

Damn it! We have to get out of here now! If any of these monsters hit them, they're toast. Think Kazzu think!

I had no time as the monsters started to charge at us. Kiyo and I were able to hold some off on our own but got distracted as we heard Ducker hit the ground. Four of the armored goblins started attacking him while he was down, causing us to rush after him. Kiyo was able to get two of them off as I took care of the other two, bashing one away with my shield and impaling the other with my spear. The effort turned out to be in vain as Ducker's health hit zero, forcing him to shatter. Ducker had died before we could heal him.

No...

Kiyo- Papa! Tetsuo's in trouble!

I shot over to Tetsuo's location and saw him being overwhelmed by rock golems. I left Kiyo to ensure the rest of the groups safety while I rushed over and stood in between the golems and Tetsuo. Unfortunately for the both of us, the golems long arms were able to hit us both sending us flying backwards. Looking over at Tetsuo, his health ran dry as he shattered as well.

No, no, no....

Landing on my feet, ready to attack again, Sasamaru rushed in and impaled one of the golems in the stomach. The attack did nothing as the golem swiped him away as if he was nothing. He shattered in midair as his spear hit the ground with a clank.

No, no, no, no!

Ducker, Tetsuo, Sasamaru... three of the guild members were killed like flies in a matter of seconds. This filled me with rage. Seeing my friends die at the hands of these monsters caused me to slaughter a few of them, not caring if they landed a hit or two on me.

Kiyo... Sachi... I have to find them both!

Luckily for me, I found them both fending off the monsters. Kiyo did so with ease as she was swift enough to evade and attack quickly while Sachi remained frozen while blocking an attack. She looked me in the eyes. Panic, fear, despair filled her eyes as she shoved the monster back.

"Sachi!"

I couldn't get closer as monsters continued to surround me. Slashing and thrusting through their digitized bodies inched me closer and closer to her. She reached her hand out to me as to reach out for salvation, for safety and then time froze. My eyes widened as I noticed a golem that had slipped by Kiyo and was ready to smack Sachi in the back. Knowing the damage that this golem would do, I knew that a hit from that creature would kill Sachi in a second. It was pointless. She was doomed. Her fate sealed to be killed in this very room. There was nothing I could do. Sachi, the one person who fully opened up to me, who fully trusted me to keep a promise I knew I couldn't keep and the one person who I liked, was going to die.

No...

"NO!"

My voice echoed as my sword and shield vanished back into my inventory. Where I was once surrounded by monsters, I was now standing in front of Sachi holding my arms out to protect her and without noticing my glowing gold hands, I raised my fist towards the monster and punctured through its abdomen and out the other side. The monster let out a groan as it started to shatter.

You're not dying yet you bastard!

I used this second wind of mine to hurl the monster towards the door that had trapped us in here. The force of the monster broke through the door, shattering both it and the monster. Seeing this opportunity, I grabbed both Sachi and Kiyo by the arm and ran out of the room and towards the exit, the monsters following behind us but not being able to catch us as we all left the dungeon.

June 12, 2023

Floor 11: Taft

Nothing was said between the three of us as we slowly walked around Taft, looking for Keita so we could break the heavy and dire news. It only took us a minute to find him looking over a stone railing, staring at the sunset. As we approached him, I slowly motioned to Sachi and Kiyo to stay behind. I wanted to tell him the truth myself, the full truth.

"Keita...?"

Keita turned around with a smile on his face and a keyring in his hand. It had seven keys, each of the guild members names etched on them. My heart started to crush over spotting that little detail.

Keita- Kazzu, Sachi, Kiyo! I got the keys for our house! Where is the rest of the gang?

This sent Sachi into deeper sadness as she fell on her knees and started crying, Kiyo comforting her.

Keita- Whoa Sachi are you ok? What's going on?

"Keita... I have some bad news..."

Keita- Bad news... what do you...?

"The rest of the group died in a secret room on floor twenty-seven. We went to fight monsters on that floor so we could gain more Col quicker. The plan went sideways when we found and entered a secret room with a treasure chest. The group got surrounded and... they killed them. Those monsters killed Ducker... Tetsuo... Sasamaru... all three of them... I tried to save them, but I couldn't."

His happy expression turned broken hearted. He dropped the keys in his hand and started trembling, realizing the seriousness in my voice.

Keita- No... No! They can't be dead! No!

"There's more Keita. I... have been keeping something secret from you... from all of the Moonlit Black Cats..."

He looks at me with his eyes puffy and wide, waiting for my confession. Nothing was said as I handed him a newsletter talking about me, the "Dark Prince of Aincrad", announcing to destroy anyone in my way on my quest to kill my own father. He traded glances at me and the newsletter before standing up in rage and throwing a crumbled-up paper ball at my chest.

Keita- You bastard! You're the Dark Prince! You're Kayaba's son! You had no right to be with us! You and your corrupted daughter!

As much as I wanted to correct him in insulting my daughter, I stayed quiet as his rage built up. He didn't say anything as he turned towards the railing. He stepped on top of it and leaned forward, starting to fall. Sachi looked at him scared and terrified.

Sachi- Keita!

His feet barely left the railing before I grabbed him and pulled him away, both of us tumbling on the ground. He stood up with a growl and before he could speak, I interrupted him.

"Don't throw yourself away because of my arrogance. If anything, stay alive for Sachi. She'll need a friend, otherwise she'll follow in your footsteps and end her own life."

A pause between us ensued. He opened his menu and within seconds, the guild's name and icon disappeared from me and Kiyo's health bars. He made his way over to Sachi while Kiyo ran to my side.

Keita- Both of you, never show your faces around us again. We'll both get stronger, and I promise you, if I see you again, I will see to it that you die by my hand Kazzu Akihiko.

Not another word was said from either party as they walked away. I glanced over at Sachi one last time, her back turned to me. I didn't care if they resented me, hated me or wanted me dead, I just wanted them to remain alive. I owe it to them to bring them back to the real world, especially now that their friends were gone. I owe a lot more than that to them.

Ducker... Sasamaru... Tetsuo... I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me...

December 24, 2023

Floor 49: Mugien

Several months had passed since my exile from the Moonlit Black Cats. Life moved on for me and Kiyo, even though the torment of most of their deaths remained in my mind. I haven't been able to get a full night's rest because of it. I had spent each day looking for a way to turn back time and revive at least one of their lost friends. All of my time searching for an answer always led towards a dead end until today.

Kiyo and I were in the center of town, sitting on a bench nearby a giant decorated Christmas tree. Kiyo kept looking around until her upbeat voice called out towards the crowd.

Kiyo- Hey there Miss Argo!

Argo, with her hood up, walked up towards me and my daughter. She patted Kiyo's head and stood behind me, leaning on the bench.

Argo- I hear someone's been taking risks with their level raising. Too much of a risk for you to be with your daughter.

"What me and my daughter do with our lives is our concern. As I recall, those risks have provided you with plenty of information to sell to other players. Speaking of information, you have something for me or not Rat?"

Kiyo- Papa... please... no need to be so mean.

Argo- It's ok kid. I understand why he's mad. But you should listen to your daughter Kaz.

"Argo..."

Argo- Alright, alright. This info is really nothing worth charging you money for.

"A lot of info brokers would be pissed that you're giving information away for free, especially to me."

Kiyo- Papa! Language!

I ignored her comment. I had no time to waste if this information even had a sliver of truth behind it.

Argo- This wasn't in the beta smart guy; it's a first-time event. How am I supposed to know what will happen? All I know is that tonight on Christmas Eve, the event boss is going to appear. He's called "Nicholas the Renegade" and he's going to show up under a fern tree somewhere. All of the major guilds are looking for the tree as we speak.

Not on my watch. If anyone is going to find Nicholas, it was going to be me.

I stood up and motioned Kiyo to follow me. Argo took note of this and stepped in front of me.

Argo- Say, you wouldn't happen to know where it is do you?

"What does it matter? Even if I give the information to you, who is to say that the event will happen again? The information would be useless to sell off."

Argo- Are you thinking of fighting him with you two alone?

I walked around her and started making my way through town, thinking to myself.

In this world, the dead can never return to life. I heard a rumor though: If you beat Nicholas the Renegade, he'll drop an item that can revive a dead player. If this was true, I could at least give Sachi and Keita one of their friends back. I wanted to do this alone, but Kiyo insisted that, even though we would be going on a suicide mission, that family should stick together during Christmas. I wasn't going to deny her request, as I had no idea if she also felt guilty for the deaths in that dungeon.

My thoughts replayed the deaths in my head, the terror in Sachi's eyes piercing my own and the feeling I had when Keita tried to kill himself. I didn't save him just to save him. When I pulled him back, I was thinking of Sachi. If she was left all alone, she would've joined her friends and found an easy way out. I didn't want that. Not for her, not for anybody.

It's my fault. My arrogance killed all of them. All of my ex-guild members and every single dead player in this game were due to me. If only I had tried harder to stop my father, they would be alive today.

December 24, 2023

Floor 35: Forest Maze

My thoughts had put me on auto pilot as me and Kiyo entered a frosty snow-covered forest. Kiyo had taken lead with a small map we had made on this floor some time ago.

Kiyo- If it's the fern tree we think it is, we should keep heading north.

"Good job Kiyo. Let's get..."

Kiyo- Papa... I hear something... to our right.

I shot my glance over to my right and pulled out my sword, raising my shield high and getting ready for an ambush. My stance remained firm as Kirito, Klein and their guild members appeared. Kiyo had lowered her defenses slightly and smiled at the friendly faces.

Kiyo- Hi Mister Kirito, Mister Klein!

Klein- What's up?

Kirito- Hey...

"You two seriously followed me?"

Klein- Of course, you're after the revival item, aren't you?

"Yea. I am. What of it?"

Kirito- It's suicide.

Klein- Don't go risking your life for a rumor that could turn out to be bogus. Man, you should know, you can't be messing around in this death game. Once your HP hits zero that's it. In the real world your brain gets...

"Shut up. I know how the damn game works. I helped build it"

Klein- I'm just trying to get you and Kiyo to stop with your stupid soloing! Come on, join up with us. Kirito told us the truth about you, but we know that you aren't like your dad. Plus, whoever gets the monster to drop the revival item gets to keep it no hard feelings. That's fair, isn't it?

"But then there would be no point. Hell, I barely wanted Kiyo to join me in this. Plus, if any of you got the item, I would have no idea what you could use it on. I have to do this alone. And if you plan on getting in my way..."

Kiyo- Papa...

I ignored her again as I pointed my sword towards the guild. They took up defensive positions but both Klein and Kirito motioned them to stand down.

Klein- Think about what you're doing Kazzu, it's suicide and I can't let you die like that. Come on man!

Kirito- Just let us help you, even if it's just this once.

Before I could charge at them, more players started to teleport in. They surrounded the other guild, forcing them to circle around me.

"Looks like you two were followed as well."

Klein- Uh huh, it sure looks that way.

Kirito- I should have known...

Guild Member #1- It's the Holy Dragon Alliance!

Guild Member #2- They'll do anything for a rare item, no matter how shady!

Kiyo- Sound's like bad news Papa! What do we do?

"You bastards... you won't stop me..."

Klein and Kirito pulled out their swords and stood directly in front of Kiyo and I, blocking any direct assault from the Holy Dragon Alliance.

Klein- Screw these guys! Get out of here Kazzu!

Kirito- You can go take out the boss, Kiyo can stay and fight with us!

"What!? No way what if..."

Kiyo's small hand grabbing mine stopped my objection. She pulled out her dagger and smiled up at me.

Kiyo- Papa, the loss of the Moonlit Black Cats has hurt us both... But I can see that you feel responsible. As much as I can try, I can't convince you that their deaths weren't your fault. So let me help you find your redemption. We'll handle it here. Go show that boss how strong you really are!

Her words amazed me. A girl of her age, being able to tell how I feel based on the looks on my face. I smiled as I patted her head.

"Ok. Stay close to Kirito and Klein and listen to what they say ok? If your health gets low, run away understand?"

Kiyo- Yes sir!

I stood back up and glared at the Holy Dragon Alliance. If these corrupt knights thought they would stop me gaining my only means of redemption, they were dead wrong. I turned tail and bolted straight to the boss room, leaving my daughter, Klein and Kirito to defend me and buy me time. As I approached the fern tree, I noticed that nice glowing white and light blue lights reflected off of it. Were this not a serious situation, I would love to bring Kiyo here and enjoy time with her, making snow angels, making forts and having snowball fights. Loud bells broke my concentration as they echoed throughout the entire forest. Following suit were the rings of sleigh bells. Looking up, I noticed two bright lights leaving behind a white trail in the sky. Something had jumped off of those lights and landed in front of me with a crash. After the snow settled, there stood a pale blue skinned giant with a giant axe and eyes staring off in different directions. It's health bar appeared: "Nicholas the Renegade".

"There you are you holly jolly creep. Let's do this!"

Its roar was matched with my own battle cry. We readied our weapons and charged at each other, our weapons glowing under the frost filled sky.

30 Minutes Later

It took a lot out of them, but Klein, Kiyo, Kirito and the rest of the guild managed to fend off the Holy Dragon Alliance long enough for me to walk out of the boss zone, my face depleted of emotion and the item gripped tightly in my hand.

Kiyo- Papa!

Kiyo ran up to me and gave me the tightest bear hug an eight-year-old could give me. Klein and Kirito lit up slightly, seeing my appearance.

Klein- Kazzu!

Kirito- Hey!

Their faces looked shocked upon meeting my own. I threw the item on the ground in between them, both of them staring at it and me confused.

"There... that's the revival item..."

They both pressed their fingers on it, revealing the item description.

Kirito- Alright...

Klein- Let's see here. It says must administer to affected player... within ten seconds!?

Kirito- What!?

Kiyo- Ten seconds!? That's barely enough time to pull the item out of your inventory!

"If someone dies in front of either of you two someday... make sure you use it..."

Kiyo- Papa... what about the...

"Don't say it Kiyo... just... don't..."

Nothing else left my lips as I turned my back to them all. I was about to walk away before two hands grabbed my sleeve. Assuming it was Kiyo, I turned around slowly in order to pick her up and go home. I was a little surprised to see both Klein and Kirito.

Kirito- Kazzu...

Klein- Listen. Stay alive, you hear? I don't care how you do it but just stay alive, to the end!

Kirito- Besides, if anything in this game is going to take you down it's going to be me. So... just hang in there until we have our fight, alright?

I said nothing as Kiyo held my hand was walked with me out of the forest. Little did I know that Klein had started crying and Kirito had a change in heart.

December 24, 2023

Floor 49: Mugien

Returning back to town and finding a place to stay, I left Kiyo to tuck herself in while I locked myself in my own room, head down on a desk on the verge of tears.

Even after all this time... after all this effort to redeem myself and make amends... I can't even revive a player who hasn't immediately died in front of me! If this was a joke played by my father, then it was extremely cruel.

The silence was broken with a repeating beeping noise right in front of me. Not wanting to hear it anymore, I clicked it: "Gift Box from Sachi". My eyes widened at the name. I quickly shot up and pressed the notification. A small prism like object floated to me and landed in my hands.

"A message item...?"

Pressing the button on top of the prism, it started to glow as small yellow orbs appeared inside it, showing off the prisms blue outline.

Sachi- Merry Christmas Kazzu.

"Sachi..."

Sachi- If Kiyo is there with you then I wish her a Merry Christmas as well! By the time you hear this, I will probably be dead...

I quickly checked my "Players" menu and saw that Sachi's name was still on the list, clarifying that she was still alive. I gave off a relieved sigh and continued the message.

Sachi- How can I explain this? Let's see... To tell you the truth, I never really wanted to leave the Town of Beginnings and I knew that if I fought with an attitude like that, I would end up dying someday. But if that did happen, it's not anyone's fault. It's something I have to deal with. Kazzu, ever since that night that you found me, you kept telling me that I wasn't going to die no matter what. But what if, despite your promise, I died anyway? I knew that if I died you would blame yourself. That's why I decided to record this for you.

My eyes started to water. Her words weren't just reflecting her own, but it sounded as if she was making this message regardless of who died: Her, her guild or any other player.

Sachi- By the way, I know how powerful you and Kiyo really are. Sorry, but I sort of peeked at your stats while you weren't looking. I wondered why you two never told the truth about what leveled player you two really were. I wondered why you two decided to fight with us. I eventually put two and two together and realized your namesake. I never knew that I was fighting alongside the co-creator of this game. I had heard the rumors that you were nothing but evil incarnate but, after you saved us from the labyrinth where we first met, I knew the rumors were false. When I figured out how strong you were, I don't know, it made me so happy. I felt relieved. So even if I die... even if any of us die... promise me that you and Kiyo will go on living. Stay alive so you two can see the end of this world and discover the truth as to why it was created. Find out why a weakling like me ended up in here. Find out the reason that you and I met. And... if you can... find out the reason why I fell in love with you.

A gasp escaped my lips as my eyes widened at her confession.

She... had loved me? A person who knew who I truly was, knew my past and my sins had still had the heart to love someone like me? 

A few drops of water fell down my eyebrows as her declaration of love reached my ears.

Sachi- Oh, it seems like I have a little more time. Seeing as it'll be Christmas and everything, I'll sing you a song.

The noises around me suddenly drew silent as her voice filled the air. It was gentle, soft, quiet and sweet.

Sachi- Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer,

Had a very shiny nose.

And if you ever saw it,

You would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer,

Used to laugh and call him names.

They never let poor Rudolf,

Join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve,

Santa came to say.

Rudolf with your nose so bright,

Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

Then how the reindeer loved him,

As they shouted out with glee.

Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer,

You'll go down in history.

As the song ended, my cheeks were covered by small, silent rivers of tears. She had forgiven me. Even though my efforts were in vain, she had forgiven me.

Sachi- Anyway Kazzu, Kiyo. I'm so glad I met you two and that I could be with the both of you, even if it's for a little while. And Kazzu? If we ever meet again, I want to be able to look you in the eyes and tell you just how much I love you. But until that time comes... thank you... I love you... goodbye...

The message stopped glowing and fell on the desk with a thud, disappearing into my inventory. The sounds of my silent crying were the only thing that could be heard for the rest of the night.