Yo, guys! I'm back with an all new chapter for you! Thank you all for the review! *Sob* *Sob* I just can't believe my eyes... Thank you all once again! 

Now, let me explain a bit, 'Hero Skill', is a skill that only those who meet the requirements can recieve, and they need a trigger event, like Shoto with Claire, to even get the chance to learn the skill. And if the players were to break one of the requirements, the skill would dissapear, forever.

Anyway, this chapter is the chap what you Sachi fans been waiting for! I'll try to balance both Shoto and Kirito role, so I hope you guys like this chapter!

 By the way, got any advice for this fic cover?

(Opening Theme)

------------------------

XXX

Floor 11: Taft

"Here's to us! The Moonlit Black Cats! Cheers!"

""""Cheers!""""

A group of five people cheered at a large table, raising their silver cups.

"And here's to Kirito-san and Shoto-san, the two people who saved our lives! Cheers!" One of the five people, a blond hair male, wearing a black beanie, orange cloak, gray armor, yellow shirt and brown pants said.

""""Cheers!""""

"C-cheers.." Kirito said awkwardly, a little not used of being with many people. Right now, our two heroes were at a small tavern in the town, cheering with the group of five people they saved at the forest a moment ago.

"..." Shoto, who was sitting beside Kirito, only stayed silent as he had his head on the table.

"You two saved us!"

"Thank you!"

"Thank you."

"Thank you so much!"

"Oh, it was nothing." Kirito said, waving his hand.

" I was really scared." The female of the five people said, she had black hair, green eyes, and she wore a blue armor with a light blue clothing inside, she also wore long white gloves and a blue skirt. "Then when you two came and saved me, I was really glad." The girl said, wiping some of her tears from her left eye.

"S-sure..."

"Um... Kirito-san, I know this is really rude to ask, but what level are you two at?" One of the five people asked, this one was a redish brown haired male, wearing a full set iron armor with crimson shirt inside and black pants.

Kirito looked away. "We're level 20 or so." He then looked at his HP bar and saw the word 'LV 40' under his health bar.

"Hee... That isn't too far from us, its really amazing that its only you two."

"Keita, you don't need to be so polite, the two of us can't really target many many enemies at once, that's why we usualy hunt small groups of enemies or isolated enemies, it isn't that efficient." Kirito said to the male, now identified as Keita.

"Oh... oh I see... by the way... what happened to your friend? He hasn't spoken or moved since we got here."

Kirito and the rest of the people looked at Shoto. "Hey... are you okay? You've been silent since we arrived and I'm getting worried." Kirito said, knowing his hyper friend can't just stay there doing nothing in one place for too long, and this was long enough. "Shoto?"

"Uhm... Leave me alone..." Shoto said.

"Don't tell me you're still upset about that 'jumping from hill and crashed into a pond' incident?" Kirito asked.

"You wouldn't understand..." Shoto said. "Every hero's grand entrance is their most important thing... and if its ruined, its like seeing your last bon-bon get eaten by someone else!" Shoto said as dark clouds started to appear over his head. "Even after I got out from the pond, I somehow got tripped by a banana peel and fell down the small slope... Its so un-hero like! And how the heck did a banana peel even get there?"

Everyone looked at Shoto with a sweatdrop. Before Kirito could lift Shoto's spirit back, a girl's voice cut him off.

"No!" Shoto lifted his head a little to see the out burst. "E-even though you came rolling down the slope, you rescued us, fighting off the mantis until Kirito-san arrived... thats why, you're still our hero!" The only female of the five group said.

"Yeah!"

"She's right Shoto-san."

"We're still gratefull." Everyone agreed with her.

"Everyone..." Shoto whispered, finally lifting his head up. "Thanks!" Shoto then began to shed 'Manly' tears, as he whipped it off with his hand. "Now that that's out of the way...Waiter! Give me some food!"

Everyone laughed and Kirito shook his head at his friend's quick recover.

"In that case." Keita said after watching Shoto recover. "Shoto, Kirito, what would you think about joining our guild?" Kirito and Shoto looked at him in surprise. "The only one that we have who can occupy as a vanguard is Tetsuo, a mace user." He pointed to the purple wearing member of the group and then walked towards the only female in the group and patted her head. " Her name is Sachi, I'd planned to have her switch to sword and shield use so she could fight in the front." He said as he kept patting her. "But she said she isn't really sure how, so do you two think you can show her the ropes?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm useless." The girl, Sachi, said as she moved to the side a step out of Keita's hand reach. "I can't go out and fight in the front rank, I'd be scared."

"Just hide behind your shield!" One of the group, a brown hair male wearing a iron breastplate with purple cloth and black pants, Tetsuo, said.

"You've always been a scaredy-cat." Keita said.

"Booo..." Sachi poofed her cheeks at that remark, everyone else excluding Shoto and Kirito, laughed at that.

"Everyone from our guild, is from our school's PC research club. Ah... but don't worry, you two will fit in soon, right?" Keita asked the rest of his guild's mates as they all nodded their heads.

Kirito and Shoto looked at each other, "It's your call, pal." Shoto said.

"... Are you sure?" Kirito whispered.

"I'll stand with you."

Kirito then went silent, thinking the offer very hard, on one hand, he and Shoto will gain the allies that could maybe understand them... on the other hand, there's a big chance they will all die, and the last thing they want is to see friends die in front of them.

After a long silent, he finally answered. "Okay... then we will join after all." Kirito looked at them all. "Thanks."

Shoto grinned, he then also looked at them all and put a good guy's pose, with the thumb up and toothy grin. "Please take care of us!"

Everyone smiled widely and crowded the two. "Let's all do our best!"

Shoto and Kirito looked at each other with a smile, and raised their hands. ""Bro fist.""

------------------------

XXX

Floor 20: Sunlit Forest

"Hyah!" A brown haired male wearing a white hat, a iron breast plate, green cloth and dark green pants thursted his spear into the monster 'Praying Mantis', he was Sasamaru, one of the member of the 'Black Cats of the Full Moon', the guild Shoto and Kirito had joined.

Right now, Shoto and Kirito with their newly joined group were hunting plus training at the forest that they all met at for the first time, and Kirito tried to teach Sachi how to be a vanguard.

The monster hissed as it backed away, Sachi moved up forward slowly to attack, but the monster roared at her, Sachi raised her shield and backed away in fright, the green wearing spearman thursted his spear again, but this time the monster instead of backing away, slashed at Sachi pushing her back, the monster prepared another slash but a knife imbulged itself on its left eye stopping it, courtesy of Shoto as the monster hissed in pain.

"Sachi, get back!" Kirito said from the rear as he moved up to the front, the mantis raised one of its bladed arm to attack again, but Kirito cut its arm, the mantis hissed in pain as it looked at Kirito and raised its other arm, Kirito, knowing what will happen, countered it by knocking back the mantis's arm. "Tetsuo! Switch!"

"Right!" Tetsuo dashed forward, weapon shining signaling his attack. "Hyaaah!" Tetsuo struck the mantis's body with his mace, kiling it.

Congratulations!

Lv Up! Tetsuo

22 – 23

"All right!" Tetsuo cheered as the other congratulated him.

Kirito smiled, watching the other as Shoto put Tetsuo in a headlock and congratulating him.

---------------------------

XXX

"So the lead group made it through to floor 28..." Keita said as he read a newspaper called 'Weekly Argo', a newspaper that tells the players about what's going on in this world. "Amazing... Hey Kirito, whats the difference between us and the lead group?"

Right now, the group are resting after a long hunt, Kirito and Keita were resting near a cliff edge, Kirito was sitting and eating his ration bar, while Keita was lying down reading his newspaper.

"They know all the fastest way to get EXP, and they don't share them." Kirito answered, swallowing his last bite.

Keita sighed. "I'm sure that's part of it, but I think its willpower."

"Willpower?"

Keita stood up. "You might say its a determenation to protect one's friend... no, everyone." He looked at Kirito. "Right now, they're still protecting us, but I'd like to think my will is just as strong." Keita looked at the others, who were resting at a higher edge of the cliff. "Naturally, our first priority is our friend's safety, but someday, we want to make it up there, to the top, with everyone else."

Kirito looked at the others, who right now were joking around, with Shoto wrestling with Tetsuo and the others watching them laughing.

"I see... You started to sound like Shoto." Kirito said, looking at the sky.

"Eh?! Really?"

"Yeah, he really likes saying stuff like that."

"Yeah, so what?" Kirito looked behind him to see Shoto dashing towards him, before he could evade, Shoto had put him into a headlock.

Keita laughed at the sight. "Hey leader, looking good!" Keita looked behind him only to see the orange cloak member of the group, Ducker, putting him into a headlock.

"So we're going to be up there with the 'Holy Dragon Alliance' and the 'Knights of the Blood Oath'?" Tetsuya asked as he and the others came down towards them.

"So what? There's nothing wrong setting up high goals, first we reach lv 30." Keita said still in a headlock.

"What? That's impossible."

"Yeah right!"

"That's some goal, leader!"

"Shoto! Get off me!" Kirito said, trying, and failing, to escape from his blonde friend.

Shoto only laughed and let Kirito go, and watching the group. "You know, if the 'Black Cats' ever do grow up, and make it to the front lines, Keita's ideals may change the insular atmosphere up there."

Kirito nodded. "Yeah... I really hope they do survive..." Kirito looked away, looking at his still secret lv.

"We should tell them about our lv." Shoto adviced.

"We will... Eventualy, but for now, let it be."

Shoto sighed, looking at his lv 40 words below his HP bar. "Alright."

-----------------------

XXX

Floor 11: Taft

"I have an annoucement for you!" Keita said, gaining all the members attention. Right now, they were at an inn room, gathering for the annoucement. "As of our last hunt, we saved 20.000 coins!"

"Woah!"

"Awesome!"

"Before too long, we'll be able to buy our own house." Tetsuya said.

"Hey hey! Why don't we get more equipment for Sachi?" The green spearman of the group said.

"Yeah!" Keita agreed.

"No." Sachi shook her head. "I'm fine as I am."

"Don't worry about it." Sasamaru said. "Besides, we can't make Kirito and Shoto protect us forever."

"I'm sorry you two." Sachi said to the two boys.

"We don't mind." Kirito said.

"Yeah! One of the comrades' job is to keep they're comrades away from harm! Besides, its what a Hero does!" Shoto said with a thumbs up.

"Sorry about that you two." Keita looked at Sachi. "Sachi, I know its hard to change jobs, but you're almost there, let's all do our best!"

Sachi nodded, but she looked down on the floor, her bangs covered her eyes.

-----------------------

XXX

Night had come, All the members of the guild 'Black Cats' has gone to sleep, all but two people.

"So we're going to Wolf Plains?" Shoto asked as they were walking through town.

"Yeah... We need to train, killing low lv enemy won't make us stronger." Kirito answered.

"I don't like doing things in secret from the others like this..."

"I don't like it either, but we need to get stronger so we could protect them all."

Shoto nodded in understanding.

------------------------

Floor 28: Wolf Plains

"There's a fight..." Kirito said as he and Shoto walked in the moonlight.

"Yeah..." Shoto said, hearing the roaring and the growling of wolves.

The two of them arrived at a hill, below them are were players wearing Japanese armors and weapons with all red cloth beneath the armor and one familiar player fighting one giant 'Crimson Wolf' and some ordinary crimson wolfs.

"Klein..." Kirito whispered.

Klein, the novice they helped when they were still lv 1, was now a skilled player with impressive combination with his team. He finish the giant 'Crimson Wolf' in one slash from his katana.

Klein released his breath in relief, he then noticed the two figures at the hill. "Oh? Its Kirito and Shoto! Oy, you guys clean up the rest of the trash mobs."

"Sure!" One of Klein's crew said.

"I was thinking I hadn't seen you two in a while! You two out leveling this late?" Klein asked as he walked closer and stopped in front of them, but then he noticed something, a mark above both Shoto and Kirito HP bar. "That mark... Did you two joined a guild?"

"Yeah I guess.." Kirito answered, looking away.

"Yeah! And this guild will be the best!" Shoto said grinning.

"Hey! We can move on!" Klein's guild members said, finishing the last enemy.

Kirito started to walk away past Klein with a yawn, Shoto following behind him. "See you." Kirito said.

"See you around Klein." Shoto said his goodbye, following Kirito.

"Yeah..." Klein looked at Kirito. "Geez... You still bothered with that?"

------------------------

XXX

Floor 11: Taft

A ball of light appeared on the town portal, and when it fade an orange wearing male came out. "Man... That Kirito sure worked hard..." Shoto said as he walked through town and entering an alley way. "Either he wants to be alone, or he just in a mood to hunt... His guilt of Klein is eating away at him." Shoto then arrived at a black smith shop in the alley. "Yo it's me, open up!" Shoto said, knocking the door until a *Click* sound was heard and an elderly man appeared.

"Oh... its you kid." The man said.

"Yeah, is my order done?"

The man nodded and went inside, a few minutes later he came out, carrying a wooden box. "Here."

Shoto took the box and opened it, smiling at the content. "Thanks old man."

The old man shook his head. "I'm not that old, but thanks kid, come again." The man said as he closed and locked the door.

Shoto turned around and left the alley way, ready to return to the inn, that is until a message from Keita appeared. Shoto blinked. 'A message from Keita?' Shoto thought as he opened the message. "Sachi left and hasn't return, we're heading out to the dungeon area, if you learn anything, let me know." Shoto read the message in his mind.

"Sachi..." Shoto whispered. He opened his skill menu, and selected 'Track.' Shoto's eyes went green and so did his vision, Shoto inhaled, searching for Sachi's scent, he found it, as well as her foot prints. Shoto then quickly ran, following her scent and the foot prints.

-------------------------

Taft Bridge Sewer

Sachi was under the bridge sewer, sitting there while holding her knees up, away from everything else only hearing the calm sound of the flowing water.

"Sachi." Sachi instantly looked towards the person who called her.

"Shoto..." She whispered, looking at the now wet blond standing there.

"How come you ran off? Everyone's worried." Shoto said walking closer, Sachi only looked away and hugged her knees tighter. Shoto then stopped near her and sat down.

"Hey Shoto... Let's run away together."

Shoto choked on his saliva. "*Cough* *Cough* Run away from what?" Shoto asked taking out a sweet bar.

"From this town... from the monsters... from the Kuroneko... from Sword Art Online."

Shoto choked on his saliva again, and accidentally dropped his last sweet bar into the water.

"D-do you mean a double suicide?!"

Sachi smiled a hollow smile. "That might be okay."

"What?!"

Sachi shook her head. "No, sorry, that was a lie. If I had the courage to die, I wouldn't hide in the safety of the town, would I?"

Shoto just smiled at her awkwardly.

"Hey, why can't we leave this place?" Shoto lost his smile. "Why do we have to die even though this is just a game? What's the point of all this?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Shoto said looking at the flowing water. "But I don't think there's a point."

"I'm afraid of dying." Sachi said, looking at the water.

Shoto looked at her in surprise. "You're afraid of dying?"

"I'm so scared, I haven't been able to sleep lately..."

"You won't die." Sachi looked at Shoto with surprise.

"Really? How can you say so for sure?"

"The black cats guild is a strong guild, our margin of safety is well above average, and Tetsuo, Kirito, and I are here. There's no need for you to force yourself to the front ranks, we three can take them all on!" Shoto said with a grin.

"I really don't have to die?" Sachi asked. "Will I get back to reality someday?"

Shoto nodded with his grin intact. "Yeah, you won't have to die, as long as I live, I won't let you die! So just shout my name and I'll come running!"

Sachi looked at him in surprise and smiled as tears started to roll down her eyes. "Thank you..."

"Don't mention it!" Shoto said with a thumbs up, but then he remembered something. "Ah!? My last sweet bar got taken away by the water!" Shoto looked at the water. "Noooo!" Shoto cried in depression, but then stopped as a sweet bar appeared in his vision. "Huh?"

"You can have mine." Sachi said, extending her hand. "Here."

Shoto looked at her like she was some kind of angel. "Thank you!" Shoto took the bar and ate it like a chipmunk. Sachi giggled while watching him eating the sweet.

"By the way Shoto, why are you wet?"

Shoto looked down on himself and looked away. "W-Well I uh... tripped over a banana peel on my way here and fell into the water..."

Sachi blinked, and blinked, then she laughed loudly.

"It's not funny!" Shoto said swinging his arms in a comical way, but stopped as he looked at the happy laughing face of Sachi and smiled.

----------------------

Diamond Inn

Shoto sighed as he lied down on the bed, after finding Sachi, he messaged the others that Sachi was fine, the good thing is that the others didn't ask too many things, if they did, it would have put Sachi in an awkward position. Right now Shoto only wore a red shirt with a orange dragon and black pants, he yawned, preparing to sleep but a knock on the door stopped him as he stood up. "Come in."

The door opened revealing Sachi carrying a pillow and wearing a white sleeping gown. Shoto blinked at the sight, and he looked away with a red face. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't get to sleep."

Shoto blinked as he looked at her in shock.

-----------------------

Later that night...

Shoto couldn't sleep, he never EVER fell asleep with a girl by his side. Beside him was Sachi, who Shoto though was sleeping. "There are a lots of players like Sachi who are afraid of dying... But they cry, laugh, and live as best as they can in this world... That's why we have to finish this game! One way or another!"

"Shoto?"

Shoto looked beside him at the awake Sachi, and smiled. "Don't worry, You're going to survive."

Sachi smiled at him with a red face as she tried to get back to sleep. He then heard her whisper, "Goodnight...Big Brother. Thanks for today."

Shoto looked over at the now sleeping girl in shock, before he smiled. "Night, Little Sis." 

Shoto then dropped his smile as he looked towards the roof. 'As long as we're here... we'll protect you all.' Shoto thought to himself.

In another room, Kirito also thought of the same thing. Sworing of not making the same mistake with Klein.

--------------------------

XXX

"Well then, I'll be going!" Keita said to the others as he stood in front of the town portal. "Teleport! Town of Begginings!" With that said, he dissapeared.

"I can't believe buying our own house feels this exciting!" Sasamaru the green spearman said.

"You sound like an old man!" Ducker said as he hit Sasamaru playfully. The others only laughed at that.

"Hey! Let's make some cash while Keita's buying the house!" Tetsuo suggested.

"Will we buy furniture?" Sachi asked feeling excited.

"Want to get up to the dungeon?" Ducker asked.

"Wouldn't our usual hunting ground be better?" Kirito asked, feeling slightly worried.

"Yeah, I don't really like the dungeon that much... Too many traps and creepy places." Shoto said, shivering slightly at the creepy places part.

"We can do it way faster above." Sasamaru said.

"At our level we'll be fine." Ducker said.

Shoto and Kirito didn't look convinced by it and exchanged worried glances.

------------------------

XXX

Floor 27: Dungeon

"I told you we'd have no problem!" Sasamaru said, walking in front.

The 'Black Cats' guild were facing no dangerous resistance so far, but even so, Kirito still didn't looked convinced. "Shoto, keep an eye for traps." Kirito whispered. The dungeon area was a glowing teal color boxes like area, where the road, wall, and roof were made of teal boxes.

"Okay..." Shoto whispered back.

"We might be almost at the front line!" Sasamaru said carrying his spear on his shoulder.

"Heck yeah!" Ducker agreed but he then noticed something. "Oh?"

Ducker ran ahead as he found a symbol like thing on a wall, he touched it and the wall turn into a door.

'A hidden door? Here?' Kirito thought, shocked and suspicious.

'Wait... Why is there a door here of all places?' Shoto questioned, also feeling suspicious.

Ducker opened the door, inside in the middle of the room is a treasure chest. "Oh?! A treasure chest!" Ducker, Sasamaru, and Tetsuo all went inside.

"W-wait!" Kirito warned, still feeling suspicious as he, Sachi, and Shoto walked inside.

The moment Shoto stepped inside, a feeling of dread washed over him like a thousand bolt. "What the..."

Ducker smiled at his finding, he crouched and opened the chest, but instead of treasures, the chest triggered an alarm.

*Tiiiit* *Tiiiit* *Tiiit*

Kirito and Shoto knew it all too well, they were in a very dangerous situation. The room door closed, and the walls opened as 'Mine Gobins' stormed into the room and stone golums appeared in the room.

"Its a trap! Everyone let get out of here!" Shoto said, taking his teleport crystal out.

"Teleport Taft!" Nothing happened. "Teleport Taft!" Still nothing happened.

"We can't use our crystals!" Sachi said, looking at her crystal.

"Is this a Crystal-nullification area?" Kirito asked unsheathing his sword, Shoto only gritted his teeth as he also unsheathed his sword.

The goblins charged, Kirito and Shoto managed to take out the monsters easily. Ducker got thrown as one of the golum hit him. "Akh!?" Ducker noticed a shadow on the ground, he looked up and saw Goblins raising their pick axes before the began to strike him. "Ahk! Ugh! AAAAhhhhh!" Ducker screamed as he dissapeared into thousands of glass.

Kirito and Shoto look, shocked. "No!" Kirito said as he kept slashing at the enemy. "Shoto protect Sachi! Tetsuo, Sasamaru stay together!"

"Got it!" Shoto quickly tried to get through the mobs, but the mobs were too numerous.

"Uagghh!" Tetsuo cried out as he disappeared into a thousand glass.

"Tetsuo!" Sasamaru cried out his friend's name, he gritted his teeth. "Damn you!" He charged at the stone golum that killed Tetsuo and pierced it. The golum only raised its hand and struck at Sasamaru. "Uaghhh!" Sasamaru cried out as he got thrown away into a thousand glass.

"Hyaaahhh!" Kirito cried out as he charged and killed any enemy that was near him. "Damn you all!" Kirito kept on killing recklessly, not caring if he got hit by the enemy.

"Hyah!" Shoto slashed at a golum before he saw Sachi, struggling against an enemy, blocking a stone golum with her staff. "Sachi!" Shoto cried out as he charged, killing the two golums that were standing in his way.

"Shoto!" Sachi pushed the golum back and tried to run towards Shoto, but behind her another golum appeared, ready to strike.

"No!" Shoto ran towards her, but it was too late as the golum struck, hitting her. Shoto could only watch as her HP went from red to empty. She looked at Shoto and whispered something as she shatter into thousands of glass.

"No...No... NOOOOO!" Shoto cried out loudly as tears fell from his eyes, but then his body was covered by a blue aura, his eyes glowed brightly, his hair was swinging wildy. Kirito stopped fighting only to see Shoto covered in a blue aura, ready to kill. "YOU BASTARDS!!!" Shoto roared as he charged at the mobs, sword ready as he slashed through them, killing them like a beast, the monsters didn't have time to block, even when one of it did, they just got cut to pieces.

Kirito only watched his friend in shock as he wiped out the mobs easily. "Sho?!"

As the last monster fell, Shoto stood silent, his aura slowly dissapearing, he then looked at the ground with empty eyes as he failed another promise. His tears falling down. "Why..." He whispered. "Why must you take everything away from me...? WHY?" Shoto screamed as he cried and hit the ground, punching it over and over.

"Shoto..." Kirito whispered, before he hung his head down.

--------------------------

XXX

Floor 49: Myugen

This town was filled with snow as players enjoyed themselves, since it was Christmas, couples romanticaly walking through the snow or sitting at the bench, watching the pretty lights that filled the street.

A lone swordsman in black sit in a bench silently, watching the others.

"Lately, you and your friend have been taking big risks in your level rising." A female hooded figure said standing behind the bench.

"Did you get any new information?" Kirito asked.

"Nothing worth charging money for, by the way, where's your loud mouth friend?"

"He's back at our room. Its pretty unusual for you to not have any information." Kirito said. "What kind of information broker are you?"

"It's the first christmas event that doesn't appear on the beta-test, there's no way of getting information." The information broker said. "On Christmas eve, into her word later tonight the event boss 'Nichola the Renegade' will appear beneath a certain tree. The big guilds are searching pretty hard for it."

Kirito then stood up. "You have an idea where it is, don't you?" The information broker asked.

"Maybe." Kirito answered walking away.

"Wait! You're seriously thinking of tag-teaming it?"

Kirito stayed silent as he kept on walking to the inn.

--------------------------

Black Eagle Inn

Kirito knocked and opened the door to the inn room, inside was Shoto, who was sitting at a chair beside the window.

"How are you?" Kirito asked.

"About as fine as any sane person whose lost a second sister could be." Shoto sighed, still sitting by the window.

"I see..." Kirito nodded in understanding. "I've got some new. There's a rumor that 'Nicholas the Renegade' dropped items that could revive people."

Shoto looked at Kirito in surprise. "Wait, really!?"

Kirito nodded. "Yeah, get yourself ready because we're going to fight it." Kirito said as he opened his equipment menu, equipping a warmer version of his coat with white fur and equipping a bastard sword.

Shoto nodded, before opening his equipment menu, also changing to a warmer version of his coat with red fur and equipping a claymore sword. "I... still can't forget what happened to Keita..." Shoto whispered, loud enough for Kirito to hear.

Kirito nodded, remebering what had happened after they left the dungeon.

------------------------

Flashback 

"You... you two are beaters...?" Keita gasped, his face twisted in horror. But the expression was quickly replaced by fury. "You had no right to be around us!" He threw the keys to the house he had bought, landing a solid hit on Shoto's face. The swordsman didn't even flinch from the impact, and the keys simply fell to the ground.

After the 'death event' of the Black Cats guild, Shoto and Kirito had waited for Keita at the town to deliver the grim news of what happened to the others. As they expected, he didn't take it well at all.

Keita staggered against the railing that overlooked the sky that Aincrad floated in, the full impact of his friends' deaths crashing down on him. "You... you killed them..." he whispered. "The day you joined us... you sealed their deaths."

"I'm sorry, Keita," Shoto tried to console him, but Keita didn't listen and immediately got on top of the railing. Seeing what was about to happen, Shoto rushed forward, but he was too late to keep Keita from leaping to his death. "NO!"

He leaned over the railing, trying to grasp at his foot, but Kirito grabbed his shoulder, an unfathomable sadness etched into his face. He held onto his shoulder until Keita passed from view before he let go. Kirito just stood off to the side, so filled with pain that it numbed his heart to any other emotion.

"Why...?" Shoto mumbled as he slammed his fist onto the railing.

"This is my fault...I was the one who suggested we keep our lv a secret...If we had just told them the true from the beginning, none of this wouldn't happened." Kirito replied. "...Come on, let's go." Slowly, he picked up the keys that Keita had dropped and Shoto stood to his feet. Silent as a wraith, as they walked towards the new house that Keita had bought.

Flashback ends

----------------------

Kirito shook his head, he couldn't get distracted right now.

"You ready?" Shoto asked, standing up. Kirito nodded. "Lead the way."

------------------------

Forest 35: Forest Maze

Kirito stopped walking through the snowy forest area as he looked up towards a giant pine tree in the middle of the area. "That's the place?" Shoto asked.

Kirito nodded, looking one more time towards the map. "Yeah." Kirito put the map in his pocket. "Let's go." He ran with Shoto following, but halfway there he stopped as his sensor skill sensed something.

A light appeared near them, and when it disappeared, Klein and his 5 guild mates appeared, wearing their red ancient Japanese equipment.

"Yo." Klein greeted the two of them.

"You followed us?" Kirito asked.

"Yeah." Klein answered. "You guys after the revival item?"

"Yeah, we are." Shoto answered.

"Don't risk your life on a stupid rumor!" Klein said. "If you die in this game, you die for real! The moment our HP reach zero ,our brain-" 

"Shut up!" Shoto said cutting him.

Klein looked surprised at the snapped blond. "Even if you guys are a high level players Tag-teaming it with only you two is suicide! Join us! Whoever gets the revival item keeps it, no hard feelings!" Klein said.

Shoto looked down and Kirito looksed away. "I'm sorry... but we need to do this... If not, then there's no point." Kirito said drawing his sword.

All of Klein's guild mates ready their weapons, Klein signaled them to stand down. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you two die in this place." Klein stopped as behind him lights of portals appeared as players with full equiped iron armors appeared, Klein and his guild mates instantly went to Kirito and Shoto's side and spun around putting a defensive formation. "You were followed too Klein."

"Looks that way." Klein said.

"The Holy Dragon Alliance." One of Klein friend said. "They'll do anything for a rare item, what do we do?"

"Go you two!" Klein said drawing his katana.

"Klein..." Kirito whispered.

"Go! We'll hold them off!"

"But..." Shoto said, unsure of what to do.

"Go!" Shoto and Kirito looked at each other before they both started to sprint towards the biggest pine tree.

They both kept on running, and stopped as they arrived directly underneath it.

*Tang* *Tang*

A Christmas bell was heard as Santa's carriage bells was also heard as the two of them looked at the sky as a trail of Santa carriage were seen.

"That's..." Kirito and Shoto were cutted off from their inspection as a giant figure fell of from the sky and landed in front of them creating a large snow blast. After the blast cleared off, the figure looked like Santa Claus, but its eyes were looking at different way and it had long arms and carried an axe, it was Nicholas the Renegade. It created a mechanical sound as it moved.

"You're a big fella aren't you?" Shoto said opening his equipment menu. "We're gonna need more than my sword." A black string was tied into Shoto's hand, at the end of the string there was a small black knife.

"So that's what's in the box." Kirito said, readying his bastard sword.

""Hyaaahhhhh!"" Both Shoto and Kirito charged at Nicholas, Nicholas raised its axe and struck down, but Kirito reflected it with his sword.

"Now!" Kirito said.

"Got it!" Shoto threw the black dagger as it pierced the monster, Shoto then proceeded to circling it to tie the strings to its legs while Kirito kept deflecting its attack. When Shoto was done circling it, he sheathed his sword and proceeded to pull Nicholas. "Hyaaahhh!" Nicholas surprised fell down as its legs got pulled. "Kirito!"

Kirito nodded as he charged and struck Nicholas, gaining a critical. Shoto released the string and proceed to equip his sword and jumped toward Nicholas and pierced his sword through its head, gaining a high critical.

Nicholas roared as it stood up, Shoto equiped another string tied knife, but this time there were two knives and quickly threw one of it at the giant tree, he then proceed to circle Nicholas again as Kirito deflect the monster's strike again.

"Hurry up! Its getting harder!" Kirito said as Nicholas's strikes kept on getting stronger.

"Okay!" Shoto said as he tied the string to Nicholas's entire body more faster and slide through the snow between Nicholas's legs to complete it. "He's tied!" Shoto said as he now begins to circle the tree.

"Hurry up!" Kirito said as Nicholas started to notice the string tied at his body.

After Shoto was done circling the tree, he threw the other knife to the tree. "Done!"

Kirito began to back away as Nicholas chased him, but the string tied in his body stopped him. Shoto quickly equipped his sword and proceeded to back stab the now tied Nicholas, gaining a critical. "Heh, sorry Nicho, but that's a metal wire, it won't be easy to break."

"How did you get a metal string anyway?"

Shoto shrugged. "Meh, I randomly ask any black smiths that can make me strong string, and turns out, there's one!"

Kirito shook his head and looked at Nicholas, who is trying to free himself. Kirito's sword glowed. "Disappear." He said as he charged at Nicholas.

-------------------------

XXX

Klein and his guildmates were now sitting down and panting tiredly after surviving the battle, a sound of walking got Klein's attention as he sees Shoto and Kirito walking towards them, alive.

"Ah! Kirito! Shoto!" Kirito then threw something towards him as he reflectly catched it. "Huh?"

"Its useless..." Kirito's said eyes looking sad.

"What? Let's see here... 'Target on players within 10 seconds'?" Klein read the info.

"Use it on the next person you see die." Shoto said as he and Kirito walked away, but a hand stopped them.

"Shoto! Kirito!" The two of them looked at Klein. "Please... the two of you must survive! Until the end! Please..." He said as tears appeared in his eyes as he let go.

Kirito and Shoto walked away, but not before they whispered their answer.

"Promise." Kirito whispered.

"Sure thing." Shoto answered.

"Bye." Kirito said leaving Klein and his guild while Shoto only gave him a wave while walking away.

------------------------

XXX

Black Eagle Inn

Shoto sighed as he sat on one of the beds, and Kirito watched the snow from the window. That is, until a message appeared on Shoto's screen and he opened it.

You have recieve gift from Sachi

Shoto looked at it in surprise. "Kirito, look at this!" He called as Kirito looked at Shoto, who was opening the gift. The gift was a black crystal that floats around Shoto's hand.

"A message crystal." Kirito said.

Shoto pressed the crystal as it glowed.

"Merry Christmas Shoto and Kirito, if he's there. By the time you two hear this, I'm guessing I'll be dead. How do I explain it... To tell the truth I never wanted to leave the Town of beginnings, but if I kept feeling like that I'll probably die someday. And its no one's fault, its my own problem. Shoto, ever since that night, you kept on telling and promising me I won't die each night, if I'm killed you'll probably blame yourself, so I decided to record this. And I know your true strength, I accidentally saw it a while ago, since you and Kirito are partners, I'm guessing he's as strong as you, right? I thought really hard about why you two hid your level and joined us, but I never really figured it out. But when I learned how strong you really were, I felt so relieved. So if I die, you two keep on living, okay? Live to see the end of this world, and why it was created... And the reason a weak girl like me ended up here... And the reason we met. That's what I want you to do. There's still plenty of time left, since its Christmas I'll sing a song. *Hum* *Hum* *Hum**Hum* *Humhum*"

Shoto and Kirito then proceeded to hear Sachi humming a song as tears started to fall down from their eyes.

"Bye Shoto, and Kirito. I'm so glad I met you two, especially you Big Brother Shoto. Thank you. Good bye."

The crystal stopped glowing as it fell down the floor, "Sachi..." Shoto whispered between sob as he covered his face with his hand. Kirito patted Shoto's back.

"Despite what she thought, that girl was strong in her own way." Kirito commented while turning away from Shoto, "... So, are you content with her last words?"

Shoto's fists tightened as he lifted his head to look at the crystal, "I fully expected her final words to be her cursing me out or something like that... She's not the only one that feels like that, there must be a lot of players who are going through what she had to. It's our job to help them out if they need it... We're going honor Sachi and the others, we're going to take up the name 'Moonlit Black Cats' and keep living for today. What do you think?"

 Kirito sat on the other bed, waiting for his friend to stop crying before speaking again. "...Yeah, I'm all for it." Kirito replied with a nod. "... Shoto, let's become stronger... So we don't have to lose anyone else that we care about."

Shoto nodded his head before speaking up, "Of course... Merry Christmas Kirito."

"Merry Christmas, pal."

------------------------

The Next Day

Shoto and Kirito now stood outside the inn they spent the night, ready to head out.

"Hey Ki, let's do our best to finish this game shall we?" Shoto said, clenching his fist.

Kirito nodded. "Sure thing."

Shoto nodded to himself. "Then let's go!" He started to run pass the town's small river.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"There's a banana peel!"

"Huh?" *Steps on banana peel* "Oh shit-" *Splash* "DDDAAAAMMMNNN IIIITTTT!!!!"

To be Continued...

(Ending Theme)

--------------------------

 Ahahahaha! Finished! This was probably my longest chapter so far! Hope you guys enjoyed it. anyway, next chapter will be Silica's debut.

See ya!!!