Chapter 1 - Floor 27

"Hey, there's a chest in here," Ducker shouts to the Moonlit Black Cats as they are exploring a dungeon on Floor 27, "I bet there's some rare treasure we can keep or sell."

"Be careful Ducker, a chest like that in an empty room? Looks like a trap to me," the Black Swordsman, Kirito, shouts back to his guildmate, "I'd leave it be."

"You worry too much Kirito, it can't possibly be a trap. Maybe there's some fancy weapons or armor and we can boost the whole guild," Ducker responds, already heading into the room, "besides, we can beat anything the game throws at us."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Ducker," the timid voice of the rearguard Sachi speaks, "I'd listen to Kirito and leave it alone. We can find more loot later."

"Don't worry Sachi, I'm sure your boyfriend will protect you," Tetsuno answers, making Kirito and Sachi blush.

"No, we're not like that," Sachi says, flustered, "I've told you we aren't like that."

"Sure, Sure," Ducker says back, condescendingly. He waits until everyone was in the room before reaching for the chest.

"This is a bad idea, Ducker. Don't open the chest" Kirito shouts, but it was too late. The chest has been opened and the door to the room has already slid shut. A red light shines on the room, and an Alarm starts blaring. Kirito grabs a blue Teleport Crystal, "Damnit. Get out of here, use your crystals. Teleport, Ronbaru."

Despite the command, the Crystal fails to activate. Looking around, Kirito sees that the 3 others here also couldn't successfully teleport away. And at once, things start spawning. Rock Golems and Dwarf Miners, much higher level enemies than the Black Cats could fight against and live. Kirito and the others immediately get swarmed and they start attacking, but Tetsuno and Ducker are quickly overwhelmed. Kirito tried to go over to them, but was too late as one of the miners drove a pickaxe into Ducker's back. A few seconds later, one of the golems struck Tetsuno, and Kirito watched helplessly as both exploded into Polygons. Over to the side, Sachi was also getting overwhelmed, but Kirito was finally able to act. Using his sword, he slashed out the monsters that were swarming him, then rushes over to Sachi, cowering behind her shield. Kirito starts slashing faster at the monsters that were still attacking him, slowly chipping away at his health, now in the Yellow.

"Sachi," Kirito shouts to his last remaining guildmate in the room, who looks up from the onslaught and sees a black blur shredding the monsters and steadily approaching.

Seeing this, Sachi gains hope, and steals herself before stabbing one of the golems with her spear. She internally sighed with some relief when it immediately exploded. Minutes later, all the monsters have been destroyed, with Kirito in the red, and Sachi having a bare sliver of health remaining. They have survived, just barely, against the onslaught that had killed their two friends. Both were still panting from the heavy combat.

Barely having enough time to think, Kirito grabs two green Crystals, now that the Red Light was no longer in place and the door to the room was open again, and shouts "Heal", healing Sachi first, then himself, back to full. "Let's get out of here Sachi, Crystals are working again."

Sachi's hands shaking, she grabs the teleport crystal from before and, seeing Kirito also grabbing one, she shouts the same command she had tried before being swarmed. A blue and green light surrounds her vision as she teleports back to the city on the floor, where Keita was waiting for them. Keita waved at both of them, but Sachi looked away. After a few seconds, seeing no one else was coming through, Keita's happy face distorted into confusion.

"Where are the others?" Keita questions Sachi, who looks down, a sad look on her face. Keita looked even more confused, then a flash of horror crossed his face.

It was Kirito who answers Keita's question, "There was a trap… in the dungeon. Our Crystals didn't work."

Keita's voice turns to sadness and a bit of anger, he repeats his question, "Where are Ducker and Tetsuno, Kirito."

"I tried to fight the monsters off," Kirito says, voice on the verge of tears, "I did everything I could, but I couldn't save them."

"What do you mean, you couldn't save them? You did everything you could?" Keita shouts, now full of anger, "I heard the rumors… Beater." The last word rolls off his tongue with venom, "You've been lying to us about your level, and you expect me to believe you couldn't do anything?"

Sachi finally speaks up and shouts back, "Kirito did everything. He even warned Ducker that the room was likely a trap before Ducker opened it." Sachi was in tears as she was shouting, "Kirito and I barely survived, he fought as hard as possible. You have no right to accuse him." Sachi sobs with those words, and repeats again, this time much quieter, "You have no right."

"Leave us Kirito," Keita directs, still with venom in his voice, "You're out of the guild. Sachi, come with me."

Kirito, saying nothing, turns to walk away, but Sachi stops him. "I'm staying with Kirito," Sachi says firmly, the tears no longer pouring from her eyes. "He's protected me, I'm staying with him."

"Are you sure, Sachi?" Keita asks, with less anger and more bewilderment. Sachi nods, and he says, "fine, stay with your boyfriend. But I won't. Goodbye, to both of you." Keita walks away from them then teleports away to an unknown destination.

After Keita left, Sachi burst out into tears again. Kirito grabbed her, "I'm sorry I couldn't save them. I'm so sorry, Sachi."

Sachi shook her head, "I saw you. You were amazing, but you told Keita the truth. You did everything you could, one man can't do everything, even if they are a… Beater." Sachi's voice is a bit less sad with that word, but lacks the anger that Keita's had before.

Kirito was shocked at Sachi saying that word, "You knew." Sachi nods and Kirito continues, "then why did you stay?"

"I figured you had your reasons, for concealing your true level," Sachi says, "I thought it was nice that a strong player like you was protecting us. And, I kinda like you, Kirito."

"Eh??" Kirito's voice that just held sadness now is just bewilderment, "you mean, like what Keita said?"

"No, not like that," Sachi says, relaxed, "I think of you as a great friend, but not like that."

"Ah, that's fine," Kirito responds, a bit more relaxed, "We should probably do something about Ducker and Tetsuno. A memorial, or something like that."

Sachi nods and smiles, "I think they'd like that, even if Keita won't be around for it."