BtF - Part I

Floor 33, November 2nd, 2024

He draws his sword from his belt, trying to attack me. Next to him, two other of his friends also draw weapons.

I grab from my back Balmung Blade and Carnwennan from my belt, and prepare. The first one strikes, but I parry the blade, and elude, getting to his back. The second one does the same, attacking me with a heavy slash to my chest, but I parry thee blade and manage to punch him with the cross guard of my sword, throwing him to the ground. The third one, gets near my back, trying to stab me by the back, still ,I just spin, eluding the move and getting to his back. I kick him, throwing him above the one on the ground.

I look back.

Though all of them Laughing Coffin former members, they were not near the level of any that I had faced.

I tab my sword, waiting for the first one that attacked, with a vertical slash but I elude and with a single powerful and swift strike of Crescent Stardust Slasher, severe both of his legs, leaving him in the ground.

The one of them gets up and attack me been, but I parry the blade spin and stab him though the neck, the player falls to his knees, and shatters. The last one ran away after seeing me doing this. I remain still, on the same place and grab Guren by the blade. As the player continued to run I spin, and throw Guren at him, impaling the back of his head.

I turn to the one on the ground trying to do the same, crawling to escape. I turn him around by force and step on his head.

“This was unnecessary!” He said.

“Yes it was. But you forced me. I just asked what you know of PoH, and when you drew weapons I did what I now best. Now will you tell me?”

“I do not know!”

I step stronger on his head.

“I SWEAR IT IS THE TRUTH! I BUT KNOW TYRANT IS ON FLOOR 61! THEN ANOTEHR PLAYYER NAMED MORDREAD IS OUT OF THE PRISON ALSO! I DO NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS!”

“Mordread…? i never heard about him. Speak more!”

“He is one of the best killers. Even rivaling PoH himself, perhaps even better. I do not know why!”

“Alright…”I remove my boot from his face.

“I gave what was asked. Please be merciful!”

“I am sorry. I have already lost that!”

“WAIT N…!”

I finish his scream introducing my blade through his eye, killing him.

“Coward shit.”

I walk by and grab Guren in the ground sheathing it back alongside Blamung. I notice several other players looking at me but ignore them.

I was on the village of Ravening, in the 33rd floor. A place founded by PK. Full of piss and shit. The place was in the deep parts of the blackwood forest, founded by Player killers and orange player, and also serving as their home, as they did not have other place to go, probably. It was one of the most dangerous players in Aincrad.

Now the important part: why I was there? I was not welcome, nor did I care about the player killers, and I am a Killer of Player Killers. But still, this was the best place to find information and track about PoH, or Tyrant, and maybe, even about this new player killer.

“Mordread…who can he be?” I ask myself as I walk towards a small tavern.

I enter, as most of the eyes inside laid on me.

I did not care, neither did it surprise me. My deeds as the “Champion of Aincrad” is what caused this. Most of the players have been to the arena, and seen me facing opponents, either in a duel, or an execution. I even may have killed one of the friends but I did not care. I continued to walk to the bar stroll and take a seat there, falling eyes still laying at me.

The tavern owner appeared in front of me, dressed in Scotland fashion, with orange hair and green eyes.

“So…what is the Champion of Aincrad himself doing here?”

I noticed the way of he speaking. He was indeed from Scotland.

“I am searching for information about Laughing Coffin. Three specific members: PoH, Tyrant and Mordread.”

“PoH stacks are left unknown my friends. Every single PK eliminating guild is still searching for him, but there is no clue where the hell he is. Tyrant is on the 61 floor I think in Semlburg.

“And Mordread?”

“He is the second in command of the Guild. He has blonde hair, a violet scar on his face. And strangely, red eyes…”

Galant noticed what he was as he herd. He had Darkness, the same as him.

“Want a drink?” he said.

“Yeah. One would be good.”

I remain looking town the table, when I hear someone behind me.

“This is not the place for someone like you…”

I remain still looking to my front, and by the mirror in the wall, to the player, who placed himself next to me, at my right.

“You are very famous. Right Galant? “ He laughs. “Well you know what? I am also famous. True?” racing his voice, he asks to the players nearby who nod back at him, approving what he said.

I noticed in the meantime, he tabbed a small knife on his left hand.

“Maybe I give you an autograph. Would you like that?”

He moves his body to attack me and makes a deep thrust. But I turn around faster than him, grab this hand and elbow directly on his face then grab my knife, cut his hand off. I grab his knife spin and stab him on his other arm. Using the momentum, I continue to spin and use a strong kick with Meteor Impact, throwing him out of the place by the door, and roiling on the ground.

“ANYBODY ELSE WHAT TO END LIKE HIM, A STEP FORWARD!!!” I said to all the players in the room tavern.

The ones that were standing sat down and return to their stuff.

I turn around and get to the table, noticing the tavern man smiling at me, and give me a beer.

“The things they say are true. Here, all yours.”

I give him some Col.

“Thank you.” I say in English.

I grab the drink as I walked to a table and sit down. I place my feet up the table and leave my drink to my belly, grabbing it with my right hand. I took a drink of the beer. But notice the Purple ribbon in my wrist was a bit loosening. I tie it up with my mouth and left hand. And briefly stare at it afterwards. Recalling old memories, that moment when I gave it to Sakura here, on Aincrad. When I did the same on real life, and beyond. I had, a glimpse into the past...

---

Tokyo, April 7th, 2013

“But Mum! Why I have to go?!?!”

“Because you must…”

“But!”

“No more complaining…Do what your mother says…”

“Yes…”

The small kid of six years, with blue eyes and dark blonde hair closed his arms and walked thought the window. Today, it was his first day of Primary School. He still not wished to go, much likely any other kid. But still, he had to, much to his anger and fear.

Both of his parents were going with him. A Japanese man named Kiritsugu and his mother, Norah Evans. They were shareholders of the company named Ymir, dedicated to make games from children, PS4, Wii, X-Box…etc. They were also working…in a thing that according to the, would change the world.

They rapidly arrived to the school: Tokyo Primary School, just above the entrance. It was the first day.

The kid could briefly gaze outside. There were already people going inside, lots of kids, few of his age. Some kids, playing. Most of them, with black or brown hair, and dark eyes.

He gets down, disappointedly, and looked down to the ground. He looked to both sides of the street, when he saw a girl crossing the street. She had short golden blonde hair, and blue eyes. For some reason, the girl looked to where he was, when they briefly gazed. She was pretty, and caused him to blush a little- She smiled to him, and he turned his sight.

Norah: “What happened son? You looks like a tomato.”

“NOTING! I am really hot!”

Kiritsugu: “We should cross now.”

They crossed the street, getting in front of the entrance. The kid gazed to the name of the place, and then looks around. She was gone…

Norah: “we can accompany until here. Of you go.”

“I want to stay with both of you.”

Norah: “you have to go…other way you would be an ignorant all your life.”

“If I will stay with you, want to be it.”

Kiritsugu lowered his leg, getting in front of him.

“Son…I know what you are felling. it is difficult to take this step, but it is not impossible. You shall make many friends there. ”

“The ones on the other just called me half-breed.”

Kiritsugu and Norah shared a gaze between them two.

“Remember something. You are capable of doing this I know it. You are capable of making people together and leading them to the future.”

“Gathering people? Lead them to the future?”

“Yes…that is your role?”

The kid looked own for a brief moment, and thought.

“Does it exist? The future?” he looked up

That is an answer…I cannot give you. To answer it, you must take your path, without us...”

The boy looked down for a moment. As he closed his eyes and thought. He was afraid indeed. But still…he wanted that answer, and many other things…

“I…I will go.”

“That is my son. Go!”

The boy, looked back for a brief moment, but then turned around and rant to the school without looking back. Kiritsugu got up as he saw him doing this.

“You really believe that Kiritsugu?”

“I know that he can do it. Making friends…”

“No…I mean…making people together. Gathering people. Leading them…”

“He can do it. I am goddamned sure he can. He has something special on his soul that makes that possible. I do not know what it is. But I am certain that with that, he can overcome any obstacle.”

---

The boy got out to the break, and walked by the place. All the other classmates also got out. He walked by the place, searching for someone…

To his left, two boys of his class, one with black hair covering most of his face and a single lock, the other with a bandana on his head, and the hair pointing back. He noticed them, Kazeriya, Shun and Suzaku, Taichi.

“hey!”

Shun looks at him, with anger. But still replies, reluctantly.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Taichi says the same.

“you mind if I play?”

“You?! No! I do not play with half-breed kids. Be gone, mongrel.” Said Shun, with a serious look, of severe hate towards him. “let’s go Tai!”

Taichi not says a single word, and follows his friends.

The kid is left there, upset and sad. He placed his back against the wall, and sat down to the ground.

He was already used to be called that. But still it hurt every single time the same. Mongrel: a typical curse from Japanese to a boy like him, a half-Japanese, half-American, on his case. They called mongrel every single Japanese that held characteristics that were not typical of a Japanese boy: black hair, dark eyes…etc.

He was half-Japanese by blood, and his nationality was Japanese, and still, he was treated as a monster, someone that according to many old-fashioned Japanese was horrible. Specially Americans, after the two Atom Bombs in the cities at the south of the country. And still, the country owed its good economy to the same country ty despised.

Going back to him he just sat down and looked to the ground…sad. Nothing on his mind…thinking why of all the kids on the world, us him had to be a “mongrel”.Why?!?!

“hey! You seem mad down there…”

He looked up. A blond haired kid with golden eyes in front of him, standing up.

“Do not feel bad. That racist idiot calls mongrel everyone he meets.”

“You are…”

“From your class. Yes, Kiryuuin Miya. Nice to meet you, new kid.”

He offered his hand. He grabbed it, and Miya helped him up.

“Kids like us, that are half Japanese, have to support one another.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey! Miya!”

Both of them looked to the left, t6o the voice of a girl.

He turned around, and saw the same blonde girl from the morning. He blushed a bit, but tried to hide it.

The girl arrived.”

“Miya! How is it doing!?”

“Hi. A long time since I last saw you! You changed classroom?”

“yes. The one next to yours.” She looked to the new kid, as they briefly stared. “You are new? Am I right?”

“Yes!”

She smiled. She was very cute, and cuter still, smiling.

“Shun and Taichi were bothering him, I thought the best to cheer him up.”

“Always the same Miya, fighting others?”

“I did not fight, I just spoke to him. Tell her kid.”

“He did what he said, nothing more.”

She looked at him. She looked again to his eyes, and noticed something…special on him, she could not tell what that was…but she still knew. That kid was unlike any other she had seen before.

“You seem to be good, new kid. What’s your name?”

“Um…”

“Well, if you do not want to tell me yours now, it does not matter. I will tell you mine still! Sakura. Sakuya Sakura…”