The Crimson Hunter. SAO X Reader. [DRAFT].

●Chapter 24: Makoto, The Third-Elite.

People always wish to know when they will die, and when they do, they rush and stumble in an attempt to avoid it. -Unknown.

2025.
Hollow Area.
Unknown Forest Location.

Silence grows, only the sound of distant birds chirping echoes throughout the twisted and unnatural trees of the dense forest, the wind whistles and howls as it passes through, causing a small sway in the over growing vegetation. The distant sounds of nature raining dominant over everything else in the forest. Drowning out everything unnatural in a sea of noise.

That was both good, and bad at the same time.

It was good for your case right now because the people looking for you couldn't hear you, nor could they hear your heavy breathing as you leaned back sloppily against the giant log of a fallen tree, your right hand gripping the arrow in your left shoulder with caution. Your breathing was loud and deep, slow, but still loud all the same, luckily for you though, the louder noise around you shielded you from your pursuers, as their hearing was overstimulated by the forest surrounding you.

But the same thing applied to you as well, with them being deaf to you due to the noise, you too were unable to hear them and their movements, you couldn't hear a single footstep due to everything else around you, you weren't able to use your awareness skill to find them either, and you couldn't bring Natsu or Dutchess here so that option was out the window too.

You were basically blind......blind, hurt and alone in the worst possible place to be so.

Normally, this would be an unwelcome situation, even with your experience............but it wasn't......not anymore.

You were used to this now, the feeling of being alone and helpless, you've been used to this ever since Heathcliff died and the game carried on to Floor 76, it's been like this since you found a way into this hellhole of an area................no.....technically, it's been like this ever since you began to isolate yourself back on Floor 22, away from everyone.........

Ever since that day.........ever since that day with Makoto.....it's been like this.

Makoto: "hehehehehe! What's the matter sweetie? Upset knowing that you were used by one of the only people you trusted? Like some kind of tool?"

You immediately purge the wicked voice from your mind, forcing yourself to re-focus on the task at hand, and away from those horrid memories.

U/N: No. *shakes head* not now, not when I can barely breath, not with this fucking thing inside my shoulder either.

You leaned your head back against the log, slowing your breathing down to calm yourself from the sharp pain. You grab a mouthful of your face mask in your teeth, now breathing through your nose.

Inhale.
Exhale.

Dull out the pain from your mind.

Inhale.
Exhale.

Focus on the feeling of the arrow head.

Inhale.
Exhale.

Tighten grip on the arrow shaft.