(Rewriting) Akashi Seijurou, the Emperor of Sword Art Online

Chapter II

It has been a few months and there was an uprising name that bloomed among the fighters of SAO. Unlike the famous Flash from the clearing group, or like the solo-player called the Black Swordsman, this person was younger than the most, and was named a notable fighter among the best.

His name was Sei, although his real name was likewise different from his alias, he has been announced by many players in SAO as the most agile swordsman in the clearing group. Being small was a great advantage to Sei as he was faster than many in plenty ways of combat. His speed does not come from his blading skills, but from his ability to see through the opponents' slightest change in movement.

His eyes were the fastest , therefore was named The Emperor Eye.

The agility and speed he possesses were a contribution to his 'Eye' where he could cancel any movement of attack in any precise moment when he wants to.

He was as skillful as any swordsman in SAO, and the most unpredictable. He has become the Emperor of Sword Art Online.

However, not many players in SAO acknowledge the fact that he was superior to them. Insults were greatly given by the crowd behind his back in which he has not paid any attention to.

Unfortunately, there were some who do it in front of his face.

"And just because you think you're from the clearing group, don't get so cocky over it, brat!"

"Yeah! You're just a stinkin' child stuck in a game where you aren't supposed to be!"

Sei has never liked people who looked down on him, and not just because he was short, but because he was a child. He smirked at the taller men when they insulted him.

On of those men tried to grab his collar but Sei pulled that man's arm with force and had him knelt down onto his knees. The crowd gave a little gasp of surprise.

"Now, now, that's not how you should talk to a child," Sei sniggered.

That man winced in pain when Sei gripped onto his shoulders. His bright red eyes glared back into his, "you should talk to one with lowered heads."

With a small kick to his abdomen, Sei has thrown the man few feet away from him. "Now who's the next one that has the guts to pull an insult at me?"

The other crowds that followed that man to insult him were scared enough to realise that this boy wasn't someone you should mess with. The tension in the air was taken off when the men who called themselves the Military Army came by to stop the commotion.

-

It was like all the battles in all the floors, every level getting harder and harder clear; this time it almost took Sei a whole two hours to clear off the mobs in his way at that floor if it wasn't for another party to have shown up to assist him.

The party consisted of five rather decent people who fought alongside with the young boy; each of them with the skills of their own, but not even one was near to Sei's par.

The battle ended when they've successfully cleared one big pile of mobs and found the boss room. Sei had to save one of the party members neck before she was doomed to die for barging into the boss room without backup.

"Please be a lot more careful next time, miss," warned Sei in a more restrained manner. He had pulled the lady up onto her feet to see her almost a head taller than him. He wasn't sure if he, himself have gotten any taller in reality, but if SAO had that system built in for the players, he must have not grown at all for the passed few months.

"T-Thank you," the lady stuttered softly.

He nodded. "You're welcomed."

"JUNE!" A man definitely taller than Sei but almost the height of the lady ran to them, he grabbed the lady named June by her hand, "are you okay?"

"Y...Yes. Yes, I'm more than fine, thanks to this young boy."

The man who seems to be this lady's lover took a few glances at Sei before realising who he is. His glistening eyes showed that he was delighted to see The Emperor.

"Thank you so much, Sei!"

"Oh, no," Sei awkwardly replied. "There's no need to thank me."

"There has got to be something we can do to show our gratitude," said the man. His features were feminine but he had jaws like a man. It was weird for Sei to notice that he had prettier brown eyes compared to the lady.

"Why don't we all go for a meal?" suggested the blue haired swordsman holding his blade by his waist coming closer to them. He was way taller than the brown-eyed man, and he was fairer than most of them. The other members of the group were at the back of their friends looking at Sei with anticipation.

"No, it's not-," he tried to protest again, but was cut off by June.

"Please, let us treat you, Sei-kun," she begged nicely with her golden locks dropping as she bent down to speak.

When Sei was about to speak again, the shorter man took him by his shouldes, "let us thank you, Sei. It was an honour for us to fight with you, despite what others might think of you as a show-off, we aren't like them. We all see you here as a hero." He added, "please accept our thanks."

The young boy gave a long and hard thought over their offer. It was true that he was afraid that these people would have evil motives to humiliate him. However, he had no choice but to accept their offer when they have already dragged him all the way to a restaurant without listening to even one of his protests.

"Sit down, please," told the man with brown eyes. He had placed himself between June and the blue haired male. Leaving Sei to be stuck between the two other mystery members who were all quiet from the start. Even so, they were both eyeing him with curious eyes.

"I haven't known your names," said Sei breaking the silence when none of them spoke as they ran through the menu for their meals.

The brown eyed man stood up abruptly. "Gosh, how rude of me!" He offered his hand, which Sei took. "I'm Will, the leader of my party."

He pointed his way to the blue haired man, "this one here is Atsuran," and to the lady June, "she's June," back to the male on his left, "that's Levi," then to his right, "K.I."

"It's Ki," said the youngest member of the team, "not Kay Eye." It was a girl who could be easily mistaken for a boy. She had longer hair than June, but it was all tied up into a bun and hidden under a cap which has been removed after they have entered the restaurant. Sei could see that she was the youngest because she was way smaller than anyone else in the team, but even so she was slightly almost taller than Sei.

It was a fun night for Sei after so many days of being stuck in this make-believe world. He hadn't known that being in the company of others would give him so much joy. He thought he had forgotten what it felt like to be happy again, but he was wrong.