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

●Chapter 25: A Broken Soul.

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Warning: The following chapter contains content involving major usage of alcohol and slight sexual content. If this causes discomfort of any kind, I sincerely apologize. Please enjoy the chapter at your own discretion.
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27 October 2024.
Floor 10.
Town of Eskria.
The Sleeping Wyvern Tavern
8:35PM.
*Lavira POV*

The night sky of the town was cloudless, and filled with bright brimming stars dotting it from horizon to horizon. The bright symbol stranding high up there as it fufills it's role as the world's moon. The cold breeze of the air howling through the dark and empty cobblestone streets, nothing but darkness and silence being the only thing present. The only exception being the light coming from the windows of The Sleeping Wyvern Tavern, and the collection of noise coming from inside.

The tavern was packed to the brim with players of all levels, some sat in chairs, others were in the many booths while some simply stood up and talked while they drank, there were even a few couples in some smaller, more secluded booths were they can have a notion of talking with each other alone whilst still being surrounded by dozens of other people, a very odd romantic gesture from my view. Though I occaisonally wondered if they began to regret that decision, as there were rousy groups who were more than annoying by being loud, singing and arguing as the night progressed. The lights and candles set the mood with a vibrant shade of amber whilst everyone went about their business. Everything brought about a type of vibe, a happy and cheerful one, if anyone new entered here, it probably would seem to them like they entered an entirely different world, like where we weren't trapped in a video game where they could die at any time.

But, regardless of whether or not people came here to escape reality or to simply drink and be merry in trying times, the mood was calm and happy....everyone was at peace here.

Not that any of that was important at the moment, right now all that mattered to me was putting more alcohol into my system whilst surrounded by a tavern of chaos with a sea of noise.

My throat burns in agony as I send another shot of liquor down it, I groan in dissatisfaction as I put the shot glass down and ignore the feeling of wanting to throw it back up, my head had only now began to feel light, and my throat felt as if hot asphalt was running down my system once more as I finished the glass completely with a second helping, my mouth and stomach feeling like utter shit at this point.

Lavira: Good.

I tap the counter, and the bartender servicing other patrons works and serves his way to me, he bends down and takes out a blue bottle, a menu tab appears with a set of yes or no buttons.

Bartender NPC: Another Round miss?

I don't answer him and simply press the yes button, I hold out my glass and the NPC wastes no time in pouring the liquid into my glass and filling it just a few centimetres from overflowing, he immedietly places the bottle back where he found it and hurries off to the left, ready to serve more patrons at the counter. I look down at the amber liquid, most likely whiskey or even scotch could be in the glass, or maybe some entirely made up substance that was a kind of liquor in the stupid lore of this death game.

Didn't matter to me, I drank it down regardless and my entire body burned and numbed to it. The familiar feeling spreading through me.

This wasn't the first time I had alcohol in this game, this occasion counting as the second time overall, I still hated it, I hated the burn, I hated the feeling of my mind going numb, and I especially hated the head splitting pains when I woke up the morning after it.But again, that didn't matter......I didn't care.