The Red Player (A Sword Art Online story)

Chapter 14: Hogosuru

Chapter 14: Hogosuru

Piifalo

My eyes open slowly with my vision heavily blurred. I’m able to see with difficulty that I’m under the arm of Daisuke as he carries me at high speeds. Wind blows in my face with vicious speeds, but still he’s able to move so fluently.

In the top of my screen I can see that my health has been replenished, but as I struggle to break free none of my muscles respond, and my body is completely limp. The only thing I can feel is a sharp pain in the back of my neck.

Finally he comes to an abrupt stop at the top of a tall palm tree. It’s just then that my vision begins to clear. Surrounding the tree is a vast expanse of wilderness; tall palm trees, emerald grass, soft sand, and then radiant water for miles.

Did he run across water? Immediately we drop from the tree and Daisuke releases me in the middle of the jump. I land on my face hard in the sand, but I can’t even move to get up afterward.

“Yes,” Daisuke says, completely relaxed. “I did run over the water to get to this remote island.”

I keep forgetting he can read my mind… Suddenly I snap back into focus. Where are we? Where’s Ashas? Without warning Daisuke’s staff slams into the sand before me with immense force. Even through my paralysis my head jumps back slightly.

“Answer!” His voice booms with outstanding power that rattles my body. “Answer my questions and I will answer yours!” My eyes widen in shock as I look around desperately for some way to escape. When I turn back to look at Daisuke once more, he’s gone.

“What the hell?” my eyes dart in every direction once more, this time searching for the old man. The moment I blink, pain erupts from the top of my head, causing my eyes to flash back open. Directly in front of me is Daisuke with his arm extended. His fingers are wrapped around my hair, carrying me in the air. S-so fast! I didn’t even see him! He throws my forcefully into a nearby tree so that I’m able to look forward properly.

To his right is a large group of at least 20 rabbits, and to his left is but a single rabbit. Daisuke looks at me with fire in his eyes and his staff held firmly. “Choose,” he says with a voice as blunt as his bo staff. “Whichever one you choose will live. The other will die.”

Immediately I muster the strength the sit upright as I begin to question whether or not I heard him right.

“Answer!” He shouts with fortitude.

I wince for a moment before instinctively yelling “Right!” The world goes silent. I stare blankly at the stark-faced NPC who nearly struck as much fear into me as Hajime.

Slowly he lifts his heavy bow staff out of the sand. “Good,” he says, slightly more relaxed. “Why did you choose to save the ones on the right?”

“Because there are more of them. If I chose to save the one on the left, then all 20 of the ones on the right would have died. Shouldn’t that be obvious?”

“Yes,” he says, seemingly satisfied. “That is how it always should be. Saving the larger group should always be the priority. People like us; we kill to protect the larger group. That is how it always has been, and how it always should be.”

Instantly something felt off. Something about what he said didn’t feel right. In my mind I know what he’s saying is true, but inside I can feel my heart screaming.

“There is something you must promise to do for me before we continue,” he says, still relaxed.

“What is it?”

He looks into my eyes for a moment with a stone cold expression on his face. “Nevermind,” he says. “I think I’ll ask my question first.”

“O-oh, ok.” I say nervously. I wonder what he saw…

Immediately Daisuke’s eyes change to the absolute, overpowering way they were before. He points once again to his right. “This is now a group of innocents; random players within the game.”

I nod my head slowly, afraid of what’s to come.

“And this!” He points sharply to the left with his staff. “This single person, is Ashas. Now, answer! Who will you save?!” I crawl backwards, pushing against the tree behind me in fear.

What is this? What is he doing? My body is still paralyzed, but I continue to move anxiously.

“Choose!” Daisuke’s voice booms. “Choose now!” I begin to hyperventilate. “Why is it so difficult now? What happened to what you said before? Shouldn’t you choose the larger crowd?”

My body begins to shake feverishly, and in my despair I can almost see the face of the defenseless Ashas before the supreme death. I shake my head rapidly and fumble for my words. How could this have changed so drastically? It’s not really her, but what if this really did happen? What would I do? I clasp my chest and breathe with great difficulty. What would I do in this situation? My first instinct would be to… fight!

Realization dawns on me as I decide what must be done. Immediately I charge forward with all my might, pushing through the remaining paralysis. I take a quick look with eyes full of hope at the face of Ashas before turning my face back again toward Daisuke. “Hyaah! Melee skill number 8! Comet Rush!” I launch my fist forward, aimed directly at Daisuke’s face, but he stands undeterred. At the last moment before my fist makes contact he pushes his staff straight up, smashing it into my unprotected chest. The impact launches my body backwards with astounding force as I smash into the immortal tree.

“IDIOT!” I exclaims painfully. “I told you to choose! Without hesitation he smashes his staff down, crushing the rabbits on the right side in a single motion. I look away from the pain as quickly as I can. “Watch Piifalo! Watch the pain you cause by refusing to choose!” His staff flies downward once again, obliterating the final rabbit on the right – Ashas. I shut my eyes tightly as a whimper escapes my mouth. His violent panting is almost as fast as mine. My health bar dropped by half, but I could swear most of the damage was done as he killed the others.

Daisuke calms himself slightly before disappearing then reappearing with another rabbit. “There is something you must do for me from now on. There is always the choice you have to make; to save one group or the other. You must do the greater good. You are the one who must save the people trapped in this game. Every time that you kill, it will be to save others. Every time that you kill, you will say the word ‘hogosuru-’ to protect. Pretend that this rabbit is now Hajime, on the verge of killing both you and Ashas.”  He releases the rabbit.

I walk over to the rabbit with regret held inside. I stand over the rabbit. I realize just how much stronger I am. Before, as I looked on helplessly I felt so weak, as though I was just another rabbit. But now, as I stand above it, it seems so much smaller. I crouch down beside it, and raise my fist. “Hogosuru.”

End of chapter 14. I initially wrote this chapter in the perspective of

Daisuke, but I decided it wouldn’t work as well. There will also probably never be

A chapter from Daisuke’s POV as he is an NPC with no real emotion.