My Laughing Coffin [SAO fan-fiction]

Chapter 1: Axe Swinger

The inn's lobby was filled with chatter, a mercenary guild having just cleared the boss room of floor 13 had returned after their rather impressive victory to celebrate. Of course, their version of celebration involved making fools of themselves. Their loud cheering annoyed me.

I sat alone on the far left of the inn's bar quietly eating my meal. Their boasting didnt seem to end. The tank looking man of the guild seemed to be the most drunk, and unfortunately the loudest of the bunch.

"And another toast to Vincent! For the falling on his ass and nearly dying!" The tank shouted while patting a smaller fellow.

The scrawny man shifted in his seat with an uncomfortable look plastered across his boney face. Regret? Shame? No. It was fear.

Mercenary guilds were all the same. The strong stay to fight and earn col, while the weak are left on the lower floors to die. And I'm sure the shrimp Vincent knew this. However he wasn't alone, almost every person in the inn's lobby was afraid to stand up to any of the barrel chested mercenaries. They all had that same damn look on their faces.

More liquor and food was brought to them while they splashed, taunted, and flirted with the other patrons of the inn. Mostly the girls were being flirted with. But I would spot a few questionable looking mercenaries staring down another man.

Once again the tank decided to make a scene. "Oi! Young lady at the bar! Come on over here!" He said laughing while patting his lap.

I turned my attention to the right and looked at the female sitting three seats down. She seemed to flinch when realizing that she was the only girl at the bar. But she remained seated, breathing slowly but heavy as sweat began to form. This was the feeling every person in the lobby had. That nervous fear of being called out next, they wouldn't dare cross the high leveled guild members let alone protect someone else.

The laughter in the guild started to die down once the tank straightened his face. He stared down the frail, yet curvaceous, figure of the girl. "Did you not hear me?" He said with a slight sting in his voice.

The young man Vincent spoke up, "Hey.... Galihad... there isn't a need to make a scene.... let her eat in peace." His remark was noted by the tank, but a wave of the Galihad's silenced the runt.

Galihad huh? Seems he has a lot of power in the guild.

I looked back in front of me and quickly finished my food whilst manipulating my menu. By now Galihad was leaning on the counter next to the girl with a look of disgust across his face. "What? You better than me pig?"

I pressed the last tab and focused on Galihad for a whole three seconds. In front of him popped up a small screen with an accept or decline duel option waiting for his choice. Galihad was taken aback by the appearance of the duel window. His eyes widened at the sight of the screen, he whirled around and began his shouting again. "Which one of you is Nomad! You want a piece of me!?"

I sipped the last of my drink and placed it on the bar counter. I drew my hood and once again manipulated my menu. "Hey Galihad, you're too loud. It's starting to become annoying" I said, Galihad turned his attention back to me as a stood from my seat. "And as for this Nomad character? That would be me."

I selected the tab labeled apparel and equipped Coffin Mask. This man's very existance, it was a nuisance. "You have two choices," I began while making eye contact with the tank. "Either you can take your guild with you and walk away, or I can embarrass you in front of a whole tavern of people."

I could see his jaw clench as stared me down. A vicious look was in his eyes, the look of a monster, the look of a fighter. "You want a fight? Well you've got one!" He shouted pressing the accept button and preparing his mace to attack me.

Quickly manipulating my menu again I sent a quick message to a friend, someone seated across the inn lobby seated comfortably in his chair.

I drew my axe and waited patiently as the tension in the lobby slowly built. While the patrons not part of the idiotic tank's guild looked with hope in their eyes towards me, and the tank's guild mates cheered him on, I was busy being lost in my thoughts.

Several months have passed since the announcement of this death game. When Kayaba shocked his trusting gamers by trapping them, with death or success being their only escapes. I wonder, had this all never happened what corner of my house would I be sulking in? As I lived off the money my grandmother sent me every week. Enough to eat McDonald's, maintain my trashing single room apartment, and keep my Internet connection strong. Or maybe even in an alley way, buying morphine to mix with my Monster energy drinks. I had been living the ideal life of any 16 year old boy, at least that's how I justified it....

The duel countdown had now five seconds. Silence filled my mind and a shroud of darkness surround me as I steadied my breath. Three.... Two.... One.... START

Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I shot my eyes open. Galihad launched himself towards me with his mace raised above his head. The tank was prepared to smash my skull in. The feeling of battle seemed to slow time as Galihad rushed forward. I looked away from him as he brought down his mace on my head. A look of terror crossed his face as his weapon fazed through my digital form. A small screen popped up in front of the tank alerting him not to attack players outside the duel. "What the hell!?" He sputtered.

Immediately after Galihad's arched swing my companion across the inn bloted into action. By the time he realized his flaw, the real Nomad was already upon him. With his sword in his right hand and his arm crossing his chest, Nomad activated his a sword skill causing his brutal looking long-sword to glow a deep red. With a single swipe Galihad suffered a hefty deal of damage dropping his HP to yellow. And effectively ending the duel.

Nomad twirled his sword around before sheathing it on his back. The inn was silent as Galihad stumbled to his feet, a window opened in front of Nomad. Informing him that he'd won an extra 1,000 col from Galihad for a flawless victory. Clicking the ok option Nomad glanced back at the humiliated tank. "I'll wait outside." He said exiting the inn.

Galihad grabbed his mace and charged at the closing door behind Nomad. Killer instinct took over as Galihad sprinted with his battle cry being the last thing I wanted to hear from this pig. I kneed Galihad in the face before he could come within a yard of the door, quickly I spun around activating my own sword skill Debreave.

This feeling.... yes! This lust for battle! That was the point of this damn game! Battle Lust!!

My vocal cords generated a sinister laugh as I brought my weapon down on Galihad. Crushing him under the speed of my swing. His HP didn't deplete due to the protection of the safe zones in Aincrad. However, HP has nothing to do with consciousness.

Galihad laid motionless on the broken floor boards as his consciousness faded away from him. I took another look at his guild mates who had ceased their celebration to stare in utter disbelief at the power Nomad and I had put on display. Another window popped up in front of me.

!ALERT!

You have committed a crime against a green player, you're cursor is now orange!

[A/N: Hola to all of the readers that made it through one of my more lengthy chapters! Welcome to my new story My Laughing Coffin! You've met the battle lusting protagonist Grimm and his silent power house friend Nomad, I'm interested to know what you think will happen later on along with suggestions as to how you'd like to see the story play out! Fullbodied has spoken! Please like, comment, and follow for more SAO My Laughing Coffin!