Her Mission To Save Them All || Sword Art Online Fanfic

Chapter 34

POV: Kyo

The sky has only just begun to pale in shades of yellow and orange when Kirito and I find a bench within the square crowded with players flooding in from the front lines. In the end, we decide that the bench is too open to discuss what we need to.

"How about over there?"

I shake my head, "it's too busy."

Hands in his pockets, Kirito sighs as he turns to me. "There isn't going to be anywhere to sit, it's there?"

There's something about Kirito's comment that makes me want to laugh. It's a strange feeling, to be able to laugh, to want to laugh, even after everything. Even after a death. I swallow the urge down, even though I appreciate his efforts.

"Let's go out of town." I say, aiming for the main road that winds far into the distance, away from the light and joy of the square.

"That's not sinister at all." Kirito replies before following me, hands forever stuck in his pockets.

Gradually, the crowd thins as we follow the path, reaching the end of the game map. The low lying wall that boarders one of the many fields outside the town is barely detectable in the setting sun. The shadow it casts makes it difficult to tell whether it's the same field as before.

Not that I really care, I decide before I take a seat on the ledge, savouring the silence and the rush of wind that blows past. It sings a different song to the noise of the town; one that I prefer. One that's quieter, more beautiful.

Kirito follows my glance, leaning on the wall like he's lost all his energy along with the falling sun. I almost hate to break the silence with my question.

"Do you think that it was really a ghost?"

Kirito's gaze shifts to me, a scowl running down his features. "No. There has to be some kind of logical explanation other than ghosts."

I nod, not quite believing it. I turn my face away, not wanting to meet the intense stare of an opponent. When I glimpse the sky above, it almost makes me want to lean back to examine all the impossibility of those stars; galaxies that don't even exist.

The thought occurs to me that each star might represent each floor of the game. Each their own little world. I try to count them, but I know that there are more than 100. I pluck the thought from my brain and throw it aside.

"Seeing all those deaths," I find myself saying the words in my head to fill the silence. "Makes me wonder if it could be possible. Like how Kayoko's immortal, like a glitch or something."

It's a foolish attempt, one that Kirito immediately shuts down. "At least there's something logical behind that. An uncle wanting to protect his niece. There must be something logical behind this too."

His eyes burn with determination, so bright I can't help but look away. I examine my legs as they cross and recross.

"I guess."

When I glance up again, he has his brows furrowed, acting like this is a game, a game to see who can find the right answer. If it's easier to think of it that way, rather than with actual lives, then I don't blame him.

"A ghost wouldn't need a teleport crystal." He mutters quietly.

"A teleport crystal?"

Kayoko did mention that the killer teleported. Kirito turns to me, eyes wide, as if shocked he said the words aloud. But he continues to think, invisible cogs turning in his brain. His face relaxes after a moment, coming to a conclusion.