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

●Chapter 18b: The Safezone Murders.

A/N: VERY IMPORTANT!!! Please read and vote for the choices at the end, as they are the most influential choices and affect the rest of the story. Thank you.

U/N: This is bad, real bad.

Omega: Agreed.

Panic spread amongst the crowd gathered by the courtyard. The crimson blade shining against the evening sun, the tail of fur hanging on the end of the handle dull and black. Swinging back and forth in reaction to the impact it sustained when it fell. You stare back to the noose, now motionless as it hangs from the balcony, the shock factor now wearing off, your mind now looking for a rational explanation as to how this could've happened.

U/N: He was hanged, it wasn't an accident, someone stabbed him and hanged him on the balcony. Was it a red player? Did someone stab him and hang him outside? No...this is a safezone, you can't get killed inside, that's how the system works. The only way he could have died in a safezone is if...if he accepted a duel challenge. The winner must've beat him and hanged him, Asuna may meet the winner inside, but maybe they already got out. The winner! Where is the winner?!

Aparently Kirito had the same idea, as he turned to the crowd.

Kirito: Everyone! Look for the player with the winner icon!

You followed his instruction and scanned the crowd from side to side, you saw every player gathered around at the commotion. Everyone you saw had a simple green cursor, the one you were looking were to be red, along with a trophy icon alongside it. But you couldn't see it, in a group of green you couldn't see any red, or a trophy. If there was anyone with the winner icon, they already disappeared. You noticed he looks the players in the crowd had, they were nervous, giving the players around them suspicious but also fearful looks. With that observation taken, you also came to a realisation of a possible explanation as to what happened:

Maybe there wasn't a winner, possibly because there wasn't a duel at all. That left one conclusion.

There could be a way to kill in safe zones...and that, is a very terrifying theory. Especially with you knowing the kinds of people who could use this to their own advantage.

You hear Asuna call out to you and Kirito from above, you look up, hoping that she has some kind of control over the situation.

Asuna: There's no one here the rooms empty!

You see Kirito scan the crowd once more, trying to see if he could find the perpetrator. But was only met with the nervous glances of green players. He was distressed and you could see it on his face, he was just as perplexed as you, and probably had the thought of there being no winner at all. Uou look down on the ground and clench your fists.

U/N: Shit. If this gets out, no one will be safe.

Omega: Agreed, this could make our lives, and everyone else's very difficult.

U/N: *Under his breath* Fuck.

Natsu gives of a low growl.

In the bell tower...

The three of you (and Natsu) were now standing inside the bell room, all leaning on the walls, assessing the area, Kirito was holding the sword that apparently killed the victim. There was a wooden table with a rope tied to one of it's legs, leading outside and swung over the balcony. A moderate size bell was in the far side of the room to your left. Other than that, the room was almost entirely empty. No weapons or signs of any fight, nothing. You had used your tracking skill along with Kirito to see any evidence left behind, but the only things you found had been the tracks of the footsteps of the victim, leading outside.