From Swordsman to Assassin

Chapter 4: The Shinigami

A/N: Many thanks to ash_greninj0_72 for helping me out on this one!

A full day has passed and it is finally night time. The moon was high in the sky and the stars shone brightly. It seemed like a peaceful night, but Kirito and Asuna knew otherwise.

"Are you ready to do this?" Kirito asked.

Asuna was silent for a moment and then spoke, "Yes."

Asuna was still disheartened that she would have to go up against the Young Despair guild. She was very disgusted in their practices for luring out bosses. However, she was hopeful that the Young Despair would be extinguished after this night was over.

Kirito and Asuna started walking slowly through the dense, thick forest on floor 22. They were careful to not be seen and to check their surroundings. Both of them had a flashlight equipped so that they didn't have to worry about getting lost.

"Now remember," Kirito began, "We gotta keep ourselves hidden from them."

"Right," Asuna affirmed.

Kirito noticed that something was up with Asuna. He knew that she was thoroughly disgusted at the fact Young Despair would be doing this. He really wanted to do something that would make her feel better again.

"Um," Kirito mumbled, "If you want, you can hold my hand."

Asuna blushed a bright red.

'That dirty boy!' Asuna thought, 'How dare he try to hold my hand in this serious time'

"No!" Asuna yelled.

Kirito sighed, "Ok, fine. I was just trying to help."

A twig snapping could be heard in the distance. Kirito and Asuna immediately turned to the direction of the sound.

Asuna let out a small scream.

"If you can't handle this, I can handle it by myself." Kirito assured.

Asuna really wanted to help Kirito take down this guild, she wanted to free the innocent children from a terrible fate.

'I'm really scared to do this, but I want to do what's best for both of us.' Asuna thought to herself.

Asuna scoffed, "For your information, I have been on missions like this before."

'She's definitely lying,' Kirito noted.

"Whatever you say," Kirito replied.

Kirito and Asuna continued to progress deeper into the woods, watching their surroundings in every direction. The flashlights helped to illuminate their way through the deep forest.

Another twig snapping could be heard in the distance. They looked to the direction of the sound and there still wasn't a sound after that.

"I think we're being followed," Kirito stated.

Asuna reasoned, "It could be a creature that lives here."

Kirito remarked, "Possibly, but I don't buy it."

Kirito withdrew his two cutlasses and was ready to fight.

"Come out, wherever you are!" Kirito shouted.

There was no response, it was dead silent.

"You idiot!" Asuna started, "I knew it was a forest creature!"

Asuna punches Kirito on the head with her fist, then Kirito falls to the ground.

"Ow!" Kirito whined.