I headed back to Darkwood Forest the next day, fighting Tracers and Forest Mutants, Healing up after every fight as I got a text from Rina. “Can you meet me at the front of Kamdet City?” as I typed back “Sure, on my way Rina” as I closed my tab and sheathed my sword, still having trouble putting it in the right place. I ran back towards the front of Kamdet City as I saw rina standing there, I ran towards Rina as I asked her “Hey Rina, what did you need me for?” as Rina looked at me.

“Hey um.. Do…Do you think I can party up with you..?” she said in a shy tone as I looked and nodded at her. “Sure, It’s our first party too so it should be a blast” I said to her as she looked at me and asked “Y-You never partied with Toru..?” as I shook my head.

“We never actually partied up before, so you’re my first party partner, except sato” I said as I chuckled at that fact, She smiled as she said with a bit more confidence “Alright, Let’s go then Kirin” as I lead the way back to Darkwood Forest. For about half an hour, Rina and I were fighting off Tracers and Forest Mutants, in that meantime I taught her how to use a Dagger properly, even though I had a proficiency 1 in daggers.

A tracer came flying in as I swung my sword at it and cut it in half in the air. “That’s all of the swarms” I told Rina as she nodded, holstering her knife into her sheath. “Hey Kirin, can you promise me something?” Rina said as I looked over, telling her “What is it?” as she looked at me. “If I ever die or are told I'm dead, can you ask the Tavern Owner for a ragout rabbit stew for me?” She told me as I was confused at that fact and said “sure, but why ragout rabbit stew?” as she smiled at me for a bit.

“It’s my favorite food so far in this world… I want you to eat the food I like the most..”

Rina told me as I had a chill down my spine, I thought to myself “an odd request…” as Rina then noticed something glaring in the bushes nearby. More tracers came by as I slashed them down with a better and upgraded sword, still from floor one as Floor 2 drop rates are still unknown to me. “Hey Kirin!!” Rina shouted as I sheathed my sword perfectly this time and walked over, “what is it?” I said to Rina as she held up a small gemstone as I noticed someone starting to walk up to her.

I became a little cautious as I saw them blitz over towards Rina, I shouted towards her “RINA LOOK OUT!!” as Rina was too slow and got stabbed through her abdomen from behind. Rina coughed out virtual blood as she dropped to the floor, “RINA!!” I shouted as I ran over, pulling my sword out and swinging it at the person. They were fast enough to block the attack, turning my indicator to orange for engaging the attack. “Well if it isn’t the commander!” a raspy voice said as I recognized the voice and saw his face, “Kuradeel..!” I said as Kuradeel had a sinister smile on his face.

Kuradeel let out a laugh as he held the gemstone that Rina had found. I gripped my sword as I heard a cough from Rina, I looked down at Rina and kneeled down holding her head in one hand.

“Just hold on Rina!”

I said as I reached into my pouch, feeling nothing as I forgot we had used all of our potions during our Forest Mutant fights. “Crap..!” I thought as her health started dialing down more and more. “No no no no!!” I said as Kuradeel rushed towards us, I turned my head to dodge a piercing thrust with his sword. I then threw a sword swing back as he moved out of the way with a little laughter.

“K…Kirin..”

Rina said weakly as I looked and kneeled down to her, I then said to her “Hold on! I’ll get us to a safe zone right now!” as I pulled out a teleport crystal. I then heard a hissing sound as a knife knocked the teleport crystal out of my hand, landing on the ground and shattering. “Motherfucker!!” I thought as Rina put her hand on my cheek as she began to glow bluish cyan.

“It’s…Okay…”

She said as she forced herself up and wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me. “I’m…really happy…to have fallen for you…my…prince..” Rina said weakly and tearfully before she shattered and a text box popped up saying “Party Disbanded.”

“That was so heart touching, but unfortunate for you, you’ll be joining her in a second!”

Kuradeel said as he readied his sword up, I sat there as I thought back to the night I spent with Rina as she was trying to find peace with her friend's death. I then gripped my sword as I rolled out of the way of a fatal downward slash, I stood up as I had tears drop from my face. “Hold still! Just like that girl earlier!” Kuradeel shouted as I gritted my teeth in anger, I looked at Kuradeel with anger in my eyes, saying “Your death will sooth my sadness…” as I took up a sword stance.

Kuradeel and I ran in as he swung horizontal and I swung vertical. My sword hit Kuradeel first as Kuradeel’s swing was stronger, sending me flying to the side a bit as I got back up on my feet quickly. I covered my mouth as I coughed out blood and looked at my hand, splattered with some virtual blood. I turned my attention to Kuradeel as he ran towards me.

I took a defensive stance as I dodged and parried one of his horizontal and vertical cuts, Swinging my sword and connecting a sword skill. “One skill isn’t gonna make the cut for it, Pipsqueak!!” Kuradeel shouted, swinging again as I dodged the attack and Swung at his weak points in his armor. I held out my Shinestone Rune as I shattered a piece or a corner of it, activating the rune once out of Five times. I then began activating sword skill after sword skill, dramatically dropping his health from near-full green to near-death red using my strongest skills.

Kuradeel dropped his sword and got on his knees, he then began to beg “Please don’t kill me! I-I didn’t mean to cause this much trouble! Please!!” as I looked at him. I kept looking at him as my mind flashed memories of Rina and I gritted my teeth a bit, I kneeled down to him saying “Tell me… Who was the girl you killed…” as Kuradeel looked up at me. “W-what?” he said in a shaky voice as I said “the girl…What was her name…” as he tried to think of the name.

“R-Rina? Right?”

Kuradeel said as I grabbed him by the hair, I then told him “Did you give her a second to plead… like you are doing now… Did you give her a chance to beg on her knees…” as I pulled out a small dagger. “W-what are you gonna d-do with t-that?” Kuradeel said scared as I told him with a sinister smile “I am going to enjoy every bit of this…” as I pressed the dagger up to Kuradeel’s face. I kept pressing harder as the dagger slowly and painfully began to carve into his face.

The Screams that Kuradeel gave out did quench my sadness but also awakened a dark side of me, enjoying hearing Kuradeel’s screams of agony before he shattered from dying slowly. My icon above me turned red as I killed someone with my own hands, I then began heading out towards Kamdet City, carrying the dagger that I had given Rina on the first night.

My Mentality was in all sorts of places, I wasn’t able to think right for the first time. I stopped at the entrance of Darkwood Forest as I gripped the dagger’s sheath and broke into tears, looking down at the ground thinking to myself “I’m…I’m so sorry…I'm so sorry Rina…I’m very sorry Rina…” as I began wiping my tears away.

I was a bag of mess, walking to the Restaurant still in tears as the Tavern Owner was shocked and asked me “What happened man?!” as he got out from behind the counter and put his hand on my shoulder. “I-Its…It’s nothing…” I said in a saddened tone and sniffled a bit, “You sure man? I’ll get Sato and Toru” the Tavern Owner said as I shook my head saying “N-No…Just…Can…Can you…get me a….a…Ragout Rabbit S…Stew…” as The Tavern Owner looked confused as much as the other people eating there.

“Surree…” he said, confused as I sat in the very back of the restaurant. I looked around the rest of the restaurant seeing happy faces, smiling, and laughing. I looked down at a cup of water I had gotten earlier as I began to reflect on myself “I…I won’t be able to keep your promise…Rina…” as a teardrop dropped into my glass of water, turning the pure virtual freshwater into a mixture of sadness, grieve, and emotions unparalleled.

My order came to me as I saw a recording crystal on the side and looked at the Tavern Owner, He then said to me “It…It was given to me a couple days before today…She said she wanted you to listen to it..” as I took it the recording crystal and put it into my inventory.

I ate the Ragout Rabbit Stew as I envisioned Rina sitting on the other side eating it as well as laughing and talking like she normally does. I kept eating the stew as eventually the stew was gone, I looked down at the empty bowl and set a coin bag at the side, getting up from my seat and leaving.

I walked over to my log cabin as I walked inside, locking the door and setting the space to private. Sitting down on the couch with the lights dimmed down and setting the recording crystal onto the table. “Recording playing now” the recording crystal said in an automated voice as I heard Rina’s voice come from the crystal.

“Hey.. If you’re getting this Kirin, then this must mean I’m dead… As sad as that is..You need to keep pushing on Kirin… I know by the time you’re listening I’d be gone… but…All the times we had gone onto our first separate journeys was a stepping stone for me… You have inspired me to fight on and see the world as it is…A world where we can make friends…find lovers… and live a life worth living for… Kirin…You succeeded in giving me that glimmer of hope I needed… I don’t know how to repay you but… Someday… maybe in another life… We’ll meet again… Hold your chin high, don’t let my death be a burden on you… So please… Win…Win the game not just for me… But for everyone who can’t win their own fight… My Prince in shining armor…”

“Recording ended” the recording crystal’s automated voice said as the crystal powered down, I sat there in tears again as I messaged Sato, Toru, Asuna, and Kirito “I want some time alone…” as I laid down onto my couch, holding the crystal and began crying into my couch pillow.

Four weeks had passed since Rina’s Passing, and a mere Two weeks since Rina’s passing was made to the public towards her closest friends. I heard a knock on the door as I just didn’t want to open the door, My health had been at 1 rather than 350. “Kirin, please open the door… It’s been four weeks…” a voice said from the other side as I said “Leave me alone… I don’t want visitors…” as the person knocked again.

“Mmmn…” I groaned a bit as I sat up, getting up and walking over to the door. I opened the door and saw that it was Toru, sporting a new hood that was a dark gray color. “Kirin… You’re not taking care of yourself like we discussed…” she said to me as I sighed, telling her “I…lied…I…I didn’t…” as I felt her hug me.

“Kirin… I know it’s hard for all of us to have a close friend pass on…But right now… I need my Kirin…My friend…”

Toru told me as I was speechless at this, I didn’t know what to truly say to her… I felt...like I didn’t deserve to hug her back, I had given up for four weeks mourning one person… Toru looked at me and let go of the hug, holding his hand for a bit telling him “We’re all going to a raid next thing in the morning… I hope you can make it…” as Toru let go of his hand and left back towards Kamdet City.

I looked at my hand that she held as my memories flash blood on it as I kept looking at my hand in sorrow. “I don’t know If I should head back…” I thought to myself as I turned to look at the recording crystal. “But then again… I wouldn’t be doing what Rina wanted me to do…” I thought as I opened my menu and drank some potions, healing my health back up to 301.

I opened my inventory and equipped my battle armor as I looked at my hands, I held my hand onto the door handle and looked back at the crystal once more, smiling a bit saying “I’m off Rina..” as I closed the door behind me. I walked over to Kamdet City as I arrived at the restaurant, walking into the restaurant and seeing the Tavern Owner. “Holy shit! Kirin?!” The tavern owner said to me as I chuckled a bit replying “Hey, It’s been a while huh” as he smiled and chuckled as well. “What can I get you man?” he said to me as I looked and said “Can you get me ragout rabbit stew?” as he nodded. I sat down in a seat as I waited for my order, I then took some time to self-reflect.

I began thinking to myself “All players are different… Some will kill for fun… some will kill for a reason… I am one of those players with Kuradeel’s death on my hands… I just hope it doesn’t get out of hand..” as I opened my eyes and heard footsteps coming my way. “Here you go, one B Rank Ragout Rabbit stew” the tavern owner said as I nodded saying “Thanks man, here” as I handed him a pouch full of COL.

“Appreciate it Kirin”

The Tavern owner said as I then asked “Hey, I never got your name” as he walked away saying “It’s Izah” as he went behind the counter to clean his utensils. I thought to myself “Izah huh…” as I ate my ragout rabbit stew, getting a regeneration buff for the day.

I left the Restaurant as I heard the same wind chime sound and checked my messages, seeing that one was from Toru. “Come to Darkwood Forest, Izah already told me you were at his restaurant” as I walked towards Darkwood Forest. I unsheathed my sword walking into Darkwood Forest as I walked on a dirt pathway.

“Kirin, Over here!”

A voice shouted as I stopped and looked around, eventually seeing Toru waving her arm and shouting my name. I then headed over towards Toru as she smiled. I began to slow down as I was standing in-front of Toru.

I could see the red around her eyes as if she was trying not to cry, I asked her “Are you okay Toru? I know-” as she then quickly threw herself to me and hugged me, wrapping her arms over my shoulder and around my neck. I blushed as my eyes widened a bit, she then said to me “I never thought I’d see you again… Out here fighting with us…With me…” as she slowly broke down into tears and cried into my shoulder.

I dropped my sword and hesitated to embrace her hug. My eyes also began to tear up again as I saw a yellow glowing figure off in the distance nearby, seeing that it was Rina as she smiled before fading off. “W-was that…Rina…?” I thought as I slowly embraced her and muttered to Toru “I…I’m really sorry…”.

Toru and I then formed a party not long after, walking towards a cave as the silence filled the air. We kept walking as I noticed Toru was more silent and reserved to herself than normal, I then broke the silence saying to her “Do…Do you feel guilty about Rina..?” as she looked at me. She then looked down a bit as she said “Yeah…I didn’t think she would go…” as I patted her back saying “I don’t think you meant it for real Toru” as I was trying to cheer her up.

“Maybe your right Kirin-kun..” as her accent slipped out but she didn’t bother to try and hide it. “Kun..?” I thought as I asked her “What does kun mean Toru?” as she looked at me and replied “Kun is a semi-formal way to guys my age Kirin-kun” as I looked at her confusedly.

“H-How old are you?”

I asked Toru as she replied “I’m 19, I just got out of School not too long ago” as I was shocked at this “I-I-I’m 19 too!!” I said excitedly as her face turned into excitement. We both improved our mood as we were excited to hear that we were the same age. We reached the cave that we were looking for as we looked at the entrance. I pulled out my sword as she popped her knuckles and said “You ready Kirin-kun?” as I nodded. “First come first serve!” she shouted running in first as I ran in behind her shouting “HEY NO FAIR!!”.