Chapter 8

"Toru..?"

I said lightly, she didn't respond as I became a little anxious as I said to her "Sorry...I'm-" as she cut me off saying "Just...Stop..". I sat up and looked at her, hesitant to grab her hand gently and ask her. I then noticed she was fidgeting with the wedding ring, saying "Do...Do you think we need some time away...?" as I noticed some redness in her eyes.

I sat there speechless, anxious, and scared. I became more hesitant as she said "I've been thinking about it...I can't have you dying on me...but I...I just can't...". I replied, "I...I'm really sorry...". I began to slowly tear up as I said to her "I...I'll be okay with your decision...", she looked at me as she kept fidgeting with the ring.

After a moment of silence, Toru then requested a divorce via textbox that popped up in-front of me. I looked at her with my heart sunken in, she said to me "I...need some time alone..." as I took a deep breath, recomposing myself and clicked yes. "Divorce approved." another textbox popped up as it was rather cold in text. the rings on our fingers shattered into pieces.

Toru set down three potions for me and hugged me saying "good luck..." She told me as she stood up and walked out towards the entrance. I sat there looking at the potions, tears dropping as I took one and drank it, another one and drank it, back to full health.

I took the third one and looked at it, I then tapped on the potion and renamed it to "Regret.". I put it away in my inventory as I got up and also began walking out towards the entrance.

"I'm...I'm a mess..."

I thought to myself as I exited out of the dungeon, seeing that it was sundown, I wiped my tears from my face as I felt empty inside. I looked at the way we came and walked the other way, towards the unknown side of the fields.

For almost an Hour I walked aimlessly, hoping I would just go to a spot where I can stay and reflect on my entire day. I then stumbled upon a single tree on a hill, I walked up the hill and sat down underneath the hill, looking from the fields and seeing the safe zone. "I understand why Toru wanted some time alone..." I thought to myself as my train of thought continued "I...keep putting myself in danger, I guess she had it in thought for a long time too...".

I hugged my knees thinking to myself "God...Why didn't I see it beforehand...I've been so busy with leaving this place that...I forgot about her..." I cried and cried, staying up at that hill for the rest of the day crying.

I then received multiple messages from Sato, Kirito, Klein, Asuna, and the others, but not one message from Toru. I checked the messages that were sent as they were all checking in on me, as the information on our split was spread throughout our group by Argo's information.

I texted them "I'll be fine, Just need some time alone that's all" trying to make it sound happy and like I knew it from the start. I sighed heavily, sitting at the tree and looking up at the skies, thinking to myself "I deserved this...".

I got up and went down the hill, heading back towards the safe zone, but it was a while before I even got back. I walked and heard footsteps and bushes rustling in the distance. I stopped and puts my mask on, saying "Come out of the bush, you're too loud to even sneak up on me..." as a couple of red players came out.

I looked at them saying "really...? An ambush?", as a Red PKer came from behind with a mace swinging at my head. I quickly ducked and swept their legs, having them fall face first. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you guys, either run or you all die here..." I said in a monotone voice.

The other PKers then came out as I stood up. I pulled out my dagger out of it's sheathe, quickly stabbing one of them in the abdomen and kicking another one down. "I warned you" I said as I slammed my foot on the PKer's head. I pulled out my sword as I raised my sword and threw it into the other PKer's chest. 

Their health depleted as they shattered on the spot, turning my green indicator to orange, The Mace user ran off, I looked down at the PKer with my foot on his head, I took my foot off and put my knee on his chest.

"See this is what happens when you try and ambush me..."

I said iteratively as I reverse gripped my dagger and put it right on his neck, the PKer then began apologizing saying "IM SORRY IM SO SORRY! PLEASE LET ME GO!!" as he begged for mercy. My hand began to shook a bit as I took a deep breath, my hand then stopped shaking as I raised my dagger up slamming it down.

The player opened his eyes as the dagger was right beside his head, I stood up as I told him, "I better not see your face around here..." He nodded repeatedly as they got up ran off.

I looked at my dagger as I sheathed it and looked at my hand, I then thought to myself "Maybe...I'm the problem..." as I kept walking towards the safe zone. The Sun began to rise as it was Six in the morning, I made it back to the safe zone as I stood outside of the safezone.

"I'll just pick up some things before I head back out.."

I thought to myself as I walked into the safe zone, walking towards the marketplace. I equipped a robe as I put on the hood masking my username, I walked over towards some certain materials as I bought them off NPCS. While I walked around the marketplace some more and spotted Toru, sitting on a bench as Asuna was trying to cheer her up.

I stood there a bit hopeless as I didn't want to ruin her time alone, I turned and walked the other way as I walked over towards an Inn. I paid for a room and walked in, closing the door behind me and taking the hood off. I sat down on the bed and looked over at the second empty bed, imagining Toru sitting on the other bed Criss crossed, asking me questions.