Moving Forward

The morning sun bathed the landscape of Aincrad's 50th floor in a soft, golden hue as Kirito and The Moonlight Black Cats gathered in the town square. Today was special; they were about to attempt something that would bring a sense of closure to one of their members. Silica, standing in the middle of the group, nervously fidgeted with the item in her hand. It was the revival item they had worked so hard to acquire—the item that would bring her beloved Pina back to life.

"Are you ready?" Kirito asked gently, his voice steady as he placed a reassuring hand on Silica's shoulder.

Silica nodded, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear. With a deep breath, she activated the item. A bright light enveloped the area, and for a moment, everything was silent. Then, as the light faded, a familiar blue-feathered creature materialized in front of Silica. Pina had returned.

"Pina!" Silica cried, dropping to her knees as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. The tiny dragon chirped happily, nuzzling its face against Silica's. The rest of the guild gathered around her, offering their congratulations and sharing in her happiness. After everything they had been through, this small victory felt monumental.

"I'm so glad you're back," Silica whispered to Pina, holding it close. She then turned to the group, her smile radiant. "Thank you, everyone. I… I want to rejoin the guild. If you'll have me."

Keita stepped forward, nodding with a warm smile. "Of course, Silica. We're stronger together."

As the days went by, the guild's focus shifted back to the goal of leveling up. Keita, always thinking ahead, approached Kirito with a request. "Kirito, we need to get everyone to level 60. Can you help us with that?"

Kirito, understanding the importance of this, agreed without hesitation. "Leave it to me. We'll get there together."

And so, the training began. They set up their base on the 50th floor and began a rigorous regimen of hunting, questing, and battling. Kirito pushed them hard, knowing that the higher floors would only get more dangerous. But amidst the grinding and battling, there were moments of camaraderie, laughter, and growth.

One afternoon, after a particularly grueling week, Kirito decided to take a day off. He wandered through the bustling city streets of the 57th floor, enjoying the rare moment of peace. The marketplace was lively, filled with the chatter of players bartering for goods and the clinking of swords from the blacksmiths' forges. Kirito's stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since morning. He spotted a small restaurant tucked away on a side street and made his way towards it.

But before he could step inside, a scream echoed from the city center. Kirito's instincts kicked in, and he sprinted toward the source of the commotion. As he arrived, he saw a horrifying sight—a player hanging by a rope from a building, a sword driven through his chest. The man's HP plummeted to zero, and his body dissipated into data fragments. Kirito froze, his mind racing. No one should be able to die in a safe zone.

In the corner of his eye, Kirito noticed a figure darting away, moving swiftly across the rooftops. Without a second thought, Kirito gave chase, his feet pounding against the stone as he leaped from one roof to the next. The figure moved quickly, but Kirito was relentless. Then, as the figure's cloak caught the wind, it flipped up, revealing the face beneath it. Just as Kirito thought he might catch up, the figure used a rare teleportation item, disappearing in a flash of light.

Kirito skidded to a halt, frustrated that he had lost the trail. As he returned to the scene of the crime, his breath caught in his throat. The man who had been killed was very much alive. "What the…?" Kirito muttered, his mind reeling. Could this be some trick? His thoughts immediately turned to Sasamaru's supposed death. If this man had faked his death, could Sasamaru have done the same?

Later that day, Kirito returned to his room, determined to uncover the truth. He opened his friend list, scanning through the names when something caught his eye—an unfamiliar name: Marksman. "Who the hell is this?" Kirito muttered, trying to remember if he had ever added someone by that name. He attempted to locate Marksman, but the system informed him that the player was on another floor. Frustrated but not deterred, Kirito decided to wait until nightfall to continue his investigation.

As the night settled over Aincrad, Kirito tried again. This time, Marksman was on the same floor. Kirito quickly changed his name to Swordsman to avoid detection and used his tracking skills to locate Marksman. His heart pounded in his chest as he closed in, following the player through the winding streets of the city. Finally, Marksman entered a narrow alleyway, and Kirito, moving silently, followed.

The figure stopped, sensing someone behind him. Slowly, he turned around, and their eyes met. Kirito's breath caught in his throat as he recognized the face in front of him. "Sasamaru…?"

Sasamaru's face was etched with guilt and resignation as he lowered his hood. "Kirito… I didn't think you'd find me."

Kirito's emotions surged—anger, betrayal, confusion. "Why? Why did you fake your death?" he demanded, his voice tight with frustration.

Sasamaru looked away, unable to meet Kirito's gaze. "I was scared, Kirito. When the Titan's Hand threatened us, I panicked. I couldn't face them… I couldn't face you all. So I ran. I thought it would be easier if everyone believed I was dead."

Kirito clenched his fists, his anger barely contained. "Do you know what you've done? Keita, Sachi, Tetsuo… they were devastated. We thought we lost you. We fought and killed Rosalia's entire guild because we believed you were murdered!"

Sasamaru flinched, the weight of Kirito's words hitting him hard. "I… I never meant for that to happen. I just couldn't handle the pressure."

"You made all of us murderers," Kirito said, his voice cold. "All because you were too afraid to face reality."

The tension hung heavy in the air as the two stood in silence. Finally, Kirito broke the quiet. "What are you doing now?"

Sasamaru hesitated before replying, "I've been working with Ducker. Trying to stay under the radar. I couldn't bear to face any of you after what I did."

Kirito sighed, the anger beginning to subside as he realized the depth of Sasamaru's regret. "If you want to make things right...., start by being honest.... Don't let fear control you anymore....."

Sasamaru nodded slowly, understanding Kirito's message. But the guilt still weighed heavily on him as Kirito turned and walked away, leaving Sasamaru alone in the alley, lost in his thoughts.

The next morning, The Moonlight Black Cats gathered for another day of training. As they prepared to set out, a figure approached them. Keita, Sachi, and Tetsuo froze in shock, their eyes wide as they recognized Sasamaru. Kirito stood silently, watching the scene unfold.

"Sasamaru…" Keita whispered, disbelief coloring his tone.

Sasamaru bowed deeply, his voice trembling as he spoke. "I'm so sorry. I faked my death because I was too afraid to face the danger. I know I've hurt you all, and I don't expect you to forgive me. But I needed to tell you the truth."

The group stood in stunned silence, emotions swirling—relief, anger, confusion. Keita was the first to speak, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and caution. "You can rejoin us, Sasamaru. We'll give you another chance."

But Sasamaru shook his head. "I'm not worthy of your kindness, Keita. I need to find my own way now. I'm sorry for everything."

Keita nodded slowly, understanding but saddened by Sasamaru's decision. The group watched as Sasamaru turned and walked away, a figure weighed down by guilt. Kirito, still silent, called off their training for the day, urging the others to take some time to process everything.

Days passed, and The Moonlight Black Cats began to move forward, leaving the pain of the past behind. They focused on getting stronger, pushing through the tough floors and facing new challenges together. Kirito dedicated himself to helping them reach their goal of level 60, but he found it increasingly difficult to level up himself as the monsters grew stronger. His current level hovered in the mid-70s, and the battles were only getting harder.

One day, while soloing on the 61st floor, Kirito encountered Shino during a fierce battle with monsters. She joined him in the fight, her arrows flying with deadly precision. Together, they cleared the area and moved to a safe zone. As they sat down in a small restaurant to rest, Shino's expression turned serious.

"I want to join your guild," she said, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

Kirito, surprised, asked, "Why?"

Shino explained her reasoning. "It's getting harder to solo on the higher floors, and I think I'd be more effective fighting as part of a group. But I've watched other guilds, and yours stands out. You're focused on getting stronger and clearing the game, not just gaining fame or members."

Kirito considered her words, recognizing the sincerity in her voice. "Alright," he agreed. "You can join us."

Shino smiled, a rare sight that made Kirito feel a warm sense of accomplishment. They finished their meal and made their way back to the guild house, where Kirito introduced Shino to the rest of the group. Sachi and Silica were particularly thrilled, and excited to have another girl in the guild.

As the group welcomed Shino, Kirito mentioned how she had helped him defeat Rosalia, earning her even more respect from the others. Shino was surprised to learn that Kirito hadn't told them about their first encounter, but Kirito just shrugged it off with a small smile.

As the guild settled in, Kirito felt a sense of satisfaction. Despite the challenges and the hardships they had faced, they were growing stronger together. And as they prepared for the battles ahead, Kirito knew that with their new ally, they were more prepared than ever to face whatever Aincrad had in store for them.