January 1st, 2022: 7:30PM Japan Standard Time
Floor 1: Grasslands
She struck forward with the tip of her rapier, the point of the blade stabbing gracefully into the boar she had just finished off. With a squeal the animal shattered into polygons, leaving her standing in the grass with a notification in front of her. She flicked her weapon clean of blood before returning it to its sheath and accepting the loot. Her chestnut hair swayed gently in the breeze that passed through the field as she exhaled a breath she hadn't known she was holding.
Her name was Asuna Yuuki, she was nineteen years old, and she was going to live. That's what she tried to tell herself at least. She had decided to play this wretched game as an attempt to escape from her real world obligations and her overbearing parents. That had ended up being a mistake that struck far further into her core than she could have ever predicted.
"Good job Asuna! You're still pushing off a little too timid though." A voice came from behind her, breaking her out of her thoughts. She turned on her feet with a pirouette, showing a graceful side that hid underneath her reserved exterior.
Asuna looked towards her friend that had accompanied her, Misumi. Her long purple hair was pulled up just enough out of her face that her startling teal eyes were visible, catching the reflection of the sun. No, in this world she was Mito. Her friend had taught her quickly about the taboo that was using one's real name in game. Unfortunately for her, she hadn't known that when she named her own character. Mito had convinced her to play, to take a step outside of her comfort zone and the shackles of her family life. Now they were apparently trapped in a game of death.
Asuna had started the day as a mess, hardly able to do anything other than cower. It was only through her friend that she managed to muster up the courage to wander out into the daring world of Aincrad. Now they were outside of the Town of Beginnings, Mito helping her learn the ins and outs of combat and how to defend herself. They had been at it for a few hours, and in that time she had gotten a fairly decent handle on her chosen weapon. She had defeated enough creatures to level up a few times, and she was slowly becoming less of a scared wreck.
"Thanks Mito, I'm feeling better about this whole thing now. At least a little bit." Asuna spoke with a beaming look of joy. She was thankful for a friend, even if she was still struggling with everything going on.
Mito held a large iron scythe at her side that was as tall as she was, using it for support to lean on. She examined Asuna like one of the brunette's dance instructors. Mito had done her share of fighting already, opting to let Asuna practice as much as possible while she watched over her to ensure her safety. The system had worked fairly well so far, the purple haired woman giving tips after every boar Asuna had killed.
"Well, you are doing much better already and we haven't even been out here all that long. I think we can move on from boars. Are you up to trying something a little bit more difficult?" Mito's voice was gentle, making it clear she wasn't going to press the issue if Asuna said no.
Asuna felt her body stiffen with an involuntary panic response. She had gotten comfortable with the small animals they had been fighting, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go beyond that just yet. What did Mito mean by more difficult exactly? She shuddered at the thought, but decided to bite back the fear.
"I think I can manage that, what did you have in mind?" Asuna's reply was soft and she was sure Mito could hear the hesitation behind her words. She tried her best to hold it back, but she was sure some of her emotion made their way through her attempted facade.
"We would have to spend some time traveling, but there's a quest we can do that gives some good experience. If we get lucky there's even a rare mob that spawns. If we manage to kill it, it will even drop a really nice rapier for you. It should last a few floors at least." Mito's voice was full of friendly support. She was always so sure of herself, at least that's how she presented herself to Asuna, but she always made sure to keep her friends in high spirits. It was honestly starting to rub off on the brunette, which helped her nerves a little bit.
Asuna took a moment to think about the idea. There was a part of her that wanted to run, go back to the Town of Beginnings and sleep the days away in some inn, but if she did that would she really be living? To resign herself to a fate that was just hiding away from the world seemed like such a waste of her life. Also, if what Mito said was true, she could get a new rapier and that was an exciting prospect.
Surprisingly, she had come to truly enjoy the feeling of the weapon. She never expected to find something she even remotely enjoyed in the game. To her, the rapier was the perfect mixture of deadly precision and elegant grace. It felt almost natural when she used it, enabling her to act a bit more confident with the weapon in her hands. It even let her put some of the dance lessons she was forced to take to good use.
"When I chose to play this game, I did it out of spite really. I wanted to do something for myself instead of for my parents. It was petty, and it landed me in this mess…but I want to live for myself. I want to be my own person. That means I need to put my best foot forward" Asuna's words held a steel behind them she hadn't found until that moment.
Mito gave her friend a proud look accompanied by a smile. She pointed towards one of the dirt roads. "Then let's get going. It will take us a while to get there and I'd like to get some farming in before the night is over."
The pair spent the first portion of their journey in silence, heading out further away from the Town of Beginnings. Their hike had taken them eastward, and in the distance Asuna could see large mountains that loomed overhead. The brunette was okay with the lack of discussion, she was used to being reserved through most of her life. She was taught to be proper, to hold herself in high regard and only speak when the situation demanded it.
Eventually Mito had decided to speak up as they walked, breaking the comfortable silence that hung between the two of them. "By the way…I'm sorry Asuna. It's my fault you're stuck here, I shouldn't have pushed you so hard to play." The purple haired woman sounded genuinely regretful.
Asuna pursed her lips, giving her friend a half glare half grin. "Mito, it's seriously not your fault. Who could have possibly known something like this would happen? It's that maniac's fault."
Asuna spoke truthfully. Sure, she had decided to give this game a try on the recommendation of her friend beside her, but there was no way she was going to consider it Mito's fault that Kayaba had decided to trap them all here. She was scared and part of her wished she hadn't put the Nerve Gear on, but that wasn't something Mito had control over at all.
"I guess so…I just feel bad." Mito had glued her gaze to the floor while they walked, mumbling more than speaking her response. Asuna knew there was no way she was going to be able to mitigate her friend's guilt completely, but she was going to try her hardest to ease it.
"I decided to play for myself. I was so tired of always being under someone else's shadow that when my brother mentioned his Nerve Gear, it really seemed like the best option. If anything, being with a friend just makes the events here easier." She tried her best to keep a happy appearance on her face through the whole conversation. She meant what she said, but the ever present reality still tried to claw its way into the back of her mind whenever it was given the chance.
Mito took a few minutes to reply, during which she continued to stare at the ground in thought. Finally, she turned back to Asuna, meeting her gaze and continuing their walk.
"I'll try my best to believe you, but I think part of me will always feel guilty." Mito spoke with a genuine honesty that Asuna had to respect. They hadn't known each other for all that long, even in the real world, but she was slowly coming to appreciate the purple haired woman as a friend more and more.
"I understand, but we're in this together now." Asuna replied. Her hands found a comfortable place behind her back, clasped together as they continued to walk down the road. With the tension between them eased, they fell back into a comfortable silence. They continued along the road, Mito leading the way to the quest location she spoke of. The mountains ahead grew closer and closer with each step.
True to Mito's observation, it took them multiple hours of travel along the roads before they finally reached their destination. The scenery had slowly started to shift away from the wide open plains of grass into a rising elevation that gave way to large cliffsides. The pair had begun the trek up a winding pathway that led further into the mountains, the increase in elevation becoming more and more noticeable to Asuna as she walked up the path. She had to pause every so often to stop herself from tripping over rocks in the middle of the road, eliciting a giggle from Mito each time she did.
During their ascent, Mito stopped in front of a large archway that seemed to lead into the side of the mountain they had been climbing. The design of the entryway looked rather ominous, like it was beckoning them to enter. "Before we get all the way up, we should check this dungeon out. Oftentimes there's loot or other goodies hidden away and we could use the extra cor."
In the same breath Mito spoke, she had already begun to enter the cave. Asuna once again felt her body freeze up, the familiar tendrils of fear beginning to try and take hold of her. Mito was constantly pushing her past her comfort zone, but that's what Asuna had asked her to do. She took a deep breath, doing her best to steady herself as she entered into the dark cavern behind her friend.
It slowly became harder to see much farther than ten feet in front of her as they ventured further inside the cave. Their eyes had started adjusting to the low light conditions, but it was clear it would never be the same as direct sunlight. Mito had mentioned something previously during her instructional talks, a skill that allowed you to see in the dark.
Asuna internally laughed, glancing around the cave every few seconds in worry. With the skill still at such a low level it didn't seem to help her much. Navigating the cavern was difficult, but she managed to keep up with her friend. She had managed to notice every twenty feet or so there were little divots in the sides of the passageway that looked like something was supposed to be hidden there.
A faint sparkle caught Asuna's eye, and she pivoted toward one of the corners of the cave she had been watching. Like she had suspected, things were hidden in those alcoves. Her excitement soon turned to disappointment when she found a treasure chest. It was wide open, and where one might expect to see shining riches there was nothing. It had already been looted.
"Loot timers always cause the treasure to take forever to respawn. Seems like someone has already been here. The beta testers most likely already came through and ransacked the place." Mito's voice caught her attention, turning back towards her friend to listen to more of her teachings.
"Beta testers?" Asuna replied with a curious tone, taking her gaze away from the chest for the time being. She was learning more about the game every hour, but she wasn't super familiar with all of the different terminologies yet. This wasn't the first time her friend had referenced these so-called beta testers though, and she was curious what they were.
"They helped test the game before release. However, that means those that paid attention during that time had the advantage of knowing where good locations were for quests, farming, loot, things like that. Since the game was designed around first come first serve, that means they've most likely cleared out the cave already and taken anything useful." Mito paused for a moment, turning her head to look back at Asuna. She hesitated for a brief moment, but ultimately continued.
"In fact, I was a beta tester. It's how I knew about the places to take you earlier today so that you could train away from others." Mito spoke casually, continuing deeper into the cave as if trying to draw attention away from her statement. She didn't seem to want to linger on that fact about herself.
"Oh I see, I guess that's what you meant by prepping." Asuna replied while continuing forward with her friend. It wasn't a surprise that Mito was one of these beta testers. She was an avid gamer, and a skilled one at that. She wasn't sure why it seemed to bother Mito, but she wasn't going to press the matter.
The pair only managed to walk a brief period before Asuna spotted another chest. This time, it wasn't open. Another rush of excitement drew her towards it, her hand reaching out to open the wooden box. The dream of shiny jewelry and pretty stones began to fill her mind. Before she was able to touch the lock she heard her friend shout behind her, causing her to pause for a brief moment.
"Asuna, wait! Don't touch it." Mito blurted out in worry, rushing over to grab Asuna's wrist, forcefully tugging it backwards so that she didn't finish her intention to open the box.
Asuna paused in shock, glancing over towards Mito with a questioning gaze. "Huh? Why not?" She hadn't stopped Mito when she had started pulling her hand, but she was still curious at the sudden outburst.
"These types of dungeons have a ton of traps, especially on the loot. If someone else hasn't opened it, and the one we found before had already been taken, that means this is probably one of the ones that's been trapped. It could send arrows flying, spawn monsters, and all sorts of other dangers." Mito had pulled Asuna's hand far away from the chest at this point to ensure she didn't touch it, creating a distance she deemed safe enough for the newer player to be trusted before letting it go.
"What? Oh…okay." Asuna stuttered through her words, her hand dropping to her side. Her thoughts drifted to the sick man that was Kayaba. Not only had he designed a game intended to trap them, but he was twisted enough to put such things into the game as well? She suddenly paused, her ears twitching while she listened to the cave around her. Asuna turned to peer further into the passage, narrowing her eyes in contemplation. "Wait Mito…I think I hear something up ahead."
The pair stood up in unison, inching slowly further down the cave. As they grew closer, the sound that Asuna had noticed became more clear. Steel clashing against steel could be heard echoing down the rock passage, the telltale signs of combat bouncing from wall to wall filled the space around them. Soon after, a voice screaming in the distance drew their attention. "It was a trap! Oh God…fall back!"
Asuna and Mito ran forward when they heard the voice, closing the distance with the sounds of fighting growing louder with each step. Once the cave seemed to be opening into a larger chamber, Mito grabbed Asuna and pulled her to the side. The pair stopped behind part of the large rock wall to use it as cover. Mito peered around the corner, a grimace crossing her face at the gruesome sight before her. Asuna, unable to help herself after seeing her friend's expression, followed suit. As soon as she did, one of her hands flew to her mouth in horror at what she saw.
In the center of the chamber were five different young men, forming a circle in what seemed to be an attempt to defend each other. If Asuna had to guess, they were around her age. They were circled by what looked like fifty or so kobolds, all chanting with what appeared to be predatory excitement. When Asuna had peeked around the corner she had managed to just catch the sight of a kobold bringing a shoddy bronze axe down on one of the man's legs. He let out a scream of pain and fell to the ground, after which the kobolds' ecstatic sounds only grew louder and more energetic.
None of them had a clear way out, slowly but surely becoming completely surrounded by the mass of monsters that began to encircle them. Asuna couldn't see the man's body that had been stuck after he fell to the floor, but through the horde of kobolds she could see a trail of blood leaking from under the monsters' feet like a river. There was no doubt his leg was useless after the strike that had connected, it was most likely the source of the blood.
She may not have been able to see the man through the group of monsters, but she could hear the screams of pain bouncing off the walls. The sound of agony mixed with the almost frantic cries of glee from the kobolds created a sickening chorus in the air. There was a pleading coming from under the mob of monsters, begging for help through the screams and the sound of axes swinging and connecting with flesh. Asuna couldn't help but cringe as she was forced to listen to the noise.
"Oh God! We're going to die! Oh God, someone help us!" Another member of the group had begun to shout, praying someone was close enough to hear.
Asuna snapped her head to the direction of the voice. The young man was further in the dungeon and had managed to back out of the circle, but it was a futile attempt to defend himself against the neverending onslaught. Just like the first member, he was soon set upon by the horde. The poor boy never stood a chance. The flurry of axes caused the sound of splitting flesh to repeatedly echo off the rocks around them. The group of five was quickly being overwhelmed by the sheer number of monsters that were present, dwindling one by one.
Asuna instinctively began to rush forward to their aid, but before she could make even a single full step Mito grabbed her with both hands, using her scythe as a bar to stop the brunette from going further. Asuna struggled against the grip, trying her hardest to sprint towards the begging players.
"There's nothing we can do for them, they set off a trap. If we try, we'll just die alongside them." Mito whispered into her ear in a clearly hurting tone. With another shattering of polygons, the second man had succumbed to death. Asuna finally stopped writhing in her friend's grasp, slouching in defeat when she knew the prospect of getting them to safety was hopeless.
The brunette looked on in horror, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She stared in shock as the next part of the horde carried out their goal to completion. Deep red blood continued to run into the room and down the stone from under the pile of monsters, signaling another one of the players had been unable to get away. With the kobolds' consistent attacks the screams falling silent, the only conclusion was that another one of the party had met their end.
The sudden lack of sound etched itself into Asuna's mind. She couldn't move, she couldn't bear to take her eyes away. It was real, and it was terrifying. She hardly noticed Mito had begun to drag her away, slowly so as to not alert any of the monsters to their presence. Asuna let her friend pull her without resistance, but her focus remained set on the group slowly dying in front of her. She couldn't break away from the screams, the pleading, the cries, and the shattering sound that she had begun to associate with death. All of it was being branded inside of her mind like a sick reminder of their fate.
It wasn't long before they had exited the cave, Asuna's eyes still wide as saucers. Her hands were shaking, unable to fully process what she had just witnessed. "They…We could have…I…" She tried to form a sentence, a thought, anything at all, but the words just wouldn't come out. She couldn't think straight after what she had just been forced to witness and been unable to do anything about. She had been useless, completely helpless except to sit and watch as people were murdered before her very eyes.
"We had no choice, Asuna. If we had stayed we'd be in the same position. Look, it's getting late and there's a town not far from the top of the mountain. We're going to skip the grinding for the rest of the night and get some rest." Mito continued to guide her forward while she spoke, not giving Asuna any extra time to stare at the now silent cave entrance. It was a noble gesture, but that wouldn't get rid of the thoughts ingrained in her mind.
Asuna had fallen completely silent during their trip thereafter. During her first day inside of her first video game she had managed to; disobey pretty much everything her parents told her, get trapped in a game that was dead set on murdering her, feel genuine terror for the first time, and watch the gruesome murder of strangers. Needless to say, her day was not going well.
The duo had made it to the top of the mountain range and began into what appeared to be a large forest. Sticking to the road, they walked in step together, no words being traded between them. Asuna didn't know what she'd say even if she wanted to speak. What she had just witnessed had left an impression on her. She was sure she would be unable to forget the horrifying experience for a long time to come.
It had started getting dark, the setting sun only amplified by the trees blocking the light from above them. It was becoming difficult to see, but not enough that they couldn't continue their journey. Asuna wrapped her arms around herself to attempt and warm herself against the rapidly chilling night breeze.
"I'm sorry we couldn't help them…" Mito's words broke her from her thoughts.
Asuna turned to look at her friend while they continued to walk. She remained silent for a few moments, unsure of how to respond. She knew Mito had made the right call, but leaving people to die, actually die, broke something in her.
"It's…it's not your fault. It just hurts. This whole thing hurts." Asuna's voice was soft, laced with sadness. Her eyes remained staring at the ground as they walked along the road, unable to stare Mito in the eyes. Asuna was clearly talking about more than just what they had just witnessed.
"I know Asuna…I know." Mito's voice was equally as depressed. She made a sound like she was about to continue speaking, but before Mito could get the words out a crashing sound drew both of their attention ahead of them.
Eight large plant-like creatures had stumbled onto the road, vine-like tentacles whipping through the air in a crazed frenzy. They had no eyes that Asuna could see, instead in their place was a massive mouth, full of razor sharp teeth that chattered away in hunger. Mito immediately sprang into action, shaking off her depression and whipping her scythe forward.
"Nepenthes shouldn't be this close to the road! Asuna, make sure you don't get grabbed by their vines." Mito had shouted and then immediately darted forward without hesitation before Asuna could respond.
Mito closed the gap between the monsters and herself quickly, dragging her scythe in a wide arc that slashed through the first three nepenthes. The creatures screeched in pain, lashing out with their vine whips in response.
With impressive agility, Mito ducked under the first attack and twisted in midair to avoid the second. She was a sight to behold when she fought, at least in Asuna's mind. Asuna, seeing her friend already having pushed forward, drew her rapier and fought against the fear in her mind. She rushed forward, thrusting the tip of her blade into one of the creatures to execute a rapier skill.
The health bar above the nepenthes Asuna had struck rapidly depleted, dipping down to the red. Quickly after her strike Mito swung her scythe around, bringing the inside of the blade to reap the creature at the neck. With a final wail of pain the first nepenthes shattered into light, leaving only seven remaining.
Asuna made a swift pivot, turning with another precise thrust of her blade to stab another monster. She was getting back into the rhythm she had set prior, her fear melting away slowly as the blade went through the next creature's mouth. Like the last one, it too exploded into pieces. With two down, Asuna took a step back to assess the situation.
To her right Mito had just dispatched another four all by herself and was getting ready to engage one of the last two. Seeing that they were starting to get the situation under control Asuna shifted to the last nepenthes. She darted forward and began to charge up one of her skills.
"Asuna no!" Mito had shouted suddenly, having already killed the other remaining plant monster with a scythe skill.
Asuna glanced towards Mito, a look of confusion etched on her face. It was too late to respond though, her skill had already fired off, carrying her forward. With another pierce and cry, the nepenthes was defeated and a red bulb had begun to flash on its head. Asuna noticed quickly that whatever that bulb was, it made this one different.
The minute it had reached zero health, the bulb popped, causing smoke to fill the air around Asuna. She felt herself coughing at inhaling the fumes, stumbling backwards in an attempt to get out of the area that was covered. Through the smoke she could see a multitude of dark eyes appear, staring her down like they had found their next meal.
"Shit, get over here." Mito grimaced through the fog, latching her hand onto Asuna's collar and pulling her fully out of the smoke. "I didn't realize one of them was here. We need to try and get out of here, there's going to be too many."
Asuna felt the waves of fear begin to return, once again crashing into her with a new force. Her mind flashed to the mob of kobolds that had killed the group they saw in the cave. The screams still pierced her ears as if she was in that very room. She gripped the hilt of her rapier with a shaking hand, eyes flicking around her.
"I…I don't want to die." Asuna said the words out loud for the first time. The mass of nepenthes began to circle them. The truth of the statement sent lightning down her spine. Her grip tightened around the hilt of her weapon and a surge of resolve coursed through her veins. With a newfound confidence she thrust her rapier into the nearest monster, instantly killing it.
Her sudden surge of energy seemed to spur Mito forward, the purple haired woman swinging her scythe in a wide arc into more of the nepenthes that had attempted to advance on them. Back to back, they faced the tightening ring of monsters.
Asuna grit her teeth when one of the vines swiped at her, managing to leave a slash across her forearm. She made a riposte with her blade at the same moment she heard one of the creatures connect with Mito, who had made her own a cry of pain. The two of them continued to push forward, fighting through the seemingly endless swarm.
A slash, followed by a stab, then a swipe were all executed in sync. The pair moved in harmony as the creatures continued to try and overwhelm them. It took time, energy, and a whole lot of coordination but the army of plants slowly started to dwindle. Somehow they had managed to fight down to the last nepenthes.
Asuna and Mito were both heaving, the exertion of the fight taking its toll on them. Both of their health bars had hit the red, blinking in warning every few seconds. Asuna did her best to catch her breath as she stared down the last nepenthes, eyes narrowing with murderous intent.
Neither she nor Mito got a chance to execute their plan. It seemed like one moment they were on the forward step, and the next everything had gone completely upside down. A deafening roar split the air around them and a gigantic paw came crashing down from the darkness above. A monster's jaw the size of the nepenthes itself came downwards, and with a single bite consumed the plant monster. The nepenthes let out a cry of pain before shattering, and the minute it was gone the creature's bloodshot eyes snapped towards the duo.
If she had time to freeze she might have, but the creature shot forward immediately. In an instant it was upon them, its massive paw swiping at the duo. Both Asuna and Mito were unable to react, the giant arm connecting with both of them. It swept them off their feet, sending Asuna tumbling into the dirt and Mito slamming into a tree.
With a sickening crack Mito slumped to the ground, completely out cold. Without missing a beat, the massive creature bounded forward, its paw slamming downwards into Asuna's chest to hold her in place. She felt something in her chest give and a cough break from her mouth. Her eyes shot up in terror at the eyes of the creature that seemed as though it was going to attempt to eat her.
She couldn't bring herself to look away, completely frozen in fear watching it lower its head. It seemed to be taking its time, savoring the catching of its prey. She felt the creature's teeth prodding against her torso, preparing to finish her off. Bit by bit, it slowly closed around her, the pain of the sharp bone the only sensation left her body could feel.
This was it, this was where her life ended. Memories of her family and friends flashed before her eyes at the speed of thought. It was a comfort in her last moments. She closed her eyes, a single tear falling. She took a final breath and accepted her fate. She was going to die…And then it stopped.
Asuna's eyes shot open with shock, the creature above her withdrew from her torso and let out another deafening roar. This time however, it was in pain. Blood was spurting from its left eye causing it to reel backwards, clawing at its face to try and stop the wound. She could only see the flash of a body overhead, arcing with expert agility towards the creature.
The figure landed between her and the massive creature, his legs bending to absorb the impact. Without wasting a second, the young man darted forward. A series of sword skills executed at a speed she didn't think was possible, each connecting with the creature causing it to yell out in agony once more.
Asuna struggled to move and sucked in a sharp breath when she tried to sit up. A shock of pain ran up her chest, no doubt from whatever injury had occurred when she was stepped on. She had managed to get her body moved just enough to see the man leap up and forward, slashing the other eye of the creature as he landed atop its head.
It was flailing wildly now, a last ditch effort to try and rake the player from off of its skull. Without missing a beat the mystery man drove his sword downward in a stabbing motion, the weapon glowing as it pierced the creature's skin. With a final roar of pain the monster fell to the ground in a massive heap, blood running from the wound into the grass underneath it. The man leapt off with the same grace he had carried since his arrival, landing a few feet in front of Asuna. He walked over to her with his sword hanging casually in his right hand.
"Are you okay? How much HP do you have left?" There seemed to be a hint of genuine worry in the man's voice as he assessed her.
The first thing Asuna noticed when he spoke was his voice. It sounded young, probably her age or even younger maybe. While she still struggled to move she was able to get a better look at her savior. He wasn't overly muscular, in fact he appeared to be quite thin. He had medium length black hair that seemed to almost purposely hang over his eyes. What shocked her the most was that other than the sword he carried, his equipment seemed to be the same starting equipment every else had.
Asuna felt another cough escape and interrupted her train of thought, her hand going to her stomach to hold it from the pain. She could only stare at the man in silence. After a few moments he seemed to take it in stride, opening his menu to display a multitude of what she could only assume were health potions.
"This should be enough to get you back to town, I'll stick around until your friend wakes up." He spoke up once again, and it was obvious now that he was a little bit awkward.
As the mystery man spoke, he drew his blade towards his back, and with an attempt that would have made her giggle if she wasn't otherwise incapacitated, missed the sheath not once, not twice, but three times in a row.
Asuna tried her hardest to sit up, unable to do so. She desperately wanted to thank the man for saving both her and Mito's life. In her attempt, she felt something in her chest shift and suddenly stars flashed across her vision. Asuna felt her body go limp, her eyes shutting on their own.
"Hey! Are you okay!?"
Asuna faintly heard a voice yelling for her, but it was no use. Her mind slowly slipped away from consciousness, pitch black creeping into the recesses of her thoughts as the wear and tear of the fight took its toll. Whether she wanted to or not, she had fainted.