Chapter 8: An Unexpected Encounter at the Inn
As Kamikawa Hikaru looked at the girl standing behind the group—the only female member of the Moonlit Black Cats—he couldn't hide the emotions welling up inside him.
He remembered clearly what would happen to this guild.
Their tragic fate, the sympathy players felt after reading about them... especially the sorrowful tale surrounding that girl. And now, to think he was meeting them in person—it was hard to believe.
Noticing Hikaru's gaze fixed on her, Keita tilted his head in curiosity.
"Do you... know Sachi?"
Realizing his mistake, Hikaru cleared his throat and quickly replied, "No... I just wasn't expecting a girl to be in your party. That's all. It caught me off guard."
"Well, that's because we were all friends in real life," said Tetsuo with a casual chuckle, resting his warhammer on his shoulder.
"I see..." Hikaru nodded slowly, pretending he had just learned that. When Keita invited him again, this time to join them for dinner back in town, Hikaru paused for a moment—then nodded.
If it were a large guild, he would've refused without a second thought. But this was the Moonlit Black Cats. A small, tight-knit group that genuinely looked out for one another. There was no reason to turn them down.
"Seriously?! That's awesome!" Keita exclaimed, overjoyed that Hikaru accepted. He quickly packed his gear and waved at the others. "Alright, guys, let's head back to town!"
On the walk back, Hikaru walked beside Keita.
"You guys have always been together since this game started?" he asked.
"Of course! We were already close in real life. The moment SAO launched, we formed a team together," Keita said with a grin, scratching his head. Then, with a curious look, he added, "What about you? Are you a solo player?"
Hikaru gave a short nod. "Yeah."
Keita stopped in his tracks for a second and looked at him seriously.
"Are you one of the Beta Testers?"
"No," Hikaru answered flatly.
"Then... would you consider joining our guild?"
Hikaru fell silent for two seconds, then gently shook his head. "Sorry. I've always worked alone. But thanks for the offer, Keita."
"No worries. Just thought I'd give it a shot." Keita smiled as he raised a hand, though a hint of disappointment lingered in his eyes.
Once they reached the town, they headed into an inn and ordered a few drinks. The group chatted away for nearly two hours, laughter filling the room. Eventually, Hikaru stood up from his seat.
"I need to get back to training. But before that, let's exchange friend requests."
"With pleasure." They each tapped into the system and added each other as friends.
Just before leaving, Hikaru turned around.
"Oh, by the way—if you guys ever reach the Labyrinth Area, avoid anything unfamiliar. Some objects can be extremely dangerous. Please remember that."
Seeing the seriousness on his face, Keita silently nodded, storing the warning in the back of his mind.
"If you need help, just send me a message. I'll come running. Until next time." Hikaru gave a small smile and turned to leave.
But just as he reached the door, Keita called out to him again.
"Hikaru... can I ask you for a favor?"
"Go ahead. If it's something I can do, I'll help."
"Our guild is short on vanguards. I was hoping... you could train Sachi to take that role."
That request made Hikaru pause.
He turned toward Sachi, eyes serious.
"You want to be a vanguard?"
"I... I think I could try..." Sachi murmured, nervously hiding behind Tetsuo's back.
Hikaru sighed deeply. He looked at Keita and the others, his tone growing sharper.
"Keita, are you really planning to put someone who trembles just from seeing a monster... on the front line? That's either reckless or—worse—irresponsible. And Sachi, are you okay with this?"
"I..." She opened her mouth, but words failed her. The gaze of her guildmates silenced her.
"Sachi, if you don't want to be on the front line, you should speak up. Being a vanguard isn't just about bravery—it's the most critical role in any party. One mistake in a dungeon, and the entire team dies. If you force this formation, sooner or later... you'll all be wiped out. Sorry, Keita, but I can't support that decision."
His words left the room in heavy silence. Keita and the others glanced at one another, quietly reflecting.
"Keita," Hikaru continued calmly, "you're all guys here. Isn't there anyone else who can take up the vanguard role full time? It's not impossible."
"...You're right," Keita muttered, his expression clouded with regret. He looked toward Sachi. "I'm sorry, Sachi. We didn't think about how you really felt."
"If there's ever a next time, let's chat again," Hikaru said with a small smile before leaving the inn.
As soon as the door shut behind him, Tetsuo suddenly shouted, "I just remembered!"
"Huh? What is it?"
"Tetsuo, why are you yelling?"
Everyone turned to him in confusion.
"Hikaru... He's that guy! The Black and Crimson Blade!" Tetsuo exclaimed, eyes sparkling as he grabbed Keita's arm. "We just had drinks with a living legend!"
"The Black and Crimson Blade..." Keita muttered, recalling the black cloak and the crimson sword. It matched the stories players had been whispering about—a figure who inspired hope.
"Black... and Crimson... Hikaru..." Sachi repeated softly. Hikaru's words echoed in her mind long after he had gone.
— — —
As Hikaru stepped out of the inn, he was immediately swarmed by a horde of players shouting his nickname.
"Tch... Not again." He quickly dashed through a side alley and bolted out of town. Only when he was finally alone did he breathe a sigh of relief.
"Looks like I'll need to avoid cities for a while... or maybe just stop going into them at all."
After calming down, he headed straight for the Labyrinth Area. Yesterday, while clearing out monsters, he'd already discovered the location of the Floor 2 Boss. He had planned to defeat it—until the unexpected meeting with the Moonlit Black Cats.
Carving through the monsters along the way, Hikaru soon stood before the massive stone door.
The moment it creaked open, the towering form of The Two-Headed Giant Taurus emerged from the shadows. Its roar echoed across the dungeon.
But it was no match.
Under a relentless barrage of overwhelming speed and strength, the boss fell in less than thirty minutes.
Floor Two—Cleared.
Hikaru stepped through the shimmering gate and entered Aincrad's third floor.
— — —
Two days later, the front-line raiding group finally arrived at the boss room.
But it was empty.
No boss. No loot. Just the portal to Floor 3, glowing faintly.
When the news broke, chaos swept through SAO.
How? Who?
How could someone defeat a Floor Boss again—and so soon?
The answer whispered through everyone's mind.
"Was it... him?"
Kirito and the other veterans from Floor One could only think of a single name.
Kamikawa Hikaru.
— — —
With the opening of Floor 3, the system unlocked a new feature: official guild creation.
In the blink of an eye, guilds began popping up like mushrooms across Aincrad.
Meanwhile, Hikaru—his crimson sword slung on his back—was already carving a path upward. He defeated the Floor 3 Boss in a day. Cleared Floor 4 the next. Two days later, Floor 5. By the end of the week, he stood on Floor 8.
Most players hadn't even caught up to Floor 3.
At an inn in the Floor 3 city, Hikaru sat alone, sipping a drink.
Then, a man sat next to him—dressed entirely in red, with a longsword at his waist.
He carried the quiet dignity of a leader.
Just one glance was enough.
Heathcliff. Leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath.
But Hikaru knew the truth.
Behind that name... was Kayaba Akihiko. The creator of SAO, disguised within the game under an admin account.
Why was he here?
Hikaru didn't flinch. He calmly took another sip and ordered a second drink.
Heathcliff swirled his glass in silence, then finally spoke.
"Hikaru-kun, have you ever considered joining a guild?"
"You know who I am?" Hikaru asked, feigning surprise.
"Of course. The story of the man who soloed the Floor 1 Boss has reached many ears."
"I prefer being alone. I have no plans to join a guild. But thank you for the offer." Hikaru stood and walked out without waiting for a reply.
Heathcliff watched him go, staring into the blue drink in his hand.
"A man who's cleared seven floors by himself... Just who are you really?"
Outside the inn, Hikaru spotted several players in red uniforms—Knights of the Blood Oath. He gave them a brief glance, then walked away without a word.
"Looks like I've caught Heathcliff's attention," he thought as he strolled through the forest.
He knew that Kayaba Akihiko could monitor everything in this world.
But that didn't scare him.
In fact, it made him smile.
"Well then," he muttered, hand gripping the hilt of his sword.
"Let's give him a show worth watching."
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