Yuji

His potions works, the man struggle to stay conscious but the red marks on his hand disappear. The girl next to him made a small fire, but that won't accomplish anything in this weather. All this snow and his terrible condition will get worse with each passing second. Out of nowhere, another girl join this already packed player and give this fainting guy a thick coat. She then offer this player to be brought to her shop. Yuji nod, helping the small girl to lift him.

Then come a person who Yuji would recognize everyday, the famous 'Blood Buccaneer', Zelrius he fought once in the championship. His gaze are locked on this player, more people to join this medical squad. Not wanting to attract this man attention,Yuji lower his head in hopes of Zelrius not noticing Yuji. 

"We shouldn't stay here any longer or he'll freeze to death. Show us the way towards the shop, we can talk more over there". Staying here won't do them any good, and so he urge everyone to move. The weather shows signs of incoming blizzard and trapped inside that weather would kill this already dying person.

ID 20704  BD: 2+1+1 (Savvy activated)

Successfully defending against their attack, Yuji wait patiently for them to move. The wolf becomes less aggressive, weird for them to act that way. And so he wait for them to make their moves, but nothing happen. With that, Yuji take the aggressive stance, sword now fully drawn out from its sheath. The sight of Nietono-no-Shana in his hand boost his confidence. Hoping that the boy won't get caught in his attack, he dash forward in hopes of attracting their attention to him.

Silver Wolf: 45/45

Dire Wolf 2: 11/20

Silver Wolf: ID 20701 MD: 1-3  CD: 6

This person is on another level. She can't land a hit after hitting him once, was the hit just now a lucky one? The wolf attack once more, this time with her fangs. Trying to bite the person, she only meet more resistance. Even with the boy behind him, he can still defend all attacks with ease.

Dire Wolf: ID 20702  MD: 3-3  CD: 7

Seeing its leader unable to land not even a single attack, it wavers a little. They are facing something that can kill them with ease. Their wild instinct tells them this person WILL kill them with no problem. Still, they have to fight for their survival. The situation have been reversed with them becoming the prey.

Again, its attack are futile. Yuji create invisible wall with barrages of attack, dicing anything that dares to get near it. The Dire Wolf stand there, knowing that rushing ahead recklessly would only hurt it further.

Yuji: 55/60

Young Boy: 10/10

ID 20700  BD: 8+1+1 (Savvy activated)

Battling monster have become his routines before, endlessly fighting through ranks of monster in hopes of getting stronger. All those battle teach him to become calm no matter what happen, which he failed to do so in the battle against the Hydra. Weird enough, fighting to protect this boy as he face real danger and life that will be [censored] away any moment helps him to force himself become calmer.

The result of him becoming more calm: the Dire Wolf is having a taste of his sword. Yuji land two hit, the front leg once before he slip to its left and swing his sword down leaving red marks. Now panicking, the wolf step away from, getting close to the Silver Wolf. Yuji approach the brat, predicting what will the wolves do now.

Silver Wolf: 45/45

Dire Wolf 2: 11/20

Silver Wolf: ID 20699  MD: 3-3  CD: 7

One of its kin have return to Mother Nature, Gaia. The Silver Wolf pray so that it will have a better life there. Right now, this person that dare to fight her shall meet the same fate. Enrage, the wolf howl loud enough and begin its barrage of attacks. This person skilfully deflect all the attack, making her even angrier.

Dire Wolf 2: 20698  MD: 2-3

The wolf see its friend die next to it. It howls following its leader. Vowing to itself that it will take this person down with it, the wolf dash for him neglecting its own life. Sadly enough, that person just swing his sword once forcing it to back away just before it can bite him.

ID 20697  BD: 10+1 

The young boy didn't manage to defend himself from the silver wolf attack, even he felt the attack just now. Searching his pouch for the healing crystal, he manage to defend themselves from the two other wolf as they try to attack him. He found it and quickly use it on the boy, healing him to full health. One crisis averted for now.

Now that he's able to return his focus on this battle, he dash forward with a quick leap and close the distance between his earlier spot and the first Dire Wolf. With a drawing motion, he slice upward and quickly dispatching it with ease. One opponent down, two left.

Silver Wolf: 45/45

Dire Wolf 1: DEAD

Dire Wolf 2: 20/20

Yuji: 55/60

Young Boy: 10/10

Silver Wolf: ID 20694  MD: 9-3  CD: 2

Seeing its kind getting hurt so easily angered her. Never have it seen its kind getting hurt that easily, their prides being trampled on so easily. With its claws, it swipes the battlefield, hurting both the player and boy. It howls, clearly satisfied at the outcome.

Dire Wolf 1: ID 20695  MD: 6-3  CD: 11

The sword hurt so much it can't see anything. It growls, not happy by the fact that he became the first victim. Not wanting to show its incompetency, it rush ahead to attack only to be kick away by Yuji. It sprawl on the ground, failed at landing a hit.

Dire Wolf 2: ID 20696  MD: 5-3  CD: 9

Seeing its friend failed at attacking makes it more determined on taking this player down. It jumps up, trying to land on him and pin him on the ground. Yuji easily slide away to left and push it away with the sword's hilt. He then throw it away with a strong right kick.

Yuji: 55/60

Young Boy: 5/10

<Silver Wolf> stats:

+4 Damage, +3 Dam. Mitigate, Leech (On natural MD roll of 9-10, absorb 3 HP), Armor Rend (On natural MD roll of 9-10, ignore armor), Call for help (On CD roll of 10+, when there's no ally near 2 Dire wolf will be summon)

Attack young boy on CD roll of 1-3

<Dire Wolf> stats:

+3 Damage, Leech, Armor Rend

Attack young boy on CD roll of 1-2

Yuji: 60/60

Young Boy: 10/10

Silver Wolf: 45/45

Dire Wolf 1: 20/20

Dire Wolf 2: 20/20

The number of wolves outnumber him. He need to defeat them fast without having this brat getting killed. This battle is one of hardest battle he ever had. Even so, he's confident that he can take on this enemy. With his trusted sword on his hand, the battle begins.

ID 20693  BD: 6+1

Even if his movement are limited thanks to this brat, he can still fight them while at the same time defend the brat. He spin his sword on hand and with quick step, deliver a swift slash on the first Dire Wolf. Red marks across its face serve as a reminder not to mess with this swordsman right here.

Silver Wolf: 45/45

Dire Wolf 1: 11/20

Dire Wolf 2: 20/20

The snow paint the town white as it falls endlessly on this floor. As he walks away from the teleporter leaving his footprints on the snowy path, he keep himself warmth by rubbing his palm together and press it on his cheeks. Weather here can be harsh, especially for those people that never step on these floor.

Fourth floor, the place where the only weather consist of snow, blizzard and hailstorm. The hot coco that they serve here can warmth your very soul. Well, it's just an exaggeration but still, it warms you. 

That's not the main reason he teleport here. He want to take a walk. A walk where he try to remember every moment he have in this town here. Guild meeting, preparing himself to face avalanche alone, all those fun memories. It's a great feeling, experiencing all those. Too absorbed in his thinking, he went out of the town only to stumble upon group of player.

Curious, he went to check them out and see that a player is freezing to death judging from his pale white face. There's also red mark on his hand, clearly he barely escaped from some sort of assault. Not taking any chances, he took out three potion and went over him, ignoring the other players. Yuji help him drink all three slowly so that he won't choke and then wait to see if his potions work.

- 3 Potion

He leave the town and venture forth, searching for wherever that brat is. He still have some issue he have to deal with and this brat have to come and ruin his day. If he found that brat, he'll make sure to lecture him before returning him. Having said that, a walk outside the town wouldn't be so bad rather than sitting around doing nothing in town. Maybe something great will happen today, he hope so.

From distance, a cry of help echoes around the field. It could be that brat, and from the sound of that voice something bad must have happen. Quickly he run towards the source of voice to investigate it. Confirming it was a boy who cried for help, he was glad for a moment that he was able to found him.

Of course, another problem rise after founding him. The fact that a huge wolf, angered by his arrival doesn't make that situation any better. Certainly pissed off that his little snack was about to be [censored] away, the wolf howl with deep voice. This one can call for help, and realizing that ability it possess force Yuji to draw out his sword.

"Stick to me kid or you will die", the kid run towards him. Now he have to fight while protecting this kid. Surely his day couldn't get any worse.

Interacting with people is discomforting, but he don't have time for that. He ask around if they see the boy that fits the description. If that brat went out of town, that would clearly spell trouble. Besides, there's no guarantee that this bad feeling of his is true. And so he ask many people, only for them to tell him they never see him.

Having no choice, he goes to the gate to search that brat there. Searching around that area doesn't yield any result. He's about to step out of the gate to search the wilderness when he spotted a group of children, crying. Approaching them, he ask if they have seen that brat around.

Luck on his side, the group of children is friend to that brat. Apparently they went out of the town for a bravery test. They each went out in turns and will come back inside after 5 minutes have passed. That brat, however haven't return after 5 minutes and it's been 3 hour since then. So much for placing false hope on that woman, now he have to face the worst possible outcome. He thank the children and told them to go back home.

As if fate guided by strings of fate, a women in her middle age approach him one day as he rest under the tree thinking of how's everyone doing right now. With her teary eyes and pleading face, he beg Yuji to save her only son. At first Yuji didn't show any interest, going as far as ignoring her. But his consciousness, his kind hearted nature tells him what he's trying to do right now doesn't reflect his true nature.

Eventually giving up, Yuji stop the woman from begging him further. He ask her for details; his time of disappearance, the last place he went to, his facial feature and body physique, anything that would help him track down her son. She answer all of it while sobbing, clearly shaken by the lost of her son. Yuji calm him down and ask her to relax so that he can understand her.

The boy, age 10 with slender body and black eyes, was last seen near the gate of the town. How did he travel that far, the woman didn't know. The boy did say that he went out to play with his friends, little did she know they went out of the town to play. Stopping there, she burst into tears once more. Yuji assure her that everything will be fine, promising that she will see him once more. Yuji quickly set out to find for these trouble maker.

Then the second reason he fight. Cliche it may be, but that's fine by him. Remembering the promise he made makes his heart beats faster, head cleared from unnecessary thoughts.

"I'll definitely see her back at that spot."

He fight various monster, stand up against powerful boss alone just to make himself stronger. Alone, he nearly faced death, but his strength are build upon sheer strength and determination. NO one can tell him everything he fight for is futile. Everything that he sacrifice for is to make sure he can return to that world in one piece. After that, he will meet her and fulfill that forgotten promise.

And so he question himself, 'Will he run away again?', that question would mean him returning back to being a frontliner. But, he can feel it, the undying, firm resolute he first had slowly filled his cowardly soul. He just need one more push, one that will shatter his weaken state and return him back to the Yuji he became once.

Yuji avoid tavern and places where people gather, not wanting to attract unneeded attention to himself. Besides, rumor of him abandoning the battle have been spread around by now. All the more reason for him to not interact with people for now. He live in solitude just like that for the past few days.

The tree become his place, away from any players and their painful gaze. He would greet the NPC that would pass by him when he sits there, everyday. They have been programmed to do chores like drying clothes, buying groceries stuff and the likes. They fit the settings of this city, a resting place for anyone to stop by where they can watch everything that happen peacefully.

Tranquility fills his mind as he rest by the tree everyday. Little by little, he was able to remember the first reason he fight.

"I want to free people from this death game."

He train like crazy, jumping several levels ahead of casual player. In exchange, he doesn't interact with people except those that were close to him. Regrets linger inside him but that eventually disappear too. Time will definitely heal him, he just need to wait patiently until then.

Walking around, he can see that people have return to their usual routine. The hype have died down, people begin planning for the next battle for floor 11. But that will be another story for them in a long time as battling a floor boss needs a lot of planning. And so they carry on their life as usual, anticipating for the next moment for the call-of-arms. 

Yuji have made walking around his usual routine everyday. There's a lot of places to discover in this town when he venture every corner of this floor. For example, just the other day he found a peculiar-locked door. He don't know where that door leads to, but he can feel ominous aura seeping out from the door, screaming danger for anyone dare to step inside. 

Yesterday, he found orphanage in this city where children (NPC) play around with another group of children (players). The sight of them playing innocently without any care for the danger they facing warms him. His shaken faith healed a little, if not all. He tried to approached them, only to make them ran away. He smiled a little at their behavior, of course they would run away at sight of something depressing approaching them. 

He call forth the menu with a swipe of hand in air, scrolling through it and check his status. The first thing he notice is he's no longer in Cerulean, meaning that Mari must have kick him for his sudden disappearance. It hurts, the prickling pain in his heart as he lose another place close to him. But he deserve that for abandoning the battle. He lose his reason for checking his status with that news, now feeling more dejected.

The memories of him having serious and fun moments in that guild are buried deep within him. Closing that memories there, another chapter of his life have end. Now having no motivation to use his sword, he sits there with nothing but the tree as his only place to share his emotion. He close his eyes, tired of walking endlessly.

The town painted orange as evening sets in. The sun slowly sets down, moon replacing its place to illuminate the town with its pale light. It will be a while before that happen, and so Yuji reach the edge of town where a huge tree stands at center. No one there, just the tree and him in that abandoned and silent area. He approach the base, feeling around the ground. Comfortably pleasant, Yuji sit down under the shades of tree, protecting him from the sunlight. 

He stare the ground as he thought at himself, 'What should I do now?', particularly confused what course of action should he take next. He have nowhere to go from now on except this town. He could take shelter here and wait for everyone to be free from this game, defeating Kayaba Akihiko's crazy idea of having fun. But for how long can he wait doing nothing, the fact that frontliners fight tooth and nails everyday and him reaping benefit from that doesn't sit still within him.

Floor 10 become the topic of everyone's talk wherever he goes to. Everyone seems to be fired up at this event, some even talk about becoming frontliner to open the next floor. Fools, the don't know how hard a boss fight would be in their stat. One glance at their equipment and from there he knows that they won't stand a chance. The fact that he wish for that would mean he's rushing to his own death.

But why should Yuji care? It's their decision and not him, therefore he have no rights to talk badly about them. In fact, he should encourage them so that there will be more people to fight and free everyone from this death game. However, remembering the battle with Hydra makes him shiver. He walk away from the group of players, having enough of their ambitious talk. Clearly shaken from the battle, Yuji couldn't focus on what he should do next.

And so he wander the town for the next few hours without no clear intention.

-Town of Beginning, The next day-

The gentle breeze woke him up from his long slumber. Slowly opening his eyes just to cover it with his arms as the strong light enter his view, he scan his surrounding for where have he stop running. The blue sky greets him, the surrounding buildings of houses and shops that have survive harsh conditions was the first thing he saw. He sit up, blanket fall from his half top down to his lower bottom. He lift the it to check its owner, sadly he doesn't have the skill to check the owner of the item. Setting it aside, he observe his surrounding once more, this time more carefully.

Variety of people fill the street, each with their own agenda. People appear from the teleportation gate and more people disappear from this floor as others use it. By now, the news of Floor 10 being open must have reach the ears of every breathing adventurer. The reason why this place is full of activity is because people must have been curious to examine that floor. They have now explore 1/10 of Aincrad, a mere 10 percent progress but nonetheless it's still a progress.

Dark clouds slowly gather in the sky, reflecting the emotions he's having now. Lying on the cold stone, ignoring the painful gaze of passerby as he stare the sky. Why is the usual, open blue sky? Why is the sky so dark now? As if answering his question, thunder rolls in, forcing people nearby to seek for shelter.

His face already dry of tears once again becomes wet, the harsh weather doesn't show him any mercy as the cloud being to pours out rain. Pitter-patter sound is the only thing registered in his head, the already empty shell of Yuji could only lie there motionlessly. Not even a single soul approach him, to lend him the help he needed the most at times like this. Without any care for the world, Yuji lie there as he slowly passed out from his tiredness and cold.

And so he run away with tails between his legs, away from the hell waiting for him, away from his guild where he belongs to, away from the fate that lies in store for him. Run and run he did, the long corridor he walked before to reach Hydra felt even longer as he escape. Not even glancing back, he abandon everything he fought for and finally, fall into abyss of loneliness. No one will fight alongside him now, no one will trust him now. Choosing the way of cowards is his choice resulting from battle of Hydra,

The door Hydra guard with its life slowly open, light escaping from the other side of the door. Floor 10 are finally accessible with the door blocking their way towards the floor open. Everyone prepare to set out for the next floor, leaving their bitter memories die in this cavern and their resolution become firm once more. Those who grieve for the life lost in this cavern and the life lost in searching for the boss stop crying, standing up and face the fate that lies behind the door as it waits for them to discover.

Yuji, however have something different in his head. No way can he face the player after he breaks down for fear of his life being stolen away. He can't face those player who fight for everyone's life courageously with their life on stakes. Yuji is just a coward who thinks that everything would be fine if he acts strong. Now that he face the true meaning of fighting in this game, he couldn't stare away from the depths of darkness waiting for him as he step away from the safe haven provided by these frontliners.

The burning cavern illuminated by flash of different light coming from player activating their skill weapon, their shadows affected by the light change in size. Hydra becomes weaker and more weaker with attacks coming from all direction; they aim at its head, the body, the tails, anywhere that can be hit will be targeted. It doesn't give up, fighting with everything it have and unleashing breathes of fire filling in the cavern with flames hotter than the usual cavern temperature. Still, it's a futile attempt...

Alas, the battle ended with victory goes to the frontliners but not one person celebrate it. No cheers, no happy expression, gloomy atmosphere hangs in the air with everyone having difficult expression. Zelrius seems to be happy, seeing him landing the final hit and gain the final hit bonus. Other than that, silence as they wait for someone to break that depressing atmosphere. 

Creaking sound echoes through cavern. Everyone turn their attention to the large door.

The battle reach its climax, the groups of frontliners have dealt critical blow to Hydra's health while carefully maintaining their health. Still, it could be said that at this point, the battle could go either way with the scale slightly tip towards the group of players. Nevertheless, everyone have their morale raised with their victory within arms reach as long as they keep up their aggressive momentum. 

Yuji is not having any of those moments as he can only stare at them with frighten expressions. Never have he felt despairs since the lost of his friend, Tom. Now that he bet his life to free the players trapped in Aincrad, he realize how large that responsibility they have been trusted with. Crushed under the wish of players who wants to be set out free, Yuji cried like a baby as he can't stand that pressure.

Temperature rise as the battle rages on. What on earth is he doing? He need to pick up his sword, fight with his guild and win this fight. Surely he won't die with this many people in party, right?

The sword fall to the ground no matter how many times he lift it. He used both his hand this time, but to no avail. "What is wrong with me, stand up...!" He try to ask the person near him for help, but his voice fades as Hydra lets out a howl. His body shaken by the scream it lets loose, paralyzing him to that spot once more. Again, showers of fire land again and again on him.