Progressive Factor

Kirito and Koharu vs Morte

Kirito

"You," Kirito growls as the outline of the player just a few meters away in the shadows of the banks of the river. His Search skill, enhanced by the Spotting Bonus mod, allows him to see the male player in scale armor, a longsword at the hip, and the dark hood over his head. He and Koharu had just learned the name of the player shortly before: Morte, the new recruit of the Dragon Knights Brigade.

And he's here of all places, just outside the forest elf advance camp where the sixth mission of the third floor's story in the Elf War Campaign takes place. The pair are here to retrieve the camp commander's orders under the cloak of night, but Morte's presence is an additional problem. Unlike when Kirito's party hid from Kibaou, Morte didn't just happen to be here and tries to remain so as not to be found. If he had moved, Kirito's Search skill would have spotted him with the Search Distance modification. It's like Morte is expecting them to show up. No one else besides the DKB and Kirito's party is engaged in the Elf War's quest, the guild chose the forest elves.

Koharu, who now understands the logic behind instances, whispers to Kirito, "How is Morte here if we're the only ones on the dark elves' side?"

"Unfortunately, this is like the spider cave, open to everyone. Yet we're ahead of the DKB, I believe, not that I know the line of quests in the forest elf campaign myself."

"What should we--"

"Welp, looks like I got spotted!" If Morte were an octave higher, he would have alerted the forest elves. Kirito grits his teeth as Morte stands up and pretends to clap his scaled gloves together.

"Pretty good job. I've never been revealed like that at this distance, in this kind of darkness. And you totally spotted me on a sheer hunch, not with your eyes at first, right? You don't have some kind of Sixth Sense extra skill, do you?"

Kirito refrains from glancing back at Koharu, unsure if Morte had seen her too. He decides to let her choose whether or not to make her presence known. Besides, Morte's presence has aggravated him enough. "You're Morte from the DKB?"

Morte "claps" again. "You get your info quick for not hanging around the town at all. Yep, the name's Morte. Guess you could say naming's not my forte, ha-ha-haaa."

Kirito recoils a bit at the forced humor and the equally artful dodging of his question. Koharu makes a noise that shows her distaste (and knowing her partner, that says a bunch). But what really bothers Kirito now is how polite Morte is. Not the natural politeness of Koharu or the lightheartedness of Klein, but an uncomfortable, sketchy kind of politeness that you just know is fake or impossibly true. What makes it worse is that Kirito can't see Morte's eyes under the hood.

As Morte bows to him, Kirito takes a step towards Morte. "I don't suppose I need to introduce myself. Seems clear you were hiding with the expectation that I'd pass through the area."

"Ha-ha, why, you make it sound like I was waiting to ambush you, Kirito and Koharu," he casually acknowledges, indicating that he knew the girl is present. A wide grin appears as Koharu reveals herself and, without a word to her, stands behind Kirito. Kirito doubts Morte would do anything like attack another player, but on the chance it does occur, Kirito now has a secondary objective, to protect Koharu.

"Sound like? That's what you were doing,"

"Well, you got me, then."

"...Was it on Lind's orders?"

"Ha-ha-ha, y'know, he's got potential, I'll admit. But no, this was my decision. I mean, Lind's not a beater; he just wouldn't understand. How could he know that you'd pass by this river to sneak into the camp?"