Progressive Factor II: Lacrimosa Of A Reaper

Mito the Reaper

December 21st, Asuna

"Four floors, new friends, and a reputation that precedes you, but you're still the cold, academic-minded princess I've known."

"Misumi?"

"Mito?"

"Hello there, Koharu. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Koharu nods as she walks up to the table Mito sits at. "We haven't seen you since we beat that monster on the first floor. How are you?"

"Alive and well. Can say the same of you, from what I've heard, Kindred Assassin."

Koharu scratches her head. "Oh, yeah...that." Clearing her throat, she looks at Asuna and then back at Mito. "Asuna, you know Mito?"

Asuna nods slowly. "Yes. I know Mito, both here and in the real world." She steps up to the table and hesitantly sits down. Once she does, she finds herself unable to look Mito in the eye. Their last meeting was two days before she heard and looked for the rumored exit point Koharu, Jaymes, and Argo saved her from. It wasn't a pleasant adventure that Asuna remembers, and it led to the two breaking off then and there. When Asuna found the courage to die on her feet, she didn't seek to reconcile with Mito.

Unsaid to everyone else in her party, she was surprised Mito did not participate in the raid Diavel assembled against Illfang. Mito did not appear on the frontier on the previous floors either. Considering Koharu knows Mito, she wonders if Koharu knows how strong Mito is. She wants to ask, but the topic lingers on Asuna's tongue.

Mito, however, is not as hesitant. "Yes, Asuna and I know each other in the real world. As a matter of fact, I am the reason she's in this hellhole..."

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In the eyes of the girls at Eternia Academy, there are two top students. One is Asuna, who aces her exams with ease and even helps her friends with their studies. The other is the loner Misumi Towaza, who is the top scorer in their grade. As a matter of fact, to the girls of Eternia Academy, only Asuna has spoken to Misumi comfortably, but in conversations, most of their classmates probably wouldn't follow.

There's truth to the matter, but Asuna knows Misumi's secret, found accidentally as she passed a gaming arcade that was streaming a tournament. The girl is not only book smart but a top player in video games. Unfortunately, Asuna was caught by Misumi outside the shop, but what came from it became a great friendship in secret. Misumi even taught Asuna how to play the fighting game that was being streamed, though Asuna sucks at it.

"Why do you hide it? It's not that uncommon for a girl to be into gaming now, right?"

"Our school's different. It's one thing if you're in the elementary course."

"You really think so?"

"You're the only opponent I need, Asuna."

"As weak as I am?"

On Sunday, November 6th, forty-five days ago, Asuna followed Misumi's advice and entered SAO using her brother's NerveGear and copy of the game. Asuna made the rookie mistake of entering her real name and, not knowing that the helper she met when she entered the Town of Beginnings was an NPC, said Misumi's real name out loud when trying to find her friend. And when Misumi did appear - as a tall male avatar with a spooky mask - it took Misumi to change her voice and yell at Asuna for her to stop saying her real name for the newbie to believe her.