𝕊𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕 𝔸𝕣𝕥 𝕆𝕟𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖: 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝔾𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤 (𝔸𝕤𝕦𝕟𝕒 𝕩 𝕆ℂ)

Chapter 2: A New Hope?

Morning arose in the world of Aincrad, the sun's light rays through the room window hitting a bed housing a Chestnut haired woman sleeping on it. Which caused her to summon herself from her deep slumber. To her disappointment she was still within SAO, it wasn't a dream, it was indeed real. She got up and dressed herself ready for the day but what put off the vibe was her depressive nature. Asuna was still overwhelmed by Kayaba's information she was afraid to even walk out the front door but she eventually left her inn ignoring the good luck praise by the inn keeper NPC.

(Time skip)

???1: did you know about this rumour on this hidden log out point everyone has been going on about?

???2: it's just a rumour, how do you know for sure that it's real?

This didn't go unheard by the chestnut haired woman as she had a glimpse of hope that she could still go back to the real world. She walked over to the 2 swordsman and began to ask them about this supposed log out point

Asuna: hey do you know where this hidden log out place is?

???1: apparently it's over by the west plain fields and into the forest, they said that it was inside the cave and people were able to log out from there. Sorry that's all I know

With this information Asuna thanked the swordsman shortly afterwards and took off to the west plains to find this glimpse of hope that would lead to her escape from this nightmare.

(Time skip)

Asuna has finally arrived, she was sure that this was the cave the swordsman was talking about. Even though it was just a rumour, it was still hope in her eyes. Asuna soon entered the cave going deeper and deeper with every step she took, but her hope was crushed when a huge beast appeared in front of her. She tried to take her blade out of her scabbard but she couldn't find the will power to draw her blade. Her legs shook in fear, her eyes just said "fear" if you looked into them. Asuna felt hopeless... she started to take steps back until she fell backwards and onto the floor. A rapier fell out of Asuna's hand signalling that it belonged to her but dropped out of her hand after she fell. The beast lifted its weapon ready to crush her, ready to end her life. Asuna couldn't believe it, this was how she went out? She had so much to do in life and it was going to end here. She closed her eyes waiting for her death.
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But it never arrived, the sound a crystals shattering fill her ears as her eyes begin to flutter open taking a glance at why the beast didn't just kill her. Asuna's eyes landed at the back of a swordsman, not to be confused with the one that told her about this cave but a Ronin. The Ronin had light armor with with a straw hat which confused her due to there being no sun to protect them from the sun. Her body began to shut down refusing to stay awake as she lost consciousness in her body, till it fully her view slowly swallowed into darkness.

(Time skip)

Asuna began to see light as her body begins to stir awake, her eyes open which were met by the same Ronin swordsman using the tree trunk beneath him as a chair. All while poking the fire in-front of him with a stick, out of instinct Asuna drew her rapier at a fast speed aiming the tip just a few inches from the Ronin's face or mask shall you call it she never got the chance to see the mask let alone see it at all. But her blade stood strong against the stranger.

???: I won't harm you, don't worry

Even with this reassurance, it encouraged her to close a little more distance from her rapier to the Ronin's neck. The Ronin wasn't fazed by this threat continuing to stab the fire in his presence. Asuna decided to break the tension in this silence.

Asuna: where am I? Who are you?

???: you are just outside the cave you entered in the west plains, and as for my name it can wait. I also heard about the supposed "hidden log out" and was told that a newbie was going to it.