The Hidden Player

Chapter 11: Ghost in the System

March 6, 2024: Floor 56, Town of Pani

No POV:
Standing around in a meeting room is a large group of players known as 'clearers' they where the ones on the frontlines doing everything to clear the death game. At this meeting we find Y/N or Shi and Kirito the ones in charge of this meeting are second in command and vice general of the Knights of the Blood Oath 'lightning flash' Asuna and 'thunder spear' Miko. The meeting was to plan on how they where going to fight the floor boss and right now their plan wasn't sitting straight with Y/N and Kirito "we'll drive the boss out into field" Asuna began "then while it's attacking the villagers that's when we'll attack it" Miko finished Kirito hit the wall causing everyone to look at him "that's ridiculous we can't let it kill the villagers" he said "well it's not your call it ours" Asuna said "and last time we checked those villagers are just NPCs if they die they'll just re-spawn if we die we don't" Miko said they both glared at Kirito. Y/N decided to speak up "listen let's not fight amongst ourselves, those villagers may be NPCs but that is besides the point we don't need to sacrifice them to beat the boss" Y/N said trying to ease the tension. Miko walked over to him and glared at him "you may have a point but this is a mission and we are the lead" she said "everyone is dismissed" Asuna said Y/N turned around and left with Kirito. Outside they met up with Agil and Klein "man that was serious" Klein said "your telling me" Kirito said "god if she hadn't left I would done something" Y/N said "it's okay Shi there's no point in fighting her" Agil said "to think when you and I said back then that they should join a guild I didn't think they'd join the number one in Aincrad" Kirito said "yeah can't blame them to think Asuna is second in command and Miko is vice general" Y/N said "what surprises me is how at every meeting you four end up in some disagreement" Agil said "I think that Kirito has a crush on Asuna" Klein said "what no way" Kirito said embarrassed.

Time Skip
April 11, 2024: Floor 59, Outside of Danac

Y/N POV:
It had been awhile since that meeting and it was still bothering me how could someone be so cold and heartless yes I knew people had changed but why them the last time we met she they had a sence of happiness to them. "God those two girls irritate me just because they are in a strong guild they think it's okay to do whatever" I think to myself. Fenrir can sense my irritation and decides to paw at me "what is it buddy?" I ask him he licks my hand "alright I get it" I said then I scratched his head I layed back down on the grass and looked at the sun. It wasn't that long that I was asleep I woke up to find none other than Miko looking at me "are you gonna stand there and glare at me or are you gonna come over and talk to me?" I ask "what no I just want to know why aren't you busy clearing the dungeon like everyone else" Miko said. She sat down besides me and saw Fenrir "aww what a cutie, who's a good boy" she said flipping moodes quickly "his name is Fenrir and why aren't you yelling at me?" I said confused "well how can I stay mad at you when you have such a cute puppy" Miko said scratching Fenrir's chin. I was confused at Miko's behavior "you know at thought the thunder demon was supposed to be cold and angry all the time?" I said "what no it's the thunder spear even though I use a naginata, but that's besides the point I'm not cold and angry all the time I just want to beat this game and escape this nightmare" Miko explained "I don't think it's a nightmare yes I want to escape and see my sisters again but I don't need to be a cold emotionless person" I said "I get it but each day I'm here I'm losing a day in the real world" Miko said "that sounds like something Asuna would say, but you see your gaining a day here if you see it like that then your not losing anything" I said "well that sounds like something Kirito would say, but when you say it like that I kinda get it" Miko said. Miko looked at the sun with me "I too want to see my sisters and brother I used to be nothing in the real world now that I'm here I can be something" Miko said "yeah I feel ya but right now I'm getting hungry want to get something to eat my treat" I say "geesh is food all you think about" Miko said "if not then more for me" I said right as Miko's stomach growled "I'll take that as a yes" I said.

Time Skip

Y/N POV:
Miko and I where sitting down at a pub having a drink and something to eat. While we where eating people where staring at us "I'm sorry for you getting all this attention Shi" Miko apologized "it's no problem people stare at me all the time" I said reassuring her that she had done no wrong "it's just that your an infamous solo player and being with me the vise general of the strongest guild I didn't want you to have to deal with any more rumors" Miko explained. After hearing that I sighed and flicked her nose "hey!, what was that for?" Miko said angrily "stop being so formal I don't care what people say about me because that's all I am just a solo player" I said making her calm down. Before we could say anything else there was a scream instantly Miko and I ran towards the source of the scream there we met a girl along with Kirito and Asuna. The girl was screaming because a man was hanging out of a tower with a rope around his neck and a sword in his chest "Kirito and Asuna go get him down!" I yelled "right!" they both said "Miko get her out of here" I said "got it" she said taking the girl away I was left with keeping the crowd back and calm. After a few minutes the guy began to fall I had seen Kirito try to reach out and grab him I ran under him and tried to catch him but we where both late the man died and the sword stuck in him fell infront of me the sword itself was red and black and was red and had thorn like edges on it. Kirito and Asuna came down "does anyone have a winner menu?" Kirito asked yelling at everyone "what's he talking about?" I asked Asuna "it might of been a duel which caused that guy to die" Asuna answered I also began to look. Later after finding nothing Asuna asked me to message Miko to see where she took the girl I did and she had gone to an inn and was looking after the girl.

Small Time Skip

No POV:
The three met up with Miko in the inn where she was with the scared girl now they had to question her and see what she knew. The girl's name was Yolko and that man was Caynz apparently they where going to meet up but something happened and now here they are. What confused Y/N was that there was a system set up so that players couldn't die in towns so how did that weapon kill Caynz. After that the four went to floor 50 in the town of Algade to see if Agil could shed some light on the weapon. Agil told them that the weapon's name was 'Guilty Thorn' and the person who made the weapon was named Grimlock. Kirito had the bright idea to try and stab himself but was stopped by Y/N and Asuna "this weapon has enough blood on it" Asuna said they left the weapon with Agil and went to go talk to Yolko at a restaurant in Danac.

Another Time Skip

No POV:
The four where talking to Yolko again to see if she knew anything about Grimlock. Turns out that her, Caynz and Grimlock where all in the same guild called the Golden Apple and their leader was named Griselda and they disbanded after her death. Apparently after killing a monster they had a rare item and all the members took a vote on what to do with it in the end the decided on selling it and Griselda took the item into to town to sell it but sadly she died on the way there. Turns out Griselda was married to Grimlock in-game and that she, Caynz and another member Schmitt where the ones who voted to sell the item. Yolko asked Kirito and Y/N to bring Schmitt here so they could talk about Caynz death and see if he knew anything.

Y/N POV:
I was listening in on Yolko and Schmitt's conversation and it was getting interesting. Yolko believed that the killer was the ghost of Griselda. Her reasoning for it was that no normal player could kill anyone in the safe zone so it had to be a ghost. I honestly thought about the idea that it could be true. Yolko began to panic we watched her as she began to walk backwards towards a window then in an instant she turned around to reveal a dagger in her back. As she fell Kirito and I ran to her but she turned into pixels as her body hit the ground we looked towards a roof and saw a cloaked figure Schmitt began to freak out "Asuna and Miko watch him" Kirito said "let's get him" I said. Kirito and I began to chase after the person who killed Yolko running across the roofs was a bit difficult I equipped my new bow (one from the info part) as Kirito pulled out some throwing blades as he and I took aim the figure pulled out a teleportation crystal and teleported away.

A/N:
Hey guys here is this chapter I hope you liked it and the next will be out on Monday. As always I will see you guys later