Sword Art Online: X

A Dragon's Death - Silica

Rosalia is getting too annoying. She keeps insisting that I don't get any healing items because I have a pet dragon that can heal me on command.

"You know what, Rosalia?! Fine! I don't need your stupid party! It's going to be just me and Pina, and we're going to do fine!" I yelled, opening my menu and leaving the current party.

Little did I know, that would've been the biggest mistake I've ever made.

...

This is not fine.

I got lost in the dungeon and now I'm facing off against a lot of apes.

Drunk Apes, apparently.

But they were crazy powerful.

I accidentally swung my dagger at the worst timing possible, and it gave one of the beasts an opening to slam me against a nearby tree.

"Pina, heal!" I called out, Pina healed my HP, but it was nowhere near enough for me to get back in the fight.

I was out of healing potions and crystals, and Pina couldn't heal me fast enough.

One of the Apes swung at me, and I closed my eyes, ready to die, but then Pina swooped in between us, taking the hit, causing her to die.

"Pina! No!" I caught Pina as she fell, but her HP was depleted.

I watched as my pet and friend shattered, leaving behind nothing but a feather.

Suddenly, the sound of blades could be heard.

The Drunk Apes all stopped, and burst into particles.

Behind them was a player with an orange cursor.

Oh no, if the Apes weren't going to kill me, he definitely was.

I hugged Pina's feather close to my chest, sobbing, once again prepared to die.

But then I heard a sigh.

"Can you stop crying? I do not need anymore crying women in my life."

He knelt down in front of me and wiped my tears.

"Are you... Not going to kill me?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow, and then facepalmed, "Just because I'm a player with an orange cursor doesn't mean I'm a serial killer, you know. I only kill people that make me hate humanity. You, on the other hand, are the complete opposite. You care for your friends, even if they are AI in a death game. That makes it pretty clear to me that you are not like them."

He then stood up, turning around, "There is a way to revive your pet, but it's on the 47th floor, if you don't want to die, come with me. But don't think I'm helping you out of kindness, because I'm not. I just don't need anymore crying women in my life."

This guy...

I stood up and followed him, "Um, you don't need to help me, once I get strong enough, I can do it myself."

He turned around, raising an eyebrow skeptically, "You have a way to get strong enough to fight on the 47th floor in less than three days?"

I was confused, "Why three days?"

"If you take longer than three days, your hamster will no longer be able to be revived." He said, turning back around.

"Pina's a dragon! Not a hamster!"

"Like I give a damn what your pet is. You want to revive it or not?"

I remained silent after that.