The Black Swordsman

Chapter 1: A Broken Promise

I looked up at the night sky which was full of bright stars and a moon that mimicked the real one almost perfectly. I had to admire how much detail was put into the world. It was obvious that the game's creator was a huge fan of Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games...too bad he was a fucking dick. Not that I was much better. I wasn't exactly loved throughout the world of SAO, either, since I was referred to as a "Beater" by most. A Beater was a combination of the words "Beta Tester" and "Cheater." The other players didn't like the beta testers but they didn't really mess with me, anymore, since I was considered the best player in the game, at this point, and I was usually with the second-best player in the game these days. Actually, I hadn't fought Asuna in quite a while so it was tough to say who was tougher between the two of us. Maybe, we would dual again one day?

"It's getting a little chilly out here...did you want to head inside and warm up?" asked a silky-smooth voice.

I stared down and Asuna was looking, upwards at me, with a sparkle in her hazel eyes.

Warm up...does...Asuna mean...sex?

I gulped, nervously, and my cheeks grew red as I recalled the first awkward sexual encounter that I had with her. Asuna had misinterpreted me wanting to stay at her place for the night as wanting to have sex with her...to make matters worse, when she finished removing her clothes, via the game menu, I actually told her that I didn't want to have sex with her. What a fucking idiot I was.

"Not like that, dumb ass", mumbled Asuna to herself, returning me to the conversation I was having with her. "Plus, we've done it several times since that embarrassing first time and, to be honest, you aren't as horrible anymore."

"W-was I really that bad the first time?" I questioned, trying to recall the first time I had sex with Asuna.

Unfortunately, that memory was locked away in my mind for some reason...no, not for some reason...for a very good fucking reason. Asuna did nothing but chuckle at my pathetic excuse for a question and looked up at the same stunning night sky that I was staring at.

"As horrible and cruel as this virtual world is...it's hard to ignore its beauty."

Asuna got lost in her own thoughts for a second, probing me to ask, "Is something on your mind?"

"I was just thinking...that this doesn't really feel like a game, anymore. It feels...strangely real. I mean...in a way, I'm happier in this world than in the real one."

You too? I thought to myself but kept quiet to let Asuna keep speaking.

"When I was in the real world, I had no actual happiness. I would just study hard every day...not for my own sake but for my parents. They wanted me to go to a good college, get a good paying job and meet a rich and wealthy spouse, who would bring honor and respect to the Yuuki family. Although, I used to fantasize about the life that I always wanted."

"What kind of life would that be?"

Asuna pondered my question for a second, before answering me.

"I wanted to be married to the man I loved...I wanted to live with him in a small little cabin by the country side...and most importantly, I wanted to be a mother...to have the chance to raise a child better than my parents ever could. Sound a bit familiar?"

Asuna glanced at the silver ring that she had on the fourth finger from the right, on her petite left hand.

That's right. Asuna and I were technically married in the game and the most humiliating part was, that I asked her after the first we had sex. I don't know why I had asked her. Was it that the sex with Asuna was that fire or was it the greatest moment of post nut clarity in history? It was hard to say. It was even more shocking that she said yes. Marriage in the game did come with its benefits such as certain combat boosts and other things and on top of that we had a shared game storage now, meaning that whatever items that I picked up also, belonged to Asuna and vice versa. After getting married, Asuna requested to take some time off from her duties as Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath to go on our "honey moon" as she described it. To both of our surprises, her superior and leader of the guild, Commander Heathcliff, allowed Asuna two weeks of break from her duties. I still remembered this strange smile he had on his face when he looked at the two of us...it was almost unsettling, since the Commander rarely showed much emotion. The first thing that we did on our honey moon was purchase this cabin and make it our first home.

Asuna looked behind her, through one of the windows of our log cabin at a small and pale girl, who had black hair, the same color as mine, lying on the guest bed of the cabin.

"You know, she looks just like you, Kirito...I'm kind of surprised she isn't your actual daughter. Maybe, the game created her just for the two of us." Asuna smiled as she watched the girl, who had been living with us for 3 days.

We had stumbled upon the strange girl one week into our honey moon, while exploring some haunted forest, together. Asuna immediately took a liking to her and her motherly instincts kicked in almost, instantly. To be completely honest, I wasn't exactly on board with the whole "keeping her" idea but then realized that if I denied Asuna her request, she would threaten to not have sex with me for weeks or worse, leave me altogether so I decided to go along with it...with, perhaps, not the best intensions. Although, even I had gotten kind of used to having the girl around and it did make me feel weird when she called me dad...weird, in a good way. I mean, I didn't cry like Asuna did when she got called mom but I never was as sentimental as she was. Although, I did wonder what we were going to do about her when Asuna and I had to return to our duties of helping to clear the game. What was going to happen to the small girl named Yui, who had no memories of who or what she was, other than her name?

Asuna poked me in the chest to get my attention.

"Hey, Black Swordsman, you better get me a real ring once we get back to the real world, okay?"

I rubbed my stomach that hurt from the poke.

"First off, you know I hate that nickname...it's stupid...second, aren't wedding rings really expensive in the real world? I hate to break it to you, but I'm not as wealthy in the real world as I am in this one. Actually, I doubt you would even be attracted to me when you meet me in the real world. You probably won't want anything to do with me."

I felt the palm of Asuna's hand smack me in the head.

"Don't be stupid! The first thing that I'm going to do when I get out of this world is try to find you! Whether it's this world or the real one, I love you...Black Swordsman."

The red blush returned to my face as I muttered, "I told you not to call me that."

A rare half smile appeared on my face.

"Actually, I don't want you to. I want to be the one that looks for you when I wake up from the game...I want to show up to your hospital room like your bad ass knight in shining armor!"

Asuna could do nothing but laugh at my comment and rested her soft and warm hand on my cheek.

"In that case, you better not keep me waiting, Kirito, the Black Swordsman."

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4 Days After Clearing SAO:

The only noise in the hospital room was the chilling sound of a slow and steady beep, given off by a vital signs monitor. I sat in a chair, in front of Asuna, who was lying on a hospital bed with the nerve gear still on her head and also, hooked up to the vital signs monitor. The emptiness that I felt while sitting in front of her comatose body was nothing like I had ever experienced. My face was buried into my hands as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"I...I'm so sorry, Asuna", I mustered through my hands.

In that moment, I finally remembered why I hated being called the Black Swordsman so much. That title made it sound like I was some kind of bad ass hero when in reality, I was nothing but a pathetic loser...who couldn't even keep a promise to the girl he cared about more than anything.