Kratos was in Aincrad inside a dead forest with fog in it. He then looked at his blades and saw a hooded player charging at him before blocking the attack and kicked him away before swinging both blades at him with the chains.
He closed his eyes before he saw a green player charging at him before stabbing the blades on the player's chest before throwing him to another player as he died and left the other player who looked at Kratos in terror. They screamed before trying to run away but Kratos threw one of the blades at them and stabbed them in the back before pulling them towards them before pinning them to the ground and stabbing both of the blades in them before they died.
Kratos closed his eyes and when he opened them, he saw he was in a snowy area before he looked up and saw Kirito and Nicholas the Renegade.
Kratos then charged at Kirito before the two lock blades.
Kratos: Leave already!
Kirito: No!
They broke the lock before Kratos charged at him and swung his blades, but as he swung them, he suddenly appeared in the raid against Laughing Coffin as he strike a red player and killed them.
Kratos closed his eyes before shot them open and saw he was in the dark of a living room.
He looked at his hands as he saw he was gripping a kitchen knife.
He looked in front of him as he was behind a man who was holding a gun at a girl while talking with an old man.
Y/N charged at the man with the knife in hand.
Before the man noticed, Y/N stabbed the man on the back as a shot was fired, but barely missed the girl and the man let go of her from pain.
The man punched Y/N on the face, though Y/N did not let go of the knife before twisting the knife as it caused the man to scream in pain. Y/N pulled the knife before stabbing the arm that was holding the gun and dragged it down as it opened his arm and made him dropped the pistol.
Y/N quickly pulled the knife before jumping at the man and stabbing his neck. Y/N stabbed him over and over again until he felt someone pull him back. He struggled for a bit before he was turned around and saw the man who was holding him back was his grandfather.
Kratos closed his eyes before he shot them open and saw he was on his bed in the real world.
He then heard knocking on the front door.
Y/N walked to the door before opening it and saw Kazuto and Asuna at the entrance.
Y/N: What are you doing here?
Asuna: We want to talk to you about something.
Y/N: You want to come in?
Kazuto: If we're not bothering.
Y/N: Not at all.
Kazuto and Asuna entered the house before Y/N closed the door and they sat at the table.
Y/N: What is it that you wanted to talk about?
Kazuto: Asuna found an article on the internet this morning.
Asuna then showed him her phone as there was an article on GGO's BoB and the name Kratos was on the winner of Block F.
Y/N didn't say anything as he simply looked at them.
Kirito: We already know that you converted to GGO.
Kratos: You do?
Asuna: We noticed when you dropped from our friends list.
Y/N: You check that daily?
Asuna: It's a habit to check on you and Kirito, since you two are the most prone to do something stupid.
Kazuto: What?!
Y/N simply grunted.
Kazuto: *sighs* Sugu noticed that you left yesterday. So we asked Atreus, Mimir, and your sisters and they told us it was a job from Kikuoka. They looked calm, but they did seemed worried.
Asuna: And so are we. When you opened the door you had a scary look on your face.
Y/N: Did I?
Asuna: Yeah. You aren't doing anything dangerous, are you?
Y/N thought back to Death Gun before he answered.
Y/N: No.
Asuna: Are you sure?
Y/N: Yes. I'll be back in ALO when the tournament ends.
Kazuto: That's good to hear. We'll be waiting for you.
Kratos: Right.
*Time skip*
Y/N was on his motorcycle as he headed to the hospital as he thought about Death Gun and the many he killed in Aincrad.
He narrowed his eyes as he accelerated.
After some time, he arrived at the hospital room as he was sitting on the bed while Aki was preparing everything before she noticed Y/N was looking down.
Aki: What's wrong, kiddo? You have a scary look on your face.
She said before sitting next to him.
Y/N: Nothing...
Aki: This is your chance to get counseling from a hot nurse. Tell me what's going on with you.
Y/N: I guess I cannot refuse, can I?
He then took a deep breath.
Y/N: Before you moved to rehab, you were in surgery, right?
Aki: That's right.
Y/N: This could be an insensitive question. How much do you remember about the patients that died?
Aki: Let me see... If I try to remember, I can recall their names and faces. Even the patients I was only in the operating room with for an hour... Yeah, I remember them.
Y/N: Have you ever wanted to forget?
Aki: Let me see. I don't know if this is an answer... But I think that if it's something you're meant to forget, you will. Without even thinking that you want to forget. Because you know... The more you think you want to forget, the stronger those memories become, right? So doesn't that mean that, deep in your subconscious, you think you really shouldn't forget them?
Y/N: I knew it... I am a monster. When I was in SAO, I killed many players... I cannot even recall how many... Red, orange... green... Murderers, innocents... I was too focused on my revenge that I had decided to kill any who got in my way. I was blinded by rage, hatred, and a desire for revenge. I thought I could move on, but every night those memories come to me. No, even right now, as I speak about it, I remember all of the atrocities that I did. But I don't remember a single one of their names or faces. I am a monster who forgets the people he's killed.
Aki looked at Y/N before pulling him into a hug.
Aki: Y/N, I'm sorry. I told you I'd be your counselor, but I can't take away your burden or your sins. I never played Sword Art Online. So I can't really know what it means when you said you killed them. But I know this. You did it because you had to, to save someone else. In medicine, there are times when you must pick who lives and who dies. Of course, that doesn't mean it's okay to kill someone if have a good reason. But everyone involved has the right to consider the lives they saved. You have that right. You have the right to save yourself, by thinking of the people you've saved.
Y/N: The right to save myself?
He then pulled from her hug and looked at her.
Y/N: But... But I... I was not trying to save myself! I was trying to kill them! I killed all of them for my vengeance! I forgot who I killed! What right to save myself do I have?!
Aki then hugged him closely.
Aki: If you'd really forgotten, you wouldn't suffer so much.
Y/N's eyes widened before he looked down.
Aki: You remember them. When the time comes to remember everything, you will. And when that happens, you have to remember that, even though you do not want to believe it, there are people you protected and saved.
He then thought back on his friends.
Aki then pressed her forehead on Y/N's as he felt a sense of relief.
*Time skip*
Y/N was now on the bed as Aki had connected everything to him.
Y/N: About earlier... Thank you.
Aki: It was nothing!
Y/N: I don't think anything will happen until after 8:00. But I'll be back at 10:00.
He then layed on the bed with the Amusphere on.
Y/N: I'll see you later.
Aki: Okay, see you later, hero Kratos.
Y/N heard her as he simply grunted.
Y/N: Link start!
Meanwhile, in ALO, Klein, Asuna, Eris, Leafa, Silica, Liz, Kirito, Ryuu, Amarie and Atreus were fighting a giant lizard. The lizard slammed its tail at them as they jumped to the sides, except Klein.
Silica: Klein, are you okay?
They then saw Klein had grabbed its tail.
Klein: Everyone, hit him from the side!
Liz: Who does he think he's impressing?
Yui: Klein, get him!
Klein: This is easy.
But the lizard stared at him before trapping him with its tail and breathed a green fog at Klein as it poisoned him.
Klein: Poison!
Asuna chanted a spell before it made the fog disappear and healed the status from Klein.
After the fog disappeared, they all attacked the lizard before it died, but they then noticed Atreus looked worried.
Asuna: You are worried about Kratos, right?
Eris: Your father's strong. I'm pretty sure he'll overcome anything that comes in his way.
Atreus: I know, but I still can't help but to be worried.
Mimir: That's a natural reaction, lad. He's your father, so of course you worry for his well being as much as he does for yours.
He said from the back of Kirito's hip.
Kirito: I do not know how Kratos can carry you without feeling weird, Mimir.
Mimir: I guess he just got used it.
Amarie: Don't worry, Atreus. Kratos, is your father, right? You know better than anyone, he will not lose.
Atreus: Yeah, you're right!
Amarie: But, man. I can't believe Kratos had a son, and he didn't tell me earlier. I always wanted to be an aunt.
Ryuu: Sis, you're acting weird.
Amarie: Huh, really?
Klein: Well, I can't believe Kratos didn't tell me that he had such a beautiful older sister.
Amarie: Oh, my. Didn't know Kratos had a charismatic friend. You must have a lot of girls head over heels over you.
Klein: That's... Well...
Silica: Hey, it's almost time for Kratos' tournament.
Leafa: It's a little early, but let's call it a day and start getting ready to watch.
Klein: We made enough to pay for our drinks and food.
Liz: You aren't going to eat it all yourself, are you?
Yui then flew to Atreus.
Yui: It'll be okay. Kratos' going to win.
Atreus: You're right.
Liz: Okay, let's go to our room in Yggdrasil City.
They then flied towards Yggdrasil.
Meanwhile, Kratos was in the waiting room before he saw Sinon walking inside and he walked to her.
Sinon: Today, I won't lose!
Kratos: Neither will I.