No one's POV
20 minutes after the Death Game began...
After SAO was announced to be a Death Game by the creator Kayaba Akihiko, within the panic, Nhazul and Philia had got away and made a beeline towards the next town. Along the way, the two would kill any and every monster along the way to gain levels.
Nhazul: And that makes 3.
Philia: looked around and noticed that there still weren't many players around the area they were.
Philia: I guess no other players have made it this far yet. We have enough monsters to go all around ourselves.
Nhazul: Which means at this pace, we can hit level 5 by the end of the day.
Nhazul then looked at Philia, and saw her tearing a bit.
Nhazul: Kotone? What's wrong?
Kotone: It's just... I wonder how my dad and little sister are handling this... I know it hasn't even been that long, but I miss them...
Seeing this, Nhazul looked down a bit saddened, unable to sympathize with her, not having anyone waiting for him on the other side. He soon walked up to her pressed his head to hers.
Nhazul: You'll see them again. I promise.
Philia looked up at Nhazul and smiled at him.
Philia: Right.
Suddenly, the two saw 2 more monsters appear in front of them. Rushing forward, both Nhazul and Philia used their Sword Skills, «Slant» and «Armor Pierce», killing them. Once finished, the two had arrived in the next town, the [Horuka Village]. Upon arriving, they immediately went to the shop and bought some cheep armor.
Nhazul: Alright, these should get our defense high enough.
Philia: So what are we going to do now? I'm sure more players will be here soon.
Nhazul: Which is why we need to act fast. There's a few petty Quests here, but there is one I need to get done as soon as possible.
Philia: Which is?
Nhazul: There's a Quest here that rewards a One Hand Long Sword, strong enough to carry me through the first 3 Floors.
Philia: Wait, really?
Nhazul: Yeah. Problem is, the item I need for it is a really annoying rare spawn. So I need to work fast.
Philia: Then I'll come with you.
Nhazul: No. you stay here and find all the petty Quests. They reward Col, materials and items we can sell. It'll be hard to do them when the others get here.
Philia: But...
Nhazul just held Philia's hand and smiled.
Nhazul: I'll be alright, I promise.
Philia just looked at Nhazul nervously, before she nodded, trusting in him.
Philia: Right. Please be careful.
Nhazul: I will. And be sure to stay here. The village counts as a Safe area.
Philia: Right.
(Timeskip)
After leaving Philia at the the village, Nhazul proceeded to make his way down a path towards the forest where the enemy he had to farm were located. After a few minutes, he encounters his first one. A [Nepenthes]
Nhazul: Well look who decides to rear their ugly mug already.
Nhazul looked at the head, seeing it wasn't the one he was looking for.
Nhazul: A dud.
As Nhazul got ready to draw his sword to kill the Nepenthes, it suddenly looked to it's right and attacked something, surprising Nhazul.
Nhazul: Huh?
What Nepenthes had attacked was a player, who had blocked the attack with their buckler shield, before quickly killing the Nepenthes.
???: Guess this guy wasn't a Flowerhead either.
Nhazul's thoughts: Where the hell did he come from? I didn't hear him at all...
The player then turned towards Nhazul, who was still standing there.
???: And you are? This isn't the kind of place that a fledgling newbie could possibly get to just yet.
Nhazul: I should say the same to you. Which means you have to be a former Beta tester.
???: Sure am. Same as you I suppose. Which means you're after the [The Miracle Remedy Of The Forest] Quest, right?
Nhazul: Yeah, I am.
Nhazul's thoughts: If he's here for the Quest, then he would have had to been in the village. But me and Philia were definitely the first ones there and I just got here, so how?
???: Since we're both going for the Quest, how about we work together on it?
Nhazul just raised a brow.
Nhazul: Work together? It's supposed to be a single player Quest.
???: Oh, we don't really need to form a party or anything.
Nhazul: Huh?
???: The more you kill the normal ones, the higher the spawn rate the [Flowerhead] variant gets, remember? Since I brought it up, I'll let you have the first one we come across, alright? Granted you help me get mine.
Nhazul just looked at the player with a skeptical look.
Nhazul's thoughts: He'll let me have the first one? That sounds suspicious... Why would he let me have the first one? Maybe he's trying to-
Nhazul just shook the thought out of his thought out of his head.
Nhazul's thoughts: No... No, he wouldn't know about my past... This isn't the real world... I'm just overthinking it. Plus, with him here, it'll be quicker.
Nhazul: Sure. If that's all you're asking for.
The player just smiled at Nhazul, outstretching his hand.
???: Great. Well then, I'm looking forward to working with you for awhile. I'm Coper.
Nhazul looked at Coper's hand for a second, before shaking it, giving him a small smile.
Nhazul: Likewise. I'm Nhazul.
(Timeskip)
After agreeing to team up with Coper, the two proceeded to take out multiple Nepenthes together. Living up to his title as a former Beta tester, Coper would pull the aggro from Nhazul, allowing him to kill it with no difficulty. The two would work together for the next 20 minutes, killing hundreds of them, still waiting for the Flowerhead to spawn.
Coper: Given our pace, we'll get this over in no time.
Nhazul: Yeah.
Coper: Your «Searching» Skill is a real life saver. Teaming up with you was a good call.
Nhazul: Yeah. But what do you have in your Skill Slot? Something for defense?
Coper just chuckled.
Coper: Actually, I don't have anything yet.
Nhazul looked at him surprised.
Nhazul: You don't? Why? You're wasting a free slot.
Coper: I mean, things are different from the Beta. So I've been brooding over what to get. I wanna make sure I pick the right one, especially given, you know...
Nhazul just looked down.
Nhazul: Yeah, I get that..
Suddenly, Nhazul sensed something with his «Searching» Skill, looking to his right.
Nhazul: Enemy.
As the two saw the enemy that spawned, they were surprised to see it was the Flowerhead variant.
Coper: The Flowerhead! Alright, let's get him!
As Coper went to rush in, Nhazul picked up on something else, making his eyes widened, grabbing Coper.
Nhazul: Wait!
Coper: Huh?! Why did you stop me?!
Nhazul: Look!
Coper looked over and behind the Flowerhead, was a [Fruithead]variant.
Coper: A Fruithead, huh?
Nhazul: Yeah.
Nhazul's thoughts: These things are annoying... Break the fruit and you'll be instantly swarmed and overwhelmed by Nepenthes...!
Coper: Let's do this. I'll aggro the Fruithead just as I did with the others. You handle the Flowerhead.
Nhazul: Right.
Leaping into action, both Nhazul and Coper went for their respective targets. Coper drawing in aggro from the Fruithead, while Nhazul went for the Flowerhead.
Using the Sword Skill «Horizontal» he proceeded to kill it, getting the drop he needed.
Nhazul: Got it! Alright, Coper, let's-
As Nhazul turned back to Coper, his eyes widened, as he saw him with a saddened look.
Coper: Sorry, Nhazul...
Nhazul: Huh...?
Without warning, Coper cut the fruit of the Fruithead, which immediately caused multiple Nepenthes to spawn around the area, completely and utterly shocking him
Nhazul: Coper... Why would you...
Coper: Sorry...
Without another word, Coper leapt into the bushes,
before completely disappearing from Nhazul's sight, making his eyes widened in realization.
Nhazul's thoughts: That skill... «Hiding».. It allows you to erase your cursor from sight and makes you no longer attract nearby monsters... That's why I didn't see him coming...
(Flashback)
Coper: Actually, I don't have anything yet.
(Present)
Nhazul's eyes widened even more, realizing what Coper truly wanted.
Nhazul's thoughts: I see... From the start, you were trying to find a chance to kill me... That's why you offered to let me have the first drop... Why did I let myself fall for such an easy trick...?
Without warning, Nhazul was slammed into a tree by a Nepenthe, draining his HP to the yellow. As the Nepenthes began to swarm him, he was just in a daze.
Nhazul's thoughts: Am I going to die here...?
(Flashback)
Philia: I'm sacred...I'm so scared...
Nhazul: I know...
Nhazul then made Philia look up at him.
Nhazul: I know you're scared...but we're going to survive...together, we stick together. No matter what!
(Present)
As the Nepenthes went to attack Nhazul, without warning, all their vines were cut off, as Nhazul had stood up, holding his sword.
Nhazul: I'm not dying here! I told her we'd survive! I won't let anyone stand in my way! So bring it on!!!
With a steeled resolve, Nhazul rushed forward and proceeded to take on all of the Nepenthes in his way, killing them all. Exhausted, with his drop for the quest, Nhazul proceeded to attempt to leave, however as he was, he had came across a buckler shield and sword on the ground, the ones that belonged to Coper, as he had died, supposedly been overwhelmed. Seeing this, Nhazul just looked at them with indifferent eyes, having been betrayed and used once again.
Nhazul: So you didn't know, huh...?
Nhazul's thoughts: «Hiding» isn't all powerful like you thought. Against enemies with other means of senses that isn't sight, it's not all that effective...
Nhazul: Back then, if only you'd been honest with me, I could have warned you...
Looking over, Nhazul had seen a second drop, the item needed for the Quest. Picking it up, Nhazul looked at it, still with indifferent eyes.
Nhazul: ...
Grabbing his buckler and sword, Nhazul sat them up against the tree as a makeshift grave, placing the second item drop next to it, before leaving.
Nhazul: That one's all yours, Coper... Thanks for the help...
(Timeskip)
As Nhazul had finally returned to the village, Philia was sitting by the gate, having waited for him. Seeing him, she quickly ran up to him.
Philia: You're back! It's been almost an hour and half. I was worried, I was going to go look for you.
Nhazul: No, I'm fine. It's just finding the enemy was annoying...
???: Excuse me...
Nhazul and Philia both looked back and saw a girl walking up to them, who was also a player.
Girl Player: Have you seen my boyfriend? Who told me he was going to the next town over to get something, and would come back for me at the Town of Beginnings... But I was getting really worried...
Philia: No, we haven't, I'm sorry.
Girl player: Oh... Well, his name is Coper. If you see him, please let him know I'm really worried.
Philia grabbed the girls hands, smiling at her.
Philia: I'm sure he'll be back soon, so just hold on,right?
Philia said looking at Nhazul, but she was surprised when she saw his indifferent eyes.
Nhazul: ...
Philia: Nhazul?
Nhazul didn't say anything else, and walked away, confusing Philia.
(Timeskip)
Currently within his room at the small Inn Nhazul and Philia, he was currently sitting on his bed, exhausted from the long day he had. As he did, he was looking at his reward for the Quest, the [Anneal Blade].
Nhazul: ...
(Flashback)
Coper: Great. Well then, I'm looking forward to working with you for awhile. I'm Coper.
(Present)
Nhazul would soon narrow his eyes both irritated and saddened, before eventually closing them.
Nhazul's thoughts: No matter what world... It always happens...