13 Chapter 13

Nao could be seen laying on the grass field, sleeping. While Haku was currently curled on top of his chest.

It's the end of the summer already, and this is the first summer in the aincrad for Nao. And mostly for the other player too, except maybe for beta tester because beta was held in the summer last year.

Nao slowly open his eyes and looking at the sky. Aincrad season change according to the season outside. So it's summer inside the game too.

"I went to a summer festival with Suguha at the end of the summer last year." Nao thought.

"Ha~~hh I miss her pout." Nao sighing tiredly and frustratedly.

"Who's pout?" Ask a sound behind his back.

Nao was asleep just now, and what make him wakes up was because he sense this person approaching him through his Sixth Sense.

"Sugu. I miss her badly. We spend last years summer mostly together after all. So I remember many things about her right now when summer ended." Nao said to the person behind him.

The person was of course Kirito. He's the only one who Nao could talk about Sugu to in this Aincrad without caution or anything.

Kirito then sit beside him and looking at the sky too. They keep silence for sometime to enjoy the breeze that softly brush their face off.

After that, Nao look at him from the corner of his eyes and see that the guild mark of the Moonlit Black Cats was already gone. He is not sure right now why he leave the guild. Even though one member was death, but the other was survive. So, Nao wasn't sure the reason now.

'And I'm not sure either if he leave the guild himself or the guild was the one...' Nao thought of many possibility inside his mind.

"Your guild mark was gone. I think you drop it somewhere." Nao said while pointing to the spot where the guild mark before.

"I'm not drop it." Kirito smile wryly at his words while shook his head.

"Hm~? You leave the guild? Why?" Nao asked him for his reason leave the guild.

Kirito was silence for sometime and didn't answer him right away. And after some time of silence, he answer him.

"I... I'm lying to them. It's not the place where I belong to. So I leave." Kirito said quietly.

"You lying?, about what?" Nao pretend to didn't know and ask.

"You know, I hide my identity as a beater and my level too when I meet them for the first time and safe them at that time." Kirito said again.

"So they kick you out from the guild?" Nao want to know is the guild that kick him out.

"No, I'm the one that leave the guild. But even though they didn't say anything, their expression say everything, when I said that I was the one that people said Beater. Well, not all of them. some of them like Sachi didn't really mind actually. And she said that she knew about me hiding my level and all. And said that she didn't mind it." Kirito said what's happening.

"Well, you can't satisfy everyone. You're a human after all, and it's a normal thing for a human to make a mistake some time. Some time, we can't learn how to do the right thing before do the wrong thing first. You maybe think that with your power you can protect everyone in there, being the only one who have level higher than anyone make you unknowingly and subconsciously imperious and finally that day, you learn everything the hard way." Nao said while looking at the clouds.

"You need to forgive yourself. One of them dead, it can't be helped, but the other was safe and still alive. You feel regret about the one who's death that day, that was normal. Instead, I will strangle you if you didn't feel anything. But you can't always drown in your regret because the death one, the other side of you have a right to be forgiven because you try your best and save the other member that day." Nao didn't really want him to dejected every time, he's Sugu's big brother after all.

"Is it alright to be forgiven? Even though if I didn't meet them, if I'm not conceited about my power or if I didn't join the guild at all, he would still alive." Kirito said with hoarse voice.

"There's another "if" then, like 'if you didn't meet with them, they will die.', 'if you didn't join the guild all of them will die', if you talking about "if", then there are many of them. But the real one was right before you. What happen was, one of them death, but you save the other. Don't forget about it and step forward while holding it tightly to remember that on one side, you maybe strong, but on the other side you are weak. Because you are a human after all and one of the trait of a human was to make a mistake and learn from it. And to learn from it, you need to forgive your weakness first." Nao said while tap Kirito's shoulder.

Kirito was crying silently and Nao didn't say anything either, make him let out what he hold inside all this time.

Nao understand well, how it is the horrible feeling of becoming the cause, though "indirectly", of many peoples death. But even though this is what he want to do, he feels a bit of regret inside.

However, he decide to embrace himself and face it right away. Their cursing, censure, hatred and everything that maybe the deceased players have within them for him, he decide to face it right away. He was ready to shoulder this sins or any punishment that come along with it. Even if they said that he was the "killer" because he didn't save them, he didn't mind at all and feels that he deserve it. That's the reason too why Nao didn't want Kirito to feel guilty, because the one who more "responsible" was him. Though indirectly.

'The one who should feel guilty in this was me. You have the right to be forgiven. But I don't deserve it. I don't need it either. I'll shoulder this sins and face their hatred head on.' Nao thought.

After some time, Kirito finally cease his crying and take a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Thanks, Nao. I feel better right now." Kirito said to Nao with a little smile on his face.

"It's nothing. I just say the truth. Your feeling of regret was understandable, but you drown yourself in it and blame yourself was wrong. It's out of your control and was the weak side of you as a human, to make mistake. So, step forward. Brace yourself and accept wholly that you make a mistake, and keep going while hold that feeling tightly along the way so you never make the same mistake ever again." Nao cheer him up.

"Alright then, I'll go now." Nao get up and ready to leave.

"Explore the labyrinth?" Kirito ask him.

"No, I want to go to 13th floor." Nao answer him where he want to go.

"13th? Why?" Kirito ask again.

"There's something I want to see there. You want to come too?" Nao ask him if he want to come with him.

"No, there's a quest that I want to do after this, so maybe next time." Kirito shook his head.

"Need a help? Mine wasn't urgent matter after all."

"It's alright. I can do it alone." Kirito said and stand up too.

"I see. You can always send me a massage if you want to explore the labyrinth together. You know that right? Don't think that you are alone, you have someone called friend here." Nao said to him.

"A~h, I'm sorry, this will never happen again. Thank you." Kirito said gratefully.

"Alright, see you next time." Nao then turn around and leave with Haku that flying and perch on his head.

----

Nao arrive at 13th floor teleport gate and look around. The town was bustling with people and NPC right now.

Nao wear a more lower grade equipment right now and go to hunting area around here.

A few days ago, he accidentally heard a news about a group of player that attacked and robbed at the lower floor. The attacker was of course players that has orange cursors. After he heard about that, he remember about some group of player that will appeared later on in the Aincrad. The red guild.

"If I remember correctly about how this guild was created, it was at the time when some orange players start to think that killing in the game was fine, and who in the fault was Kayaba who trapped them in the game." Nao trying to remember them carefully.

Nao just slightly interested in this matter. So, he want to know what orange player looks like.

"Maybe it feel strange, but I want to know how they will rob me. Will they say something like 'This road paved by me and the trees was planted by me too.' Or something around that? I wonder." Nao chuckled a bit when thinking about that.

So that was why he go to this floor, where he heard that someone was robbed around here few days ago.

They usually targeted a solo player or a small group of party. They wouldn't appear at the upper floor either because they aren't stupid enough to think they can rob a clearers party. So they choose their pray carefully and at the lower floor where weaker party or player usually hunting and robbed them after that.

He wander around and kill some monster. He didn't need most the drop item, but he can still sell it anyway. He wandered for along time but nothing was happened. No one trying to rob him either.

"If you want to be robbed, the bandit will never come, eh. Well, saying 'want to be robbed' feels a bit strange though." Nao chuckled slightly.

"I think enough for today. Let's go, Haku."

"Kyuu~~" Haku then perch on his head again.

They then go to the town to sell the item that they get from hunting before.

They reach the town not long after that and looking for shop to sell the item, but when they arrive near the teleport gate, Nao could see that some people gathered around and when he come near them, he could hear something.

"Someone is.... singing?" Nao can hear someone was singing at the moment.

When he reach where people gathered, he can see some NPC playing instrument. However the one that singing wasn't an NPC, but a player, a girl to be more exact.

"Huh? this girl!! Isn't she....." Nao know her. He know very well this girl.

When he looking for information about Kayaba, he was looking for the other too that involved in the SAO project. He found about the girl before him at that time. Shigemura Yuuna, the daughter of Shigemura Tetsuhiro, one of Kayaba's adviser in the Nervegear's development. He remember soon after that because the girl's death would be the reason of the movie's story.

"So she's still alive right now." Nao look at her and listen to her singing.

"Her voice was great and her song was very good too." To think of it, it has been a long time since he listened to someone singing a song.

He never heard this song before, maybe it's something that she created herself?

She keep singing for a while and Nao enjoy it while closed his eyes because it was strangely feel so relaxing, and he found something after that. A buff?

Then he look at the girl again and her singing was done. She bow to the audience and get applause from them. Then she turn around to the teleport gate and disappeared. He look around and ask to another player about her after that.

"Can I ask you something?" Nao ask a guy beside him.

"Huh? A-ah, sure!" The guy surprised a bit when he looked at Nao, but Nao didn't care and ask him.

"The girl who singing just now, is she always singing around here?" Nao ask the guy again.

"A~h? this is your first time listened to uta-chan singing right?!! From what I know, she always singing every night, around this time beside the NPC that playing instruments. But after the song was ended, she will go to the other floor for the next song. Which floor she go to sing was unknown so it kinda hard to listen to her sing a song every night." The guy said a bit disappointedly.

"I see, thank you." Nao thank him and leave.

"Should I save her? But even I want to, we didn't know each other. Well, I know her but she definitely didn't know me." He thought about how to save her.

"It's a pity that a girl as beautiful as her to die too. Right, Haku?"

"Kyuuuu~" Haku reply cheerfully.

"Alright. Let's try to save her then." Nao decide to safe her from her death.

After that night, Nao always go to looking for her every night around the time the guy before told him. He went to many teleport gate in many city and look at the NPC that playing instruments. But irritatedly, he always miss her at every floor he come to, every night. He even going to the town of the beginning but to no avail. He never thought that looking for her was this hard.

But finally after about a week looking for her, he found her singing at 24nd floor near the teleport gate in Panareze, beside the NPC that playing instruments.

"Found you! I will never let you go again." Nao said.

She singing for a while there and after about three minutes, the song was ended and she bow to the audience. She turn around and run to the teleport gate. But before she could reach it, Nao run toward her and block her path while spread out his hand to prevent her from escape. She was surprised and so the audience.

"Where do you think you want to go?" Nao said to her while smiling maliciously.

"Wha-what do you want from me?" Yuna asked, scared.

"Hmm~ let see, I want t..." But before he could finish his word, one of the audience shout at him.

"OI!! What are you doing? What you want to do to uta-chan?"

Soon after that, the other audience join too, shouting at him.

"Cih, it's troublesome." He said and run towards Yuna.

Yuna couldn't react at all. Nao bent down infront of her make her startled and then, he hug her waist and lift her up, carry her on his shoulder.

"Kyaaaaa~ what are you doing??!!" Yuna screaming that a guy suddenly lift her up and carried her on his shoulder.

Nao ignored her and couldn't help but chuckled slightly. 'I feel like a kidnapper, or should I say girlnapper? Fufufufu' Nao thought in his mind and ready to go away from there. But before he go, the audience block his path with anger face on them.

"Put down uta-chan right now, you bastard!!!!!"

"That's right, let her go!!!"

"What do you want to do to her, let her go. We will never let you do as you like."

They shouted at him one after the other to let her go. But Nao didn't give a damn to them. His parameter was above them after all. And with his skill, no one would be able to stop him.

"Try to stop me then." Nao said and start to run from that place.

"Kyaaaaa~~~ put me down!! where will you take me to??!!? Kyaaaa~~~~ Help me!!!!" Yuna scream along the way attract the attention of many player.

Nao didn't care at all and keep running while evaded the one that trying to block and stop him while Haku was flying beside him.

The town become very lifely that night, caused by a girls screaming and many player running, yelling, shouting, and cursing.

----

Nao was running to the outside of the town and after arrive at an isle, he put her down.

"Well I think they will never reach us now." He said while looking at the direction where he come from.

Yuna was scared. She didn't know why this guy suddenly "Kidnap" her and bring her to this isle. So she take out her dagger and ready to attack him.

"What you want? Who are you?" She said.

"Hoo~ what we have here. Really scary~" Nao said and approach her.

"S-stay away!!" Yuna said while take a step back.

Nao keep walking toward her slowly and make her step back again.

"I said stay away!!!" Yuna said with more scared face than before.

Nao hold back his laugh and keep neared her until her back bumped onto a tree trunk behind her. Nao then jump forward and catch her wrists. The dagger then fell to the ground.

"What now?" Nao said while nearing his face toward her face.

"W-what do you want?" Yuna asked him with trembling voice.

"A girl and a man, alone in this place. What do you think I want?" Nao said while close his left eye.

Yuna was surprised and didn't know what to do. Nao keep nearing his face make her scared.

"P-please,, let me go." Yuna could only pleaded toward him in the end while close her eyes.

"Pfthhahahaaha~~" Nao couldn't hold back anymore and let his laugh out. He let Yuna go and keep laugh after that.

Yuna was startled to what happened, why this guy suddenly laugh now? She really didn't know what to do at the moment.

"Hahaha~ I'm sorry, really I'm. hehehehe *cough* Let start from the introduction first. You could call me Nao. What's your name?" Nao introduced himself to her.

But Yuna didn't say anything, she looked at him blankly and didn't respond to what he was saying. He really didn't know what to do. First this guy "kidnap" her. Then bring her here and saying that he want to do "that" to her. And now he suddenly laughing and introduce himself to her. She really confused right now.

'Ah!! am I overdid it?' Nao thought that maybe he was going too far.

"Mmmm~~ You see, how should I put this." Nao scratch the back of his head.

Then from beside them, Haku flying and land in front of her. It then rub its head to her, make Yuna wakes up from her dazed state.

'Nice Haku! Girls like kawaii things' Nao praise Haku inside his mind.

"And this is Haku by the way." Nao said introduce Haku too.

"My name is Yuna." Yuna finally introduce herself too after feeling a bit relaxed from the shock she experience before.

"So, Yuna could you add me to your friend list?" Nao said straight to the point.

"Huh?!" Yuna was of course surprised. He said something that unexpected to her after all. To think that someone said something like this to the one that they meet for the first time.

"Ah~ You see, you are a good singer and I like listening to your song. But you always choose the floor and the town where you sing randomly right? It's hard to find where you sing that way. So, could you send me a massage to inform me where you want to sing from now on? So if I'm not in the labyrinth, I can go to where you singing right away." Nao said to explain what he mean.

"A-ah I-I see. B-but," Yuna was a bit skeptical about all of it. It can't be helped though, she didn't know anything about the man in front of her after all. He kidnap her too before on top of that. So, she didn't sure what should she do.

"A~~h of course, I'm not forced you if you didn't want to." He said while smiling as brightly as he can at her. He didn't want to forced her at all. And make her know him was already good for him. But he didn't realize that his smile was very deadly for any woman. Though the game couldn't show it 100%, but most of it was displayed.

She stunned for a bit when she look at his smile. She realized just how handsome he was right now. She didn't realize it before because of shocked that she experienced. But now when she look at him carefully, she feel strange inside. Feeling of comfort and security?

She think for a bit about his word then look at how he smile at her. He look sincere, at least for her, and think again about everything. Maybe he just fooling around before? She thought and remembered how he laugh before. And thinking of how strong he is when he easily evade the other player, he can do anything he want actually at the moment and she wouldn't be able to say anything about that. She take a deep breath and nodded in the end.

"Un, alright. I think It's fine." She said while nodded.

Nao was glad that she was agree, then he send her a friend invitation and she accept it right away. Nao type a "Yoroshiku ne~ (^_^)" and sent it to her right away.

She receive the massage and open it. She smile slightly and answer "Me too :)" and sent it to him.

"Ah, that's right. If you want, I can help you when you want to hunting or raise your level, Yuna. Right, can I call you that way? You can call me Nao too, Nao-kun or anything you like." Nao want to help her after all, so it'll be better if he can make her stronger.

"Un, it's fine. Then I'll call you Nao-kun. Is it alright?" Yuna asked for his confirmation.

"Sure! Nice to meet you Yuna." Nao Said and reach his hand forward for a handshake while smiling.

"Un! Nice to meet you too, Nao-kun." Yuna accept his gesture and smiling too.

"Kyuuu~~" Haku then flying and landed on his head.

"And Haku said "Nice to meet you" too." Nao said while rubbing its head and Haku Kyuu~~ing as respond.

"Fufu, Nice to meet you too, Haku-chan." Yuna chuckled for a bit.

"That's right, Like I said before. If you want, I can help you hunting or raise your level, you know, as exchange from before. I can even accompany you to the hunting ground in the front line if you want." Nao said to her.

"It's alright. I don't want to hinder your guild member or other party member too." Yuna answer him with a smile.

"Well, I was a solo player, so you needn't to worry about that." Nao tell her.

"Solo player? But you say about front line before. I think you are one of the clearers or something." Yuna said to him.

"Well, yeah I am. But I am a solo too." Nao said while scratch the back of his head.

"I see. That's amazing, you can reach that level alone without a guild that support you." Yuna was amaze knowing that someone can reach that level alone.

"Well, that wasn't too amazing though if you understand many things beforehand. So, you want me to help you raised your level?" Nao asked her.

"Mmm~ Is it alright?" Yuna afraid that she would be a hindrance for him.

"Of course! I can listen to your song every time I wanted from now on after all." Nao give her bright smile.

Yuna smiled too after that, then nodded her head.

"Then please, I will counting on you from now on." Yuna said happily, because maybe she can ask him many thing from now on.

They chat for a bit after that and leave the isle together to the town that when they arrive there, the audience from before still glare at Nao. But after Yuna said that everything was alright, they finally stopped. Nao didn't care though and continue what his own business.