Chapter 23 - Chapter 23

Sato and I exchanged slashes as we moved in a "Switch" pattern. "On the right!" I jumped in as I parried the swipe, "Switch now Sato!" I shouted, within no time he slashed horizontally as we managed to drop his health a bit more than before, being low yellow. Just as we were getting into a rhythm, the Forest Mutant roared out, it's eyes beaming brighter than ever as it certainly has entered it's true enraged state.

"Get ready Sato, just like the Skeletons."

"Right behind you Kirin!"

We readied our swords as we both jumped to the side, dodging a headbutt coming from it, jumping around erratically as it snapped its head towards Sato. He was a bit sluggish as the <> effect was really taking a toll on him. It began blitzing towards Sato as he blocked a clawing slash, being sent flying back as his back hit a tree. His health dropped from the impact as he dropped to low yellow.

I began running as I let out a battle cry, jumping on its back and jamming my sword into it's back. It lets out a bellowing roar, Sato covering his ears as I was unable to cover my ears, giving me a <> effect for one minute. I could care less about hearing anything as I pulled my sword out and stabbed it again, closer towards it's spine this time.

C'mon! It's so close to dying!! JUST DIE DAMMIT!!!

I was growing frustrated as it was at a sliver of health about 3% to 2% of health from eyeballing it. My rodeo with the Forest Mutant grew short as I felt it speeding backwards, I looked back as I saw it was heading to a tree but I was too late to jump off. BAM!! A loud smashing sound was heard as Sato looked onward at the forest mutant as it walked forward a bit.

I was in a small crater as I fell from it, slamming face first into the dirt. "Kirin?! KIRIN!!" Sato shouted as he got up. My health bar went from low green straight to middle to low red, hearing a whirling sound from my HUD.

Sato ran towards me but was caught off guard by the Forest Mutant, seeing the mutants health bar at one percent. Sato tried to get a clean hit off on the enraged forest mutant as he was unable to, forced to block and parry multiple attacks coming at him. He rolled underneath and through it's legs as he ran towards me.

The <> Effect wore off as I heard the rain pouring down, seeing him pull out a potion of some sort. I...I don't want to keep fighting...I want to lay down... My thought spiraled as I felt like giving up, but I felt like if I did, I would be only letting myself down and those outside of SAO down as well. I took a deep breath as I struggled to get up. I keep running...I can't keep running and letting people in my life die...I need to face it...head on... I looked over at Sato's general direction as he handed me his last potion.

"Take it quickly!-"

Just as Sato said that, He was swatted to the right as he landed pretty hard onto the ground. The Forest Mutant roared out almost as if it was a victory for it. Sentient or not, it felt real, I drank the potion with my hands shaking a bit, spilling some of it. My health healed up as it went up to medium yellow.

I got up as I saw that my sword was still in it's back, now being part of it as I looked into my inventory quickly, then...I saw it... Rina's dagger. I tapped on it as I hesitated to equip it, remembering what happened to Rina. I looked up from my inventory tab and saw it approach Sato. If...If I don't do this...Sato will die...like...Rina... I kept hesitating as the memories of that day flooded in.

If I can't do it...Then I'm no better than the killers...I'm...No better than Kuradeel...!

I grasped my hand, stopping it's shaking as I tapped on equip, the strap on my back lowering to my hip as the dagger. I grabbed my dagger and rushed towards the Forest Mutant, turning it's head towards me.

That's it...Keep your eyes on me!

I was growing selfless everyday, but I have learned to live with it, hearing it roar and kept running towards it. I regained the <> effect as it ran towards me with it's incredible speed. I slid underneath the Forest mutant as it spun around as I got up. I began dodging it's fast swings and claw strikes as the weight on me wasn't a bother as the dagger was lighter than my sword.

I jumped back as the debuff wore off, it lunged at me as I jumped to the side. Now! I landed and immediately lunged at it, thrusting as it moved out of the way, I was just a second late as I took a punch and went flying forward, rolling on the muddy dirt and getting back up straight away. I quickly glanced over at Sato, seeing his health was also low red, my health going back to high red.

C'mon think! What did Forest mutants do in the beta...

I then looked at my dagger then my hand, remembering about Melee as an option. I can always hit it... I got back up on my feet as I rushed back in, it rushing back at me. I got you this time you overgrown bastard! I chucked my knife at it which it took to the shoulder, although my dagger level wasn't high it didn't do much damage.

Forest Mutant's swing left...

I finally remembered as I looked at it's left arm and saw it swipe from the left, I dodged under it as I saw it's midsection, shifting my weight and swinging my entire body quickly. "EAT SH*T!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, punching straight at the middle of it's body, my health dropped a bit as I didn't wear gloves to protect my knuckles, seeing it drop...Three percent....Two percent...One percent...