Drifter had experienced much since entering SAO. He had fought monsters. He had seen people die. Friends.

He had killed.

Never before had Drifter felt so disgusted like when he looked at the crumpled Grimlock and the red players in front of him.

...

One hour earlier.

The day had started like any other. Reaver's Requiem woke up at the crack of dawn - with the obligatory complaints from Yuna, Yuuki, and many others who were definitely not morning people - ate breakfast, and set off into the wilderness to level up and explore the 19th floor.

The day stayed normal all the way throughout morning and afternoon, and when the sun started to set, Reaver's Requiem started making their way back to Ralberg.

They were intercepted at the entrance by a panicking Argo and an uncharacteristically nervous Akari. Drifter had never seen the latter show herself so openly. That, more than anything, didn't bode well for the news they carried.

"Drifter! Kirito! There you are! You need- I- We have to hurry! Please!"

"What's the problem Argo?"

Drifter had seen Argo break down before. She was still just a fourteen-year-old girl. But this was different. He quickly stepped forward to hold her up by the shoulders.

Her eyes were wide and crazy. Drifter saw himself reflected in them, and the sheer panic his little sister was feeling. He changed the position of his hands to cradle her head.

"Take a deep breath, little rat. What's going on? Speak to me."

Still very agitated, but having visibly calmed down from Drifter's presence and his gentle touch, Argo closed her eyes and let out one deep breath before opening them again.

"Griselda is in trouble. We don't know the details, but there are red players surrounding her."

"What?!"

"Argo, are you sure?!"

It was true bedlam as everyone yelled at the same time. Argo was close to being overwhelmed when Drifter turned his head and fixed his guildmates with a glare like they had never seen before.

"We'll save her, little rat. You did well. Akari, I'm assuming you know where?"

Drifter's tone was hard. It left no room for debate. Kirito, Yuna, Nautilus, and everyone else also hated Morte. But they hadn't killed him. They hadn't witnessed how twisted a red player was.

"Yes. We have to be quick. I'll explain on the way."

Akari shuddered under his gaze, and nodded. Most of her attention was on her HUD, where the Fuumaningum ninja she had following Griselda was constantly updating her on the situation.

"Kirito, Asuna... Kizmel. We four are going first. Keita, you and the Cats stay here. You are not ready for this yet. Everyone else, follow. Akari, lead the way."

Drifter stared at Akari for a long second, then turned to the others. He had completely taken control over the situation. Kirito might be the guild leader, but they were going against other players here. That was his burden to carry, not Kirito's.

"We'll take the horses, Drifter. There's no time to waste."

The spearmaster was already moving when Akari called him, and he stopped. Her idea had merit. Most players, Drifter included, forgot about horses. They had only appeared after the 15th floor. Not only that, horses were incredibly expensive to rent, and, despite their faster movement speed, couldn't be used in combat. The players were forced to dismount when they entered a battle, so most considered them useless.

"Good idea. Let's go."

"Wait, Drifter! We should all go together!"

Someone shouted at him to stop again, and Drifter slowed down. It was Yuna this time. Maybe he was being too frantic.

Drifter halted, and took a deep breath. The situation demanded speed, but that didn't mean he couldn't explain it properly. Reaching for Yuna, he pulled her to him and kissed her lightly.

"Sorry, songbird, but we need to make haste. The horses' speed scales off a player's stats. Myself, Kirito, Asuna, and Kizmel are four of our fastest members. Sinon, Ran, Yuuki, and Silica too, but I don't want to split the groups too much. It's night, and the mobs are more dangerous."

He spoke as much to her as to the others, and they nodded, even if begrudgingly. Drifter knew he wasn't fooling anyone. The reason he wanted the others to simply follow instead of go with them was because he didn't want them to face the red players.

If Drifter had to be completely honest, his first two picks would be Kizmel and Agil. He knew the former wouldn't stay her blade if necessary, and he trusted the latter to make the hard decisions in the heat of the moment. Plus, they were both adults.

But Agil was too slow, and if there were multiple red players, just Drifter and Kizmel were insufficient. Kirito was realistic enough to realize they might have to kill the red players, and Asuna was backup. Drifter would do his best to ensure she didn't have to stain her hands.

"Urgh... I hate this. Alright. Be safe, all of you. Don't you dare get hurt, Drif. We'll be right behind you."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The songstress grimaced. Drifter could almost see the cogs turning in her head, trying to find another solution. There wasn't any. Yuna grabbed him and, ignoring everyone around, kissed him passionately once, before letting go.

"Hum, we'll be fine. Little rat, take care. Akari."

Argo sniffled and nodded, and Drifter patted her head one last time. The Fuumaningum leader didn't say anything, and simply rented a horse for herself, and jumped on its back. Drifter, Kirito, Asuna, and Kizmel did the same.

Not 30 seconds later, the quintet had already disappeared into the mist. The remaining players looked at each other, before Yuna and Nautilus took the lead in renting horses too. This would burn a hole in Reaver's Requiem's finances, but nobody considered that at the moment.

...

"Akari, how long before we get to where they are?! And how's the situation right now?!"

"20 minutes! My shadow says the red players are closing in on Griselda and Grimlock! They still haven't shown themselves, but should soon!"

Akari was riding in the lead, with the other four right behind her. Trees and branches flashed past them in a blur. Not having ever ridden a horse before, with the possible exception of Kizmel, the players would have most certainly have fallen off and gotten hurt if it weren't for the system's assistance.

"Grimlock is there too?! What the hell are they doing out in the wilderness in the middle of the night?! No, start from the beginning! Why is one of your ninjas even spying on Golden Apple?!"

"We were hired by Argo, I don't know the reason! Intuition, I would say, and a damn good one!"

It was a sign of how serious this mess was that Akari had abandoned her role-playing and was even cursing. From where she was sticking closely to Kirito, afraid of falling, Asuna turned her head.

"So what?! One of your guild members saw Griselda and Grimlock leaving the safe zone and followed them?!"

"Exactly!"

"And can't they do anything to help?! It might be all over in 20 minutes!"

They were all having to yell to be heard over the wind whistling by their ears. Akari shouted a denial.

"I'm not telling him to commit suicide! He can see at least five red players, probably more! He would die! And there's something strange with Grimlock! It's like he is having- A mental breakdown!"

A << Hero's Ghost >> charged the riding players, and Akari veered to the left, dodging it. Drifter's spear unconsciously lashed out, and he belatedly realized that was a bad idea, as he would be forced to dismount if his attack landed.

Luckily it missed, and by the time his spear-wielding arm was brought back up, the mob was already far behind them. Drifter had already forgotten it, thinking over what Akari said. Realization hit him like a thunderbolt, and he cursed.

"Fuck! It's Grimlock! That two-faced bastard!"

"D-Drifter?! What did Grimlock do?!"

"Lured Griselda into a trap, that's what! I'll bet everything I own that he's the one who tipped off the red players too! Maybe he's even the one who hired them!"

"What?! But they are married!"

"Why would Grimlock do any of that?!"

Kizmel, from slightly behind him. Drifter didn't turn his head. The buffeting wind was starting to hurt his eyes.

"I don't know! But it's him! I'm sure of that!"

"If I get my hands on him-"

"We'll have to get there quickly for that, Kirito! I don't think Grimlock realizes how insane red players are! They'll kill him too!"

Drifter spurned his mount to go even faster. 20 minutes would be just enough time before the horses ran out of stamina.

"Akari, how much longer?!"

"6 minutes! They are at the << Hill of the Cross >>!"

"And the red players?!"

"They are still in ambush- No, they are showing themselves! Griselda's pulled out her sword!"

"Shit! Faster, go faster!"

"How many, Akari?!"

"Seven! They are talking! My shadow can't get closer but he thinks they are taunting her! Griselda's going to fight!"

"Of course she is! I always knew she was a frontliner. Kirito, Asuna!"

"Yes!"

Drifter glanced at his two friends. They were young. Far too young for what he was about to ask of them.

"Don't hold back. They will be trying to kill us."

He thought his voice might have been lost to the wind, but then saw Kirito's jaw set in determination, and the grim look on Asuna's face. They heard him. They understood.

"We are almost there! It's the hill just ahead! Drifter, frontal combat is not my strength! I'll sneak around! I'm leaving Griselda to you!"

Akari pointed at the slight elevation of the terrain right in front of them. Drifter thought he saw shadows in the mist. A raised fist was his answer to Akari, and the ninja broke from the formation.

Now Drifter could see more distinct shapes. One was on the ground, and another standing next to it, but not too close. Other figures surrounded the first two. He counted seven.

"Kizmel, get Grimlock away from Griselda! Immobilize him in any way you can, short of killing him! He's the one we need the most to understand everything! Kirito, Asuna, we have to herd the red players into a big group! We can't let ourselves be surrounded by them! We just need to buy enough time for the others to get here, and they are gonna run!"

He didn't hear a verbal acknowledgement of his orders, but he trusted his teammates. Lifting his spear, Drifter focused on the shape right in front of the one he assumed was Griselda. Hopefully he was right.

This was going to be a difficult shot. << Serpentcoil Impale >> was already a hard skill to hit if he was staying still, much less on horseback at full gallop. But he had to do it, and he had to get the timing just right. The moment his spear hit the target, he would be considered by the system to have entered combat, and be forced to dismount.

Luckily the red player - the odds were in his favor that it was one - made themselves an even easier target by raising both arms. Drifter waited for the moment the horse's four hoofs were off the ground, and launched the skill.

He knew he had hit the moment his mount suddenly braked - hard - and he felt the system taking him off the saddle. Thankfully it had him land on his feet instead of his face, as it would have been if proper physics were followed.

Maybe it was desperation and adrenaline, but Drifter had gotten everything perfect. << Serpentcoil Impale >> struck the red player - and it was one - just as the small Reavers' group burst into the << Hill of the Cross >>.

The spearmaster landed on the ground and quickly took in his surroundings. Griselda was standing with sword in hand, mouth wide open in shock. Grimlock was rolling on the ground a few meters away - Kizmel had taken his order to separate him from his wife very seriously, and ran full-speed into him with her horse. Well done, that was all Drifter had to say to the dark elf.

The red players were now in one big group opposite of them. Three of them were sporting cuts - one from Kirito's long sword, the other two from Asuna's rapier. The one Drifter had attacked had a huge red hole on the right side of his chest.

Drifter spared Grimlock a single glance full of loathing as he recovered his spear, before turning his gaze back to the red players. He felt a small jolt of pleasure when a few of them flinched from his glare.

"Fuck off."