Nico groaned as he sat up. Looking around he found himself at the Teleport Gate Plaza with Koharu next to him.
"Koharu, wake up," said Nico shaking her. Koharu slowly sat up yawning.
"Wh-where are we?" she asked.
"SAO somehow," answered Nico.
"What how'd we get here?" she asked.
"I don't know but it seems we got split up from the others," answered Nico.
"Should we go look for them?" she asked.
"Yeah, definitely," answered Nico. He took Koharu by the hand and helped her up. At that moment, the sky above them grew dark as purple clouds soon began gathering above the Teleport Gate Plaza. "What's going on?" asked Nico.
"Nico!" Koharu screamed. Nico turned towards her to find Koharu on the ground.
"Koharu what's wrong?!" Nico asked kneeling besides her. Trembling she pointed forward. Confused Nico looked up to see that the environment was suddenly glitching. He turned around to find that the Teleport Gate Plaza pixels were fluctuating as if it was corrupted. "What the fuck?" Nico stuttered stepping back.
"Wh-what's happening?" Koharu whimpered.
"I don't know, but we have to get out of here," answered Nico. He dragged Koharu towards the Teleport monument and attempted to interact with it when a message popped up.
"Error, unable to process system commands, please try again later," read Nico. "Are you serious!?"
"Nico," Koharu whimpered. He turned around to find themselves suddenly surrounded by strange glitched out creatures approaching them.
"Koharu, we can't teleport out of here, so we just have to log off," said Nico. Koharu nodded as began pulling up her menu. Nico quickly went to do the same. But when he attempted to log off the same message had popped up.
"Error, unable to process system command, please try again later," "What the hell we can't even log off!?" Nico gasped. He turned around to see the creatures closing in. "Shit, at this rate, we're both dead,"
"Nico, I'm scared," Koharu sniffled. Nico quickly grabbed Koharu by the arm and pulled her in as he drew his sword. "Nico," Koharu looked at him her cheeks glowing red.
"Don't worry I got you," said Nico. That's what hoped. He didn't know if these things could be defeated or how long he would be able to keep them away from Koharu. But considering the numbers, it probably won't be for long before they took their life.
"Purge the errors!" hissed one of the creatures.
"Purge the errors," repeated another. Nico clenched his sword as the creatures trapped him and Koharu into the Teleport Gate. Terrified, Koharu closes her eyes as she jumps into Nico's arms. Just as Nico was preparing to protect his damsel in distress, the tip of a sword burst out from one of the creatures chest. The sword moved up slicing the creature in half revealing the swordsman standing behind it.
"Kazuto!" Nico gasped.
"This way!" he said. Nico grabbed Koharu's hand and ran past the creatures and Kazuto as he slashed another creature in half.
'Thanks for that Kazuto!" said Nico.
"Ok I appreciate the thanks, but please just call me Kirito while we're in here," he said.
"Alright," said Nico.
"Hey, Klein give me a hand!" said Kirito.
"Right behind you buddy!" said Klein rushing in for an attack.
"I'll help as well!" said Asuna drawing her rapier.
"Are you two alright?" a voice asked from behind. Nico and Koharu turned around to see Lisbeth and Leafa standing behind them.
"Yeah we're fine," answered Koharu.
"Geez where were you two?" asked Lisbeth.
"That's our line," said Nico.
"Very funny," groaned Lisbeth.
"Hey watch my princess will you?" asked Nico pushing Koharu towards the two.
'Wait what!?" Leafa yelped.
"P-princess!?" Lisbeth asked. But Nico ignored the two and dashed forward leaving the three behind. Koharu blushed as she watched Nico join Kirito, Klein, and Asuna in battle.
"Nice for you to join us Nico," said Kirito as Nico slashed another creature.
"Just playing my role as knight for Koharu," said Nico.
"Geez trying to steal all the girls aren't you?" Klein asked disappointed.
"Well maybe if you'd stop acting like a perv then maybe you'll get girls to actually like you!" said Asuna slashing a fourth creature.
"Geez what are these things anyway?" asked Nico.
"Whatever they are, they need to chill!" grunted Klein. The creatures eventually gave up and ran off in different directions leaving the exhausted four standing in the Teleport Gate Plaza.
"Looks like we managed to beat them," sighed Asuna.
"Man what a workout," gasped Klein.
"You did it guys!" Koharu cheered.
"Yeah, but seriously what are those things?" asked Nico.
"Interesting enemies aren't they?" a voice spoke up. The seven turned around to see a figure standing behind them. They weren't able to tell what she looked like due to the brown hood she wore. But the brown cloak and boots was enough to tell Kirito who she was.
"Argo the rat, didn't think I'd see you again," said Kirito.
"Hey I'm an info broker of course I'd be here," Argo snickered. "I would've preferred to talk to Randell a little longer, but seeing what just happened I need to do my job,"
"Wait you know Randell?" asked Lisbeth.
"Yeah, pretty cool guy, for a hacker," answered Argo.
"Wait he's a hacker?" asked Klein.
"It's in his blood apparently," answered Argo. "That's how I got info on the infected,"
"The what now?" asked Leafa.
"Well aren't you a lucky group, I would've asked for Col in exchange for information, but considering our situation, this ones on the house," said Argo. "Anyway, the 'infected' as Randell called it, is the weird enemies you guys just fought,"
"You mean those creatures that was glitching out a lot?" asked Koharu.
"Yeah, that's it," answered Argo.
"Infected like a virus," said Asuna.
"Do you think that maybe Randell was right about Virus Inc?" asked Koharu.
"Possibly, but we can't say for sure," answered Kirito.
"That's what I'm here for!" announced Argo. The seven curiously began to gather around Argo. "So according to Randell, those infected monsters are the only enemies you'll be facing from now on,"
"Do you mean the infected version's of ourselves?" asked Leafa.
"Yeah those guys too, apparently they came into existence because somebody took the data on your bodies and copied them," answered Argo.
"Somebody copied our bodies?" asked Asuna.
"Yeah, but that's not the only problem, the infected aren't any normal enemies, they will continue to spawn unless the source is destroyed," added Argo.
"Wait so they're immortal?" asked Lisbeth.
"According to Randell, yes" answered Argo. "But then there's the spreading of the quote on quote virus,"
"Spreading....of the virus," Koharu repeated with a nervous tone.
"It works just like any ordinary virus, getting scratched, bitten, or even struck by an attack by the infected, will in turn, leave you infected," answered Argo.
"What happens when you get infected?" asked Koharu.
"Well, then you become quote on quote infected, it basically works like a zombie apocalypse," answered Argo.
"Are you serious?' asked Nico.
"Is there anyway we can reverse the process?" asked Kirito.
"We don't know, but Randell believes, that you have to beat the source if you want to save the infected," answered Argo.
"So the solution to this entire problem is, beat the source?" asked Klein.
"That's according to Randell," answered Argo.
"Does he know where the source is?" asked Lisbeth.
"He's still working on pinpointing the location, but until he finds the source, he wants you to stay in here and find some clues, while he and those ponies stay in the real world and do some research there," answered Argo. The seven looked at each other with worried expressions.
"Welp we're stuck in here," said Klein.
"Yeah pretty much, until the virus clears you guys can't leave," said Argo.
"And I assume if our HP falls to zero we all die in real life?" asked Leafa.
"Not this time, Randell didn't want to have to lose his precious assistants so he modified the Nervegears and sent you here himself," answered Argo.
"Holy shit that Randell is a boss!" Klein beamed.
"Either way, we should do what he asked us," said Kirito.
"I agree," said Asuna.
"Well I'll be here if you ever need me," said Argo sitting down on the Teleport Gate. The seven looked at each other and nodded. This world was in danger, and it was up to them to save it.