CONGRATULATIONS!

A white bar appeared in front of Misu congratulating her after ILLfang disappeared.

"W-we did it!" Misu heard someone shout, but she didn't know who it was.

Misu wasn't interested in ILLfang after defeating the first boss, she was happy that they had defeated ILLfang, but she was sad. Diabel had died, slower or quicker than her brother, Misu isn't know.

Everyone around her was cheering and whooping from defeating the first boss. Misu was kneeling and breathing heavily beside Kirito, who was doing the same. She looked over at Kirito, he had gotten the bonus item, but she was fine with that. She didn't need it.

A white square popped up in Misu's face as she stood up, it said. Last attack Bonus!

"Good work." Midu looked behind her to see Agil and Asuna standing behind Kirito. "That was good work. Congratulations." Agil said. "This victory belongs to the two of you."

"No..." Kirito and Misu said at the same time. Misu looked over at Kirito, she was sure he would take the victory, he had done the most work. Behind Agil and Asuna, everyone was clapping for Misu, Asuna, and Kirito.

"Why?!" Misu heard Kibaou shout. "Why... Why did you let Diabel die?"

"Let him die?" Misu stepped up. "Of course!" Kibaou shouted. "You both knew what technique the boss would use! If you'd given us that information up front, he wouldn't have died!"

Everyone started whispering and muttering to themselves. Some person pointed at Misu and Kirito an said, "They must e ex-beta testers!" Misu's wavy hair flew sound her face as she whipped her head over to look at the person who said it. "That's how they knew all about the boss's attack patterns.They knew, but they kept it from us! There's gotta be other here too, right? Those beta testers!" The guy stepped towards Misu and said, "Come out!"

Everyone started whispering and muttering to themselves as they're to figure out who else was a beta tester. This is bad. This is very very bad.

"Hey, you..." Misu heard Agil say to Kibaou. That's when everyone turned there heads as they heard two voices laughing.

Misu had her head thrown back as she laughed a high-pitched laugh. "Hahaha! I don't know why Kirito's laughing, but I know why I am!" Misu said as she shook with laughter.

"An ex-beta tester, did you say?" Misu hear Kirito say as her laughter died down.

"Ex-beta testers, you're all so funny." Misu giggled a giggle that she was or sure people thought that she was crazy. "Oh I wish you wouldn't compare me with them. They're newbies, and I'm sure Kirito here would agree, though I guess that's why he's laughing too."

"W-what?" Kibaou said. Kirito stepped forward. "Most of the 1,000 people who won the SAI beta test slots were beginners who don't even know how to level up."

Misu cut in, "Notice how he said most." She giggled again. Kirito looked at Misu weirdly, but continued on. "Even you guys are better than them. But I'm not like them. During the beta test, I made it to higher levels than anyone else was able to reach."

Misu huffed, she had certainly often higher than him, she knew that for sure. "The reason I knew about the boss's sword skills was because I fought tons if monsters with this skills on floors far above us."

Misu cut in again, not wanting to be forgotten. "I know lots of things too. Way more than any information broker." Misu started walking towards the back of the group where the exit was located near.

"W-what?" Kibaou said again. "That's.... That's way worse than a beta tester! That's cheating! You're cheaters! That's what you are!"

Everyone started yelling, "Yeah! Your both cheaters!" Misu stopped as she neared the exit and said, "I believe the word your looking for is 'beater'. A beta tester and a cheater, beater suits me well don't you think?" Misu said as she put on her cloak.

"That's right." Kirito said. "I am a beater. I do think it suits me well, Misu."

Misu giggled, "I'm glad to hear that, Kirito. Beater...beater.... I could get use to it."

Kirito went on, "From now on, don't confuse me with the other testers." He said as he searched through his menu for somethinf, he found it and clicked the button. A black cape appeared that matched with his hair and style.

Kirito started walking towards where Misu was. Asuna started running towards Kirito as he was behind Misu as she climbed up the steps. "Wait!" Kirito stopped.

"You called my name when we were fighting." Asuna said. Misu stopped and turned around to watch the scene.

"Sorry for being rude." Kirito said. "Or did I mess up the pronunciation?"

"Where did you learn it?" Asuna asked him. He turned around and said, "Yiu can see another HP gauge below yours around here, right?" Kirito asked her. "Isn't there something written below that?"

He turned back towards the steps where Misu was at the top. "Kirito..." Asuna muttered. "Kirito? Is that your name?"

"Unless his name is Froaky,
I think so." Misu muttered under her breath, but he was sure they could both hear her.

"Yeah." Kirito said to Asuna. Asuna giggled, "Oh, so it was written there all this time!" Misu smiled at Asuna, she wished she could giggle at something so sweetly, but there wasn't any hope left in her eyes, only a smidge left in her heart.

"You can become powerful." Misu said. Kirito nodded as he looked at the steps in front of him. "So if someone you trust ever invites you to join a guild, dot turn them down." Kirito said. "Because there's an absolute limit to what you can do as a solo player."

"Then what about you?" Asuna asked. But Kirito walked up the last few steps and stopped as he dissolved the party the three of them were in for this one fight.

Misu stepped aside as Kirito went through the doors that led to the second floor of Aincrad.

"He's right." Misu said after Kirito had left. "But I'm such a hypocrite, I don't do well in groups unless it's my brother." Misu turned towards the door and started walking, but just before she disappeared she stopped. She put up her and have a wave to Asuna and said, "But he's not here, so I guess I'll go solo. It's what I do best."

And without even so much as a goodbye, Misu walked through the doors to the second level so she could defeat the game that haunted her life.

Goodbyes are hard for me. Because I never got to say goodbye to him.