03x02 - The Demon Tree

[bunniefuu]

March , year in the time
of the realm of humanity

Where... am I?

I remember being at Agil's place.

Then leaving with Asuna.

But I can't remember what happened next.

This outfit...

Am I inside a game?

Command.

Log out.

Way too realistic to be a D object.

So this isn't a game?

Am I dreaming, or— A dream?

That's it. This is the virtual world
created by the STL, the Underworld!

No, but something's off.

While I'm diving in the STL,
my memories of the real world should be blocked.

But I remember meeting up
with Asuna and Sinon.

Mr. Kikuoka! Mr. Higa!

Abort the dive for now!

There seems to be a problem!

Is this really a virtual world?

What was that?

I don't know why, but I feel so nostalgic...

and so frustrated.

The Demon Tree

Who are you?

Where did you come from?

A test player, like me?

Or maybe an NPC?

What's wrong?

Um... My name is...

It's Kirito.

Kirito?

I was coming from over there,
but then I got lost.

Over there? South of the forest?

Did you come from Zakkaria?

N-No, that's not it.

The thing is, I don't know where I came from.

You don't know...
not even about the town you live in?

N-No, I don't remember.

When I came to, I was in the forest.

I can't believe it. I've heard the stories,
but I've never seen one before.

A lost child of Vecta.

V-Vecta?

Huh? Isn't that what they're called
in your homeland?

That's what people are called in my village

who suddenly vanish without a trace,
or suddenly show up in the forest or in a field.

The dark god, Vecta, likes to prank humans
by spiriting them away,

stealing their memories,
and leaving them somewhere far away.

R-Really?

Then maybe that's what I am.

His facial expressions and responses
are way too natural for an NPC. Let me try.

So you see, I'm in a bit of a bind.
So what I want...

...is to get out of here.

Is that so?

Well, this is a vast forest.

You're bound to get lost
if you don't know the way.

But don't worry.

- There's a path that leads to the north.
- N-No, actually...

I want to log out!

Log... What did you say?

No good, huh?

Sorry. Um... It means that I'd like
to find a place to stay in town.

Really? That's the first time
I've heard that phrase.

Now what?

He could be a test player,
but they might've restricted his memories.

My village is just to the north,

but we never get any travelers,
so there isn't an inn.

But if we explain the situation,
maybe Sister Azalia at the church will help you.

I-Is that right?
Then I'll try going to the village.

Hold on!

The men-at-arms there might not
let you into the village if you're alone.

I'll go with you and explain your situation.

That would be a big help. Thanks.

But I can't go with you right away,
since I still have work.

It's going to take another four hours or so.

That's okay, I'll wait.
Sorry, but thanks for your help.

I see! Okay, then have a seat somewhere.

I haven't told you my name yet, have I?

I'm Eugeo. Nice to meet you!

Eugeo. That sounds familiar.

What's wrong, Mr. Kirito?

N-Nice to meet you.

And just call me Kirito.

Yeah? Then you can call me Eugeo.

That's right.

You must be hungry.

Th-Thanks.

At the very least, he's not an NPC.

But it's still not clear to me
if he's a test player or not. Or...

Maybe this isn't a virtual world, but reality?

The only good thing about this bread
is that it keeps a long time, but to be safe...

I think he went like this.

It's certain.

This is neither reality
or an alternate world.

It's a virtual world.

Hey, Kirito.

You are at least familiar
with the Stacia Window, right?

O-Of course!

It's still got plenty of life left,
so you don't have to eat it in a hurry.

If it were summer,
no way would it keep this long.

Rock solid!

Not very tasty, is it?

I buy this bread at the bakery
on my way here,

but since it's so early,
there's only leftovers from the day before.

And there isn't enough time
to go back to the village at noon.

Then why don't you bring lunch from home?

Well, years ago, somebody used to
bring me lunch at noon every day.

What happened?

She was my childhood friend.

A girl, the same age as me.

When we were little,
we played together all the time.

Even after I received my Calling,
she'd bring me lunch every day.

But...

Because of me...

One day, the two of us went to a cave up north,
and she accidentally entered the Dark Territory.

A place that the Taboo Index forbids us
from ever setting foot in.

Taboo Index?

The next day,
an Integrity Knight arrived in the village...

...and she was taken away to the central city.

But you know, Kirito, I still believe.

That she's alive.

I just know Alice is alive
somewhere in the central city.

Alice. I know that name.

Alice...

Sorry.

For discussing something so strange.
It doesn't feel like I just met you.

Oh, no, I don't mind.

But if you really want to find out,
why don't you go look for her?

In this central city.

Even with a fast horse, it would take a week
to get to the central city from my village.

Well, if you prepared for the journey...

I would if I could.

But shirking my Calling to go on a journey
would be a Taboo Index violation.

Th-That's a good point.

Um...

So when was Alice taken away
to the central city?

The summer I was eleven, so six years ago.

Thanks.

Right. Sorry about this,
but wait for me, okay?

And I'll get my work done.

By the way, Eugeo, your work...
your Calling. What is it?

Oh, didn't I tell you?

So your Calling is to be a woodcutter?

Well, I guess you could call it that.

Not that I've cut down a single tree
in the seven years since I received my Calling.

This colossal tree is called the Gigas Cedar.

But most of the villagers...

...call it the demon tree.

See, this tree sucks up all of Terraria's blessings
from its surroundings.

So as long as this tree is standing,
we'll never be able to expand our wheat fields.

And so the village sent for
that Dragonbone a* from the central city,

so a dedicated carver could strike it every day.

That's me.

You mean you've been chopping this tree
every day for seven years?

After seven years, this is all you could manage?

Hardly.

I'm the seventh-generation carver.

For years, generations of carvers
have chopped away every day,

and this is how far we've gotten.

Th-Three hundred years?

Hey, Eugeo.

Would you mind letting me try?

I mean, you did give me half of your lunch.

So I should do half of your work, right?

Well, it doesn't say in the Taboo Index
that you can't have someone help with your Calling...

But it's harder than it looks, you know.

You never know until you try, right?

Ouch!

You don't have to laugh that hard...

No, I'm sorry.

You're putting too much power
into your shoulders and hips.

Try to relax your whole body.

That's right, this is a virtual world.

Think in terms of your avatar,
not your physical body.

Sword skill... Smash!

That was pretty good.

All right, before you forget, do it again.

Fif... ty!

Okay, that's , .

What, we've already done that many?

Yeah. for me, for you.

Strike the Gigas Cedar , times
in the morning and afternoon.

That's my Calling.

Two thousand times...

You're a natural, Kirito.

Thanks to you, I had an easy day today.

No, but...

I'm sure you would've been done sooner
if it was just you.

I know!
Let me show you something interesting.

It's only gone down by about since last month.

You get it now, don't you?

Even if you don't get a lot done in half a day,
it doesn't make much of a difference.

All right, then.

Shouldn't you lock that?

What for?

What do you mean? So no one steals it.

No need to worry!
It says in the Taboo Index not to steal, remember?

Y-Yeah, I guess.

All right, let's head to the village.

H-Hey...

Hey, wait up!

Hey, Eugeo.

Who's that?

Zink.

This is Kirito.

He seems to be a lost child of Vecta.

Hey, you really can't remember anything?

N-No.

You even forgot your Calling?

That's right.

Well, it probably wasn't a decent Calling anyway.

Just like Eugeo there.

It must've been one pointless, futile job!

- Unlike my Calling, man-at-arms—
- Swordsman.

My Calling... I think I was a swordsman.

Swordsman? A scrawny, weak-looking guy like you
can wield a sword?

Then why don't you show me?

A one-handed sword this time, huh?

Was that a...

...light effect?

Sword skills exist in this world?

That was amazing, Kirito!

I didn't know you could use a skill like that!

Maybe you were a sentinel in some big city?

M-Maybe so.

Zink?

That's enough, right?
I'm going to let Kirito into the village.

I'm tired.

We're finally here, huh?

Yeah, but...

Nobody in the village even doubts
that I'm a lost child of Vecta, huh?

Well, you are, right?

Uh, yeah, but...

Enough of that kind of talk,
I'm getting the Sister.

What is it?

U-Uh...

Here you go. A pillow and blanket.

Prayers start at six in the morning.
Breakfast is at seven.

I'll come check on you,
but try to get up on your own.

If you're late for prayers because you overslept,
Sister Azalia can be really scary!

There's a curfew after lights out,
so be mindful of that.

- We're caught!
- Run!

Um... do you have any other questions?

I'm okay. Thanks for everything.

Good night, then.

You know how to put out the lamp, right?

Yeah. Good night, Selka.

This isn't the real world.

And there isn't a single NPC in this village.

Even so, there can't be enough STLs
to allow every villager to log in as a tester.

According to Eugeo...

...more than years have passed
in this universe.

And Eugeo has spent at least six years here.

If that's true, then Eugeo and the others...

Eugeo and the others were raised here
from the start.

So they must be copies of the souls of newborns
who were then raised in this virtual world.

In other words, Artificial Fluctlights.

It's hard to believe,
but there's no other explanation.

But why would they do such a thing?

And just how fast has time been accelerated
in this world?

What would happen if I lived out my life here
before getting back to reality?

I might be able to contact Kikuoka
in a bigger city.

Right now,
I don't have the money to go on a journey,

and I don't know enough about this world.

But if I had someone's help...
maybe I can get to this so-called central city.

Next episode: The End Mountains.