SAO - Another's Story

Chapter 2 - Floor 1, Complete!

Floor 1 - Forest of Origin Dungeon - Boss Room

Drona materialises a battle axe and raises it towards the ceiling. "Get ready!" Says Opilla" Harin takes the first go at Drona. He smashes his one-hander into Drona's axe, chipping his sword.

"Cora, Switch!" Cora runs in as Harin jumps back, slashing her curved sword into Drona's torso. It stumbles back, smashing into the wall. It recovers quickly and rams it's axe into Cora. "Cora!" Swavé yells, kneeling at her side. Her health keeps dropping. Opilla throws a dagger into Drona's eye. Cora's health bar is now red. Drona raises his axe and slams it into the ground. Opilla dodges "Saka, switch!" I jump into the range of Drona. I look over at Cora, she's almost dead.

I raise my longsword and it starts glowing a sickly green. It slams into the top of Drona's head and slices through the rest of his body. Drona smashes into millions of tiny pieces. I have killed the boss. I don't have time to celebrate. I run over to Cora, ruffling through my inventory trying to find anything that could heal her. Then I find it, a Drona drop. I take out the Hi-Potion and lay it on Cora's forehead. She starts glowing a bright red, and her health increases to half-way. "Thank you!" She says, rapping her arms around me. I blush and pull away. A door appears on the wall behind where Drona was standing, and opens. "The treasure room" I say.

We walk into the treasure room, there are five chests, one for each of us. Harin opens his first. "Awesome!" He says with a huge smile. "I got a new two-hander! It says it's called... Defiance!"

"I'll open one then too!" Says Cora, opening hers. "100 Cor!" Everyone gets wide eyed as they crowd around Cora's chest window. A whole 100 Cor, plus the 25 for beating Drona.

"Swavé, you go next" says Opilla. Swavé kneels down next to a chest and opens it.

"A one-hander longsword, called: Snasher"

"Opilla, I think you should open yours next" says Cora. He nods and opens a Chest. He gasps and his eyes get wide. "What!?" Says Harin.

"It's a pair of Wolfin Claw gloves!" He says. "I heard that these are only available on higher floors!"

"So, are they really strong?" Asks Swavé.

"I heard so, yes. Anyway, Saka, open yours!" I open the chest that hasn't been taken yet. The chest window pops up in front of me, and it lists: 'Blade of Lunar-Rising'. "The Blade... Of Lunar-Rising..."

"Are you serious!?" Says Harin. "That's one of the rarest first floor items in the game!"

Floor 1 - December 2, 2022 - Town of Beginnings

We've now been stuck in here for over a month. A man named Diabel, has issued a meeting on how to kill the first main boss. "Everyone!" Says Diabel. "Thank you for coming to our meeting! My name is Diabel! I like to think of myself as a knight!"

"There's no job system in this game!" Says a man to my back. I'm sitting on the steps with my guild. Also, we've gained a member. Her name is Krankome. She has short-cut blonde hair, and fights with a bow-and-arrow. Diabel starts getting serious, "out parties today have found the boss room at the top of the dungeon tower." This is followed by people gasping and Diabel raising his hand to quieten them. "We need to kill the boss, reach the second floor, and tell everyone waiting at the Town of Beginnings that this game can be beaten! Everyone here today shares this responsibility! Do you all agree?" People nod to each other, mumbling. One blue-haired boy starts clapping, and everyone else starts clapping, excluding one black haired boy to the right of me.

"Ok, let's get planning, then!" Says Diabel. "Everybody divide into groups of six!" We're all set. Harin, Opilla, Cora, Swavé, Krankome and I are already a group of six. And we don't even have to set up a party, as we are a guild. There are two other small guilds around. "Ok, now that everyone is in partys-"

"Not so fast!" A man with orange hair jumps down the steps next to Diabel. "The names Kibaou! I need to say something before we take on the boss! Some of you here need to say sorry to the many people that have died so far!"

"Kibaou, are you referring to the beta testers?" Asks Diabel.

"Of course I am! The day this crap started, the beta testers ditched us and hogged all the Cor and items for themselves! They took all the good hunting spots, and all the easy quests, so they could get stronger! Then, they just left the beginners back in the dust! I'm sure someone here was in the beta! Show yourselves! Return all of the items and money you've taken, otherwise we can't trust them as party members!"

"If I may interject." A dark man, who looked very similar to Opilla stepped down to Kibaou. "My name is Egil. Kibaou, tell me if I have this right. You're saying, because the beta testers didn't take care of them, many beginners died. That they should apologise, and provide compensation. Correct?"

"Well... Yeah"

"You go this guide book, didn't you?" Egil held up a tattered book for all to see. "It was sold for free at the item store."

"Sure I did... Why?"

"The book, every bit of information, was provided by the beta testers." People around started mumbling in suprise. "Listen! Everyone had equal access to this information! Though, many people still died! Now, can we please get to talking about the boss. Kibaou grumpily sat down on a step and Egil returned to his place.

"Alright, then, can we continue?" Asked Diabel. "The latest issue of the guide book was just released. And it contains information on the boss. The bosses name is Illfang the Kobold lord. He is accompanied by assistants known as Kobold sentinels. He is armed with an axe and buckler. Though, when his health bar turns red, he will shed his weapons and start using a curved sword type called a Talwar. His attack pattern will change too. Items will be distributed, EXP goes to the party that kills the boss. And whoever receives a drop, keeps it. Objections?" This was followed by more mumbling. "Get ready then. We leave at ten in the morning!"

Floor 1 - December 3, 2022 - Dungeon Tower

"Listen up everyone!" We had just reached the boss room, and Diabel is going to say some words. "I have only own thing to say! Let's win!" He turned around, and lay his hand on the door. It creaked as it opened and came to a loud halt. We stepped into the dark room and discovered Illfang sitting on a throne at the back. The room suddenly lit up, and Illfang sprang from his seat, and landed on the ground in front of Diabel. He roared and lifted his axe and buckler. Four Sentinels spawned next to him and started running towards us.

"Commence attack!" Said Diabel, pointing his sword at Illfang as our raid group charged at him. Our guild is squad C. Our job is to guard Squads A and B until the Sentinels are dead, then we switch in to attack the boss. "Squad C, keep guarding and prepare to switch!" Said Diabel.

"Swavé, you take the first attack!" Said Opilla. He nodded.

"Now!" Swavé rushed to Illfang and swung his one-handed longsword at him. He slashed his torso and jumped back. "Krankome, attack while I'm distracting him!" Said Swavé. Krankome readied her bow and shot Illfang. A man in Squad B stabbed him with his spear, lowering his health to the red zone. He threw away his Axe and his Buckler. "Looks like the information was right!" Said Kibaou.

"Stand back!" Said Diabel. "I'll go!" He rushed in, knocking many players aside. He raised his sword and activated a powerful sword skill. Illfang drew the giant sword strapped to his back and Diabel charged in. "No!" Said the Black haired boy from the meeting. His name was Kirito. "Jump back as fast as you can!"

Illfang jumped up and latched onto the ceiling. Diabel stood underneath him. The monstrous Kobold dropped onto Diabel and he went stumbling back. "Diabel!" Said Kibaou. Kirito ran over to him and handed him a Hi-Potion. Diabel rejected the potion. His health was in the red zone now. The two talked for a while until Diabel was dead. Squads A & B were still fighting the boss. Kirito, and his party member, who made up Squad D, are now attacking the boss. Kirito executes a large slash, his sword connecting with Illfsng's head. The Kobold lord's health has run out. Illfang is dead.

"Congratulations, Kirito!" Says Egil. "This victory belongs to you." People start cheering and clapping towards Kirito's defeat of the first main-boss. "Why?" Says Kibaou. "Why did you let Diabel die?"

"Let him die?" Says Kirito.

"Of course! You knew that technique the boss used! If you had told us about that, Diabel would still be here!"

"He must be a beta tester! He knew the attack patterns! He knew, but he didn't tell us!" Says Harin, pointing at Kirito.

"Harin, shut up!" Says Cora.

"Other beta testers are here too, aren't they!? Come out!"

"Hey, calm down!" Says Egil. Kirito started laughing crazily. Everyone stares at him wondering what he's laughing at.

"A beta tester?" He says. "I wish you wouldn't pool me with those noobs. Most of the thousand testers were beginners, who didn't know how to level up. You guys are better than they are. But I'm not like them. I made it higher than anyone else during the beta test. The reason I knew the bosses technique, was because I fought monsters with my sword skills on floors high above us. I know a lot more. Way more than any information broker, or beta tester."

"Th- That's way worse!" Says Kibaou. "That's way worse than a beta tester! You're cheating!"

"A beta tester... And a cheater..." Says Harin. "A beater!"

"A beater?" Says Kirito. The room goes silent, and Kirito smiles. "I like it. That's right. I am a beater." He opens his menu, and equips the boss drop that he obtained, the coat of midnight. "From now on, don't confuse me with the other testers." He started walking up the staircase that lead to the second floor. When he reached the top, Asuna ran up to him.

Floor 2 - January 1, 2023 - Town of Mastery

The guild all clink their drinks together. "Happy new year!" We all say.

"What should our first act as a guild be for the new year?" Asks Opilla.

"I think we should just do some vigorous levelling!" Says Harin.

"I agree!" Says Krankome.

"What about relaxing?" Says Swavé.

"We can do that when we've cleared the game." Says Cora with a giggle.

"We could clear a mini-dungeon." I suggest.

"And if we do Saka's idea, we can satisfy Harin and Krankome's wants aswell." Says Opilla. "And Swavé, if you want, you can stay here and relax."

"Nah, I'll come. I don't want to be such a low level on my birthday tomorrow!"

"Oh, Happy Birthday for tomorrow Swavé!" Says Cora, ruffling his hair. Swavé blushes and pulls up his hood.

"And Cora," says Opilla.

"Yes?"

"You can choose what dungeon we clear, since you didn't have any suggestions" Opilla opens the guild Floor 2 map and lay it on the table.

To be continued...