Chapter 2: Budding Romance and a Boss Battle
Over the next month I had met up with Genesis multiple times. We would meet up in the fields and level up. Other times we would just lay down and look at the stars. Even though they were artificial they still managed to look so real. One night in particular stuck out in my mind. We were looking up at the stars and full moon when she started asking me about the particulars of the game.
"Hey Heisenberg." She started. "How come I can't just take the helmet off? I mean, why can't I just pull the helmet off?" I laughed.
"Well, the Nerve Gear uses some kind of special technology to intercept the transmission our brain sends to the rest of our body. For example, If I wanted to move my arm in real life my brain would tell my arm to move. The helmet takes that transmission and sends it to our avatar's body. That way when we play a game we arent wandering around in real life like idiots."
"Well couldn't somebody just unplug the helmet?"
"Wouldn't work. The helmet has an internal battery so it won't shut down. Even if it does work the helmet's safety would turn off. The thing protecting our brains from being fried would stop working so you'd die. Same if somebody pulled the helmet off of your head."
"How do you know all this?"
"I overheard some guys talking about it back on the first day."
"I can't believe it's been almost a month."
"And we still haven't found the first boss." We were both silent for a bit.
"What should we do?"
"I think we just need to keep trying. There are still people hiding in the Town of Beginnings. People who are too afraid of dying to do anything. We have to win for them." She grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
"I don't want to fight on the front lines but I know that if I don't then I'm no better than those people hiding. I don't want to be helpless but I don't want to die."
"I'll help you when I can. I can help you now by helping you level up and be prepared." I turned my head towards her and she smiled at me.
"Have you heard about the marriage system?" She asked
"No. Why?"
"Just curious. It's a system that allows you to share your item storage with another player."
"So what's so special about it." She giggled.
"I guess nothing really. I just think it's cool. I mean, it's like you're really married. You can't hide anything from that other person anymore. You truly share everything."
"I'm not gonna ask you to marry me yet." She got all flustered like she usually did when we'd talk.
"No! That's not why I brought it up! I just… Wait, what did you mean by yet?"
"I like you Genesis but I don't really know anything about you." We both laughed.
"I was just mentioning how cool the system was so if you ever met a girl you wanted to marry in game then you'd know."
"I'll remember that." The rest of that night was dedicated to us just talking and watching the stars. I knew after that night that I liked her. That didn't stop me from hiding her though. I still needed my friends to know that I was dedicated to clearing the game and not just spending time with this random girl. A few weeks later there was a meeting for all the players who wanted to play on the front lines. They had finally found the first boss room. Unfortunately, it wasn't before 2000 people died. By this time Abrielle had leveled up enough to use the grand axe and I had leveled up to the point where I could use my speed slasher but Guardian was only level nine so he couldn't equip his sword or shield yet. He did get a new weapon to use though which was good.
"Guardian! It's time for the meeting on the boss!" I yelled as he slashed down another boar. He ran over and sat in the small arena where the walls curved around to the center of the area where a blue haired man named Diabel stood.
"Okay then. Let's get started My name is Diabel and I have taken on the duty of knight." People began laughing and pointed out that there was no existing job system in the game."We have found the first floor boss room." I sat up and heard the crowd erupt in mumbles. "For this raid we will split into teams. We will have to have teams to take out his minions. On their own the minions are not very strong but there are a lot of them. We also know that he has four health bars and when the last one reaches red he switches his weapon to a sword called a Talwar."
"Hey! I have something to say!" A man with red, spiky hair jumped down from the bleachers and started ranting. "Before we continue I think some of you here need to apologize to the 2000 players who have died already." I gulped predicting what he'd say next.
"Kibao. I assume you're talking about the ex-beta testers?" Asked Diabel
"Yeah! While we were trying to survive all the beta testers were taking the best quests and items for themselves. They're the reason all those people are dead! I say we make them get on their hands and knees and apologize! They should hand over all of their money and-"
"Can I say something?" Asked a man from the crowd. He was a large black man in the front row. The knot in my chest began to form and I felt like I was going to explode from the tension.
"Who are you?" Replied Diabel
"My name is Agil. Now, you're saying that because the beta testers took items and money for themselves the 2000 people died. Did I get that right?"
"Yeah. So what?"
"Do you all remember these information brokers? They were handing them out for free." The crowd mumbled in agreement. I only remembered it because I helped write it. The beta testers decided it would be good to make a game guide for new players. "The beta testers wrote it. All the information was easily accessible for everyone yet people still died. It wasn't anyone's fault." Kibao and Agil sat down and Diabel continued to discuss the boss.
"The first floor boss is named Illfang the Kobold Lord. He has four health bars and when the last one goes into the red he switches to a weapon called a Talwar." I noticed Damion started to zone out so I nudged him and brought him back to reality.
"Guardian!" I whispered harshly.
"What?" He responded.
"Are you paying attention?" He nodded. "You really should pay more attention when it comes to something important like clearing the first floor!"
"Sorry. I'll try to pay more attention." I was going to say that he was going to endanger the battle but that would seem hypocritical of me since I was sleeping about three hours every night for the past month so I could see Genesis.
"Whatever. Let's form our party." I sent Guardian and Abrielle a party request and they both accepted. "Cool. Now let's go get some rest and meet up tomorrow before the boss battle."
"I think I'm actually gonna go and gain one more level."
"How long will it take?"
"Two or three boars."
"Cool. Just be back at the tavern before sundown." He nodded and ran off towards the fields. Abrielle and I started back towards the tavern.
"Heisenberg."
"Yeah?"
"Are you scared about the boss battle?"
"I think everyone is. I won't let my fear stop me from going."
"But why not? It's a death game. We shouldn't have to sacrifice ourselves for people we don't even know." I slapped him and it left a red hand print on his face.
"If you really think that then give me back the grand axe and go back to the Town of Beginnings. Hide there like the rest of the defenseless children hiding in the inn. We don't have any room in this party for doubts or cowardice." He looked at me and got angry.
"What? Because I'm scared I'm not worthy of the front lines? Believe it or not, staying behind wouldn't be easy for me but going into battle would be harder for me!"
"Guess what? It's hard on everyone! You think it's easy for me to jump straight into danger? It's not! Every day has been pretty close to hell for me! It would be easier to stay behind and wait for the game to be cleared but if everyone did that, who would clear the game?" He refused to look at me.
"I'm going back to the Tavern and prepare for the battle later." He left and I decided to take a walk to cool down before heading back. I managed to run into Genesis on my walk and I took her back to my room at the tavern so we could talk privately. The thing about an inn or tavern is when you close a door nobody can hear what's happening inside unless they knock first and the only person who's able to open the door is somebody who purchased the room or someone invited inside. She sat on the bed and I sat in a chair across from her.
"Were you at the boss meeting?" She asked.
"Yeah. You?" She shook her head.
"I couldn't bring myself to do it. I wanted too but I was afraid. I still have to decide if I want to go on this raid. I'm still four levels below you and I don't think I could handle the boss."
"You could ask Diabel to be in the leftover squad. They handle the disposable minions the boss throws at us. No boss contact." She seemed reassured but still nervous. I went and sat next to her. "Listen. I know you're scared but I will protect you. I believe you can do this." Tears began to well up in her eyes and one fell down her face. I wiped it off for her. Jumped pushing me back. She and I were now hugging on the bed.
"Th...Thank you…" I could feel the tears falling onto my shoulder. I pulled her in closer as she sobbed. "I miss the real world! I wanna go back and meet you for real but I can't do that if you or I die today!" She continued to sob but I pushed us up so we were sitting up and I set her so she was sitting on my lap.
"Neither of us die today. If it comes down to it I have friends who will save us." She smiled and kissed me. We stayed like that for what felt like hours but only ended up being two minutes. When her lips left mine she just smiled. Her cheeks glistening from the tears.
"I'm gonna train hard so we both survive. I can't afford to drag you or your friends down." I smiled again.
"You wanna stay here and rest before the boss raid?"
"Sure." We took a three hour nap before we woke up and started talking again. At this point we had two hours left until the boss battle. I told her all of the details. Everything she'd need to fight the boss.
"I'm gonna give you some stuff I found in the field and a healing crystal. If you think it's necessary teleport out. As soon as your health hits fifty percent I want you out of there."
"No. If I'm going I'm seeing it through."
"I wish Abrielle was as brave as you." We laughed. "Get some more rest. We leave in an hour." With that we both slept until it was time to leave.
I showed Genesis who Diabel was and she gave me a last kiss before she went to enlist herself. We still agreed not to tell Guardian and Abrielle who she was. As far as they are concerned she is a random girl fighting with us in the leftovers. I figured that way I could have her back without seeming suspicious. I met up with the guys in the middle of town and we headed towards where all the front line players were meeting. Abrille had decided to go after all. We met up with the group and headed out of town and towards a patch of woods on a path that would lead us to the boss room. I followed Diabel and the group through the woods and up few flights of stairs to large doors that would allow us to fight the boss. Diabel gave a quick pep talk and turned to open the door.
I saw a large red monster with a dog face and very large stomach. This was Illfang. He was maybe six or seven times the size of Agil who was about six foot five. He summoned three minions to his side who were about our size in full armor whose weapon was a mace. We all drew our weapons and charged into the room. I did what our squad was supposed to do. Guardian and I were taking out minions but like an idiot, Abrielle joined with a different squad to charge the boss. Earlier he was talking about not wanting to die but he decided to endanger everyone's lives by charging the boss. I tried to focus on only killing the minions. I saw a minion about to hit Genesis in the back with his mace so I ran over as fast as I could to Genesis's side so I could kill the minion. She turned and saw what I did and winked at me. I smiled back.
I made it back to Guardian's side before he could notice I had left. We set up back to back so we would have a more solid defence. I was moving as fast as I could killing minions with a series of rapid slashes and stabs. After about twenty minutes of fighting I heard the loud clanging of metal on the ground.
"What's happening?" Guardian yelled.
"Illfang's switching his weapon." I replied. I glanced over and saw what was happening. Diabel had ignored his own plan and charged to the front. He was going to try and defeat the boss on his own. "What the hell is he thinking?" I asked myself. Then I realized. He was a beta tester. He must have if he thought he could take down the boss on his own because he knows it's attack patterns. I have to admit, he has some balls doing it. I fought the boss in the beta but even I don't think I could have done what he's doing.
"Watch out! That's not a Talwar! It's an Odachi!" I heard from the crowd. I then realized how bad it really was. For those of you who don't know an Odachi has a longer reach than a Talwar so it will do more damage to a player.
"Oh god." I said. Diabel was about to strike when the Odachi hit him sending him flying. "Why didn't he just stick to the plan?" Just then I heard a loud clang from beside me. I turned and saw Guardian skidding across the ground and sliding to a hault.
"Guardian!" I saw a guy run over to him. "Guardian, are you okay?" Guardian got to his feet and started to stumble but the mysterious man caught him. Groggily Guardian looked at him and nodded. After that he laid Guardian down against the wall and left. I rushed over to him.
"You okay Guardian?" I yelled.
"Yeah. Just a little dazed." I looked at the boss and saw a guy in basic armor and black sword slice the boss in half. The boy landed on the ground out of breath. "Who's that?"
"I don't know his name but I know he's an ex beta tester." Everyone started cheering. It looked like I had leveled up by six during the battle bringing me to level seventeen. I then heard Kibao from among the crowd.
"Stop cheering!" He yelled. "Why… Why did you let Diabel die? You knew what the boss was going to do because you're a beta tester! No, you're worse than a beta tester. You're a god damn cheater!" People began booing and shouting. Then I heard laughing. It was from the beta tester in the center of the room.
"I wish you wouldn't compare me to those noobs. I made it to floors higher than any other player during the beta. I'm better than them."
"He's a beta tester and a cheater! He's a Beater!"
"Yeah. I like that. Call me a Beater." He equipped the bonus item that the person with the final attack bonus gets. The Cloak of Midnight. He walked up the stairs to the door that lead to floor two and left.
"What was that about?" Asked Guardian.
"No clue." It's best for me to hide my opinion for now. I helped up Guardian and saw Abrielle run towards us from the crowd.
"Hey guys! I was so close to finishing the boss!" Guardian turned red with rage.
'You were supposed to stay with us to hold off the minions so that the strike squads could attack the boss goddamnit! What the hell is wrong with you? There was a plan we were supposed to follow and you just ignored it because you wanted to have all the glory!" Guardian was fuming and I was honestly shocked at him. I had never heard an outbreak like that.
"I just wanted to help…" Abrielle responded. A pathetic excuse if you ask me.
"Help? You don't think stopping the minions from killing the powerful players is important?" There was silence for a little while.
"I think you hit your head pretty hard. You're never this angry."
"Why shouldn't I be? Because of him a lot more people could have died! All because he wanted the glory of killing the boss!" I don't know what happened but all of the color drained from his face and began to stumble forward.
"Are you okay Guardian?" I asked. He fell and I caught him but shortly after he passed out.
"What's wrong with him?" Asked Abrielle.
"How should I know? Let's just take him to the Inn on the second floor."
"Why not just warp him back to the Tavern?"
"This way we all get to see the next floor together when he wakes up. you can't warp somewhere unless you go there yourself." I picked him up and we exited through the large door that would lead us to the second level of Sword Art Online.