Chapter 2 : Primo Passo Verso la Libertà

"" Speech

'Italics' Thought

I watched as the crowed walked past me as I lent against the wall, hiding in the shadows, some giving me the look as if I just punched their sainted mother in the face, but no one stopped to speak to me

'A month has past and no one has got past the first floor and 2,000 people are already dead, its taken it's effect on people, they're starting too lose hope, we've just gotta find the boss room' I rambled on in my head.

I stared as a kid in blue clothes, a chest plate and black hair wondered past me with a confident look on his face.

'Today we are holding our first boss meeting' I pushed myself off the wall and vanished into the crowed looking for the meeting.

'Normal people put up signs to people where to go, but noooo someone thought they were unneeded, Kayaba you jackass' I ranted in my head.

I kept wondering until I found the destination and smiled 'Looks like they started early'.

"Today our party found the boss room", The blue haired man who looked to be the head of the meeting, I sat on the left row next to me, the right row had someone dressed up in a worn out red cloak with a hood which was currently up.

"This is our chance to tell everyone in the Town of Beginnings that we can beat this game and I feel that this is our duty that we share, do you all agree!" He proudly said which caused the crowd to cheer him on a bit.

"Good, now divide up into parties of six, a normal party won't stand a chance" He announced, my face turned to a frown as I saw everyone else join a party.

I looked to my left to see the person with the cloak and that boy from earlier sitting by them selfs

'HAHA looks like the kid lost his confident face' I laughed in my head, I stood up and walked over to the cloaked person just as the boy shuffled at a speed unknown to mankind.

The boy looked up too me," You got left out as well?".

"No, I just prefer to go solo with things but apparently I can't have that wish, so can I join your party?" I said to him in a unamused tone of voice.

"Sure, just let me get up the menu" He commentated as he went through the stages, when a menu popped up in front of me.

Kirito has invited you to a party

Accept Decline

My finger tapped the Accept button and vanish which caused two new health bars to be added under mine, 'Kirito, Asuna, hmmmm'.

I sat down next too Asuna, and pulled my hood down further too stop it from falling off.

"Ok, Has everyone formed their parties?... Good" but as he said the last word a man shouted at the top of his lungs.

"HOLD ON!" everyone turned their heads to see a man with spikey ginger hair... 'haha, he looks like a cactus'. The man lept down the steps where he came to a stop in the middle of the meeting next to blue haired man.

"My name is Kibaou and I want to say something before we take on the first floor boss" I leaned forward interested in what he was going to say, 'Please say your mom shagged a cactus'

"Some of you need to apologize to the 2000 players that have died so far" I could hear Kirito grunt something, 'Awww so close'.

"Kibaou-san, do you mean the beta testers?" Blue haired man questioned, which Kibaou snapped back.

"Of course I mean them!" 'Pretentious Prick' I said in my head.

"The beta testers left us beginners to fight for our selfs and they took all the good hunting spots" He shouted pointing at the crowd "I'm sure one of us here was in the beta test, they should come down here, get on their knees and give us all their items and money they've collected" His eyes drifting over to me as I was the most equipped, he could only see my mouth so I sent him a smug grin and before he could shout anything, a large black man stood up.

"May I say something?" His deep voice reaching to the edge of the arena.

"My name is Egil", Egil introduced himself to the small bipedal cactus.

"Kibaou-san, tell me if I have this right, Your saying that because the beta testers did not take care of them, many beginners died", He summed up Kibaou's speech in one sentence," That they should apologize and should compensate, Correct?" He asked Kibaou with a curious tone.

" Y...Yeah" Kibaou stuttered a bit.

"You was given this book correct" He said as he pulled out a small brown leather book. "It was provided free at the item store".

"Yeah I did... Why?" He looked confused.

"Because this book was compiled from information given by the beta testers", He said which made the crowd murmur stuff in surprise.

I started to tune out this conversation and looked towards Kibaou again who had the biggest scowl on his face.

'Ohhh big man made the Cactus mad, he probably lost someone in the game due too a mob killing the person and he blames the beta testers... or he is just a really annoying ass'. I talked to myself in head, I turned back too the conversation when the two sat down letting the Blue haired man continue.

"The latest edition of the guide has come out and tells us the boss's name and weapons, He is called Illfang the Kobold Lord, he has a axe and shield and when he reaches his last bar of health he will pull out a nodachi, he is also protected by Ruin Kobold Sentinels", He read out aloud too everyone what was written in the book from the beta test.

"Can I say something before we go?" I stood up asking him if I could say whats just floated into my head.

"Yes, what is it?" The Blue haired man replied.

"I would like to say as a common gamer, that after all betas that something will be changed, The boss could be too powerful so it was nerfed or it was too weak and made it stronger... or they changed its weapons completely" I spoke out my opinion "I say that if something has changed that we keep on the look out and remain vigilant so no one else has to die" I looked around to see many people with confident looks on their faces, I look back at the Blue haired man and nodded before sitting down.

"Anything else?" He asked to which no one replied "Alright, This meeting in concluded". I stood up as soon as he said that and went up the steps to go find a bakers to go get some food.

I sat on the roof of a random build after finding a small street corner bakery so I could buy what seemed to be a sausage roll, its was quite large and only cost 10 col to get it warm as well. 'Money well spent' I laughed as I was about to bite into it before I heard a voice shouting my name.

"Hay Ezio!" I looked down to see Kirito was the one shouting my name.

"What?" I shouted back at him.

"How did you get up there?" I just laughed at his confused face.

"I climbed up here thanks too my free running skill", I explained to him, I put my roll back into my pouch before I jumped off the edge and landing in roll next to him. I pulled my sausage roll out again to find it still good and very warm.

I'm smiled before digging in and left a sizable chunk out of it. 'EEEHHH SOOOO GOOOOD' I screamed mentally.

We continued down the street while I had a foodgasm when Kirito zoomed ahead to Asuna.

"Its pretty tasty isn't it" He said causing her to jump slightly in surprise.

"May I sit down? He asked her in a polite way, all she did was look away but he didn't mind and sat down anyways.

I followed up behind him jumping up on the grass section and laid down, pulling my hood down to show my face and my shaggy black hair, overall people would say I'm quite handsome.

Asuna then shuffled away from Kirito not noticing I was here, "You really think that this is good?" She questioned.

"Of course" He said like it was the most obvious thing in all of Aincrad, while I was behind them still having foodgasms after every small bite I take of my sausage roll.

"I've been having at least one every day since I've arrived in this town" Kirito said to her

"I do change it up a little, though" He said which got a questioning look from her.

"Change it up?" She ask as he pulled out a small clay pot.

"Try putting some on your bread" He said to her as he tapped his finger on the top causing his finger to glow.

Asuna did this as well and then put the glowing part of her finger on the bread and dragged it down covering it in a very well known substance.

"Cream?" she said surprised that the topping existed in this world.

She looked at Kirito as he bit into his bread, she then looked at her piece and held close to her mouth with two hands before taking a small bite when she paused as if her systems just shut down, she suddenly devoured it in quick large bites, she then shuddered as she looked at her now empty hands that caused me to chuckle as I threw in my last piece of my sausage roll, scaring her.

"That my girl is known as a foodgasm" I said with a smile on my face, Kirito then looked at me with a smile on his face.

"So there is a man under that hood, you look much better then I thought you would" He said with an amused tone.

"Are you going gay on me boy?" I questioned him with a laugh when he looked shocked, "I'm just joking".

"It's a reward for a quest called 'The Heifer Strikes Back' one village behind us, if you want I can show you the trick" He said to Asuna who replied with a shake of the head.

"I didn't come to this town to eat good food" She said back to him.

"Then why did you?" he questioned.

"So I can still be me, I'd rather stay myself until the very end than sit and rot away at an inn, back in the first town". She said as if her life had been torn away 'I suppose it has been for everyone in this game', Her hand then clasped together "Even if I get killed by a monster, I don't want to lose to this game...To this world. No matter what" She finished as if she just told her whole life story, Kirito could only look away and chuck in the last piece of bread in his mouth.

"I wouldn't want a party member dying on me... So at the least, don't die tomorrow". He spoke his mind as I stood up and flung my hood upwards and started my way to a inn so I could sleep in comfort.

When I turned a corner I looked up at a sign which has the words 'The Muzzled Ox Inn' I chuckled and said in my head 'Thou shall not muzzle the Ox', I walked in there to see a woman with red hair that reached her hips in a maids outfit bow and greet me.

"Hello sir how my I help you today" She said with a bubbly attitude.

"May I rent a room for tonight?" I asked the Inn keeper.

"Ah yes, that will be 40 col please" She asked with a smile on her face and held out her hand as I placed a small brown pouch in her hand.

"Thank you, its the fourth door on the right upstairs, enjoy your stay" She said after pocketing the money.

I walked up the stairs and while I walked past the doors the one next to mine swung open and a person ran into me, knocking me over.

"Owww, I'm sorry" I hear a girlish voice speak to me, who then pushed herself off me, I saw her short brown hair which had a small white clip on the right side of her head.

"It's no problem, are you ok miss...?" I left a pause at the end for her name.

"Lisbeth, I'm Lisbeth and none of that miss crap, it makes me feel like a old woman and yes I'm fine" Lisbeth said to me with a slight annoyed tone.

"Ah, I'm Ezio, it's nice to meet you" I said as I pushed myself off the ground and offered my hand to Lisbeth who took it and pulled herself up.

"Well it was nice meeting you Ezio-san but I must be... WHAT SWORD IS THAT" She screamed the last part pointing at my blade.

"Oh this, it was a gift from a friend who worked at Argus who gave it to me before he died", I said as I pulled it out of its sheath and passed the blade to her and putting on a sad tone of voice so she would believe me.

"Oh wow it looks really good, mind if I have a peek at its stats?" She asked with puppy eyes which just made me chuckle.

"Sure, just don't go swinging that bugger, packs quite the punch", I said with a proud look.

"These are some quite impressive stats for a sword on this floor... wait it says that this sword has unlimited upgrades?" She said with a impressed voice and raised eyebrow.

"Yeah I've been meaning to ask someone about that" I said as I stroke my stubbly chin.

"Anyways I need to go to sleep, oh and before I go" I said as I brought up my menu and sent her a friend request, which she hit the accept button and gave my sword back.

"Ok Ezio-san I'll see you around" She turned around and walked back into her room.

I looked towards her door before I carried on to mine and opened it up with a nice site, there was a nice large bed with some draws next to it and there was also a desk next to it as well. I closed the door behind me and walked up to my bed before I pulled my hood down and sat down on the edge on my bed and then laid on top of it with my eyes staring at the roof, my eyes then started to slowly shut as The Sandman took me away to dream land.

I ran through the trees above my party members silently overhearing their conversation.

"Lets go over this one more time, we left overs are supposed to target the boss's helpers, the Ruin Kobold Sentinels", Kirito explained to her with some wavy hand movements.

"I know" Asuna replied as board as ever.

"I'll use a sword skill to knock their pole axes up, the second I do, you switch in" Kirito finished off the plan.

"Switch?" Asuna had her questioning tone again.

"Is this your first time you've ever been in a party?" Kirito looked to her with a curious look.

"Yes" She said quietly, causing Kirito to stop completely.

"This is my first party as well" I shouted from the trees causing him to look up as I jumped down and landed with a roll that made Asuna look at me with a funny look.

Kirito and Asuna was standing next to me as I watched from the crowd looking in the leader's direction, he drove his sword into the ground.

"Listen up, everyone" Blue haired man shouted gaining everyone, 'I've really gotta learn his name'.

"I have only one thing to say" He said with a pause at the end adding suspense.

"Lets win!" He shouted proudly as he raised his sword, "Lets go!" he said turning around and pushing the door open which displayed the pitch black room.

Candles started to light up the room, when it reached near the end, a large black figure with red glowing eyes was shown sitting on a throne, giving it a demonic look. The room bursted with colour as we made our way into it, the shadowy figure grabbing its weapon and lept with a ground bound and landed in the middle of the room, raising dust all over the room.

As the dust cleared, it showed a monster that would forever scar it's image into our heads, it's red fur covering it's body like a raging fire, it's long furry tail whipping around, the bone axe and leather buckler in hands, it let out a mighty roar as it's name and health bars appeared. This monster was the floor boss. Illfang the Kobold Lord.

Three human sized creatures appeared, clad in silver armor with poles in their hands, at the top of their poles was what seemed to be a large cotton ball. These creature were the sworn protectors of their lord, they are the Ruin Kobold Sentinels.

They ran at us with inhuman speeds. Our leader then raised his sword towards the Kobolds and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Commence Attack" which made all of us charge the monsters head on with our own deafening war cry, when the two front group reached Illfang they attacked with all their might, with the leader shouting commands at everyone and then turned towards us.

"Squads E and F, keep those Sentinels off us" He commanded, Kirito replied with a nod and ran off with Asuna towards the first Sentinel, while Squad E dealt with the second one. I could see the third one by itself and took the chance and charged straight towards it.

When I got into range I lept at it with my sword drawn back, I jabbed my blade forward and hit the Sentinel's pole axe when it tried to defend itself, stumbling when hit, I spun around and activated my sword skill [Eagles Strike] making the blade glow a violet purple, when I faced the creature I slashed at it's stomach causing it to stumble backwards from the strike, I brought my blade back and jabbed it forward into it's throat, getting a critical hit and killing in instantly.

I heard another monstrous roar as I turned and saw it discard it's weapons. But I saw what was on it's back, the weapon it was reaching for, and large Talwar, 'Shit, that isn't the weapon from the beta, I gotta stop if from attacking'. I saw our leader running towards it.

I sprinted as fast as I could and reached Illfang just as it was charging its skill, I lept forward with my blade in front of me as it lept up and sprung from pillar to pillar, I rammed into our leader and knocked him backwards, out of the monsters reach.

I looked up to see the Kobold Lord about to hit me, 'Bugger', I raised my sword just as it landed, my steel blade met with its monster blade, the force of the attack caused me to be pushed into the floor, stopping it's attack. I pushed my sword upwards knocking it off balance, but as I was about to attack it, it's foot sprung out and hit me square in the chest, catapulting me into the sky and causing massive damage.

As I hit the floor and skidded to a stop I heard Kirito shouting my name, he ran up to me and slid on his knee's when he reached me, I let out a weak chuckle as I looked at my health bar.

5% health remaining

Warning critical health

"That ass got me good" I said clutching my chest, Kirito pushed a health potion towards me, which I gratefully accepted and chugged down.

I looked towards the battle and then slowly stood back up, grabbing my sword that landed beside of me.

"I'm gonna kill that bastard" I said with a growl, Me and Asuna joining Kirito.

"I'll go, too" Asuna said while sliding next to Kirito.

"Same here" I said with a confident look.

"Thanks, both of you" Kirito said with a hard look on his face.

We all looked ahead to Illfang, our legs then sprung us forwards letting us sprint towards Illfang, who looked towards us and let out a snarl as it prepared for the incoming attack.

"We'll do it just like we do with the Sentinels" Kirito told us the plan to kill this beast.

"Got it", "Roger that" Me and Asuna replied at the same time, Illfang just narrowed it's eyes and prepared a sword skill to defend itself.

Kirito ran up ahead with a sword skill activated and knocked the large blade to the side.

"SWITCH" Kirito shouted to Asuna, which she responded with is a powerful jab to Illfang's midsection, she went to attack again as he stumbled backwards.

"Asuna, Look out!" Kirito shouted to her as Illfang swung his sword towards her, she ducked under it, the blade ripping off her cloak and reveling the chestnut haired girl underneath, she jabbed the Kobold again knocking him back. "Switch" She shouted to me, I nodded to her.

I ran towards him, dodging the blade and swinging around activating [Eagle Strike] again and slashed the Lord's stomach and then delivered a powerful jab to his chest, Kirito looking on in shock as we just showed our skill, He jumped back up.

"He's coming back" Kirito shouted as he deflected another blow from the monster, with Asuna close behind and striking Illfang in his midsection again, but he recovered to quickly and was about to attack, Kirito jumped in and started to deflect all the attacks before he made a mistake and got knocked back into Asuna making them fall over, I ran past them towards Illfang.

I jumped towards him and brought my sword up for attack which was deflected by him, I landed on the floor and swiped my sword at his legs making him fall over, I jumped again only to get knocked over, Illfang jumped above me and prepared to bring his sword down on me, I closed my eyes waiting for the strike to hit me but I heard was a loud smashing noise, I opened my eyes to see Kirito landing on the floor and Illfang in the distance.

"Asuna, Ezio, One last hit!,We'll do it together" He shouted as he started to run towards Illfang, I jumped up and ran towards Kirito with Asuna at my side,"Roger!","Copy that!" me and Asuna shouted in response, we catched up with him and started to prepare our attacks.

Illfang brought the blade down only for Kirito to knock it back upwards followed by Asuna stabbing it in the stomach, I follow shortly by swinging my blade into the hole Asuna made, making the wound worse. Kirito then joined again as we all started to hack at Illfang madly, Kirito then dragged his blade all over its body, killing it with a final blow.

It exploded into hexagons and we all just stared at it hoping that it was over. Everyone looked at each other and then started to shouted and dance "WE DID IT" They chanted over and over again.

"YOU'RE A BETA TESTERS" Someone shouted pointing at Kirito, causing everyone to look at him.

"What?" He started but was cut off by the Bipedal Cactus.

"YOU HEARD ME, YOU'RE A BETA TESTER, YOU KNEW ABOUT HIS ATTACKS AND TRIED TO LIE TO US ABOUT HIS WEAPON, ALMOST GETTING DIABEL KILLED" Kibaou screamed, 'Ohhh his name is Diabel'.

Everyone started to look at each other and murmur stuff, "Yeah thats right", "I can't believe there are beta testers here" They whispered to each other.

"Other beta testers are here, too, right... COME OUT!" A green haired man shouted pointing at the crowd, causing me to smile.

"Yeah I'm one too" I said raising my hand making Kirito look at me with a shocked expression.

Everyone started looking at each other worried about another, I looked towards Kirito and saw him gulp.

"You have a plan, don't you?" I said whispering to him.

"Yeah, follow my lead" He said looking back towards the crowd.

He started to laugh like a mad man causing me to laugh along, making the whole room look towards us.

"A Beta tester?" He said in a mocking tone.

"I wish you would compare us to those newbies" He continued with the mad man voice.

"I find it down right offensive that you call us Beta testers" I said in a smug voice.

"W..What?" Kibaou shouted confused at us.

"Most of the thousand Beta testers were beginners, who didn't even know how to level up" Kirito continued, walking towards Kibaou with me tailing behind.

"Some didn't even know how to walk at the beginning" I mocked as well.

"You guys are much better than they are", He then said looking at the crowd.

"But we're not like them" I said looking at Kirito.

"We made it higher than anyone else during the beta test" he continued with his mad man speech.

"The reason we lied is because I've fought monsters with Katana skills on floors way above us" He said proudly.

"And I was the most feared player killer as my body count was in the hundreds" I said opening my arms up and letting them see my mad smile under my hood.

"We know alot more, Way more than any information broker" He finished with a smile.

"W..What?" Kibaou looked shocked, "That's way worse than any Beta tester, you're both cheating, Cheaters!" Kibaou finished with a mad face.

"Yeah a cheater", "A beta tester and a cheater"," A BEATER!" The crowd started shouting.

"A Beater, I like it" Kirito said with the smile still plastered on.

"I prefer Assassin more" I said with my hand stroking my beard.

"Thats right, I'm a Beater and he's a Assassin, from now on don't confuse us with the other testers" He said while scrolling through his inventory, and pressing down on a certain one and spawn a Onyx black coat that reached his legs, we both looked at Kibaou and then started to walk towards the large door.

When we reached the steps, Asuna came up behind us.

"Wait" She said causing us both to stop and only me turning around to meet her face to face.

"You called my name when we were fighting" She stated.

"Sorry for using just your first name or did I mess up the pronunciation?" Kirito said calmly.

"Where did you learn it?" She asked questioningly, I just tuned it out and started walking towards the door again, when I reached it I saw it open and show a pitch black abyss, I turned around so Kirito could catch up.
"Then what about you?" She asked him, he just carried on up the steps, stopping at the top and bringing up the menu and then clicking something. A small pop up appeared in front of me.

Party leader has disbanded the party

Continue

He walked up next to me, I nodded and turned to the door and walked into the portal with Kirito close behind.

THE END