Okay, next chapter... and contrary to the title, it's not just about a party. If that was the case, this would be a side story. There are a few other, plot-relevant things going on, some before the party part, some after it.
Well, I thought this would be a rather short chapter, but you can probably already tell where this is going. It's another chapter with around 10k words. What shall I say? Certain parts of it got a little out of hand, and I've even cut a scene I had in mind out.
Anyway, the 89th floor was just cleared. There were some problems, but now, the Assault Team can take a breather and celebrate reaching the 90th floor before facing what is yet to come.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sword Art Online Re:Hollow Fragment or Sword Art Online in general.
Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere inside the boss room on the 89th floor was much calmer now. The members of the raid party checked the items that had dropped or talked about the battle. For instance, some players mentioned what items they would keep and which ones they would sell.
Some people also walked around and tried to buy certain items from others. Lind, for example, went around, looking for the person that had got the Last Attack Bonus in order to ask them to sell it to the DDA. He wasn't thrilled when he discovered that the Last Attack Bonus had gone to Sinon. Well, it would be more accurate to say that he wasn't thrilled when he discovered that the Last Attack Bonus had gone to Akinym's partner.
Meanwhile, Kirito, Asuna and the KoB were searching for the exit. Unlike usually, no exit door had spawned. While searching the wall for a hidden exit, Kirito came up with the idea to check the sarcophagus. As it turned out, a staircase had appeared inside the spacious sarcophagus.
They called out to the rest of the raid party and told them to come over. When they gathered around the sarcophagus, they were a bit taken aback by the turn of events, especially by the fact that the exit would lead them downwards… Some people even voiced concerns that it might be a trap.
Nevertheless, it was the only way out of the boss room, so they decided to roll with it. One after another, the players went down the stairs, which led to a narrow corridor. While crossing that corridor, the raid party was on high alert.
Nothing happened, though, and they arrived at a large staircase that led upwards. The players were happy to leave the claustrophobic passageway behind, and they were even happier when they saw daylight shining through an opening at the top of the staircase.
When they left the tunnel, they were greeted by a wonderful view on a wide meadow with a town to their right. There were a few trees or rocks here and there. A few monsters could be found nearby, mostly wasp-like ones.
Some people went straight to exploring, others exchanged "official" congratulations on reaching the 90th floor.
Klein [cheerfully, excitedly]: There we are, guys! I've told you we would get to celebrate on this floor with a slice of cake in the afternoon. So, let's find ourselves a nice little café! Hehe, I wonder if they have a place with a super cute waitress here…
When Akinym and Sinon came up the stairs, they took in their surroundings, too. Akinym also took a look into the distance… and he wasn't exactly pleased by what he saw.
Akinym: Are those… floating islands?
Sinon: Huh? Oh, yeah, looks like it. Quite many, actually. It makes me wonder if we'll get to explore all of them. It could be interesting to see what we'll have to do on this floor.
Akinym was certainly not looking forward to it. Couldn't this have been a normal, "solid" floor as usual? Well, hopefully, they would just teleport between certain islands, and if they had to work only in their central areas, it would be perfectly fine.
Asuna: Sinonon!
Akinym and Sinon looked into the direction that voice came from, and they saw Asuna running up to them.
Sinon: Asuna? What is…
Before Sinon got to ask her what was wrong, Asuna pulled her into a hug. At this point, Sinon had no idea whatsoever as to what was going on. The same went for Akinym.
After a few seconds, Asuna took a step back while keeping her hands on Sinon's shoulders. Taking a look at Asuna, Sinon could see that she seemed quite worried.
Asuna: Sinonon, are you okay?! I know that this must've been terrifying when you had to deal with the floor boss all by yourself, and you certainly didn't want to have such a near-death experience during your first floor boss battle! If it's troubling you, you can say it, that's okay!
Sinon: Asuna, seriously, I'm fine! You can all stop worrying so much!
Asuna breathed a sigh of relief.
She had wanted to speak with Sinon ever since the boss battle had been over, but she had been occupied with her duties as the raid commander until now. The moment they had arrived on the 90th floor, Kirito and the KoB party had gone to the main town to activate the teleport gate and to return to Arc Sophia while Asuna had stayed behind to wait for Sinon to show up.
Asuna: Thank goodness! When the boss targeted you of all people, I thought you were going to die… [dejectedly] I'm so sorry, Sinonon! I was so sure that everything would go differently that I didn't even plan anything in case it would target you. Or rather than that, I couldn't come up with anything, so I just hoped for the best. But if my decision had led to your death…
Honestly, Sinon couldn't bear seeing Asuna so downcast. She put on a small smile, even if it was just to make Asuna stop worrying like that.
Sinon [reassuringly]: Hey, you're the raid commander, Asuna. I won't pretend that I understand that job, but I guess it means you have to do what's in everyone's best interest, not just in one person's, right? So you have to focus on beating the boss even if it puts someone in danger. Seriously, Asuna, I knew what I was signing up for, so stop blaming yourself for the trouble! Besides, I made it out alive, and I guess that's not just pure luck.
Asuna nodded and put on a small smile. She also let go of Sinon's shoulders.
Thinking that Sinon was referring to Akinym's help, Asuna turned towards him. Frankly, she had had some worries that Akinym wouldn't be suited to look after Sinon while clearing the remaining floors, even though it might've been irrational. Now, however, she was convinced that Akinym would take good care of her friend, so Asuna was relieved.
However, something caught Asuna's attention.
Asuna [curiously]: Huh? Akinym-san, didn't you wear a different jacket during the boss battle? Why would you bother to get changed inside the boss room?
Akinym [annoyed] and Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: Don't ask!
Asuna [taken aback]: I… see. [slightly awkwardly] Well, anyway, thank you for your help. Well, both of you! [slightly happily] Oh, and congratulations on the Last Attack Bonus, Sinonon!
Sinon: Thanks, Asuna.
Asuna: Well, I guess I head back to Arc Sophia, too. [tiredly] There's still so much to take care of… [slightly cheerfully] Anyway, I hope to see you two at our party this evening to celebrate!
Akinym [slightly taken aback]: You're seriously inviting me again, too, Asuna-san? I honestly wasn't sure if you're serious…
Asuna [slightly determinedly and sternly]: But I am, Akinym-san! You've played your part, too! [cheerfully] Besides, the more the merrier! [calmly] Anyway, I better get going!
With that, Asuna took her leave while waving at Akinym and Sinon. They figured that they should also head towards town.
Sinon: Well, so what now? I don't feel like fighting anymore, but I'd like to take a look around the NPC shops in the new town, to be honest.
Akinym: Well, you can do that if you want. [slightly contemplatively] Asuna-san actually reminded me of my own duties as a council member. I might not have any guild-internal stuff to take care of, but there's still a thing or two I have to deal with.
Sinon: Hm, I see. Well, I guess I'll go on that shopping trip by myself in that case.
Akinym: You do that.
While they were walking to Koyornos, the main town on the 90th floor, Akinym recalled something that had caught his attention during their previous conversation with Asuna.
Akinym: On another note, though… [confused] Sinon-on?!
Sinon [sighs, slightly exasperatedly]: Don't ask me! It's not like I understand what's going on inside her head…
The members of the raid party all went their separate ways. Most of them returned to Arc Sophia or explored Koyornos.
The town was a sight to behold. Most of the settlements on the upper floors looked more like outposts or remote villages. Well, some looked like nice spots for a vacation, but so far, only Arc Sophia and Triberia, the main town on the 77th floor, had really felt like major cities. Koyornos was similar in that regard, though.
The town looked somewhat classy. It was large, but at the same time, it looked as if only people of a certain standing were supposed to live there. On top of that, the view on the floating islands was quite a memorable sight.
The landmark of the town was a huge monument at the teleport gate plaza. It could be seen far and wide, as if to announce that this spot was the center of this floor. Well, it had certainly already attracted a lot of attention.
This also applied to Silica, Lisbeth and Leafa, who were resting on a bench at the teleport gate plaza, staring at the large monument. To be fair, none of them was really that interested in the local architecture, though. The previous battle was still on their mind.
Agil, who had taken a look around town with his guildmates among the raid party, walked up to them.
Agil [slightly casually]: Hey, why the long faces? Did the battle wear you out that much?
Silica: Well… I guess you could phrase it that way…
Agil [seriously]: Hm, I see. Wanna talk about it?
Lisbeth [dejectedly]: Honestly? I don't even know where I should start. [worriedly] That floor boss had been scary enough already before it almost killed one of my friends. I couldn't get near that thing without thinking that something would happen and I'd die! [dejectedly] I feel really stupid for being so overconfident...
Silica [dejectedly]: Yeah… Same here.
Leafa [worriedly, slightly dejectedly]: It kinda reminded me of that final boss in the Hollow Area that I fought with Kirito-kun and Philia-san… That thing had been insanely strong, and we had to fight it as a party of three… This time, there was an entire raid party, but the feeling of dread was still the same…
Frankly, Leafa had thought that her experience in the Hollow Area would've been a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that the boss battles would – while still being challenging – not pose that much of a challenge by comparison.
Lisbeth [dejectedly]: There you have it, Agil! We barely held it together during that battle, and we even took the first opportunity to do something other than attacking the actual boss… Meanwhile, all the veterans remained so cool and collected, fighting it with such determination… I've always thought that Asuna was amazing because she could fight on the highest floors and command an entire raid party, but after seeing an actual boss battle… Seriously, words can't begin to describe it! Even Klein just joked about the whole thing! How am I ever supposed to fit into that group?!
Agil [contemplatively]: Hm… I see. Well, I guess it's not a surprise that you have that problem. I still remember my first boss battle. The very first one, actually. That was a wild ride! You know, I figured that it was a little bit too much for you when I offered to take care of the adds. It seemed like the right thing to do in that situation.
To be honest, the girls weren't too surprised to hear that. They had had a hunch that this had been the case. Asuna had probably noticed them having problems, too. After all, she had assigned them that task without much hesitation, and the other party that had dealt with the adds had also a few newcomers in it.
Agil [reassuringly, slightly sternly]: There is one thing you seem to be wrong about, though! It's not like anyone in the raid party was fearless or anything. When we face these boss monsters, we're all afraid that we won't make it out alive – every single time.
Lisbeth [slightly exasperatedly]: That honestly didn't look that way!
Agil: Maybe. But that's because we've already learnt how to cope with it. You shouldn't forget that a good portion of the raid party consisted of people who've participated in about half of the boss battles so far. You learn a thing or two over time. [reassuringly, slightly playfully] Take Klein's stupid jokes, for example! By making fun of the boss, you forget how dangerous it really is for a moment, so you don't just freeze in fear. I guess that's how it works for him. [calmly] We do a lot of things just to distract ourselves from our fear during these battles. I mean, what do you think are those battle cries for?
The girls remained silent. They understood what Agil was getting at, but they didn't know what to say in response. Were they supposed to believe that they could learn to do the same? To cope with that fear? Frankly, none of them knew where to start…
Agil: Well, I guess the actual question is what you intend to do now, isn't it? If you think it's too much for you and want to quit, I won't blame you.
Lisbeth [dejectedly, slightly worriedly]: You mean just hightailing it because we can't handle the pressure?! What would that even say about us?
Agil: Hey, that wouldn't be cowardice. Just caution.
Lisbeth: But it…
Agil [interrupting, sternly]: No, it's not cowardice! Believe me: I will personally make anyone shut up who says otherwise. These boss battles are dangerous, so it's okay to be afraid. Also, if you think you're not up to the challenge, it's better to leave the most dangerous work to the others. That would be the best you could do. If people in the raid party broke down under the pressure, the rest of us would have to pay the price.
The girls thought about it for a moment. Sure, there was no obligation to join boss battles, so they could just say that they wanted to be excluded, and it probably wouldn't even bother anyone.
After about ten seconds, Leafa suddenly stood up. When the others turned to her, they could clearly see the determination in her expression.
Leafa: I won't back out. [slightly shakily and insecurely] I am afraid… and I underestimated how dangerous these boss battles are for all of us, but that… [slightly determinedly] That means that I have to join even more! What am I even here for?! I want to bring my brother home again, and to do that, I have to keep him safe! If anything, I have to protect him if he's in the gravest danger. And it's not just him… [slightly worriedly] I've seen how much people in this world struggle to survive, and they all have family sitting at their side in the real world every day. They all want to return to them, too! I want them to reunite… just as I could. If I would let them go into these boss battles while I stay behind in the safety of a town… [dejectedly] That wouldn't be any different from sitting in that hospital room again!
Frankly, Silica and Lisbeth were in awe because of Leafa's declaration. She had made up her mind months ago: She would face any fears and dangers if it meant reuniting with her brother and getting him out of this death game alive.
Thinking about this, Silica stood up as well, having a similar determination glimmering in her eyes.
Silica: I won't back out either! I will show that I have what it takes to stand side by side with any of the veterans! What about you, Pina?
Pina let out an affirmative cry.
Looking at them, Lisbeth couldn't help but smile.
Lisbeth [slightly taken aback]: You two really don't hold back, do you? [slightly cheerfully] Well, I had made up my mind about not just sitting in my smithy anymore. [determinedly] Count me in!
Agil [smiles]: Well, good to hear that! Frankly, I think it would've been a loss for the Assault Team if you had quit. You know, I think you did a good job for the first time. You did your job and didn't cause any problems. We'll sort out the remaining problems eventually. If you ever feel like you need help, you can always turn to me or Kirito or Asuna, you know?
Lisbeth: Well, thanks, Agil. [teasingly] But you know, I think we'll probably end up relying on the local jack-of-all-trades, Kirito, to do that. You gotta give the older people a break after all!
Agil [slightly upset]: Hey, don't make me sound like an old-timer, you hear? [slightly happily] Heh, well, it's good to see you in better spirits now, though. I wouldn't want you to be so gloomy at today's celebration!
Speaking of said party, it was evening before they knew it, and the guests gathered at Agil's inn. To be fair, most of them were the residents of the inn, although there were a few others.
One of them was Klein… who had actually invited himself… as usual. Anyway, nobody particularly minded him being there, so it was no problem for him to come. Or to start the party off with a brief congratulatory speech.
Klein: Okay, is everyone ready? [clears throat, determinedly] Congratulations on reaching the ninetieth floor, everyone! We did an awesome job today, and defeated that boss without any casualties! Here's to make it through the rest of this game like that! Cheers!
Everyone joined in, applauded or raised their glasses. How cheerful the response was differed from person to person, but the overall mood was as good as you'd expect at this "milestone party".
One of the less cheerful people was Akinym. He still wasn't really sure why he was even there. Well, it would've been rude to reject the invitation without comment, but that wouldn't stop Akinym from not going simply because he didn't want to. So what was there to make him attend?
To be perfectly honest, Akinym had taken an interest in the group of people around him – or rather the people around Kirito. Said group had a few surprises in store every once in a while. Sinon had told him that the party after reaching the 80th floor had been quite interesting and funny, and he was curious if it would be the same this time.
Also, the food was pretty good. Same as last time…
In the end, Akinym ended up sitting at a table with a plate of food as his only company. He didn't know what to talk about with anyone here to begin with…
Akinym wasn't the kind of person to make small talk. He talked with others when he actually had something to talk about. If he didn't have anything to say, he would remain silent. Talking for the sake of talking itself… Let's say it wasn't his style.
Rather than that, he observed the others. For instance, there was Philia having a chat with Leafa. Since she hadn't joined the boss battle, Philia was curious as to what had happened, so she was eagerly listening to Leafa's "report".
A more interesting sight was a different girl, though. Akinym had been surprised to see an "occasional visitor" at the party: Strea. The free-spirited yet strangely mysterious girl was currently talking cheerfully with Kirito while sampling the food.
Akinym had heard about Strea from a few people on different occasions. It was strange… Everyone who had seen her fighting confirmed that she was on par with the Assault Team, maybe even the elite of the Assault Team. She was playing solo on the highest floors, which was undoubtedly quite a feat. At the same time, nobody had heard anything about her before reaching the 76th floor. Just what had she done all that time?!
Another thing that Akinym couldn't get out of his mind whenever he thought about Strea was something Kirito had mentioned once. He hadn't been sure who would take this well enough to be told about it, but Kirito had figured that – as a council member and someone who knew how to get a hold of information – Akinym might actually help figure out the secret behind it: Apparently, Strea had told Kirito that she was searching for "a threat that could destroy this world". That raised so many questions…
Strea left Kirito with a spring in her steps. It took her mere seconds to shift her attention to Silica and Lisbeth, and she immediately rushed towards them and tackled Silica into a hug, apparently while thanking her for something.
Meanwhile, Kirito walked over to Akinym.
Kirito [slightly curiously]: Hey, is something wrong? You're sitting here all by yourself.
Akinym [flatly]: Well, it's not like I have anything to talk about with anyone else. Parties aren't really my thing anyway…
Kirito could understand that to some extent. Frankly, judging from everything he had heard, he would've been surprised if Akinym had turned out to be some kind of party animal… The very picture was just bizarre.
He had the feeling that he should say something about that, though. If only he had any idea what he could say…
Kirito: Well, I guess I can relate to that. I'd probably sit the entire time in a corner myself if it wasn't for the others starting a conversation. I've never really been into social gatherings, at least not if there are many people…
Akinym [dryly]: Is that supposed to be bonding over being introverts?
Kirito [frustrated]: Not really. [mutters] If anything, it probably wouldn't work. So much for that…
Klein passed by, and seeing two of his "pals" being so "gloomy", he decided to stop by and confront them about it.
Klein: Huh, why the long faces, guys? This is a party, A PARTY! After all the tough work today, it's the right thing to let loose a little and enjoy yourselves! [slightly worriedly] Who knows when we will get another chance to? The last remaining floors might be hell for all we know!
Akinym [exasperatedly]: Thanks for the reminder, Klein-san. Very helpful! Listen, I'm just not the kind of person to "let loose", I guess.
Klein [exasperatedly]: Man, you're way to uptight! You and Sinochi were the MVPs today, so you of all people should have fun here!
Sinon [tiredly]: Well, thanks, Klein. [slightly exasperatedly] Although I could do without the congratulations from… some people.
The group of guys turned to their new "visitors", and they saw Asuna, Yui and Sinon coming closer. All of them looked really worse for wear. In fact, Asuna and Sinon looked as if they had just faced an enemy that was much worse than the Foul Emperor. Well, that description wasn't way off the mark…
Yui: Papa, can you teach me some survival skills? As an MHCP, I've never expected this to happen, but Strea-san's happiness seems dangerous…
Kirito [slightly awkwardly]: W-well, I don't think you have to worry! She just wanted to go around and show everyone how happy she is about the invitation.
Asuna: Is that what's going on?! It's good to hear that she's happy, but I wish she could show that with a little more… [struggling for words] Hm…
Sinon: Restraint? I think the word you're looking for is restraint…
Asuna: Well, that's one way to put it…
Yui [worriedly]: She was so… passionate.
Kirito [slightly reassuringly]: Well, I think you're save now. So…
Kirito tried to think of something to change the subject. It seemed like the right thing to do.
The fact that Philia could be heard yelping in the background because of Strea's surprise hug didn't make it easier, though. When they looked over at them to see what was happening, they could see Strea tightening her grip with a smile while Leafa, having a bad premonition, decided to search for an escape route.
Kirito: Oh, right! Since we were talking about the boss battle, I think I have to congratulate you two on joining the Assault Team. [slightly taken aback] I wasn't really sure what to think when you said you wanted to join the Assault Team, Sinon, but you've easily made up for two whole years within a few months.
Sinon [slightly proudly]: Well, I guess so. Although I've had a lot of help, to be honest.
Yui: Working together makes everything easier, doesn't it?
Kirito: Well, as long as it works out. Anyway, I guess having equipment like… [insecurely, slightly contemplatively] What was it called again? Slouch Hat of the… something… S… Something with "s". S-soap?
Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: Seriously? That's your guess?
Kirito [slightly defensively]: Okay, I don't remember! I mean the hat with the EXP bonus. [slightly contemplatively] Leveling has to be super easy with that, especially if you can close that level gap in such a relatively short amount of time… [dejectedly] I kinda wish I would've picked it whenever I think about it…
Asuna [sternly, slightly annoyed]: Kirito-kun, let me get this straight: You're not going to wear something so ridiculous around me! It's an absolute no-go!
Kirito [defensively]: Ah, right! Sure!
To be fair, that hat really looked outrageously ugly. Now that he actually pictured it in his mind, Kirito had flashbacks to the matching outfits he had got from Agil…
Akinym [slightly annoyed]: You know, Asuna-san, I know it looks weird, but you don't have to make it sound like that [slightly upset] when I'm right here!
Asuna [slightly apologetically and awkwardly]: Ah… Um, I'm sorry!
Lisbeth: What's going on here? Are we making fun of people? [slightly taken aback and exasperatedly] Because I'd do that rather than getting crushed by Strea!
Everyone turned to the next people to arrive at their table: Silica and Lisbeth. They seemed to do better than Asuna, Yui and Sinon when they had arrived, probably because they had had some time to recover since Strea's assault.
Speaking of Strea, she was currently chasing after Leafa, who tried to escape from Strea's "happiness".
Silica: She was merciless…
Kirito: Well, that's just her way of sharing her happiness, I guess.
Lisbeth [exasperatedly]: She couldn't find another way, could she?
Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: I'm afraid not. [calmly] Anyway, since you've asked, we are making fun of Kirito, I guess.
Lisbeth [playfully]: Oh, so our usual party game, huh?
Kirito [mutters, annoyed]: Give me a break…
Akinym [annoyed]: And here I thought this was about my equipment…
Sinon: Well, that's to be expected with that ridiculous hat! I get that it's useful, but still…
By now, Strea had caught Leafa, and she carried her "prey" over to the others.
Strea [curiously, slightly happily]: What's going on over here? Is everyone having a chat? [slightly upset] Wait a minute, why wasn't I invited? I want to join in!
Strea released Leafa again, and Philia came over to console the fellow "victim". Now, everyone but Agil had joined the circle of party-goers.
Asuna: Well, we're just talking about… [slightly awkwardly] recent fashion trends, I guess.
Akinym [dryly]: And assault. Namely a certain girl that goes around and almost hugs people to death… which is apparently a thing. [looks at Leafa, slightly exasperatedly] For the love of all that's holy, learn how to hold back, Strea-san!
Strea [slightly upset]: Heh?! But how am I supposed to thank everyone properly without showing clearly how happy I am to be here?!
Akinym: You could try just saying it!
Strea: That's lame! If you're happy, you ought to give some of that happiness back! [cheerfully] And what better way is there than a hug? A hug makes everyone happy!
Akinym [sternly]: No, it doesn't!
Strea [upset]: Heh, why?!
Akinym: Nobody is happy about unwanted physical contact! That's why it's called "unwanted"!
Strea: But everyone here appreciated the hugs so much! Some even let out a cry of joy!
Akinym: No, that was an expression of shock and terror!
Strea: How can you say that?! You just don't know how great a good hug feels! [slightly surprised] Hm? You don't… [slightly cheerfully] I got it! Now that I think about it, I didn't get to greet you yet, did I?
Akinym had a really bad premonition, and he wanted to get up to take a defensive stance, but there was no time. Before he knew it, Strea overwhelmed him with a submission hold… or "hug" as she called it.
She even lifted him off the ground without too much trouble. Strea was a bit smaller than Akinym, so the sight was quite bizarre. Well, it wasn't too surprising in a game, though. The only thing that mattered here in this regard was the parameter Strength… and Strea seemed to have insanely high Strength. Akinym tried to get free – or at least to get one hand free – but there was absolutely no escape whatsoever.
Meanwhile, the other people watched the scene awkwardly. They all had had the feeling that it would end this way, but nobody had known how to interfere. Kirito actually summed up their current thought process quite nicely.
Kirito [thinks]: Sorry, Akinym, it's nice to see you trying to take one for the team, but there is just no talking things out with Strea…
At the same time, their argument continued.
Akinym: Let me go, you crazy weirdo!
Strea: Rude! I'm only sharing happiness!
Akinym: Yeah, and it's not working! This only makes you happy, nobody else!
Strea: Heh, why?! Doesn't a hug from a pretty girl with big boobs make every guy happy?!
Akinym: No, and don't use "guy" as a synonym for "retarded pervert"! Furthermore, don't say such stuff at all!
Strea let out a dissatisfied groan. Her hug was apparently not working. Maybe she wasn't hugging tightly enough yet… Thus, she squeezed Akinym even harder.
Strea: How about now?
Akinym [strained]: Even less!
Strea [upset, slightly desperately]: WHY?! Why is it not working?!
Strea let go of Akinym, and he immediately took a deep breath now that he could do that again.
Strea: It always works with Kirito! Look!
Kirito [panicking]: Wait, what are you planning, Stre-aaaAAAA-ARGH!
Strea rushed around the table and tackled Kirito, who instinctively tried to get away, into a similarly bone-crushing hug.
Strea: There! How is it, Kirito?
Kirito [strained, desperately]: Works great! You've brought your point across, Strea!
Strea was satisfied, and she released Kirito again.
Kirito also took a deep breath. Well, at least he got out of this much easier than Akinym had…
Strea: See? It works perfectly fine with Kirito!
Akinym looked back and forth between Kirito and Strea for a moment with a contemplative expression.
Akinym: It seems that I stand corrected. It does make someone else happy. Namely Kirito-san. Perhaps you should express your feelings with him from now on.
Kirito [slightly panicking]: Hey, wait a moment!
Sinon [dryly]: Hm, sounds like a good idea to me. He seems to enjoy getting attention from girls a lot, and he was certainly quick to agree that it made him happy, wasn't he?
Kirito: You, too, Sinon?!
Strea [slightly dejectedly]: I don't mind giving Kirito a hug, but I want everyone to be happy! [slightly sternly] Right now, I'm more concerned about Akinym's attitude!
Akinym [slightly reassuringly]: Oh, don't worry about me, Strea-san! Seeing Kirito-san's happiness after your hugs is more than enough for me! After all, taking pleasure in making others happy is so much better than only to care about oneself, isn't it?
Sinon: Good point! I'm pretty sure that everyone here appreciates Kirito's help every day so much that we'll gladly let him have all of your attention. [to the others] Isn't that right? You'd gladly let Kirito get a hug in your stead, wouldn't you?
By now, Kirito had no doubts that Akinym and Sinon were plotting his demise. His only hope was that the others wouldn't throw him to the wolves… or, in this case, to Strea.
Lisbeth [slightly nervously]: Well, y-you're right, Sinon! Maybe it's for the best after all if Kirito gets all the… [hesitantly] love-packed hugs…
Philia [nervously]: I mean, he did so much for me that I'll gladly yield my share of hugs to him!
Thus, said hope went down the drain.
Yui [sternly]: I object! It's not okay!
Kirito [slightly surprised]: Yui… [slightly nervously] Right, everyone, let's all listen to Yui!
Yui: That goes for you, too, Papa! It's okay if it's me, Mama or Leafa-san, but you shouldn't let just anyone hug you! I'm very disappointed!
Just when Kirito thought that he could at least trust in his adopted daughter…
As it turned out, he couldn't trust in his sister/cousin either. Leafa didn't want him to suffer from Strea's hugs, but upon remembering the dread she had felt while being chased by Strea, she knew what decision she would make, even if she couldn't even look Kirito – or anyone, for that matter – straight in the eye while speaking it out.
Leafa: W-well, I wouldn't mind… If that's what he wants…
Kirito [desperately]: You guys…
Asuna [slightly awkwardly]: You don't have to push the whole issue on Kirito-kun, you know? Let's just talk this out!
Kirito breathed a sigh of relief. At least he could count on Asuna…
Strea [slightly dejectedly]: Hm, but I was already warming up to the idea. [cheerfully] I mean, Kirito is always suuuper energised after my hugs! Even if he's completely beat and tired, he's up and running again afterwards! Like recently, when he was out cold for an entire day and we took turns looking after him. He immediately felt better after a hug! Yup, it only took a pretty girl rubbing against him!
Kirito: Phrasing, Strea! PHRASING!
Yui [sternly, slightly grumpily]: Papa! No having affairs!
Asuna [suspiciously, slightly angrily]: Heh? So that's why you were back on your feet after just one day, Kirito-kun?
Kirito: Asuna-san?!
Asuna [upset]: Maybe we should go with the idea after all if having a girl "rubbing against you" helps you so much. Strea-san will certainly be your only option in that regard, Kirito-kun!
Akinym: Well, I guess that settles it. Kirito-san is on "getting hugs from Strea-san" duty from now on, and Yui will make sure that he doesn't get too comfortable.
Yui [determinedly]: I will!
At that moment, Kirito simply knew that he was doomed, and there was nothing he could do about it…
Klein suddenly slammed his hands on the table in front of him. Everyone else was startled and turned towards him. His expression was so fierce and determined that nobody really knew what to expect.
Klein: I can't stand by idly any longer! And I can't accept this decision either!
Kirito didn't know what to think. Would Klein of all people help him to get out of this mess?
Klein [upset, slightly dejectedly]: Why does Kirito get all the hugs?! I'm also here!
Kirito [thinks, dejectedly, desperately]: It's all over…
Lisbeth [exasperatedly]: Seriously, Klein?!
Klein: What?! Why is Kirinoji the only one who gets hugs from a pretty girl [grumpily] while I can only sit in a corner and cry?
Strea [slightly surprised]: Hm? That's not good! [slightly dejectedly] It seems that it doesn't work this way for Klein… [cheerfully] Well, I guess I just have to do something about it! Come to think of it, I didn't get to thank Klein yet!
Klein [excitedly]: Seriously?!
Klein couldn't believe that he might finally have a shred of luck… while everyone else couldn't believe that Klein had got himself into such trouble. Before anyone could say anything else, Strea tackled Klein into one of her usual hugs, and he was overjoyed…
...for one second, that is. Klein quickly realised why nobody was looking forward to a hug from Strea. He felt as if he got stuck in a vice… and Strea was putting even more strength into her grip.
Akinym [slightly teasingly]: How is it, Klein-san? Do you feel fulfilled now? Given how much you complain that you get no girl to even pay attention to you, this should be a heavenly experience. Maybe you should give it your all, Strea-san, so Klein-san gets the most out of this while it lasts.
Strea: Sounds good!
Klein: Wai…
Klein couldn't even finish a single word before Strea began to squeeze his body as hard as she could, and Klein's sentence turned into an unintelligible gurgling noise. Now Klein could rightfully claim that he understood how a toothpaste tube felt when someone squeezed the last remains of toothpaste out of it.
Akinym felt the urge to comment that Klein was apparently so overjoyed that he couldn't put his feelings into words, but he had a hunch that this would come back to haunt him later on, so he remained silent and just watched the suffering Klein had brought upon himself.
Sinon [taken aback, slightly exasperatedly]: Okay, I think that's enough!
Lisbeth [slightly worriedly]: Yeah, even I think this is going a little too far…
Strea: Hm… Okay! I guess this should be enough for now!
With that, Strea let Klein go, and he immediately flopped onto the floor. While his body was shaking and he was wheezing, Klein tried to get up again.
Silica went over to him to check if he was okay. Well, halfway okay.
Silica: Klein-san, are you alright?
Klein looked up. He seemed to be in a daze.
Klein: Grandma, is that you? Is it time for me to join you on the other side?
Silica [slightly shocked]: Grandma?! [mutters, dejectedly] Does that mean I look like an old woman?
Most of them were just taken aback by what had just happened. Kirito almost felt a bit happy about the change of topic. Now that he wasn't in a tight spot anymore, he took a look around and saw that most of his friends recovered from the initial shock and even began to laugh about the incident.
Sinon: Well, I guess you can still show Klein your "happiness" directly, Strea. For everyone else, remember to go to Kirito.
And there they went again…
Fortunately, Agil happened to come to his rescue as he was calling out to them from the kitchen area.
Agil: Hey, Kirito, could you come here and help me with these plates for a moment?! Anyone else would do as well.
Kirito: I'm coming, Agil! What do you have here?
As Kirito was coming closer, he could already see what was on the plates, and it took him only a few seconds to put two and two together and to figure out what was going on.
Agil [slightly mischievously and playfully]: Hehe, what do you think? It's the pizza with the super spicy slices again!
Klein [excitedly]: Did I hear that right?!
As Klein shot up, everyone around him took a step back. It was almost as if he had just come back from the dead.
Lisbeth: Geez, Klein! It looks as if this has restored you to full health within a single second! Is this some kind of new skill?!
Klein: Who cares about the past if our favourite party game is about to start! Let's do it exactly like last time: Whoever gets the spicy slice can ask anyone to do their bidding! [determinedly] I may have screwed up last time, but I won't make the same mistake this time! This time, I'll get to make a cute girl do what I say!
Akinym [exasperatedly]: Klein-san, have you ever thought what you're about to say through? [slightly exasperatedly] On another note, what kind of game is that?!
Asuna: Well, it sounds a bit strange, but it's actually kinda fun.
Lisbeth: Yeah. Think of it as a variation of the King's Game, but with more pizza!
Agil [slightly excitedly]: More pizza is the right way to say it! I've made two this time, meaning two spicy slices. And I've upped the spicy factor a bit, so you're in for a surprise if you get one!
Kirito [slightly nervously]: Well, that sounds… a bit worrying. [slightly determinedly] But I'm in! I'll get a spicy slice for sure!
While Kirito and Agil carried the plates over to a table, the girls started to join. Silica, Lisbeth, Yui, Philia and Leafa joined, and Strea was particularly eager to participate.
Sinon: Well, I think I'll pass this time. I'm pretty stuffed from all the other food.
Akinym: I'll pass, too! Frankly, I think I'd rather not engage in this weirdness, and I wouldn't know what to ask someone else to do anyway.
Agil: Well, if you two don't want pizza, that's perfectly fine, but as long as you're on this party, you won't get out of following the winners' commands.
Akinym thought about objecting, but he wondered how this would work out. He decided to just stay silent for now. If nobody picked him or if he was told to do something normal, he'd go along with it.
Sinon: Well, fine. [slightly annoyed] As long as Klein doesn't win, I think we're safe.
Asuna: I'll join in, too. [mischievously] How could I pass on this opportunity?
Asuna turned to Sinon with a devious glint in her eyes and started chuckling sinisterly.
Sinon: Asuna?!
Asuna: You better get ready for a style change, Sinonon, because I'm going to choose a completely new outfit for you!
Sinon: That again?!
Agil: Well, now that we've decided on the participants, let's get this Russian roulette pizza game started, shall we?
Asuna walked over to the rest of them as they gathered around the table that the plates were placed on.
Akinym [curiously]: What was that about?
Sinon [at a loss, slightly exasperatedly]: I don't know. I can't make any sense of Asuna's ideas sometimes…
Klein: Okay, everyone, choose a pizza slice and dig in!
With that, everyone picked a slice of pizza from the nearest plate, and one after another, they took a bite.
Some of them, for instance Kirito and Silica, didn't say anything, although the slight disappointment on their otherwise blank faces showed that they had just got an ordinary slice of pizza.
Philia [slightly excitedly]: Wow, that's delicious! [slightly dejectedly] Oh, wait! That means I've lost, haven't I?
Next up, Strea took a bite, and after chewing on it a little, her eyes widened and she let out a scream.
Kirito: Oh, I guess you've got one, Strea.
Strea: I do! WAAAAAH, it's so spicy!
Strea ran straight towards the nearest water carafe, hastily poured herself a glass of water and gulped it down in one go – all within a few seconds.
Watching this scene, Akinym and a few others were quite taken aback by seeing the overly cheerful girl act in such a panic. Just how spicy was this pizza?!
Klein: Well, that's one down, and I bet that I'm going to have the other one! [takes a bite, frustrated] Dammit, it's delicious!
Akinym rolled his eyes. This was certainly the first time he had heard someone complaining about delicious food. Frankly, after seeing the way Strea acted, he doubted that getting to give someone one command was even worth it, so Klein should've probably been happy.
A few others took a bite of their slices, but one after another, they had to admit that those were just ordinary ones.
In the end, only Asuna was left, and most of them already thought that the second spicy slice was among those that hadn't been chosen by anyone. However, when Asuna took a bite, her reaction was almost exactly like Strea's. Asuna had to keep herself from spitting the pizza out again.
Kirito: So Asuna got the second one!
She sure did, and now she was suffering the consequences. Asuna had the feeling that her mouth was literally burning, and she frantically looked around for the nearest source of water.
Lisbeth [worriedly]: Should I get you some water, Asuna?
Remembering what had happened to Klein the last time, Asuna just shook her head vigorously while declining the offer with almost unintelligible words. To be fair, Lisbeth hadn't tried to trick her. That was special treatment for Klein.
Asuna remembered how Strea had reacted, so she figured that she'd find water around her. Spotting Strea, she ran over to the table next to her and imitated her actions, quickly pouring herself a glass of water and gulping it down in no time.
Klein: Man, once again, I come out of this with nothing but dissatisfaction… [calmly] Well, that's just how it is. So, what will the winners tell the others to do?
Asuna was still recovering from the spiciness of the pizza, so Strea figured that she'd get the first turn.
Strea [slightly contemplatively]: Hm, let's see… [excitedly, cheerfully] Oh, I know! A kiss! From Kirito.
Strea's demand was met with numerous surprised outcries, even from Asuna.
Asuna: Wait a second! Are you out of your mind?! That's out of the question! I won't have it!
Klein [mutters, slightly dejectedly]: Well, not that I'm happy about it… [says aloud, casually] But the rules say she can give any order, so…
Asuna: Zip it, Klein!
Asuna's extremely stern retort made Klein instinctively back away. Everyone could tell that Asuna wouldn't allow any objections in this matter.
Well, everyone except for Strea.
Strea [slightly frustrated]: Why? I thought I could choose whatever I like! I kinda want a kiss, and since everyone said that it would make them happy if I only hug Kirito, I thought it would also be for the best if I chose Kirito for this!
Asuna: Well, if you want a kiss so badly… How about I kiss you?!
Strea [surprised]: Huh? You?
Asuna: Yes! That's my command! I choose you, and you have to… do that with me, not Kirito-kun!
Frankly, it was a horrible idea, but it was also the only thing that had come to Asuna's mind within this short amount of time.
Strea: Hm… [cheerfully] Well, fine with me!
Strea didn't waste a single second after that. She instantly tackled Asuna into a hug, and before she could voice any objections, Strea pressed her lips onto Asuna's. Asuna tried to fight back, but it only resulted in Strea pushing her onto the table.
The rest of the group watched in shock and disbelief as Asuna struggled against Strea's grip, trying to get free. However, Strea's enormous physical strength proved to be too much of a challenge once more.
Kirito even covered Yui's eyes with his hands so that she wouldn't have to see the fate her mother figure had to suffer.
Klein: What the…?
Lisbeth: That was… unexpected!
Leafa: Look at them go…
Philia: It's so… intense.
Sinon: It's just the same thing as with her hugs earlier. She really doesn't know restraint, does she?
Akinym: What the hell am I witnessing?!
After about half a minute, Strea was satisfied and "released" Asuna.
Strea: Ahhh, that should do. Hehe, it was really nice!
While Strea walked away with a spring in her steps, Asuna kept lying on the table, groaning and twitching uncomfortably. Kirito and Yui went to her to check on her.
Yui: Mama? Are you okay, Mama?
They helped her with sitting up. Asuna had tears in her eyes and looked as if she was done with pretty much everything.
Kirito: Hey, Asuna, what's wrong? Say something!
Asuna: Uuuurgh… Kirito-kun, do you still want me as your wife?
Kirito [taken aback]: What are you talking about? [slightly soothingly] Let's get you to a chair for now!
If anything, Kirito figured that he should probably thank Asuna since she had saved him from… this horrible fate.
Meanwhile, Akinym continued to watch the scene as Kirito and Yui guided Asuna to a nearby chair. He couldn't help but think that this group of people consisted of crazy weirdos, and it only attracted even more of them! Yet… At the same time, he also couldn't help but come to the conclusion that Sinon had been right: These parties were quite interesting and even somewhat funny.
The party continued normally. Well, relatively speaking.
After about twenty minutes, Asuna was back on her feet again, and she walked over to Akinym, who was talking with Klein and Agil about what challenges the next floors might have in store for them. Akinym wasn't too thrilled to speculate about that, and one of the reasons for that happened to be what Asuna wanted to talk about.
Asuna: Akinym-san? I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if we could tell everyone about how things will work from here.
Akinym [slightly surprised]: Hm? You mean the decision that we…? Wasn't that supposed to be announced in two days?!
Asuna [slightly insecurely]: Well, yes, but I'd actually like to tell everyone here about it already. Maybe they should hear it before they make too many plans.
Akinym: I guess you have a point… and I doubt that it will cause any problems. Alright, we can do that.
Klein [slightly excitedly]: Oh, so we get some insider information? Sweet!
Asuna [slightly awkwardly]: Well, not exactly… [calmly] Anyway, [yells] hey, everyone! Could you come here for a moment? There's a little announcement that we have to make!
That piqued everyone's interest, and they all gathered around Asuna.
Asuna: Okay, as you probably already know, the Council has decided to give the Assault Team a vacation during the next two days as a celebration of sorts. What you probably don't know yet is that the next volume of the Argo Weekly will be published on the second day, and aside from reporting about the boss battle today, it will announce another, much more important decision.
Everyone was curious what this decision would be if Asuna called it "much more important" in such a decisive manner. However, Asuna just stopped and turned to Akinym.
Asuna: Akinym-san, would you like to explain it?
Akinym [slightly surprised]: Me? Why do you ask?
Asuna: Well, what we've come up with was basically your idea, wasn't it? So you should have the honour of being the one to announce it!
Akinym [mutters, slightly exasperatedly]: The honour… [says aloud, calmly] Alright, if that's what you want, I'll do it.
Akinym stood up and took position next to Asuna, facing the others.
Akinym: You might have already heard about it, but there have been fights among the Assault Team over resources for a while. [slightly exasperatedly] Well, probably since the beginning of the game… [calmly] The point is that these fights have started to get out of hand lately.
Klein [exasperatedly]: Yeah, tell me about it! Whenever I try to go hunting with my comrades, all the good hunting grounds seem to be already taken, and everyone is completely on edge about it. It always ends in heated arguments!
Agil: It's also a bit worrying how desperate some people have become to get treasure chests or limited quests. If you're too late, you'll come away empty-handed, and that's bothering everyone.
Kirito [worriedly]: Yeah… Wasn't there this group that raided a dungeon they had found on the eighty-eighth floor, and they didn't want to leave it before exploring and looting the place completely? I've heard they even camped inside the dungeon for that purpose.
Asuna: Yes, there was such a group, and they ended up being so tired that they made a mistake, got trapped and were almost wiped out. It was only thanks to a second party who found the dungeon and came to their aid that they escaped unscathed.
Akinym: It's due to that issue that the Council has decided on a system to clear the next ten floors, which is supposed to prevent problems because of this fierce competition in the future. From now on, each faction – the DDA, the KoB and the other guilds – will get the priority on certain floors. While clearing these floors, the respective faction will have exclusive rights to hunting grounds, quests, mining areas, treasure chests and so on. The same goes for the Last Attack Bonus in the floor boss battle.
Lisbeth [slightly shocked]: Wait a second! Are you telling us that we're only allowed to enter certain floors from now on?!
Akinym [slightly sternly]: No, that's explicitly not what we've decided. There was a proposal for something like that, but we've turned that down. The limitations will only be in place until the floor is cleared. To be more precise, the individual factions will have exclusive access to the open field and minor dungeons at first, and when they go on to the labyrinth, the other factions can go to that floor, too, and only the labyrinth will be off-limits for them. Once the floor is cleared, everything's fine.
Agil: Okay, so basically, the whole arrangement is supposed to make sure that whoever "gets" the floor can claim all the limited resources and gets a head-start on the good hunting grounds?
Asuna: Yes, that's pretty much it.
Leafa [slightly worriedly and insecurely]: That still sounds a bit odd… I mean, isn't the Assault Team supposed to work together? This decision seems to establish the exact opposite…
Akinym: The system is not perfect, that's for sure, but it's basically the only solution for the aforementioned problem that we could agree on.
The whole discussion had started weeks ago when a few of the smaller guilds had mentioned their disputes about hunting grounds and occasional arguments when two parties found a treasure chest. At their usual meeting, they had asked Akinym for a possible solution, and at the same time, they had brought up the fact that they had had the exact same problem with the DDA for ages.
When Akinym had brought this up at the council meeting, Shivata had been quite reluctant to talk about it at first, but then, he proposed to establish rules that would state clearly who would be given priority in certain situations. In the end, the Council had decided to observe the situation for the time being, and they would take actions if the issue persisted.
Some time later, the incident that Kirito had mentioned had occurred, and the Council had come to the conclusion that they had to do something about it. Back then, Shivata had prepared a specific suggestion. His plan had been to publish a "list" of dungeons and hunting grounds, and the members of the Assault Team could claim them on a "finders keepers" basis.
Akinym and Asuna had quickly realised that this was just a pretence for the DDA to let the Council formally acknowledge their practice of hogging lucrative hunting grounds to themselves. Asuna had been particularly clearly (and openly) against the idea. While she and Shivata had been arguing, Akinym had come to the conclusion that he had needed more time to come up with another solution, so he had suggested to discuss this again the week thereafter.
When the time had come, Akinym had indeed had another idea, and he had suggested the aforementioned rotation system. Frankly, no side had been particularly happy about it, but they had soon figured that it was probably the best thing they could do.
The decision had been final when Asuna had agreed with the solution. With this system, the KoB could claim all the resources they really needed on "their floors", and they could leave the rest be so that others could take it, upholding the principle of cooperation to allow everyone to become stronger in order to survive in this world.
To be fair, Shivata and the DDA weren't too unhappy about the arrangement. After all, it gave them the opportunity to make the best out of the floors that they had the priority on.
And that was one of the things that worried Akinym the most about this. If the DDA found really good hunting grounds or quests on one of their floors, they would milk it dry. They'd probably use all of their parties for this, and according to this rotation system, nobody would make any progress in actually clearing the floor during that time, so the progress of the Assault Team could be easily delayed by a week or more.
Furthermore, this idea wouldn't solve the problem entirely. For instance, two of the factions would still have to share the remaining floors while the third one was busy clearing the "current" one.
Moreover, this solution only stopped the competition between the KoB, the DDA and the remaining clearing guilds as a group. The smaller guilds still had to share their floors, and there were bound to occur conflicts between the individual parties. Akinym could already tell that he'd have to mediate between them a lot. Not that this was new to him…
Silica [slightly worriedly]: There's still one thing that… kinda concerns me. What if you need help with a big quest or dungeon because a single guild can't handle it?
Klein: Good point, actually! I guess this would especially concern the KoB. I mean, you guys are all really tough, but you'd need a lot more people for a floor-wide campaign. Large-scale quests for progress might be huge problem for you, right?
In fact, this was one of the points that the DDA viewed favourably. They had the overall best combination of coordination, individual strength and numbers among the three factions behind the Assault Team Council, so they probably wouldn't have any problems with that themselves, whereas the KoB, their arch-rival, would probably need help at some point.
Asuna: Well, you're not wrong, but we've also thought of that. Any party is free to ask the other two for help if they need. Of course the helping parties can keep everything they get on these joint missions. Everything else would be unfair.
Sinon: Well, okay… So that's how it is, huh? [slightly curiously] How exactly are things going to pass off now? I mean, who will get the ninetieth floor?
Akinym: The DDA will start and get the ninetieth floor. After that, the KoB will get the ninety-first one, followed by the remaining guilds on the ninety-second. The cycle will start again with the DDA on the ninety-third floor and so on.
Kirito [slightly contemplatively]: Hm, I see. I guess we have to sit out this floor. [calmly] Well, we'll have our chance to jump into action soon enough.
They all started to discuss what to do now and how they'd deal with the consequences of this agreement. One thing was beyond dispute in their conversations: No matter the circumstances, they would give it their all, and at the end of it, they'd get out of SAO together.
So, that's all for today.
Akinym's problem with the floating islands on the 90th floor stems from something that will be hinted at at certain points, but I won't go into detail about it in this story. It will be explained in the next story, though. Also, it's actually not too hard to guess what's behind that.
Has anyone ever watched the pizza scene for the 90th floor in HF and thought that Asuna just blew her chance to choose a new outfit for Sinon? I certainly did.
Okay, next up, there'll be a little side story about the DDA. I've decided that on short notice after realising that the entire guild might end up looking like a bunch of jerkasses. In that story, I'll try to put that into context, at least as far as the leaders are concerned. It will also provide background to something that will come up in the next chapter.
Speaking of which, I'll skip the "Little Preview" and only say one thing about it: It will feature the next major event, which was already hinted at to the point that it was basically revealed that it would happen.