Party Status
LOL: lv.4, equipped with [Anneal Blade]
Lisbeth: lv.4, equipped with [Anneal Blade]
?: lv.4, equipped with [Bronze Scimitar]
Four merry men
"I'm confident in you two, just don't take any unnecessary risks and look out for each other. Remember, I'm only one message away if ya need help." Argo sounded like a concerned mother sending her children abroad.
"Don't worry, we won't do anything too stupid," I answered.
"Somehow I find that hard to believe."
So harsh.
"We'll be fine, promise," Liz reassured her. "See you in a few days."
"Keep me updated 'kay? Well, bye for now! Don't miss me too much."
"We won't!" Liz and I spoke together. Argo grinned and made her way down the path leading out of town.
"There she goes. Hopefully we can find someone decent to team up with. Let's start with the weapon shop, there's bound to be people there," I suggested.
"Sure. I just thought of this, but we should have some sort of … 'code' for when we run into someone sketchy, or if we feel like we might be in danger."
"That's a really good idea. Hmm … I've got it. We'll talk about the weather."
"Yeah, I guess that'll work."
We soon arrived at the weapon store. I yanked the door open and stepped forward –
"Oh! Sorry."
"It's fine, no harm done." Before me was a blue-haired young man with an easy-going smile. He was about to exit the moment I decided to enter and we very nearly collided into each other. I hurriedly moved aside. With a nod of appreciation he walked past us.
"Hey, um, got a moment?" Liz's words stopped the stranger in his tracks.
"Sure. How can I help you?" I noticed the longsword strapped to his waist and shield on his back. He also wore bronze armour which covered much of his torso. This person's equipment was clearly a significant upgrade from the starting gear.
"Are you planning to pass through Malonna Village? If you are, can we tag along with your party?" Liz asked.
"Sorry, but we're planning to take the Merrona Village route."
Oh well, on to the next person.
"That's too bad. We'll go ask someone else then, thanks for your time," Liz told him.
"Wait. You two must be pretty good to get here so quickly. What're your names?" In all honesty Liz and I only managed to reach this point thanks to Argo but the stranger didn't need to know that.
"I'm LOL, this is Lisbeth. And you are?"
"My name's Diavel. What do you say we register each other as friends? It's better to have as many allies as possible in a game like this." With a few clicks Diavel's name appeared as the fourth entry on my friends list.
"I'm sure we'll run into each other sooner or later. Good luck getting to the next safe zone!"
"You too, take care!"
The other players in the weapon shop weren't interested in teaming up with us so we went to the inn next. The dining area was empty save for a group of four males seated near the entrance. We could hear them discussing travel plans, and it just so happened that their destination was the same as ours. Liz shot me a questioning look. I gave her a thumbs up, she nodded and we approached the quartet of male players.
"Excuse me." The men's discussion ceased at the sound of my voice. Four pairs of eyes zeroed in on Liz and me. "Sorry to interrupt but we overheard that Malonna Village is your next destination?"
"Yeah, that's right. What about it?" One of the men said.
"Any chance we could join you guys? It'd really help us out if we could travel together up until Merhjia Town. We're supposed to meet a friend there but it'll be difficult with just the two of us."
"Merhjia Town? Where's that?" The person who spoke this time wore a red bandana.
"Oh, it's a few days away from here. Everyone has to pass by that place at some point so it's not like we're asking you to go out of your way for us," I answered.
"I see. Well, I'm fine with you two joining us. Guys?"
"I'm okay with this."
"Hold on a second. Sorry, but could you give us a moment to talk about this? I just don't want to rush into a decision," one of the men said. Liz and I stepped back to give the men some space. Given the circumstances of the death game, I appreciated the man's healthy display of caution. Shortly, the bandana-wearing player welcomed us to his party with a friendly smile.
It took me a while but I managed to put my new companions' names to their faces:
Klein was the one with the red bandana. A sociable man in his early twenties, Klein was the type who wore his emotions on his sleeves. There was something… disarming about his amicable nature. I'd say that Klein had a refreshingly innocent grin, though using 'innocent' to describe someone a good few years my senior would be quite arrogant.
Dynamm was the careful man. He donned a durag the same colour as Klein's bandana. There was an air of patience to him. He also had very good posture. Most people tend to slouch or lean back when sitting, yet Dynamm always sat up straight.
Dale was a tall, chubby man who sported a small afro. He had a round face, a round belly and surprisingly large hands. Whenever his friends poked fun at his size or weight Dale would always laugh along with them. Occasionally this would then result in remarks about his weird laughter. In all fairness, his chortling sounded like he was suffocating.
Last but not least was Harry Pott – sorry, I meant to say Harry One. Everyone called him H1. He wore a visor-less helmet and was clearly the youngest of the group: while his party members had the appearance of working men, H1 looked like a university student. He seemed to prefer listening rather than speaking, though he didn't strike me as a shy person.
Apparently each settlement in SAO had its fair share of problems; Malonna Village was no exception. Considering that the NPC quests were an important source of EXP, I suppose this was something I should've been happy about.
Ten minutes away from Malonna was a giant lake which served as the village's water source. Ever since a horde of kobolds had occupied the lake bank, fetching water became a perilous task. The villagers weren't capable of putting up a fight so they put their faith in the random adventurers who happened upon their village.
"Here's a thought: after we kill those monsters, why don't we take over the lake ourselves and charge the villagers for access?" H1 jokingly suggested. Dynamm gave his friend a funny look.
"Dude, that's kinda messed up."
"It's their fault for being complacent and not having a half-decent guard unit."
He does have a point.
"Okay, let's pretend that taking over the lake is even possible. What if the villagers send other players to fight us off?" Dynamm smirked as the younger male's eyes widened in realisation.
"Shit. Didn't think of that."
Argo wasn't lying when she claimed that the path through Malonna Village was the scenic route. The lake area was a sight for sore eyes: the clear water reflected the blue sky, the passing clouds and the pine trees on the other bank. It looked as if a parallel world existed beneath the water surface. I wanted to row, row, row a boat, gently down the lake (merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily). Though the bloodthirsty creatures were an eyesore.
I hissed as a Kobold scout's blade cut my shoulder. The next time it swung, I parried its rusty scimitar and aimed a slash at its face, my sword leaving a blue trail as it cleaved through the monster's flesh.
"Switch!"
I threw myself to the side, allowing H1 a clear path to run the kobold through with his spear. With a shriek it disappeared from the virtual world.
"Well played."
"You too."
To my left Dynamm was battling another Kobold Scout. Though the beast failed to bypass his round shield, he was struggling to find an opening to counterattack. The stalemate came to an end when I jammed my blade into the creature's back. Its miserable life of murder and plunder came to an end as Dynamm swiftly carved out its throat. The man gave me an appreciative nod.
"Woah!"
Liz leaned to the side, narrowly dodging the [Kobold Lancer's] spear. She misjudged the monster's striking range and was saved by her quick reflexes. Klein charged at her opponent but it leapt back before he could land a hit. Instinctively, he backed off. An elementary mistake: he should've closed the gap instead of retreating. The two of them eventually managed to defeat the kobold but not before Klein was stabbed in the arm. By then none of us had experience fighting against spear-users so it was only natural that Liz and Klein would struggle. I definitely wouldn't have fared any better.
"That's the last one!" Dale declared joyfully. His cleaver-like blade rested against his broad shoulder. "Good job guys!"
"Man, those Kobold Lancers are annoying as hell. You're a spear-user as well, got any tips for fighting them?" Klein asked H1 while removing a Health Potion from his pouch. The latter shrugged.
"I'm still trying to figure that out myself. It might be easier if you bait out an attack and go for the counterstrike. Numerical superiority helps," H1 said, paying no heed to Klein who was gagging on the disgusting potion.
"Do you think there are any monsters in here?" Liz wondered out loud as she peered into the pristine lake. Her reflection stared back at her inquisitively.
"Probably. If there are, you better hope they won't drag you into the water." Hearing Klein's words Liz backed away immediately.
All in all, the four men were more or less average fighters. As fellow beginners we were pretty much equals in terms of skill which was a good thing. If they were far superior combatants, they might've not had the patience for amateurs like Liz and I. If they had been significantly weaker … well, someone like that probably wouldn't have gotten this far yet.
We decided to spend the night in Malonna Village. Dale and Dynamm went to repair their nearly destroyed equipment while H1 headed to the general store to restock on supplies. The rest of us – Klein, Liz and I – were responsible for securing our lodgings for the evening.
"Nice! They've got it here as well." Klein whistled cheerfully as he took from a pile of handouts sitting on the inn counter. The pamphlet in his hand was proudly titled SAO Strategy Guide. On the cover was the easily recognisable 'Mickey Mouse icon' of three black circles joined together, though three pairs of whiskers and a small, circular nose were added the 'face'. On the bottom left corner were the words 'Don't worry. This is Argo's guidebook'.
"Man, these things have been a real lifesaver. If I get the chance I'd love to thank this 'Argo' guy in person." Though the praise was not meant for us, hearing our mentor get the recognition she deserved made Liz and I quite happy.
I'll be sure to pass on your sentiments to her. Hmm, I'll introduce you if there's an opportunity.
"This is the first time I'll have a room to myself. It's a bit lonely without her," Liz commented. Both she and Argo had mentioned on multiple occasions how much they enjoyed being roommates.
"It does get much quieter when she's not around. Well, my door's always open if you want some company for the evening."
A gaping Klein stared at me incredulously. Then the implications of my words hit me like a brick.
"NO! I didn't mean it that way. What I meant to say was, if you get lonely at night, I'm happy to – no no no! That sounds just as bad. Time out." I took a hot second to reconsider my wording. Liz and Klein wore the faces of people watching a train wreck. "Okay, let's try this again. You're free to hang out with me if you want to. There!"
"Now that was entertaining. I've never seen anyone trip over their words that badly," Liz said amusedly. I could feel my face and ears burning. "It's a shame she wasn't here to witness that."
Thank fuck for that.
We learned a bit about our new friends while chatting over a warm meal. It turned out that Klein and Dynamm were long-time friends. The pair met Dale in university, and he went on to become their superior at work. Apparently they met H1 at an arcade. Strangely, H1 had a sheepish look when they mentioned that particular detail.
"So, what's the deal with you two? You guys a couple?" Dale asked us. While I didn't hold romantic feelings towards my partner, it hurt my pride a teeny bit when she burst out laughing.
"We ran into each other on the first day and ended up as teammates. By the way, I've been single my whole life. Don't think that'll change anytime soon," I said with a self-depreciating laugh.
"I'm not dating anyone as well. In the first place I'm not really interested in being in a relationship." In hindsight Liz's statement was painfully ironic.
"Welcome to the club! Klein's the president," Dynamm joked. Klein chucked a chunk of bread at him but he ducked out of the way. The food missile flew past Dynamm's head and went straight into some poor sod's soup.
"What the hell!?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! That was an accident!" Klein apologised as he stood up hurriedly and rushed over to the table next to ours. "Look, I'll get you a new one."
"Meetings for the singles' club are every Friday night," Dynamm continued as Klein sat back down. "We get together to complain about life, cuss out any obnoxious couples we know and drown ourselves in alcohol."
"I don't think I need to say this but we're underaged," I replied while pointing at Liz and myself.
"This is Aincrad, I don't think the law applies here," Dale pointed out. "With that said, no pressure if you'd rather not touch anything alcoholic."
"The system actually makes it impossible for minors to drink. The NPCs will yell at us if we order anything alcoholic. I would demonstrate but it was mortifying enough the last time it happened." It was Argo who told me about this 'unique feature' of the tavern NPCs. I foolishly decided to experience it myself after some strong encouragement from her, and … well, let's just say that I still haven't recovered from that verbal scathing.
"Can't you just get someone older to buy alcohol for you?" Klein suggested.
"That won't work. Apparently, whenever a minor makes lip contact with any kind of alcoholic beverage, it instantly turns into water," Liz explained. Klein raised a brow at her words.
"Seriously? Wow, the developers are a bunch of killjoys."
"Not as much of a killjoy as turning an MMO into a death game," H1 quipped.
Message log
From: Argo
Text: Glad to hear that things are going well! There's something I need to talk with you about.
As I feared, the devs changed some of the monsters' stats and abilities. There have been casualties because of this. I know we're supposed to reunite at Merhjia Town but I want to scout out the road ahead and warn people about any other changes. Are you fine with staying with your new friends until Tolbana Town? That's the safe zone closest to the labyrinth. Talk with Liz and lemme know ASAP. I'll send you a list of the changes I've discovered in a bit.
Stay safe!
The four men were happy to continue travelling with us beyond Merhjia Town. It was our sixth day together and we came across a town by the name of Vyktehma.
"Wow, this place looks dreadful," Liz commented as she took in our surroundings.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
The ex-town was a disaster. No, it would be more appropriate to say that it was the victim of a disaster. Most buildings were reduced to piles of rubble. The ones that were still standing had scratch marks all over their wooden exteriors and gaping holes in the walls. Had this place seen war?
"For a safe area, this place feels really unsettling," H1 commented with a frown. There was a crunch as he stepped on the remains of a wooden door.
"At least we won't have to worry about undead monsters popping out from the ruins!" Klein cheerily remarked. He pointed at a figure in the middle of the town. "Look, there's a quest-giver NPC over there."
Said NPC turned out to be some blond-haired youth. He wore leather armour and had a sword strapped to his waist. Initially the soldier was staring into the distance, lost in thought, but turned to face us as we approached him.
"It's not safe here. You should leave as soon as possible," the NPC warned us. We looked at one another before Dynamm spoke up.
"This place is a mess. Did it get attacked?"
"Aye, it was a kobold raid. Vyktehma was already like this when my unit got here. We've sent for reinforcements but it'll be difficult for us to hold out until they arrive – assuming the other towns have men to spare," the man sighed. I was still unused to the NPCs' realism and found myself feeling uncomfortable.
"Is there anything we can do to help? We're quite confident in our, um, combat abilities," Dynamm said. The soldier gave us a long appraising look.
" … The kobold pack responsible for all this is still at large. A raid party strong enough to take out the town guard would probably number thirteen to fifteen kobolds." We all reacted with varying degrees of surprise. For a quest on the 1st Floor, this was an unexpectedly large number of enemies. "The good news is that we discovered five kobold corpses. Can you handle the rest? There were tracks leading to the north."
Now that's a more reasonable number. Also, calling your settlement 'Victim Town' is just asking for misfortune.
Dynamm shot us a quick glance. Klein and Dale nodded. "Sure, leave them to us."
"Thank you, and good luck. I'll talk to my squad leader about arranging a reward. No good deed should go unrewarded."
Dale stretched his arms as we walked away. "O-kay! Time for my one good deed of the year."
"You said the exact same thing during our last quest," Klein reminded him.
"And the quest before," Liz added.
"Yeah, well, I'm stockpiling on good karma so that I can sin without worry."
"Wouldn't it be easier to just buy an indulgence?" H1 suggested jokingly.
"Jokes aside, we should totally check out the next religious building we come across. They might actually sell useful stuff like holy water that cures status effects," Klein said.
Maybe we could buy a holy hand grenade. Imported from Antioch.
After several monster encounters and quite a bit of walking, we finally discovered the cave that served as the kobold pack's lair. Three of the foul creatures were standing guard at the entrance, though my [searching] skill detected five more enemies inside.
"Do you think we can take out the ones outside without their friends noticing us? We could kill off the guards, sneak into the cave and assassinate the rest," Klein suggested. We were watching the kobolds from a safe distance.
"I wouldn't count on that working. You know how noise those things can get," Dynamm told him.
"Yeah, you're right. Guess our best bet is to defeat those three before the reinforcements come. Alright guys, it's two people per kobold. Everyone pick a target."
Oh, Liz and I chose the same one.
"Want me to lead?" I asked her.
"Sure. I've got the follow-up."
"Gotcha. Weather's nice today huh."
"It's not bad." She gave my arm a quick squeeze. I smiled wryly and took out a throwing pick from my belt pouch.
"Five, four, three, two, one – now!" We hurled our throwing picks at Klein's command. The projectiles struck true. Aggravated, the three scimitar-bearing beasts noisily charged to their deaths. One of the howling creatures rushed at me; with a burst of speed I leapt forward and slammed my Anneal Blade into its skull, the impact flooring the unsuspecting kobold.
"Liz!"
"On it!"
She ran the wounded monster through with her sword. Its death throes fused with the sound of shattering glass. Dale sent one of the kobolds flying with a heavy swing; it collapsed into minuscule bits mid-air. The third one was impaled by H1's spear and Klein easily finished off the half-dead creature.
"Incoming!" Dynamm warned. A pair of Kobold Lancers sprinted out of the cave; without stopping they thrust their weapons at the two people nearest to them. One of the spears hit Dynamm's round shield with a loud thunk. H1 batted the other spear away with his own. Dale and Klein quickly grabbed onto the kobolds' outstretched spears. Too busy struggling for control of their weapons, the creatures put up no resistance as Liz and I hacked them to bits.
"Hey, this quest isn't as bad as I thought it'd be!" Dale commented with a grin.
"Um, yeah, try saying that again after you see that thing," Liz nervously stated as she pointed at the cave entrance.
" … Shit."
A head taller than its fellow kobolds, the creature that emerged from the cave was abnormally large for its species. Wielding a terrifying war axe in each hand, the muscular monstrosity was clearly a force to be reckoned with. Its lack of armour – the beast wore only a fur pelt – did not make it any less frightening. Oozing bloodlust, the [Kobold Champion] hungrily sized up its prey. The ferocious berserker was flanked by two [Kobold Sentinels]. Each bodyguard was covered in armour from head to toe and held a heavy-looking mace. The champion roared and began clashing its axes together; following its lead, the sentinels slammed their maces onto the ground repeatedly and let out high-pitched howls.
Welp. Consider me intimidated.
"I'll stall the champion! You guys fight the sentinels," Dynamm yelled. As the group's sole shield-bearer, it fell to him to act as our first line of defence. The man knew his role and – in spite of his apprehensions – played it enthusiastically.
"Left!" "We've got left!"
Liz and I ran to the side. The rest of our party sprang into action: clutching his two-handed blade, Dale rushed after Klein while H1 got into a battle-ready stance behind Dynamm.
I hurled a throwing pick at one of the sentinels. Surprisingly, the projectile bounced off the monster's thick helmet though it was enough to grab its attention. My partner moved to engage the enraged creature. Her sword caught the kobold's mace but the unexpectedly powerful blow sent Liz backpedalling straight into me. I quickly extended my arms; my left hand caught her shoulder while my right hand, which had closed into a fist around the hilt of my Anneal Blade, pressed against her back.
"Push me!" I reacted to Liz's words instinctively and shoved her. Using the forward momentum she leapt and slammed her blade into the kobold's neck. A solid hit, yet the damage was less than we hoped for. The kobold's mace smashed into her ribs. Momentarily, my attention was split between Liz who lay on the ground and the vicious monster which turned its gaze to me. The kobold sentinel lunged. I immediately abandoned any thought of taking the offensive and jumped aside, barely avoiding the heavy weapon. The creature pivoted on its left foot and went for a sideways swing. One second the entire world spun, the next second there was dust in my mouth.
Fuck. Fucking fucker.
I spat and picked myself up. Liz was carefully dodging the monster's ferocious onslaught; with the kobold's attention on her, I managed to slip behind it unnoticed.
Die!
As if it were a paintbrush, my sword left a thick red line that ran from the sentinel's skull down the length of its body. Though the sneak attack wasn't fatal, it stunned the creature long enough for Liz hack at its neck again. In desperation the kobold lashed out wildly, its mace narrowly missing Liz's face and my ear. It breathed its last with my blade protruding from its neck.
I glanced at the rest of my allies while chugging down an insanely bitter health potion. Dale held his own against the other sentinel. His two-handed cleaver seemed to match the kobold's weapon in terms of weight and the large man had an easier time parrying its strikes than Liz or I did. Klein's scimitar found purchase in the monster's backside. While the attack wasn't a deathblow, it was certainly a clean hit.
Looks like they have things under control.
The same, however, couldn't be said for Dynamm and H1. Make no mistake, the two put up a good fight but it was clear they were struggling. Dynamm's entire being wobbled as the Kobold Champion battered his shield with its dual axes. A lucky upward strike caught the side of the round shield and tore it out of his hand. H1 jammed his spear into the large kobold's face; Dynamm took the opening to dive for his shield. The beast roared furiously, the spearhead visible in its mouth. H1 hurriedly retracted his weapon but the champion charged him before he could act –
"Not today!" Dynamm shouted as his curved blade sliced into the muscular creature's waist, stopping it in its tracks. The shield-bearer's HP was getting worryingly low yet he continued to fearlessly throw himself at his much stronger opponent. The incensed kobold turned and brought down both axes onto his shield, the force powerful enough to throw him clean off his feet. I jumped between the champion and my floored ally. At the same time, Liz stuck her sword into its thick arm while H1 stabbed it in the back of its head. Dynamm quickly retreated to a safe distance to heal up.
What happened next was a deadly cat and mouse game. While H1 continued to land blow after blow on the Kobold Champion, Liz and I focused on evading its furious assault, slipping in a quick attack whenever we could to force the beast's attention on us. As I dodged and weaved the axes inched closer and closer to my flesh …
I saw it. I watched the axe fly towards me but I wasn't fast enough. The champion broke through my flimsy attempt to guard and swatted me away like a fly. A quick glance at my health points confirmed that the monster hit much harder than its deceased friends did.
I watched as Klein ran at our adversary. Stopping on a dime, he dodged the kobold's axe by jumping backwards but then lost his footing and almost fell. As he fought to regain balance, the creature reared back to strike with its other weapon –
H1's spear pierced through the champion's shoulder while Liz slashed its forearm. The consecutive attacks slowed the creature enough for Klein to drive his scimitar into the base of its neck, the curved sword carving diagonally through the beast's torso and passing straight out its side. But the man was not done. Klein's blade shone a radiant red; with a burst of speed he unleashed a swift sideways slash followed by a downwards cut which silenced the kobold's pained roar.
The monster shattered like glass, its remnants disappearing with the wind.
"About fucking time! How much HP did that thing have!?" H1 cried in exasperation. He dropped his weapon and plopped down tiredly. Dale walked over to the boy and ruffled his hair.
"Yo! That was a flashy kill just now buddy!" Dynamm jogged over to his friend and slapped him on the back. Klein seemed slightly dazed but quickly regained focus when the shield-bearer spoke to him.
"Oh, yeah, thanks. You did an amazing job tanking all those hits." Both men bumped fists. With a pitying glance from Dale and a far less sympathetic grin from Liz, I uncorked yet another health potion and downed it entirely. Klein was kind enough to offer me his waterskin.
The rest of the day was pretty standard: we made merry, made conversation, made our preparations for the next day and eventually made our way to bed.
This was an awkward time to be awake.
Nobody was supposed to be doing anything until later. Even most NPCs were only active starting from six in the morning, although there were always a few who 'got up' extra early to set up their stalls. Tossing and turning didn't help me sleep. Neither did counting sheep. My mind wandered, and my thoughts drifted to those in the real world.
Is she holding up fine? She must be hurting so badly after he left. This is probably the most vulnerable she's ever been but I'm not there to support her.
What about her? He's … gone, and she's struggling to cope, and now I'm gone as well. I hope she isn't feeling all alone. Again.
And them. Are they healthy? Are they happy? Please don't let their concern for me ruin their spirits.
Then there's him. The man who's long fallen out of fortune's grace. I can only hope that my departure hasn't caused him too much grief.
I'm such a hypocrite. How can I think about saving the SAO players when I can't even help the people precious to me?
… Fuck. That was condescending. They don't 'need' me. They'll be fine.
Stewing in a dark room with dark thoughts was hardly a bright idea. I got up, grabbed the water pitcher on my desk and poured myself a drink. With a creak the window's wooden shutter opened, the gentle dawn twilight instantly flooding the room. The cool morning air was liberating.
A red flash caught my attention.
No way.
I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things.
Seriously? Training, at this time of the day?
Repeating the same motions over and over and over again, Klein was too focused to notice me strolling out of the inn. He took a step and swung diagonally, then his blade glowed crimson and he unleashed two swift slashes in succession, the trajectories forming a red cross. The man was topless and drenched in sweat. Some people might've found his toned physique a pleasing sight.
"You're up early." Klein almost jumped out of his skin. His surprised reaction was quite satisfying.
"Holy shit! How long have you been there!?" Klein exclaimed.
"I'm aaaaaalllllwaaaaays wiiiiiiiiiiith yoooooouuu … so, you do this every morning?"
"Yup, I've always liked getting up early, it makes my days feel a lot more productive. What about you, you an early riser as well?"
"Only when I can't sleep."
"That so?" He wiped the sweat off his brow. "Since you're here, wanna train together?"
"Oh, I've got an idea. Wanna do some friendly sparring? It could be a fun way to start the day."
"Wait, isn't PVP dangerous?"
"We don't take damage in safe zones, remember? I've sparred with Liz a bunch of times, it's perfectly safe." Currently I had a 4-5 record against Liz, though each of our matches had been pretty close.
"Right, that's true. Okay then, let's give it a go."
"Before we start, please put on a shirt," I said as I flicked open my menu. Klein's eyes widened upon seeing my new weapon.
"Since when did you start using a rapier?"
"Since now. I bought this thing last night, thought I'd give it a try," I answered. Yesterday Liz expressed interest in using a heavier weapon. Since a speed-based weapon would nicely complement the powerful but slower strikes of a mace or a greatsword, I thought it'd be prudent to familiarise myself with a rapier in case she really decided to make the switch. With that said, the [Bronze Rapier] I wielded was a fairly mediocre weapon, and I'd be much better off using my Anneal Blade for the inevitable Floor Boss battle.
"Ready when you are. Don't hold back." I tried my best to imitate the stance I saw in Argo's guidebook. Klein smirked at my 'invitation'.
"You asked for it!" He made the first move. The man's higher STR (strength) stat meant that I had to strain myself to stave off his blows. I blocked his first strike and deflected the second but the third one left a cut on my wrist.
"Tch!" My rapier slapped the ground before his feet. It was a blunder; I was aiming for his legs, though the missed attack got him to back off.
I'm not used to this kind of weapon. Alright, let's see what it can do offensively.
The sole rapier-class skill in my repertoire was [Linear], a basic attack involving a quick simple thrust. As the system took over my body, seeing a pale violet light envelop my blade filled me with an indescribable excitement. Klein defended at the last second; his scimitar altered the course of my strike but the rapier still nailed him on the shoulder, causing him to stumble. He managed to stay on his feet.
Crap! I should've kept attacking while he was off balance! What a waste …
Too caught up in self-reproach, I was slow to react as Klein charged me. I awkwardly avoided a diagonal slash but my messy footwork left me vulnerable.
Oh no.
I knew I screwed up when I saw his scimitar glow red. I was hacked across the chest before an overhead strike introduced my head to the ground.
Move! MOVE!
A player was most vulnerable after executing a Sword Skill; Argo's merciless beatdowns had hammered that knowledge into my head. I scrambled to my feet and prepared to throw myself at Klein. Perhaps it was my unintentionally hostile glare but the man shuffled backwards with a surprised expression.
Knees bent, the grip on my rapier tightened. If he blocked the slash to his face then I'd go for a tackle –
My body stilled. I exhaled, sheathed my rapier and put up both hands. "That was a good fight Klein."
"It sure was! But why'd you stop? You were clearly going for something just now."
"I was getting a little too heated up towards the end. No point going too hard during a friendly spar."
"That's fair. Dude, you had me shook for a second back there. I wasn't expecting you to pop up from the ground like some kind of zombie."
"I'll take that as a compliment. By the way, that little combo just now was the same one you used to take out the Kobold Champion, wasn't it?"
"Good eye! To be honest, I didn't come up with it on my own." I raised a brow at Klein. "Um, I guess you could call it a fluke? I was moving on instinct and somehow pulled that move off. That's why I've been practising it for a bit this morning."
Everyone and their dogs could use Sword Skills; seamlessly integrating the skills' activation with regular movements was much harder. The ability to do so was the mark of a good player. Of course, it would be too early to call Klein a good fighter but he was clearly taking steps towards the right direction.
"Considering that you used it successfully just now, I'd say you've done well. Wanna go grab breakfast?"
"Can't say no to that."
Message log
To: Argo
Text: Morning! Can't believe it's been a week since we've split up. If all goes well we'll arrive at Tolbana Town today. It still amazes me that you managed to get there all on your own two days ago.
Stay safe. Looking forward to seeing you soon
Tolbana Town was a beautiful, prosperous place. A variety of restaurants and shops lined the cobblestone streets. Patches of greenery and water fountains added to the town's splendour. The settlement was enclosed with high stone walls similar to those of the Town of Beginnings. Well-equipped guardsmen were almost an omnipresence. Thanks to the town's impressive defences, its inhabitants could go about daily life without worrying about monster attacks.
North of the town was the [Floor 1 labyrinth]. Hidden within the depths of the dungeon was the 1st [Floor Boss], our greatest and final obstacle to reaching the next floor.
"I guess this is where we say goodbye. Man, that sounded way cooler in my head," Dale said with a chuckle.
"Thanks for everything. We owe you guys big time." In response to my words H1 smiled and gave me a friendly fist bump.
"We had a blast travelling with you guys. Didn't think I'd say this in a death game, but we had fun," Liz added.
"You guys are always welcome to team up with us. Just drop us a message and we'll sort something out," Dynamm told us.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Liz, L, can you do me a favour?" Klein asked. We motioned for him to continue. "There's this friend of mine, his name's Kirito. He's a loner and a bit awkward but he's a good person. If you happen to run into him, promise me you'll look out for him? Please?"
"Of course! Any friend of yours is also a friend of mine," Liz replied with a reassuring smile. I voiced my agreement and Klein immediately looked relieved.
"Thanks! I really appreciate it! Well, I'm sure we'll see each other soon, but bye for now!"
"Stay safe guys! Take care!"
We watched the four men walk down the street and disappear from our sight.
Now then, let's go meet up with Argo …
"Nya ha ha! Nice to see that ya made some friends!" A familiar voice rang out behind us.
Ah. I've missed you.
"Woah there!" Argo chuckled as Liz pulled her into a hug. As always, our dear mentor was grinning but there was an unusual … tenderness to her expression. Being the recipient of such an affectionate gaze was flattering and a little embarrassing. I might've averted my eyes and blushed a little.
"Those whiskers are pretty cute," I remarked. Three pairs of brown, cartoonish whisker marks had been drawn on Argo's cheeks. They were certainly a creative bit of makeup.
"Of course they are! I did them myself," she stated proudly. "Hey, I'm likin' your new look. It's quite handsome!"
A couple days ago Dale somehow managed to acquire an appearance-changing dye. Nobody wanted it, and the dye was worth next to nothing yet it felt like a waste to simply discard it. Thus, we agreed to play rock-paper-scissors and the dye would be applied on the loser. The result was that my eyes and hair were now dyed a dull grey. Additionally Klein thought it'd be funny to tie my hair into a short ponytail, and a gleeful Liz kindly donated a hairband for the cause.
(I've lost count of the number of old man jokes I've had to endure on account of my grey hair)
"Oh? I wasn't expecting you to – "
"Sike! You're still an ugly-lookin' idiot. Even makeup can't save ya. How're you gonna have grey hair before hittin' twenty? Are ya tryin' to look like an anime protag or somethin'? And what's with the ponytail?"
You little …
"You're calling me ugly? Have you looked into a mirror? Are you even tall enough to look into a mirror?"
"Okay, calm down children, let me take care of this," Liz told us as she produced a hand mirror from her inventory. She took a deep breath and chanted:
"Mirror, mirror, on my hand;
Who's the ugliest of all this land?"
Liz spoke with the dramatic flair of an actor performing in some theatrical performance. She wore an expression of faux concentration as she stared at the mirror …
"Oh dear! According to Mr Mirror, both of you are the ugliest humans alive. What a shame. By the way, apparently I'm the prettiest." Neither of us were happy with Liz's answer so we began hurling abuse at her.
The three of us were smiling the whole time.
Omake: Rough beginnings
"You guys really are a close group of friends."
Klein smiled. "Yeah, I'm lucky to have them here with me. The death game's a lot more bearable when you've got people you can trust."
At the moment Klein and Lisbeth were in town waiting for the rest of their party to finish preparing for an upcoming quest.
"You mentioned that you've known Dynamm for ages. How did you two meet?" Lisbeth asked.
"We were classmates in eighth grade. Man, I've known the guy for more than a decade and even now I'm still amazed that we managed to become friends.
"Oh? Did you two get off the wrong foot?"
"That's putting it lightly," Klein said sheepishly. "I'm not proud of it but I used to bully him."
"… Huh." Lisbeth raised a brow.
"Back in the day Dynamm was this small, clumsy kid with low self-esteem. I thought very lowly of him. Actually, I straight up found him annoying. It all began with me insulting him behind his back but then I started going out of my way to be a dick to him." Klein sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I enjoyed feeling like I had power over him. It didn't help that we both knew he wasn't brave enough to tell on me. Just to be clear, I'm not making any excuses for myself. Bullying is plain wrong."
"Clearly. But you two are good friends now, what changed?"
"I overheard my parents talking one evening. It was way past my bedtime so they didn't know I was there. It turned out my dad was a victim of workplace abuse and he was telling my mom about it. Hearing the man I respected the most sound so hurt really messed me up. The worst part was that the harassment my dad received sounded scarily similar to how I treated Dynamm. I mean, I bullied him because I felt like it but I didn't stop to think about what I was doing."
"I think I get it. You wanted to 'teach him a lesson' but you never really wanted to hurt him, right?" Lisbeth's fingers formed quotation marks as she spoke. "Then you became aware of the consequences and started to feel guilty."
"Yup, that's exactly it. I took a while to think about everything and it was pretty obvious I was in the wrong. The following day I apologised to Dynamm for bullying him. Once he realised that the, um, 'balance of power' had shifted, he went off on me. I was afraid he'd punch me, pretty sure he thought about it too. After that we didn't speak for like, two or three weeks."
"It's good that you apologised. Some people would've found a way to avoid responsibility. I'm guessing Dynamm decided to forgive you at some point?"
"Yeah. Apparently his grandma encouraged him to make peace with me. We actually had quite a bit in common so we quickly became good friends. Though there was one time he introduced me to his mom as "the friend who used to bully me". Easily one of the most awkward moments in my life."
"Yikes! Well, that story was a lot more … eventful than I expected but thanks for sharing. Did your dad's situation get any better?"
"Yes, he managed to find another job. It paid less but he still made enough to provide for my family so it all worked out in the end."
Having reached a lull in their conversation, the two players waited for their allies in silence.
"Liz, Lizzy, Lizster. Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?"
"Yup. Two eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth."
"Good to know. Now that we've talked about the things on my face, why don't we talk about whatever's on your mind?" LOL put down his book and faced Lisbeth who seemed quite comfortable on his couch.
"I was just thinking how I don't actually know anything about you or Argo even though I consider you two very close friends."
"We haven't talked about our lives before SAO, have we? So, what do you want to know about me? My address? My bank account? My three sizes?"
"Wait, did you just say three sizes?"
"Of course you would zero in on that. Pervert." Lisbeth rolled her eyes as her friend chuckled. "Okay Liz, my measurements are 90-60-90. What're yours?"
"You're terrible."
"Let me ask a normal question then. What's your real name?"
"It's Shinozaki Rika. 'Rika' is written with the characters for 'village' (里) and 'fragrance' (香)."
"That's a pretty name. Feels a bit wasted on you though."
"Shut up."
