Sword Art Online III: Asgard

Meanwhile III: Catching up.

"We're officially in Asgard!" was the cheer as various players poured through the gate onto the new level that the three parties had opened up.

"All right! MOVE OUT!" a voice yelled, and a HUGE group of mixed Sylphs and Cait Sith scattered in all directions. They were watched by Sakuya and Alicia Rue, who had also come through the gate at a more 'normal' pace.

"That was quick," Argo the Rat sauntered up. "Trying to get a jump on exploring the new level?" she asked the two Queens.

"Of course," Alicia said to her brightly, "we want our shot at the new riches this level has."

Argo visibly smirked.

"What?" Sakuya asked warily.

Argo casually held up a booklet, 'Argo Guide to Asgard, Book One.'

"WHAT? Already?!" Alicia yelped.

"I have an in with the guys at Ymir, remember?" Argo reminded them. "I was able to beg some early info from them. This isn't complete, but it'll get you started."

"I hate you," Sakuya sighed.

Argo shrugged, "I get that alot. Well?"

"We'll take two," Alicia sighed.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Argo sent them each the pdf file. "Free tip: there are apparently VALKYRIES in an aerie not far from here. Looking at their stats, it is a hugely bad idea to screw with them," she added.

"Thanks," Sakuya said glumly as Argo hurried off, one assumed to start scouting out the new level in more detail.

"Holy shit," Alicia muttered as she skimmed the document, "we could be in a LOT of trouble here, until we start levelling up."

Almost as soon as she said that a Sylph 'popped' in, one who had been killed out in Asgard, then was returned to the save point in the capital city.

A Cait Sith popped in right after that, then another player who had ALSO been killed out in the wilds beyond the city. It happened again and again, as powerful and dangerous new foes out in the new level killed the players...

"Shit," Sakuya blinked.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"COME ON IF YOU'RE HARD ENOUGH!" Pito yelled as they fought the Dragon mid level boss in the dungeon to Asgard.

"Damn it Pito!" Llenn yelped, the shorter woman charging in after her, with her friend Fuka right beside her.

"Fuck these people are insane," Clarence noted conversationally.

"This SURPRISES you?" Shirley noted.

Clarence sighed, "Well, no."

M was their 'tank' taking hits to shield the others. Oddly, Clarence ended up with a character build that worked for that too.

"Hey Fuka!" Pito yelled. "Heal me!"

"I STILL can't believe none of you learned magic, damn it," Fuka growled, casting heal.

Llenn was running and dodging dragon attacks as she loudly bitched, "WHY does SAO not have guns?!"

"Bows are a thing," M noted mildly.

"Pfft! Too slow," Llenn said as she slashed upwards, striking with her sword right between the dragon's legs.

"Ooof," M visibly winced as the dragon howled in pain..

"Is that a boy dragon or girl dragon?" Clarence wondered aloud.

"Either way, poor thing," Shirley noted as they attacked too.

The dragon writhed as they chopped at it, then Fuka raced in, severing the neck in a single powerful blow.

"You keep getting the final blow," Pito complained.

"I AM an experienced player," Fuka pointed out reasonably. The passage opened to the next level as she asked, "Who needs healing?"

EVERYONE raised their hands.

Fuka swore under her breath. "You all are SO going to owe me once this is all over," she muttered as she cast healing.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Holy shit," Geordo Stewart blinked, the handsome blond watching as Katarina swiftly GUTTED a Dark Elf fighter. He sometimes forgot how she had made her character a pure strength & constitution build.

"Less admiring, more fighting," Sophia Ascart reminded them, though the pretty albino was admiring her, too.

After suffering a total party kill on just the first floor of the dungeon, the Fortune Hunters had bought the Argo guide, read it, stocked up on mana and healing potions, upgraded their gear and only then went back in.

Mary Hunt, the gorgeous Salamander, was up front with Katerina, both doing serious damage to the attackers.

"Heal!" Maria Cambell called, the blond mage fully restoring the badly depleated lives of the two tanks.

"Thanks, Maria!" Katarina smiled at her warmly.

Maria couldn't help blushing slightly. "You're welcome," she murmured.

"Come on," Alan Stewart ordered his brother as they hurried to help.

Keith Claes had been doing duty as a tank, and was also healed by Maria. Frankly, he felt oddly certain she was more worried about healing Katerina. Not that he could blame her, really...

"Come on!" Katerina called, and lead them in a final push that defeated the band of Dark Elves.

(Unlike when Kirito and team went through, some of the monsters were in different places. It would continue to randomize, somewhat, with each group that went through the new dungeon.)

"Wow that was awful," Keith sighed, the brown haired young man panting tiredly.

"Everyone okay?" Nicol Ascart asked, the party leader having been mostly ignored during the battle. Poor guy.

"Mana is basically out," Maria admitted as she chugged potions.

"You did wonderful, Maria," Katarina smiled at her warmly.

EVERYONE gave Maria jealous looks, but no one said anything.

"Once everyone's recovered, we'll move on to the floor boss," Nicol tried to take command. "I hope it's not too awful."

"You realize saying that just jinxed us, right?" Sophia teased. They entered the next chamber...

"A DRAGON?!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The three groups of adventurers watched the players scattering across the new level, all eager to explore, find new gear and so on.

"So," Kirito said brightly, "who's up to a few short quests?"

"KIRITO!" the exhausted group yelled.

"Okay, okay," Kirito laughed. "Can we meet up tomorrow after school for a few hours?"

There was a general agreement, then members began to log out.

"Miss Youko?" Kirito called to her.

Youko turned, giving him a thoughtful look. :Yes?" she asked.

"Thank you for joining us, I know Klein kind of dragged you into this," Kirito said.

"Hey!" Klein protested.

"If you want to adventure with us again, we'd welcome you," Kirito added, smiling.

Youko was pleasantly surprised. "Thank you," she said, "I appreciate that. If I'm online, I'll contact you."

"Thank you," Kirito said.

Back in her office, Kyouko Yuuki took off the Amu-sphere, blinking tiredly. That had been a hell of a thing...

A few moments later there was a tap on her door, "Mother?"

Youko got up and stretched, then walked over to answer it. "Is ALO usually this intense?" she asked her daughter curiously.

"God, no," Asuna laughed. "I'm starved, let's get something to eat," she suggested.

Youko's stomach gurgled, and both hurried to the kitchen, where they scavenged for leftovers.

"Kirito meant what he said by the way," Asuna noted as they ate.

"Hmm?" Youko questioned, her mouth full.

Asuna swallowed, "We'd be happy to have you as a party member again."

Youko actually blushed slightly. "Thank you," she said, "we'll see."

To be continued...

Notes: Yes, back to this. Getting back to the Gun Gale Online characters, My Next Life as a Villainess, and the two Queens I cameoed earlier. At SOME point I want to do a Pitohui vs Kirito duel, but I need to figure out how it would go.

I kind of want to do a 'Girls Ops' thing next, depending on how I feel.