Okay, time for a little siege... or not. Here's the thing: There was a bunch of relatively small moments I wanted to include, and this seemed to be the best opportunity. As you can probably imagine by now, the corresponding part in the story got quite long (about 8k words, in fact), so this chapter will basically be a small prelude to the upcoming battle.
Also, here's a little reminder of the outcome of the chapters 42 to 49: Akinym and Sinon just got new, one-of-a-kind equipment. That'll be a focal point in the last part of this chapter.
Anyway, let's get started.
Akinym was on his way from the castle in Arc Sophia to the teleport gate plaza. The Council had just finished their regular meeting, and now it was time to join the raid party on the 95th floor for the assault on the last bastion of the goblins.
Shivata had gone ahead to meet the DDA forces on the 77th floor before they'd head out. In fact, Akinym briefly caught a glimpse of him at the teleport gate when he reached the plaza. Asuna, on the other hand, had stayed at the castle for a little while longer in order to brief the KoB unit there. Akinym had seen the other major guild's participants when he had left the castle.
As for him, he used the teleport gate to travel to Celes on the 95th floor, and from there, he continued to the teleport stone outside the goblin HQ. The teleport stone was on a hill within sight of the huge castle they had to seize. The foot of this hill was about 200 metres away from the castle wall. The lizardmen had set up a base camp for the operation on top of the hill. It was roughly 250 metres away from the walls.
Well, and that was where Akinym stood now, being the last member of the faction of the small clearing guilds to arrive for the upcoming battle. He was greeted by the sight of more than a dozen parties which were scattered around a large tent. Not all of those were full parties of six people, though. For instance, Silica, Lisbeth and Philia took part in the raid as a party of three.
Speaking of them, Akinym soon caught sight of that group, but that was mainly because he was looking for Sinon, who had been waiting for him while having a chat with the three other girls. Now that he was here, however, Sinon quickly bid her friends farewell for now, probably wishing them luck, and walked over to her partner.
Sinon [casually]: Good morning. So, did the council meeting finally end?
Akinym [slightly exasperatedly]: Finally? You know that I had to deal with it, so if anything, that should be my line.
Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: Maybe you're right, but we were called here much earlier than I had thought, and now you're half an hour late, so excuse me for being grumpy because you guys made all of us wait!
Akinym threw a surprised glance at the clock in his HUD. He hadn't noticed it at all, but Sinon was right: He was late.
Akinym [mutters]: The council meeting took quite a bit longer than expected… [says aloud] Well, I guess there were a few disputes that took some time to be resolved.
Sinon [curiously]: Hm? Like what? [suspiciously] Weren't you mostly discussing the plans for the next few raid battles? Don't tell me there's been a change of plans!?
Akinym [flatly]: No, nothing like that. Approving the actual outline of what we've already discussed beforehand was as easy as expected, [exasperatedly, slightly worriedly] but once we got to the details, things became complicated. [slightly exhaustedly] For instance, talking the DDA out of bringing four parties today was rather difficult.
Sinon [confusedly]: Why did you want to in the first place? Knowing you, I would've guessed that you'd welcome the raid party getting as big as possible. You know, in order to minimise risk in today's battle.
Akinym: Sometimes there's safety in numbers, [takes a look around] but this raid party is already much bigger than any other – even too big for a single fight. Well, the scope of this battle is going to exceed the usual boss battles by far, so we can use reinforcements from the KoB and DDA, but we don't necessarily need as many fighters as possible. [slightly suspiciously] Not to mention that I doubt that the DDA planned to send all these players to fight.
Sinon: What's that supposed to mean?
Akinym: We know that there are a few hidden treasure chests inside the goblin HQ, but it's unclear who will find them. I think that the DDA wants to send so many players to ransack the place, not to conquer it.
Sinon [slightly annoyed]: Seriously? That's the issue you had to grapple with?
Akinym: That's how it was. [slightly exasperatedly] If only that had been all… We spent more time discussing if Kirito-san and his recent party should share their information on the location of all treasure chests with the rest of the raid party than we spent talking about the upcoming battle against the Desert Demon.
They remained quiet for a brief moment during which Akinym took another look around. Roughly seventy to eighty Assault Team members had gathered for the upcoming operation, and that number didn't include the players the KoB and the DDA were sending to help. On top of that, around twenty lizardmen as well as Kem'Pal and its escort were joining the battle, too.
Akinym: Besides, there are going to be already far more than a hundred fighters on our side. That's plenty. If anything, I think this might be a bit too much.
Sinon: You're probably right. Well, not that I'd fuss much over it anyway. That's only distracting…
Akinym [slightly contemplatively]: On a related note, I get the feeling that some people are missing. Even if it might not hurt us, did you hear anything about that? For instance, I've seen you talking with Silica-san, Lisbeth-san and Philia-san, but I can't see Leafa-san anywhere…
Sinon: That's… because she's not here. [grumpily] And cut her some slack! I think you should've noticed how much this war has been getting to her! [mutters] It's not as if she made a secret of that… [says aloud] Participating in dealing the finishing blow to the goblins was simply too much for her.
Akinym wasn't particularly surprised to hear that. It was just that these news worried him a little. Well, Leafa herself wasn't that big of a problem, but he figured that there were many others like her.
Many members of the small clearing guilds had had issues with this war campaign, and even though they had taken part in the war against the goblins, Akinym had still feared that they wouldn't cooperate in the final battle. During the meeting two days ago, he had told the guild leaders to "give finishing the war their all" since "the members of the Assault Team were supposed to focus on clearing the floors above anything else". This hadn't been a motivational speech (and he certainly hadn't even created that impression), but a subtle warning: Anyone who skipped the final battle might have to pay for it later. If nothing else, during a later dispute, Akinym could bring up the question why someone who wasn't even contributing properly to the Assault Team's success should be given special consideration.
Since skipping this battle entirely could've harmed their interests later, every guild had shown up, although some of them hadn't even dispatched a full party (even if they normally would've been able to). There had to be numerous players who had still refused to come. On top of that, Akinym had the feeling that some of the present players were glaring at him.
This was a bad sign… It was the ultimate proof that this war campaign hadn't been good for the Assault Team's morale. He probably would have to work on that later… even though this was the kind of issue Akinym really didn't want to deal with. He wondered what he was supposed to do about this.
The arrival of the next group provided a distraction from that thought. It was the contingent of the KoB: Kirito, Asuna and the two strongest teams of the guild. Pretty much everyone watched them as they walked over to the tent, where they were greeted by Kem'Pal… well, and Klein. The conversation that ensued didn't seem to be particularly pleasant, though. Even from their position on the sidelines, Akinym and Sinon could tell that there was tension, especially between Kirito and Kem'Pal.
Sinon: You know, that reminds me of something Philia told me earlier: Apparently, their group had a run-in with Klein and his lizard pal yesterday. It seems that Kirito and… um… Kem almost bumped heads.
Akinym: Yeah, I think I remember something like that from Klein-san's report… kinda like a footnote, but still. [flatly] Honestly, I'm not all that surprised that they got into a conflict like this. When they ran into a lizardmen invasion force, it pretty much had to happen.
Sinon [sighs]: I'm just amazed how Kirito manages to get into a mess wherever he goes…
Akinym: Well, you have to make the most of your talents. Whatever those talents are…
Sinon: I wish Kirito would make an exception with this one.
Akinym: Might be better for him, but you have to admit: He usually manages to gain something from the chaos he gets wrapped up in.
However, this time, Akinym wondered if this "something" was worth it… or even desirable at all. The mood around Kem'Pal didn't seem to improve as their conversation went on.
Akinym: I think I'll assist in smoothing the waters over there.
Sinon: Huh? Oh, yeah… Go ahead.
As Akinym walked up to the group at the tent, Sinon decided to stay out of it, so she was just watching things from afar.
When the KoB arrived at the battlefield-to-be, the first thing Kirito did was to check who else was already there. He spotted some familiar faces such as Silica and her party (minus Leafa), Akinym and Sinon, Fuurinkazan and Agil's guild, the Two-Handed Builders. There were several other parties, but he hardly recognised some of them. Since he rarely interacted with most of the smaller guilds, he couldn't even tell if any of the small guilds were still missing. However, he noticed that the DDA wasn't here yet.
Well, what now? Kirito usually stayed at Asuna's side during "gatherings" such as this while Asuna was doing… whatever she had to do in the respective situation. Thus, he took a glance at her to see what she'd do, only to see that she'd already got going, so he hastily followed her. The other KoB members made their way to the tent, too, albeit calmly and slowly, keeping a bit of a distance to Asuna, who was walking ahead.
Asuna was headed straight to a large tent where a large group of lizardmen was waiting. Fuurinkazan was also there. Unsurprisingly, Kirito spotted Klein right next to Kem'Pal… and these two stepped forth to welcome the newcomers.
Klein: Yo, Asuna, Kirinoji! So you guys finally came? I started wondering if that council meeting would take forever!
Kirito [exasperatedly]: Klein, I know the meeting took longer than expected, but why are you making it sound as if you've been waiting for hours?
Kem'Pal: Hm, you seem to have quite the different tone today, double agent of our scaleless allies.
Kirito turned to Kem'Pal, and the scene from the day before flashed through his mind. Well, there was no sign of hostility on the lizardman's part this time, so there hopefully wouldn't be another standoff. However, Kem'Pal gave Kirito a rather ominous look.
Asuna [politely]: May I assume that you are Kem'Pal, the general of the lizardmen? I have heard a lot about you, and it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Asuna, and I will take command of the Assault Team in today's battle.
Kem'Pal: I see. Klein-dono has told me that even more of our scaleless allies would come to our aid in this decisive battle. It is reassuring to have these reinforcements, [doubtfully] but I don't know how to feel about support from warriors that have completely stayed out of our war so far. [looks at Kirito] Especially since some of them made a dubious first impression.
Klein [exasperatedly]: Kem, you're way too resentful right now! I've told you that Kirito is okay, haven't I? And Asuna is amazing! If she's in charge, it'll be a great help!
Asuna: Thank you for your assurance, Klein-san. [to Kem'Pal] I assume that you are referring to what happened between you and Kirito-kun at one of the goblin bases yesterday, am I correct? As Klein-san has told you, we sent a group to the goblins for an undercover scouting mission. [bows her head] I am sorry that we kept this secret from you, but we genuinely did not think that you would ever meet them before today's battle.
Kirito: R-right, I'm also sorry for the trouble.
He bowed his head just as Asuna did. Convincing Kem'Pal to trust them was a vital part of the upcoming battle: The lizardmen's damage bonus against goblin monsters might prove useful, maybe even decisive. At the same time, an uncoordinated attack could result in considerable losses among the NPCs, so it was important to bring them under the players' command.
The Council had devised a plan for convincing Kem'Pal to follow Asuna's commands. Since it had been drawn up at the last minute, Kirito didn't know the details, but he figured that he should play along as well as possible… although his somewhat awkward undertone hadn't been planned.
Kem'Pal: Well, I guess there won't be a problem. I've received a report that all of you have officially declared your loyalty to our cause. You even got rid of the smell of those Scaleless Turnips.
Lizardman Elite Soldiers: Scaleless Turnips!
Asuna had heard about the "antics" of Kem'Pal's escort, but this was the first time she actually saw it, and it honestly took her aback. All these NPCs shouting in unison really was something else… Well, and the term "Scaleless Turnips" sounded particularly cringeworthy.
Asuna: Th-Thank you for your trust!
Kem'Pal: However, that brings me to the real problem: While I don't doubt your intentions, I find it hard to entrust my men to the command of someone who hasn't proven themself. Klein-dono puts his trust in you, which means a lot to me, but still… I've heard that you are the leader of our scaleless allies, but normally, I'd feel better if Klein-dono himself was in charge of this battle. Or at least Akinym-kun.
Akinym: That wouldn't be such a good idea.
True to the saying "speak of the devil, and he shall appear", Akinym showed up, and everyone turned towards him.
Akinym [politely]: Hello, Kem'Pal. I didn't get to say it yet, but here's to a successful cooperation today! Speaking of which, since you were talking about it, I think we should leave the command to Asuna-san. I'd be a poor choice for that job, and with all due respect to Klein-san's leadership skills, he's not the best man for this job either.
Klein [slightly grumpily]: Well, yeah… I guess you could put it that way… [clears throat, slightly reassuringly] Anyway, I also think we should let Asuna handle this, Kem! She's always in charge of our big battles, and we've never lost!
Hearing this nonchalant praise had always been a bit embarrassing for Asuna, but she had learnt not to think much about it long ago. What came next made it considerably harder for her to keep a straight face: Akinym bowed to her.
Akinym: On a related note, please allow me to welcome you on the ninety-fifth floor, Asuna-san. We managed to make it this far, so please take it from here!
Right now, Akinym took great care to greet Asuna as he would greet a superior… well, admittedly while going a bit overboard.
This confused the surrounding players a little, especially Kirito and Klein. They knew that Akinym and Asuna usually didn't interact in that manner, so they weren't sure how to react. However, they understood the situation well enough to figure out that there was a special reason for their current behaviour. By the way, said reason was that Kem'Pal would – if at all – bow to the person with the highest rank in the Assault Team, so in order to ensure the lizardmen's full cooperation, Asuna should be portrayed as the Assault Team's leader, even though their internal politics was actually more complex.
And Asuna… Asuna just nodded in response.
Kem'Pal: Hm, in that case… We lizardmen will fight alongside our scaleless allies, so I guess we'll put our trust in you as well, Asuna-dono!
This turned out to be significantly easier than the council members had expected. Asuna could barely suppress a frown considering that half of the ideas they had discussed earlier had apparently been unnecessary. Well, it would've been worse the other way around, so Asuna told herself to focus.
Asuna: Thank you. Of course I will include you in our strategy meeting, and we will definitely discuss all decisions together. Except for urgent matters, of course. I hope that you understand that.
Kem'Pal: That much is in the nature of war. Rather than thinking about it too much, I'm much more curious about these "strategy meetings". Klein-dono told me about this custom, and I'd like to see for myself how you handle it. [contemplatively] But speaking of which, he mentioned that you merely gave your soldiers advice during those meetings recently, Asuna-dono. That sounds like a strange way for a leader to take charge.
Asuna gave Klein a sharp look. So he did "mention" that, huh? That was good to know… and it would've been even better to know when they had asked Klein about everything he could tell them about Kem'Pal in order to come up with the previously mentioned "persuasion plan"… which had actually included everything Klein had told Kem'Pal about the Assault Team. They could've avoided this situation if Klein had.
Well, Asuna had to improvise now.
Asuna: I tend not to make a show of that position. I'd rather leave organising such large-scale campaigns to the play… I mean, to the warriors who actually fight, so I let Akinym-san and the leaders of the smaller groups – like Klein-san, for instance – make the decisions while I was only acting as an advisor.
Kem'Pal: Huh, so that's how it is…
Asuna: Indeed it is. I only take command actively when it is necessary. Well, I suppose I also have to step in sometimes when some of us overstep a boundary or something like that. For example, some people have a rather loose tongue – and that can cause quite a lot of trouble sometimes.
The smile Asuna gave Klein sent shivers down his spine. Well, she was smiling… technically speaking. There was, however, something in her voice that gave rise to doubts if she was smiling for real.
Kirito could only sympathise with Klein. He had been receiving the same smile almost non-stop since Asuna had received a "report" from Argo. Kirito knew – without the shadow of a doubt – that it was about last night. Argo really hadn't wasted any time to tell Asuna about it. Well, at least she was currently in vice-commander mode, so she went easy on him… in a sense.
Klein: Y-yeah, that's… a problem… I guess? S-so, how about we get to the strategy meeting, now that we're on the same page?
Akinym [mutters]: Keeping the blatant attempt to change the subject aside… [looks at the teleport stone, says aloud] Before we can start, we still have to wait for the last… Ah…
Just as Akinym was reminding everyone else that the DDA wasn't there yet, and everyone turned towards the teleport stone, wondering when the last missing members of the planned raid party would show up, a large group – about twenty people – was teleported to the field.
All the players instantly recognised them as the DDA contingent: The strongest fighters of the large guild had come, and they were led by Lind, the guild's leader, himself. Aside from him, three of his sub-leaders were there: Yamata, Schmitt and Sunny Tzu. Shivata had stayed behind to take care of the business the rest of the DDA had elsewhere.
Asuna: I presume we are complete now?
Akinym: The various small guilds are all here, so yeah, we are.
Asuna nodded before turning around to face the castle they were aiming to conquer. Before starting the strategy meeting, she wanted to take a closer look at the battlefield herself.
Klein: We've already checked the area. There's a bunch of monsters waiting for us in front of the walls. Goblin Guards, they're not that much of a challenge. They attack as soon as they come into view, but they didn't follow us up the hill.
Asuna [mutters]: So we can array a strike team at the foot of the hill and attack in formation. The actual question is what exactly we'll do… or how many players we need.
During her provisional brainstorming, Asuna took a pair of binoculars out of her inventory. They were a special item that allowed the user to detect ingame objects which would normally not be rendered at a long enough distance. When looking through the binoculars, the system zoomed in on the spot the user was focusing on.
Just as Klein had said, there was a large group of the relatively weak Goblin Guards right outside the castle. Well, actually, the monsters were only guarding the section of the wall that was closest to the besieger's camp. Asuna checked the rest of the wall, but she couldn't find any other defenders. That is, there weren't more defenders on the ground. Asuna noticed a lot of goblins on the walls. Unfortunately, the binoculars didn't show her the monsters' HP gauges or names. However, Asuna could see enough of their weapons through the battlements to recognise them: These goblins carried bows.
Asuna: Hm, I'd say there are about three dozen of them. Five parties should be enough to deal with them… if I set this up the right way. I'm more worried about the archers on the walls.
Kirito: Archers?
Asuna: See for yourself!
She gave him the binoculars, and Kirito took a look.
Kirito: Yeah, those are Goblin Archers. Many of them, actually. As far as I can see, they're defending the walls on all sides.
Kem'Pal: I'm not surprised. These Scaleless Turnips are sly. Of course they'd support their troops outside by shooting at us from the safety of the castle walls.
Asuna: How safe that position is remains to be seen. We have some combatants with long-ranged weapons, too.
Kirito: I'm not sure how useful they will be. Not only do most ranged weapons deal not that much damage, if we have to get too close, the shooting angle might even get too steep to hit them. Well, the walls are not that high, so we might be fine… Sinon will probably be.
Asuna [contemplatively]: Yes, maybe I should ask her about that. She might know more about that if… [calmly] Akinym-san, have you and… [slightly confusedly] Huh?
Asuna was surprised to see that Akinym didn't seem to pay any attention to their conversation. He was still facing the other way. In fact, once Asuna checked what Akinym was actually looking at, she realised that he hadn't even taken his eyes off the newly arrived DDA unit.
Well, that wasn't the point, though. Asuna figured that something else was on Akinym's mind: Most of the DDA members were waiting while Lind and Sunny Tzu talked with Sinon. It was impossible to tell what was the topic of their conversation, but Lind looked as if he was trying to persuade Sinon to… well, to do something. Sinon, on the other hand, was hard to read. She looked indifferent, but Asuna knew this aloof appearance well enough to understand that it didn't necessarily mean that Sinon was calm. In fact, Asuna knew that Sinon would act in an at least slightly more relaxed manner if her current situation wouldn't bother her.
After a few seconds, Akinym realised that the conversation that was held next to him had come to a halt. He also noticed that the others' attention had shifted, although he didn't think about what might be on their mind now.
Akinym: Hm? Is something wrong?
Klein [slightly worriedly]: Geez, you didn't even notice that Asuna asked you something? Seriously, man, if you're that worried about Sinochi, you oughta go and just help her! [reassuringly] She's your partner, so what are you waiting for?
Akinym [mutters, taken aback]: It's always interesting to see your enthusiasm about these things… [says aloud, slightly worriedly] Anyway, I think you might be right. I better check what this is about, so I'll see you later at the strategy meeting!
Asuna: Um, yes, [slightly hastily] but make sure to bring Sinon along, I'll need her opinion on something!
Akinym, who was already swiftly walking over to Sinon, looked over his shoulder once more and nodded, giving Asuna a quick response. Now that this was taken care of, Asuna turned her attention to the castle and the group around her again.
Asuna [mutters, contemplatively]: Okay, now back to strategising… [says aloud] I'm actually more curious what's up with the defending monsters outside. They have gathered in one spot. Is there a reason for this?
Kirito: Beats me, but you're certainly right. Well, maybe we can use that and make things easier for us by attacking a different area? [suspiciously] Although that doesn't sound right… as if there's a catch.
Klein: There's no "as if", Kirinoji. We had the same idea earlier, so we tried to sneak up on a different side, but we ran straight into a group of Goblin Guards!
Asuna: So, did these monsters spawn in reaction to your attack?
Klein: I don't think so. They were definitely already there when we got close enough to see them. Well, they might've spawned right before that moment, but…
Kem'Pal: I think the Scaleless Turnips just walked around the fortress wall to intercept us. I saw some of the slower ones among them coming from the direction where we had encountered them before.
Asuna: Hm… It could be that the defenders spawn anywhere we attack, so it wouldn't come as a very big surprise. However, that would raise the question where the second group of defending monsters went… But it also seems unlikely that they move around their base to match their movements with ours. I've never heard about monsters reacting to the actions of players who are outside of the maximum range of vision. That just doesn't sound fair, either…
Kirito: But it would still be possible. It's the same as with the theory that the defenders spawn wherever they're needed: Even without the events that normally trigger monsters to move, the system can still move them around according to movements the monsters would normally not detect. It could be an extraordinary measure to make sure that we absolutely have to fight these monsters in order to get to the castle, and it would also explain why there's no ring of defenders around the entire fortress.
Asuna: Yes, you might be right…
While Kirito and Asuna were exchanging thoughts about this, Kem'Pal crossed its arms and looked at them in confusion.
Kem'Pal: You scaleless ones throw around the strangest words sometimes. "Spawning", "system"… I can't make out what you're talking about, even though I actually should be able to.
Now that they had been called out on using the "players' language", Kirito and Asuna struggled to come up with an explanation. Well, the obvious solution would be to call it slang, but they had been caught off guard, so…
Anyway, Klein casually slapped the lizardman general on the shoulder in order to divert the NPC's attention.
Klein: Kem, don't think too much about it! We scaleless ones have our sayings just as you have yours!
Kem'Pal [laughs heartily]: I guess you're right, Klein-dono! Rather than pondering over the custom of you scaleless ones, I should focus on the upcoming battle to keep my blood boiling with anticipation! Or maybe I should think about our victory celebration afterwards, haha! You gotta come, too, Klein-dono! It will be a feast unlike any you've seen so far!
Klein: Sure thing, Kem! I'll totally come if we're welcome!
Kem'Pal: Naturally! All of our scaleless allies are welcome to celebrate our shared victory together!
Kirito: Well, it sounds interesting… This floor apparently has its fair share of specialities, [slightly grumpily] and I didn't get to try almost all of them so far…
Kem'Pal [chuckles]: There'll be plenty of that to go around, don't worry! [contemplatively, slightly dejectedly] That is, I wished we could've got some Thyman Flies! Too bad that the equipment we need to go into the mountains to hunt them has been stolen yesterday…
Lizardman Elite Soldiers: Tasty Thyman Flies!
Kem'Pal: I get you, men. It's too bad! [points at Kirito] I mean, even he understands how sad this is! He turned away the moment I mentioned this unfortunate turn of events. It ruins everyone's mood!
Well, to be fair, Kirito hadn't turned away because he was grieving about a missed meal. It was just that his expression clearly showed that he'd been busted, and he didn't want to reveal that to Kem'Pal.
Meanwhile, Asuna had her own issues with this topic…
Asuna [thinks]: "Tasty" Thyman Flies?! Why does everyone around me always come up with such weird ideas for food?! Ugh… [glares at Kirito] I swear, Kirito-kun, if you ever bring a freaking fly home to cook it, you can grill it on open fire outside!
Asuna suppressed a sigh. Maybe she should cut this conversation short and start the strategy meeting before things could get out of hand…
Let's wind back a few minutes to the moment when Akinym walked over to Kirito, Asuna, Klein and Kem'Pal. Sinon may have stayed behind, but she watched the previous scene attentively nonetheless. She had observed groups of people long enough to be able to detect tension, and judging from what she could see, Sinon reckoned that whatever issue had been there was eased. Kem'Pal seemed to relax, and the players around the NPC followed suit. Nevertheless, Akinym's way of "helping" struck her as… odd, to say the least. For example, when he suddenly bowed to Asuna, Sinon couldn't help but wonder what the hell he was doing.
Anyway, once Sinon had the impression that everything was under control, she directed her attention elsewhere… and kind of regretted it upon realising that almost everyone in the area was staring in bewilderment at the weird scene Akinym and company found themselves in. Well, Sinon couldn't blame them, but it made her feel quite awkward. She wondered if people would start asking her if she knew anything about this. Thankfully, it didn't come to that.
Before long, Sinon saw that Silica, Lisbeth and Philia were a bit taken aback by what was going on over by the tent. Sinon's gaze kept resting on the small group. She remembered what the other girls had told her about their mission on the 95th floor and about Leafa.
Naturally, she wondered if Leafa would be okay. Well, probably. Hopefully. Sinon wasn't sure how much this whole genocide of sorts was getting to her. The other three girls had told Sinon that they had thought of skipping this battle as well, but they had collectively decided against that since they wanted to help Kirito and Asuna.
Sinon could understand the sentiment, whether it was Leafa's or the other girls'. She'd had similar thoughts… but if she had to be honest, the reason why she came was…
Sinon's thoughts were disrupted by the arrival of a new group of players. The sound effect drew her attention, and she saw multiple parties appearing in front of the teleporter stone. Sinon recognised some of these players: The DDA made their appearance.
Well, that wouldn't have been any problem for her… if it hadn't been for the fact that two of them walked over to her after a brief talk in a whisper.
Lind: Hello, Sinon-san! Is Akinym-san not with you today? We'd like to discuss something with the two of you!
Sinon: He's here, but there had been a bit of a commotion by the camp before you came here, so he went there to help, L… Lind, if I remember correctly? [Lind nods] Well, I might recognise you, [looks at Sunny Tzu] but I doubt that I met your companion before.
Sunny Tzu [casually, slightly cheerfully]: I'm Sunny Tzu, also from the DDA. People tend to call me "Sunny" or "Tzu", so either nickname is fine! Even if Akinym-kun isn't here right now, we'd still like to make you an offer, if that's okay.
On the outside, Sinon remained completely calm. This, however, wasn't an accurate representation of what she was thinking, but see for yourself…
Sinon [thinks, annoyed]: Ugh, he sounds like a sleazy sales rep. Sunny Tzu… I think Akinym-san and Asuna mentioned this guy. [exasperatedly] He's trouble… Well, if they're basically sales agents, I might as well deal with them that way. [says aloud] What do you have in mind?
Lind: It's about your gear. Word has reached us that you've acquired a new set of armour – a pretty incredible set of armour, that is. Could I convince you to sell them? Both sets, if possible. Of course we'll pay you fairly for them.
So that's what they were after. Sinon wasn't surprised at all. She had been warned that this would happen, and Lind and Sunny Tzu weren't even the first ones to ask her to sell her new equipment.
Sinon: I'm sorry, but that doesn't matter. We won't sell this armour. We plan to use it, not to sell it.
Sunny Tzu: That's how it is now, but maybe our offer will change your mind, who knows? Maybe we could just name a price, and you can see for yourself how convincing it is?
Sinon: I'd rather not. We honestly don't intend to sell, [slightly sternly] and I'm sure there was a rule which stated that Assault Team members mustn't pressure other players to sell items.
Lind: We know that rule, of course! It doesn't prohibit us from talking this out, though.
Sunny Tzu: Precisely! What's wrong about a little discussion? There's no reason to turn down our offer even before you heard it!
Fun fact: After her family had had some bad experiences with door-to-door salesmen, Sinon's grandmother had taught her how to turn them away. Sinon had hoped that this knowledge would help her now, but she was running out of ideas.
Many of her lines didn't even work when it was about selling stuff instead of buying it. Under other circumstances, her best bet would've been to say that they'd already found a buyer, and that they didn't want to be rude to them by suddenly changing their mind. However, that would've worked only if the DDA wouldn't have surely seen through this lie soon enough.
Well, what now? Sinon knew that letting Lind and Sunny Tzu make an offer only to turn it down – whether it was after feigning contemplating the offer or not – wouldn't help, either. They would just try to make a slightly better offer, or they'd ask what exactly was wrong with their initial proposal.
Too bad that she couldn't just tell them to screw off. Well, Sinon might've thought of a better phrasing, but still: That would've made things so much easier.
While Sinon was struggling to find a good response, unexpected help arrived.
Akinym: Lind-san, Sunny Tzu-san, good morning. May I ask what you're discussing?
Sunny Tzu greeted Akinym with a pensive look, which also carried a hint of caution. Akinym "butting in" wasn't really problematic, but he considered one of the three members of the Assault Team Council a bigger threat than a girl who hardly interacted with people outside a certain group. Lind, on the other hand, did just…
Lind [determinedly]: Ah, Akinym-san, good timing, actually! We were just talking about making an offer to buy your new armour. That is, yours and Sinon-san's, of course.
Sinon [calmly]: And I told them that we don't want to sell it, but… [slightly exasperatedly] as you can see…
Akinym [slightly sternly]: In that case, you already have your answer.
Lind: As we've already told Sinon-san, there is no reason not to hear us out! Listen, the DDA is only trying to acquire the best equipment we can get to make sure that our members can do their very best for the sake of all players! Judging from what we've heard, if we put this gear in the right hands, it can help one or maybe even two of our elite teams, and that wouldn't help just our own guild, but the entire Assault Team! The least you – two players who only fight as a duo on the front line – can do is to hear us out!
Sinon was taken aback by the shift in Lind's attitude. Akinym, however, wasn't surprised. Sunny Tzu kind of shared both sentiments. This behaviour was within his expectations when it came to his leader. The only thing Sunny Tzu was truly concerned about was how the bystanders would view the DDA leader's rant. Frankly, the vast majority of the Assault Team had nothing against Akinym getting chewed out, but even more people couldn't stand Lind's overbearing personality.
Sunny Tzu was afraid that many players would view Lind's demanding attempts to convince Akinym and Sinon to sell their new armour unfavourably… or that Akinym would use that to his advantage. Thus, he decided to step on Lind's brakes, starting by putting a hand on his shoulder to get him to stop talking.
Sunny Tzu: Well, regardless of what Lind-kun has said, I think it would be only fair to give us a chance to explain what we have in mind.
Akinym [dryly]: I'd call it superfluous. [calmly] Lind-san has given us a pretty good idea as to what the DDA has in mind, but in all honesty, I think Sinon-san and I will stick with another policy: We're here as two players who try to ensure their own survival, and everyone in the Assault Team should be allowed to do just that, regardless of how it affects the rest of the front-line players. Within reason, of course. Keeping the equipment we worked for doesn't sound unreasonable, though, does it?
Sunny Tzu: That's certainly true, but I don't think that a transaction would contradict this policy. As we've mentioned earlier, we'll pay you fairly, so where's the issue?
Akinym: The issue is that it's exactly that which makes this argument so superfluous. You want to pay us fairly so that we're not at a disadvantage, right? In that case, I don't see why you'd even want to make a deal in the first place.
Sunny Tzu [slightly confusedly]: Pardon?
Akinym: Achieving mutual benefit is only possible between parties with differing interests. When both sides are interested in the fundamentally same thing – high-class armour in this case – every trade becomes a zero-sum situation. The only way for both of us to benefit from this would be that you'd give us something we'd need more than our armour while you need that object of exchange less than our armour.
Lind: What exactly are you getting at?!
Akinym: If we sold you our new gear, we'd basically have no choice but to buy a replacement. Thus, in order for this trade to be "fair" and sufficiently beneficial for us, you'd have to pay us at least enough to get two different sets of armour that are at least as good as our current ones. That, however, would immediately raise the question why you wouldn't just buy that alternative armour instead. The only way for you to yield an advantage would be to pay us less than what we'd need, but you don't plan to do that, do you?
Lind: Obviously not! Are you implying that we…
Sunny Tzu squeezed Lind's shoulder to signal him to stop. Akinym had thrown him a curveball, and he really didn't need Lind making it even worse by getting so worked up. Sunny Tzu racked his brain, trying to come up with a solution… until he had an idea that might work.
Sunny Tzu: As Lind-kun said, that's obviously not what we have in mind. What you say is right, though, but maybe our interests aren't quite as aligned as you might think. Sure, both of us want to get new, good equipment, but maybe we're searching for different attributes? You might find a different set that's not necessarily an improved version of what you already have, or maybe not even more expensive, but it might simply suit you specifically more!
Akinym: We've already tailored what we have now to our needs.
Sunny Tzu: But that doesn't mean that you can't find anything better!
Sinon: Sure, that might be the case, but I think we'll exercise our right not to take chances. As I've told you, we got this armour to use it, and we're actually pretty content with it.
Sinon's sudden comeback in the conversation threw Sunny Tzu even more for a loop. He quickly turned back to Akinym, saying nothing and only expressing himself through an inquiring look.
Akinym [flatly]: It's precisely as she says. We play it safe. [feignedly interestedly] But, you know, if you think that there's something better for us specifically out there, you can always convince us otherwise by finding that alternative and showing it to us. If it turns out to suit me more, I'd gladly agree to the deal, and even if not, you'll still get a new set of valuable equipment that might help you.
Sinon: Sounds pretty good to me. I'd accept that deal, too.
Sunny Tzu put on a sour expression, albeit just for a second before he regained his composure to some extent. He turned to Lind, and he gave his leader a look that told him to leave it at that. Lind was quite reluctant, but…
Lind: Fine, we'll see what we can do! Well, I guess we'll see each other during today's raid, so… Good luck, and sorry for taking up your time!
Without hesitation, Lind and Sunny Tzu beat a hasty retreat. They also started a conversation in a whisper almost immediately. It wasn't hard to guess what they were talking about, but neither Akinym nor Sinon paid it any mind. Sinon, in particular, breathed a small sigh of relief once the troublemakers were gone.
Sinon: Thanks. These two were… [annoyed] pretty persistent.
Akinym: Yeah, I saw that they seemed to pester you, so… Well, it turned out that they were after our new armour. I can't say that I'm surprised. It was clear as day that some people would try to convince us to sell it.
Sinon: True that. In fact, they weren't even the first ones.
Akinym [slightly curiously]: They weren't?
Sinon: No, someone tried it shortly after I'd got here. [slightly exasperatedly] The guy really cut straight to the chase… unfortunately. Believe it or not: He asked me bluntly "to sell him the armour I wear"… enthusiastically so.
At first, Akinym didn't understand what bothered Sinon. However, once he pictured the scene she'd described, it dawned on him.
Akinym: Sounds like the worst approach he could've possibly chosen. What happened?
Sinon: Well, after recovering from the initial shock, Liz called that guy a "creepy perv", and when he realised that pretty much everyone around him felt the same way, he beat a hasty retreat. At least he gave up quickly, and I think no one wanted to bring the topic up again because nobody else tried to make me an offer. It would've been awkward, I guess.
Akinym [dryly]: They could've just tried not to make a fool of themselves while asking. [calmly] Well, whatever. I guess it works in our favour if the emotional hurdle gets raised.
Sinon [slightly curiously and confusedly]: You know, given how quickly you rebuffed these two guys right now, I kinda doubt that it would be a problem for you if that hurdle even gets lowered.
Akinym: Well, as I said, there's never been any doubt that people would press us to sell the equipment which was made from the Fleece, so I've prepared plans how to deal with the various parties that might take an interest in buying it.
Sinon: Plans?
Akinym: Yeah, that's… Hm, how can I put it? Basically, it comes down to something my parents have always impressed on me: Negotiations are – for the most part – battles of information.
Sinon: Okay, now you just sound like Argo.
Akinym: In this case, that's a good thing. Seriously, whoever knows more about what the opponent wants or plans will win. [looks at the DDA contingent] I'm pretty sure these two wanted to pull one over on us. [looks at Sunny Tzu] The idea was to give us enough col to buy some used, fairly high-class, maxed out equipment instead. [puts a hand on his coat] Our new gear is rare and really good, but right now, we could probably find something of equal value… or maybe even better. That doesn't actually sound unfair, so Lind-san would certainly agree to this…
Sinon: ...but how would that work if we raise the enhancement levels of our new armour? I mean, of course we're gonna do that.
Akinym: Precisely. They wouldn't have paid us for that potential, and that was the catch. Even if they go along with my proposal and find us a potential replacement, I'll just point out what I've just explained, and we should be done with this issue.
Sinon: In that case, why didn't you just tell them your whole theory? I think that might've been the best option to shut them up for good.
Akinym: Well, the DDA can't afford to lose face. Cornering a wounded animal isn't exactly a smart move. I mean, have you seen how Lind-san reacted to me?
Sinon: I doubt anyone hasn't. What was up with his attitude towards you anyway?
Akinym: He simply doesn't like me. I'm basically a political enemy… with a bit of a history. Anyway, the point is: Do you think that guy would've kept quiet if I had outright accused him of trying to scam us? He didn't even keep calm when I just brought up the possibility.
Sinon: So, you basically offered them a way out of this argument that wouldn't hurt their reputation in front of the entire Assault Team? [exhaustedly, slightly exasperatedly] I think I get it now, but honestly… [exasperatedly] Are you seriously telling me that you've thought up similar tactics against anyone else who might want our new gear? If negotiations are a battle of information, where did you even get the information to deal with all of them?!
Akinym: I… [slightly hesitantly] have my sources.
Okay, this simply seemed strange, at least in Sinon's eyes. She wasn't sure if she should inquire further or not. She pondered over that until everyone around them suddenly headed for the large tent at their base camp. Some members of the KoB stood in front of it and beckoned the other parties over.
Akinym: The strategy meeting is about to begin, it seems. That reminds me, Asuna-san wants you to join this time. Apparently, she needs your opinion on something.
Sinon nodded and followed Akinym to the tent. It was time to put their smaller issues aside and to focus on the main event: the final battle of the war on the 95th floor.
...and that battle will begin next time, so until then!
Incidentally, I thought about including the strategy meeting in this chapter, but I assume many/most readers might forget about what will be discussed there by the time I'm done with the next chapter, which would make that division impractical, so the meeting will be part of the upcoming chapter.
Akinym's "sources" will show up eventually, but it'll take some time.
Little Preview: A long, fierce battle is about to begin. However, even just getting inside the actual dungeon proves to be a challenge - a challenge of making the right tactical decisions.