I feel so stupid for posting the wrong chapter. Thanks to Omniext for pointing that out!

ACT I

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 3: The Brave and The Bold

"Onii-chan, why does every people have to die?"

Startled, a young Akihiko Kayaba stared at the face of her sister, whose pallid skin, sunken cheeks, and expression of genuine curiosity tugged at his heart. She stared back at him expectantly, and Kayaba felt obliged to answer.

"Because it is the nature of this world, Ayako."

"Oh."

With that, Ayako twisted her head and gazed at the sky outside the glass windows of her room in silence. Kayaba frowned and tried to gauge his sister's mood. It started getting difficult when her illness worsened and she had to be confined for longer periods of time. At times, it was hard for her to eat, and she kept sleeping for an entire day.

"I wonder what Mama and Papa are doing right now?"

Kayaba stiffened, and the drawing pencil he had been holding for the past thirty minutes threatened to slip from his hand. But he managed to hold on.

Their parents… Their parents had died in a car crash last week on the way to the hospital. He had heard it first from their aunt, and he had immediately rushed to the emergency room where he beheld the ambulances unloading the broken bodies. They were still alive when they arrived. The doctors tried everything, but it was too late.

Kayaba returned to Ayako's room after the bodies were wheeled out to the morgue. His entire body shook all the way, and he let the tears fell until he stood outside his sister's room. For a moment, he could not bear to enter. What would he say to her? That their parents would not be coming back? That they left her first before she did? It would break her.

So he steeled himself and told her nothing except that they were just promoted and had to work overseas in the United States. The sudden news shocked her, and she was miserable for days after finding out. Once she asked him to call them, and he reasoned that they were busy, which resulted in her getting angry. So Kayaba tried to 'call' them. But when he got a busy tone, Ayako stopped trying and simply waited for their return.

"I'm sure they are doing just fine," he answered in a steady voice.

His sister did not respond. Slightly fearing that she already knew, Kayaba touched her cold fingers. "Ayako?"

She stirred, but did not look his way. "I'm alright. I was just thinking."

Kayaba smiled in relief. "And what are you thinking?" he asked gently. With a sigh, Ayako replied in a soft voice.

"I wish there is a world where no one has to die."

It was almost 4pm, but the city of Tolbana was alive with activity.

Situated at the very north, it was the second largest city on the First Floor, with many shops usually found only in the Starting City. Unlike most towns and villages, Tolbana was well equipped to provide players with everything they needed: inns, restaurants, a blacksmith, and even a meeting place for raid groups. One reason was the Tower Labyrinth piercing the sky outside the city. Back during the beta test, this was the home base of many players attempting to climb the tower and defeat the First Floor Boss.

Now, it still was. But the boss room still had not been found.

Kayaba pondered this dilemma as he strolled along the cobbled streets, passing others engaged in conversations. Tolbana was a city filled with parks and fountains, and he saw many sitting on benches or on the soft grass, their voices mixing together in the air. The topics varied—from the number of levels each individual had gained over the past three days to the nice weather bathing Aincrad—but most, if not all, were about today's meeting.

Nearly a month had passed since the death game began, and yet the boss room was nowhere to be found. For days the players braving the Tower Labyrinth scoured the top floor, but they could not find the room; even Kayaba, who had a hand in planning every 20th floor of the Towers, was mystified by the different layout.

Then again, Cardinal was always watching. She must have changed the map to make things more difficult.

And so the players spent the days without rest searching every nook and cranny for that almost nonexistent room. They had been exploring for three days now, seemingly without the end in sight… until a message had spread yesterday about a meeting in Tolbana at 4pm. The topic was not disclosed, neither was the organizer. But Kayaba had an idea what it was about.

As he neared the amphitheater directly next to the central fountain plaza, he noticed several groups of players walking in the same direction. Many paid no attention to their surroundings and chatted with their friends, but there were some who began whispering the moment Kayaba passed, pointing in his direction.

"Isn't he that guy who fights on the tower with just two other party members?"

"You mean that party with the cute girl?"

"I heard they never suffered a casualty at all…"

Kayaba ignored the comments and continued on his way, all the while hiding a faint smile. It seemed their reputation had spread, and he was glad that Yuna and Nautilus were off hunting at the Tower. He did not want to attract too much attention to themselves.

Upon reaching his destination, Kayaba gazed down with interest. The amphitheater was heavily influenced by Roman architecture; stone pillars spaced evenly at the top, and ten levels of tiered seats, like an arena.

Within these seats were players, and he did not expect so many of them. They were at least forty, maybe forty-five, with most wearing the best equipment the floor offered. He saw a hulking African-American in a breastplate with a battle-axe slung across his back, sitting next to his friends. Off to the far left, at the second topmost level, a man with spiky orange hair and garbed in scale mail sat with his arms crossed, tapping his right foot impatiently on the stone. Leaning at one of the columns ringing the area was a small hooded figure watching the proceedings in utter silence. And to Kayaba's right, a few yards away, were two players. One was shrouded in a brown cloak with the hilt of a rapier visible from the waist, and the other was…

Kayaba raised an eyebrow in surprise, but before he could call to the person, a clear voice rang across the amphitheater.

"Thank you all for coming here! I know this was done on very short notice, but I'm glad that so many has answered my summon."

All conversations stopped, and all eyes turned toward the speaker. Tall and fit, the man's expression exuded confidence and hope. Light blue hair swaying as he looked around for a moment, he smiled and continued.

"My name is Diavel. And I know this may sound funny, but I'd like to consider myself as a knight."

Soft laughter rippled among the crowd, and even Kayaba managed a tiny smile. Technically, Sword Art Online had no Job System, unlike other MMORPGs. However, if a player chose very specific skills and equipment, they could replicate job classes like a warrior or a ninja.

Judging by the small shield on his back and the light plate armor he wore, Diavel was the exact image of his self-proclaimed job. Combined with his charismatic smile, he was indeed a knight in every sense of the word.

"Alright, please settle down." Diavel's smile faded, and his voice took a serious tone. "I called you here for one simple reason. I'm sure some of you have guessed it by now."

All waited with their breaths held; some even leaned forward in rapt attention. And then the announcement came like a hammer blow.

"Just last night, my party finally finished mapping the 20th Labyrinth Floor… and found the boss room."

Murmurs of shock swept among the attendees this time. Many could not believe what they just heard, and even a few were skeptical. But Diavel's calm expression and next words silenced them and erased their doubts in an instant.

"I know it has been a difficult month for all of us. Many have died during the first week alone, and more after entering the Tower. But we cannot let those deaths be in vain! As the top players in the frontline, we must set an example. We must kill this boss, open the doors to the second floor, and prove to everyone that this death game can be cleared!"

The gathered players broke to a loud cheer, whistling and hollering their agreements. In just a few sentences, Diavel managed to boost everyone's morale. It was an impressive feat considering their current situation, and Kayaba wondered if the man had experienced leading people in real life.

"Now, about this bo—"

"WAIT!"

The Osakan accent voice came from the spiky haired player, who now leapt down from seat to seat until he landed in front of Diavel.

Diavel regarded him curiously. "Who are you?" he asked with a frown.

"The name's Kibaou." The man pointed at his chest with a thumb. "I'm one of the players who came here because of your message."

Diavel stared uncertainly at Kibaou. "Then Kibaou, what is—"

Before Diavel could finish his sentence, Kibaou turned around with a fierce scowl and raised his voice. "I'm here because I just need to clarify something before we begin this meeting."

"Clarify something?" Diavel interjected politely. Many players were shifting uneasily now, muttering unsavory words towards Kibaou.

"Yes! It's about those damn beta testers!" Kibaou growled. "They should apologize for causing the deaths of 2,000 players!"

The mood in the amphitheater shifted, turning as dark as a storm cloud. It was no secret that after the first day, the beta testers seemingly vanished from sight, only to re-emerge a week later with levels and gears much higher than the rest of them. It was one of the reasons why Kayaba did not venture away from Horunka until two weeks had passed, at which point Yuna and Nautilus were well accustomed to fighting and the forest around the village was no longer efficient for grinding.

"Apologize to us?" Diavel repeated slowly. Kayaba caught the slight twitch in the man's eyes, prompting him to narrow his gaze in interest. Was Diavel a beta tester?

Kibaou nodded. "Yes. And not only that, but give us compensations for what they did! Because of them, our levels are way behind and we did not get good equipment. That is unfair to everyone who wants to clear this game!"

The attendees grew restless at the outburst, glancing around as if expecting someone to declare himself as a beta tester and do what Kibaou had demanded. But no one stood up, though Kayaba noticed a few looking down at their feet in shame.

Diavel included.

"Excuse me. May I speak for a moment?"

From the middle seats rose the African-American player Kayaba had seen earlier. All eyes turned toward him, his impressive height attracting undivided attention. The man dwarfed everyone easily, and when he climbed down to stand in front of Kibaou, the man's head barely reached his chin.

"And who might you be?" Despite the slight squeak in his voice, Kibaou stared in defiance at the giant.

"Agil," the player said in a deep baritone. To Diavel, he said, "Can I have a few words?"

Diavel smiled. "Of course, Agil. What do you want to say?"

"This." Agil materialized a small book in his hand and held it up in front of Kibaou. "This is the beginner's guide book anyone could find in item shops all over the cities and towns. It is constantly updated with new content for every player to read. You all have one, don't you?"

Diavel nodded, but Kibaou simply frowned. "Yeah. What of it?" he said.

Agil held the book high in the air for all to see. "This book is written by beta testers."

Silence descended on the amphitheater. The reactions varied from shock to curiosity to disbelief. In the case of Kibaou, it was irritation.

"So what?" he demanded with a sneer. "It's the least they can do for abandoning us."

"So what?" Agil repeated, his deep-set eyes boring into Kibaou until he swallowed thickly. "Do you know that almost 20% of the 2,000 players who died so far in the game were all beta testers? Some were my friends. You're saying they abandoned us? They didn't."

"Prove it," challenged Kibaou. "If they didn't left us to fend for ourselves, why did so many die? You said some of your friends were beta testers? Well, my friends died because of those people!"

Agil stared at him for a moment, then dipped his head. "I'm sorry. But," he added in a firm tone, "you can't deny that this book I hold is made by beta testers. And yet so many still died, including some of them. You can't just blame these players who are helping us."

"Helping us? They are not even helping us! They are just a bunch of selfish basta—"

"Enough."

Diavel's voice was soft, and yet the firmness and authority in it silenced the two players in an instant. Lips pursed in a thin line, Diavel said placatingly, "Agil, Kibaou, please stop. We are in a meeting to determine the fate of all those who are trapped here. Let's not fight each other." He paused, waiting for their response.

Agil's went first. "My apologies, Diavel. You're right. We should not fight." His eyes flicked to Kibaou, who looked away with a scowl.

"Right, right. I'm sorry too," muttered Kibaou. Diavel smiled.

"Good. Then let's continue this meeting."

As soon as the two players had returned to their seats, Diavel opened his menu and materialized the same book Agil had shown them. After flipping through the first few pages, he cleared his throat and said, "Well, just like what Agil said, this book contains important information. And that includes the First Floor Boss. According to this, we are going to fight Illfang the Kobold Lord. It has a bone axe as its initial weapon and a small buckler as defense, but once his HP gauge drops to the last bar, he will switch to a talwar. At level 5, he doesn't have too much stats. However, he is protected by three minions called Ruin Kobold Sentinels, and they…"

Kayaba ignored the rest of the briefing. He already knew all of Illfang's information, including his attack patterns and sword skills. He was more interested on the speaker, Diavel. The way he reacted to Kibaou's rant was highly suspicious, and the only explanation Kayaba could think of was that Diavel was a beta tester himself.

However, the equipment he wore was of a low quality than one would expect from someone who knew the best hunting spots and secret quests. Perhaps, and this was just Kayaba's conjecture, Diavel did not want anyone doubting his motives. He was willing to disguise himself as a regular player just so he could earn the trust of others.

"And that's it for the boss meeting," Diavel finished and closed the book. "It's almost dinner, so I won't keep you here any longer. Once you've formed your party, meet me back here at 8pm so we can discuss our strategy."

With loud murmurs of assent, the players stood up and dispersed back to the plaza.

###

Ten minutes later, Kayaba found the person he was looking for, sitting next to his hooded companion on a bench beside a fountain, and eating a loaf of bread. Clad in a leather armor and coat, the boy was just as Kayaba remembered, dark-haired and a little effeminate.

"Kirito?" Kayaba greeted. Upon hearing his voice, the boy looked up from his food with a slight frown.

"Yes?"

Kayaba waited for a heartbeat. When Kirito's confused expression remained, Kayaba said quickly, "Ah, I'm sorry. We've only met once back in Horunka on the first day. My name is Heathcliff. Do you remember now?"

Kirito's face scrunched a little, then realization struck him a couple of seconds later. "Oh, Heathcliff! Yes, I remember now." He glanced around as if searching for someone. "Where are—"

"Yuna and Nautilus?" guessed Kayaba. "They are still hunting at the Tower, but they should be back within the hour. It's good to see you here, Kirito."

The boy nodded. "Yeah. It's good to see you too."

"You know this man?" The hooded figure next to Kirito inquired, whose voice was that of a young girl. Kayaba stared keenly at her. Her hood was drawn low over her face, hiding everything except for her lips.

"Friend of yours, Kirito?"

"Sort of," Kirito said uncertainly, glancing sideways at the girl. When she looked pointedly at him, he immediately averted his gaze and cleared his throat. "We are just partying for the day."

"And we plan to join the boss fight," the girl added before taking a bite at her cream-slathered bread.

"Do you now? Just the two of you?" asked Kayaba. The maximum number of members in a party was six. Kayaba did not see anyone beside Kirito and the girl.

Kirito grimaced. "Well, the others already formed a group with each other. And we got… left behind."

An uncomfortable silence fell. Kirito looked away with a slight frown, while his companion busied herself with the bread. After a while, Kayaba finally asked, "Are you seeking another party member? I'm also going to join the boss raid, and I think we are the only ones who haven't formed a group yet."

Kirito and the girl exchanged looks. "You're offering us help?" The girl lifted her head a little and peered at Kayaba from underneath her hood.

Kayaba dipped his head slightly. "As your tank, yes. I presume you are both built for burst DPS?"

"Tank? DPS?" The girl asked and tilted her head to the side, mystified. Kayaba blinked in surprise while Kirito explained the terms to her.

She is a newbie? "You haven't played an MMORPG before, have you?" Kayaba said slowly. She must be one of those who had locked themselves in some inns at Starting City and never came out until now. But that did not explain how she managed to survive and reach Tolbana without any knowledge of the game.

The girl shook her head and, with a little embarrassment coloring her tone, answered, "No. This is my first time playing a game like this."

Kayaba detected the slight edge in her tone, and he was certain she was not just talking about SAO. "I see. In that case, please accept my offer. I'm sure we can fight the boss much easier if there are three of us."

The girl looked down for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Alright. If it's fine with you and Kirito."

"It's fine," Kirito said and sent a party request, which Kayaba accepted. As two lifebars appeared below his own, he saw the names [Kirito] and [Asuna].

"Asuna?"

The girl started. "How do you know?" she asked with a note of suspicion.

It was Kirito who answered. "You don't know?"

"What?"

"On the upper left corner of your HUD, there is a green HP bar with your name above it, right? When you are in a party, the names of your party members will appear below your status gauge if you focus… You see it now?"

Asuna's mouth hung open for a moment, then she promptly closed it with a soft giggle. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know it was there all along."

"So you've been partying with me without even knowing my name?" Kirito said, half grumbling and half incredulous.

Asuna shrugged her lithe shoulders a little. "As I've said, this is my first game."

And yet you survived up to this point. Kayaba was sure that given enough time, Asuna could become a strong player. She had potential, if the way she carried herself was an indication.

"I'm sure you can learn a lot from Kirito here," said Kayaba. Of course, there was also the boy. Kayaba saw his expression of guilt earlier when Kibaou was blaming the beta testers, and he was now certain Kirito was one. A player like him could reach untold heights in this game.

"Heathcliff-san!"

All three of them turned to the voice, and a faint smile formed on Kayaba's lips. Approaching them side by side along the cobblestone path were Yuna and Nautilus, returning from their hunt. The former waved in Kayaba's direction, but stopped in her tracks upon seeing Kirito. Elbowing Nautilus on the ribs, Yuna pointed animatedly at Kirito. Her childhood friend's eyes widened in recognition and he hurried forward.

"Glad you two are back safe," Kayaba greeted once the two joined them.

"It was getting dark, so we decided to return," said Nautilus. He glanced at Kirito, his mouth moving slightly. When no words came out, Yuna elbowed him again, prompting him to straighten up and composed himself. "It's good to see you again, Kirito. You might not remember me anymore, but I'm—"

Kirito nodded. "Back in Horunka's forest. Yes, I remember." His gaze flicked to the sword at Nautilus's back. "So you managed to finish the quest?"

"Yeah. Thanks to you." Nautilus drew his Anneal Blade and showed it to Kirito. The blade was black with a silver hilt and a faint glow at the edges. With a questioning look, Kirito held out a hand, and Nautilus handed it to him. As Kirito stood and swung it experimentally, he said, "It's fast. Is this upgraded?"

"Yes. Plus four, 2Q2S."

Kirito smiled and returned the sword to Nautilus's hands. "You got a good sword. Take care of it."

Nautilus dipped his said with a smile. "Thank you, Kirito."

There was an awkward pause. Then Kirito said, "So how have you been since…"

While the two boys were engaged in conversation, Kayaba introduced Yuna to Asuna. "I never thought I'd see another girl," said Yuna excitedly. She shook Asuna's hand, twisting her head a little to get a peek underneath her hood. "Why are you hiding your face?"

Startled at the question, Asuna withdrew her hand. As if by some instinct, she pulled down her hood even lower. "Sorry. I just don't want attention."

Yuna nodded. "Mmm, I think I understand. Being a girl sure gets you many weird looks from other players." She smiled slightly. "So you know Kirito-san?"

Shaking her head, Asuna answered. "No. We just met only this morning, at the Tower. He said there will be a boss meeting today, so I joined him."

Yuna snapped her fingers. "Oh, right! I almost forgot about that." Drawn by the sound, Nautilus stopped in the middle of recounting his recent exploits to Kirito and stared at Yuna, giving her an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, the girl faced Kayaba with a determined expression.

"Heathcliff-san?"

"Yes, Yuna?"

"We want to join the boss fight."

Kayaba furrowed his brows. Yuna wore a beige and blue light cloth armor, with a cape that enhanced evasion and boots for increased movement speed. Her dagger, a monster drop they got from the Tower's 17th floor, had a bonus to light armored monsters. Then there was Nautilus, who was garbed in light chest armor and wielded the Anneal Blade.

Their stats were definitely as high as his, both of them level 13, and they were now capable of hunting in the Tower without his guidance. But a boss fight was different. The monsters' level were higher and their attacks even more deadlier compared to the ones roaming the field zones. Moreover, Kayaba did not know if Cardinal had changed Illfang's stats. There were too many factors that could go wrong.

And yet he could not refuse Yuna. It was not a request, but her decision. Kayaba saw the resolve in her eyes. Even if he left her here, she would find a way to join the raid. And naturally, Nautilus would follow her.

"Are you sure about this? You could die." Kayaba was not scaring her. He was just making sure that Yuna knew the situation she was going to enter.

Yuna nodded firmly. "Yes. I've thought about this all day, and I realize that I can't remain watching while others risk their lives in trying to clear this game. I have to contribute something."

"And you, Nautilus?" Kayaba glanced towards the boy. Without hesitation, Nautilus replied, "I'll follow Yuna wherever she goes."

"So be it. If that's your decision, I won't stop you. However," Kayaba's gaze slid to Kirito, "the party leader will be the one to decide if he will let you two join."

Four pairs of eyes suddenly focused on the boy, which made him step back a little. He scratched his head in bewilderment, his eyes jumping from one person to the next, until they fell on Asuna. "Is it alright if we let them in?" he asked.

Asuna cocked her head. "You are the party leader. Why ask me?"

"I just thought you don't want any other person in our group."

"There's only two of us," Asuna pointed out. "If we want to defeat the boss, don't you think that more people is good? Besides, our party is just temporary, isn't it? It doesn't matter if there are five of us."

"You… You're right." Kirito sighed. A minute passed as he seemingly contemplated his response. Then he nodded. "Fine. I'll accept you two." He sent Yuna and Nautilus the party requests.

"Thank you," said Yuna and bowed. Kirito simply nodded again

"Now what?" asked Nautilus. Shrugging, Kirito answered.

"Now we report back to Diavel."

###

The sun was setting when they filed within the amphitheater. As before, Diavel stood by the front and center, surrounded by six other people—the party leaders for each group. The seats were packed with the remaining players from the first meeting, thirty-two in all.

While the others sat on the top level, Kirito approached Diavel. The other leaders, including Agil and Kibaou, watched as he greeted their raid leader with a polite nod. "Excuse me. I'm here to represent my party for the upcoming boss fight.

"Who are you?" inquired Kibaou in a not-so-friendly tone. His gaze settled for a moment on the Anneal Blade sheathed across Kirito's back.

"Kirito," answered the boy.

Diavel smiled warmly. "Glad to have you here, Kirito. May I ask where is your party?" He looked past him and searched the gathered players.

Kirito pointed up the seats. "There. We are one member short, though," he said apologetically.

Diavel nodded and swept his gaze over them. "I see. That's fine, Kirito. I do not expect this raid to be a full one anyway. And you have a tank. Your party will surely be valuable."

"Thanks," said Kirito. He took his spot next to Agil and waited until Diavel spoke again.

"Alright. It looks like everyone is here, so let's begin the strategy meeting!"

For the next thirty minutes, Diavel outlined their strategy for defeating Illfang, as well as the distribution of loots. It was rather simple, and Kayaba thought it was enough to kill the boss without suffering a casualty; four parties to take on the boss, while a group each to distract its minions. The last one would act as reserve, switching in as needed while supporting the Guard Teams led by Kibaou. However…

"Why are we being put in reserve?" wondered Yuna aloud. Next to her, Asuna crossed her arms.

"I want to know that too," she muttered. "Not only that. We are supposed to assist that Kibaou as well?" She shook her head in displeasure.

That part of the plan was indeed odd, but Kayaba understood it well. "I suspect it's because we are not a full party, and we are not geared for a specific role." Even so, there was something unusual about the setup. Even if he was the only tank in their party, that should have gotten them a place in the frontline.

"Maybe we can ask for a reshuffle?" suggested Nautilus.

"No, this is good enough," said Kayaba. "We will be out of danger, and we can still help the others by observing attack patterns. Worst case scenario, we have to switch in with one of the assault teams, but I don't see that happening."

They spent the remainder of the briefing in utter silence, listening as Diavel reiterated the importance of teamwork. When he finished, he put up an encouraging smile and said with his sword raised high, "Tomorrow at 11 in the morning, we will take a step toward our freedom!"

And so the strategy meeting ended with the deafening cheers of the players and their morale soaring as high as the sky.

The next morning arrived bright and clear, almost as if acknowledging the players' courage and resolve. Many were in high spirits, and even those who would not participate in the boss fight gathered in the central plaza of Tolbana to bid the raid team good luck.

Since the final briefing was still an hour away, the raid parties spent the time to prepare for the upcoming battle. They were hopeful of their success, but not confident, so they did everything to make sure they were ready. Weapons and armors were repaired, potions stocked, and individual strategies finalize. Boss fights were often unpredictable; one mistake and the raid teams would collapse. Thus, they could not afford to make mistake.

Then the appointed hour finally came. Forty-seven players gathered in the amphitheater one last time, and with Diavel giving one of his encouraging speeches again, marched to the Tower Labyrinth. The journey took them thirty minutes, which they used to get as much EXP as they could. Some even gained a level or two, boosting their already high morale, for every strength was needed. It rose even higher as they climbed the tower, where more EXP was in abundance.

When they reached the large stone doors barring the boss room, everyone stopped and held their breaths. A terrifying mural of a mighty beast with large fangs and a wicked bone axe dominated the front, like a warning for all who would dare enter.

No one turned back. They had gotten this far already. They would see to this until the end.

As Diavel stepped forward to open the door, the players readied their weapons. At the back, next to Kirito, Kayaba drew a silver longsword and hefted his silver tower shield. "Remember: we will stay at the back until we are needed." He was not the party leader, but he helped Kirito devised their strategy for this fight.

The others nodded. With a grating sound, the stone doors opened. Diavel entered a dark hall cautiously, followed by the rest of the raid group. It was pitch black, but they could glimpse a wide empty space in front of them. As the last player filed inside, a torch along the walls on either side blazed to life, then another, and another, running along the far end and illuminating the whole room with bright orange lights.

Only then did they see what they were in for.

The room stretched three hundred feet across and a quarter wide. Cracks filled the floors and walls, as if the inhabitants had stomped and danced inside on a drunken haze. Bones littered the chamber, their empty eye sockets gazing lifelessly into the abyss, while on one side was a large metal rack filled with an assortment of weapons. In the middle of the room, the floor was decorated with the same image of the boss… and at the farthest end a crude throne of bones stood upon an elevated dais, wherein a huge monster sat.

Kayaba remembered during the game's development that he ordered the design team to make Illfang as terrifying as they could. He did not participate during the boss fight in the beta, so this was the first time he had seen it in full. And if only he could congratulate his team, he would. Illfang was every bit what a Kobold lord looked like; almost thrice the height of a regular human, and incredibly muscular on the arms. Its rotund belly jutted forward, but that was no indication of its speed; Kayaba knew that it could jump around faster than any of them.

Its head was initially bowed when they entered, as if sleeping. But when all the torches burst to flames, it lifted its muzzle and opened its eyes, red with rage and malevolence. Saliva dribbled from its mouth, which gaped wide as it let out a long ferocious roar, baring its sharp teeth. It stood up and pulled a bone axe and buckler leaning on either side of the throne, then leapt onto the floor, huge clawed feet cracking the stone. Behind its waist, another weapon wrapped in cloth hung. A shrill cry escaped its maw then, and a hidden door next to the throne spilled three of its minions, who positioned themselves in front of their master, halberds ready.

Some of the younger players in the raid group quailed at the sight, but Diavel simply took a step, pointed his sword forward, and roared two words.

"COMMENCE ATTACK!"

Thus, the boss battle of the first floor began.

###

The fight went smoothly for almost twenty minutes.

While Kibaou's team and two others distracted the minions, who possessed half the amount of life bars as their master, Diavel's main group went for Illfang. Agil and his heavy assault team took the lead, dishing out damage with their battle-axes and maces. Diavel stayed behind with his party, barking orders to the group.

"The first bar is gone! Group B, fall back! Group C, switch in!"

Agil's party retreated as soon as the first HP bar shattered and was replaced by a group of hammer wielders with tower shields—the first tank group. As they exchanged blows with Illfang, the boss began using sword skills in earnest.

Meanwhile, the distraction force was doing well. Kibaou's group took care of the first wave of minions, killing them just as Illfang lost an HP bar. When the second wave appeared, they charged them head-on.

"So far, so good," muttered Yuna. She fingered the hilt of her dagger and watched the battle unfold with rapt attention.

"Let's hope this keeps up until we defeat the boss," said Kayaba. With his shield planted in front, he looked very much like a knight guardian. His armor shone by the light cast by the torches, giving him an orange hue. Eyes darting to each monster, he surveyed the battle together with his party. His gaze, though, often tracked the two members of their group.

As soon as the third wave appeared, Kirito and Asuna went for a Sentinel that had slipped past Kibaou's group, who was one party short after Group F broke off to assist Group D in fighting Illfang. The two tackled the lone Sentinel, and Kayaba marveled at how they worked so well together. While Kirito blocked the minion's attacks and deflected the halberd, Asuna moved in to perform a Linear, striking the monster's weak point: its throat.

Individually, they were both excellent fighters. Kirito wasted no time in his attacks, spending less movement in executing sword skills to exploit the minion's weakness. On the other hand, Asuna was on the same level, even better. She was fast, so fast that her thrusts seemed like a blur of motion, and her shining rapier a flash of light.

Like a lightning, thought Kayaba. And he knew that when this battle ended, Asuna would become one of the strongest players alongside Kirito.

"They're good," Nautilus whispered in awe.

Soon Illfang's third HP bar vanished after a sword skill pierced its thick armor. Howling in fury, the boss monster dropped its axe and buckler, and reached behind its waist.

Kayaba readied his sword and shield at that moment, while Yuna and Nautilus drew their weapons, alert. This was the final phase. They had to be prepared for the worst scenario. Behind the throne, the doors spawned the last batch of Sentinels, who deposited themselves in the middle of the room. One was surrounded by Kibaou's group, and another clashed with Agil's party. The third, Kirito and Asuna engaged.

However, there was a fourth—a stray that had not been defeated when Illfang lost his third HP bar. It now made its way towards Diavel's party, who was preparing to attack Illfang.

"Yuna, Nautilus, assist Kirito and Asuna. I'll deal with the fourth Sentinel." Without waiting for their response, Kayaba dashed forward.

He reached his target in three seconds, at which point he was close enough to execute a piercing strike. His blade struck the armor protecting the kobold's back, but it fulfilled his plan of gaining the monster's attention. Growling, the Sentinel twisted around to face him.

Kayaba struck, and the Kobold lifted its halberd to deflect the blow, then counterattacked with an overhead swipe. Kayaba raised his shield and blocked. Faster than the eye could see, he thrust forward from behind his defense and impaled the monster's throat.

The Sentinel howled, staggering. Kayaba pressed his assault, alternating between blocking and striking. Its last HP gauge only had a sliver of red left. Less than three critical strikes and the battle would be over.

While his sword glowed for the finishing blow, Kayaba noticed something at the corner of his vision. Diavel had ordered his party to surround the boss while he charged, intent on attacking it alone. The reason he did so, Kayaba realized, was to get the last attack bonus item, which confirmed Kayaba's suspicion that Diavel was indeed a beta tester. However… The cloth that covered Illfang's second weapon had come fully undone as it raised the blade, and the shape was wrong. It was longer and thinner than usual. And instead of cast iron like what a talwar should be made of, it was forged steel.

No, that was not a talwar. That was a nodachi; the attack patterns had changed! Kayaba was about to shout a warning—ignoring the dire consequences it would place him in—but someone beat him to it.

"Watch out! It's a different weapon!" yelled Kirito. With a panicked expression, he dashed past Asuna and sprinted towards Illfang, sword glowing blue. To a beginner's eye, it might seem he was going to steal the last hit from Diavel. But Kayaba saw things differently. Kirito was not going to do that. His trajectory, the sword skill he was activating, the determined look on his face.

He was going to disrupt Illfang's attack.

But it was too late. Illfang's blade shone bloody red. Roaring loudly, it jumped high in the air, somersaulted once, and landed behind Diavel and in front of his party. The power from the jump accumulated on the blade, and with a victorious howl, Illfang released a sword skill Kayaba recognized as Tsumujiguruma.

Illfang spun like a tornado and struck Diavel's party in one vicious strie, thrwing them away like rag dolls. Most landed in a mess around the room, but Diavel collapsed a dozen yards to Kayaba's right. Each of the party members had spinning three stars above ther heads: a stunned icon which prevented a player from moving for ten seconds. At a situation like this, those ten seconds would ensure death.

Illfang stalked towards Diavel, its slow steps echoing in the silent hall. The incident left all players speechless for a moment, and no one dared to attack the boss. Even Kirito was stunned. And Kayaba, who was so focused on the morbid scene that he almost forgot about his own opponent until he heard it snarl and attacked. Switching his gaze to the Sentinel, he slammed his shield on the kobold's lupine face and finished it with a thrust to the neck.

When Kayaba returned his attention to Illfang, it was so close that he could hear its excited breath and see the individual hairs of its fur. Time seemed to slow down as, for one brief second, the monster's malevolent red eyes slid to Kayaba's direction and locked gaze with him.

Illfang grinned before charging towards a recovering Diavel.

Kayaba was overwhelmed with a memory, and he gripped his sword tightly as it replayed in his mind with vivid alacrity.

"Promise me. Create a world… where no one… has to die…"

And so Kayaba moved without thought, past Agil's group, overtaking Kirito as he too sprinted forward...

Illfang stood over Diavel, its nodachi shining almost delightedly in crimson as the monster brought it down upon the fallen leader and—

—Kayaba's shield and arm shook from the force of the blow, so powerful that he fell on one knee at the full weight of Illfang's weapon. The resulting ringing sound swept across the battlefield, and all who had witnessed what he had done gasped in shock.

Slowly, Kayaba rose to his knees as if the nodachi was no heavier than a feather, and stared at Illfang's eyes with defiance.

Illfang threw back its head and bellowed in response.

"Diavel, take your party and run as far back as you can," said Kayaba. Then Illfang's bade struck again, and he had no time to speak.

Left, right, thrust. An upward swipe. The attacks varied, but they were nothing new. Though Illfang was using a nodachi, it was not entirely a shocking change, for the tenth floor boss also used it, and with a greater repertoire of skills. Kayaba knew how and which way it would strike.

Thus, he fought the terrifying monster alone, using his sword as much as his shield to fend off the attacks. He dodged and evaded, using ingrained knowledge from the game's development phase to avoid the massive weapon. He could not afford to make a single miscalculation; once Illfang's strike hit his body, it would start a long chain of skill combos which were virtually unstoppable. Kayaba had to maintain his defense.

Feet planted firmly on the floor, Kayaba absorbed blow after blow. And each time it seemed Illfang's rage rose until its deafening roar filled the room. The nodachi rose high and bore down, locking with Kayaba's shield once more. For a minute, the Kobold Lord pushed its entire weight on Kayaba, intent on subduing him with sheer strength. But Kayaba resisted with all the might his Strength stat could offer him. As they pushed against one another, Illfang lowered its head until its gaze were level with Kayaba, and snarled furiously.

Kayaba jabbed at the monster's left eye.

Illfang howled and staggered back. Capitulating on the opportunity, Kayaba rushed forward with his shield in front and pulled back his sword parallel to the ground. The blade glowed blue.

The four-hit longsword skill, Knight's Revenge, struck with impunity. A diagonal left slash followed by a right upward diagonal, forming a V-shape gashed across Illfang's armor and bringing his last HP bar down to 50%. As Kayaba's sword reached the crux of its swing, the skill assist system brought it down in a vertical cleave, and Kayaba pivoted around in a finishing circular cut.

The final blow did not fall on the target.

Kayaba stared up at the length of his weapon caught between the fingers of Illfang's right hand. Curling its upper lip in a fierce snarl, the monster raised the nodachi on its left. Kayaba blocked the first strike, but the second sent his shield arm snapping backward, exposing his torso. Steeling himself for the inevitable, Kayaba watched calmly as Illfang howled in triumph and drove its blade forward…

…only to be met by an equally savage roar and a silver sword meeting the massive weapon in a shower of sparks.

Kirito shoved with all his might and the nodachi swung up, exposing Illfang's belly. He pressed his attack and unleashed a series of vicious slashes, driving the monster farther and farther into the middle of the room.

A chorus of yells joined Kirito, and the assault groups converged on the boss, hacking and slashing. Agil bellowed his war cry and swung his axe. Kibaou sliced at Illfang's legs before retreating as he switched with another of his party member. Even Nautilus joined the fray, his movement quick and precise.

However, Illfang was not deterred. He leapt into the air and landed violently back on the floor, and the shockwave swept over everyone and threw them around like brittle leaves. Kirito jumped back just in time and retreated beside Kayaba.

"Are you alright?" he asked without taking his eyes off the boss.

"Nothing that a potion can't heal." Glancing at his status, Kayaba saw his HP was still in the green zone. "Any plans?"

Kirito pursed his lips. "The boss reacts to a large party surrounding it. We can't defeat it this way, especially with the nodachi. Its attack radius is too large." Lowering his voice so that no one save Kayaba could hear him, Kirito added, "But you already know that, right? You're a beta tester too."

Kayaba nodded without bothering to deny that claim. The boy must have deduced it from watching his fight. "I've seen monsters with that weapon and skill sets on the floors above us," he said.

"So did I."

"Then I'll leave the offense to you. My sword's durability will not last long."

"Please let me help!"

They both turned their heads as Asuna rushed to them, rapier held at the ready. She slid to Kayaba's left. "Tell me what to do."

Staring at her in slight wonder for a moment, Kirito nodded. "We'll use the Sentinels' strategy. Heathcliff-san, you distract the boss. Asuna, we'll flank and hit it from both side."

"Understood."

"I'll go in first. Tell the others to get away," added Kayaba. "Illfang might go for them instead of us." Despite saying this, Kayaba noticed the monster's attention was still on him.

Kirito acknowledged with another nod. Raising his voice so it filled the room, he shouted, "Everyone, fall back! We'll take care of the boss!"

No one dared to argue. As the rush of many feet echoed on the floor, Kayaba adjusted his grip on his sword. "Ready?" he said. Kirito and Asuna nodded.

Together, the three of them charged.

Illfang roared and raised the nodachi high. The floor shook with the monster's strides as it met them. Saliva dribbled from its lips, and its eyes were alit with a mad rage.

Halfway through, Asuna suddenly flung away her cloak with one hand, spilling her chestnut-brown hair in the air. Kayaba shouted, "Good luck, you two!", and put up a burst of speed to intercept the boss. Kirito and Asuna veered away from him and went in opposite directions.

Kayaba blocked Illfang's first strike with the shield, then stabbed at the Kobold Lord's belly. It snarled and brought down its sword for the second time; Kayaba sidestepped to avoid the swing and launched a Vertical Cut. He caught Illfang by the chin, cutting a red gash across its face. Without missing a second, Kayaba drove his sword straight at the monster's throat.

Roaring, Illfang pulled back and was about to perform a sword skill when a fast Linear struck the right side of its head. A powerful slash from the left followed, and Kirito switched positions with Asuna, hammering Illfang with a three-hit regular sword combo. The monster yowled as its HP dropped to 35%. When it turned its head to Kirito, Asuna jabbed at its left eye then pulled back as the attention switched to her.

A shield bash on the head brought its focus back to Kayaba. But before Illfang could retaliate, Kirito was on the assault again, executing slashes left and right.

The HP bar dwindled to 15%.

Illfang bellowed and slammed the nodachi at Asuna, hurling her a dozen yards away. Kirito screamed her name, but he was forced to evade a downward swipe. Faster than the eye could see, Illfang dragged the nodachi across the floor and slashed horizontally.

The attack would have bisected the boy in half if not for the silver shield that stopped it midway. Rooting his legs on the ground and pushing with all his strength against the weapon, Kayaba spoke to Kirito.

"Finish it."

And so Kirito jumped over Kayaba's head and onto Illfang, swinging his sword. The first attack staggered the monster, and it leaped into the air. As soon as Kirito's feet touched the ground, he launched himself up and roared. His sword shining a blinding blue, the swordsman struck Illfang on the head and carved out an angry blood red line all the way down to the monster's belly. With an ear-shattering howl, the First Floor Boss's body shimmered and turned blue before finally shattering into polygons.

Kirito landed back on the ground just as the victory fanfare sounded and the word "Congratulations!" appeared floating in large white letters in the middle of the room.

For one second, the room was engulfed in utter silence. Then like a dam bursting forth with overflowing water, the entire raid group broke to a loud triumphant cheer.

Kayaba looked around with a relieved expression. There was Nautilus being fussed over by a worried Yuna, potion in one hand. Agil surrounded by his party, showing the items they got. Conversations sprung up among the other groups, congratulating each other for a job well done. Even Diavel, who remained at the back out of shock from his near death experience, bowed his head and shed a lone tear of joy.

On the other side of the room, Kirito helped Asuna to her feet. The girl had suffered medium damage from Illfang's attack, but she looked fine otherwise, if a little shaken. Smiling, Kayaba approached the two.

"Are you two okay?" he asked. They turned to face him.

Kirito nodded. "Thank you," said the boy. "If not for your shield, I would have died already."

Kayaba shook his head. "Don't thank me. I just did my part as the tank. It is I—us—who should be thanking you and Asuna." Here he glanced towards the girl, who shifted on her feet in embarrassment. "Without your help, we could not have defeated the boss." He looked back over one shoulder. The rest of the raid group was staring in their direction with evident gratitude.

Kirito looked away. "It's nothing. I just—"

"YEAH, IT WAS NOTHING!"

The rage-filled voice belonged to Kibaou. He marched forward, seething with fury, a dark scowl on his lips. He pointed accusingly at Kirito. "You! I knew it the moment I saw you. You recognized the boss's weapon, didn't you? You knew what skill it was going to use!"

Behind him, murmurs swept over the crowd. Kayaba glanced at Kirito. The boy clutched his sword tightly, but made no move to explain himself.

No one spoke. "I'm right, am I?" continued Kibaou. "You are just a wolf hiding in sheep's clothing! You knew about the boss and yet you didn't warned us until Diavel was nearly killed! You went for the finishing blow to get the last attack bonus. And that's because you are a damn beta tester!"

The revelation was like a nuclear bomb being dropped into the room. The players' grateful expressions were now gone, replaced by shock, and in some cases, anger. The disappointment of being betrayed was evident in their eyes.

From the back, Diavel lifted his head and started pleadingly, "No, wait. Kirito is not—" But he was silenced by Kibaou's next words.

"So I'm going to say this now. If anyone else in here is a beta tester like this bastard here, show yourselves right now and give us the items you got!" Kibaou looked around wildly and spat. "People like you don't deserve to be in boss fights!"

The mood inside the room darkened. The players started casting suspicious glances amongst themselves, some even hateful. Several arguments broke out, turning former comrades against each other as the crowd was overwhelmed with suspicion. At the back, Kayaba saw Yuna and Nautilus looking at him with worry. He simply gave them a reassuring nod.

At this rate, everyone will lose trust with each other, thought Kayaba. It was an event that must not happen, and he was preparing to step forward to placate the restless crowd, when a laugh echoed in the room.

It was Kirito.

The boy approached Kibaou in steady strides, a mocking sneer marring his youthful face. His eyes gleamed as he sheathed his sword with a dramatic flourish. "Yes, I'm a beta tester. I've fought more powerful monsters above us who wields the same weapon. But please," he scoffed, "don't lump me with those losers."

"Lo-Losers?" Kibaou sputtered in disbelief.

Kirito grinned. "Yes, losers. Do you know why so many beta testers died? Because they didn't know how to play this game. Most of them are just a bunch of newbies who haven't even touched a game console, let alone play a VRMMORPG." He opened his menu and maneuvered it, ignoring Kibaou's incredulous expression. "But I'm not like them. I'm not a newbie, and I know more secrets than those you call beta testers!"

Kayaba immediately realized what Kirito intended, and he sighed in sympathy. You're quite like me, aren't you?

"You cheating bastard!" Kibaou roared and lunged at Kirito, only to be held back by his party. "Let me go! That guy is a cheater!" Soon, the others took up the name and murmured the word while fixing Kirito with murderous glares.

As if on cue, a dark blue leather coat materialized on the boy's shoulders, and he gave them a cold smile. "No, I'm no cheater nor a simple beta tester. I'm a beater! And I'm going to show you all how to beat this game!" With those final words, he spun on his heel and marched to the back of the room, where a door had opened to reveal a set of stone stairs.

Asuna rushed after him. Kayaba and the outraged raid group watched as they conversed in low tones. Then with one lazy wave of his hand, Kirito set foot on the first step and began to climb, the hem of his cloak swishing before it completely vanished from sight.

A window appeared to the right of Kayaba's vision, announcing that the party had been dissolved, but he ignored it. The room was engulfed in a deafening silence. A minute passed, and then the players started to move, exiting the boss room. They were going to resupply back in Tolbana to prepare for their exploration of the newly opened floor.

By the time the last raid member left, only three people were still standing inside the room. Asuna had already gone after thanking Kayaba. As the seconds dragged on, Yuna's and Nautilus's footsteps echoed as they approached Kayaba and stood on either side of him, gazing at the stairs leading to the Second Floor. For a moment, they were quiet. Then Yuna spoke in a whisper.

"Why did he do that?"

Without turning his head, Kayaba gave her a simple answer. "Someone needs to take all the blame. He did."

When they did not speak, Kayaba wordlessly turned and strode back toward the room's entrance just as the feminine voice of a system message made an announcement.

"December 4, 2022, 1:33pm. The First Floor has been cleared."

I'm sorry if this is a rehash, yet heavily tweaked version of the fight with Illfang. Considering the setting and the plot, I really have to go through this battle before I can progress. You might have already noticed a few setups that will be relevant in the future, especially Diavel surviving, so hopefully this part is not as boring as I thought it might be. Rest assured, though, the next chapter will start diverging from canon.

Anyway, please Read & Review! Until next time!