The next few days passed without anything particularly noteworthy happening, mostly just various miscellaneous quests and some grinding. Or the otherwise preferred activities they liked to do when they weren't needed together or had free time.
Such activities varied from doing even more farming and grinding, to lightly pestering Harry to make them more food, and even to watching the other players go back and forth from place to place and live their own lives. Everyone had things they liked to do when they weren't acting together as the group they had somewhat unintentionally formed.
A butte near the outskirts of Urbus
Sinon was on her way back to report back to a npc that she had acquired the materials they had asked for; when she noticed what appeared to be someone on top of one of the rock formations outside of town, she couldn't tell who it was though due to the distance and the cloak they appeared to be wearing. Now normally she wasn't one to go following around people she wasn't able to identify for obvious reasons, but she was rather curious what someone would be doing up there.
Was it a good idea to see what they were up to? Probably not, but sometimes in life you need to take risks and make less than perfectly safe decisions. So she decided to go up to the top of the rock herself.
She ended up being more surprised then she perhaps should have been, when the mystery individual turned out to be Asuna, who was seemingly relaxing on the ground of the butte with the hood of her cloak down. Allowing her to see the eyebrow she had raised in response to Sinon's approach.
"Good morning Sinon, might I ask why you followed me up here?"
"Well, I saw someone was up here, and I was curious who it was that would just be chilling on top of a random rock formation." She said, with her face slightly pinked from embarrassment.
"So, you followed after an individual that at the time you didn't recognize, up to a secluded location away from everyone else? An…interesting choice for sure. And here I thought you weren't one for such incautious actions." The eyebrow had only climbed higher from hearing her answer.
"Hey, normally I am, but sometimes you got to take risks in life. Though I'll admit this might not have been my best decision, but it worked out didn't it? What are you doing up here anyway? If you don't mind me asking of course."
There was a few seconds pause, as if Asuna was debating whether or not to answer before turning back towards Urbus. "I tend to enjoy solitude and getting away from others. It's nothing against them or you, but being around people can be a bit…much at times. The view from up here is also quite pleasant."
Sinon opens her mouth to reply, but before she manages to say anything Asuna says something else, quieter and seemingly to herself. "Though now that I think about it, it is somewhat interesting that you could see me from the ground. I would have thought you wouldn't be able to; perhaps the effect is weaker than I had thought?"
Surprised by the sudden topic shift, it takes Sinon a bit longer to remember what she was going to say. "I more or less know that feeling, back before I met Kirito I didn't really like spending time with anyone. Though they are probably more of an exception than the norm…Anyway, what's this about an effect you mentioned?"
If Asuna was surprised by the question, she didn't outwardly show it. "Oh, you heard that? Well I figure there isn't any harm in telling you. You remember how the cloak I am currently wearing has a few special effects right?" Well, one of them allegedly makes it harder for others to 'perceive my existence and location' through non-magical means. Though seeing as you saw me from the ground, I am now wondering how strong the effect actually is."
Somehow, Asuna managed to imply there were air quotes in that explanation without moving or altering how she said the words.
"Huh. That's an odd sounding ability, it sounds both unusually specific and vague at the same time. Though it kinda sounds like the stealth Skill, which is based on differing levels and also positioning. Maybe it didn't work on me because we are pretty close in level?"
"Potentially? That does make a general amount of sense, but if that is the case then the effect will be less useful then I expected. Though I guess it doesn't really matter in the end, relying on special abilities I get from items to hide from things isn't something I planned on doing. I am fully capable of doing that myself."
There is a bit of a lull in the conversation, as neither side seems to have anything to add, before Asuna remembers something else she thought was odd about her recent piece of apparel.
"While we are on the subject, there is one other property I thought was unusual. Allegedly the cloak is now 'soul-locked' to me, and the description has some…interesting word choices. It is supposedly now permanently in my possession regardless of whatever happens and will "adapt to any changes to me." Do you know what that might mean?"
"Well, games have had stuff that was considered to be soul locked before; it basically just means you can't give it to other people, or sell it or whatever. The soul part isn't meant to be taken literally; though the second part about it adapting to changes is pretty odd, yeah. Maybe it means the item will get better if you level up and get stronger? Sorry I can't really help, there weren't any items like that in the beta, or at least not any that I've seen or heard about." She said after a few moments of contemplation.
"I appreciate your assistance nonetheless, as inconclusive as it may have been. Though that aside, it is approaching the time for the strategy meeting, correct?" She said while getting up from the ground and putting her hood back up. " We wouldn't want to be late after all."
After checking her system clock, Sinon realized she was correct. "Yeah, I'll let the others know to meet us there. Hopefully we can avoid any baseless accusations this time but I'm not going to get my hopes up."
The meeting place.
As it turned out, they were evidently early enough to the strategy meeting that they were able to see several other groups arrive. By the time things were set to be underway, the number of assembled players was larger than for the previous meeting by a noticeable margin.
Presumably the advanced notice contributed to the turnout, or perhaps the renewed faith that things weren't as hopeless as they originally seemed had a hand in it. Potentially even a combination of both, or neither.
Regardless, they certainly appeared to have the numbers to take down the area boss with. Assuming a general level of competence and nobody did anything monumentally stupid, that is.
Such dour thoughts were interrupted by Diabel starting things by once more introducing himself. "Hello everyone, for those of you that don't know, I am Diabel and I am hosting this strategy meeting and subsequent boss attempt because the last one went….mostly well other than a few….unfortunate events. We need to defeat the area boss -allegedly named the Bulbous Bow- in order to get to this floor's labyrinth and make an attempt at the floor boss."
Followed by him clapping his hands together in an attempt to dramatically end his statement.
"So, in order to accomplish that I've come up with a hopefully reasonably simple plan. The boss is a giant bull, and acts as such; it likes to try and charge people and try and gore them on its horns or kick and stomp them to death. So, if we have a few squads of tanks that rotate out when necessary in front of it, maintaining aggro and hopefully preventing it from getting the space necessary to charge. We can then have squads of dps attacking its hopefully more vulnerable sides where it shouldn't be able to attack as easily."
"Though, make sure to avoid getting behind it, because it will more than likely try and kick you, which would be unpleasant. The boss likely also has a few contingencies or surprises it will try and utilize but as long as everyone does their part and avoids doing anything reckless, it hopefully wouldn't be too much trouble and we can then move on to dealing with the rest of the floor. Anyone have any questions or issues with the suggested plan?" Explanation finished, he proceeded to wait and see if anyone else wanted to interject or ask for clarification.
"So, no multiple phase shenanigans or add summons we have to deal with? Just show up, hit it until it dies, without getting killed ourselves?" A player in basic scale mail asked. "Sounds easy to me."
Letting out a small sigh before doing so, Diabel responded. "Yes, the guide booklet for the boss doesn't mention anything like that, but assuming it will be easy due to a lack of those mechanics would be a bad idea. Better to assume that it will be really dangerous then easy after all. Anyone else have anything to add?"
He waited, but after about 45 seconds to a minute of no more responses, he moved on to the next stage of planning. Party formation, role, and positioning. As well as when they actually planned on doing this.
After everything had been established. Near the boss' aggro range.
It was eventually decided the most reasonable time to make the attempt would be shortly after the meeting ended. Nearly everyone had done the logical thing and did all the preparations they deemed necessary before the meeting, outside of a few minor things that wouldn't take long.
Thus about 45 minutes after things had concluded the group had once more assembled, this time out on the open fields of the floor. Just outside the aggro range of the unusually large bovine; and quite the large bovine it was, at 4 meters (roughly 13.1ft) tall with two sets of large sharp looking horns and blackish fur covering its dark skin. It had a rather imposing presence.
"Ok, I honestly shouldn't have to go over the plan again, but just in case, does anybody need a refresher? Or are we good to start?" Diabel said, looking to get things finished in a reasonable time frame.
To the surprise of basically everyone there, one player did raise their hand before sheepishly saying something. "Uh, this isn't actually about the plan but it is something I only thought about on the way over here."
They then pointed at Kirito and Co's group "This has probably been asked before but, how did you people get magical powers? Did you do a secret quest or something?"
Said inquiry prompted a few sighs that they mostly unsuccessfully tried to hide from being asked the now-common question. Before deciding to answer the question, Sinon turned towards Kirito and grumbled "Maybe we should get Argo to circulate the info for us so people stop asking us about it? Like I get that it's cool and all by did nobody look at the promotional stuff from the beta? It was an advertised thing."
Before Kirito -or the others for that matter- could respond she turned back to the curious player. "Basically yes, they did a special quest and one of the rewards was the ability to use fire magic. To preempt any further questions, no you can't also do it since it was apparently a limited thing, and there will undoubtedly be more opportunities to get magic later. Though I can't say when those opportunities will become available."
"...Sorry for sounding rather snappish but people have asked us that a lot lately so it's been kinda getting on my nerves whenever someone asks." She added a few seconds later upon realizing how she sounded and looked a bit embarrased.
And awkward silence ensued for a few seconds before Diabel decided to take it as a sign to continue. "Ok, i'll just take that as a 'no' then. Everyone knows what you need to do so let us slay a beast."
As soon as they had all properly entered its range, the monstrous bull let out a massive bellow that nearly seemed to shake the ground under their feet while a title overlay appeared above its head Bulbous Bow, the Unrelenting Bovine and 3 health bars appeared to its side.
Once it was finished issuing its momentous challenge, it started to charge at the assembled raid, gaining speed as it went and lowering its quartet of horns. Seeing this, everyone rushed to get out of the way of the opening charge.
Everyone's attempt to avoid impalement was successful, but unfortunately by the time the bull had realized it had missed and stopped, it was quite the distance away. They would be unable to get to it before it started charging again.
This repeated once more before Diabel decided to go with plan B. "Ok this obviously isn't working, tanks get ready and use each other to try and brace yourselves against each other to stop its charge! Everyone else, once it's stopped, try to draw its aggro while the tanks recover but don't do anything self-sacrificing or foolish!"
Upon hearing the order, the group of tanks proceeded to almost in sync look at each other and somehow pass the sentiment that this would be very unpleasant, before forming together into a wall with the largest ones in front two rows deep, while the others tried to brace both themselves and those in front of them best they were able to in an attempt to stop the oncoming wall of anger and digital muscle.
Luckily, their combined efforts prevented them from being scattered like bowling pills but they were all shoved backwards several feet and those in front took a hefty hit to their hp. However, they had succeeded in stopping it so now the fight could begin in earnest.
Half its health later.
After the rough start, the fight had proceeded to go rather smoothly. The boss would occasionally try to gain some distance or gore those attacking its sides, but someone would always interrupt it before it was able to cause problems.
This cycle had continued until it reached half its health, where after its latest failed attempt to charge them. It let out another earth-rattling bellow, crouched down, and then jumped straight up into the air. Everyone took about a second to process that what goes up, must eventually come down.
Kirito, being the first to fully realize this, shouted "Everyone scatter! Get away from here!" while simultaneously running directly away from the boss' presumed landing point.
Some were more quick on the draw then others, but luckily everyone was able to get some distance away before the colossal cow slammed back into the ground with enough force to launch up a massive cloud of dust, dirt, and displaced grass while the resulting shockwave knocked nearly everyone off their feet and sent them tumbling to the ground.
It seemed that despite its earlier showing, it had no intentions of going down easily or quietly.
The boss was seemingly also stunned by the landing because it spent a few seconds getting back up that it could have otherwise used to capitalize on the grounded players.
Afterwards, the fight unsurprisingly became more complicated than previously; in addition to the jump attack it also added a move that was a sort of odd spin attack it did occasionally when it was surrounded (which was most of the time.) As well as one where it somehow managed to rear up on its back legs, before slamming back down and releasing a frontal wind blast that staggered all those hit by it.
Despite these added complications, things were progressing well. It seemed the boss would be felled without anyone dying or getting themselves killed. Eventually they all managed to whittle down its health while avoiding the horns, hooves, and shockwaves until finally the monstrous bow shattered into the by now ubiquitous tealish polygons.
A series of loud cheers and other such energetic exclamations of excitement unsurprisingly erupted shortly afterwards, with most of the members seeming to get swept up in the excitement of a job well done and an important foe slain.
Diabel, however, was not one such individual. In fact, he seemed to be rather apathetic about it. "Well, that's now over and done with. We can move on with both the floor and our days. Hope you all have pleasant ones." He said while sheathing his sword and seemingly already in the process of leaving the raid group.
His abrupt departure seemed to cause the others to stop their modest revery and pause in confusion. One such member turned towards Kirito and co, a question on his lips.
"Well, that was certainly odd. Did he do something like that after the first boss? Why did he go out of his way to set this up, and then immediately leave after we finished?"
The friend group looked at each other a bit awkwardly for a moment, as if wondering who should be the one to try and answer the guy's question. Klein ended up deciding that the silence had lasted a bit too long, and that he may as well do it.
"Not that we noticed, though we did also leave a bit earlier then the others did after the last fight. But that was mostly because they were engaging in a rather…energetic celebration that we didn't feel like being a part of. Maybe it has something to do with that?" Not that he actually knew what the reason was, given his only interactions with the man were these boss fights.
The other man took a second to digest this before shrugging "Well, I guess it doesn't really matter much, odd though it may be. Guessing you guys will be leaving as well then?"
"Yeah, cya later."
The group started leaving soon afterwards, though before they were out of earshot the raid group heard one of them mention that the boss had dropped some high quality meat ingredients. Followed almost immediately by someone else asking why they were seemingly obsessed with beef.
A/N Probably not my best chapter but eh it is what it is. This was actually going to be released earlier but my beta both was and at the time of writing this, unavailable. Then I decided to add more words to it, which took some time to write. Also, I am currently writing this note while my power is out, which has seemingly caused the proofreading function of my word processor app to stop working so any errors in the later third of this chapter you could likely blame on that.
Anyway I really should get around to writing more of this, only finishing two chapters in about 10 months is rather unproductive, but I really only write when I have the motivation to do so, which as you can presumably tell, can be rather sporadic.