Sword Art Online: White Rose

Volume One

Chapter Two: First Floor Boss

Illfang, Kobold Lord – that was the name of the first floor boss that we just so happened to accidently intentionally stumble upon. I drew my Scythe, a weapon deemed overcomplicated and cliché to utilize, but on the bright side it was custom crafted by one of the best smiths in the game, an outgoing individual by the username of Wrektet written in English Characters, like every most a name in this world. The Scythe's name was Rosethorne, a weapon that was thematically based on a white rose and looked absolutely glorious, as a matter of fact: it was what inspired me to create the White Rose guild and wear this spiffy all-white-ensemble that just so happened to use a bright and legendary class dye; so the bound item drop worth 162,000col with unlimited uses said in the description.

The stats of the Scythe indicated a whopping base damage of 290-490, and it's attacks per second were a meager 0.89, but that's where all the good stuff ends, it's Sword Skills in the polearm category were excessively low damage but had massive three-minute 92 hit combos difficult to master after being unlocked at Scythe Skill Level 284/1000, like the skill known simply as: [First-Harvest]. This was useful against multiple targets just as well as single targets and the damage scaled by +3 damage with each consecutive strike; with a three-second max time before reset on the combo. Of course, nobody really used the Scythe because of its complexity, and how difficult the weapon was to use. It all depended on how you swung the weapon but it's Sword Art charge time was the fastest and most low damage. As a matter of fact, the weapon had little room for error in a life and death situation, which was every encounter with a monster, the weapon had multiple attack points as well, the spear-head on the top, the bottom of the hilt, the hooked curvaceous blade, and the handle itself, as well as the back end of the blade which locks into flesh until it is twisted in a certain way, causing a slight stun effected, and a flash of obvious pain.

"GAROST!" Haku screamed at the top of her lungs, and I watched the massive weapon come crashing down, only to be stopped as I took a step to the side, charged a sword skill and directly parried the giant Kobold King's weapon with the knock back that went sliding to the ground to my right, forcing the boss to use his buckler in an attempt to shield bash, but I parried that as well with high knockback Scythe Skills and then jumped backwards.

My health dropped to 79%

Haku instantly switched with me and her purple mace violently slammed into the Kobold Lord's abdomen with enough force to send it staggering back a step, at which point I lunged with my sword skill fully charged – knocking it back again, and jumping backwards in unison with Haku, we had done very little damage and there was no opportunity to do so, as a pair of Kobold Sentinels came charging towards us with their shields and swords drawn. One managed to land a slash on me but I bashed it backwards with a slap across the face with the Scythe handle.

71%

I waited, then slammed the blade directly into the right side of the nearest Kobold Sentinel and Haku slammed her mace into the other Sentinel, hers was knocked back, but the one I hit wasn't and yet taken down to half health, it let out a screech, slammed my blade to the side with its shield. The blade was ripped out of it's flesh, dealing an additional amount of damage. Then it jumped back and retreated to safety – but I wasn't done, I twirled with the momentum it gave me and used the back spike of my Scythe's blade to hook into Haku's sentinel, then twisted the blade and my body. I systematically proceeded to charge the next sword skill and made one final slice on the last sentinel which also exploded violently.

Without giving me any time to react; the boss charged, its first health bar was a quarter empty.

The shield came first, in a right to left side-swipe. The charged sword skill of its 'short sword' came next the shield made contact, dealing less damage then the sword I parried.

My health dropped dangerously low to 46%

Of course, Haku was there in an instant, watching my every move then assuming direct control of the opportunity and situation – she slammed her mace into the Kobold lord three times with high damage sword skills and a single taunt and ultimately drew aggro onto herself as the tank.

Knowing the system and the time, she side-stepped allowing me the opportunity to get back into the fight and launch several attacks in mere moments.

Left, right, knockback, left, right, left, left, right, right, knockback, left, right, right, left, right, left, knockback, left, right, right, left, right, left… I lost track.

Each blade hit with shockwaves and resounding booms – the damage continuously increased until I got to my last swordskill and looked to the boss with a single health bar remaining – and four sentinels spawned out of nowhere landing a couple of hits; then were immediately dispatched by the [First-Harvest] damage additions.

Only three hits remaining in the 92 attack combo then it resets.

I glanced at my own healthbar, 12% remaining after taking so many hits head-on from the boss, I remained calm, unsure if I should be concerned or not.

Finally, the boss switched it's weapon to a Nodachi, unclear what significance that bore – but I raise my scythe into a combat stance and nodded at Haku.

She returned the gesture and had already been charging into the fray with her shield and mace raised, she stopped a few feet before the boss and I was right behind her in an instant.

I slammed the scythe blade against his Sword and my health dropped to 6%.

"Garost! Get back!" She screamed, her concern was obvious – but then a fist came flying in our direction – she blocked it with a direct mace slam but violently flew backwards and the hit went through her – straight for me, I rose my Scythe and finished my combo – but the last hits weren't enough. The boss's resistances must've increased with the new weapon – his fist made contact with my face and I dared not to look at my health bar, I simply went flying into the nearest wall and slumped to the ground – defeated. My calculations weren't enough obviously… "Damn…" I muttered under my breath as the Kobold Lord rose it's blade and-

"Haaaaaaaaaaa!"

-What the hell?

A boy around my age came charging from the darkness that was my peripheral, landing the last hit on the boss's remaining 2% health… I could swear I saw a flash of violet somewhere… his eyes - they were like amethysts and they were easily seen as being lit up with excitement as well as anger, with something in them that went beyond that.

"Dick…" I muttered under my breath and then glanced upwards at my health bar, and my virtual heart skipped a beat… it was empty… there was nothing there.

Then I checked the number, and let out a deep sigh of relief.

3/3910 health remained.

Haku was by my side in an instant and I could see the horror and sheer terror on her face and in her eyes, she froze – unsure of what to do and obviously afraid to touch me.

A purple message appeared by the boy and he immediately turned his attention to us after pressing a button to acknowledge his glorious reward.

"I don't know what to do, what do I do!?" Haku freaked.

I glanced at her, to see what the issue was.

Tears were streaming down from her face.

"What, am I missing an arm?" I asked, out of all the reassurances I could give her the following was the best in my opinion, "It's just a flesh wound, I'll walk it off."

I pointed at the boy with a nod of my head, and Haku took the message – getting to her feet, facing the boy and letting out an almost inaudible growl from the back of her throat – don't you dare touch him… was what I read in the body language and the growl.

Possessive.

Even with the strength I did not have, I slowly rose to my feet and waited as he came to a stop in front of me, "Nice hit." I grunted and walked past him in an ungrateful fashion, but then came to a stop as I went to pass him. "Don't expect me to say thank you for saving my life or anything…" I muttered and then continued up the steps.

"Wait… your name?"

"It's only polite that the one wanting to know something shares relative information of his own." Was my reply, and I received no answer for some time – hesitation, distrust… well placed.

"S-saito." His voice sounded strained, like it took everything he had just to give that up.

"Saito?" I asked, and slowly turned my head to face him – something familiar about the face… can't remember…

In response to this familiarity I opened my friends list, sent a request to his name and then walked up the steps – only to have the request denied – with a smirk I walked with Haku to the second floor, who remained quiet. "We'll get the portal to the second floor's main town – let everyone know the first floor boss has been defeated – by you no less… feel free to take all the credit." I offered a wave to Saito before disappearing from sight… hell, I didn't even know if he was still there.

"You think we'll find skeletons this time?" I asked Haku once we got up top.

"How can that be your only concern?!" She demanded, "You nearly died!"

"Well sorry, but let's not forget; it was your idea." I glanced at her and there may have been some blame in my words.

She grimaced and the guilt on her face was obvious.

"Don't worry about it, it's best to learn from experience anyway."

"Do you even hear how unenthusiastically you say enthusiastic things all the time?" She asked me, her voice was quiet – almost afraid. "It makes you sound like you're being sarcastic."

"Shhh…" I raised a hand for her to shut up and continued to walk.

"…how cold, master."

I shivered, then cringed, then my eye twitched and I hated every second of her behavior.