DISCLAIMER: I do not own SAO nor Persona 3. All rights go to their respective creators.
"Um, excuse me."
He turned around to spot a flaxen-haired young man striding up to him, carrying both a determined demeanor and a one-handed blade. Curious as to what a stranger would want of him, he moved closer to the lad and queried of what he sought from him.
"I've been told you were part of the raid. I've recently just gotten to town, and I wanted to join the [Clearers] in fighting the guardian to the next floor."
Surprise came quickly and left him as fast after having heard the blond speak. He inferred that word may have begun spreading fast about the incoming boss fight, and that some of those belonging in the raid may have been sending messages to some acquaintances in towns further back. It shouldn't be such a surprise, though, he thought. It was an MMORPG, after all, and just like how it is with the internet and society, rumors and news can spread like wildfire in a large forest, quickly growing larger than anyone can foresee.
"More members are always welcome, however, I do believe I am not the person you should be asking about joining. Our raid leader should be around town, so why not ask him?"
"Ah, you speak of Diavel? I've already talked to him, but he referred me to you, instead. He said your party lacks number, so I thought I could be of help."
Though he knew that he and Asuna were enough for clean-up duty for the boss's minions, it could never hurt to have another helping hand in fighting. Not everyone in town joined the meeting for the raid, and he was sure the fear of death passed by the eyes of some who had heard of raiding the boss dungeon in order to reach the next floor. Only those who had mustered enough courage to actually do something about the situation in SAO had begun their very first steps to climbing the palace built by Kayaba, and those among the [Clearers], he was quite sure, had eyes that would wish to stare death in the face until their breath reaches their last.
The player in front had a glint in his jungle green eyes that reminded him of the same resolve he had seen in Asuna, and if this lad had enough spirit and will to overcome the death game, he may deserve a place among those wishing to end SAO.
". . . Is your level adequate for this?"
The lad nodded. "I've asked what the level cap was for the fight, and it seems I'm four levels ahead of what was necessary."
He nodded in return, sure that the requirement was more than met. He decided for a singular test to see if the flaxen-haired teen was adept enough for combat. SAO may make use of its system to assist players in launching attacks and skills, but in the end, the system still relied on the brain of the player to make the needed calculated decisions in order to execute moves that would allow one to survive. Reflexes, reaction time, analysis—all these were factors that hampered player activity during combat within SAO.
A short spar with this player couldn't hurt, if it's just for a bit.
"Then, please follow me."
His company's face lost whatever tension it held during that moment, and brightened up as he answered the bluenette with a strong "Yes!"
Barely having taken three steps to his intended destination, he then recalled to ask the lad for his name. After all, it would be a little more comfortable to at least know one another by name, in his opinion.
Having asked the flaxen-haired young man for his name, he took note of it and passed the words silently from his lips as he begun the walk towards a clearing out of town.
"Eugeo."
Combat-adept was what he'd describe Eugeo.
He applauded his spar-partner's calm in battle, choosing to first take hits and analyze Minato's tactics in battle before beginning his assault. Eugeo's reflexes were also something special, in his opinion, since the lad had quick wits about him that allowed him to effectively dodge some close calls with the bluenette's swordplay.
Twelve minutes into their short bout, both of them were still way above half of their health points. Glowing red lines indicated the cuts they had inflicted on one another, and each had only about five or six along areas in their upper extremities. The fact that Eugeo was able to keep up with him bode quite well for their performance in the upcoming raid, and getting their hands on all the help they could get to defeat whatever lurked behind the gates of the boss dungeon's heart was essential even at this point.
Of course, overall personal performance was something altogether different in SAO. Since movements were coordinated in the system to perform attacks and numbers determined your efficiency in a battle, players in the game could literally just tank through the game through sheer and dedicated leveling, in the simplest sense of an MMO.
However, the knowledge that the system was backing you up was not insurance that meant long-term survivability in combat—it just meant that execution of moves were much easier and did not have the need for the person to have had prior combat knowledge in real life. Those who did not know how to swing swords would learn how to through the assist in the game's mechanics, and that was all there was to it.
SAO was a game that showed the capacity of machines to actually emulate the senses through a complex computer system running on a machine that looked like it was pulled out of a sci-fi novel. He and his mentor knew better than anyone else that the brain was the key element here in the game—it was, after all, the sort of hub the Nerve Gear used in order to create the "illusion" that was Aincrad. And by incorporating as much of the data about the player through their nervous system, the game was actually a product of both the machine and the brain—among the data used included a person's reaction time, sharpness of reflexes, sight, and hearing, acuteness of taste and smell, and stamina, which were factors the system considered scrutinizingly for each individual within the game.
Through the observations made during the beta test, the simplest way he had understood Kayaba's explanation back then about the mind working in cahoots with the Gear was that the player's thoughts, emotions, and other brain activity all contributed to the game as much as the senses did. He also made mention that sooner or later, maybe even human will might affect the game in some way thought impossible by his other development peers.
". . . Cancel the match. I have seen enough."
Nodding to him, Eugeo swiped in the air to open his menu and stopped the battle, as did the bluenette. He then proceeded to approach the blonde, to which the latter responded with a gulp and a sudden stiffened posture and expression.
"S-so, how I'd do?"
He answered the boy by offering out his hand and giving a crooked curving of his lips that barely could have passed as a grin. After taking a second to assess the gesture, Eugeo let out a breath and shook the bluenette's hand, returning a smile as well.
"Glad to have you on board. I'm confident my partner would have no objections to having another member in the party."
"Thank you. I'm glad I can help, sitting aside when there's a lot to do just isn't me—and sitting aside when this game won't finish itself definitely isn't me."
After having officially added Eugeo into their party of two, a beep came along with a message from Asuna. Seeing that it was only an inquiry to his current whereabout, he sent back his answer swiftly and noted that he would back at the inn come afternoon. The raid was nearing, and gathering items and leveling up some more was not a bad thing to do given their situation.
He motioned to Eugeo to follow him back to town, when they had spotted a lone figure farming out on the nearby mob of [Rabid Boars]. The player looked about middle age, and his muscular build and bald head was no brainer to Minato as to who the man was.
He had noticed them, and after checking the loot he had obtained from the beasts he then made his way a bit up the grassy slope they stood on. Eugeo was just as curious as he was while the man approached them as to his intent. Idle chat before the raid was his guess, after all he was sure that the man meant well, what with him stopping Kibaou's rambunctiousness from getting out of hand the other day.
The player of name Egil regarded him as he neared them. "You're in the party with that cloaked player, right? Handling the lesser kobolds, if I'm not mistaken?"
He nodded in response to the question. The burly man gave him a short "good luck" before turning to his blond companion and giving him a once over. "I didn't see you during the meeting. Could it be you just got to town?"
"Yes, I have. I have joined the party of . . . um, sorry, I forgot to ask your name." Eugeo looked at him sheepishly, and he too remembered not having introduced himself earlier. He pointed diagonally up with his right hand, and once Eugeo got what he meant the blonde looked up to see the displayed health bar underneath his, bearing the bluenette's name.
"Ah, Minato. Minato's party. My name is Eugeo, by the way. Yours?"
"Egil. So, it's Minato and Eugeo. I'll be sure to remember. I see you have quite the early weapon with you." Minato wondered what Egil had meant, and so looked to see the sword Eugeo was wielding.
"Oh, you know the [Anneal Blade]?"
"Yeah. Read all about it in the info book. Obtainable a few towns back from a quest, if I'm correct. Though the difference between its damage with the starting weapons was small, its utility lies with its capability to be enhanced more times than the default blades—hence its name 'Anneal', synonymous with 'toughen' or 'temper'. Well, preferably the latter, as it is a word closer to swords. It's technically good for a number of floors, at the very least."
There was a light to Egil's eyes as he spoke on about weapons and armor. The subject seemed to be of great interest for the player, Minato surmised, or maybe even entirely just on the note on being informed greatly about a number of things in the game. Information in-game was just as important as the blades you could purchase in SAO, especially when it concerned events or rewarding quests. Hence, there were a great deal of information brokers available in the game, preferring to instead make a 'living' by selling or trading valuable information to other players seeking it.
Perhaps, just on the topic on hand, he should make an inquiry, he thought.
"Sure, let me see your sword for a moment." He raised his blade in front of him, which the burly man looked at for a few good seconds with scrunched brows. "This is the default weapon. You haven't upgraded yet? You might encounter some trouble with the lesser monsters in the dungeon, even with high enough levels. Your weapon's stats can really hamper down your damage."
"I see." He frowned as he realized the backlash of his own thriftiness. Thinking that the digits between the damage of his default weapon and the current town's sold sword was quite small, he decided to instead save his col for a few supplements and healing materials, and the rest as capital for raising more funds. And now, his combat efficiency tomorrow will have to suffer some degree of difficulty, and could put some in potential danger.
The image of Asuna getting hurt because of that—
No. He pushed the image far back into his mind, deciding to find some solution to the potential trouble at hand. And just then, Eugeo speaking up and distracting him from his musings was more than welcome to him.
"You know, Minato, now that I think about it, there were some rumors spreading a town back that there was an available quest around here with a weapon for a reward. Though I'm not sure if it's true or not."
"Oh, you've heard those rumors too?" Surprise came from both bluenette and blond after Egil's statement. The player noticed the pair's reaction and followed up to answer their curious looks.
"There's an info broker in town, and she's become a sort of acquaintance. I'm sure she can cough up a few answers for us. That is, for a price though."
Minato palmed himself.
Of course. He couldn't believe he had forgotten one of the beta testers he knew from town whose ears were comparable to magnets, if information was ever a metal. After a quick check of how much cash he had left, he had asked Egil if he could take them to her, to which the burly man nodded with half a grin and an encouraging look.
As they headed back to the town area, the sound of breaking glass and the flashing of the Star and the Temperance Arcana was something his psyche did not expect for this one day.
". . . It's called the [Nihil Quest]. It's a subjugation quest, so the monster slain drops the item you want. It's initiation with an NPC is located in the forest area northeast from town, but the quest itself doesn't start until midnight."
The cat-like Argo spoke to them in a hushed tone as they sat by the counter of the diner in the inn's building. It didn't take much time for Egil to spot the female once they were in town, and as soon as they had found her Minato had quickly posed the query concerning the quest.
"That's strange." Eugeo and Minato both turned to Egil's direction, wondering about his comment. "You say it's a subjugation kind of quest, but there aren't any monsters there, as far as the information book is concerned."
Argo replied after a sip from her drink. "If there's none, then maybe initiating the quest actually spawns the mobs or just the one you'll be hunting there. That's just a theory, though. I'm not really privy to the important matters concerning that quest, but I've heard a party had taken that quest some few days ago and came back totally out of their wits, talking about water turning to blood and everything becoming green as soon as they entered the forest area—"
The player was interrupted from her harangue when the sound of shattering glass becoming shards of pixels came from one of them—Minato to be exact. An incredulous look painted his face as he paled, his eyes boring into the information broker seated on the opposite end of the counter. The bluenette got off his seat and briskly walked to Argo, intent on discovering if what he heard was just a mere coincidence or something entirely different.
"What . . . do you mean by that?"
"E-exactly as I said. The players in that party went into the forest at exactly midnight, and to their surprise everything had changed in that area. I-I've heard that they talked about nearby ponds and water, even puddles, turning into blood. They even went as far as saying that everything had gone into this sickly shade of green. H-Hey, you're too close . . ." Realizing that he was too close for comfort with the girl, he regained his composure and apologized to the flustered informant.
"Sorry. By chance, do you know the players who went after that quest?"
". . . Dunno about names, but I've been told they've gone back to the earlier towns. The quest must've scared them witless."
"Which means if we want to understand the weird circumstances of this quest, we'll have to take it and see how it goes from there—is what you're saying right?" For some reason, Minato was sure he could've heard a drop of excitement drip down from his blond companion's words. Dismissing it, he gave the informant a 'thank you' before walking towards the exit along with Eugeo and Egil.
"From your reaction back there, I'd pretty much say you're hitting that quest tonight." He glanced at Egil and gave a brief nod, affirming his current take on the situation. But then again, it was no longer about acquiring a new blade or subjugating a monster to add in the bestiary of the info book.
Right now, Minato was sure that the priority that had come before tomorrow's dungeon raid was finding out the circumstances surrounding the [Nihil Quest]. If what Argo has told them rang truth and nothing short of it, then everything he would be risking in this death game had just been doubled in terms of the stakes. Finishing a wager, nurturing newfound bonds, clearing the game—his tasks had been given to him, and he was not about to complain about any of that.
It was just that the situation has changed with one bad rumor concerning the Dark Hour, and one thing was for sure in his mind—there was a jerk-off mentor obliged to a long and detailed explanation for this.
As he began processing thoughts and plans (including a way to excuse himself from Asuna) as to how he should go about this predicament, a hand was laid on both of his shoulders—on his right was Eugeo, and Egil on the other. With how the Arcana inside of him sparkled with glints of curiosity, tension, and a need for action and adventure, he was already sure how he was going to reply to the pair's toothy grins.
"All right, all right. You guys can come with." He smiled as he felt the Arcana tug on his now slightly stronger bonds.
I'm honestly unsure as to how I did with this one.
Frankly, it's really hard getting back into the writing groove I've established, and piled-up schoolwork is not helping. I said I was gonna put this up during the holiday weeks, but I'm afraid time constraints with homework (I still don't get the point of having a holiday break only to be given stuff to do before getting back) and spending time with family coincided with my plans to write.
For some reason, the idea of introducing Eugeo as a living, breathing human character has always crossed my mind. I haven't read much of my SAO light novels lately, but I've been actually wanting for my take on Eugeo to be something of a mix between the light novels and my perception and understanding of his character. Another reason he's here is that I don't want Minato to be dealing with the same, large harem Kirito got because it brings a lot of headache to what I plan to do from here on out—which technically spoils the fact that you'll be seeing other guys deal with some of the girls (Minatoonlygetsalovetrianglelol). But I won't be telling you guys anytime soon whether or not they'll be from the SAO-verse or some other anime/manga I know of.
Tch, I mighta mouthed off more than needed there. Well, at least you guys get a somehow clearer picture (I guess?) of what I might do later on.
Oh, and the Dark Hour being here? We'll get to that later in the coming chapters. The next one's gonna take some time to churn out, since: a) midterm exams are coming! m|m ( OAO ) m|m; b) I'm gonna have to be creative with the fight scenes on the raid AND the quest next chapter, and; c) I have a lot to think about. Hahaha.
!ADDEDNOTE!
I've also put up a forum over the Infinite Stratos area, if you guys are interested in discussing some of the fine lines concerning my other fic (that is, if you are reading it). I seriously need to have some people help me polish my ideas, but a lot of spoiling's gonna happen by then. I don't mind the minor spoiling, but my main concern is that I would like to hear some ideas and have others also aid me in fixing things of which I deem to be overkill and may drastically impact the fic.
Thanks for reading. Hope you like it. Tell me what you think.
~Arsony