Kirito, Yuuki and Aiko entered the town of Tolbana for the boss meeting and to see some old friends. Kirito received a message from Klien asking for a meeting so they were heading off to one of the restaurants to have lunch with their old friend. On the way there a man with blue hair, blue armor, and with a shield and sword slung over his back ran up to Kirito.
"Hey, Kirito, it's been awhile. You look pretty much the same as I remember." said the man with a huge smile
"Ahh, ya, sorry who are you?" asked Kirito while looking slightly confused.
'It's me Diavel." replied the man now known as Diavel
A huge grin spread across Kirito's face as he learned that one of his two friends from the beta was still alive.
"So, Kirito, finally formed a party I see. I guess maybe those rumors of a black clad swordsmen training people the first few days of the game were true. I always thought you would solo everything."
"Ya ya. Laugh it up. I'm not solo anymore and Argo doesn't know everything what is the world coming to." said Kirito with a sigh. Suddenly they heard a shout. "Kii-bou!"
"Speak of the devil" said Diavel
Everyone took a step backwards, Diavel because he knew Kirito in the beta and the Konno sisters because after a month of traveling with Kirito they had gotten use to Argo's antics. Kirito for his part was trying to spot his mousy friend in the crowd before he found her though she tackled him to the ground with a huge hug from behind.
"Kii-bou and Dave its great to see you guys." said Argo from atop Kirito.
"Hi Argo it's been too long though I see you still can't remeber our names correctly." said Diavel earning a giggle from Argo while Kirito was trying(And Failing) to get Argo off his chest.
'Can't breath." said Kirito while Yuuki and Aiko looked down at him with a mix of concern, pity, and amusement. Before Argo could get off another person joined the conversation. Klein who on the way to the restaurant saw the Konno sisters and knew that Kirito would not be far from his disciplines.
"Hey guys. Where's Kirito?" said Klein before noticing exactly what Argo was sitting on. A look of admiration crossed Klein's face.
"Kirito you must teach me your art." Said Klein falling to his knees next to the still struggling Kirito while putting his hands together like he was praying, "Not only do you have two beautiful girls following you around wherever you go, but now you have a third one. How do you do it?"
"Not now Klien. Help me. Can't breath." said Kirito still trying to get Argo off him as Diavel, Yuuki, and Aiko sat by and watched laughing at Klein and Argo's antics while exchanging small talk and introducing themselves to each other.
Before Klein could make any move to help a familiar rapier user decided to make an appearance. "Are you ok?" she asked Kirito.
"No." said Kirito who by this point had given up and was just trying to ignore the stares he was attracting from the crowd. Of course at this point Klein was curled in the fetal position complaining about how life was unfair.
"Are you trying to get a harem?" purred Argo breaking away from her conversation with Diavel for a second.
"No" screamed Kirito not noticing how girls faces got a little redder or how Klein grew just a little more depressed.
After finally getting Argo off him the whole group went to lunch where they meet the rest of Klein's group.
"Hey boss where have you been and why do you look so depressed?" one of them asked as the group arrived.
"It's nothing." Klein sighed
The group spent the next hour eating and catching up. The Rapier user introduced herself as Asuna and join Kirito's party with Yuuki and Aiko. She seems less depressed than when we first met. Maybe Yuuki and Aiko can help her. Thought Kirito noticing how Yuuki seemed to be getting along perfectly with Asuna.
"It's great that you guys plan on helping clear the boss." said Kirito to Klein's group
"Thanks to the training you gave us we were able to get strong enough to help. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of those you helped train the first few days made it." Klein
The advice was top notch." said Dynamm, one of Klein's friends.
"One last thing before you go Kirito." said Diavel in a serious tone that sent shivers down a few spines. "There is resentment growing towards the beta players."
This confused Kirito immensely. "Why?"
Diavel just sighed before continuing "they want someone to blame who they can see and touch. With Kayaba gone they turned their sights to the ex-beta testers and blamed them for the deaths of those who died."
"It's true Kirito." Said Argo using a serious tone and his full name showing just how important this was. "I advise you to not tell people you were in the beta."
"Ok." said Kirito with a nod. Klein stood up and wrapped his arm around Kirito's neck.
"No matter what we have your back man. We a least owe you that much."
"Thanks Klein." said Kirito giving him a heart felt smile.
Then Klein instantly lightened the mood by shaking Kirito back and forth.
" Now some advice for picking up ladies would be nice." said Klein while looking like he was about to cry.
"It was fun Kirito and as the boss said thanks for everything." said Dale, another of Klein's group, as he dragged Klein away.
After they had left Diavel stood up "It was good seeing you again and I hope your at the meeting in an hour but I have to find my group." and with that Diavel left and Argo snuck off when no one was looking. It was about then that Kirito noticed they had left him with the bill.
Oh I will get them for this. Thought Kirito forking up the col and imagining his Wallet crying as he did so.
The Boss meeting was held in an old amphitheater. It was going pretty well though that can mostly be attested to Diavels amazing leadership abilities. He started out with a joke that didn't make much sense to Kirito but seemed to help lighten the mood. He had to hand it Diavel he sure knew how to get a crowd riled up. Things suddenly took a turn for the worst when a middle-aged man with spiky brown hair jumped into the amphitheater and hijacked the conversation.
"My name is Kibaou and some of you here need to apologise to those who have died!" the man shouted pointing accusingly at the crowd.
"Are talking about the beta testers?" Asked Diavel
"Of course. When things got tough they left us and took all the good hunting spots and easy quests."
This can not end well thought Kirito
"We should make them get down on their hands and knees beg for forgiveness and hand over their equipment and col. How can we trust them if they won't trust us." said Kibaou
The crowd was in disbelief. "Can I speak?" said a large bald man with dark skin. He was at least six feet tall and built like a bear with a huge double sided axe slung on his back even Kibaou was intimidated.
'Hi, my name is Agil, and if I understand you correctly you blame the beta testers for the everyone's deaths?"
"Umm. Ya that's right." said Kibaou clearly intimidated by the massive figure in front of him.
Agil went through his inventory before pulling out a small brown book with a rat face on the cover.
"Everyone has one of these right? Asked Agil earning nods from the crowd.
"Good because this was put together by the beta testers and is sold free at every store."
A collective gasp came from the crowd except for Kirito who already knew all that except the fat that it was free. Argo charged me 100 col for that book! That just one more thing to the list of things to get back at her for. Thought Kirito as Agil continued.
"Everyone had access to the info but some still died. We should learn and move on not blame each other." he said sitting down.
"They still should have helped us noobies instead of running off even with the info they probably still hide the best stuff from us." said Kibaou trying to regain a foothold but he was given no ground as Klein stood up to speak.
"First day my friends and I were trained by a beta tester. So were many others."
Several other stood up to support him.
"Ya I was saved by a beta tester. His training was invaluable"
"That training helped keep me and my party alive."
"I never thought we could win but he gave me hope that I will see my kids again"
Seeing holes shoot through his argument left and right Kibaou made a tactical retreat and sat down so Diavel could continue the meeting. He still might be trouble thought Kirito as the boss meeting carried on.
The next day Kirito and friends walked toward the back of the group on the way to the dudgeon. Being one of the strongest even with their relative small size Diavel asked them to play rear guard and to keep the bosses guards occupied. Kirito chatted with Klein as the girls brought up Asuna on how a party works and what switching was. They eventually reached the boss room. Diavel gave a little speech and they opened the door. The boss Illfang the Kobold lord stood up from his throne and grabbed his axe and buckler before giving a mighty roar and summing up six Ruin kobold Sentinels, three on each side before charging at the players.
"Squads A and C flank him. Squad B pull aggro. Squad G take out those sentinels while the rest while the rest of you wait your rotation." shouted Diavel over the sound of battle.
"Right!" shouted Kirito. Him and Asuna would take the left side while the Konno sisters would take the right. At first the other teams were skeptical that four people could hold off all the guards, but were amazed at what they saw. Yuuki and Aiko were above average level and skill by quite a bit and moved with grace as the easily carved through the sentinels on their side. While Kirito was would easily overpower the sentinel so that Asuna could go for a kill shot at the neck or other vital point doing massive damage. Her accuracy is amazing thought Kirito finishing off the last Kobold with a single slash that cut through the Kobolds armor as if it wasn't there. After another couple of minutes of fighting Illfang lost his third health bar and then dropped his axe and buckler.
"Looks like the book was actually right." shouted Kibaou
"I got this!" shouted Diavel charging forward
Then Kirito noticed something strange about the weapon. He use to wield a Talwar, but that sword looks bigger. The realization hit Kirito suddenly.
"No Diavel get back. It's no good don't attack!" shouted Kirito
Diavel look over hearing his name called and seeing Kirito with a look a fear plastered on his face. Diavel jumped back and called the tank squad on rotation. "Squad F shields up." They raised them just in time as Illfang shout forward and used the new weapon to use an AOE attack that launched the tank unit backwards and left most of them at half health. Illfang wasn't done though as he jumped into the air aiming for Diavel with a downward slash only to be interrupted by Kirito. The Assault team was in shambles as they just watched a single attack almost destroy a whole team and kill their leader.
"Yuuki. Aiko. Attack his legs" shouted Kirito while giving Diavel a health potion.
"If your going I am coming with you." Said Asuna running up to him. Kirito nodded as he charged with Asuna following close behind. The assault team looked on amazed as Yuuki and Aiko dodged attacks with an unbelievable speed while doing damage and slowing Illfang down as they tore apart his legs. Kirito was able to deflect Illfangs heavy attacks with almost no effort allowing Asuna to hit Illfangs weak points. Suddenly Illfang turned a deep red color and seemd to go berserk. This time when Kirito went to parry the blow the force drove him to the ground.
"Kirito" shouted several individuals as his health slowly depleted as he struggled under the weight.
"We can't let a few kids show us up." shouted Agil rallying the rest of the assault team to attack Illfang. Asuna handed Kirito a health potion before he rejoined the combat. The tanks could barely stand a single hit from Illfang before having to retreat while their health was dangerously close to zero.
"Yuuki. Aiko. With me" shouted Kirito as he charged.
Kirito defected Illfang's sword using Uppercut this time instead of doing it without a skill. Yuuki and Aiko took this opening to leap up and deliver punishing sword skills to his face. With just a sliver of health left Illfang did another AOE sword skill throwing all the attacks back just like before. Then he jumped up to the ceiling before ricocheting between pillars look some kind of evil red pinball. He suddenly came flying at Yuuki who was still stunned from the heavy AOE attack from earlier. Kirito launched himself forwards using Vertical Arc to cut apart Illfang and killing him before he could reach his friend.
Kirito sat there on the floor as the room broke out in cheers as the congratulations sign appeared showing that they had won. Yuuki and Aiko ran over to him and tackle hugged him. Thanking him while he just patted Yuuki's head chuckling softly. "Agil and Klein came over to him.
"Good job buddy." said Klein
"Our victory was because of you." said Agil with a smile
"No we…" said Kirito but before he could continue a familiar voice shouted above the crowd.
"Why didn't you tell us about the weapon change! Diavel and many other could have died." shouted Kibaou.
"I know! He was a beta tester." said another
"See they were withholding info from us. Look at his sword." said yet another
The crowd noticed his sword as it glowed with a purple light.
"I bet there's more betas here. Show your selves." said Kibaou to the crowd
Suddenly the cheer was gone. People were looking back and forth worriedly. Not good this could destroy the unity we have right now. Maybe if they had a single target for their hate. That's it. But before Kirito could put his plan in motion another voice spoke up.
"Your right Kibaou." It was Diavel, " I am a beta tester." he said reaching Kirito and turning to speak to the crowd.
"What?" said Kibaou stunned with the turn of events.
"Lots of stuff as changed from the beta." said Diavel, "it's my fought for not taking that into account when planning this fight."
"How many did Kirito save today from Illfangs attacks." said Asuna glaring at Kibaou
"Ya and he even got the final hit on the boss and killed it." said Aiko
"Exactly if he had warned us we might have gotten it but he wanted the last hit bonus. He's a greedy beta tester and just look at his fancy sword" said Kibaou trying to capitalize on Aiko's comment and regain some support.
"Good job children now are we done pointing fingers or if you don't remember Kirito warned Diavel and in so doing saved his life" said Agil
"He did and if anyone is greedy it was me for trying to get the final hit." said Diavel
The crowd didn't look so sure but Kibaou noticed he was losing and then Klein spoke up.
"Kirito was the beta tester that trained people the first day."
Noticing what was happening Kirito decide to stand up and take an active role. He gently pushed Yuuki off of him.
'This is not a time to separate! We must give the hopeless hope and continue the push to the one hundredth floor. The Ruby King and Kayaba wait for us. All those who wish to help I will train you best I can if you will help me clear Aincrad." said Kirito
The crowd seemed hesitant though to follow him.
"Me and my friends have you back Kirito " said Klein earning nods from his friends behind him
"You saved my life Kirito and you're a good friend. You have my support." said Diavel
"I will follow you too." said Agil
"We will of course come to sensei" said Aiko
"ya you can count on us." said Yuuki
"You have given me hope Kirito and I will fight by your side." said Asuna earning her a smile from Kirito.
One by one nearly two-third of the assault team promised to join with Kirito.
Kibaou realizing he had lost took his supporters and made to leave. "You will regret putting your faith in a beta tester!" and with that he was off. The rest followed Kirito up the stairs and to the second floor.
"Hey Yuuki" said Kirito "I have a present for you."
He handed a black cloak to Yuuki.
"Is this the last attack bonus? Cloak of Midnight. Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am Yuuki. I hope it serves you well. Said Kirito leaving out the fact that his black cloak was way better in terms of stats as he didn't want to lose his new found allies by proving at least some of what Kibaou said right.
Thanks again for all the support and I noticed Orca3553 made a good point that Kirito should probably be higher lvl so I changed his level in earlier chapters.
As always follow, favorite and review if your into that stuff. Or don't but at least enjoy the story. As a heads up I leave for collage in about a week so I have no idea what that will do for my ability to put out updates so i will try and get as much as I can out before I leave then when I get settled in see if I can pick the story back up but I don't plan on abandoning it just thought I should let you guys know. Bye.