Sword Art Online: An Unseen dilemma.
Chapter 2: The First Boss.
December 2nd, 2022
It had been a month since I had found myself trapped in Sword Art Online and what's worse I was given a job by the Game Master Kayaba Akihiko himself.
Help the players clear the game by pushing them to their limits to make them better themselves and kill those that fail to improve or just hunt players inside dungeons or outside safe-zones to encourage the rest to be weary.
It was a simple yet challenging job that weighed heavily on my shoulders when I would have to end my first human life...
But for today and the rest of the year I chose to dress up like a normal player because there was going to be a meeting about the first floor boss in the town of Tolbana on the 1st floor which ironically was the town I currently resided in as I hunted mobs around the area to level up all the way to level 10 and acquire some drops and loot that helped me acquire enough Col to purchase decent clothing, armor, and weapons
My outfit consisted of a plain red dyed no sleeved shirt that showed off my porcelain colored skin (basically a variation of what most SAO players wear at the moment only in different colors.) covering the top of my shirt at my chest area was a thin leather plate that offered some defense. My hands sported black fingerless gloves, while short leather bracers decorated my wrists. I wore black leather pants rather than the skirt other females wore, however I did wear the standard black colored female player shin-length boots because they were more agile (and comfortable) than the males boots. As for my long red hair it was tied in a high ponytail with my bangs resting at the sides of my face. I even had enough funds to purchase a steel sword which was inside its scabbard that rested on the left side of my hip.
Anyway I proceeded to where the meeting area was going to take place. It wasn't anything special just an old style amphitheater filled with players and a male player in the center speaking and as I leaned against one of the pillars at the top I eyed the guy. He had blue hair which was odd then again my hair was colored dark red, he looked pretty handsome with his dark blue eyes, good looking body and face. I almost found myself blushing. Could I do that in a game?
I distracted the feeling by listening to his speech.
"I thank you all for responding to my summons today. My name is Diabel and my job is...in my own mind, I like to think I'm a 'Knight'." He slammed his fist against his chest giving an optimistic smile to the crowd.
"There's no job system in this game!" Shouted one player, earning snickers from the rest.
"A Knight? You've got to be kidding me." Another chuckled.
Though there was a few angry people.
"Is this meeting a joke too?"
"You should take this seriously!"
Diabel only raised both his hands waving them to silence the cloud and when they did quiet down, he gazed back up looking serious with his blue eyes narrowed.
"Today, our party discovered the boss room at the top of the tower." Diabel announced, losing the cheerful tone he had at the beginning. "We need to defeat the boss, reach the second floor, and tell everyone at the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to beat this game!" He raised his hand clenching it into a fist looking over each player, including me with a determined look. "And that is the duty of everyone of us here now! Isn't that right everybody?"
There were a few murmurs as peopled talked it over but in the end thunderous applause and cheers of approval sounded in the amphitheater.
"Okay! Then without further delay, I'd like to get this boss-raid meeting started. First, I want all of you to team up into parties of six."
I silently cursed my luck as players looked to each other, huddling with the people nearest them as they began to invite each other to parties, while Diabel announced the details. I payed his speech no mind as my eyes glanced towards two other players that weren't in a party. One was a boy that was quickly looking around and the other a girl wearing a cloak sitting like a statue.
I placed my hand over my mouth stifling a giggle as the boy spotted the cloaked girl and quickly scooted from his area towards her trying make conversation.
'Might as well join up with them.' I mentally sighed walking down the stone steps towards the pair when the boy pulled up his UI (User Interface) sending an invite to the girl who quietly accepted it.
"Ummm do you two have an extra spot for a third person?" I sheepishly asked scratching the back of my head.
The boy nodded smiling pulling up his UI again. "Of course." He swished through the commands and pressed the button he was looking for and the UI chirped as it activated the command.
Next an information box appeared in front of me reading 'Will you accept this invite?' With a blue circle and a red X appearing underneath, I hit the blue circle and two other health bars materialized below mine with their names.
'Kirito'
'Asuna'
"Nice to meet you-" I didn't get to finish as someone shouted from the top of the amphitheater.
"Hold on a moment!" Then he began jumping down the steps skidding to a halt next to Diabel and jerked a thumb to himself. "My name's Kibaou. There's something I wanna say before we take on the boss. Some of you here need to apologize to the 2,000 players that have died so far!" He accusingly pointed at the crowd and I felt my annoyance with him already grow.
But Diabel being the Knight he claimed to be calmly looked over to Kibaou. "These people you're referring to, do you mean the ex-beta testers, perhaps?"
He met Diabel's eyes. "Of course I do! On the day this stupid game started the beta testers ditched us starters, and they all disappeared! They took all the good spots and easy quests for themselves." Kibaou waved his left hand around, resting the right on his hip gesturing around like a fool. "And since then, they've ditched the rest of us." Afterward he refaced the crowd shaking his fist at the crowd, scowling. "There's got to be some of them here! Guys who were beta testers! We should make them get on their knees and apologize, and have them give up all the money and items they've hoarded! As party members, we can't trust them with our lives, and they can't trust us!"
I heard a of discomfort and saw that Kirito was looking troubled, no doubt from Kibaou's idiotic accusations.
"Can I say something?" Asked a deep voice that caused me to look over towards a massively built African male that stood from his seat, walking towards Kibaou. Kibaou himself stiffened having to look up at the man.
"I'm Agil. Kibaou-san, let me get this straight... You're saying that because the ex-beta testers didn't take care of them, many beginners died. That they should take responsibility, apologize, and provide compensation. Is that right?"
"Ye-yeah."
I snickered when Kibaou stuttered trying to look imposing, failing miserably to do so. Agil then reached inside his back pouch pulling out a small leather book, that I immediately recognized as a version of what I've been reading ever since Kayaba sent it to me. It was the Sword Art Online guide book.
I pulled out mine from my left thigh pouch. However I noticed that my book was a lot thicker then the one everyone else had.
'Mine must have details of everything in this game.' So I quickly stashed it away before anyone else saw my 'special' guide.
Now in my little book revelation I completely missed the rest of the meeting but I did see that Kibaou look flustered and was now sitting down. That's good Agil must've put the bastard in his place but enough of that fool I heard Diabel dismiss everyone and Asuna got up leaving without a word, leaving me and Kirito, only I stood as well.
"Ne Kirito-san I'm going to go farming to buy equipment for tomorrow, I'll be back sometime tonight in the town square." I said waving to him.
"Uh- alright see you then." He replied exiting as well only heading north, deeper into the town as I headed towards the southern town exit.
-oooooooooooooooooooooo-
Eventually in a few hours time I reached a prime area to 'farm'. It was filled with trash mobs as the guide described them since I was a higher level then them it didn't take much effort to kill them. The area was a swampy area filled with mobs that were named Swamp Kobold Trappers, all of which were easy kills for me but they still posed a tiny bit challenge than Frenzy Boars and Wolves.
They were armed only with crude axes, waring only a loincloth, and were about my hight which meant their overall stats were pretty low, but they had decent speed combined with numbers and they could take out players under level 6 fairly easy. So to not attract all of them at once I did a trick that the guide had described as 'luring' or 'tethering', it was apparently something that all RPG players did to pick apart large groups of mobs by taking out bits at a time.
I begun picking up stones laying around that would be perfect for luring a few Swamp Kobold Trappers. Positioning myself at the shallower end of swamp, groaning quietly at the sensation of murky water seeping through my boots wasn't very comfortable. I readied the stones pulling my arm back, chucking them at five mobs. I instantly captured their hate or the other term 'aggro' and they began rushing towards me.
I was ready for them...
When the first two arrive they tried working together swinging their axes to make an X. I charged up a sword skill, enveloping my weapon in a bright red light as it humming moving through the air easily striking both axes. However they didn't use their weapon skills so my blow knocked their weapons apart allowing me to cleave through the right mob's torso leaving it exploding into polygon particles as I turned my body to stab the left one in its upper chest, tearing my sword from its the side doing the necessary amount of damage needed to kill the mob and it joined its comrade in its death animation.
The remaining three Swamp Kobold Trappers hissed in outrage choosing to circle around me, charging as soon as they were in a triangle-like position trying to get me from different angles. Though I wasn't really intimidated by their choice of tactic since the swampy ground drastically decreased their speed along with various obstacles underneath the water tripped the one behind me, leaving the one rushing towards my front and the one running to my right side.
The Kobold facing me reached me first going for an horizontal strike that I ducked underneath causing it to loss its balance. Next I brought my blade back swinging up, severing both of its arms and after doing a quick spin with a broad slash I removed the mob's head from its body leaving a trail of damage particles behind. Then the remaining two finally reached me but they lost the advantage of attacking my blind sides when I leaped towards the one that had originally tried to strike my back. The mob had little time to react, its red eyes staring at my frame in the air when I swung my blade downward splitting its form down the middle, instantly exploding into polygons when I landed on my feet slightly crouched.
The remaining Kobold paused for a moment only to release a loud hiss and continuing its charge waving its axe as it finally charged its weapon activating an orange lighting. I ran forward as well my steel sword pulsing red as we both got closer we swung our respective weapons releasing battle cries as both colors clashed and then the two of us had our backs to each other.
The final Swamp Kobold Trapper exploded in fluttering blue polygons...
I sheathed my blade when the Congradulations! window appeared showing what I had earned.
Exp. 1500
Col. 300
Items. 03
"I'll check those items later." I said to myself as I continued my farming.
-ooooooooooooooo-
It had been a good long while of time into my farming when I looked at the clock near my health bar, turning a sheet colored white when I saw the time...
'20:00PM' or in American time '9:00PM'
"I'm late I'm so late!" I yelled in the swamp making a mad run back to town for the raid group celebration.
-ooooooooooooooooo-
After nearly an hour of constant running I finally arrived back in Tolbana, with sweat and dry mud all over my body making me look like I had tried to take on the boss alone. My hair was even a mess when the hair-tie that kept it in a ponytail got snagged on a little branch and instantly lost its durability, leaving me with a messy wet red hair. After I finally caught my breath I took a look around the plaza where the party was talking place only to see it empty with a few players saying their goodbyes to each other for the night.
I placed my gloved hand against my forehead wiping my brow of sweat sighing loudly. "Damn it I guess I was too slow..."
"Hey Yari over here!" Someone shouted behind me and I turned to see Kirito trying to flag me down waving his hand up in the air, Asuna was there too and just as still as ever. Still I sighed again, this time in relief knowing that at least my two party members were kind enough to wait for me so I quietly jogged over to them offering a tired but sincere smile.
"I'm sorry for being so late I kind of got caught up in my farming..."
"I know what you mean it happens sometimes Yari-san but uh- it's getting late and we have to wake up early since we're going to be battling in the dungeon all day... And by the looks of it you could ummm." Kirito nervously paused, trying his best to not hurt my feelings.
I just placed a hand up and nodded. "I know it's my fault for being late the three of us can talk tomorrow. Besides I could use some rest so bye bye Kirito-san, Asuna-san."
Kirito nodded. "Goodnight, Yari-san see you tomorrow." Then he walked off in the direction of the town's large inn.
But Asuna stood there looking surprised by the way her mouth was slightly open. "How do you know my name?" She questioned after a few seconds of silence.
"Oh umm see where your HP bar is? Well right underneath yours is mine and Kirito-san's names and HP bars." I pointed at the area I was talking about but remembered that she couldn't see my HUD. Though she did seem to get what I was talking about and nodded slowly.
"Goodnight...Ya-yari-san." Asuna quietly said, heading the same direction as Kirito.
And right when she was gone I headed towards the marketplace to sell all of the items I acquired for extra Col to buy some newer gear from an NPC blacksmith which included replacing my leather armored chest-guard and bracers with a thin layered steel torso plate and steel bracers. With only those armor purchases I was reduced to just barely having any Col left.
Afterward I entered the local bathhouse to bathe since Sword Art Online was meant to be old style so Inns lacked bathrooms as players didn't use toilets since it's a game so we have to use public bathhouses in the town until we could afford personal homes. It took a bit of time to wash off all of the days accumulated filth but when I finished, I headed with the last of my money to the nearest inn buying a small meal and a room as I prepared for tomorrow...
-ooooooooooooooooo-
The next day...
December 3rd, 2022.
Today was day our raid group was going to assault the first floor boss and I'm not going to lie I feel a tad nervous about seeing a boss battle for the first time and knowing I'd be one someday taking on a large number of players...
...But not today...
Today I was going to enjoy the company of my two party members and fight with them.
Currently the raid group was walking through the forest heading towards the dungeon tower but Me, Kirito, and Asuna were trailing behind everyone else, being the smallest group nobody really paid us any mind.
There was a silence between the three of us until Kirito started talking mission details. "Let's go over this again. As the left over team, our target is the Ruin Kobold Sentinels, the bosses entourage"
"I know" Asuna replied and I nodded.
"Good, so I'll use a sword skill to knock their poleaxes up. The second I do you two switch and jump in"
"Switch?" Me and Asuna asked at the same time, causing Kirito to stare at us.
"Don't tell me...this is the first time you've both been in a party?"
I scratched the left side of my cheek and Asuna lowered her head as we answered at the same time again.
"Yes..."
Both of us continued walking until we saw Kirito stop, turning to face him and watched as comedically sighed beginning to explain the details of switching.
-oooooooooooooooooooo-
It had taken a while to make our way to the top of the dungeon but everyone made it and we were now all assembled at the large double doors that lead to the boss room.
"Listen up everyone!" Shouted Diabel stabbing his sword into the ground. "I have only one thing to say. Let's win!" Then he turned placing his hand on the door and it opened on revealing a large dark room filled with pillars.
The front of the group trickled in slowly and suddenly the room lit up in multiple colors as the boss was triggered, leaping forward unleashing a loud roar as four health bars appeared by its head along with its name.
ILLFANG THE KOBOLD LORD
It was a large sized boss in both height and weight, armed with a large buckler shield and bone axe. Then multiple Ruin Kobold Sentinels appeared around it armed with large clubs and plate armor.
"Commence attack!" Commanded Diabel pointing his sword forward and both groups rushed towards each other colliding in the middle of the room.
Kirito, Asuna, and I were the last to enter but when right when I crossed into the room a system message appeared.
'Transform?'
Yes No
I quickly hit No sending the message away before my two party members noticed my pause and increased my speed to catch up to them.
When I reached the main battle I quickly blocked a strike from a Sentinel, struggling against the raw power put behind the swing. Shoving it back I activated a sword skill using it to deflect a second blow from the Sentinel and ran forward with my sword still glittering red as I thrusted it into the Sentinel, stabbing into the slots on its helmet instantly dealing critical blows, lowering is HP to zero and causing it to explode into pixels.
I saw Kirito and Asuna working together in near perfect synchronization with Kirito deflecting Sentinel weapons with sword skills and Asuna dashing forward with her rapier, moving her weapon with impressive speeds that easily killed the recovering Sentinel. And when the pair weren't together they were dispatching Sentinels just as quick. Kirito deflected then attacked, while Asuna used her speedy technique to outmaneuver and finish them with quick stabs.
The three of us repeated this process of dispatching the minions until there was only one engaging Kirito but then a loud roar sounded through the room, followed by the clinking of weapons hitting the floor.
"I'll finish it!"
I watched as Diabel charged forward alone with a sword skill charging.
A thought appeared in seconds. 'He's planning to get the last attack drop! That greedy bastard is going to get himself killed!'
However the boss Illfang drew a long bladed sword and howled at the blue haired player.
Kirito had just finished the final Sentinel. "Jump back as fast as you can!" He yelled to Diabel.
But it was too late...
Illfang had already begun his assault by leaping on pillars so fast only to pause on the roof glaring down at our leader, its large blade burning with red light. Illfang bounded off the roof slashing Diabel across his chest, the latter giving a scream of pain. He was given no respite as the dungeon boss stuck him again, this time in the back sending him flying back behind most of the raid members,
"Diabel!" A few players shouted but couldn't go to him as Illfang landed in the center of the group striking everyone caught unawares while the rest panicked at the loss of leadership.
I saw Kirito running to Diabel's side but I chose to rather attack the large Kobold before it could slay anymore players.
With a battle cry I ran forward getting a few lucky blows on its back before its full focus shifted and it started attack only me. Its large no-dachi struck against my tiny sword but I was continuously using sword skills so that its blade continued to bounce back but this time it charged a sword skill...
When our blades connected my steel sword split cleanly in half, my eyes widened and a scream tore itself from my throat as I felt a tingling sensation around my chest when I flew backwards into a pillar, smashing into it with a thump sliding down to the floor.
I looked down to see a large red digital gash from my right shoulder down to my left thigh, damage particles falling from the area. "Da-damn it..." My HP bar made a beeping noise, alerting me that I was in the red.
"Yari!" I heard people shout, but my vision was blurring so I couldn't put a face to the faraway voices.
Though what I did see when I squinted my eyes was two small blurs taking on a large red dot followed by a green flash from another dot that knocked away the red. Soon six dots were jumping around the larger red one but they were knocked back about to be finished by the red light surrounding the bigger dot. Until a glowing blue dot suddenly appeared followed by loud battle cries and in moments the red exploded into blue lights fading into nothing and the room grew darker.
The next thing I knew someone, a female was standing in front of me holding a glass vial filled with a red substance, she titled my head back pouring the red liquid into my mouth and in moments the constant beeping of my low HP disappeared going into the yellow and my vision returned. The girl in front of me was unfamiliar but at the same time it was.
"Yari? Are you feeling better now?" She asked watching my virtual wound fade with worry etched on her facial features.
"Asuna...is that you?" I hesitantly asked still feeling uneasy.
"Yes Yari it's me, I kinda lost my cloak fighting the boss. Anyway come on let's go." She said helping me up and used her body to support me as we walked towards the center of the room where everyone was celebrating as a CONGRATULATIONS! appeared in the center of the room along with multiple smaller windows with Congratulations appearing in front of every player revealing what they earned.
Personally I earned a good amount of experience that leveled me up all the way to 11 almost to 12, a few thousand Col, and a few items. Closing the window I saw Kirito in front of me hunched over with Agil standing next to us, smiling.
"That was splendid swordsmanship. Congratulations, today's victory belongs to you." He said looking down at Kirito.
"No...I..." But the younger player didn't finish as the raid group began cheering and clapping for him, even Asuna gave him a smile when he looked up.
"Why?!" Cried a voice filled with despair that destroyed the cheerful mood, everyone turned to see Kibaou sitting on his knees with tears in his eyes. "Why...why did you let Diabel die?"
Kirito looked confused. "Let him die?"
Kibaou pointed an accusing finger at Kirito. "Of course! You knew what the technique the boss would use! If you'd given us that information up front, he wouldn't have died!"
There were a few murmurs amongst the group and one of them near Kibaou yelled, pointing his finger at Kirito as well.
"He must be an ex-beta tester! That's how he knew about all the bosses attack patterns! He knew but he kept it from us!" A few angry growls came from the players. "There's gotta be others here too, right? Those beta testers, come out right now!"
That's when our organized raid began to question each other, the bonds built on trust falling apart due to Diabel's greed for the rare drop. My jaw clenched, my temper boiling down, and my body shaking in disgust as I heard accusations being thrown around.
"Are you a beta tester?"
"Me? Of course not!"
"I bet you're a beta tester!"
"You must be stupid I am not!"
Kibaou stood next to the other player that accused Kirito of Diabel's death. "Now, I Kibaou demand that you give up everything to us as compensation!"
My patience snapped when he dared to say that.
Releasing myself from Asuna's support, I took the rapier from her sheath and dashed for Kibaou. I saw his body tense up when he noticed the pointed tip against his throat, mere centimeters away and I leaned forward to talk into his ear as the dark dungeon room was filled with killing intent causing Kibaou and his fellow accuser to sweat.
"You shut your damn mouth right this moment you blubbering bastard." I whispered, my tone full of venomous rage. "Kirito didn't know the boss would have a No-dachi rather than a Talwar. He didn't kill Diabel, Diabel killed himself by giving into his greed trying to get the last attack rare drop." I pressed the tip against his neck forcing him to look up slightly. "Your 'knight' was greedy and payed with his life. Your 'knight' played you all perfectly by giving you a false sense of trust. So blame your 'knight' and not your true savior."
However before I could finish I heard laughter, not genuine laughter but a crazed laugh coming from behind me and I turned to see Kirito as the source, causing me to lower the rapier and stare at him.
He stood smirking at everyone. "An ex-beta tester, you say? I wish you wouldn't compare me to such newbies."
"Wh-what?!" Kibaou shouted.
Kirito continued ignoring the orange haired fool. "Most of the 1,000 people who won SAO beta test slots were beginners. Who didn't know how to even level up, even you guys are better than them." He walked through the group towards me and Kibaou. Asuna and Agil following him. "But I'm not like those guys... During the beta test I made it higher than anyone else was able to reach. The reason I knew about the boss's sword skills was because I fought tons of monsters with those skills above us. I know lots of other things too. Way more than any other information broker." His smirk unsettled Kibaou as he backed up and I stepped behind Kirito.
"Wh-what?" Kibaou stuttered out again. "That's...That's worse than a beta tester! You're a cheater that's what you are!" His fists shook as he failed to make eye contact, probably to afraid to meet Kirito's grey eyes. "Y-yeah a cheater!"
The crowd rallied behind Kibaou.
"A beta tester and a cheater!"
"A beater!"
"He's a beater!"
"Beater scum!"
Kirito placed his right hand on his hip giving a chuckle. "A beater...that's a good name. I am a beater." Opening his menu he navigated through his equipment, looking for something as he spoke. "From now on, do not confuse me with other testers." He paused finding what he was searching for and selected it and then a large black cloak materialized on his body. Kirito gave one last chuckle turning to leave getting to the steps.
"Wait!" Both me and Asuna said at the same time for the third time today and we both shared a look breaking out into giggles that seemed to brighten Kirito's spirits for a second but he turned to leave again.
"You both can become powerful. So if someone you two trusts ever invites you to join a guild, don't turn them down. Because there's an absolute limit to what a solo player can accomplish alone."
"Then what about you?" Asuna asked taking a step forward.
Kirito only ignored her, dissolving the party and exiting the dungeon. Leaving the entire room dumbfounded.
I poked the chestnut haired girl's side. "Umm Asuna..."
"Yes Yari?"
I handed the handle of her rapier to her.
She took her weapon back, placing it back into the sheath. "Thank you for giving my weapon back. But next time please try to contain yourself...okay?"
I looked away my cheeks reddening. "It's Kibaou's fault for being an idiot."
She giggled at my embarrassment then there was an awkward silence between us. "So...what do we do now Yari?"
"I think we proceed forward to the next town, away from prying eyes." She nodded in agreement and we both left the dungeon to the 2nd floor of Aincrad...
END CHAPTER.
Author notes.
I try not to dabble but I have to branch of sometimes from canon to get Yari along as a main character rather than being a side character.
Also once I figure out how to start a poll I'll list Yari parings with other characters.
Not with Asuna or Kirito since those two are the cutest canon pairing ever.