I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.
Laughing Coffin
Michael leaned against the wall, idly scrolling through his list of items. it had been roughly a month since his fight against the Laughing Coffin member and he had progressed to level sixty, according to Kirito he was now only about thirty levels below Kirito. Of course, this also placed Michael about even with the Laughing Coffin members they were going to fight. He wasn't happy about only being level with them considering the fact that he really didn't want to resort to the same underhanded method he had used to defeat the last Laughing Coffin he had faced. So far, no one knew what he could really do and how he was able to jump levels so fast. He was also not looking to tell anyone, though, he was considering telling Kirito, since Kirito seemed to be the most honorable player in the game.
"Alright, let's head out," the Knights of the Blood Oath member telling them about the leaders of the Laughing Coffin said finally, turning to the door.
Michael pushed off the wall as Kirito walked over.
"Hey, you want a stronger sword than that Queen's Knightsword?" Kirito asked. "It's not exactly that great."
"While that is true, it's the only sword in the game that doesn't break if not repaired regularly," Michael pointed out. "I'd rather not have to worry about that than I would have a strong sword. Of course, I plan to have a weapon so strong it doesn't matter soon enough. I'll need your help for that."
Kirito shrugged and sent Michael a stronger sword just in case. Michael sighed and equipped it, since it would come in handy, and drew it, inspecting it. It was an arming sword with a sphere pommel with most being silver but gold engraving of random shapes, at least, that's what it looked like to Michael, and the blade had a strip of gold running up the middle of it. He thanked Kirito then followed him and the rest of the group out of the city and to the Laughing Coffin base they had finally located. Inside, it looked like a massive black void with floating white platforms, some the size of stairs and some much, much large. They stopped for a break on a square big enough for roughly three hundred players to stand on it. Unfortunately, it was also big enough for a battle. Laughing Coffin thought so too because they appeared on all of the platforms around the large one, numbering almost as many as the group sent to send them to Aincrad's jails. Michael drew his sword and shield as the Laughing Coffin members leapt down to the platform, charging from all sides.
Michael sprinted forward, reaching the front line in time to switch out with a Knight of the Blood Oath who was at the same level as him. Michael was glad he had managed to find better armor. He now wore a silver full plate cuirass, black armor pants, bright red armor boots that improved his speed and endurance, though not as much as he'd like, and a pair of lime green gauntlets that increased his max HP and his strength. All in all, it was better than the Knights of the Blood Oath armor the other player was wearing. The Laughing Coffin was wearing the usual tattered brown robe and was wielding a curved dagger in his right hand and holding a healing crystal in his left. Michael snorted and stepped forward, slashing at the Laughing Coffin. The member blocked the slash and jabbed at Michael but Michael stepped back then switched to defense and activated his favorite shield ability, smashing his shield into the member and blasting him backward into a floating platform behind him before the member slid to the ground and landed hard, out cold. Michael switched to offense and slashed a pair of Laughing Coffin members attacking another member of the Knights of the Blood Oath, which made up the bulk of the group Michael had come with.
One of the two Laughing Coffin Members wheeled around and slashed at Michael, managing to place a gash across his stomach. Michael staggered back then stepped forward, stabbing at the member. The member batted the sword aside and slashed at Michael again but Michael managed to duck under it, slashing the member diagonally up the torso from his right hip to his left shoulder. The man staggered back and collapsed, holding his chest as his health dropped stopping at critical and leaving the man barely conscious. Michael turned to find another opponent as one of the leaders, one wearing a skull mask with red eyes, Michael hadn't been paying attention to the names, drove a sword through his abdomen. He staggered back, the leader laughing as he pulled his sword back and turned, slicing through three Knights of the Blood Oath. Michael quickly used a healing crystal then switched to defense and smashed his glowing shield into the Laughing Coffin Leader's back, launching him across the battle field. He landed on his feet, chuckling in amusement and slashing a pair of knights beside himself. He didn't kill anyone, but he definitely did a lot to weaken them.
"You wanna play huh kid?" the member asked. "Alright. Let's play."
He sprinted forward, slashing at Michael who began to block everything he threw at him, every attack sparking against the shield in rapid succession. The moment an ability activated, Michael got ready to switch to offense, remembering from experience that there was a moment when movement was impossible after an ability. Just as the last attack his his shield, Michael switched, his own moments stopping for a moment before he raised his sword, fire rolling off the blade as he slashed downward at the member. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough, and the member blocked his attack with his own before spinning and slashing Michael across the chest twice, launching him backward just before a girl in a white Knights of the Blood Oath uniform with a white rapier darted past, quickly subduing the member.
"Of course it's the Lightning Flash," Michael grumbled using a crystal as the battle began to take a bad turn.
Only ten Laughing Coffin members were left, but each was beginning to target the weakened members of the group, killing them. Michael spun, blocking one of the ten's swords and shoving it upward, spinning and activating an ability, his sword passing through the member's chest once before stabbing him and launching him backward. He landed on his feet, barely enough health to stand left.
"Surrender," Michael ordered. "One hit and you die."
"Then it's fair," the member grinned, switching to a much stronger, pure white sword that could kill Michael in one slash just from the strength boost it granted.
"Oh fuck," Michael groaned as the member sprinted forward, slashing overhead at him.
Michael's sword blocked the attack but shattered and Michael leapt back the member following. Michael swore and switched to defense, the sword streaking through the air at him already. He blocked it and his shield was cut in half as well. A Knight of the Blood Oath, stepped in, holding the member off, barely as Michael equipped his Queen's Knightsword again along with a Bone Shield. Then, he stepped forward, shoving the player aside and blocking the sword with his own, the member giving him an unimpressed look when his sword didn't snap like a twig. Michael did, however, lose a bit of health and snorted in disgust, shoving the sword upward then slashed downward as the member did the same. At the last second, Klein arrived, blocking the sword as Michael's carved through the Laughing Coffin member, killing him.
"So, the original plan didn't have to do with killing, right?" Michael asked.
"Not unless necessary," Klein growled. "I hate Laughing Coffin. They're all crazy."
Michael nodded and looked around. It looked like there had been twenty Laughing Coffin members killed, give or take, and about ten of their own had died. Michael stood, turning to Kirito and walking over.
"Can I talk to you a minute?" Michael asked.
"Sure," Kirito nodded.
Michael led him away from the others then stopped and briefly explained his method for level progression and about his fight with the first Laughing Coffin member he had fought. After a moment, Kirito nodded.
"It's a good idea," Kirito nodded. "And in all honesty, I would have done the same thing in that situation. But, don't do it again. I'll help when you need it but you need to not do that."
Michael nodded and they turned and returned to the others.
Read and review. Michael's secret will be revealed during the fight with Heathcliff. until then, if you figure it out, PM me about it. don't review. constructive criticism is great. flames are not. My character is OP for a reason.