Author's Note: I am so sorry for not updating for nearly 2 months; I've been busy and working on my other stories as well. Happy New Years! Let's hope this chapter has been worth the long wait.
Chapter Five: Hope and Fear
-Aincrad's 25th Floor-
When the 24th floor boss was defeated, the front liners' spirits were at an all-time high. They all felt accomplished for being able to make it to the 25th floor, meaning that one-fourth of their struggle was already completed. There had many lives lost at the beginning of the game, but the casualty rate decreased over time.
However that optimistic happy spirit quickly died away once the players realized the horrendous nature of the 25th floor. The mobs were abnormally stronger compared to the ones on the previous floors. Any player who dared to solo through the combat zone was either asking for death or really confident in their skills. The combat field's topography was oddly complex, making the mapping progress be hindered greatly. There was also no shortage of traps along the terrain which included poisonous swamps.
The front liners already felt exhausted by the time they made it to the labyrinth tower. There were those brave individuals who did their best to search for the boss room. Usually players sought out information from NPC's, but on this floor there were hardly any NPC's that would guide the players in the right direction. However nobody was looking forward to witnessing how strong this floor's boss was because of the hardships already faced against the mobs. This was perhaps the greatest challenge for the fighters ever since going through the 1st floor.
The one that managed to bring some slight spirit back in the front liners was the Aincrad Liberation Force, aka The Army. Kibaou, the leader of The Army managed to motivate troops into getting back on their feet. However the army's dominating power came to a downfall because of some false information. Kibaou assembled up 40 Army members and lead a raid to the boss room. It resulted in a complete disaster. Many Army members faced a horrible massacre but the remaining members left were saved by the main clearing group.
Asuna, Mikoto, Touma, Klein and his guild took part in the battle against the boss. The boss was a two headed giant wielding a large war hammer. Somehow the appearance of a two headed monster scared the players even more than the previous bosses. When the front liners entered into the boss room, a few players stormed out of the room after witnessing the boss' frightful appearance and power. Even though the main clearing group suffered losses, they were somehow able to finally beat down the dreaded boss.
After the battle Mikoto and Asuna laid down on the ground, panting heavily. Everybody was tired. Nobody was excited about opening up the next floor. They all feared advancing on and facing more danger and causalities. Nobody was relieved that the two headed boss monster was gone.
There were perhaps even more bosses like that awaiting them in the future.
"I seriously thought I was about to die…" Mikoto admits while still breathing heavily. Her sword and shield were on the ground right beside her.
"Same here." Touma says while sitting on the ground. He and his guild members from Fuurinkazan were nearby Asuna and Mikoto. They were all resting as well.
"All I have to say is, what the hell kind of monster was that? It was hard attacking the boss at its blind spot because it had two friggin heads!" Klein exclaims.
"At least I'm glad that we're alive." Asuna adds solemnly. Even though she was fortunate to be alive, there were many lives lost during this floor's clearing and boss battle.
"So what is going to happen to the Aincrad Liberation Force?" Touma asks curiously.
"I think they're no longer considered strong enough to remain on the front lines. They'll probably settle in a lower floor for now." Klein explains.
"How about we grab a bite to eat? I'm always hungry after every boss battle." The red samurai adds as he pats his stomach.
"Yeah sure, we need to do something to lighten up the mood." Mikoto sighs. Honestly she was anticipating the front liners to react more cheerfully after the defeat of this boss. However the atmosphere felt as mournful as a funeral.
They all got up after catching their breaths and walked up the stairway towards the 26th floor. Some other front liners opened up the new floor and were already exploring it. However Asuna doubted anybody would be going to the combat zone right off the bat. It looked like everybody needed to forget about the horrors from the previous floor.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Even though one quarter of Aincrad was cleared, nobody was in a cheerful mood. Usually the restaurants on the new opened floors were filled with celebratory spirits. However the mood in any gathering place was rather solemn. It was not uncommon to go into a restaurant and find somebody mourning the loss of their friend.
Fuurinkazan along with Mikoto and Asuna were in a nearby NPC restaurant.
Right now their table was rather quiet. There did not seem to be any topic of interest at the moment. Usually Klein discussed how "awesome" and "amazing" the previous boss battle was like and how he was looking forward to conquering the current floor. Though in this case, nobody found a reason to be enthusiastic.
"Enough with this gloominess!" Klein smacks his hand against the table, making a few cups shake. "Even though the front line suffered a heavy blow that does not mean we stop our front line efforts!"
His booming voice catches the attention of the entire restaurant. All eyes were on him. The eyes that look upon Klein were weary and tired ones.
"Leader is right." Touma speaks out bravely as he stands up. "There is nobody else on the outside world who can help us out. We have to take it upon ourselves to get out of Aincrad by clearing all of the floors, even if it means we put our lives in extreme danger."
A few voices in the room mutter in agreement.
"Yeah, what he said!" Klein exclaims with a glass raised in the air. He stands up as well. "Everybody on the lower floors is counting on us. The blacksmiths and merchants are supporting us and do we want to let them down?!"
"NO!" Everybody else resounds.
"We cannot let them down at all! Too many people are depending on us to clear this game. It is inevitable that we will face future losses but we must not give up at all. If we lose our fighting spirit, then that scoundrel Kayaba Akihiko will have basically won. Do all of you want to beat him as his own game?!"
Nearly everybody shouts and cheers in excitement. Klein, the red samurai was able to renew the spirits of some of the players.
Klein takes a seat and receives a few pats on the back from his fellow guild members.
"You really are a good speaker." Asuna smiles kindly.
"Why er… thank you." Klein rubs the back of his neck nervously.
"Asuna-san, you've made our leader embarrassed." One of the Fuurinkazan member laughs.
Everybody else at their table joins in on the laughter.
"Sh-shut up!" Klein raises his fist in the air. "I was getting so angry at how everybody looked like they wanted to give up already. When somebody one day writes about the adventures in Sword Art Online, I better get mentioned."
"I don't think I've done anything too notable yet to even be mentioned in a book about SAO." Mikoto shrugs her shoulders as she drinks her cup of water.
"Don't say that." Touma smiles at her direction. "You've helped out the front lines a lot and you're a very strong girl."
Mikoto's cheeks immediately have a faint pink blush.
Asuna chuckles amused as she watched Mikoto be flustered.
The rapier user sees that the atmosphere became brighter. There was actually laughter being heard instead of just silence. Only a few heard Klein's moving words, meaning that there were still others out there that were still in despair. She couldn't help but wonder how many players would be willing to continue on with the front lines.
It was an over an hour since Asuna and the others were at the restaurant. Asuna notices how one particular player in the restaurant was eyeing her and Mikoto.
Asuna was about to alert Mikoto about this person but the man gets up from his seat.
The tall looking man with steel gray hair approaches them. The man had a very serious complexion on.
Asuna and Mikoto immediately turn their attention to him.
Klein, Touma and the other members notice the incoming stranger as well and turn towards him.
"Hello there my name is Heathcliff. I know that your names are Asuna-kun and Mikoto-kun." Heathcliff utters in a strong tone. His voice could demand the attention of any audience.
"Yes that is us." Mikoto responds.
Asuna was astounded at how this man found out their names and why he was even approaching them.
"I am sorry if I caused you any discomfort. It's just that I have a lot on my mind right now. I'll cut to the main point of this conversation." His eyes become more serious. "I wish to start a front line guild, called the Knights of Blood."
There were a few front line guilds at the moment such as Fuurinkazan. The most known one at the moment is the Divine Dragon Alliance. The Divine Dragon Alliance was heavily recruiting members at the earlier floors and eventually formed a noticeable sized guild. Forming a new front line guild meant that it would need strong members in order to keep the guild alive. Not too long ago a few front line guilds disbanded because of disagreements and the fact that some members were not suitable to even be at the front lines.
The rules about guild formations stated the following. First of all, there must be at least 5 people to be able to form a guild. Secondly there must be an established leader. There were optional additions such as coming up with uniforms and a guild banner. It was not that hard at all to form a guild, the hard part would be maintaining it. The larger guilds typically had a system of leadership organization that included subdivisions and sub leaders.
"I've noticed you two have been able to keep up with the front lines very well, so there is an important question I must ask you. Will you join my guild? You do not have to get back to me quickly. Take your time and consider the possibilities you will have in store once you join my guild. I am looking for strong players, and you two have managed to prove your strength."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Are you sure the guy isn't a stalker?!" Klein screams out.
The girls as well as Klein and the others finished their meal at their restaurant and were making their way to the teleportation portal.
"He doesn't seem it like it." Mikoto shrugs her shoulders.
Asuna recalled that as soon as Heathcliff presented his request to the girls, he told the girls where they could find him the next day. He said that he would be at the same restaurant tomorrow so that they could tell him whether or not they accept or reject his guild request.
"He's a lot older than you two; I hope he isn't secretly some creepy pervert at all." Klein grumbles.
"Klein-san, you're the oldest one out of all of us. I hope that you're not a closet pervert." Touma points out. The other Fuurinkazan members lightly chuckle.
"O-oy!" The red samurai looks slightly outraged. "I am not a pervert!"
"Anyways…" Touma gets back on track with the current topic. "What was your impression on this Heathcliff guy?"
"His eyes, they were so serious." Asuna utters. "It was as if he was capable of staring into our souls."
"That guy sure does seem like he could be a real leader. Though not as awesome as me!" Klein points to himself proudly.
"I really do see the sincerity in his tone and expression." Mikoto adds in. "If another guild is created that means the front lines could be more organized."
Asuna remembers what Kirito told her after the first floor battle. Kirito was the black swordsman who showed off his impressive skills early on in the game. He was the so called beater of Aincrad. Though Asuna did not believe that he was a cold hearted beater at all.
'If someone you trust invites you to join a guild, don't turn it down.'
Those were the words that he left behind to her.
She was now wondering if Kirito ever joined a guild or not. He seemed like a solitary type of person. Asuna shakes her head a bit, since she had other important things on her mind other than the whereabouts of Kirito.
"That Heathcliff guy has been pretty noticeable in the boss battle. He's really good with his sword and shield." Klein remarks while trying to remember other things about Heathcliff.
Asuna recalls how in the boss battles, Heathcliff had been a strong and powerful presence compared to the rest of the front liners. However he did not do much that would make him greatly standout such as speak out during the raid meetings or give out orders during a raid. He definitely looked like a man one should not try to cross swords with.
"If that guy that strong creates a guild, I bet his guild would be strong too." Touma adds in while scratching the back of his head.
"Mikoto and I are probably one of the few front liners who aren't in a guild yet, which is probably why we were easy to pick from."
Asuna wondered why Klein or Touma never asked for her and Mikoto join Fuurinkazan. Was it because they only had males in their guild? Or that they did not want to pressure the girls to join them? She was relieved to hear Klein not to completely dismiss Heathcliff's request.
(Author's Note: In this story, Heathcliff will use the Holy Sword unique skill later. For now he is using a high class shield and sword)
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
The next day when the Aincrad newspaper came out, there were a few interesting headlines.
First, it was about the downfall of The Army. The Army was left to wallow in its humiliating defeat after the loss of many members during the boss fight. They were no longer considered a clearing group and made base at the Starting City.
Apparently some individuals already speculated beforehand that The Army's downfall was about to come. Klein even remarked that it was no surprise such a thing happen because of how bull headed their leader, Kibaou was. Kibaou was viewed as a foolish individual that valued pride over preparation.
Further bad news included the sudden decrease of front line members. It was reported that because of the outstanding number of deaths from the 25th floor, many front liners quit. Currently the front lines lost two-thirds of its force. There were times when the paper included a death count from a boss raid, but it would have been too cruel to include it this time.
Another interesting piece of news was the announcement of a new guild formed. The new guild's name was The Knights of Blood, founded by Heathcliff. Usually the newspaper did not include news on guilds unless it was something that truly stood out. The reason why The Knights of Blood made it in the paper because of it was first of all a front line guild and second of all, it was rumored that it had strong members.
Meanwhile Fuurinkazan along with Mikoto and Asuna were at the house they rented on the 17th floor. Right now only Touma, Klein, Mikoto and Asuna were in the dining room, all reading the Aincrad newspaper at the same time.
"Looks like it'll take a while before we see The Army again. I always thought those guys had a certain annoying arrogance." Klein utters.
"You say that like it's a good thing." Touma adds in. "With The Army gone, that means we have less players to help clear the front lines. Many other players suddenly abandoned the front lines as well." He sighs. "Such misfortune."
"I sort of can't blame them for ditching the clearing efforts. We all can agree that the 25th floor was a complete nightmare." Mikoto flips a page of the newspaper. "The monsters were unbelievably challenging and we've all nearly died multiple times." She says the last part with a tired sigh.
"Tell me about it! I almost lost my life in one of those crazy sand traps. Thank goodness you guys all had my back."
"We always do leader." Touma smiles nervously.
"No matter what, we all agree to continue to tread forth at the front lines right!"
"Right!" Everybody resounds proudly.
"Good, because there are a lot of people counting on us to free them from this nightmare. A lot of people don't have the guts to go through danger like we do. So we have to be the ones to carry on hope, hope that there is still a chance for freedom."
"Hope…" Asuna utters that word to herself. She was sure that whenever there was news about a floor being cleared, it renewed hope in the other players. It meant that there were people who were not willing to give up so easily. A ray of hope was always strong enough to shine through a current of fear.
"If I quit now, that means I will be betraying my own values." Mikoto states strongly.
"I am overall thankful that you let us party with your guild Klein-san." Asuna smiles towards Klein's direction.
"No problem. Speaking of guilds, did you consider Heathcliff's offer? The Knights of Blood sounds like a really neat guild you and Mikoto could join. It even made it in the newspaper!"
"N-not that we don't want to be rid of you two so easily! We're just saying that we will encourage your decision no matter what." Touma interjects.
Asuna and Mikoto look at each other and then nod at the same time. Asuna was positive that they made the right decision.
"Well we talk about it last night with each other and we decided…" Mikoto begins.
"…We will join the Knights of Blood." The two girls utter at once.
A beat.
"Of course we can still keep in contact with your guild. After all, you did us a tremendous favor by rescuing us that time." Mikoto follows through with her statement.
"We'll also be moving out of here and we're extremely thankful for your hospitality." Asuna smiles kindly.
"Aw shucks thanks." Klein blushes a bit out of flattery.
"How did you two come up with that decision?" Touma asks them.
"The way Heathcliff delivered his message greatly impacted us. We still remember that look in his eyes, the way he spoke and how he held himself. It was like he was a great leader and he was truly trying to create a strong guild that would be an inspiration to others." Asuna sums up together her perspective on Heathcliff. Even though the man was an enigma, he held himself and his words with dignity.
"We want to be part of that inspirational effort. We want to be able to instigate more spirit and fervor within the front liners." Mikoto inputs in as well.
"You two are truly noble people. I look forward to the great things you achieve." Klein gives them a proud thumbs up.
"We are grateful for your care Klein-san and Touma-san."
"S-sure no problem."
"I have to admit, I'll miss eating your cooking." Mikoto admits to Touma while turning her eyes away.
Asuna giggles a bit when she sees a slight blush on her friend's face.
"Well I hope you two will continue to advance your cooking skills." Touma gives Mikoto a friendly pat on the back.
"Of course, I want to someday cook something that I can be proud of."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
It was not too hard for the girls to find Heathcliff. He was still in the town area and his appearance stood out compared to the other players. Heathcliff was after all a tall man.
"I am honored to hear that you two have accepted my invitation to join the Knights of Blood. Let's do our best to make our guild the best."
"Yes sir!" They both say with enthusiasm.
"Very good." He smiles pleased. "Asuna-kun, I know you just joined but I must ask a special favor from you. I cannot possibly manage all of my guild's affairs of my own so I will need to assign a sub leader."
Heathcliff then pauses and stares straight into Asuna's eyes. It was a type of stare that could send chills down her spine but she did not feel afraid. No, it was as if he was willing to trust her with something valuable.
"I want you to be the Knights of Blood sub leader Asuna-kun. Will you help me?"
"…" Asuna was speechless. Why did somebody she hardly knew want to hand her such an enormous responsibility? She felt that she did not stand out that much compared to the rest of the front liners. Perhaps there were other worthy individuals than just her. She was wondering if she should take this opportunity, think of it as a chance to grow as a person.
Back in the real world she did not do extracurricular activities. She hardly did any real leadership work. Most of her days were spent studying in her room, trying to please her parents and live up to their expectations.
"I think you have what it takes Asuna." Mikoto says with a helpful smile.
"Sounds like Mikoto-kun supports my decision." Heathcliff forms an interested expression.
"I believe you are just the right person to help lead the Knights of Blood." Heathcliff says with the utmost confidence. "I can tell that you are a calculating person who is very insightful."
It was true that Asuna was good at coming up with strategies and thinking ahead. When it was just her and Mikoto fighting together, it was Asuna who usually took gave out the instructions and analyzed the situation. In SAO she unlocked her potential for leadership and insight.
"Well I'm afraid that I might let you down leader." Asuna admits shyly.
"Do not be afraid of failure, for failure is how we learn. I believe in you and so does your good friend Mikoto-kun." The leader of the KoB reassures Asuna with a smile. "There will be a meeting in a few hours, I'll send you two the coordinates."
Heathcliff opens up his window and messages the two girls the coordinates to the meeting location. He also presses onto a few more buttons that send out guild invitations to Asuna and Mikoto.
Asuna sees the request appearing before her gives her the option to accept or deny joining the Knights of Blood.
She presses onto the accept button. Asuna looks over at Mikoto who just accepted the request as well. A guild icon appears above Mikoto's health meter.
"Looks like we're official members of the Knights of Blood." Mikoto smiles confidently. "Looks like I'll be in your care now Ms. Sub Leader." She grins towards Asuna's direction.
"You don't have to address me so formally now." Asuna grins as well.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
The coordinates lead Asuna and Mikoto to a cottage. When they were outside the door, a teenage boy opens the door and examines the two girls. The boy was probably not too much older than the two girls.
"Welcome to the Knights of Blood meeting, take a seat anywhere you like."
The boy smiles as he gestures them to go inside.
The cottage looked like it was someone's home. There were many chairs available for sitting.
During the meeting there were about 15 people other than Mikoto and Asuna. The two of them definitely stood out because they were much more males than females. At least they were not the only girls because there was another girl within the group.
It was about a few minutes past the designated meeting time. The only person everybody noticed was not present was Heathcliff. Suddenly the door opens and Heathcliff walks in. His dramatic appearance made everybody quiet immediately.
Heathcliff clears his throat, meaning that the meeting would now commence. He goes towards the middle of the room, where everybody's eyes could focus towards him.
"I have assembled you all here because I believe each and every one of you has the potential to make this guild great. All of you are here because you deserve it. Each of you has worked very hard and obtained admirable levels and skills. The reason why I formed the Knights of Blood is to create a front line guild that could unite all the other front line players. Right now the front line players are disillusioned and disorganized. We all suffered a great blow from the last floor fight. It is not easy to deal with losing one's comrades or realizing that things are and will get more difficult."
The way Heathcliff spoke was very inspiring. He had a strong voice and his eyes did not waver at all. His eyes were overwhelming, eyes of a leader.
"It is no laughing matter that the front line efforts have lost many members. We cannot allow people to lose hope. We cannot allow people to give up so easily because so many others have. We cannot create another tragedy. That is why the Knights of Blood must exist. We must show the others that we cannot give up hope yet! Our strength will remind them that they are fighting for. Will all of you help me? I cannot promise a brighter future, but I can promise that I will fight for one."
Heathcliff's voice boomed mightily. His eyes became even fiercer and his complexion even more enthusiastic.
Everybody in the room cheered and clapped afterwards. Every single soul in that room became filled with inspiration. It was as if they had forgotten the fresh horrors of the 25th floor.
"Now that we have a clear goal in mind, we have to get down to administrative business. For this guild to function I require the assistance of others. I already have thought up of a member in here who should become the guild's sub leader. The sub leader will be the second in command. They will have a vast amount of responsibilities such as coming up with strategies for the boss raids and assigning groups."
Most of the occupants in the room muttered excitedly with one another. Who among them would be the chosen sub leader? How did Heathcliff decide who to choose?
Asuna and Mikoto looked at each other, knowing what was going to happen next.
"The Knights of Blood sub leader will be … Asuna-kun."
Asuna's insides jumped when she heard her name. Even though she knew her name would be coming up, she was still nervous.
Everybody in the room besides Mikoto was muttering to each other things such as "who is this Asuna?" or "this person better be strong."
Asuna immediately stood up from her seat, which made all eyes go on her. Since many of the room's occupants were male, they looked at her with interested eyes.
She notices Heathcliff's eyes stare immediately stare straight into hers. It was as if he was giving her an approving expression.
"Asuna-kun, you should introduce yourself."
The auburn hair girl takes a deep breath before she speaks.
"My name is Asuna and I am a rapier user. I have been working very hard to always improve on my sword skills and speed."
Before she takes her seat again, a hand raises up and an adult man asks.
"Excuse me leader." He addressed Heathcliff. "Can you tell us why you chose Asuna to be our sub leader?"
"I definitely do not regret joining the Knights of Blood especially with that cute girl around."
Asuna could hear one of the males whisper. She tries to pay no attention to it.
"From the way I saw her fight the last floor boss, I could tell that she has a certain untapped leadership quality. I sensed great potential from her. Now that I assigned her to be sub leader, I know that bring out her full potential."
"Oh I see…" The man did not look entirely convinced by Heathcliff's explanation.
"Once we have more members, I will assign more sub division leaders."
Heathcliff looks like he is prepared to leave.
"Asuna-kun, be sure to assign everybody their respective groups before they head out to clear the combat zone. I have to head out to do further business so I leave you all in her care." Heathcliff exited in a quick fashion.
"Yes leader!" Even though Asuna was compliant with the order, she couldn't help but wonder
Why isn't he doing the leading right now?
She immediately gets up and takes the center spot, where Heathcliff was just a few seconds ago. The members were all muttering to each other, wondering why their leader was entrusting the guild in the hands of a sub leader.
Asuna knew she had to gain everybody's trust as soon as possible. It was the only way they would respect and obey her.
"Even though we all may not know one another, we are all need to rely on each other. We have to rely on each other for support. That means that everybody must be able to trust each other. Trust is the most essential part to any group relationship."
Asuna was in a way speaking like Heathcliff was just earlier. She was using a lot of "we's" and reiterating the same phrase in different ways. Right now she was trying to gain the respect from them. She was not as inspiring or vocal as Heathcliff, but she still had to try.
For the next half hour she was able to have each member introduce themselves along with the weapon they use and they consider being the strongest thing about them. Eventually she organizes 3 parties, taking into accounts everybody's strengths and their weapon style.
Asuna of course put herself in a group with Mikoto; despite the fact that she knew the males all wanted at least one girl in every group.
The 3 parties leave at once together and head on out to the combat zone. The organization of the parties ended up being effective.
Asuna was definitely able to earn the respect of her peers. They were especially impressed at how fast she could execute her linear strikes.
"Your speed is so amazing!" Ariadne, the other female Knights of Blood member compliments.
"It's like you're moving as fast as lightning."
"More like she's as fast as a lightning flash."
Mikoto's skills were also becoming well known in the Knights of Blood as well. Mikoto excelled at using her shield and at delivering powerful slashes. She and Asuna often switched off with each other whenever they faced against mobs. It was usually first Asuna delivering some fast linear strikes following up with Mikoto executing powerful sword attacks.
The two girls were nearly neck and neck in terms of swordsmanship.
Asuna had her speed while Mikoto had her tenacious power. At this point Mikoto was learning higher leveled sword techniques than Asuna was. Many of Mikoto's broadsword techniques were impressive though they required a lot of practice.
Eventually a group found the location of the 26th floor boss and immediately alerted the rest of the front liners. The boss raid meeting took place inside a tavern called "The Black Boot."
Those willing to participate for the upcoming boss battle were already in the tavern at the agreed time. Even a certain black swordsman was present as well.
Everybody in the room looked sullen and down. Their expressions looked like they were saying "we want to give up so badly."
A minute later the door widely opens.
The members of the newly formed Knights of Blood go into the room dramatically. Their red and white uniforms were simply breathtaking and aweing. The uniforms made the Knights of Blood members look very brilliant and outstanding.
The front liners were whispering to each other excitedly.
Asuna then walks in afterwards. Her appearance was like a breath of fresh air. A very much needed breath of fresh air.
Her outfit stood out compared to the rest of her KoB members because of her red skirt and sleeveless
Mikoto was dressed similarly to Asuna. Except Mikoto had her shoulders covered and her outfit had a different pattern.
Asuna noticed how every man's eyes were on her. She knew that she was a beautiful girl but did not enjoy the attention from the males.
"My name is Asuna and I am the sub leader of the Knights of Blood. I will be leading this boss raid meeting. Several of my members served as scouts and they returned back with very valuable information."
For the remainder of the meeting Asuna explained everything there was to know about the boss. She made sure to cover everything because she wanted to leave a good impression. Asuna was pretty much the one carrying the guild's future right now.
Throughout the presentation, there were a few questions from the other players but Asuna was able to effectively answer them. It was as if she was a born leader.
The boss battle would be tomorrow and everything was all set up. The different squads were formed as well as other leaders for the operation. Asuna would be the main leader of the raid, meaning that she would not participate in as much combat as the others.
When the meeting ended, everybody left the tavern besides Mikoto and Asuna.
"Want to head back to our room right now?" Asuna asks her friend.
"Yeah sure, You're probably mentally drained after running that meeting." Mikoto responds.
Asuna and Mikoto had been staying at an inn called "The Three Flags." The two girls shared a 2 bedroom room. Right after the meeting they went back to their room and Asuna immediately plops down on her bed.
"That was such an intense meeting…" The rapier user sighs.
"I say you did a good job." Mikoto comments as she accesses her window to change into casual clothing.
"Yeah I suppose I did. At least nobody seemed to distrust my judgment and planning."
"If anybody did oppose your plan, the rest of the KoB would back you immediately. We all respect you Miss Sub-leader."
"I told you not to be so formal around me."
"Though…" Asuna's eyes sink to the ground. "If anybody dies, I feel like it will be my fault."
"Relax, it can't be helped if deaths occur. If we all got super depressed because of a comrade's death, then we'd all still be on the first floor."
"Yeah you're right. As Klein-san said, we must keep fighting onwards."
Asuna holds her two fingers out to access her clothing inventory. Before she changes into her casual clothing, she examines her Knight of Blood uniform she had on. The long haired girl feels a bit embarrassed at how short her skirt was and how much skins he was showing.
"Do you think the Knights of Blood uniform makes me look too… feminine?" Asuna smiles nervously.
"Too feminine? Well it certainly makes you look cuter if that's what you mean. Maybe that's why Heathcliff chose you to be sub leader." Mikoto grins while shaking her head.
"He chose be to be sub leader because I'm cute?"
"Well you did manage to captivate everybody's attention in the tavern when you entered in. I bet it won't be long until you become a celebrity."
"But you do know what being a celebrity is like, right Mikoto-chan?"
"Ah yes, back at Tokiwadai many girls I did not know would wave and stare at me whenever I walk down a hallway. Though our situations are actually different. You're attracting the attention of males, so I'd say you'll become an idol."
Asuna eyes slightly widen when she Mikoto calls her an idol like figure.
"I didn't sign up to become an idol." The rapier sighs yet again.
"Who knows, you might even get an Asuna fan club up and running."
"Just like how there's a Misaka Mikoto fan club back at school?"
"They're probably disbanded now since I'm gone."
The two girls look at each other and lightly laugh.
It had been a while since they last discussed life back in the real world.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Over fifty players came for the upcoming battle against the boss. It was actually a much higher turnout than Asuna and Mikoto anticipated. After the fiasco with the previous boss raid, they thought people would have chickened out.
The players all get together in their formation and open the door. They all walk in, expecting the worse.
At the furthest end of the room was the boss. They could see a giant demonic looking knight wearing black jagged armor. The knight's named was "The Dark Flame." Its eyes glows an eerie red color and its weapon of choice was very deadly. The Dark Flame gets up from its chair as soon as it saw the players entering in its domain. The scary part about this boss was how it was wielding a mace with lots of sharp spikes.
The Dark Flame also had some minions present as well. The minions were five humanoid dragon warriors that were embodied with flames. Any physical contact with the dragon would mean instant damage because of their flames.
"Get ready everybody!" Asuna shouts out.
The front liners all give out a war cry before charging into battle. Even though their spirits were still shaken from the previous boss fight, they still had the courage to keep fighting on.
The first tactic Asuna had was to have several squads hold the humanoid dragon warriors at bay while the tank type players would grab the attention of the boss. Tank players were the ones who were huge in size and could withstand more hits than other players. While the tanks distracted the boss, the speed type players would hit the boss at its weak spots and dash away to a safe spot.
Once all the dragon minions were taken out, the rest of the front liners joined in on trying to defeat the boss. At this point in the fight, the boss only had one more health bar left.
The Dark Flame keeps on swinging around its mace, which is able to successfully impact upon a few of the players. These players are sent flying across the room and suffer a 20% health decrease. Players with shields are able to block the mace attack though suffer a 5% health loss because of the brunt impact of the mace with their shields.
"Those of you whose health are in the red zone, go to the back of the room!" Asuna shouts out. "There are still plenty of us who are green or yellow in health who can keep fighting."
At 25% health left is when a player's health meter reaches the red zone. A few players follow Asuna's orders and leave the fighting to the others.
Asuna did not want people in low health to be risking their lives fighting against the boss since one more hit could cost their lives. Right now her health was still in the green region because she had been shouting out orders instead of directly participating in the fighting. Every now and then she did sprint towards the boss to attack only when the vanguard's offense was inefficient.
Mikoto's health was in the yellow region because she was at the vanguard. Mikoto uses her shield to block another incoming strike from hitting the non-shield using players. Afterwards Mikoto sprints towards the boss and unleashes the broadsword 6 hit combo technique-"The Pendulum." Every single strike of this technique was more powerful than its previous one.
Players on the support squads watch in awe at how Mikoto powerfully attacks the boss, each strike eating up more HP.
After Mikoto finishes her technique, she faces a one second cool down as a result. In any Aincrad fight, one second could mean life or death. Fortunately two tanks draw the attention of the boss, allowing Mikoto to cool down and then return back to formation with the other shield users.
With the boss having barely any health left, Asuna tries to rally up everybody's spirits.
"Alright everybody, let's go for one final attack!"
Some players cry out loud as they rush towards the boss to hack away its health.
Asuna decides to join in on the fighting frenzy. She sprints towards the boss, with her body crouched down low to increase her sprint's efficiency.
Asuna's sword glows green as she executes a flurry of linear strikes at the boss' left knee. One strike after the other was able to successfully hit the boss at remarkable speeds.
The other front liners all stare amazed at Asuna's flashing speed with her sword skills.
With one final linear strike the boss was completely defeated and dispersed into multiple polygons. The words CONGRATULATIONS appears making everybody resound in joy.
Asuna pants heavily while resting on one knee. She puts her rapier back in its sheath and sees there is a message in front of her. It was a message telling her that she got the last hit bonus.
Mikoto walks right up to Asuna and asks. "What did you get?"
Asuna opens up the message and reveals the item Solstice Fang.
Solstice Fang was a beautifully crafted rapier with decent stats and durability. Asuna could have not asked for a better drop item.
Even though Asuna was not a heavy participant of the fighting, most of the front liners were happy that their cute boss raid leader got the last hit item. With Asuna's careful planning and coordination, nobody's life was lost in this major fight. It was a gigantic victory for the front liners.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
It was not too long later that Asuna earned the nickname "The Flash." Her reputation as the Knights of Blood sub leader made her a very notable person among the front liners. The reason for her nick name was because of her impressive speed with the rapier. Asuna's rapier strikes were as quick as a flash.
At the moment the two girls were having some down time. They had just finished clearing another floor and were relaxing before another meeting with the other KoB members.
They were practicing their cooking skill in at the inn's kitchen. Asuna and Mikoto had their aprons on and were stirring up a pot full of soup.
"So how does it feel to be a celebrity?" Mikoto grins amused.
"It is sort of annoying have people whisper to themselves whenever I'm in their presence. Though I just ignore it and continue my business. Though you know I'm not the only popular figure in Aincrad." Asuna takes her eyes of the pot and looks towards Mikoto.
"But I'm not as cute as you." Mikoto admits. "Which is what makes you way more popular than me. You know that you've won all of the popularity contests so far."
Ever since Asuna's fame spread to the lower floors, the newspapers had a popularity contest. Mikoto was also included in the contest but it was Asuna who swept the competition. This was one of the first times somebody outshined Mikoto in terms of popularity.
"Yeah I know…" Asuna sighs. "The newspaper reporters always want to get me to do an interview but I always tell them I'm too busy."
"Haha I don't blame you for coming up with excuses. Knowing how newspapers work, they'll probably twist up your words. Even though you're better known that I am, there's still people who recognize me and go out of their way to get my autograph." Mikoto sighs. "It reminds me of being back at Tokiwadai."
Asuna was not the only one with a popularized nickname. Mikoto earned the nickname "The Blue Bolt." Her shield was blue and her sword strikes were perceived to be as powerful as thunder bolts. She still kept the shield she earned from the loch ness monster quest because it was very durable. Mikoto was also known for being able to her brilliant mastery of many sword hit combinations. Mikoto and Asuna were also known for being the dynamic duo "The Flash and the Bolt."
-New Year's Day-
January 1st, 2024
The Knights of Blood had a rather entertaining party just the other night to welcome in the New Year. Everybody had been stuck in Aincrad for so long that it felt so natural to celebrate holidays in the game as if they were back in their real homes. There was a lot of alcohol served, but in SAO it was not possible to get drunk, which was half the fun of drinking alcohol.
When the two girls finally woke up, they made their way to the restaurant inside the inn and picked up the Aincrad newspaper.
Mikoto was sipping onto a cup of hot cocoa and when she reads the newspaper, she nearly chokes on her beverage.
"Are you alright?" Asuna looks at her friend with concern.
"Read the headline!" Mikoto blurts out as she pounds her chest and coughs.
Asuna grabs the newspaper and her eyes go wide. She could feel her entire body shaking uncontrollably.
"Wha-wha-what is this madness?"
The New Year edition of the Aincrad newspaper had its front head line article reading "New Player Killing Guild Strikes on New Year's Eve."
"What kind of sick twisted person forms up a guild just to kill other people?" Mikoto speaks clearly now that her throat is cleared. She also had a hint of fear in her tone.
They spend the next few minutes in silence reading over the dreadful details about this new player killing guild.
-New Year's Eve on the 35th floor-
The small guild called "The Azure Panthers" was having an outdoor New Year's Eve celebration in the field at a viewing area.
It was a mid-level guild that only had ten members. All of the members were friends back in the real world and bought SAO together when it first came out. The Panthers decided to have a party outdoors instead of back in the town area because all of the restaurants and taverns would be really busy and expensive.
The area they were at had a small forest very close by. Fortunately it was a place where no monsters were expected to be around, which is why the Azure Panthers felt like they would face no imminent danger.
Right now all of the players were having a picnic, there was lots of food laid out on a large blanket and everybody was sitting down.
"Hey Auron, do you have a New Year's Resolution?" A small orange haired player named Eric asks.
Auron, the grey haired leader of the Azure Panthers, smiles back and responds. "Yup, to stay alive."
His response made the rest of his guild members laugh.
"Yeah I think that's everybody's goal in SAO." Eric smirks. "C'mon, isn't there anything else on your mind you want to do this year?"
Auron thinks about it for a few seconds.
I want to ask Christy out.
He thought to himself. Christy was one of the members of the Azure Panthers and the second in command. She was a pretty girl with straight red hair that reached her shoulders. Auron takes a brief glance over at Christy who was right next to him and decides not to reveal his true thoughts.
"Well, I hope we manage to all stay good friends." He replies back in a strong tone.
"Good answer." Christy smiles.
Auron smiles at her direction and feels his cheeks becoming warmer. He snaps out of it by standing up and raising his glass of apple cider.
"Cheers everybody! May we be fortunate for this year."
Everybody else stands up and puts up their glasses as well. "Cheers!"
The Azure Panthers clink glasses and then drink their beverage.
Once Auron finishes his drink he looks over at Christy's direction. He gulps nervously, gathering up the courage to do what he wanted to do for a long time.
"Christy, can I talk to you in private?" Auron asks her.
Christy puts down her glass of apple cider. "Sure, what is it?"
"It's about erm…" Auron comes up with a lie. "Guild business, something we need to discuss; just the two of us."
"Uh okay sure."
Auron leads the way towards the forest and Christy follows after him.
"Don't spend so much time making out in the forest!" Eric calls out to them while chuckling.
The others Azure Panthers chuckle while Christy and Auron blush.
The two of them continue making their way into the forest. A minute into the forest walk, Auron stops in his tracks and takes a deep sigh.
This is it, I am going to man up and ask Christy out. If she rejects me then I will look like a total idiot
Auron opens his mouth facing in Christy's direction. However nothing came out of his mouth.
"What is it Auron, you seem pretty nervous." Christy looks at him worried.
"Well it's just er…" Auron gathers every ounce of courage in his being to try and confess his feelings for her.
It's not or never!
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A blood curling scream pervades the air.
The atmosphere suddenly becomes very eerie.
"That sounds like it's coming from our picnic spot!" Christy interrupts Auron. She opens up her weapons inventory and equips herself with her sword. Christy immediately dashes off with Auron following right behind her.
"Maybe Eric played a prank on one of the other girls." Auron huffs while running after Christy. He was very much hoping that it was just a harmless prank. Auron's gut was telling him that something bad was going to happen.
Once he and Christy make it out of the forest, they were left appalled. No matter how much they were mentally prepared for the worse, this was definitely worse than they anticipated.
A group of black cloaked individuals had their weapons out, surrounding his helpless guild members. None of his guild members had their weapons out because they all thought they would be safe here. Only Christy and Auron were equipped with their weapons.
"Let the slaughter begin!" One of the cloaked individuals cackles out madly.
The other individuals whoop out happily and begin chopping away at the Azure Panthers.
"AHHH!"
"Please stop! We'll give you our Col!"
"HAVE MERCY ON US!"
The Azure Panthers scream out while their health was being hacked away. One of the members was impaled with a jagged dagger; another had his head chopped off with an axe. The Panthers were like lamb for slaughter.
The massacre occurring right before Auron's eyes made him extremely sick to his stomach. His entire body was frozen, and his body shaking uncontrollably. Were these strangers really breaking a taboo of SAO?
Eric was trying to fight back against the cloaked individuals. He sees Auron and Christy and shouts out to them.
"RUN, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"
Those were his last words before he was finished off.
Before Auron could move, he sees Christy sprinting forth at the scene before them.
"CHRISTY NO!" He tries to run after her but it was as if his legs were glued.
"ARGGHHHHHH!" Christy roars out loud like an angry animal. She had gone completely into a berserk state.
"Oh how cute, we have a fighter here." One of the individuals chuckle amused. "Let us put you out of your misery."
Christy's sword shines a blue color as she executes a sword technique at the individual closest to her. That particular individual is able to block her attack. However 3 more cloaked beings surround her and slash at her at once.
Christy screams out in pain, and a few seconds later disperses into a thousand polygons.
Auron, the leader of the Azure Panthers was the only one left. He felt like he failed them as a leader. He was the one who suggested that they have an outdoor party instead of hanging out at an inn. He was the one who lead his entire guild to its doom.
The shock of seeing Christy die before his eyes made tears pour down his eyes. It wasn't until a few months ago that he realized he developed feelings for her. He even summoned enough courage today to try and ask her out.
"Just one more left boys, let's send him to where his friends are at!"
In less than a minute Auron, the grey haired boy, was killed as well.
(Author's Note: Read the ending of the previous chapter to see how he was killed).
"WE ARE LAUGHING COFFIN! NOTHING CAN ESCAPE US!" Poh, the leader of the red guild Laughing Coffin proclaims proudly.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Mikoto and Asuna feel their minds go numb after they read the article.
The article provided information on how the players with the red icon mean that they are part of a player killing guild. The PK guild, Laughing Coffin was represented with a Western Coffin with a mysterious smiling face. The newspaper told readers how they are extremely dangerous and wanted. It looked like the only force strong enough to deal with them was the front liners.
"How could those red players wipe out an entire guild without remorse?" Asuna utters, her voice was shaking.
Murder was heinous crime that nobody in Aincrad dared do until now. Asuna did not think it was possible for Aincrad to be more dangerous that it was already was.
Author's Note: This has been my longest written chapter yet, I am very pleased with how it turned out.
The showdown with Laughing Coffin will happen within the next few chapters. Though my updates will be slow because I will be back in school and each of my chapters takes a long time to write up.
Any matter of events within this fanfiction that happens to match another fanfiction is merely by coincidence. I just wanted to get that out there.