Episode Two: Better
12/2/2022 - Floor 1
Since the game began, an entire month had passed. And in that month, 2000 people died. Not one player had been able to clear the first floor. Even beta players, like myself, had been unable to discover the boss' new location.
I stood off to the side in a small town park. A water fountain surrounded by a patch of grass was the meeting location for some of the best players in the game. And they were meeting because-
Wait, wait, wait. A whole month passed! Just between episode one and two? I mean, I guess that sounds right… but doesn't that mean that I missed an entire 30 days?
My eyes darted back and forth, catching sight of several familiar players. A couple tables were set up, players and NPCs alike selling goods.
Anxiety welled up as I realized just how out of depth I was. An entire month passed in the blink of an eye and I had nothing to show for it. No experience, no memories, no nothing. Sure, I had Kirito's skills and stats, but did that truly amount to anything?
Rooted in place, I almost felt like running away. Just to have the satisfaction of control, to make a choice of my own volition. But it was only a matter of time-
X X X
The blue haired swordsman clapped his hands, quieting the audience. "Okay people! Now that everyone's here, let's get this meeting started!" He stood at the bottom of the theater, the ruined structure of an ancient set piece behind him. Players watched from an elevated position, scattered across the seating.
Flinching, I found myself sitting alone, near the top of the stone bleachers. I frowned, knowing that I only had until the end of this meeting till the next jump.
"So anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for coming. Good to see you. My name is Diavel. In this game, the job I rolled is knight!" Laughter erupted from the crowd, every player knowing that SAO had no job system. Diavel waved his hands, a mirthful expression on his face. "Do you guys want to hear this or not?"
Staying silent, I observed my surroundings more closely. Closer to the stage, I could recognize Agil off to my right. He sat in the middle of the crowd, but didn't seem so towering in a sitting position.
Kibaou, I couldn't see anywhere. I knew he was a part of the meeting, but I couldn't quite recall when he showed up.
"Right. Anyway, here's the deal. Our party found the boss room at the top of the tower today." The crowd let out gasps of shock. Exclamations of 'what' and 'really?' echoed from the players.
Turning my head to the left, I caught sight of a very important character. Arguably the face of SAO, considering how bland Kirito looked.
Asuna sat several paces away, a good distance from me. She was in her hooded getup, most of her face obscured.
"Let's figure out how we're going to beat the boss. First off, we'll team up into parties of six."
Talk about convenient timing.
With little hesitation, I walked over to the lone player. "Hey, want to party up?"
She tilted her head, light chestnut hair peeking out from the hood. While I couldn't see her eyes, I knew she was staring at mine. She was inscrutable, replying with a curt nod.
Okay, judging by that response, this continuity probably isn't SAO Progressive.
Not that it really mattered, seeing as the jumps were dependent on the anime and not the Progressive series. Swiping my hand, I navigated the menu to the party system and shot off a request to Asuna.
The transparent white box appeared before her and she touched the blue accept button. As soon as she did, the username and green health bar appeared below my own.
"Well then, nice to meet you." I gave her a good natured smile before returning my attention to Diavel.
…
"Yeah, you too."
X X X
"Alright, looks like everyone's teamed up!"
I internally frowned. There was definitely another skip, but it was so minor I almost missed it.
"Now then-"
"Hold up a sec!" Cutting off Diavel, a spiky haired player stood at the top of the theater, sun to his back, obscuring his features. He leapt off the highest seat, swiftly descending to the stage.
His armor and sword rattled as he grunted in exertion. With one last hop, he handed a bit away from Diavel, turning to face the crowd.
"My name's Kibaou, got that?" He jerked his fist up, pointing a thumb to his chest. "Before we take on the boss, I want to get something off my chest."
Putting his hands on his hips, Kibaou projected his voice clearly. "We know about the 2000 players who died, yeah? Well, some of you need to apologize to 'em right now!" He pointed his finger into the audience, receiving uncomfortable looks from the players.
"Kibaou, I think I know what you're talking about." The blue haired swordsman addressed the player. "You're talking about the ex-beta testers."
I covered my mouth, hiding a yawn. Kibaou went off on his beta tester spiel, talking about how they cheated out the regular players. So on and so forth. Perhaps I would've gone up there myself to clear the beta tester name, but I already knew that Agil would do it for me.
Not to mention that I wasn't really a beta tester, seeing as I'd never played the beta myself.
Like I remembered, Agil stepped down onto the stage and confronted Kibaou.
Pulling out the guide book, he explained that every player was able to get the book from the player store for free.
Smirking to myself, I recalled how Kirito in the Progressive novels actually bought the book from Argo.
"You know who was handing this out?" Agil's low voice questioned. "The ex-beta testers."
The players quietly murmured among themselves, some in surprise and some curious. However, one player who was a bit louder than he intended, let out a dry comment. "Cool story bro."
I failed to suppress a snort. Fortunately, it was drowned out by the crowd, but I was sure Asuna was giving me an odd look.
Backing down, Kibaou said nothing as Agil turned to face the crowd. "Listen up, everyone has equal access to this information. Even so, lots of players still died. I'm not here to point fingers. I am here to learn from those players' deaths. To learn how to beat this boss."
Agil glanced at Kibaou and spoke with him. He was too far and quiet for me to catch the conversation, but I could easily guess. Once the two finished, they both returned to the bleachers and let Diavel continue.
"Okay, for info on the boss, it's all in here." He raised the latest edition of the guide book. This got a reaction out of the players. "According to the guide, the boss' name is Illfang the Kobold lord."
Diavel read word for word about the boss and its movement patterns. It all sounded familiar, but I was already aware that one aspect was different from the beta. Illfang didn't switch to a talwar during his last phase. Rather, he wielded a nodachi, a significantly longer weapon.
Should I say something?
But what is there to say? Even if I claim that the boss'll switch to a nodachi, I have no way of proving myself. Not to mention, Diavel is a beta tester, so I can't claim that the talwar was changed during the last days of the beta development.
"Good, we'll leave tomorrow at 10 in the morning. Meeting adjourned!" With that, players vacated their seats to either prepare or converse with the others. Asuna stood up and left with nary a word.
Well, it's too late now. Any moment, the next scene will take place.
…
I said, any moment, the next scene will take-
X X X
Some of the players were gathered together in the same park that we initially met at. It was a relaxed event, players speaking and drinking together. Off to the side in a dark alleyway, Asuna remained by herself, frustratingly digging into the dry bread.
I blinked, feeling far less disoriented, having expected the jump. That relaxation swiftly morphed into discomfort as I watched Asuna struggle to eat.
Should I… help her?
I sighed to myself, already knowing the answer.
Although it felt pointless, I decided to make an effort helping Asuna, even if it wouldn't amount to much. It was better than sitting around, waiting for the inevitable scene change.
Slowly walking beside her, I sat on the edge of the knee high brick wall, a couple feet away from the girl. "Y'know, there's a trick to make those a little more bearable."
She was definitely glancing at me with suspicion, scooching away, despite me sitting at a decent distance already. I pulled out some plain bread and ate it without trouble.
It tasted… okay. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but I'd had homemade bread before. And that was a thousand times better than this. This was dry, rough, and had the flavor a few steps removed from cardboard.
"Is there really a way to do that?" There was hesitation in her voice. The first time she'd actually spoken to me as well. Maybe I didn't exude enough loner vibes to get under her radar?
Equipping the butter jar, I set it between us. "It's a food item. Part of one the quests in the village. Of course, you can't really eat it on its own, but if you put it on the bread?"
Gesturing toward the ceramic jar, I waited. Slowly reaching out, Asuna tapped the lid of the jar, activating the consumable. Her finger glowed a dim white and she brushed it against the bread, butter appearing beneath her fingers.
As I did the same, the jar exploded into a burst of polygons; its durability ran out.
Ignoring this, Asuna tentatively took a bite, as if wondering whether or not it was poison. However, after taking the first bite, her world was expanded. She ravenously tore through the bread like a starving man.
She looked satisfied, resting her hands on her lap. I would've offered directions on how to solve the quest, but that was a bit beyond me.
For a moment longer, we sat in complete silence. Only the gentle wind and quiet crickets accompanied us.
"Why…" Asuna spoke up, initiating the conversation of her own volition. "Why are you here?"
I raised a brow, glancing at the girl.
Getting philosophical, aren't we?
I would've quoted Red vs. Blue, but I couldn't remember the actual line. And Asuna wouldn't have got it anyway.
"Well, I guess for the same reason as everyone else. Fight the boss, progress the game, get out of here." Pausing, I looked up at the stars. "How about you?"
"I don't want to lose sight of who I am." Asuna's hands clenched into fists.
Like that, nothing else was said. We remained in silence, dealing with the atmosphere of distant festivities and the oncoming battle.
X X X
12/3/2022
We traversed through the forest, morning glow piercing through the trees. I turned to Asuna, who walked beside me. We were far behind the other group, but close enough that they never left our view.
"Let's go over it again." The words left my lips without my own prompting. "Er, why don't you explain it to me."
Asuna dutifully responded with a serious undertone in her voice. "We're the support. For the main fighters to stay focused, we take on the boss' minions."
"Good. And when we're fighting the minions—have we gone over exactly how we'll do that?"
The fencer shook her head.
Ah, damn it. Why couldn't you have done that on your own time, other me? Okay, what was the big thing that Kirito and Asuna did in that fight?
Then it hit me. "Right. So what we'll do is switch between attacks. I'll lead with a sword skill and shock the kobold. Then we'll switch and you'll deal a damaging blow."
We continued a few paces before Asuna spoke up again. "What's a switch?"
"Well, a switch is-"
X X X
Diavel dug his sword into the ground, standing in front of the boss room door. On both sides of the door were large stone goblets holding bright balls of flame. It illuminated the room in a flickering orange.
I held back a stagger, the jump from mid sentence catching me off guard. Frowning, I ignored Asuna's glance as I refocused on the raid leader.
"Listen up everyone. I've only got one thing to say to you." He clenched his fist, a confident smile on his face. "Let's win!"
The players were silent as stone, hardened for the coming fight. Without any preamble, Diavel pressed his palm against the door. It activated, slowly opening.
The room was pitch black, patterns on the floor reflecting the light from the flames. We all slowly entered, carefully stepping into the boss' domain.
My heart was beating out of my chest. Even with Kirito's skill and weapons, this would be my first ever fight in SAO. And throwing the pebble at a boar didn't count.
With a confidence I didn't feel, I kept in front of Asuna, ready to enact our plan.
Once we were all inside the boss room, the doors shut. There were a couple yelps of surprise, but Diavel yelled to keep focus. Then, without warning, Illfang leapt from his throne and landed in front of the main fighting group.
Colors erupted from the epicenter of his landing, brightening the room with ethereal splashes of pastel rainbow. Kobold minions spawned around the raid team, forcing the frontline fighters to rush the boss.
Just as the main group is about to make contact with the boss-
X X X
Parrying the rocky mace of the kobold, I stepped back and shouted, "Switch!"
Asuna rushed past me, thrusting forward with her rapier. Verdant particles wrapped around the blade as the sword skill activated. She immediately pierced the kobold, its health rapidly draining.
Taking a breath, I steadied my feet and readied as the next kobold guard engaged with me. Holding the sword in front of me, I blocked the heavy weapon, letting it slide off the blade and harmlessly to the side.
Uhg- why did the jump have to be mid fight?!
Starting up a counter attack, I narrowly dodged the kobold's weapon, getting into its guard. Before I could activate the sword skill, the kobold gets a quick attack in, using the momentum of its last swing to transition to the next.
Holding back a gasp, I watch as my health drops into the orange. My sword skill finishes charging and I speed forward, bisecting the minion.
Asuna watched me from a distance, waiting for the next wave of minions to spawn. Though her cloak fluttered aside, revealing the rest of her body, her face remained elusive. I couldn't tell what she was thinking, but she probably noticed my little stumble.
Illfang's health dropped into the lowest bit of red. Letting out a roar of indignation, it threw its weapons aside and reached behind.
Realizing what was happening, I equipped a health potion.
While I couldn't warn Diavel about the weapon change, I should be able to get the potion to him on time. None of that rejecting the heal because 'reasons'.
"Looks like the guide book was right!" Kibaou watched in satisfaction as the boss moved to its last phase, singing a very different tune.
Diavel rushed forward, sword and shield at his side. "Stand back, I got it!" The raid party obeyed his command, idly standing by as Diavel activated his sword skill.
While that was happening, the minions spawned back in. Deflecting the blow of the kobold, I shouted switch and let Asuna take care of the enemy.
By the time I turned back, Diavel was soaring through the air, red lines marking his chest. Nodding to myself, I started running to the point he'd fall. Judging by the distance, I'd arrive just after he landed.
Then Diavel hit the ground and exploded into a thousand motes of light.
Skidding to a stop, I watched disbelievingly as the blue polygons floated in the air, softly dissipating into nothingness.
"What…?" I muttered to myself. "That's not what happened-"
A player shouted in pain as he was thrown across the room. Group cohesion was torn asunder and the mass devolved into chaos.
I felt like throwing up. A bile at the back of my throat that couldn't really be there, but was. Shuddering, I pulled myself forward, knowing what to do.
Asuna slid to my side, rapier at the ready. When she looked at me, I could finally see her eyes beneath the hood. Same color as her hair, if a bit darker. They were large, expressive, and set in a determined glare.
No words were spoken between us at that moment. I offered her a weak, but thankful smile and rushed forward. Asuna was right beside me.
Illfang spotted us—knocking aside a nearby player—and began charging up a sword skill. His sword was a unique vibrant white, pulsating with power.
Swinging my sword out to the side, I prepared my own sword skill. Blue shined in my peripheral. Letting the sword fly, I intercepted Illfang's blade and pushed it up. The boss staggered, readjusting its stance.
It was shocking just how light the boss felt. He was massive, towering over me, but Kirito's stats clearly bridged the gap between weight and strength.
Swooping in, Asuna unleashed her own sword skill. Illfang was quick to react, swinging his own blade without activating a skill. With skill unbefitting of her lackluster game knowledge, Asuna ducked below the sword, losing her hood in the process.
Long orange-chestnut hair flowed behind her like water, greenish blue particles fluttering above her. The fencer launched her sword at the boss, striking it dead center.
Staggered once again, Illfang was unable to prevent my next strike against it. With another roar, the kobold lord retaliated, forcing me to block the blow. Grunting in exertion, I took a step back, gaining some tempo.
To my right, I could hear Asuna charging up another sword skill, so I pushed myself to make another attack. Feigning a swing, Illfang was left wide open. "Switch!"
As Asuna attacked, I could see Illfang's health slowly draining. I was optimistic, but there was always the chance that-
With unexpected grace, Illfang snuck below Asuna's last blow, landing a direct hit on the girl. She flew back, crashing into me.
My eyes widened as I fell back, smacking my head against the floor. My breath caught in my throat as I saw Asuna's health fall into the orange. A shadow covered us as Asuna struggled to get off me.
Illfang brought up his nodachi, ready to bring down the killing blow. I wasn't given a chance to reflect on the situation when Agil stepped in front of us, deflecting the weapon.
Players surged en masse, keeping the boss occupied. Agil glanced over his shoulder wearing a stern expression. "We can hold this bastard off till your health's back up."
Once Agil ran off, Asuna finally got off me, equipping a health potion. I did the same and soon enough, both our health was back to full.
"Come on!" Offering her hand, Asuna stood tall. "Let's finish this."
Taking the hand, I was pulled to my feet and we were off. Up ahead, Illfang unleashed an area wide sword skill, knocking back the players harassing the boss. Jumping into the air, the kobold lord was mid charge when Asuna struck, breaking its momentum.
Illfang fell to the ground in a daze and wasn't fast enough to counter my own attack. Inch by inch, Asuna and I chipped down the boss' health like an unstoppable machine.
Though I would never admit it, this was exhilarating. Cutting through the boss like butter with a strong player by my side. I was ecstatic. Adrenaline rushed my system like never before. Life or death. Victory or defeat.
Gone were the worries of being SI'd. Of being stripped of my identity and torn from my family. All that was in front of me was Ilfang, the kobold lord. The sword in my hand felt like an extension of myself, as cliché as that sounds.
So, with that extension, I deflected Illfang's last attack. "Asuna, switch!"
Stepping up to the plate, Asuna did her future title 'Flash' justice. Faster than the eye could see, her rapier pierced Illfang several times. With one final strike, Illfang let out a dying roar, then limply slumped over. A second passed and the boss' body exploded into a thousand polygons.
Every player stood stock still, unsure if the boss was truly gone. Then, with the appearance of the 'congratulations' sign, cheers were shouted and hearts soared.
"We did it!"
"Hell yeah!"
"That's what I'm talking about!"
The colors of the dungeon faded and the room remained lit. Players hugged each other and clenched hands. Asuna, a couple paces ahead of me, rested her hands on her knees. Her breathing was labored, but there was an elated smile on her face.
She glanced at me, rising up and standing a bit straighter. "We did it. Didn't we?"
"Yeah… yeah, we did." Looking over my shoulder, I saw Agil walking over to us.
"Now that was some fine swordsmanship and extraordinary teamwork." The robust man smiled, hands confidently on his hips. "This victory is all thanks to you two."
The rest of the raid party cheered again, followed by claps and whistling.
"Er, well… I guess we really were a good team." Quietly muttering, Asuna looked off to the side. A bashful smile and reddening cheeks appeared on her face.
I only smiled in response, spotting Kibaou near the back of the crowd. His face was covered in disbelief, another player supporting him with a hand on the shoulder.
A sigh of resignation left my lips as I saw the spiky haired player clench his teeth. "Stop cheering!"
His voice cut through the crowd, effectively silencing the raid party. "Why'd you do it, huh? Why'd you let Diavel die!"
Asuna's eyes were wide and she sent me a confused glance. "Let him die…?" She let out a baffled murmur.
Kibaou was shaken by the response, taking a step back. The player supporting him held his shoulder tighter, keeping him from falling over. His eyes narrowed as he shot Asuna and I an accusing glare. "That's what I said. You two knew the attack patterns of the boss better than anyone else. Why didn't you tell Diavel this? Why'd you keep it from him?!"
"Wha- but…" I held up a hand to silence Asuna.
"It's simple." Without even raising my voice, I overpowered Kibaou in an instant. Speaking softly, I stared the swordsman in the eyes. "I'm just more skilled."
In an instant, the common perception of Kirito dropped like a bucket of sand. Frankly, there were probably better ways to go about this, but the clock was ticking. Any moment now, the next episode would start. And I wanted to leave this on my own terms.
"Attack patterns? Technique? Beta knowledge? It means absolutely nothing. I was simply better at adapting to the situation. It's tragic, I know. Diavel's death should've been avoided. But let's not go pointing fingers. The fault is the game, not the players."
Granted, that wouldn't last once orange and red players came into play, but that wasn't important now.
"What's this guy saying?"
"Does he really think so highly of himself?"
"What a douchebag…"
Despite the more vocal players, most were split on what to think of me. It probably helped that Asuna was the one to land the final blow. And since she was a girl, they'd look more favorably on her.
"Just remember, there's no point in blaming a certain demographic of players. They're just as average as the rest of you." And with that, I stepped away from the crowd.
It was completely silent as I crossed the boss room. It was only by the time I reached the foot of the stairs to the next floor that a second set of footsteps could be heard.
"Wait."
Turning around, I found a serious Asuna staring back at me. "We're… we're going to fight together at the next boss fight, aren't we?"
I paused, giving the question some thought. Then, I decided to make a pointless decision. One that wouldn't make any sense. But I wanted to, if only to get a bit off my chest.
"No, we probably won't." She opened her mouth to argue, but I continued before she could speak. "I imagine, the moment I turn around, we won't see each other for a very long time. So I guess I'll leave it at this."
"Thank you. It was a blast fighting alongside you."
Facing away, I ascended the stairs. Her voice echoed out from behind me. "What's that supposed to-"
Interlude: Argo
12/7/2022
The town of Urbus was a bustling place. Eager adventurers filled the city, interacting and trading. Even the NPCs stood out compared to the first floor, wearing different clothing and reacting to the overall atmosphere.
Even though it had only been a few days since the 2nd floor teleport gate was opened, hundreds of players were already accustomed to the new location. Player run shops popped up on every corner, advertising weapons, armor, and other miscellaneous items.
Far from that all was a tucked away courtyard. It was a quaint space, with only enough room for around fifty players. Stone tables with checkered tops were scattered around, accompanied by limestone chairs.
Resting in one of these chairs was a lone player. She was innocuous at first glance. A large coat and hood covered her figure, hiding away striking golden-brown hair and distinctive red whisker marks.
Yes, you surmised correctly! This is the one and only—MMO renowned—Argo the Rat. Info broker extraordinaire.
Well known for her ability to sell any and all information under the sun, the infamous player was also responsible for the creation of the free strategy guide given to all players in the Town of Beginnings. Truly, a skilled merchant, knowing that more players alive meant more paying customers.
And not because she was a bleeding heart beneath her money draining tactics. No matter what Kirito said otherwise.
Speaking of the fellow ex-beta tester, Kirito had given her an odd task. For whatever reason, the solo player wanted the fact he was an ex-beta tester kept secret.
Now, that by itself wouldn't be odd. As everyone knew, ex-beta testers weren't looked upon fondly by the majority. But, at least among the clearers, there was a minor shift in aggro.
From what Argo could gather, Kirito had labeled himself as 'better' than the rest of the player base. And that included beta testers. Driving the point home further, he wanted to appear like a hyper competent regular player, acting like someone who believed talent superseded effort.
Sort of like a common enemy for the clearers to focus on. There was only one hang-up with that plan. If anyone learned he was actually a beta player, it was impossible to predict how the players would react.
So, in order to avoid that, Argo was employed to tie a particular loose end. 'Employed' was a bit of a stretch, since Kirito intended it as a favor, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
Across the courtyard, through the sole entrance, appeared an average looking Japanese man with reddish brown hair. His gear was pretty decent, but not quite on the same level as the clearers.
The unofficial guild leader quickly caught sight of the info broker, making his way over to her. He wore an apologetic smile as he addressed the girl. "Hey, sorry about showing up late. First day here and all."
"Apology accepted, but only because I'm the one who asked to meet. Time is money, and my time is especially costly." Flippantly responding, Argo waved a cloth wrapped hand. "But we're not here for pleasantries, are we?"
Klein nervously chuckled, glancing around the enclosed space. "I guess not? I don't really know why I'm here, to be honest. I just saw you wanted to talk about Kirito, so I kind of rushed over here."
Argo gave him a flat look, golden irises trapping the player in place. 'This is Klein? What does Kirito even see in this guy?'
"That's precisely why we're here. It has to do with Kirito's safety." As soon as she gave her reasoning, Klein's demeanor shifted dramatically. Despite the strange first impression, Argo could respect his priorities.
The bandana wearing player carefully took a seat across from Argo. "Is Kirito in danger?"
"Not at the moment, but that could change." 'Depending on you', she left unsaid. "Did you know that you're the only player out of 8,000 who knows the truth behind Kirito?"
"Truth…?" Quick on the uptake, Klein immediately recognized what the info broker was getting at. She nodded in approval at this.
"That's right. A truth that some players would pay a hefty amount to get. They just don't know it yet." Argo shrugged her shoulders while shaking her head, as though asking 'what can you do?'. "Which is where I come in."
Swiping the air with two fingers, the merchant swiftly navigated to the trade menu. Klein raised a brow, not quite understanding, but opened the popup. When he saw what was being offered, his jaw dropped to the floor.
40,000 Cor
"W-what?! What's all this for?!" Klein tipped his chair back, losing his balance and hitting his head against the floor. Which was impressive, considering how heavy the chairs were.
Argo smirked, knowing she had this in the bag. "I don't work with just info. In this case, I'm purchasing your silence."
Picking himself off the ground, the bandana wearing player scratched his head. "I get that… but why? And why this much?"
Almost flinching at the ridiculous question, Argo was thankful the player was distracted by the trade menu. "Maybe you haven't heard, but this particular information is dangerous. And as a result, very pricey."
"Uhuh…" Klein looked between Argo and the screen, a frown pulling at his rugged features. "I can't accept that."
Nodding, the info broker prepared herself for negotiations. "If that's not enough, we can-"
"That's not what I meant." Klein's voice was grave as he stared into Argo's golden eyes. "I would've kept this a secret regardless of payment. And no amount of cor would get me to break this oath."
Argo wasn't sure if he was an idiot or admirable. Giving it some thought, she allowed herself to consider him both.
Klein was dead serious, and judging by his personality, he wouldn't back down. So Argo decided to cut her losses. No point in trying to buy off someone like him. At least, not without ruining relationships.
"If that's what you want. I'll take your word on that." Argo gave him an uncaring smile, already moving on to the next business opportunity. "That aside, are you in need of information? I'll give you a first time discount, especially since you're a good friend of Kirito's."
If Klein was taken aback by how sudden the conversation changed, he didn't show it. However, he was clearly relieved by the different topic. Clapping his hands together, he nodded his head. "That sounds very interesting, Ms. Argo. If you don't mind, could I bring my friends over for this?"
'He wants to discuss this with his unofficial guild? If they're anything like Klein, it shouldn't be a problem.' "Sure, go ahead."
Standing up, Klein defied Argo's expectations when rather than open his chat menu, he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hey guys! Get down here! We're negotiating!"
His voice echoed in the small courtyard, bouncing off the walls with remarkable realism. Then, on the rooftops surrounding the courtyard, several players made themselves known. Each wore a similar piece of attire, colored red and yellow, denoting them as a part of Klein's group.
Klein returned his focus to Argo, once more smiling apologetically. "Sorry, but it was just a precaution. No hard feelings?"
"No. Not at all." Golden eyes darted over each and every member, reevaluating Klein.
'I guess you were right, Kirito.'
