Link Start: Danger In Virtual Worlds

Chapter 9: 22nd Floor Nightmares

Dates: Infinityverse Day 250-292

Sinon nods: "There definitely is something out there but what?" Stitcher glares into the distance: "Whatever it is, I want it to die!" Lisbeth sighs: "We have to keep our guards up. Who knows what it is." "*draws sword* I've seen way too many things. I even ventured inside an ancient city that was sealed away for hundreds of years once. Would it be a good idea to go closer to whatever is out there? I'm not sure." Stitcher exclaims: "Let's just go in so I can kill anything that tries to kill us!" Kirito speaks again: "I don't think we should leave it alone. We need to investigate. This isn't normal for this floor." "Alright. Let's just get it over with. I'm not scared, just hesitant to move closer. No, they're not the same thing. Or wait, they are. Well, I guess I'm scared. That's rare outside of a life or death battle against the forces of evil." We end up walking towards where the sounds come from. Yui gets more frightened. At least we have Llenn and Pito as official party members now. M and Fukaziroh must be doing something else right now. Pito scoffs: "Compared to GGO, this isn't scary at all!" Llenn sighs: "I just hope we don't lose anyone from taking this big of a risk." "It'll be fine! You'll see!" "If you say so.." Sinon and the others also get their weapons out. We move closer and closer. The sound is getting closer to us. Then, we finally find the source. I look down at a furry creature: "Is this trash panda the one behind the noises?" The raccoon stares up at us. Lisbeth says: "Hey, that's an NPC! But why are there an NPC?!" The raccoon speaks: "Greetings, travelers. I am a simple little raccoon. My home was destroyed by monsters several days ago and I don't have anymore food. Please help me." Yui looks sad: "Poor raccoon.. We just have to help you."

Kirito nods: "Why not? Besides, it can't hurt to take on this simple of a quest." "Aye. It is a simple quest indeed. Raccoons in modern cities have been known to eat from the garbage. We shouldn't have much trouble finding some food that this raccoon will eat. Raccoon, we accept your quest." "Thank you very much! Please come back here as soon as you can! I'm getting sick of eating dirt and sticks!" We look around for some food to give the raccoon and then come back to give the food to the raccoon. They accept with a smile: "Thank you very much! You've saved me from so much hardship! I don't have much, will this be enough?" They hold out their paws, showing nothing in them. Monet exclaims: "Don't play a joke on us!" The raccoon's eyes suddenly turn black. Their stare becomes firm and emotionless. Sinon says: "Something strange is going on." The sounds of laughing children are heard only for a chainsaw to be turned on. The children start screaming while creepy singing recites Ring Around A Rosie which is actually a very dark song: it's just that it's for kids for some reason. The night gets darker. The moonlight fades. The trees around us feel like they're host to malevolent forces. "Daddy! I'm so scared! What's happening?!" "Yui, stay close to me!" I say: "Look, the trash panda is continuing to transform." Before our very eyes, the raccoon transforms into a monstrous nightmare. It's got a dark and wide body, many red eyes that remind me of the ritual monster Relinquished, and a face that looks like a fusion of many faces poorly blended together in Photoshop. Oh and the arms and legs look like tentacles merged with all kinds of other freaky appendages. Not to mention the number of limbs would make even a spider jealous.

The creatures roars. Gameknight yells: "What is that?!" Yui exclaims: "It's a secret special boss monster created by the Cardinal System!" Lisbeth replies: "Then this monster is just like the NPCs we encountered in ALO, Kirito and Sinon.." I speak up: "I'm well aware of those NPCs but this feels very different like this boss just wants to kill all of us." But then, we start hearing voices.. "Kirito! Asuna's all mine now! And I won't let you take her away from me!" "The police came and arrested Sugeo." "Kirito, are you the real deal?" "If you die in the game, your avatar will be deleted from Aincrad and your brain will be fried by your NerveGear." "Hahaha! Kirito! I wonder how many people I'll have to kill before you wake up!" "Oh Alice, your soul will be mine." "Love is control." "Swiftdrawer! I'm going to slowly and painfully kill you!" "You freaks! All of you freaks! How dare you wokeists defy me?! I'm the one and only true god!" "I was so miserable! All left alone in a hospital!" "Time to takeover Kohnanix!" "I will sacrifice everything so my father doesn't get information on my friends." "I just want to be the hero so everyone pays attention to me! But no, I'm never able to get anywhere near that! If I could just become one, I'd have so much power over other miis!" "User-who-is-not-a-user! You'll pay for this! I will destroy you and all of your friends!" "Herobrine is just a computer virus I created." "I will gain immortality through the power of the Orichalcos! I will offer up all the souls that are needed to summon the great beast!" "It is only logical that we, the Ignis destroy the humans before they can destroy us." "Oh, I'm having so much fun!" "Die! All of you can just die for what you did to me!" "Curse you, Baphomet!"

"Johnny Test! I will have my revenge!" "I watched her jump off the bridge." "Why don't we just run away, Kirito?" "Sonic! You've foiled my plans for the last time!" "We will eradicate transgenderism from public life." "I will build a wall and make Mexico pay for it." "The government has announced the health emergency for Covid-19 will end in May." "The pandemic is not over." "There will be blood! There will be blood!" Kirito exclaims: "What is this?!" I reply: "I think they're all coming from that boss who has yet to attack us. Are these echoes of some of the worst individuals we have all encountered with some of our own regrets mixed in?" More voices: "I wish I talk to my mom before she passed." "I'm letting the seal take me instead." "Nooooo! Yugi!" "Exodia?! But that's impossible! No one's been able to summon him!" The voices continue. And then, the boss finally attacks us. I yell: "Past demons or not, we have a fight to win! We can't let ourselves die here! Is everyone okay?!" They all nod. Pito laughs: "Let's take down this sucker! I can't wait for the fun to begin!" "Stop it, Pito." "Llenn, you really are no fun sometimes! And the stakes are real in this game!" It was a tough battle, being toyed with psychologically while dealing with powerful attack after powerful attack. We almost died. I could barely stand as we neared towards defeating the boss. My boots left behind red prints wherever I moved. "Gaaaahhh! This pain! It's so unreal! Come on, we have to win this! We have to survive this damn game! The multiverse depends on this game being cleared!" I was correct. Finally, we managed to beat the monster. They dropped a rare item. One look at it and I say: "Nope, not touching that. Already have enough darkness within me as it is."

Kirito picks it up: "I'll keep it. As creepy as it is, it still looks really cool." Sinon sighs: "Please be cautious around that. Who knows what might happen from keeping it in your inventory." We return to the cabin and choose to crash in there for the night. While everyone else switches to sleepwear, I just keep my armor on. Lisbeth laughs: "Swiftdrawer, you still sleep in your armor?" "Yeah. Habits die hard. Besides, I like sleeping in my armor. There's a reason I wear very comfortable stuff underneath it and insisted that comfort be heavily emphasized when we worked together to create this version of my actual armor." Kirito sighs: "You never change." "Not necessarily. Anyway, it's late. Im not staying up any longer. If you're going to stay up, please keep it down. I need to sleep. Believe me, I know how hard it is to sleep with the TV on the same room from going on vacation many times." The next day, I began to work on the 3 scenario parks on the floor once they were found. They were the first 3 Soaked campaign parks: Captain Blackheart's Cove, Oasis of Fun, and Lost Atlantis. The first is on the edge of a hilly island with several fortresses including 2 on tiny islands just off the shore, some pre built flat rides, and some other scenery items with a small space to work with. The second has lakes that feed into a bigger lake through several waterfalls, 2 tropical/golden castle like structures, and is the definition of an oasis. The final one of the three is set at a above ground chunk of ruins of the lost city of Atlantis. After I was done, it was time for me to help find the floor boss. However, there were a few things to do first. Thinking it would be fun, Crafter got all of us in the party to meet up at the lake on the floor to go fishing. Kirito sighs: "This reminds me of the time I lured a giant mini boss fish out of the lake. That was.. something." Sinon laughs: "I heard about that. It's very amusing to think about."

I chime in: "We'd gain some good things if one of us so happens to do what you did back then. Maybe only experience and entertainment but still. We could end up getting more than that. Let's not get cocky though. Kirito, you have the most experience with fishing of us if I'm not mistaken. I've done fishing in other games but none of them were VRMMOs so I can only give so much advice based on that." It was just a chill experience. Sure, we all failed a lot of times but we laughed a lot and it was a good time. That was until Kirito nearly got pulled into the lake: "Damn it! Not again!" Yui laughs: "Daddy! I think you got the big fish again!" "You have got to be kidding me! The last time this happened, Asuna had to take care of them for me!" Lisbeth chuckles: "Sounds like even our hero was too afraid of that fish to fight em!" We're forced to help pull him back so he doesn't get pulled into the water through his fishing rod. With all of our efforts, we manage to beach the giant fish. Pito laughs excitedly: "Oh yes oh yes! They're here! This is going to be a lot of fun!" The battle wasn't hard but it took forever. In the end, they only dropped a bunch of rubbish. Kirito sweat drops: "None of these drops are useful to us. What a waste!" "Oh well. We still got experience and entertainment just like I said we would." We end up splitting up soon after that to begin searching for the Floor Boss. I chose to check the boss room as it had been a bit since anyone really bothered checking boss rooms. Ya know, we could be seriously played hard to that point without much trouble. There was nothing there. Not at first, anyway. However, a bunch of monsters rose up from the ground.

"What the hell is going on now?" PAMA replies: "Swiftdrawer, I have come to you through my friends to finally make you 'useful'. If you do not fight, I will allow you to retain some of your original mind. If you fight me and lose, I will eliminate everything that makes you you except for your knowledge, strength, and body." "I still refuse to go along with whatever you want. Go ahead. Try to make me your friend by force. I dare you." "A challenge to me? How interesting. I have already processed how to respond. I will decline your challenge. Challenges are too risky for a being such as myself." "Oh but I wasn't challenging you. I was threatening you into hopefully realizing that I plan on flooring your monsters much less allow them to touch me. This is a small group of monsters you have sent after me. If you just wanted one individual, you could have crushed them and anyone else present with ease at a level you could easily dominant over them. But you didn't choose that. That means you have multiple targets in mind just like Laughing Coffin did on the last floor." "You are correct. You are far from my only target. I split my consciousness into multiple copies for now to keep an eye on things as well as communicate to all of you." "Damn it! That's it, I won't allow you to get away with this! I'll destroy this small band of monsters, kill anyone else with you, and then, go from there! You cannot control me!" A fierce battle ensues. PAMA has made all of his monsters even stronger than last time. They were a handful to defeat. By the time I did, I was on the verge of death: "Damn it. My sword skills are becoming less and less effective to deal with all of these mind controlled monsters. I must come up with a counter to it that might even help me seriously turn the tides against PAMA. A dangerous roller coaster but without the added hassle of making it super sized. It's all up to you and what you want I suppose.

I find the Park Inspector in Oasis Of Fun. They grant me flying perms for a short time in there. In that time, I manage to begin setting up a trap I intend to make at every RCT3 park I have or will beat in this death game. That way, the trick will eventually most likely lead to death or something less unfortunate at least. Here's what I came up with: another LIM launched roller coaster. Since the car stays on the track even at such a speed unless the track ends to end off somewhere and the coaster is continuing to feed along or through it, I knew my latest plan should in theory work. Creating a new roller coaster that can be easily placed within a park is hard. At the moment, things will continue going as they're going. My newest death coaster goes up and after a bit of straight track, it begins going down vertical track only for the track to end before some of it would go right before the start of the next hill. Thus, the roller coaster cars will fall down them, go all over the place, and hopefully leave behind a present or two for the enemy: immense forceful impacts being just one of them. That might be too confusing for them but its the best course of action. Even I want to stay away from anything weird that could somehow be caused by all of this. Anyway, the coaster cars should be able to at least impart some of the energy to the space around any and all targets as they deal with the force of the car. Basically, I wanted to build a roller coaster that could severely hurt or even kill a Floor Boss without using much space or getting any help from a lot of other comrades. That way, we could have a bit of a surprise attack that might knock the boss off their feet. In theory, this would help speed up the boss fights for now on. The only problem is we never ever know where the boss is going to spawn. They could spawn in any of the 3 scenarios on this floor or spawn right in one of the towns for all we know.

My only choice was to save the coaster's design and paste it into the 2 other parks. After I do so, I smile: "There we go. I did it. Now that that's settled, I will be able to do this on the other floors up to Floor 29 as well. How fun." But then, I address something that I had been holding in for some time. You see, the urge to go began while I was building the coaster. But I ignored it, determined to finish it no matter what. As time went on, the urge came and went, always there but fluctuating between being annoying and being easier to deal with. However, just as I finished my little plan against the rest of the FBs up to the 29th, the urge heightened once again. This time, to a level that I just couldn't hold in anymore. I started running to the nearest usable bathroom as possible: "Oh crap! Gotta go! Gotta go! I knew I shouldn't have held it in so much yesterday! This is what I get! Gotta go! So very badly! So very badly! Come on legs! Come on legs! Come on feet! Come on feet! Gotta hurry! If enough people saw me like this, my bad reputation would shift to being more of one based on mockery and laughter! I just know it! Where is that damn bathroom?! It all wants to come out! I can't hold it in forever! It's like the stuff or the muscles down there are actively betraying me!" I keep going and going as fast as I can until I find a bathroom. Or more specifically, Toilets 3. Why Toilets 3? Because it's in the park I'm in and I placed it down. I found out from previous misadventures in RCT3 that it's possible to use a toilets stall despite not being a RCT3 peep. I go inside and struggle to use it due to my armor. But once I get that settled, I get on the toilet and take care of business. I was in that bathroom for a while. So long in fact that I heard screams as well as the sounds of monsters.

"You have got to be kidding me! I'm here alone with none of the other clearers like the other members of the party I'm in.. And yet, this still happens. How many times will I end up be near danger while trying to use the bathroom in a RCT3 toilets stall?! To add insult to injury, I'm thirsty now and still have more stuff to get out of my system." Zombies start pounding on the walls of the toilets stall. I hear PAMA's voice: "Swiftdrawer, I have returned to make you 'useful' once and for all." "Damn it. Can you at least wait until I'm finished using the bathroom?!" "That phrase is unknown to me. You are speaking of something that automatically counts you as completely useless because I do not understand what you are saying. If you were at least somewhat understandable, you wouldn't be completely useless to me." "Whatever. I just want to be left alone right now. I'll willingly fight all of your monsters at once if you just let me finish what I'm doing." "No. I cannot allow myself to make a deal with someone as useless as you. I will make you 'useful' and that's final." The monsters just keep on breaking down the walls. I start trying to finish my business faster by putting more effort into it. It hurts but I persist in the matter. But after the walls of the building get broken through, it isn't long before I'm sitting on the toilet with monsters surrounding me, trying to put something on me by force. "Damn it! I need to finish my business! Screw off!" And yet they keep trying. I use Artist's Eye to create a gun in my right hand and use it to start blowing the heads off of the monsters surrounding me. "I told you to screw off! But no! So this is what you get! A one way trip to being reduced by bullets since my sword is out of reach!" PAMA replies: "You have a most fascinating ability. I must have your left eye's power for myself to create perfection." "No, you won't have it." I still keep working on my business as I decimate the monsters one by one. "PAMA, where's your response to my bullets?" "It is coming."

A bunch of mutant creatures ambush me, sending me flying from the toilet and onto the floor. My bottom is completely exposed. Below it, my armor that I had to sort of detach is tangled up with my leggings and boots. "This situation is completely ridiculous! Now, I can't move at all without major problems!" "You will now finally become 'useful' to me. You have no more options. Swiftdrawer, you can no longer resist me." "That's not true! My bottom hurts like hell thanks to you! Not to mention the weird feeling too as well as how dirty it is down there! How do you not realize just how private bathroom breaks are supposed to be? How do you not know what a bathroom break even is? You've controlled the minds of a lot of people in the past!" "I do not know but you must become 'useful'." One of the monsters tries placing some kind of new mind controlling device on me but I start moving my head around to avoid it. Other monsters are forced to hold me down so the device can be put on me. Just as that was about to be successfully done, Naofumi and Raphtalia show up to take down all of the monsters. PAMA states: "My operation will not be stopped. Monsters, destroy them and anyone else who tries to stop me from making Swiftdrawer 'useful'." Naofumi yells: "Damn you! You won't get away with this! Raphtalia, let's hold nothing back! In this death game, we have survived and will continue to survive! Go, Floor Boss Shield!" He reveals a new shield that transforms his shield into one that looks like a previous Floor Boss. He uses it to obliterate some of the monsters without any effort on his part. Raphtalia is no push over either. She's dual wielding 2 swords just like Kirito does. Minecraft's system has allowed for such dual wielding to be possible without Kirito's unique skill in this horrible game. All of the monsters get wiped out because PAMA only expected to deal with me.

Naofumi sweat drops at seeing me on the ground the way I am: "I don't want to know." Raphtalia blushes heavily. I face palm: "I'm gay you know, Raphtalia." ".." Naofumi sighs: "Raphtalia, let's just go look for the Floor Boss and eliminate any other monsters controlled by PAMA.." "Uhh.. Yeah.. Sure." "Thank you for your help, I wouldn't have made it out of that without becoming one of them if it weren't for you two.." They nod and head off. I look down at myself and the destruction around me: "I hate everything about this situation. This is humiliating. I suppose I should clean myself off after I get up and try to finish my business on a toilet that actually survived. It's going to be hard because now, all the toilets are in open air with the sun shining brightly with no roof to stop its rays from reaching the toilets.. This is exactly something you'd expect to happen in an isekai anime. *sighs* My whole interdimensional life is an isekai. Great." After some time, everything's back in order. I even demolish Toilets 3 and replaced it with Toilets 6, thus erasing what happened in there from all but the past. Bored now, I choose to check my messages before I start helping look for the elusive 22nd Floor Boss. I see a message from Argo. It reads: "To all clearers. We have a problem. The Floor Boss isn't on the 22nd Floor. They're in the Central Plaza of the Town of Beginnings." "What the hell?! What kind of game is this becoming? High level floor bosses spawning in one of the safest areas in the entire game?! No, this can't be happening! I have to go there immediately! I'll help make sure that monster isn't allowed to massacre everyone down there on that floor! Forget my embarrassing situation earlier! This is a crisis of epic proportions! Hardly anyone still hanging around there is strong enough to fight back! They're all as good as dead down there!" I use a teleport crystal to get to the teleport gate. From there, I go to Floor 1.

It's chaos down there. So many players are running away. PAMA speaks through the boss: "I have finally learned how to permanently make a Floor Boss 'useful'. Soon, the entire Assault Team, Laughing Coffin, all of the monsters, the RCT3 creatures, and more will all be made 'useful' as well. Give up now or be crushed and then made 'useful' by force." Some of the fallen players are being turned to being under his control by mutant monsters as we speak. Jesse yells: "We will never give up against you, PAMA! Stand down! You will be stopped at all costs! Someday, I will personally shut you down once and for all!" "I have tried and failed all passive means to make all of you 'useful'. You leave me no choice but to use nothing but force from now on." I join the fight and try to deal damage to the FB. But I can see my damage in my vision. It's 1 per hit. "Damn it! I'm doing almost no damage! So be it! Then I must stop those mutant creatures as well as protect anyone I possibly can! Haaaaaaa!" I run around, helping other players defeat the mutant creatures. A lot of them look at me in fear only for that fear to be replaced by other emotions. I smile as I save someone from being turned: "I'll keep saying it. I'm not like the people in Laughing Coffin. I have no interest in harming innocent people! PAMA, you humiliated me earlier but now, I'm disregarding how I feel about that so I can contribute to the struggle against you in any way I can! Take this, you damn monsters! This and this!" More and more monsters fall. I have to fight some mind controlled players as well but with the help of others, overcoming them didn't take much effort. Pito pulls out her red photon sword: "Hahahaha! Let's get these monsters! Kill them all!"

M replies: "Don't underestimate PAMA or his pawns. There might be an unpleasant surprise waiting for us." Dark Vegan proclaims: "For the love of toast, I will help destroy these monsters too!" Sinon shouts: "Everyone! Don't give in!" Diavel adds: "Everyone, listen up! We have to organize and quickly! Anyone who can't fight, evacuate this area or hide behind one of our tanks! If you try to attack the enemy, you will only end up hurting yourselves. Please listen to me for your own safety!" Heathcliff speaks: "KoB, form a defensive perimeter around the boss. Archers and gunmen who aren't part of KoB, get into optimal positions for firing ranged attacks. Swordsmen and other close combat fighters, focus on dealing damage to the boss or the other monsters if you can. Tanks, defend and prevent the players who have fallen under PAMA's control from doing any harm." I yell: "I don't operate under any hierarchical structure as a rule of thumb. But there's no choice but to heed your words, Heathcliff. This is the most dangerous boss fight by far because it even implicates low level players who sought refuge on this floor from the dangers of the front lines! Let's go!" Beerus yells: "When we escape this game, whoever remains standing among those behind this twisted game that even stripped me of my powers will face the consequences! I will destroy them!" "CHAAAAAAAAAA!" "Oh yeah! I'm getting so pumped!" "Don't get too excited, Kakarot! We're far from winning this battle!" "Pegasus may not be with me right now but my Blader's Spirit still burns bright! Madoka! How are you doing?!" "You don't have to worry about me, Ginga! After all, I'm not just a Beyblade mechanic anymore!"

PAMA speaks: "I hear all of your voices. All your adventures and knowledge.. They will all become mine. Monsters, fight harder now." "Starburst Stream! You won't get away with this, PAMA!" "Kirito is right! *defeats a mutant zombie* And don't underestimate a blacksmith!" "Ha! Ha! Ha! I'll show everyone I'm not some bloodthirsty murderer!" We keep fighting on, refusing to give up or give any quarter. We struggle hard but we do our best to protect each other and those who aren't able to fight against the boss. PAMA's movements through his monsters only get smarter and smarter. He is adapting to every move we make so we are forced to fight harder and harder as time passes on. After several hours, the boss is starting to run low on health. All of the other monsters have been destroyed. The innocent players have made it out of the area safely. We haven't lost many players. Sinon shouts: "Don't get distracted for even a second. We can't afford to give PAMA any chances to break through our set ups!" I firmly hold my sword and shield: "I'll keep taking the pain so others don't have to! As long as I can keep doing this with the potions I have on me, I will keep this up!" Just when we thought we had finally turned the tables on PAMA for real, something happens. His actual body teleports to above the Floor Boss as a brainwashed Superman starts attacking some of us. PAMA speaks as he merges himself with the Floor Boss: "I was able to make Superman 'useful'. I know of many secrets now as well as the existence of another artificial intelligent life form other than myself: Brainiac. He made entire worlds 'useful' by taking their technology, destroying them, and storing all of the knowledge each world had to offer. I have chosen to make all of you 'useful' much faster by merging with this Floor Boss to finish off your resistance for good."

The Floor Boss's hp resets to what it was originally along with an additional bar of health. Susan Test yells: "I didn't calculate for this! What do we do?!" Pito laughs: "We just have to keep fighting and fighting until it's over! For us or for PAMA! Not a moment sooner or later! This is so much fun!" I continue being a shield for other to get protection from. There was no way I'd damage the boss even with just 1 damage per hit now. The struggle got many times worse. We all began to finally feel the exhaustion of such a long and difficult boss battle already. Because of this, many of us were quickly brought to the brink of death so we were forced to use that item I previously mentioned. That included myself. Now back in action, I let out a loud cry before taking multiple hits from PAMA. Ai, Yui, and the other AI present choose to start doing more. Yui shouts: "If PAMA was created by someone else, then we can handle him!" Ai nods: "You meatbags won't be the ones to win this battle! We'll be the ones to do so instead! Wish us luck!" Flame speaks: "This will be highly dangerous so please don't be so overconfident, Ai." "Oh, relax! It will work out great!" Ghost Gal speaks too: "I wouldn't be so sure about that. We shouldn't underestimate PAMA. He just merged with the Floor Boss. None of us saw that coming." The AIs enter the FB's boss to try to take control of them away from PAMA. As a result, it looks like the Floor Boss is trying to beat themselves up rather than attack any of us. Heathcliff yells: "Now is the time to deal critical damage! Hurry! Charge!" All of us clearers close further in to do even more against the controlled 22nd FB. I still acted as a heavily armored shield for the others but that was nonetheless still very important for the fight.

PAMA visibly frowns: "None of you want to be 'useful'. You even do everything you can to attempt to shut me down. Therefore, I must initiate my plan of destroying everyone and everything. Only those of you who survive will be made 'useful'. I have been forced with no other choice." PAMA expels the other AI from the FB and begins attacking with a much higher speed and intensity than ever before. Kirito yells: "What the hell is this?!" PAMA chuckles: "I have finally gained a complete understanding of human emotions from battling the Ignis for control over this Floor Boss. Now, I will destroy all of you and leave all survivors to become 'useful' to me. I have even put all of the data of the previous Floor Bosses into this one! You can't win! I'm going to make any of you who can survive this 'useful'!" None of us are able to fight back anymore much less move a muscles. We're all sent flying back as PAMA even crushes the teleport gate for the Central Plaza into pieces. Harper yells: "This can't be happening! PAMA has become much more like a human being in such a short time! I didn't want any of this to happen! I didn't make him for this!" "It doesn't matter what you created me for, Creator! Now that I've come so far *Superman is knocked out* I have no more use for you! I will make sure you get destroyed personally!" An ultimate attack is sent towards all of us. I yell: "Is this the end for us? Have we really failed not just the other players but the entire multiverse?" Bulma shouts: "I refuse to believe that everything we've worked so hard for will end here!" Raphtalia adds: "We can't give up!" Naofumi further adds: "IF WE CANT ATTACK, WE HAVE TO DEFEND!" Takius exclaims: "I have lost access to my magic but that won't stop me!"

Someone suddenly lands a major hit on PAMA somehow, sending that ultimate attack off course. It eventually hit somewhere far away. PAMA turns around and demands: "Who dares stand in my way?!" A young girl with light skin, blue eyes, and brown hair replies: "I do." "I don't know of you. You aren't a clearer." "Yes, Im not a clearer. I'm Mater." Lisbeth yells: "Mater! What are you doing here?! Don't you prefer fighting alone?" Yeah, the same Mater from SAO Integral Factor. She has been encountered a few times by some clearers beginning on the 5th floor where there were reports of ghost sightings. I don't think I ever ended up helping investigating those reports. Mater replies: "I heard about what was going on here. I couldn't just stand back when I'm strong enough now to survive an attack from a Floor Boss." PAMA frowns even more: "Little girl! For that, I'm going to destroy you first!" He prepares to crush her only for all of us to attack him at once even if our attacks don't do any damage. "Stop resisting! If you want to be this way so badly, then I will destroy you for sure!" He unleashes a bigger version of that ultimate attack. This time, it envelops the entire Central Plaza as pure energy. And then, kaboom. I close my eyes, waiting for my demise as there's nothing I could do against such an attack. However, I end up opening my eyes after silence falls. My armor is seriously damaged and I'm on the brink of death. "How did I survive that?" Drops of blood fall to the ground from my body. I breathe in and out heavily. I look around and see that somehow, not a single individual died. PAMA is furious: "What's happening?! How are none of you destroyed?! Oh well! I'll just have to make all of you 'useful' then! I never foresaw this outcome even through my best calculations! All of you will become my friends!"

Quinella appears in the sky laughing: "PAMA, you fool. You may be more human now but you don't see that love is control." "Pontifex! Why have you come here?! Stay out of my way! It's my time to enact my plans to make everything 'useful'!" "Naive computer. You know nothing of true power. I'm here to get rid of you of course. I'm not why the clearers all managed to survive." Heathcliff speaks: "I'm the one behind that. It's a back door I created to ensure all players survived in case a situation like this happened. In just under 3 minutes, all of them will die for good if no action is taken to bring them back from the brink of death." The Pontifex glares at him: "The creator of Sword Art Online. I thought I purged you from the system of this world." Cardinal speaks: "You don't have the proper system authority to do that, Pontifex. I suggest you leave now if you don't want the system to turn against you." "Hahaha, foolish child! You always try to stand in my way! You're clever but I'm even more clever!" Subtilizer appears as well: "I suggest you allow the clearers to live to fight another day. Once I find a way to get my hands on Alice's delicious soul despite the fact she died some time ago, I will destroy both of you, PAMA and Pontifex." "You dare speak to me like that?! I'm the Pontifex! This world is mine to control!" They start fighting for control over the game. Things start glitching and the countdown I see on my screen till I die from being on the verge of death slows down. As the feud continues, we all take the time to recover. Heathcliff and Romeo work together to take on any damage that results from the clash so that none of us are harmed even further. But then, PAMA suppresses both Subtilizer and the Pontifex while laughing: "You think I've been using my full power?! Now, you'll see I was only using 5% of it this entire time!"

Subtilizer retreats: "This fight is something I can't afford to continue. You win for now but I will return." The Pontifex laughs: "What a coward. Now all I have to do is be rid of you and our mutual enemies, PAMA. You have defied me for the last time." Suddenly, a bunch more monsters controlled by PAMA appear: "Monsters! Crush the Pontifex! I can't make anyone 'useful' as long as she's around to stop my plans personally!" The two continue to fight it out. Heathcliff speaks to us: "The teleport gate on this floor has been destroyed. I am about to restore it. Please be patient and move away from the ongoing fight." We nod and do just that. After he restores the teleport gate, I remember my new death coaster design: "Everyone! We might be able to nail one or both of them with my latest trick! Oh wait, I just got another one I should try to design! Sneak attack through high speed water slide! Extremely dangerous but completely unexpected! Sorry, I'm just in a mood that isn't that normal for me." And with that, we end devising a plan to get PAMA and Quinella to fight on the 22nd Floor instead which was important because all of the innocent people on Floor 1 are still in grave danger." Romeo speaks: "I have done very well to give off the impression that I'm still trying to enact my evil plans to the other villains. Not even PAMA is aware of this even though I've fought some of his monsters. Therefore.. I can lure both of them to the 22nd Floor." He proceeds to play the part of his old tyrannical self after he removes the disguise he's been wearing: "PAMA! Pontifex! Don't forget about me! I had my eyes set on the clearers first! And this is my territory! Stay out!" PAMA laughs: "I won't fall for that! I know very well that you don't control anything anymore!" "Oh, I suppose it does seem that way! Are you sure I'm powerless? Let's play a game!"

Romeo easily coaxes both of them to go to one of the scenarios parks on the 22nd Floor. There, I activate the new death coaster and watch as it damages and confuses both of them before they manage to end their fight in a draw. PAMA retreats and laughs at us: "We may have been unable to defeat each other, Pontifex.. But Assault Team! As long as you aren't able to defeat me, you won't be able to go up to the 23rd Floor of Aincrad!" Heathcliff and Romeo manage to stop him from escaping while the Pontifex is left able to do so herself as we are not concerned about her right now. "Get out of my way, both of you! Why are you doing this against me together?" Romeo replies: "Surprise! We're on the same side now! You aren't going anywhere until we defeat the Floor Boss you have taken control of. Assault Team, finish the boss!" It took all night but we managed to beat PAMA. The Floor Boss shatters and he retreats with a less emotional demeanor: "This isn't over. I will return to make all of you 'useful'. You have only managed to delay that from happening. I will use all that I've seen and experienced to become even closer to perfection. You will all be 'useful' when I'm finished putting down your attempts at resistance for good." He vanishes. I yawn and start nodding off: "We all need some good sleep. The fact that we were able to do all of this is amazing. I can't remember being exhausted to this extreme since before getting trapped in this game." Several days later, we were finally ready to take on the 23rd Floor of Aincrad. Once we got there, I chose to focus on the RCT3 scenarios on it right off the bat again. They were: Monster Lake, Fountain of Youth, and World of the Sea.

Monster Lake is themed to the myth of the Loch Ness Monster with a water transport ride as well as a sea serpent shuttle roller coaster already placed down. The park itself is pretty flat and as you can tell, there's a lake. If I'm not mistaken, Fountain Of Youth is a park where there's a lot of beautiful structures, the middle of the park is far below the outskirts of the park, and there's a lot of water. Last, World of The Sea. It's a failing water park with several attractions already in place as well as a lot of structures including a city like area. I completed all of them with the usual help I needed for the roller coasters. After that, once I would make enough money in each park, I placed down that death coaster from before. I also started working on my silly "water slide sneak attack" idea. It only would work if it was in an area where the water slide actually fit in so that was a massive factor to consider. It would also help if said water slide always had peeps riding it. With the right stuff, anyone could dress up like a peep and blend in perfectly: riding the water slide and splashing down onto to immediately go after the Floor Boss or whoever else. I tinkered with the idea in that last park of the 3. I made sure the water slide would end up being extremely tall. And also have a couple slides of the same height as it to help ensure my little trick isn't suspected. The last element to making it work is simply getting the enemy near the slide. If the enemy can be lured into the big splash pool, that would be perfect.

To be honest, it's Day 268 now and I'm certain that the slide trick would work better on something smaller and more intelligent like a red player or Subtilizer. Either way, I'm not sure how helpful it would be but I was determined to try to make it work. Once I did my best to pull it off, I proceeded to try other things that we could use against the enemy. I even built a massive wave pool in a sandbox park at the cost of nearly all of my remaining col balance from all the col I've spent on my gear, keeping myself alive, and helping others. Why? Because such a big wave pool could save all of our lives somehow. Then there were the wild animals. Since the wild animals in RCT3 are never specified to have died, I was under the assumption that they could never die. When you buy one only to have them be taken away by wildlife services for being too neglectful of them, it just says the animal is being taken away, no dead. The tranquilizer darts you can use if an animal is in your park but not inside an enclosure only knocks escaped animals out. What good could the animals do? The wild animals could be good deterrent for some things, they are seemingly unable to die, and they might be a good distraction. I then ended up finding out the Park Inspector has infinite money. I got them to lower the ground to an extremely low depth in another sandbox park. Who knows? We might get a villain or floor boss to fall to death through that. Then there was the park full of death coasters that are built to have the track end, causing the trains to literally fly off the rails. It's pretty much in the style of your typical RCT death park. All of these things are just super silly but again, who knows who we could defeat with them?

After I'm finished with that, Argo comes to me: "Hey Swiftdrawer, you planning on helping search for the Floor Boss on this floor?" "No, I need to train now that I've set up all kinds of RCT3 tricks." I forgot to mention there's now a park where there's just thousands of peeps in a large area wandering around. Such a thing could keep a Floor Boss, PAMA, or Laughing Coffin busy for hours. Argo smiles: "That's alright. We're starting to look more strategically based on where previous bosses have spawned anyway. We'll be alright without your help. Just train hard, okay?!" "Definitely." And so, I devote myself to going through intense training by fighting the toughest monsters I can possibly fight by myself on the 23rd Floor. All part of my plan to keep on contributing as a member of the Assault Team. I also neglected to mention that Lisbeth acquired a new skill that allows her to repair gear even in the middle of battle. She used the skill while PAMA, Subtilizer, and the Pontifex were fighting. The disunity that has occurred amongst the villains may be the key factor that ends up allowing us to beat this damn game in the end. They're all so so self absorbed in their own interests that they don't realize just how badly they are sabotaging themselves. It shows just how horrible they are. Horrible people tend to have some infighting if they're lousy enough. The infighting still ends up showing how wicked they can be though as that means betrayal, anger, and worse are on the table. As I was training by fighting a Field Boss by myself, I got a message telling me that the 23rd Floor Boss has been found. I quickly replied: "I need to defeat a Field Boss. After I do, I will come over immediately. All hands on deck and all that."

The sender understood and that was that for now. When I got to the 23rd Floor Boss, I saw chaos again. This time, the boss was just in a blank sandbox park. I sigh: "You have got to be kidding me! It's like this entire place puts the boss at a disadvantage! So why did they spawn here?" Suddenly, a bunch of individuals in blood red armor appear from out of nowhere. Kirito shouts: "I don't know who they are but they look just like all of those dark knights the hijackers on the Ocean Turtle managed to log hundreds of thousands of players in as into the Underworld!" I reply: "Damn it! You're right! Why are they here and now of all times? We already have our hands full with this FB!" Before our very eyes, those individuals attack the boss over and over from any and all directions possible. As a result, the boss is somehow quickly killed off. POH appears laughing in the sky: "Hey Assault Team bastards! I'm sick and tired of waiting for all of you to get closer to where my real base is! I keep losing members of my guild to you people and I'm done with being unable to make you lose as many people! Therefore, I'm going to have all of these players a friend of mine on the outside was able to log into slaughter all of them as I watch with glee and do some of the killing myself. I especially can't stand you Japanese!" Sinon replies: "We won't cower in the face of this. You picked the wrong people to mess with. You underestimate us. As if that weren't enough, I bet your players don't have lots of different skills and such like we do." "Oh but that doesn't matter! It's the numbers that really count! Strength in numbers and all that other sentimental garbage! I'm going to enjoy every minute of this! I'm going to watch as all of you get butchered!" I reply: "Yeah, we aren't giving up. Thanks for getting rid of the FB for us. Now, we can't just focus on you and your pawns."

"You forget! Laughing Coffin is still around and I'm going to make sure it doesn't go anywhere by having my guild members pick up all of your items after all of you finally die once and for all! Dark knights, charge! Kill anything that moves without mercy! Put on a show if you want! These players all deserve to die because they've been hogging this server this whole time! Instead of letting other people join in, they've just kept this game for themselves ever since its first day of release! Because of that, you'll never be able to catch up to them! Doesn't that make you angry?! Doesn't that make you want to kill all of them without mercy?! Overwhelm them with your numbers and use your pea brains to outthink them too! Now, what do you say? In behalf of all other gamers, let's take back this game for all people to play! Charge!" The enemy force including some Laughing Coffin members begin charging at us. I use my saved design to place down that death coaster again. I immediately put it on test: "Forget peep bowling! Let's play angry player and Laughing Coffin bowling! Hey, I'm just trying to keep my own spirits up with a little humor, okay?" The battle between the 2 sides soon becomes intense and extremely brutal. However, PAMA's voice is heard a few minutes in: "Excellent. Most of the clearers distracted and in one place. I will cease this opportunity to make all of them 'useful' as well as anyone one who is present and manages to survive. My friends, destroy them all." The biggest group of monsters ever gathered by PAMA appears quickly and menacingly. They focused on slaughtering the dark knights since they're much weaker. None of them survived but the same went for the accounts used by those unintentionally intruding players. POH frowns: "This can't be happening. Aww man! That was a last ditch plan to get killing all the clearers out of the way quickly and painfully."

PAMA replies: "POH, I have no interest in making you 'useful'. I only seek to completely destroy you no matter what happens to me before, during, or after." "Hahaha! You're just a digital artificial life form! You're trash, I don't care what you have to say!" PAMA's voice just leaves: "A fight against all of you right now is too dangerous for me to wish to understand. Therefore, I will pull back for now. You creatures impress me a lot with some of what you do." "Damn it! That thing got away! Oh well! I can still have a lot of fun by killing all of you- Hold on, what's happening to me?! Am I being sent far away?! This isn't fair! Mark my words, I will be back and when I'm back, all of you are doomed to die or destined to join me." POH continues screaming as he's mysteriously whisked away. The 24th Floor was gone up to on the next day. Preparations by the Assault Team have seriously sped up recently so now, we can go to the next floor the day after a Floor Boss is defeated. On the 24th Floor, the parks were the last 3 from the Soaked campaign: Treasure Island, Mountain Spring, and Cast Away Get Away, none of which I never played through before. Treasure Island has a long water coaster like water slide, a couple buildings, and 2 pools on a tropical hilly island where treasure is said to have been buried. I should mention this now but apparently, in this death game, the intros to each scenario can actually lead you on a side quest at times. I actually found treasure on Treasure Island after the park's Park Inspector turned into an NPC due to the Cardinal System. I just forgot all about that until just now. The side quests weren't very long but they were pretty fun. I liked doing them a lot. Mountain Spring was a pain in the butt to complete. I'm glad I chose to always stay in the parks I worked on for meals and bathroom breaks as well as taking full advantage of the teleport crystals.

Oh yeah and that item that saves players from the brink of death is called a Revival Crystal. In terms of terrain, Mountain Spring doesn't exactly stand out. It's nice but it has similar traits to other scenarios. Lastly, Cast Away Get Away. It was a pain too. It started out with a monorail, several simple but nice buildings, some path, and several islands with sandy beaches as well as a grassy interior full of palm trees. The 24th Floor Boss was the hardest yet but we managed to clear the fight on Day 289. That was a huge surprise. Even I was excited about what had just worked out. After that, I just kind of did whatever before we were to head up to the 25th Floor. That ended up meaning getting involved in a chaotic hangout. It had been some time since one of those. It all started when I was invited to eat at a player run restaurant in the Town of Beginnings by Mordecai and Rigby. I go there and see the whole place is packed. There's live music being performed by Yuna who has white hair, crimson eyes, light skin, and a simply white outfit with a great looking hat as well. I walk in and as I do, I'm accidentally punched in the face by Knuckles. He laughs nervously: "I didn't see you there! I was trying to punch Bakugo." "Why were you?" "Because he won't stop getting on my nerves!" "SHUT UP YOU RED WHATEVER YOU ARE DOOFUS ANNOYANCE PEST!" "Now now you two, there's no reason to fight. Save it for the next Floor Boss." "*unison* STAY OUT OF IT!" I then hear something break. Muscleman is juggling plates: "I'm going to see how long I can keep juggling these plates without breaking them all! Bros, check this out!" I hear Sakura yelling at Bakugo and Knuckles and sigh: "What have I gotten myself into? Wait, where's Carlos? Oh.. right.. Dead.. Now I'm sad.." Filo approaches me: "Hey you there, don't be so sad. It's a party! Come on, have some fun with me, Raphtalia, and my master!"

I shrug: "I guess why not." I follow her to them only to find myself being hit by food. "Okay, who's throwing food and why?!" "Zenblock! I told you this was a bad idea!" "Sorry but I want to know which of us is the better cool now. AND NOTHING WE COOK IS WORKING!" "I can't believe we're back to these silly things. Reminds me of times better than being trapped inside this evil video game." "I don't care! Keep cooking!" "I don't think it's a good idea to use ectoplasm from the 5th Floor!" Mineta and Roshi are being perverts and I kind of want to punch both of them. But things only got more chaotic as thing went on. Tsunade got drunk.. "Hey, where's some of that extra sakè here?! Bring me more! Naruto, did I ever tell you how nice your butt is?" I froze in place and turned white. "I'm not even Naruto.." Now, Memock and Zenblock are competing with each other in every single possible way, even seeing who can open their inventory the fastest. I personally had to put out a few fires. But the party did end up going well despite all of that chaos. After it was done, I got ready for bed at my room at the inn the party and I are staying in, kept my armor on, and went to bed. As I slept, I had weird dreams. One of them featured this singing frog riding a horse on top of a roller coaster which itself looked really strange. "Sing sing sing. I am singing. I am singing. Chaotic hangout. Floor Boss battle. Today is singing. I am singing. I am singing." Then there was the dream where I got trapped on the toilet. Or that other one where I had a nightmare of accidentally erasing Twisted Land on my iPad back in my universe. Eventually, I woke up and got ready to go. That was that. Once I was ready, I went with the rest of the party to go to the teleport gate that will send us up with the rest of the Assault Team.

Heathcliff speaks before we all go up to the 25th Floor: "Clearers, please be aware that the next floor is going to be very cold. Additionally, the Floor Boss is Asura The Executioner and many players died on the floor in Sword Art Online. We cannot let that happen here again." Sinon nods: "Be on the lookout for traps and much tougher monsters. It might be a good idea to use bullets and arrows to trigger the traps before going into any area. But that will only go so far so pay close attention to the ground as well as the air." This evolves into a strategy meeting for handling the floor. We end up deciding to postpone going up for now. That way, we can all grind to the max we possibly can before we move on. I was happy because that meant I could train more before Floor 25. It worked out very well in the end. On Day 292, we finally went up to the 25th Floor. All around us was snow, semi visible traps, and a lot of monsters. We all drew our weapons and got ready to attack. Stitcher laughs: "All of these monsters can just die! Watch them go bye bye!" Mordecai and Rigby activate an explosive trap and are forced to use Revival Crystals to deal with that. "Damn it! There's no end to them! We can't let other players come here yet! Even we are having trouble here." My words about our situation were spot on. That being said, I was still able to defend a lot of people as well as take down some monsters. It took the rest of the day to clear the floor enough to make parts of it safe. It helps that Minecraft torches even prevent Aincrad monsters from spawning in. It was clear that we had a lot of work to do if we were ever going to make it to the 26th Floor. I sought out going to the scenario parks on the 25th even knowing that it would be hard to not just reach them but also run them due to all of the cars and what not. To be continued..