|Aug. 31st 14:30|
|Sword Art Online BETA, Floor 1, Horunka Village|
As the sun bathed the sky, players and NPCs roamed the northwest town. It was small, surrounded by hills, and consisted of only a number of houses, an inn, weapon, and tool shops. One of the larger houses was almost regularly visited by players to start a quest called, 'Secret Medicine of the Forest'.
The final day of the SAO Closed Beta was coming to an end shortly, by now, any and all players were doing what they could to experience the game before its inevitable launch during school days. Some quested, others tried to reach the other floors in levels, and one large group gathered for a final time to face the wall that was the Tenth Floor Boss.
"Wait, you want me to help?" Nagi recoiled slightly, pointing at himself.
The player requesting this, Kirito, nodded beside Argo who was scanning the statistics and info on the boss. "We've got a few that can't make it so I requested you fill one of the spots, there's not a lot of time and I know this is last minute, but-" He put his hands together, beginning, "-it would be really awesome if you did,"
"Not often you get Kii-bou beggin', take it all iN," Argo snickered as Kirito glared in her direction, "Nyahaha, always a looker with that scary eye of yourS,"
"I mean, sure, but... me?" Nagi shrugged, gesturing to his equipment. "I've been focused on playing outside the frontlines, I doubt my equipment can be on par with that Darkmorn Armour everyone else is wearing," True, most of the other players, tanks, support, and DPS, were all sporting bulky black armour with midnight blue accents. "Are you really sure about me?"
Argo hopped in, patting his stomach, "You'll be fine, all a bit of fun in the end, so the whole team's gonna go out with a 'Bang', ya knoW?" Argo threw her hands wide. "So why not give it your alL!?"
Kirito crossed his arms, smiling, "She's not wrong, besides, SAO's about cooperation in the end, so why not when we're on the line?" He joked, holding out his fist to Nagi who was still skeptical of his involvement, seeing parties converse and laugh as they rallied near the teleport obelisk.
"If I'm honesT," Argo rolled her shoulders with a stern expression toward the raid team. "By the time we navigate to the boss lair we'll have roughly thirty minutes to do this, no second chances here, an' they've been at this all daY,"
Nagi ruffled his hair, frowning, "Hrm, okay-okay," He put his fist out against Kirito's, looking timid but eyes filled with confidence. "Let's go out with a bang then,"
"AlrighT!" Argo cheered, adding her fist, "Oh, by the by, the boss is intentionally harder to stop players from gettin' too far into the unpolished game," She tacked on with a sweet smile, Kirito facepalmed.
"It still didn't go below the green of its third bar before we were wiped out..." He grimaced at the numerous times they had been carved into pieces by the boss.
...
...
"Eeeeh!?"
|Aug. 31st 15:35|
|Floor 10, Boss Entrance|
Outside two massive, black iron doors with small piles of treasure piled at the walls, the Raid Team of twenty players gathered before the de facto leader who stood at the entrance with both hands on his shield. "Alright, we all know the drill here, but for the newbies joining us we'll keep this brief, listen well!"
"The boss is a giant-type monster who uses a massive machete that'll cleave the arena with but they're easily telegraphed," He announced, holding up two fingers. "On his second health bar, he'll ignite his body and weapon, and will start swinging faster while performing an overhead slam that causes an explosion that even tanks can't block so watch your surroundings!" He put up one more finger. "In his final health bar, the giant will cleave his weapon in an upward motion, spraying a wave of flames so keeping mobile and don't stand around!"
Kirito nudged Nagi who appeared tense, "Hey, it'll work out, just stick to its back and most of his attacks are avoidable aside from a foot stomp," Kirito suggested, flicking his gaze over to Argo, "You have anything else?"
"Nah, we're good! I'll be rootin' for yA!" Argo gave two peace signs, giggling to herself.
"Thank you," Nagi smiled as the Rat's whiskers twitched with her grin.
"Just try not to die on the first phase, HerO," He could do that.
"Let's go!" The leader declared, pushing the doors as they groaned loudly, all muffled by the war cries of the Beta Testers and their footsteps entering the massive, pitch-black arena with the faintest shadow of pillars to their flanks.
Once everyone was inside, the doors behind them slammed shut, triggering the massive pitches for firepits to ignite along the outer edge of the arena, the stone walls obscured by several large pillars that led to the back of the arena where a massive throne sat atop a grand staircase.
Various mountains of treasures littered the arena with candles in the thousands, the various light sources bathing the cathedral-like structure in amber light. A shadow sat on that throne, raising its head toward the players with a puff of ashes from below its chainmail helmet.
The massive giant grasped its machete beside its throne, twisting it as it rose, each step sending quakes through the arena as it lumbered toward the players, eyes burning a demonic shade as its rugged, withering armour clanked and snapped with its feral howl against the walls of the dungeon.
/Anzo, the Scorched King - Lv. 30\
Nagi kept his cool, covering his nose for a moment as the sheer potency of its burnt, acrid stench flooded his nostrils. Shaking the haze from his eyes he followed Kirito around the pillars while the tanks took the frontlines with DPS players flanking left like the pair. "We need to constantly inflict as much damage as quickly as possible,"
Time was running out.
Once in close, the two kept their distance from the wide, heavy strikes of the machete. Once close, both charged the skills, with Kirito to the left leg and Nagi to the right. A synchronized 'Horizontal Arc' and sheathed horizontal stroke from 'Iai' flashed through Anzo's shins, intersecting as Kirito followed it up with four gleaming strikes to form a powerful square.
It brought its machete down in two slams, the tanks taking the brunt as Nagi leapt over the second, Keeping his body in the air for a double twirl. "Whirlwind Strike!" The strikes connected as he felt his body enrich with strength from the supports behind the tanks buffing the DPS units.
The giant stomped once, the air pressure throwing a few away that didn't time their dodges correctly. Kirito spun around, slashing in a crisscross that brought the giant back slightly to cleave the area in front of it, forcing the swordsman backward while Nagi dived into the swings, evading them while sheaving his Ninjato, Abizcatter.
"Striking Wave!" The thrust plunged into the giant's shin, lurching vertically to carve through the knee as Nagi slid between the legs, avoiding another stomp. "Kirito, Switch!"
"Right!" He did so the second a slam attack nicked his chin, causing the boss to freeze slightly with its blade in the concrete for Nagi to propel himself from the foot onto the edge of the massive weapon, bringing his sword high. The sudden force of 'Ichimonji' slammed against the boss's head, causing significantly more damage alongside the various aoe skills below.
Nagi backflipped from the backswing, Anzo stumbling back onto one knee with his machete in the ground. "Everyone back away!" The leader swung his sword to recall the teams but quickly caught himself. "Squad E, move out of range!"
The greenest team in the raid was taking this time to attack the boss with a few easy hits, while effective they didn't realize the boss had entered its second phase already. The giant's towering visage sudden exploded outward, leaving behind burning scars and embers across its armour and blade, the explosion frying the trio instantly as they turned to glass.
"Scatter and repeat the process!" The leader relayed, raising his shield as the boss swung twice while moving forward, throwing the tanks aside as it raised its machete in both arms. Two supporters quickly ran for cover as it slammed the ground, creating a massive explosion that damaged a few that were still too close to the splash damage, burning them.
Nagi made a b-line for the boss, using a tank's risen shield to vault high into the air, spinning to deliver a light blue roundhouse kick to the boss's back, drawing its agro as Nagi performed another buff from the martial arts skills tree, temporarily dropping his ninjato to trick the system. "Kyodo,"
He stood with his right fist clenched to his heart with his left palm facing forward, a crimson hue expanding over his body with the symbol, '強度' appearing. When he picked up his sword again, he dove into another charging sweep of the boss, its form craning around to the nearest player in the arena as they ran for the pillars to ward off the overhead slam that lit the room up briefly.
"Watch it, watch it - dammit!" The leader's warning was too little too late as Anzo's arm swung back sharply, decapitating another player while his foot stomped, crushing a DPS user who couldn't cancel his skill animation in time. "Squads A and B, dodge!"
"Yeesh, someone's tense," Kirito smirked as he and Nagi dove past one another to avoid the machete's slashes, chasing after the boss's legs. "Ready?"
"Right behind you," Nagi copied, holding back as Kirito slid down onto his knees, spinning to increase his velocity as he released a wide-ranged strike with two blue contrails left at the giant's feet, slashing vertically twice to complete the 'Vertical Square as he turned and knelt for Nagi to leap over the lumbering weapon as he came eye-to-eye with Anzo, his ninjato's sheath cast a light shade. "Kick-Step!" He hopped onto its chest, leaping backward over the hand attempting to swat him. "Serpent Slash!"
The twin strikes blinded the boss as the tanks slammed their shields into its shins, toppling the monster into a pillar for two dagger users to carve down its torso with the help of various greatswords, scimitars, and axes chopping away at the boss's health as it roared, sending them flying as it slammed those close with its weapon, spewing dust into the arena.
Pushing the vanguard again, Anzo swung with a strong burst of flames, striking across several heavily armored players as they swayed with the weapon, leaving a gap for Kirito and Nagi to slide forward under the secondary slant, piercing the space with twin thrust skills sparkling in the chaos, shoving the giant's right foot back as it stomped. The pair used it to throw themselves back, boots connecting to the tanks' shields, launching toward Anzo, casting their skills.
"Vertical Arc!" "Scarlet Fang!"
The consecutive strikes stunned the beast, Nagi's third strike plunged deep into its calf, Kirito leaping over to the left to cleave in a spinning slash, the combined strikes shattering the second health bar, the gargantuan boss flailing as it collapsed onto its knees, using a pillar to steady itself as it knelt down in a heap, groaning painfully as the embers simmered.
"Nice work, you two!" The leader commended. "Now, this time, everyone to cover, quickly!"
The tanks shuffled behind the pillars with the support as the two DPS teams made a mad dash for the nearest columns, feeling an intense heat fluctuating behind them, the large goblets on the circumference of the arena rising and shrinking like a heartbeat.
Behind them, the darkness was illuminated by the subtle gradient of dark orange attached to the Scorched King's armour, the gaps in its armour spewing flames as the small torn cape did much the same as it rose up, releasing another large explosion of flames to rekindled the goblets, however, two players stepped out far too early as it brought its weapon under its left pit, the edge of the machete molten orange.
"Get down!" Someone cried out, everyone shielding their heads as a blast of heat traveled over their heads, cleaving every pillar in two, cutting off half the arena for a hallway surrounded by flaming rubble before the rising boss, the two players that ran early shattering before their eyes.
"Well, there goes the support," Kirito winced, trying not to look too humored by the sight.
The tanks stood forward, taking another underarm strike that release a wave of fire, though without the support players their battle skill to decrease the chances of 'Burn' being inflicted no longer applied. From there, Anzo proceeded to sweep the smaller battlefield as it charged.
"Kirito," He turned to Nagi's determined face. "Let's synchronize our attacks, that'll draw the aggro onto us for the others to deal damage and heal,"
The black swordsman blinked before smirking, giving him a nod as the boss drew closer. The two quickly buffed with a mobility skill atop a recovery skill as they rushed toward the seismic enemy. The machete came sliding down before Nagi as he dove into a handstand over the blade, striking down sharply, "Waterfall!" Over his head, Kirito's 'Vorpal Strike' pierced its leg as he slid between them.
Kirito pivoted, slashing at its legs with 'Savage Fulcrum', carving the Arabic number '4' into its shins as the machete swung backward, drawing the beast away from Nagi's own twin cross-chop, leaving a twirling contrail through the knees as the pair dove away from several slam attacks, kneeling briefly to recover as Anzo went for an underarm wave of flames, ignoring the raid team as the pair drew its aggro.
It charged, bringing its machete down from above, leaving a massive crater of exploding flames in its wake. The dust was blown away by a pair of thrusting cuts between the legs, intersecting where the boys passed by, causing the combo to flash and deal an increased flurry of damage to the boss as it reeled back, swiping frantically, casing flames either side to burn the pair.
Through the flames, neither relented, Kirito rolling onto his back with his legs folded, providing Nagi with a footrest to launch higher than he could muster, "Rising Tide!" The single streak left a wide red crevasse in the King's torso, the hand reaching for the brunette whose health fell into the red, the burning effect crippling his recovery skill.
"I spent all my remaining points on this skill, even if I'm burnt and crushed, if I can use it Kirito can handle the rest!" He sheathed his sword. His eyes met the boss's, the hand encroaching between them. "Here goes - Rushing Water-!" He began to draw Abizcatter, a flow of blue light emanating from the scabbard.
*DING DING!*
All cast skills suddenly cut out, even the boss froze in place as Nagi blinked midair, "Eh? Ack!" He lost his momentum and collapsed atop Kirito in a heap, his skill fizzling away before the statue-like boss. "What... just happened? Did, did we lose?"
"Ow... um, not sure?" Kirito murmured under him, the boys staring up at the sky like everyone else, shuffling to sit with their backs together.
~{Thank you for joining us for the Closed Beta Test of Sword Art Online! 4PM marks the end of our Beta Test period. At the end of this beta test all player data will be reset. We look forward to having you all join us again for the full release. Players will be automatically logged out in five minutes.}~
"Are. You. KIDDING ME!?" The leader's partner threw his weapon down in protest as everyone laughed or jokingly booed at how anticlimactic the fight was.
Nagi and Kirito peered over each other's backs before bursting out laughing themselves. "I guess we're on a 'To Be Continued'? Hahaha!" Nagi bellowed, throwing his head down. "I had such an amazing skill ready and everything!"
"I know right? Ah, guess that's how it is then," Kirito chuckled, running a hand through his hair as Argo approached, the black swordsman giving her a flick of his wrist as a wave. "Yo, Argo, how was the show?"
"'bout as golden as that guy's temper tantruM," She snickered, whiskers twitching as she continued to record his ranting. "Pure. Gold. Kii-boU," Argo made a zip motion with her fingers pinched.
"Guess this is it for now, huh?" Nagi sounded a little dejected but held onto a smile as he put his hand out to Kirito. "It's been a lot of fun, hope to see you again, Black Swordsman,"
"Ah... you Rat," Kirito seethed toward the sly smirk on Argo's face as he accepted the handshake. "Same to you, Shinobi,"
"'Shinobi'? O-oh, right!" He stood up, shaking his head as he spun around in his haori, "Guess this and my weapon makes me stand out from other players wearing plate armour."
"And that unique skill - that you still won't sell me!" Kirito yelled at Argo, the girl prodding his cheek.
"Ya know my prices are fair and square, Kii-bou, you're just brokE," She stuck her tongue out, avoiding his fist. "MisS!" She slithered behind Nagi, peeking over his shoulder with her arms wrapped loosely over them. "Nyahaha, I got my Hero to protect mE~"
Kirito raised his sword at her dangerously with Nagi holding his head up with an anxious sweat. "Please don't impale me, I like my ones and zeros," The brunette smiled regardless with his eyes closed momentarily, enjoying this strange feeling of belonging with a sword drawn at his shoulders, and the girl bobbing between them like a whack-a-mole game. "I can't wait until the launch..." "Ah!" He gasped, pausing the two. "Kirito, come closer for a second!"
"Uh, sure," He sheathed his sword and stepped closer, only for a recording icon to appear before them. "Is that the screenshot function?"
"Yeah, I... wanted to take a photo, the last one before the beta closes," Nagi rubbed his nape sheepishly. "Do you guys want in?"
The two put aside their usual squabble to join the photo, Argo hanging her arms over the pair with her head between their shoulders, hands in the form of peace signs. Nagi and Kirito did the same, keeping simple smiles on their faces for the small flash of the camera.
Not long after that, the game eventually shut down.
When Kaito cracked his eyes open to view his grey HUD, he slowly plucked the Nervegear off his head, setting it down next to him on the bed. For a moment, he just sat there, staring up at his ceiling as he contemplated what to do now that SAO was closed until the official launch, himself having already preordered the game to have gotten his chance at the Beta.
"I guess I could play Dark S - huh?" He felt his pocket buzz, rummaging through his trouser pocket, he pulled up the message on his phone and a warm smile returned to his cheeks.
Argo: Wanna play some DS3? :3
Nagi: Be on soon.
What was to be an optimistic feeling, the anticipation to escape our lives for another...
~{-It is important that you remember the following. There is no longer any way to revive someone within the game. If your HP hits zero your avatar will be deleted from the system, forever}~
~{And the Nervegear will simultaneously destroy your brain}~
...had soon found itself twisted into a hell.
To Be Continued...
And that concludes the Beta Tester Arc of SAO:M, for floor 10's boss, why not add Yhorm? And not to worry, I'm not slogging us through the usual monologue from the beginning of SAO, we'll see how Nagi comes to grips with this situation himself. I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Beta Testers!
006 - Stumbling in the Dark
A harrowing beginning results in despair, one seeks to remedy some of this sorrow...