Chapter 5: Everlasting Resolve….
"...ro…"
"K…..o"
"Ku…o"
"Kuro!"
Kuro: "?!"
Kuro opens his eyes and sees a familiar someone, Diaval looking at him with a sword in hand:
Diaval: "What's with you today? You can't be daydreaming at a time like this! Watch your surroundings and when your enemy is wide open, strike fast and heavy."
Kuro: *Laughs* "How do you expect me to do that? This is my first time taking this game seriously since, you know, The Incident."
Diaval: "It'll come to you sooner or later, and hopefully not at a bad time. Are you still shaken up from yesterday? I know that bombshell Kayaba dropped was hard to swallow, but if what he said is remotely true, we have to suck it up and do what we can to get to the end of the game. Sulking around isn't going to change anything."
Kuro: "...Yeah."
Diaval: *Sigh* "Look, let's take a break. We have been training since this morning. I don't want to overwork you. Let's go grab some food in the market district."
As Kuro and Diaval walk towards The Town of Beginnings, Kuro starts to reminisce:
"The Town of Beginnings, This is where I first met Diaval. Diaval back then was…WAIT A MINUTE! Wasn't I dying from a fatal blow against the Floor 40 Boss just a couple of minutes ago?! Why am I seeing this? *GASP* Could I be dead right now and God is giving me a trip down memory lane?! But this moment….I barely remember it. That's right….After Diaval died, I quit the Assault Team, started doing my own thing and cut off almost everyone that was there. Did my best to forget what I saw that day as well, but….that didn't work as well as I thought it would've."
Diaval: "Kuro, I've been meaning to tell you something. Remember yesterday when we first met? You being scared and confused, not knowing what was next for you?"
Kuro: "I was not scared! But….I was confused. The way Kayaba just revealed everyone's real face like that was frightening to say the least. And….How that bastard calmly put everyone who bought the game in danger….Hell some didn't even realize they were in danger and just….died. Sickening!"
Diaval: "Yeah well nothing we can do about it now except fight for the people who can't fight their own battles. At least then, those people wouldn't have died in vain."
Kuro: "Man, do you ever stop talking like that? Actually, let me ask a real question: Diaval, Why did you decide to help me? There are many people here that could use your help more than me."
Diaval: "Do you want the truth?"
Kuro: "Yeah."
Diaval: "I decided to help you because….YOU'RE A NOOB! I can't let someone as terrible as you die here. You haven't found your way yet, but once you do, You will be unstoppable."
Kuro: "I was being serious!"
Diaval: "So was I. You might not see it yet, but Kuro, you have a lot of potential to be one of the best in this game, Hell it isn't even a game anymore, let's say *The Best in the World, Aincrad being this world. Everyone has that same potential, it comes down to the person. Kuro, How badly do you want to be the best player? How bad do you want to be unstoppable? How bad….do you want to go home? Once you find the answer to all of these questions, then you won't need my answer anymore."
Kuro: "...I still want an actual answer though."
Diaval: "Ok….I decided to help you because you were at the right place, at the right time."
Kuro: "Cryptic as ever…"
Just as Kuro responds to Diaval, Reality breaks around them, leaving the both of them in a voided area. Diaval then says:
"Me and you are on the same path Kuro, the only difference is, I had to start with nothing, you got a head start. Don't squander this chance."
*Kuro's HP*
1000/78000
800/78000
400/78000
100/78000
30/78000
10/78000
1/78000
"Don't squander this chance."
1/78000
1/78000
1/78000
Ren: "His HP….It stopped at 1%"
Sumier: "What?!"
Jirachi: "How?!"
Kuro opens his eyes slowly to see Ren, Jirachi and Sumier crouching over him. He gets up slowly while watching the Assault Team fight the *Reinvigorated Bracken the Prison Warden*.
Lisa: "What the hell?!"
Liam: "He actually survived!"
Kuro: "I'm not dead yet, but that doesn't mean I'm safe either."
Kuro opens up his inventory to get an HP potion, but something is different….His UI is spamming the word "ERROR" all over his inventory, so much that he can't even access it normally. Then a miracle appeared:
The Cardinal System Sent You a Gift
Would You Like To Open It
Yes/No?
Kuro thinks to himself:
"THE CARDINAL SYSTEM?! Is Kayaba behind this? Even if he is, I'm at my lowest right now so I can't be picky about this. I'm just going to trust my gut."
Kuro accepts the gift that he received from the system itself. It's a skill, but not any ordinary skill, A custom made skill, just for him:
Skill Acquired: Everlasting Resolve
Everlasting Resolve: When the user survives a fatal blow from any monster, Health regen is activated for 20 seconds as well as an Attack Boost of 50%. Skill can be upgraded over time.
Kuro: "An upgradable skill huh? Not bad Cardinal System."
Jirachi: "Kuro what are you talking about?"
Kuro then closes his inventory space and says "Activating Skill: Everlasting Resolve" causing him to illuminate a green aura, making his HP go up by 100 every second. Without a moment to waste, Kuro runs past his guild mates and sprints straight towards the boss. Bracken changes agro mid swing and looks straight at Kuro.
Lisa: "Is he insane? Running straight at the boss without a plan or a care in the world?"
Liam: *Laughs* "He's catching on quick isn't he?"
Lisa: "We are gonna stop letting you train new recruits while I'm gone."
Bracken readies his blade and swings at a faster speed than before. Kuro has to stop and dash backwards to avoid the fatal swing. "I wish I had a speed buff as well, but that's being greedy." Kuro says as he avoids the attack. Kuro looks around at the Assault Team and says:
Kuro: "I have an idea: All Attacking members aim for Bracken's legs so we can stop his mobility. Tanks have your shields at the ready, defend the DPS Team with your life. If you're in need of support, back off and report to the healers away from the boss. After the Bracken is immobilized, DPS can back off and leave the main DPS to our heavy hitters: The Fuurinkazan Clan, Knights of the Blood Oath, Kirito, Agil, and The Everlasting Warriors. Come on everyone, trust me and we can get through this."
Klein: "You guys heard Kuro, Let's do this!"
Agil: "It's been a while since I took orders from you Kuro, Let's hope this idea of yours works."
Kirito: "Understood. Taking orders isn't what I do best, but since it's you giving them out, I can manage."
Lisa: *Scoffs* "Who died and made him the Guild Leader?"
Liam: "Gotta admit it. Not a bad plan."
While DPS and Tanks are dwindling down Bracken's legs, Kuro walks over to Chihiro, the Assault member who took the first blow from the Rejuvenated Boss.
Kuro: "Sorry about the late callout. Seems like you weren't the only one who almost died today."
Kuro extends his hand to help Chihiro up, after that, both of them look at the boss facing off against the Assault Team:
Chihiro: "I hope this plan works, for our sake."
Kuro: "I hope so too."
*Kuro's POV*
"Everlasting Resolve…A fitting name for a skill. It matches the guilds name, and just like me, It continues to get stronger as it finds its own purpose. Heh look at me, sounding just like Jirachi….Do I have the answers to those questions yet…..Diaval?