Sword Apocalypse Online
Chapter 14
"GAWD I hate level grinding," Klein complained as they stood around one of the islands, waiting for monsters to respawn.
Hera nodded, "Still, it's not like we have a choice."
Everyone generally agreed that rushing through the floor would just leave you under-leveled when facing the floor boss. So you had to finish all the side quests on a floor, at least, and ideally spend time fighting monsters to push up your levels until you hit the level cap.
Sachi was killing a lizard monster, while the others guarded her. Mind you, she was finally getting near everyone else's level, and was a lot less hesitant too.
"Nice," Harry-one congradulated her, "remember to watch your back though," He moved in and cut down a lizard that had been going for her back.
"Thanks," Sachi said, sighing. "WHY do we get tired, in a video game?" she complained.
"Kayaba is a asshole," everyone chorused.
Elsewhere on the level, Heathcliff sneezed.
"Can you even get a cold in Sword Art Online?" Rosalia asked, the redhead working for him as a mercenary in exchange for him helping her with the ship building quest.
"I'm fine," Heathcliff waved it off.
"Someone must be talking about you," Agil teased, bringing up the old folk tale.
"Hmph," Hearthcliff grunted.
Back on the island, everyone had finished another round of monster killing.
"She's getting better," Dynamm noted quietly.
Sachi dodged a attack, then skewered the monster with her spear. There was a satisfying burst of light as it died, awarding her coins and experience. She could kill a moderately strong field monster with a single attack, now, where before it took two.
Hera killed another beside her, then both grinned at each other. "Well done!" she told Sachi.
"Ooof," Sachi grunted quietly. "Thanks."
"Now we just need to get some better gear," Klein sighed, "maybe there's something in the new Argo Guide?"
"Here's hoping," Harry One agreed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Achoo!" Argo sneezed.
"Why would you SNEEZE in VR anyway?" Liz wondered aloud.,
"Kayaba was a asshole," Asuna shrugged eloquently.
"Heh," Aiko nodded agreement.
The group was in town, and Argo had finished up her updated Argo Guide. It would have been nice if she could just upload it to the shops from where ever she was, but apparently you needed to do it in the main town on each level.
"Hey, Asuna!" one of the guild leaders waved.
"Ugh," Asuna sighed. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up," she told the others.
Yuuki lingered as Aswald of Silver Flags trotted up.
"Hey, I was thinking we could merge our guilds," the somewhat smarmy looking man leered at her. "I'm SURE we'd be stronger together," he clapped a hand on her shoulder.
"Hands off," Yuuki stepped up, scowling at him.
"Hey," he protested as she forced him backwards. You couldn't fight in the cities, but shoving could happen.
"Not interested," Asuna told him briskly.
"But...," Aswald started.
"Tend to your own guild," Asuna added, "I've heard you're pushing too hard, trying to clear floors faster. Rushing gets you killed."
"Hmph!" he grunted in annoyance, then strode off.
"I didn't need a rescue," Asuna noted to Yuuki mildly.
"Sorry, it's just...," Yuuki shrugged.
"Still, thanks. He was being a ass," Asuna added warmly.
Yuuki blushed faintly.
Liz murmured to Aiko, "Damn they are cute tho."
"Hmm," Aiko agreedly.
Argo also looked amused, if a bit annoyed too.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"AH! We're gonna die!" Silica squealed as the boat rocked and heaved.
"Got you!" Lux yelled, swiftly grabbing the smaller girl and yanking her towards the middle of the boat.
The 'mid' boss on this level was a giant turtle. Worse, you had to fight the damn thing out in the middle of a lake. To be blunt, it sucked.
Lind was leading the attack with his Dragon Knights, with Thinker's Aincrad Liberation Army (reluctantly) following his orders. With info from the new Argo Guide, since Asuna and her Harem had scouted out the lake first.
"Agil! To the left!" Lind yelled.
"Ooof!" Heathcliff grunted, having tagged along with Agil's tanks. He was honest;y regretting the choice, now.
"Hyaa!" Agil yelled as he swung the long handled axe, going a bit of damage.
"The shell soaks up damage like a sponge!" Thinker warned.
"We just have to pick away at it and keep moving!" Lind yelled back.
"Oh this SUCKS!" Silica groaned as they swept in for another attack.
"HOLD ON!" Rosalia yelled, steering the boat. They swept by the huge turtle, the five fighters on board slashing at the monster.
"It's readying a charge!" Klein called, recognizing the 'warm up' the monster did.
"TOO CLOSE!" Agil yelled as they were rammed, the group hitting the water at the boat capsized. A game mechanic automatically righted the boat after a minute, but until then they were vulnerable to the turtles bite and fin attack.
"Behind me!" Heathcliff barked to Agil, taking a hit on his huge shield, the whole boat getting knocked back.
"How did that not kill him...?" Lind blinked.
"Draw it's aggro!" Asuna yelled as they used their boat's ram to smash hard into the turtle's side, actually pushing it away.
"ASUNA IS SO COOL!" Silica and Lux sighed together dreamily.
"Ugh," Thinker sighed.
The battle finally ended, and for ONCE the 'last hit' was not awarded to Asuna and Yuuki. Surprisingly it ended up beingf Lux, who managed to get in a strike while the turtle was off balance and nearly dead.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The town beyong that battre was a boating village, Usco.
"Uh, Miss Asuna...," Lind looked hesitant.
"Yes?" Asuna looked at him warily, from the last time him and Thinker had tried to force her and the others to join their guilds.
"We're holding a Christmas Party in the town square of Rovia," Lind explained.
Asuna and friends hadn't noticed it was December 24th. The two 'BIG' guilds and some others had decided to hold a united Christmas party. They hadn't posted it around too much, but there were apparently a large number of players planning to go.
"Huh. Really?" Liz gave him a look, "this isn't another attempt to poach us away?"
"No!" Lind quickly defended their intentions.
Asuna said thoughtfully, "I think I'll pass." She turned to the others and added, "You can go if you want, though."
"Pass," Argo said immediately, remembering how most players had turned on her.
Lind winced, well aware of THAT.
Aika and Yuuki exchanged a glance then answered, "Nah."
"Also no. But thanks for asking," Liz added with a shrug.
Lind kind of deflated, and Asuna realized he had maybe intended this as a peace offering or something. "Well, you're all welcome," he said as he left.
"I kind of feel a LITTLE bad for him," Aiko noted.
"Eh. Serves them right for acting like assholes," Liz shrugged.
"Okay," Asuna said briskly, "let's check the various shops for new gear, then maybe get a room for the night..."
"Right," everyone chorused.
To be continued...
Notes: Trying to show some realistic RPG stuff, like l;evel grinding. We don't see that much in SAO. Also trying to show other characters than the leads.
So, should I try to use Rosalia, who was a Pker in original SAO, more? Or not?