*Ba-Bum*
Their eyes met with the Rat's, seeing the genuine expression of worry on her face. "It's okay, I... we made a promise,"
*Ba-Bum*
To their right, a Samurai, panting heavily with his sword trembling between his fingers, staring down at the person. "I'm counting... on you, buddy,"
*Ba-Bum*
Their left hand clasped the nodachi with a red sheath, worn and withered, the very sensation cold to the touch. Their right cupped the handle, rising a little more to hold the weapon properly. Their breath hitched, hesitant for a single second.
"Wait-!" The Samuari reached out with desperation.
"No-!" The Rat screamed, their tone unlike any heard from them before.
*Ba-Bu-*
Their hand drew only half an inch of the katana from its resting place, a flush of heat ran down their fingers, the red, rugged texture smothered by a blood-red vapor that caused their vision to split and static with white noise. In seconds, what was once a yellow bar of life points eroded into a blank, empty space.
The person collapsed with the weapon laying before them, their vision cloudy and dark. No voice, no sound, touch, or taste... only a faint scent of blood and a rich, intoxicating quality though it was very faint. All they could see was their vision blotted by red.
/You Are Dead\
...
...
...
...
Many Months ago...
Sunlight bathed a small bedroom in light, the only person present tapping their fingers off the rim of a photo frame resting on a desk with twin monitors turned off. The image of a young boy with short black-brown hair and onyx eyes in the lap of a woman with snow-white hair tied into a ponytail, her blue eyes visible between M-shaped bangs.
Their eyes trailed toward the bed below the window, and a carbon-grey helmet plugged into a charge port. After a few seconds, he wrenched himself from the office chair and reached for the helmet.
"Link Start!"
[][][]-{Sword Art Online Misfits}-[][][]
Written by Silent Slender
Opening - Over My Mind from Arknights (Not Official Title)
|Aug. 13th 17:30|
|Sword Art Online BETA, Floor 1, Field of Beginnings|
Light, rapid footsteps disturbed the grassland as a figure tore across the open meadows with resounding speed, zipping over small cobblestone walls that marked the only settlement for miles, a large town surrounded by a circular, grey wall. On the horizon, an ominous spire pierced high above the clouds, the sun basking the emerald fields as the person dashed away from the safe haven.
They vaulted off the last cobblestone wall, the black haori they wore billowing behind them as their smile was revealed to the world. His hair was short and faux-brown with two braids tied with white fabric by his cheeks. His eyes were a mesh of light green melding with black around his pupil which had a faint, white ring around them.
His clothing was basic leather armour over a light blue undershirt with black pants. Strapped to his right hip was a one-handed longsword in a black scabbard. Bobbing beside his left temple was a faint green bar that curved to his forehead, and above his head was his name.
/Na_gi\
Nagi didn't slow down, rolling into his landing as he kept sprinting perpendicular to the dirt road that split and weaved through the land. "Gather your surroundings, get a feeling for this body, the way it moves and acts, your senses too," He kept his mind steadfast, avoiding people in general as some battled in the fields far and wide. His nose twitched. "Something's up ahead, it smells like copper - blood."
Through a small bunch of trees and bushes emerged two fairly large bi-coloured wolves with glaring red eyes. Their legs, face, tips of their tails, and the insides of the ears have white fur, while its back and stomach are dark browns. Dire Wolves
Instead of slowing down to assess the snarling foes, Nagi steadied his breathing, clasping his weapon in its sheath as he lowered his body a little, feeling an odd crackle and pop resonate from the hidden blade as he stepped inch by inch toward the Dire Wolves that lunged to pincer him. "A Horizontal slash should stagger them."
Once within striking distance, his arm flashed his sword wide, striking with a light blue arc of light enrapturing the blade, slashing the wolves through their necks, decapitating them with ease as his feet stumbled forward, rolling onto his knees from the sudden acceleration as the light against his blade faded.
"What was that?" His eyes were wide, sputtering on the spot as he spun around to find a notice of his exp, col, and item gains, the two wolves shattering into shards of glass. "Is that a skill? I didn't even say or activate one?" His curious brow fell to focus on his HUD, but no other status bar appeared to show his skills, let alone how it triggered. "Was it conscious thought then?"
He sheathed his blade, crossing his legs as he took a rest, peering up at the bright blue sky. "This is only the first day I guess, so I can trigger skills with a thought, I wonder if I say it too?" There were variables he had to look into later.
Flicking his right hand down, a menu materialized for him to inspect his current quest, enjoying the realistic ambience of the field of beginnings, the threats to his safety spawning far outside the agro range.
Side-Quest!
Fang of Silver
Main Objective
*Collect X8 Wolf Fang
Field of Beginnings | Reward 150 Col | (G 1H-Sword) Serrated Fang
Closing his menu, he had very little in his inventory so he needed four more so that meant entering the woods nearby where the Dire Wolves spawn rates appeared to bloom. He picked himself up and continued his sprint, finding it strange how while he had no stamina bar he felt a little winded from running. "Maybe a game mechanic to simulate exhaustion?"
Nagi's pursuit of Dire Wolves endured for another fifteen minutes without result, passing empty spots where the other newly arrived Beta Testers roamed, attempting to be the first to clear 'this' quest and 'that' quest. It left him high and dry that he swore he was going in circles.
His feet suddenly dug into the dirt, pressing his hand to a nearby trunk to steady himself immediately. Something strong stung his nose, the coppery scent that lingered on a monster, all of them shared it, strange as it sounded, but Nagi could track nearby enemies by their scent. However, this one was potent, the sheer strength behind the scent felt like an overload of the system.
"Something big is to the east," He rubbed his twitching nose, frowning sternly. "A powerful monster? I should avoid it, for now, it could be one of those Field Bosses the hints in the magazine mentioned," Nagi prided himself on not dying as of the start of Beta, and he wasn't willing to find out any time soon.
"Yah!" Someone screamed in fright.
In an instant his feet flew over the foliage, zipping between the trees toward the source of the disturbance. Nagi kept on hand clasped to the lip between the sheath and blade of his weapon, running full tilt until the land began to sway upward. Sprinting up toward a small cliff that overlooked a wide clearing amongst the trees, his body left the earth, sailing high into view of what gave off such a pungent smell.
Argo had luck on her side, that was given in her field of work in any game, VRMMO or otherwise. It was her job to stick her nose in the toughest job and dig up all she could and make a profit. It was a fun and successful job that she took upon herself for all player bases, new and old. There is, however, a very minute chance that her luck simply isn't up to snuff, and she makes a mistake, a costly one at that.
The unknown monster had her cornered. This would be an easy fix, simply evade and report what she knew, the mob's attack patterns or weak spots, that was her risky job. This time was not one of those 'easy fixes'. It was a monster that gave her the shivers, that gripped at her heart to the point it felt like she forgot how to breathe, leaving her frightened to so much as twitch out of impulse.
It was just a game, she would tell herself over and over to no avail. No matter the scene or method, just the sight of this animal made her goosebumps intensify, and at worst, made her feel incredibly small, something she could no longer find pride in.
Red gashes lingered on her arms and torso, dropping her health down to a crimson tint as her back squeezed against the basin wall, unable to move away from the snarls and crooked claws. She hadn't died yet in this game, but of all monsters to do her in, this had to be the worst of the roaster. So instead, she shut her eyes tightly, bracing of whatever effect came next.
Below Nagi's feet was something unsightly, the sheer depiction so early into this new, unknown world sent shivers down his spine. A larger Dire Wolf towered over a player, its fur a darker tint compared to the smaller ones as its blue eyes scowled forward. A single, rugged scar travelling down from the right ear to the lower jaw. Various arrows and weaponry were worn and chipped on its back.
/NM Sif, Silver Fang - Lv. 04\\
"Hmph!" Drawing his sword, Nagi didn't let the momentary lapse of fear cloud his judgment, driving his sword down in a vertical slant through the neck of Sif as the wolf howled, tumbling into the opposite wall of the basin as the boy rolled into his landing, keeping his guard up to protect the player.
Moments ago, the player was locked in place by their fear, and now, it was as if the whole ordeal was spun on its head, so much so they chuckled dryly with a relieved smile. "Man, I'm off my game today if I gotta be saved an' alL."
"Are you okay?" Nagi spun his head around to spot the player, /Argo\ by the icon bobbing above her head. Argo is a nimble-looking player who had aqua eyes and short, scruffy reddish-orange hair tied into a short ponytail. She wore the same basic equipment as Nagi only no leather armour was present, instead, just a brown tunic with a black skirt, and a hazel crop jacket with a hooded cloak. Strapped to her lower back was a dagger sheath, said weapon laying on the ground by her feet.
Argo's smile persisted, though an anxious sweat was visible on her face. "Oh, ya know, graspin' the rope an' alL,"
Swiveling his head back in time, Nagi dipped away from the swipe and follow-up snap of the fangs. The Named Monster had recovered, health in the yellow. Keeping his blade drawn, Nagi held the vanguard. "Recover your health, I'll draw the monster's attention!"
"Really committed ain't yA?" Argo's brow quirked.
"I am, thank you!" He yelled sternly, lunging for the giant wolf without an ounce of hesitation. Sif growled, swaying left for a side bite that Nagi rolled into, diving under the jaws while the wolf doubled back, forcing him to mimic his roll to the right. "So 'Vertical' and 'Horizontal' seem to be triggers, and 'Slant'-"
Sif pounced, so Nagi rolled back, locking his blade between its fangs as an overwhelming pressure weighed down on his arms, left palm against the face of his blade while his health trickled. "-taking into account for cooldowns, I should have enough to chain them all in rapid succession - just long enough for her to patch herself up!"
Adjusting his form, Nagi slammed the dire wolf's head toward the ground, wrenching his blade free as a claw slashed at his stomach, leaving three noticeable gashes as his blade turned light blue once more. "Horizontal!" The strike tore through its muzzle, disrupting its side-bite attack as another streak of blue shimmered toward the sky. "Vertical!"
The force of the consecutive blow made an audible 'twang' sound as Sif reeled back, the front half of its body low, stunned in place. Nagi's eyes widened sharply; this was his opening! Angling his blade for a diagonal plunge, the blue shade skewered the nape of the Silver Fang, spraying shards of glass as Nagi twisted with the flow of the game's mechanics, tearing his sword free with a visible recoil as the health bar plummeted into the red, the wolf tumbling backwards.
Nagi ran to take advantage of the field boss' stunned state, a shadow quickly formed above him, forcing his blade against his torso as the wolf's left foreleg slammed against his weapon, pressing the face of his sword against his cheek as the knockback took another chunk of his own health. "It recovered that quickly!?"
"Oi! Mr Hero, fall back noW!" Behind him, Argo had recovered her dagger and rushed to his back. Following her order, Nagi threw his body away as the dire wolf's fangs curved for a bite, only to suddenly flinch abnormally once Argo flew into its range, slashing in a quickly-drawn 'X'. "Tch, I really hate when folks see me actin' up for nothiN'," Her eyes were anything but kind. "Time to put ya dowN!"
Her own weapon's pigment bathed in amber, striking with a criss-cross of her dagger horizontally, chipping away at the boss' final slither of health. Sif threw itself back on its hind legs, howling as it turned to glass, shattering brilliantly.
Both Argo and Nagi were immediately wrapped in a gold aura, their levels increasing to Three as the item rewards were displayed between them. Still sitting on his ass, Nagi stared up at Argo who dismissed the notifications to smile slyly. "How's ma hero doin' in the dirT?" She queried, wiggling her eyebrows.
"I'm alright," Nagi winced, patting the gashes on his stomach, "I flinched on instinct but it really didn't hurt, maybe like a warm pressure?" His head shook, picking himself up. "Are you okay?"
Argo laughed, patting her chest. "I'm tough as always! Got a little... distracted, ain't nothin' to cry home abouT," She dismissed but Nagi saw it, the frazzled, frightened state she was in when he arrived. The boss must've scared her or maybe it was an aphobia?
Not wanting to worsen her mood, his kind smile returned, "That's good, I'm glad you're safe," She looked pleasantly surprised by that, if only for a second as her expression turned coy with slit eyes, using her elbow to nudge his stomach.
"Fufufu, is that all? I'd have thought ya want a reward for savin' the damsel in distress an' all? An' they say chivalry is deaD," Argo teased, seeing him chuckle at her ticklish nudging.
"I-I'm fine, really!" He snickered between his words, waving his hands out to stop her. A question popped up in his head soon after. "When you asked me to fall back, what was that? The way the boss bugged out."
Argo rubbed her chin. "Info comes at a price..." She rolled her eyes. "But since ya pitched in - call it switching or 'Switch', found out it exploits the A.I, givin' two players or more a chance to recover while keepin' up the DPS,"
"It's only the first day and you found this?" Nagi gaped in wonder. "You're really good at this,"
She hummed a smile. "Aren't you a sweet-talker, Mr HerO," With that, the girl spun around to walk down the road, before Nagi could ask, a notification appeared before his hand.
|Freind Request - From Argo|
|Accept? Y / N|
His speechless expression followed a hand that waved back at him, Argo peeking over her shoulder. "'Till next time, want any info, ask away - for a price, fufufU," With a tip of her hood, she left him to digest both his rewards, the information he's learned, and input his response to her request.
Y / N|
She was long gone by the time Nagi opted to find the nearest teleport stone and return to the Town of Beginnings, and yet, his eyes lingered on the road she travelled down. Something told him it wouldn't be the last time he crossed paths with that Beta Tester.
To Be Continued...
[][][]-{Sword Art Online Misfits}-[][][]
Written by Silent Slender
Ending - Never Give Up by StayLoose
My girl Argo gets no love, not that I've seen so screw it, in the words of Thanos, I'll do it myself. I wanted to say this now, but after the events of Floor 5 almost all chapters therefore will follow my own storyline, given the Light Novel is all I would have left as a source to follow for a few more floors. NOTE: This is only the preview, updates will be made come the new year!
The story will then focus almost entirely on my main cast while mingling with Kirito's cast and then some. Not to worry, while we may not see 'every' floor, there are a hundred worlds of adventure for me to mess with. I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya next time, Beta Testers!
Fun Fact: The capitalization at the end of Argo's sentences represents her special nasal inflection.
002 - Rat Pact
The Beta Test Continues with an unexpected quest...