|Jan. 19th, 15:18|
|Sword Art Online, Floor 10, Hiro Estate|
*Bam*
"Hehehehahahaha!" Daora cackled as his body sprung through another thin paper wall, his velocity never once breaking.
*Bam!*
Nagi and Kirito both gawked at the straight line of human-sized holes through the walls of the house, a clear indication of where to go to escape the phantoms.
*BAM!*
Everyone faced with the untouchable boss jumped, wood and splinters shattering into glass as a player busted through with their ax swung high. "Hyraaaaaah!" The wolf-headed player screamed like a maniac, landing into a slide to stand before the phantom boss, Heckla the Honhoki.
"All right, boss! Die, die before the eyes of everyone under my blade, become my bungee cord to throw me higher toward the strongest!" He raised his weapon forward menacingly. "Kushla Daora is comin' through!"
"What... the... hell?" Artorias gawked as he avoided the boss's claws again, only, the one that just busted through the wall did not, swinging his ax through the beast even as the Corruption debuff appeared. "Oi, genius, it'll kill you if you let that debuff linger!"
Daora didn't care, drawing his ax into both hands as it turned a slivery-grey, the particles brisling in the frigid wind. "Hahaha, a little debuff isn't gonna stop me!" He cackled, even as the boss slashed at his body with its phantom attacks, the debuff rising constantly.
"No way...!" Asuna gaped.
"You must retreat at once, Wolf-Boy!" Even the resident NPC, Shirayuki, looked utterly panicked by the sight.
"Disappear, blow away!" Stomping his foot, Daora spun right, swinging his ax wide as the skill's light conjured a small twister of light that swept through the room and Heckla. "Whirlwind!" The intense pressure from a two-hit aoe knocked the astral beast away, causing minor damage to its body as Daora smeared a pouch of 'Pacifying Agent', the glittery powder curing the debuff.
"This guy's got a few screws loosE," Argo mused beside Artorias, thankfully, the aggro was centered around the nutjob wearing a wolf head, himself constantly swinging at the boss while dodging its simpler attacks.
Daora stumbled back in time from another large aoe of Corruption, all of which leapt against the pillars to avoid as Asuna grunted, having been shoved onto the ground as Daora used her back to propel over Heckla's follow-up grab attack. "Like I'll fall for that!" He taunted, running along the balcony to charge his skill. "Whirlwind!"
Again, the sharp winds of the skill shredded another slither of the boss's first health bar, at that rate, all of them would run dry on the powder suppressing the debuff. Despite their obvious advantage in numbers, there wasn't a certain method to deal with the ghost. Argo considered what they knew thus far, rubbing her chin. "So the thing can move through objects, attacks can damage it due to the air pressure, light hurts iT..." A lightbulb flickered on. "LighT!"
"Come again?" Artorias turned at the Rat's outburst, seeing her point at the various rays of light on the second floor.
"When it attacked A-Chan it recoiled 'cause of the light, that's it's weaknesS!" Hearing this sparked a hopeful smile from the redhead, angling her shield to view its reflective surface. Approaching one of these rays while the boss chased Daora and Asuna she angled the beam toward the monster's back.
The light redirected itself in a wider beam, striking the boss as they heard the audible hiss of skin peeling from intense heat, followed by a wail that forced the phantom to retreat into the ground before an ax head could split it wide open. "Grah! Sit still for one day!"
"'One Day'? How long have you been here?" Asuna inquired as the boy huffed a jet of air from his 'muzzle'.
"Huh!?" His emotionless wolf eyes stared deep into the fencer's timid gaze. "Two days that thing's tossed me all over the house, it's really annoying!" Daora growled, veins bulging on his wrists with red ticks pulsating from his mask. "Grrraaaah! Come out and face me!"
Per his request, two claws swept through his legs and out his chest, the chilling force tossing him backward into Asuna as the pair collapsed before the rising ghost who channeled more of that dark crystal's energy into its hands. Despite the newfound weakness, it didn't stop it from attacking from seemingly everywhere.
Artorias tried to realign the light to burn the creature again but Argo forced him back as a small sphere of dark smog stained the floorboards beneath them. Whatever they did, it caused a hidden 'phase' to trigger, granting the boss the power to use ranged attacks. It swayed in Daora's direction, unphased by his frantic cutting with just his ax.
"Okay, who gave that psycho a weapon?" Artorias grimaced, seeing every backswing miss Asuna by a hair.
From above, two rays of light burned against the boss's hands before they had a moment to reach the pair, providing Daora's ax the opportunity to slice across the forearms, doing greater damage than before. Sadly, the boss disappeared into the floor again. Atop the balcony, Shirayuki had used her weapon to redirect sunlight alongside both Kirito and Nagi.
"Heya, welcome to the partY!" Argo waved blissfully, rolling the second she sensed a claw attack sweep behind her, Artorias using the pillars to vault over another two Corruption blasts.
"Boss, the light's its weakness, we need to get as much sunlight in this room as possible!" Artorias yelled out as a hand shoved him back. "Hey!"
"I can do this myself!" Daora grunted, hoisting his ax above his head while grasping the lower half of the handle with his left. His breath hitched, puffing out his cheeks to suddenly extend the handle by nearly a meter, effectively configuring his weapon into a two-handed ax. "Hehehahaha! I'll split you in two!"
"A trick weapon!?" Kirito looked surprised to see a rare weapon so early in SAO, but the strange player was right, as much as it made the Beater frown reluctantly. "We need as many of us up here to reflect the light on the boss, keeping one of us on the ground will draw all Hate toward themselves."
"So I guess him being bait is our only option?" Nagi hated that idea too but what other choice presented itself? "Shirayuki, help the others up here, we'll trust Daora to fight the boss for us!"
Her eyes blinked several times before nodding. "If this is what must be done, then leave it to me," She hopped down, waving a hand. "Come, we must regroup to banish this hideous foe!"
The girls retreated, leaving only a wolf-headed man to face the imposing phantom who lunged with a scream, missing the boy's feet entirely as he dove against the underside of the balconies, swinging his ax wide in a larger 'Whirlwind' than before, the same tiny portion of damage affecting it. "Hiding and tricks, you're worse than any boss in this game!" Daora thundered.
In response, Heckla appeared before the crystal again, harmonizing with it to release a cloud of Corruption, one that the ax-wielder simply phased through, bringing his ax through the boss and alter. While smashing the source of its power, it only succeeded in infuriating the boss, eyes releasing a contrail as it attacked much more ferociously, knocking Daora backward on his backside.
He performed a roll, charging straight at the boss, "Whirlwind!" Every chance his cooldown reset, along came a torrent of silvery wind to sweep the boss that remain intangible.
Up above, Shirayuki brought the whole group together with Kirito waving out instructions hastily. "Asuna, Argo, and Nagi to the right side, strike the window panels on my mark!"
"Alright!" "CopY!" "On it!"
His arm flung left. "Me and Shirayuki will take the left; Artorias-" The swordswoman perked up at his determined expression. "Use your shield and the skill 'Ward' together, suspend yourself from that center beam!" His finger guided her toward a single support beam down the middle of the ceiling, directly over the training room. "Let's move as quickly as possible!"
A chorus of voices rang out over the battle below, "RIGHT!"
Dividing into three parts, everyone charged a particular skill, facing the several paper panels blotting out the sunlight. "On my mark!" Kirito called out, casting 'Vorpal Strike' alongside a white skill flourishing over the shinobi's blade. "Three!" Handgrips tensed. "Two!" Below, Daora slid back on his heels, spinning his two-handed ax around on his back. "One!"
There was an aurora of colors and a flowing stream of water to tie them together. Various skills flung their casters across the second floor, smashing and stripping the windows of their covers in a flash of blue polygons that soon bathed the whole upstairs in a warm glow. Flying over the arena, Artorias brought her shield down, wrapping her legs around the beam above.
"Ward!" The defensive skill was a strong shield skill that rooted the player but expanded the defensive radius of their shield, transforming the grave shield into a Great Graveshield with a silvery coat over the rosy face. The sunlight caught her shield and expanded that radiance over the building floor. "Light 'em up, you nutjob!"
"UWAAAAAAH!" Heckla wailed in agony, body smoking from the sunlight as her whole body became tangible before Daora's cocked head. Instead of a wispy tail, two legs formed, and its semi-opaque body was solid.
In a shocking turnabout, the first health bar was removed, reducing the trickster ghost's HP advantage to a mere single bar. As it stumbled, panic in its eye, only the devil stared back, ax spun around over the left shoulder with tremendous force. "Hahahahaha! Lumberjack!" The overhead slant tore into its torso, spinning for a follow-up horizontal that paused sharply at Daora's right, striking through the same red gash again with explosive impact.
Heckla reeled back, casting two blasts of Corruption that were banished by the radiant light above, the crystal on the alter unable to channel any more strength to the cursed beast. Instead, with jagged black claws, she lunged, parried quickly by Daora's backswing. The ax head split the floorboards, turning the splinters silver with another skill post motion. "Smash!" The sudden vertical slam crossed with two arms, leaving a burst of air pressure around them.
Daora grunted, leaving his ax on the ground as he instead wrapped two arms around the boss's waist, ignoring the claws sunk into his back as his muscles tensed, mask expressing his strain before they all gaped as he tossed the boss through the air, smashing Heckla through her own shrine like a piece of furniture.
"My name is Kushla Daora, the greatest berserker player in this world!" He roared, dragging his ax through the ground in his right hand, a skill hissing against the bent floorboards while glowering down at the immobile phantom. "I will conquer the toughest enemies and any that stand in my way! Finishing Move-"
"Uh oh..." Kirito paled, hiding behind the railing.
"Everyone might want to duck right around now!" Artorias shared that reaction, the skill below practically turning the ax into a molten silver object between both Daora's hands.
With a massive heave, he drew the weapon over his head in time for the boss to attempt a lunging attack, bringing the might of a train down atop its skull, splitting the head in two with a massive ring of silver light around them, showering him in red fragments. "-Grand Destruction!"
The second the health bar disappeared, a wall of mist suddenly exploded outward from the death of Heckla, through the windows, Nagi winced under the afternoon sunlight, only to stare bug-eyed at what he saw. And that was just it, he could 'see' the outside world far and wide!
"The mist... it's gone!" Nagi murmured a smile. "We've cleared the mist!"
Another round of applause erupted with reward tabs popping for everyone, even Shirayuki chuckled boisterously at their achievement, patting Kirito roughly on the back as he smiled awkwardly. Below, Daora flicked his tabs away, collapsing his ax to place it on his hip again, huffing another jet of air from his nostrils.
Once the commotion settled down, all were present before the corrupt alter where Shirayuki offered another sweet-sounding melody from her flute while Nagi presented the Purified Lotus to the alter, once more, white petals danced around the pair, excluding Klein who wasn't here but would probably receive a notification of the campaign's update. With it, the amethyst dissolved, and so did the final illusion.
"Woah, what happened to the estate!?" Asuna spun around in shock.
No longer was the house in a vacant, untainted condition, rather, ruins of a building long since forgotten surrounded the group as Shirayuki finished her song. "...that is the illusion, and now that the darkness here has been quelled, only that which seals the way to the realms above holds the final source of corruption,"
"The Floor Boss..." Kirito replied calmly, crossing his arms to stare up at the skeleton roof. "But what's the secret to beating it?"
"Perhaps I may help with that, as a reward for aiding me once more," Shirayuki patted her chest, "In this realm, the Heir of Fire was rumored to hold the strength of a giant within his body, I fear this dark magic has led to such a reality, but, like with all humongous beasts, they have a weakness,"
She raised her right leg to tap the back of her foot. "If you strike at its Achilles, this method will bring even the most ferocious to their knees," While her expression remained disclosed, her eyes softened kindly. "I wish all of you a safe journey forward, and when we cross paths again, may it favor us all," The shinobi then raised her fist. "May the suns of a hundred worlds shine!"
Quest Updated!
-Of Ash and Flame: The Scorched King-
The weakness of the cursed King that once ruled the now burnt lands of Floor Ten have be revealed. Exploit it, and banish the darkness from this land.
*Defeat Anzo, the Scorched King
Floor 10 Labyrinth | Reward 2500 Col | Crest of Flame
"That'll be useful for the guidE," Argo noted with a grin. "Shame, can't swindle Kii-boU,"
"You'll find a way... you always do," He frowned as the short girl patted his back with a hearty laugh.
"Aside from that, what about... that guy?" Artorias' finger swung around to point at the wolf-headed player who was staring at Shirayuki.
"Aaaaaaaah!" He screamed suddenly, pointing at her nose, making the shinobi cross-eyed. "You, you're strong, fight me!"
"...A strange request, but I don't believe I can match your raw power," Much to Kirito's surprise, the woman had extended dialogue beyond her quest like Kizmel. She cupped the boy's hand with a polite expression. "I thank you for your help today, do your best,"
"HaAH!?" He croaked, head cocked to the right before his head exploded with rage, stomping his foot. "Are you mocking me!?"
"No, she isn't!" Nagi stepped between them with a firm frown. "Don't hurt her, she's just said you're stronger than her,"
"That's not the point!" He argued.
"That makes no sense, when why fight her!?" Nagi countered, seeing the boy's finger curl back into his fist.
"I... um, whatever, fine, I'll fight you!" He declared, brandishing his ax.
"What? I don't want to fight you!" Nagi breathed heavily, startling the crazy player.
"Why not!?" He moaned, swinging his ax randomly. "I can't get stronger if no one fights me!"
"Guy's got some serious problems..." Artorias deadpanned, Argo nudging his side.
"Ya have no right sayin' thaT," She quipped, making her slump.
"...don't remind me," Pinching her nose, Artorias slipped over to the ravenette to her right, "Boss, what's your take? I'm saying we walk away very slowly and pretend we saw nothing."
ultimately, the choice on how to handle the unhinged player fell squarely on Nagi's shoulders. He didn't object, studying Daora who looked ready to blow a fuse. He wasn't a bad player, he just had a serious urge for combat but willingly listened when the situation called for it. Maybe…
Pursing his lips, Nagi leaned over to Artorias. The redhead leaned to one side to listen, expression warping fro mundane, to shock, to aghast, then to exasperation. Conclusion? Complete defeat when Nagi patted the guy turned girl on the back.
She walked up and quickly pinched Daora by his snout. "Alright, we get it, you want a challenge; so let's make a deal, Numbnuts, you party up, and we'll drag you into the toughest battles in Aincrad when we get the chance, sound fun to you?"
Throwing Daora backward, the wolfman stumbled, giving it ample thought before chuckling. "I like that... hahahaha, I will join your party and become the most powerful of you both!" Flames erupted behind him. "Then I'll beat that annoying girl with the rapier, the short one with whiskers, and the ones in black and lord over everyone that I'm the strongest one there is!"
"Did he seriously miss our usernames?" Kirito gave a flat stare like the rest.
"Pretty much..." Asuna huffed.
"Guy's pretty loopY..." Argo concurred.
"Nice to have you with us then," Nagi's whole attitude turned around, offering a hand to Daora with a request sent by Artortias who rolled her eyes. "I'm happy to party with you!"
"..." Daora stared at the hand, then to the kindhearted smile on Nagi's face. He growled angrily that his taunting didn't surmount to anything, so he threw the nearest chair at Artorias and roughly shook Nagi's hand. "Grr..."
"Alright, I'm fucking killing him!" Artorias grumbled, drawing her sword as Daora ran around laughing.
Shirayuki shared a humorous giggle, "You certainly make the most charming of companions."
"Ain't that the trutH," Argo couldn't agree more, seeing Nagi chase the pair, attempting to calm them down.
To Be Continued...
I really liked introducing Daora, he's the new powerhouse of the team. Shirayuki has revealed some critical news on how to beat the Floor Boss, and without the fog, the last known Floor will be cleared soon. I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Players!
022 - Kindred Spirits
Argo and Nagi take on the last step of a Boss Quest, during which, a strange request is given...