(Sword Art Online x Male Reader)

Chapter 2: Boss Meeting

'Good, now that everyone has found someone, I would like to continue the meeting!' Diabel announced to everyone at the amphitheater. You looked at Mito who stared up at a higher stand and followed her gaze to see that the black haired boy from a couple of days ago, joined the cloaked figure that gave you the feeling of dèja vu. Like you had seen her before, but you couldn't remember where or when. Just then a loud voice burst through the place that came from a man with auburn spikey hair and scale mail chestplate, his back decorated with his two handed longsword. 'Hold on a second! My name's Kibaou and I want to say something before we take on the boss! Some of you need to apologize for the 2000 that died so far!' he started. That was true, you were all stuck in the world's first ever VRMMORPG called Sword Art Online, but the developer went like 'fuck do I hate humanity' and decided to turn it into a death game. Which meant in short that if your health bar in-game reached zero, you would die there and in real life, which happened to 2000 people in the one month that had past. His statement send you into a state of tranquil fury as you knew who he was referring to. And you belonged to that group. And Koharu too. And Mito.

You weren't sure about the rest though. He hadn't confirmed your suspicions yet, do you decided to bear it for now. 'Kibaou, are you by any chance referring to the bèta testers?' asked Diabel in an attempt to diffuse the situation, but accidentally only made it worse. 'You're damn right I do! Ever since this stupid game started they ditched us and took the easiest quests and best hunting grounds, so they were the only ones getting stronger! Since then they've ignored the rest of us! There's gotta be some of 'em 'ere, those bèta testers! We should bring them to their knees and make them apologize and make them give up all the money and items they hoarded! As party members we can't put our lives in their hands and neither can they put theirs in ours!' he ranted and rounded off on a strong note.

You stood up and walked to the stage to crush this insignificant insect with your words. 'You're wrong, in almost everything. Almost,' you started. 'Who are you and what you want?!' Kibaou practically screamed. 'You're not wrong about bèta testers being here and knowing where the best hunting grounds are, but that's all you got right. Just think about it,' you said to test his and everyone's brain, while simultaneously refusing to answer his question. 'Who would have the most knowledge of this game? Bèta testers. And did you seriously think we would just leave you to die the moment this turned into a death game? Of course not!' you answered your own questions. 'How then! How have you ever helped us?!' He refused to see your point. 'Do you have that  booklet that could be found by any shop for free?' a new voice interjected, this one low and heavy, like a baritone. It belonged to a man with the same build as Ruijerd, but he wore a giant double-bladed two-handed battle axe on his back, had dark skin, a slight goatee beard and was bald. 'Yes of course I have, but who are you?' Kibaou asked, genuinely confused as to what this question had to do with the current discussion. 'I'm Agil and in this booklet is all the information on all the mobs of this First Floor and any other intel on how to survive here. From resources that can be found to the attack patterns of a Dire Wolf. A bundle of information, given away for free to new players compromised of information gathered by the bèta testers,' the hulking man stomped the dwarf's argument into the ground. 'Yes and not only that, but you said that we took the easiest quests to get stronger, which you couldn't get more wrong,' you told the spikey shrimp. 'And why's that!' the chiwawa barked. 'It's quite simple really. Easy quests only give simple rewards. To get to the level the strongest are now, you have to do the most stupid, mind-numbing, frustrating, monotonous and toughest quests on this floor. Would you go through all that suffering? Is it worth it in the end? We think it is and you think it's not. That's the difference between bèta testers and new players, so no. We won't kneel down and beg you for forgiveness and we sure as hell won't give up everything we worked so hard for to earn. So just sit down and stay quiet like the insignificant bug you are, got it?' you explained it to him in a calm and collected voice, which strongly juxtaposed the hellfire in your eyes, making your exchange of words all the more terrifying. So terrifying in fact that Kibaou saw white and could only silently nod before obediently walking back to his place. And so did you and Agil. 'You handled that well,' Mito remarked. 'Someone had to shut him up before it escalated and a witch hunt started on the bèta testers,' you said. 'That would be way worse.' 'Yeah, but your comments didn't let you gain any popularity with the rest here,' Koharu said. 'Did you mean what you said? About new players?' Amaterasu asked worried and agitated. 'In general, yes. They're always exceptions, like you two. I can tell you're better than most players by the fact you're here and your gear is of quite high quality,' you attempted to reassure her, which worked somehow.

'Okay, can we resume the meeting now?' asked Diabel and no one objected him this time. 'As for information on the boss, the latest information of that guide book was actually just released. According to what it says, the First Floor Boss is called Illfang the Kobold Lord, he has an additional entourage of Ruin Kobold Sentinels that appear as a group of three at most. The boss is armed with an one-handed axe and buckler and has four health bars and when the last one turns red he switches to a curved sword-type called a talwar. Additionally, the attack patterns changes as well,' the young blue-haired man explained to everyone there and closed the booklet. He then continued through the muttering of some people. 'This concludes the briefing. Lastly, regarding item distribution: money gets distribution automatically equally, EXP goes to the party defeating the monster and whoever gains an item gets to keep it. Any objections?' It was silent for a moment. 'Okay, we leave tomorrow at ten in the morning!' he declared after no one said anything. 'All right! Dismissed!'

A/N: Hey dear reader! Yes, I'm still alive and this book isn't forgotten. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Let me know what you think about it.

Anyways, support and criticism are always welcome.

And as always I'll see you guys laterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr - Dodo