Sword Art Online DLC

Chapter 7: Encounter

"Ok everyone! Can I have your attention! The 10th floor strategy meeting is about to begin!" Kirito shouted while standing up from his seat. The chatter quietened down and everyone turned there eyes to look at Kirito. "Thank you, I'd like to start todays meeting by announcing what quests your parties will be doing."

"That's odd, usually he leaves this part until last" Jyenka whispered to Taijou. Silvia stomped on his foot to get Jyenka to be quiet.

"The quests you have been assigned have just been emailed to you, check your inboxes with your party and make sure your all on the same page." Jyenka and everyone else in his group opened there inboxes to see a message from Kirito, the quest they'd been assigned was called 'Stop the Goblin Invasion!'

"Sounds like this quest will have a strong combat element to it" Shoko commented, she was sitting next to Silvia.

"That may be the case, although, this could be a scenario of stopping the invasion before it starts." ThirtySix said, he was sitting next to Taijou.

"You mean like a stealth mission?" Taijou asked ThirtySix. ThirtySix nodded in response.

"Ok everyone! If you've sorted things out with your party I'd like your attention once again, there's something serious I need to discuss." Kirito said with a stern tone. The room quietened down and a sense of anticipation filled the air. "There have been rumours spreading about players forming malicious guilds, ones specifically dedicated to criminal activity, including the murdering of other players." Everyone in the room felt there hearts sink but Jyenka felt it particularly bad.

"No, don't tell me..." he thought to himself.

"There is a chance, that this might be the return of the murder guild 'Laughing Coffin'."

The atmosphere in the room turned to one of anxiousness and panic.

"Laughing Coffin? What's he talking about?" Asked Taijou to Jyenka. Jyenka was still looking at Kirito with fear in his eyes, but he answered Taijou anyway.

"Laughing Coffin is a guild that was created back when this incident first happened. They only had one goal, find sick ways to torture and kill other players." Jyenka said with a serious and fearful tone. Taijou paused with a mixture of shock and fear.

"What? How could anyone do that? Just the thought makes me sick!" He replied.

"Everyone calm down! These are just rumours, we've asked all the best info brokers around Aincrad about this and they said they haven't heard anything about the return of Laughing Coffin!" Kirito shouted in order to get everyone's attention again. The group quietened down and looked at Kirito once again. "I wanted everyone here to be aware of this because if they do return and they do decide to start killing again, we'll be there main targets." Jyenka clenched his fists. "This is all the main news I have for you today. Complete your quests with your party and stay alert, everyone in this room is valued and I don't intend on losing a single member. Dismissed!" Everyone left there seats a little shaken from the news they'd just received.

Kirito moved out of the fortress with his party. "Thank you all for sticking by me, I'm sure that topic brought back a lot of bad memories." Kirito said while shuddering as he remembered all the bad things Laughing Coffin had done to him in his life. Asuna put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Of course we'd stick by you. your more than just a leader, your a friend. Don't ever forget that ok?" Asuna said while giving Kirito a warm smile. Kirito smiled back.

"Thank you Asuna, I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you."

"Aw get a room you two!" Lisbeth shouted as she suddenly appeared behind them. Klein laughed at this.