SAO: Gamebreaker

Chapter 5

A large group of people were walking towards the labyrinth, with Blossom, Kirito, and Asuna standing near the back. Being a party of three rather than six, they were given the role of killing and preventing the kobold sentinels from protecting the boss.

"So, Blossom and I will focus on damaging them, then you'll switch in with us when we are in the Post-Motion state."

"Alright."

"Ooh, wait, equip this for a second." Blossom passed her sword to Asuna, who looked at her in confusion.

"Just trust me. Equip it."

Asuna equipped the sword.

"Huh? A new skill?"

"Yep. The sword gives the wielder a sword skill when they first equip it. The two of us have it already, and I felt like you should also have the skill, seeing as we are fighting together."

"...Thank you." She handed the sword back to Blossom, who took it with a smile.

The group continued walking and talking, each party discussing their positioning and attack strategies. There were a few encounters with monsters along the path, but with such a large group of experienced players, the encounters didn't last long. The journey through the labyrinth was just as easy. The spawn rate for monsters in the Labyrinth was aimed at groups of 5–6, and with 30+ people traveling as a group, they were no match. The group was being led by Diavel and his party, as they were the only people who knew where the boss room was. After a few hours of traveling through the Labyrinth, they had arrived at the giant metal doors, the entrance to the boss room.

"Everyone! We have arrived at the boss room. Take thirty minutes to eat and recover, then we'll start the raid."

The three leaned against the cracked stone wall, surrounded by different parties huddled in their own groups.

"Here." Blossom said, passing a bottle of cream to Asuna.

"Thank you." She spread the cream over her bread, but as she tried to pass it back to Blossom, she refused.

"Keep it, we have plenty."

"...Okay."

The three ate in silence after that, Kirito listening to the parties nearby, Blossom enjoying her sandwich, and Asuna keeping her face hidden under her hood. The parties weren't talking about anything in particular; some making casual chit-chat, others discussing attack strategies. The thirty minutes passed by quickly, and it wasn't long before everyone was grouped up, about to enter the boss room.

"Listen up, everyone." Diavel shouted from in front of the door.

"I have only one thing to say... Let's win!"

Most of the crowd were cheering and riling themselves up for the fight. But a select few were instead focused, preparing themselves mentally for the battle—those few being the ones who have faced this challenge before. Diavel pushed the doors open, splitting down the middle and opening into a dark corridor. The light from the labyrinth crept into the corridor, lighting up the pillars on the edge and the strange shinobi-esq pattern that repeated on the floor. The pillars and patterns repeated into the darkness, which was still for a moment, before two red glowing eyes pierced it, staring at the people who would dare take on this challenge.

The parties entered the corridor, being led by Diavel, and it wasn't long before the walls and ceiling lit up, splotches of crystalline sending light throughout the chamber they had just entered. The boss leapt from its throne at the end of the corridor, landing in front of Diavel. The beast was huge, with red skin coating its body and two diamonds painted on its incredibly large stomach; one smaller solid one inside a large hollow one. In its right hand, it wielded an axe, while its left held a shield. It wore little protection, its armor being only the steel arm and shin guards it donned, while its clothing consisted of only a cloth wrapped around its crotch. The boss let out a roar as its name came in letter by letter above its head, Illfang the Kobold Lord. Four health bars appeared beside it; the boss fight had begun.