SAO: The Story Of A Legend

Chapter 16: {Floor 74} (Hikaru's POV)

I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah I know that feeling. Although, swords and fighting in real life would be different....fighting for your life wouldn't feel much different though. But without skills and such, it would feel awkward..."

"Yeah I guess that's true...eh oh well. I adjusted to this world, I'm sure I can re-adjust."

"Anything else you want to ask?"

"Yeah, one last thing."

"Ah, yeah go ahead."

"So what's your relationship with Haruna? I mean are you two like close? Or like anything like dating-wise?

I squinted my eyes. I can see what he's talking about....

"No...we're just friends. I'd like to say we're pretty close friends but I guess it's up to her to decide that. Why?"

I knew the reason he asked...I just wanted to mess around with him for a bit...

"Well, and I hope you don't get mad at me and go all 'Hiku The Legend' on me or anything, but dude she's really attractive and adorable....I want to ask her out, but I just had to make sure you were cool with it and everything."

I laughed..

"Yeah man that's perfectly fine..."

A message popped up on my screen from Iku.

"They started the meeting early Hiku! Better hurry up! Haruna is here with us. Be ready!"

"Jeez, why'd they start early?!"

I got up with Orochi and we ran out the door.
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Ugh, thank goodness we made it on time....I took a second to catch my breath and we walked up to Iku, Yujin and Haruna.

"Finally!"

Iku said as she crossed her arms....

"I don't understand why they started early! They know it's double EXP today! Of course people are gonna be out grinding..."

I wrapped my arm around her, and leaned in close.

"I think that might be the point....just so there isn't any competition, ya know?"

She smiled.

"Yeah I guess that's true..."

Commander Heathcliff walked out to the center and looked at everyone.

"Hello, as all of you know, we are on the 74th floor. The boss here is definitely going to be a big challenge. But I'm sure we can power through it and take it down! One of the members of my guild will now hand out information to all the players here on how the boss is and all its stats. I'm sure none of you are aware, that this boss in particular, loses its strength by 10 percent on double EXP events. But it only lasts for a limited time. I called all of you here early, so that we wouldn't miss this small, limited event. That -10% could be the reason we make it to the next floor. I want all of you at your best!"

A player walked up to all of us and handed us a list of the boss' stats. I read it over, and learned it. Sounds like that 10 percent is really gonna help out....

"We will see you all at the boss room!"

Most of the players walked out. I watched Heathcliff carefully as he walked out....

"Hiku? You okay?"

He just doesn't seem normal....he seems too over confident most of the time....when he lost a few members of his guild, he barely even gave it any thought......maybe he's just--

"Hey!"

I felt a small sharp thing tap my arm a few times...I looks over and saw Iku tapping me with a pencil.

"Ow, hey!"

"Hiku! Where'd you go?"

"Umm right here, getting stabbed with a pencil!"

"Whatcha thinking about? I thought I saw you staring at some girl walking out..."

I looked around and back at her.

"No, I was watching Heathcliff...something's not right with that guy...something tells me not to trust him..."

"Ohhh, I'm sure you're just overreacting! He's fine!"

I smiled, knowing that I had her and all my friends to comfort me...

"Hikaru, may I have some help for a second?"

I turned around and saw Haruna attempting to move a table by herself...I shot up and ran to help her.

"Woah! Hey be careful!"

I ran to her and lifted up the table with as much strength as I could....

"Could you move it over there for me, Hikaru?"

I nodded and moved the table away from where it was before. I walked back to Haruna.

"Why'd you want to move it?"

She bent down and picked up a small coin off the ground....I looked at it confused....I pretty much messed up my back over a coin...?

"Hikaru, Col in this game normally disappears after it has been spent, correct?"

"Yeah. Why?"

She looked over at Orochi.

"Orochi, could you come here for a second?"

Orochi came over and stood beside me.

"What's up?"

"Does this look like normal Col to you?"

He took it and looked at it in many different angles....

"Yep. The official SAO currency. Why what's up?"

"Well....why is it still here? Hikaru said that once Col is spent, the coin disappears...so why is this one still here?"

"Easy, someone must have just dropped it. I'm sure they'll come back for it."

"But Orochi, and I'm sorry for attempting to prove you wrong, but doesn't the coin just disappear and re-appear in the player's inventory if it's dropped?"

"Hmm...yeah that is true..."

Yeah that is pretty odd...I looked at the coin...Haruna is definitely onto something...