22nd December, 20h30 (8h30 p.m), Floor 10 Labyrinth Boss Room:
Luckau and Kirito level 59, Asuna level 58, Mito, Chris and Koharu level 57:
The fight has begun around twenty minutes ago with the Assault Team already succeeding to retrieve almost a quarter of the boss HP. Still, some players are in difficulty despite the support players.
Klein: Tankers, we are in difficulty.
Luckau: Liten, Agil we will attract the boss close to its throne so that our supporters will aid the players in difficulty.
Agil/Mito: Ok
Agil: Take this! *Hit*
*Roar*
Liten: We have the full aggro.
Luckau: Lower your heads!
*Horizontal boss Slash attack*
Liten: That was closed. Now it's coming to us.
Luckau: Allez viens sale chien!
Kagachi focuses his attack mainly on Luckau who is trash-talking him. With Luckau very close to his throne something great or bad could ensue.
Luckau: (I wonder if he vandalize his throne, he could be very mad).
Kirito: Hey Tankers, what do you do?!
Agil: Step back, we have a plan.
Asuna: Which plan?
Chris: Oh maybe I know. Stop attacking, as Agil said EVERYONE STEP BACK!
All the players except the Tank players step back with Kagachi landing a huge attack on the group.
Luckau: Get out!
They dive on the sides avoiding the hit when Kagachi destroys his proper throne.
Kagachi roars with rage after the destruction of his symbol of power.
Luckau: Bingo.
Koharu: What was that?
Chris: Oh I think it's its buff that we have destroyed. Or it will earn one?
Kirito: I think retrieving one.
Kari: Really?
Mito: Yep. And I thought that a rumor.
Luckau: Come on guys attack him, let's take the advantage of the situation now!
Kagachi returns to face the players who have determined in the fight. And summons the bolts of lightning as they knock them.
All the players are paralyzed but for a lot, it's just only 30sec of paralysis or not at all.
Koharu: I'm still standing!
Mito: Me too!
Yuuki: The same thing!
Asuna: Girls, I think we can do a combo switch to weaken him.
Kirito: Do it, with Chris, Klein, and Kari we will retrieve the paralysis of the players.
Luckau: Tell us when you are ready so we harmonize the aggro.
Mito: Now!
Agil: Let's go girls!
Asuna: I begin, then Mito then you Koharu to finish with Yuuki.
Mito/Koharu/Yuuki: Yes Asuna.
Asuna with her Rapier
Then Mito
Then Koharu
And Yuuki
Yuuki: MID LIFE!
Luckau: Everyone! Be very careful now, a new phase is on.
Kagachi summons a second katana of his own to fight with 2 katanas.
Asuna: Girls get out of the way! Kirito! Chris! Damagers! Watch out!
Kirito: Oh shit...
Liten: Run! We can't aggro!
Koharu: Some players will be critically beaten!
Chris: No they won't!
Kagachi attack furiously the players hitting some.
Chris grabs some players to put in safety, while Kirito pushed some players out of the main landing damage. However they have been hit by the boss, as they receive some huge damage fortunately, with their levels and stuff equipped, they still have a 1/3 of their HP left.
Chris: Merde!
Kirito: Needs some potions here.
Klein: Takes mine.
Yuuki asks the boys if they are fine while they drink Klein's potions.
Yuuki: You alright boys?
Kirito: We're fine but out of action for a few minutes. Stay careful with its new battle phase!
Chris: We rest a bit until our HP will be filled again, Kari you go assist with Koharu and the girls.
While they are protected by the Supporters players and Klein. They try to find another battle plan.
Kirito: You got a plan while we regenerate our lives?
Chris: For now no, only Luckau's plan on my mind but just for the two of us. We attacked the boss differently as it wasn't expected.
Kirito: How?
Chris: I don't know, improvise or do something else! If we weren't powerful we would have been dead without damages received.
Klein: You are right but stay serene. You are not fully yourself when you begin to panic.
Chris: Oh oui attend. *Long breath* Ok I'm more tranquil.
Kirito: Maybe I have one. Does the boss have 2 katanas? So he is strong? Yes, but he has less agility to use 2 weapons at the same time. Normally you land less power since you don't use your two hands.
Chris: Simplify Kirito we don't have the time!
Kirito: Ok I mean we attack both its arms. For example, you on its left, me on its right with the girls helping us with the others DPS players attacking its back.
Chris: Kirito you are genius if it's works. Luckau! Nouvelle stratégie!
Luckau: QUOI?
Chris: FEUR!
Luckau: TA GEULE SÉRIEUSEMENT QUOI?!!
Chris: We must focus our attacks on both hands. It's its weakness!
Luckau: You sure?
Kirito: Yes, trust me I have a feeling about this!
Luckau: Ok I obey you. *Whistle* Everyone is able to continue, please strike its hands, tankers protect the damagers, and supporters continue to protect the injured!
Assault Team: Yes Luckau!
Klein: Hey guys, should I prepare the spear?
Chris: Begin, please.
Klein: Got it.
Kirito: Ready Chris?
Chris: My HP is soon filled and you?
Kirito: 3/4. Enough to try an attempt.
Chris: Then we are ready. For our second attack!
Chris and Kirito sprint together with their respective [Greenish Sword] +10 and [Anneal Blade] + Max upgraded to attack the hands of the boss which could be the weakness all along.
Kirito: Asuna, Yuuki with me.
Chris: Koharu and Mito with me.
Asuna/Mito/Koharu/Yuuki: Got it.
All the players who are still able to fight attack aggressively the boss, when some minions belonging to Kagachi spawn in the room.
Support player 1: MINIONS!
Luckau: Liten, Agil, I help the back. Continue to tank the boss.
Agil/Liten: Copy!
Luckau: Lucie viens avec moi! On va aider l'arrière.
Kari: J'arrive!
The Kau siblings go assist the back-front team as they really need help. They engage in 1 vs 4 situations per player.
Luckau: Attack them with an AOE skill. You can handle them all sister?
Kari: Oh oui.
*Slash*
Luckau: Génial
Luckau: We are a bit dumb but why we don't put the unable players outside the boss room?
Kibaou: It's filled again with monsters.
Luckau: Oh I see, ok Kibaou, Lind follow me, we will secure the room.
Lind: How?
Luckau outs an item from his inventory which is the
Luckau: With this.
Lind: What is it?
Luckau: I called it "Protection Avancé d'un Terrain Habitable / Protected Area Terrain Habitable" or "PATH", it cost me a lot of resources and cols to craft it. It will initiate if I'm not wrong, with huge protection like a dome, and the monsters can't enter it but it has a limited duration but I don't know how long it can last.
Kibaou: Let's try it. It becomes too dangerous for the injured players to stay in the battle zone.
Luckau: I hope it works, it's the prototype that you will use.
Lind: Even if it's not at least we have tried.
Luckau: I stay at the door and still coordinate the rest of the Team.
The two leaders back in the main labyrinth eliminate carefully the monsters and go to the center of the boss room entrance as they will activate the prototype device from Luckau.
Lind: Ok so Kibaou, you know how to use it?
Kibaou: Oh no, we haven't asked him! Well... try this button.
Lind: Which one? There are too many!
Kibaou: Try one, others monsters are spawning!
*Slash* *Slash*
Lind: Maybe this one?
Luckau: 3rd button after turning twice the device on the right guys!
*Energy charged*
Lind: What next?
Kibaou: Hurry up Lind! They are too much!
Luckau: Click on the red button. Then leave the device down.
Lind: Like this?
Luckau: Yeah!
*PATH device activated*
A large shield is summoned encircling the area and at the same time, the shield discharges a powerful electricity attack, instantly killing the monsters inside of the protection.
*Multiple fragments burst*
Kibaou: It's done?
Lind: Seems like it.
Kibaou: Ok now let's inform the rest.
Back inside the boss room
Koharu: But why do we inflict no damage on his hands?!
Chris: We don't have enough crit rate. We need a buff on the crits.
Asuna: But the support is already occupied to protect the back.
Luckau: I wonder if Lind and Kibaou haven't screwed up my device even if it's on.
Mito: Which device?
Luckau: Something to reduce the pressure on the support players and better help the injured. So that they will help us.
Lind: Guys it's done, the protection is on!
Luckau: Really?!
Kibaou: Every player who cannot fight right here, must leave the boss room and stay outside.
Lind: Thanks to Luckau we have installed a device to protect the area from mobs.
Injured Assault Team member 1: Great
Injured Assault Team member 2: I will be in security.
Injured Assault Team member 3: Thank.
Luckau: You two, you will protect with some supporters. We just need a full support party who stays with us for the buff.
Kirito: Can we have one now?
Support Assaut Team player 1: One second! *skill used* done!
*Buff effect*
Chris: Thanks. Girls and boys, time to crit him!
All the group with a huge critic rate and damages buff deals more damage which finally does damage to Kagachi's hands.
Mito: Continue like that.
*Double break*
Asuna: The boss is in its break phase! Attack everyone!
All the players attack again the boss but the HP is not decreasing and is stuck at 15%.
Kari: C'est normal that I see the boss not decreasing?
Chris: No it's not normal. Everyone stop attacking there is an issue!
Everyone stops attacking as they quickly check on what's happening.
Kirito: No one has experienced that before.
Asuna: Despite all of the best attacks. No damage on its break.
Koharu: Isn't the game glitched?
Mito: I don't think so.
As they begin to lower their guards. The boss prepares a new attack.
Luckau: DÉGAGEZ!
Assault Team: What?!
*Kagachi poison beam*
Assault Team: Argh!
All the players except Luckau's and Asuna's parties are hit by the attack.
Chris: Bordel! Mais c'était quoi ça?!
An aura emanates from the boss accompanied by large dark storm clouds as the boss regenerates its HP.
Mito: You gotta kidding me...
Koharu: No way...
Luckau: Here comes the real last battle phase...
The storms begin to scold, hitting the katanas planted in the ground, as the hope from the players begins to lower.
Koharu: It's over?
Yuuki: We can't fail, not now...
Luckau: Klein, tell me that the Spear is ready.
Klein: It is!
Kirito: I have a plan!
Chris: You think that I think?
Kirito: I think so. Evacuate the players hit by the beam...
Chris: Leaving the area just for us...
Kirito: Using the weather as our advantage...
Chris: And electrify the spear to fry it!
Kirito/Chris: Luckau! Girls! Evacuate everyone! However Mito you stay with us.
Asuna: You have a plan?
Luckau: They have. I think I know what they will do. Asuna! Koharu! Yuuki! Kari! Liten! Agil! Everyone leaves the boss's room! Leave Mito, Klein, Kirito, and Chris to manage the rest of the fight!
Koharu: What?! No, I will not leave them here!
Chris: Trust us. Koharu, I think it's like the first three attempts of the beta. So everyone who hasn't tried must get out. Please Koharu, be in security, we will be fine.
Koharu: Okay... but stay alive guys!
Asuna: Let's go help the players! I count on you to beat the boss for good!
Liten: Good luck.
Agil: I hope that you know what you doing.
Kirito: We know. Tell the buff support to leave us a last buff.
Agil: I will tell them.
All the players except Klein and the 3 former beta players leave the area. As Kagachi regenerates his entire life. Klein asks them about the plan.
Klein: Guys I hope you have a plan that only we four are left.
Mito: Oh Yeah. Klein when the storms will hit again the ground. Attack the katanas hit by lightning, it will transfer the energy to the special spear.
Klein: How do I know when it will be fully charged?
Chris: When the spear will be very bright and shaky, so hold it very firmly it will shake a lot because of the accumulation of electricity.
Kirito: As for us, we will use the rain to our advantage. But we must be careful when the storms hit the ground.
Klein: Why?
Mito: Because if I remembered well, the flashes of lightning will transfer to the other katanas, so we must not hit the electric shaft or we are paralyzed for a long long period and lose a lot of HP.
Chris: That's why the spear is here, it will reduce the power of this beam in case that we hit it accidentally.
Klein: Now I better understand. Ok, I will not deceive you guys.
The rain begins to fall leaving a moment of silence before the last combat.
*Rain* *Storms*
Chris: Bon ben... my friends. Like in the old days.
Kirito: Tell me guys, where were you when the Beta Assault Team tried the first attempts?
Chris: I tried the first and the third, and the second I was logged out.
Mito: As for me, I tried the second, the other, I was on exploration.
Chris: And you Kirito?
Kirito: For the three first attempts, I wasn't here at all XD, I only tried a week later.
Chris; Thanks to Argo about recapitulate all the details of all the attempts ^^.
Kirito: What we could have done without our best info broker?
Mito: Well who knows? Now, boys, it's soon time for the final act!
Kirito: And we will triumph!
Chris: And explore the following floors which waiting for us!
Kagachi has fully regenerated his HP, as the players received the last buff.
*Roar*
Kirito: Let's kill it.
*Storm*
The boss looks at the players but the lights coming from the storms illuminate the heavy rain and shows Chris, Kirito and Mito like they were a ghost. The 3 players split each other leaving the boss confused about where they are, as he tried to move, a ghost attack with a charged skill came to his right.
*Lightning storm*
Mito: Cross Scythe!
As the light off again, it brings to Mito the time to disappear again, leaving one of the boys attacking next.
Mito: Your turn!
Kagachi sees another ghost approaching him and attacking him. He lands the attack but it lowers its guard, the other ghost attacks him from behind with a huge slash.
*Slash* *Skill charged* *Lightning storm*
Kirito: Deadly Beat! *Slash x4* *Lightning storm* *Skill charged* Vorpal Beat! *Slash x5*
*Roar*
Kirito: Chris, go on!
*Skill charged*
Chris: Recoiling Wind!
The boss sees the face of a determined Chris, to finish the fight for good.
Chris: Je gagnerai, pour moi, et pour tout les joueurs! / I will win, for me, and for the others players!
*Slash*
*Roar*
The lightning hit the ground to charge the katanas but Klein as planned, transfer the energy from the katanas to the spear.
Klein: Oh man, it's so awesome to do that.
*Weapons collides* *Energy transferred*
Klein: The electricity begins to be accumulated on the spear's blade!
Chris: Ok, let's see if it works. Ready?
Klein: Yeah!
Kirito: Throw it!
Klein throws the spear as if it was a javelin, but instead to compete in athletics sports, it's for a game.
*Spear Electrocution* *Explosion*
*Roar*
Klein: Does it work?
Mito: A bit! Kagachi has still a huge hp!
Kirito: But this time the boss has a defense debuff.
Chris: Cover me I will pick the spear. And do it again Klein but with more energy.
Klein: Aye aye Chris.
While Chris takes the risk to pick up the spear, outside the boss's room the rest of the assault team continues to rest with Koharu seeing him away as she is very worried.
Koharu: I'm tense, look at the UI, they are in their mid-HP, and Chris and Kirito always go on the red before regenerating a bit.
Asuna: I know, but you know them, always take the risks to have the benefit of the battle.
Yuuki: As for Chris, an impossible challenge like this, he freaking loves it.
Luckau: Yeah, like in the old time in GGO and ALO, the Chris as should see or known when we were in the GGO pro league or mastering the world of fairies. Seeing him like that I'm happy.
Asuna: Even Kirito I never saw him so determined and peaceful.
Kari: For Mito, even if I know her for only weeks, Woah she is really focusing and enjoying the game.
Koharu: How they can be so serene in a critical situation like this?
Luckau: It's simple, the experience. Not the level but the accumulation of years of gaming and study of the games they have played. Since kids, they have played a lot (hopefully not deteriorating their grades), a game like Sword Art Online. It's been their dream since ever, we are prepared for this death game, but they are thirsty for adventures and if we finally beat this shit boss, we will finally explore the unexplored.
He put his hand on Koharu's shoulder to reassure her.
Luckau: So don't worry, they will come back alive with the 10th floor cleared, so for now either you continue to rest and see the battle continuing or...
Kari: Or?
Luckau: Preparing to eliminate the monster because the prototype P.A.T.H. will soon be deactivated.
Yuuki: Oh oh...
Asuna: *Whistle* Players are ready for another defense, the device is off!
Everyone has pared again for close combat, but this time against the labyrinth mobs as they are reinforced by the boss. As for the 4 left raiders, the rain began to weaken leaving better visibility for Kagachi to attack them again.
*Weapons blocking*
Chris: Merde!
Mito: You Ok?
Chris: Yes but blocking with one sword against two it's not fair.
Kirito: But maybe as you the bait, I and Mito do a lot of harm ^^.
Chris: Klein, tell us, how is the spear?
Klein: Again 2 and it will be at its max.
*Lightning strike*
Chris: Quick then! And then leave the katanas to circulate the electricity.
Klein: We paralyze the boss with the environment?
Mito: Yes, and you will do it again. And if it's a good final combo switch!
Chris: We have approximately 3 minutes so that we electrocute it so hard before the storm stops raining completely.
Kirito: It's our chance, we must not miss it.
Chris: Kirito, please begin your Burst combo, and keep the Burst skill as the final attack.
Kirito: You sure of that?
Chris: Yeah.
Kirito: I follow you.
Kirito: Fire Slash.
Chris: 2 minutes Klein!
Klein: The spear is ready but the katanas aren't conducting the electricity!
Chris: Guys cover me.
He runs to plant his [Greenish Sword] as the intermediate for the electric trap.
*Sword planted*
Chris: Now you can do it.
Klein electrifies the line trap with the sword and the katanas planted.
Klein: Done.
Chris: Ok, now get out and at my signal, you will do it.
Klein: Ok.
Chris now uses his Sharpshooter Bow, to take the full aggro from the boss.
Chris: Guys, get out of here! *charging skill* !
The aggro effect is now effective on Chris so the boss rushes to him but falls right into the trap. The boss approaches Chris to spit outs his deadly poison but it's too late.
Chris: 🙂 It's over Kagachi. !
Using this skill, he leaps back avoiding the collision with the boss and the electric beam. And Kagachi receives with full force the trap electric effect because of the rain.
Chris: My friends! Now! Klein wait again!
From behind the boss, Kirito, Mito, and Klein prepare the combo switch with a Burst skill.
Kirito: System Burst! *Burst skill charging* Crimson Square Burst! *Slash x4* Mito switch!
Mito: Hemorrhagic Strike! *Triple rotative slash* Klein!
Kirito: Klein!
Chris: Klein!
Chris/Kirito/Mito: NOW!
Klein: I got it!
He runs with the fully electrified spear made by Lisbeth, the weapon which is the key to the next floor, the weapon that will continue to give hope to the players. The weapon, that will beat the 10th-floor boss Kagachi the Samurai Lord.
Klein: *Jumping* Assaut Dive! *Slash*
*Roar*
Klein: Game over. *Charging skill* Converging Stab! *Thrust*
*Accumulation of energy*
With the spear planted on Kagachi, the weapon acts like a bomb and explodes with a ton of energy dissipating on the boss accompanied by an ejection of Klein with this powerful explosion, and by lightning strikes fries the boss in place.
*Explosion* * Lightning strikes* *Collapse*
After receiving these huge damages, the boss has a long break debuff of 999 seconds. Leaving enough time for the raiders to execute it for good.
Mito: Klain, you good?
Klein: Yes, I'm fine. Oh my god, did it work!
Chris: Let's check.
Kirito: Oh man, finally!
Mito: Not yet, maybe down but 1HP left.
Chris: 1HP may be left but look at its debuff break.
They look Kagachi down, with the appearance of huge meat grilled, as at the same time think of who will do the last hit bonus.
Kirito: Well..., now..., who do the last hit?
Mito: I don't know. Klein maybe?
Klein: Me? Oh no, I don't deserve it, it's you three who deserve it more, after you it's you the three beta players has continually tried to kill it before.
Chris: I have a proposal that no one can't refuse. Let's kill it together at the same time.
Klein: There will be no issues with the reward.
Chris: No don't worry. We will all have the same last-hit reward bonus, maybe the MVP one too.
Kirito: I agree with that. Mito?
Mito: Of course, I accept this deal.
Chris: Klein?
Klein: Well I gladly accept this proposal.
Mito: Hihi, at least Klein, you will be able to show off with women XD.
Klein: Hey! Not cool!
Kirito: But it's a bit true.
Chris: Mito is right. XD, if the girls don't come at you sorry for you.
Chris laughs about Klein and about winning after all of these attempts failed before.
Chris: Hahahahahaha
Kirito Mito and even him join the laughing moment.
Mito: I can't believe it, how many attempts did we need?
Chris: Maybe hundreds of attempts?
Kirito: Approximatively this, yeah, according to our Rat.
Chris: Oh bon sang... anyway, well, my friends *all weapons shattered*, I officially declare that the Assault Team at 23h05 (11:05 p.m.), has finally beaten Kagachi the Samurai Lord the 10th-floor boss that no one has beaten!
The 4 players land a single hit together on the boss as the final blow.
*Slash* *Slash* *Slash* *Thrust*
Kirito: And now we can finally explore the unknown...
Mito: And we can no longer be stuck on this floor.
*Huge fragment burst*
The storm dispersed immediately after the elimination of the boss so that the mobs in the labyrinth were close to the boss room.
Luckau: Are they dead?
Koharu: Seems like it.
Liten: Guys looks!
The door is fully opened again revealing an empty boss room beside the 4 players.
Asuna: Where is the boss? Is it dead?
Kirito: Asuna, Assault Team, look upside of you.
The players look at a screen showing this:
Congratulations
Last Hit Bonus: Chris, Kirito, Klein, Mito
MVP Players: Chris, Kirito, Klein, Mito
Chris: (Leaned on the ground exhausted) *Huf* The boss is dead. *Huf* I repeat *huf* the boss is dead.
The atmosphere becomes suddenly silent, leaving only the natural sounds of the wind and dust.
Mito: Euh guys? Any words?
Koharu: Well...
Klein: Oh come on! Say something the boss is dead, we go on! The 10th floor is cleared!
After Klein spoke, the players are shouting with joy!
Assault Team Players: HURRAY! THE FLOOR IS CLEARED!
The players run towards them and begin to raise them in the air again.
Kibaou: For our 4 heroes! Chris! Klein! Kirito! And Mito! Hurray!
Kari: Woah!
Yuuki: They did it, we did it!
Asuna: Can I cry a bit?
Agil: Yes you can if it's a cry of joy. Even I have some dripping!
Asuna: It is! 😭
Liten: You don't see my face because of the helmet but I cry too! 😭
As Chris stands up, Koharu runs towards him to hug him.
Koharu: Chris!
Chris: Koharu! Oh! *sudden hug* *breath cut*
Koharu: You did it! You succeed it!
Chris: Et ouais!
Koharu: I will be honest with you, I thought that you and the others would fail and you will be seriously injured or dead.
Chris: Eek! Really?
Koharu: But it was for a short period during this raid, I continued to see you fighting the boss, and the way you fought him, brought me hope. The hope of a friend that I trust. And... someone that I... that I...
Chris: That you?
Koharu: That I admire! (NO THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY! DUMMY KOHARU YOU DUMMY!)
Chris: Merci, he hugs her at his turn, thanking his partner in combat.
Agil: That was excellent guys, I can't imagine what we could do without you.
Lind: Chris, Kirito, Mito, thanks a lot, Klein you are amazing as a Spear player.
Kibaou: I can't believe that we succeed it. You told us that the beta players were in pain to beat the boss and done and done a lot of attempts to fail and here in just one try, you did it.
Kirito: it's our accumulation of experience that brings us this victory but it's you too, the rest of the Assault Team who deserve the recognition too.
Mito: He is right, maybe at our four we have done the most critical part of the fight but the entire team managed very well the other battle phases.
Kibaou: Thanks then, hey Luckau, something to say? You haven't said anything about that victory.
Luckau: Well well well... all the 10 floors of the beta test are now cleared. I order all of you to not go now to the 11th floor.
Klein: Why?
Luckau: Pourquoi? Remember what I told you before, if we beat the boss, we will do the festivities for Christmas!
Assault Team: Christmas! Let's go!
Luckau: So I want a maximum of players celebrating that and this victory!
Assault Team: Yeah!
Luckau: So everyone, for this next hour you will rest, purify your debuffs, eat well, and repair your equipment and if you want to help us prepare the festivities, it's up to you!
Assault Team player 1: I want to be part of it!
Assault Team player 2: Me too!
Assault Team player 3: And me!
Luckau: Ok ok I will text Argo immediately about that.
Chris: Oh and before we left the labyrinth, I want to tell you something.
Kirito: Tell us, Chris.
Chris: Now that most part of the beta is now done, there are new challenges waiting for us to be done, new unidentified floors to be explored, so as the result, the difficulty will grow a lot so as the danger. On the 10 first floor, we had the advantage of our knowledge, for the new one's nothing, so you must be very careful when you will adventure. The danger of death will be more present than before. So stay cautious. For now, we recommend that we all take a full week of leaves and begin the new exploration in the first week of the next year.
Assault Team: Sounds good to us!
Chris: Bien, alors to conclude live your life, protect yourself, enjoy the future festivities, begin to think about the gifts for your friends, family, and beloved ones, and let's hope that everyone here can see all between us when we will be free.
Assault Team player 1: That's the words of the « Champion Alpha »! He is back!
Assault Team players: Long live Chris!
Chris: If only you were kind to me 2 years ago, anyway let's leave the labyrinth, I'm so tired after this long battle.
Mito: And replace our outfits with new ones, we are so soaked because of this rain.
Kirito: Maybe having some medicine too.
Asuna: Oh no don't tell me...
Kirito: Tchoom! Yeah, debuff rain with illness debuff urgh.
Asuna: -_-
Luckau: Don't worry, I will prepare the drugs ^^.
.
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6 weeks ago in the real world...
Tokyo Japan, unknown location, 16 November 2022 22h00:
A week after the emergency meeting held by Sarah and Philippe (owners of the Corporation and Argus indirectly) about the SAO incident caused by Kayaba Akihiko. They are in a secret reunion run by Philippe's parents.
Philippe: I do not agree to do this kind of approach, Akihiko is a genius mastermind and knows everything about us and our secrets so he has always moved in advance.
Secret consul member 1: But with all my respect M. Jericho, it's your and your wife's fault if the Corporation and our organization are in the shit like that.
Secret consul member 2: I'm sorry ma'am but you should have known that your brother could act like this.
Sarah: How I'm supposed to know? Akihiko never told me once about this project to turn the game into his experiment.
Secret consul member 2: Because of that, the Corporation is losing all its influence and power built in a decade.
Secret consul member 3: I would to see him dead, we lost some huge contracts because of him.
Sarah: So you are ready to kill my brother and an important member of the Clan?
Secret consul member 1: Kayaba has betrayed the Clan and the Corporation so the Golden Oath is broken, your brother doesn't care about your children, and my child too. So I want to see Kayaba dead too, especially if something wrong happens to my child!
Sarah: If you dare to do it, you will have...!
Secret consul member 1: Have what? Menacing me? Should I remind you Seira that you and your husband have left the High Table of the Clan, I don't even know why you are here, you should not be even here.
???: SILENCE!
A deep voice resonates with all in the meeting room which is the leader of this reunion accompanied by his wife.
Philippe: Father, mother...
All the people assisting the reunion stand up. And stop talking in their presence.
Ornella Jericho: You can all sit down.
Pierre Jericho: If I reunited the Jericho Clan tonight, it's to discuss a plan concerning the SAO affair.
Philippe: Father, mother, with the respect that I have for you it's not necessary to be involved in this like that.
Pierre Jericho: I didn't have you the talk quiet son.
Philippe:... Désolé...
Pierre Jericho: Now, with our agents infiltrated, they have learned that the Japanese police will investigate deeply the Jericho Corporation and especially our Clan. It is out of the question that they discover all of our secrets.
Ornella Jericho: So with the treason of Kayaba Akihiko who turned against the Clan we have no choice but to intervene immediately, by all necessary.
Sarah: What do you mean by all necessary?
Ornella Jericho: We will send someone to find Kayaba.
Philippe: But how? He can't be found anywhere, in all of the locations that we know or possibly where he could be, he isn't!
Pierre Jericho: I have someone that I can trust, he accomplished his service.
Phillipe: Who?
Pierre Jericho: You can come in.
A person enters with Sarah and Philippe very surprised by his presence.
Philippe: You..., aren't you supposed to be deployed in Ukraine?
???: Yes, but my mission was over a week ago.
Pierre Jericho: Gentlemen, Ladies, if you don't know this man, I present to you the Major Kazarusu Vassago, commander of the 4th company of the Legion Jericho and outside of the military career, lead assassin of the Korean section of the Jericho Clan.
Philippe: Why is he here?!
Pierre Jericho: The leader of the Korean section would like that we intervene in the game. One of their important members is trapped in the game too, to be exact his daughter and heir of the Jericho Korean Clan. So as to not deteriorate the relationship between the Japanese and Korean sections. I picked Kazarusu to be part of the operation.
Sarah: And how he will intervene? The authorities have confiscated all the NerveGear and all the copies of the game.
Ornella Jericho: We have located the warehouse which is stocked the devices. He will steal one and as for the copy of the game, we have one at our disposal so he will go into the game and do the task that we will give it to him.
Philippe: And it is what the mission is?
Pierre Jericho: Finding Kayaba Akihiko and killing him.
Sarah: What?!
Pierre Jericho: You heard me, assassinate lead project professor Kayaba Akihiko.
Sarah: Why?!
Ornella Jericho: We have some notes left by Kau in his office during the development of SAO and one of the ways to beat the game is to kill all the game masters in the game. And if it works, then all the players will be considered winners so they can leave the game. But that's not the only reason, your brother, Seira, knows every secret of you, of us, of your children, of the Clan and everything, if he is arrested by the police after what he did, he could reveal all of our secrets including the ones what no one must know, I don't wanna have a Snowden 2.0, so he must die as the result of betraying the clan.
Sarah: I can't leave you to do that!
Ornella Jericho: Jericho-Kayaba Seira, elder sister of Kayaba Akihiko, and heir of the Kayaba House. Your parents gave us an agreement to eliminate him. So you can't do anything, especially after you left officially the High Table. We invited you to just inform you about the next.
Sarah:...
Pierre Jericho: Major Kazarusu, your mission is to infiltrate in Sword Art Online world. You will take the assault of the warehouse located at the port and after that, you will go to one of our hideouts and log in from there. Then do whatever it takes to find Kayaba and kill him.
Major Kazarusu Vassago: Yes, M. Jericho you can count on me.
Ornella Jericho: You will have no issue while you are logged in it but our medics will do all the necessary to keep you alive.
Major Kazarusu Vassago: I understand the risks of my mission, that's why I'm the only one who accepted this task.
Pierre Jericho: And Major, don't forget that the members of the Jericho Clan including the leader of the European section and even my family are trapped in the game so when I mean by all necessary, I don't want you to hurt them.
Major Kazarusu Vassago: I'm a member of the Jericho Clan, I know where I belong, where I plead allegiance, and I will not break the Golden Oath.
Pierre Jericho: Very well, I will inform Chul-Moo that his daughter will be saved thanks to you Major. From now on, no one must talk about it, continue your activities hidden from the population.
Ornella Jericho: My stepdaughter, my son, even if you are no longer part of the Clan, I want you to continue operating the Jericho Corp like it was nothing. Is that clear? If the authorities would like you to resign from your respective positions don't do it or give it to Sugou.
Sarah: Yes stepmother...
Philippe: Oui mère...
Ornella Jericho: My grandchildren, the leader of the European Clan, the heir of the Korean Clan, all of them will continue to live, mistakes made in France and in Europe will not be repeated. The reunion is over, return to your activities.
All the members of this reunion leave the room except Philippe and Sarah and Vassago discussing a bit.
Sarah: So it's you the agent chosen to intervene in the game?
Vassago: Yes, surprised as I see.
Philippe: Of course, we haven't forgotten what did you do during the Neo-Revolution Civil War despite that we served together in the Foreign Legion and in the Jericho Legion in Africa.
Vassago: It was the only way to rescue your son, « him », her, and Jean-Luc. Still, a shame that she passed away to save them.
Sarah: At the price of many innocent civilians in our bloody hands.
Vassago: That's the consequence of an urban war. But don't worry, I will try my best to not attack the players of SAO, only the threats and anyone blocking my way to Kayaba.
Philippe: And what if it's my son Christophe trying to stop you?
Vassago: As the Golden Oath rules of the Clan applied, I must not kill him, the same as for Charles, Charlotte, or any members of a family belonging to the Jericho Clan. I will respect it.
Sarah: I hope so. If I learn that my children are killed or even hurt a bit by you, I will take care of you personally!
Vassago: It's only if I break the rules, unlike your brother, with him I will take pleasure to kill him if I find him.
Philippe: How much did the Clan pay you to do this fucking mission?
Vassago: Largely enough that I enjoy an exotic life. The conflict in the East will miss me a bit, it was funny to track and hunt the Wagner mercenaries and their shenanigans. Anyway, I will start my mission now, I have a warehouse to theft.
Philippe: I hope we will not learn in the news that bodies were found in a warehouse heist.
Vassago: For that, I can't guarantee that it could be a smooth mission. That's how my 4th company is known. Well Phillpe, Seira, au revoir.
After this cold conversation, Major Kazarusu Vassago leaves the reunion, leaving Philippe and Sarah to explode in rage.
Philippe: Merde! Merde! Merde! Fuck! Why my parents have recruited Casals for this mission?! He is better at doing the war against the Russians instead of being here!!
Sarah: I bet all of our wealth and assets that the current situation in SAO will be worsened by him.
Philippe: More than that we can bet our lives!
Sarah: Do you think that they must be mobilized too?
Philippe: I don't think so, the balance between them and the Clan is still balanced and must stay like this, and the only person who can take this decision and call them, is Jean-Luc, but he is trapped, we can't do anything. But now I'm worried about Estelle too. She is traumatized to see her siblings trapped in a death game, and she wanna stops her study.
Sarah: As for her, she must continue her studies, I will talk with her later, for now, I prefer to leave her alone.
Phillipe: Good. Great.
Sarah: I hope they are safe and alive... the more time passes, the more I'm worried.
Philippe: Honey, maybe I have a solution for them, primarily for Jean-Luc, I must talk with them. If they can do something for the brain...
Sarah: Mamoru and Jeremie?
Philippe: Yeah, but I lost contact with Mamoru for years, I don't know where he lives now with his family. And as for Jeremie, I hope that he is not busy and can find something to off the NerveGear without freeing the users.
Sarah: I will ask my associates to search Mamoru. We will find him. And as for Jeremie, he owns me a service so I'm ready to allow some budgets for his task.
Philippe: Did I already tell you that I love you?
Sarah: Yes and that is why we are married for now 20 years.
Philippe: I know, and I have the best wife to help me.
Sarah: And me the best husband to support me when I need him the most.
Philippe: Let's save our children and potentially stop Casals messing more and my parents going madness.
À suivre...
Fin du Chapitre / End of the Chapter: