A stampede of players were walking within the forest, their destination? The dungeon that contained the first floor boss. Our duo were near the back when they had met up with Kirito as he started to explain to the plan.
Kirito: so this is the plan, our main targets are the Sentinels, so once I engage with one I will focus on breaking its guard, Alongside Muzan. We will make a switch to finish them off... is that clear.
Asuna: how does he know your name?
Asuna looked over to Muzan and the said man lifted his finger in a upwards gesture gaining the Swordswoman to look in that direction. Spotting 3 bars and the names Asuna, Kirito, and Muzan on each bar.
Kirito: she just noticed that now? Can she even hold up?
Muzan: she will handle herself perfectly... I know for sure.
This gave Asuna a confidence boost, having Muzan's full trust in her abilities. Her goal now is to not disappoint. The group stop at a huge double door, knowing that this was the room for the boss.
Diabel: Try not to die and follow the plan. Let us win this!
The crowd roared ready to give this boss fight their all. Upon the opened doors they began to rush on through, looking at the boss which stood tall in all its glory. As the 4 bars of HP appeared above the boss,
Illfang, the Kobold Lord
The boss gave a loud roar, shaking some players, while the Sentinels started to spawn. Causing the players to charge into the battlefield. Muzan and Kirito were fighting a Sentinel each, clashing blades with the Mobs. Kirito was the first to be able to break its guard.
Kirito: Switch!!!
As Kirito pulled back slightly and red blur zoomed past him, blade in hand and a sword skill activated. This player? Asuna of course unleashed the fury of her sword skill onto the Sentinel striking it 5 times at blinding speed, causing the mob to burst into crystals.
Kirito: I guess he was right, she can fight.
Muzan on the other hand purposely made the Mob to drop its guard, making its blade glide past his, stumbling forward for him to decapitate the Sentinel. With the last Sentinel defeated now it was just the boss, some players were already fighting it seeing as the boss's health was already down to the last bar. It tossed its current weapon to reach for another behind its back.
Kibaou: tch guess that informations true
Diabel: stay back, I'll go!
And with that said Diabel pushed the boss on his own causing the masked swordsman to yell to him.
Muzan: HEY!!! (Sees Diabel continuing to run) we were supposed to work together to defeat it, that idiot.
Kirito: that's not a Talwar!! Thats a No-Datchi
Muzan took a deep breath before taking off at inhuman speed towards Diabel's location. Diabel activated a swords skill ready to strike the boss but didn't expect the boss to jump, land on the wall and to launch itself towards Diabel. Just in the nick of time Muzan was able to shove Diabel to the side but unfortunately resulted in him taking the brute force of the boss's attack. Sending him flying towards the wall but hitting one of the pillars before impacting the obstacle behind it, cracking the surface upon impact.
Asuna: Muzan!!
Asuna sprinted over to the man that she had called out, checking his condition only to see that his HP is in the red zone. Unconscious she still shook him to try to wake him up, she then felt a hand clutch her shoulder looking back to see who it was, she saw the raven haired male.
Kirito: let us finish this.
Diabel: I'll aid him from here on, go!
Not wanting to leave his side she eventually stood up to join the ongoing battle around her. With a roaring current within her, she gripped her blade and rushed the boss alongside Kirito.
Kirito, taking on majority of the attacks of the boss trying his best to create an opening. Clashing against the boss left and right, Kirito activated a sword skill to knock back the boss. With great force he cause the boss to loses its footing stumbling back creating the perfect opening.
Kirito: Asuna!
As Asuna's command to switch was announced she zipped pass Kirito once more to attack the boss. With the boss bringing it's No-Dachi down to bring her down, with it only hitting her cloak, cutting it into two pieces and reveal her Chestnut hair. But this didn't let this stop her onslaught on the boss.
Meanwhile Muzan was able to obtain conciseness, taking in his surroundings. Only for his eyes to land on the battle before him. He thought that they would be able to handle the situation but that thought would be crushed as Asuna was swatted away and landed on the Black swordsman to soften the impact.
This caused the masked swordsman to stand up in anger despite his own injuries. Diabel was about to tell him to rest and heal his wounds but halted all action feeling how dark and sinister the atmosphere had become. No doubt that this came from the standing swordsman before him. Muzan took an intake of air before vanishing in a blink of an eye.
Asuna saw the boss lift it's weapon to strike her and Kirito bringing it down to finish the job. But a blazing impact forced the Boss to be pushed back. The swordswoman looked infront of her to see the one person that she has be-friended
Asuna: Muzan!
The said swordsman wanted to end this quickly, so he took a stance bringing his blade infront of him. Asuna soon spotted Muzan's Blade to become red but before she could question it, it was answered a second later. Muzan's blade began to be engulfed in blood red which signified that he had a sword skill in use. Asuna looked in awe at the display of art that was performed infront of her. What looked like a fraction of a second Muzan was already behind the boss, which it didn't even have time to react, resulting it to burst into crystal while a notification which read <Congratulations> was brought above Muzan's head.
The crowd cheered as they have finally beat the first floor. This marked the day where hope has been restored to the players and that this death game could be possible to leave.
Muzan was breathing heavily having the battle take a huge toll on his body, finally giving out he fell on his knees as it felt his body was begging to rest. A certain swordswoman ran over to him to help him onto his feet.
Muzan: you could need work on some areas but overall performance is better than I expected.
This caused the girl to summon a smile on her face. Handing over a healing potion which he drank by moving his mask over to the side slightly. The raven haired male then walked up to the duo to lighten up the mood.
Kirito: I thought you were gonna die on me back there, glad you didn't.
Muzan: your a bit rusty from the beta there Kirito, but you still did great yourself.
The black swordsman replied with a sigh before giving a small smile. Diabel soon came over to apologise and show his gratitude for Muzan.
Diabel: I would like to thank you for saving my life and to apologise for my actions as greed for getting the bonus got to me. How can I repay you.
Muzan: it is alright, everyone has their selfish desires at some point. And to repay me? You can repay me by being a bit more careful with the next coming battles.
The two began to shake hands, but all of this was interrupted by a sudden shout.
???: You cheat!!
They turned to look at the accuser only to see it was Kibaou.
Kibaou: you cheated there's no way you should be standing right now.
Kirito: hey! Knock it off! He saved Diabel's life
Kibaou: that's what he wants you to think. He saved him so that he could finish that thing off so he could look like a hero. You were seconds from death and you still killed that thing with a badass sword skill. There ain't no way a sword skill can make a players sword turn red!
???: yeah! He must be a beta tester!
???: how else would he have these skills
Kirito: (thoughts) crap at this rate all beta testers will be abandoned!
The crowd started to yell towards the 4 who couldn't defend the accused swordsman. Asuna was about to say something but everything died down when she heard a laugh coming from beside her. Muzan looked towards the crowd as the air got tense with a terrifying aura. As if a Shinigami would appear to steal their souls type vibe.
Muzan: I was wondering when you'd figure it out.
Kibaou: HUH?!?!?
Asuna: (thoughts) what is he doing? Is He gonna turn everyone against him?
Muzan: I mean you guys aren't bad, but the fact that you compare me to those low level beta players, disappoints me. Out of the thousand players from the beta no one surpassed level 25. I was the highest level player in the entire beta. They didn't just call me the Demon of Chaos for nothing. This is because of my un-matched skill, knowledge and power.
Asuna: (thoughts) Muzan...
Kibaou: that's... THAT'S WORSE THAN A BETA TESTER!!! YOUR JUST A FULL ON CHEATER!!!
???: A BEATER!!! THATS WHAT YOU ARE!!!
Muzan: hmm... a beater huh, I like it...
Everyone that accused him had shivers down their spines. Muzan liked the name that they called him... was he really called the Demon of Chaos?
Muzan: you may call me whatever you want, it doesn't bother me. Just don't mix me up with 'those' beta testers
And that is when he begin to make his way to the second floor. Leaving everyone behind, every step he took echoed through the the tunnel that leads to the 2nd floor. The echoes of his foot steps made a steady beat but rapid steps began to emerge, signifying that someone was running. Muzan kept waking... not looking back as he had a suspicious of who was running after him. Strands of chestnut came into view which confirmed his suspicion of who the suspect was.
Asuna: why did you do that for?
Muzan: I had to direct the hate towards the beta testers to something else... So I chose to direct it to me. I can live with it.
Asuna: well I'll be coming to.
Muzan looked at her, a questioning look which Asuna couldn't see with her eyes due the obstruction of his face with his mask. Muzan looked back towards the path ahead of him, only to speak once again.
"Then they will hate you too" he voiced
Asuna: as you said. "I can live with that."
"Now where to now, partner"
Muzan heard these words from his now newly acquired partner
Muzan: only time will tell.
And with that the duo began to ascend to the next floor. Not having the slightest clue of what is truly going to happen.
Asuna heard a notification infront of her looking at the direction she noticed the following.
<You have received a new gift>
Asuna questioned the masked swordsman to her left asking what this newly aquatinted gift was. Only for him to reply that it was the bonus the boss gave when receiving the final strike.
Upon opening the gift a bright glow surrounded her body, to reveal a new clock in a red tone with gold accents and lining. She smiled upon the gift she had received. Thanking him shortly after.