Back in the Village, players alongside their guilds and parties were setting up for the New Year's party of 2023, setting decorations up and cooking up food. Meanwhile, a certain party with a beater, and three girls were inside a building with three other players at a table.
<<Shivata>>, a young man in blue with short brown hair, a member of the <<Dragon Knights Brigade>>.
<<Liten>>, a girl wearing a helmet, while wearing a green cloak around her armor, is a member of the <<Aincrad Liberation Squad>>.
and lastly at the end of the table next to Kirito, was Kibaou. The group of players would discuss the reasoning behind this meeting. Kibaou and the ALS skipping on the party countdown, so they could raid the floor boss alone.
Reasoning?
The Last Attack Drop bonus.
A Guild Flag.
With the flag, once the player wielding it plunges it into the ground, it'll boost all the nearby guildmate stats. The boosted stats last as long as the flag is upright. No limits, as long as you are in the same guild as the wielder.
Alexa had asked if the flag could be shared between both the ALS and DKB. Unfortunately, she got the answer she didn't want. Only one guild name can be registered to the flag, and it can't be changed. Everyone upon hearing this sat in silence, while Kibaou kept eating the food he was given, until...
"Let's take the boss ourselves," Kirito spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention.
"If we claim that flag ourselves, then we can prevent the power struggle between the two big guilds."
The idea he gave was crazy, ridiculous, stupid, idiotic, you name it. And yet, it was their only choice. Asuna was the first to agree with Kirito's idea, while Alexa was next. Both Shivata and Liten would both agree to help Kirito. Sinon would be the last to join in, knowing that she could never escape from Kirito's idiotic ideas. With those words said, Kibaou would leave the building, telling the group of players that he and his group would be raiding the floor boss at 6:00 pm.
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"Kibaou and his team will be leaving at 6:00 pm tomorrow," Asuna said.
"If we hurry, we can beat them to it, huh?" Kirito said.
"But we can't realistically take on a floor boss with just six people. We'll need more comrades, won't we?" Liten asked.
"Comrades huh..." Kirito mumbled.
"Given the circumstances, I can't ask any of my guildmates," Shivata said, sighing.
"Neither can I," Liten said.
"I can see if Klein can join us," Alexa spoke up.
"Maybe we can get Agil's party to join us too," Kirito said.
"What about Argo?" Sinon asked.
"I wouldn't count on it, but we can still ask." Kirito sighed.
"Counting Argo if she joins, that would bring us to eighteen people. That's almost half of both the ALB and DKB." Sinon said.
"An even twenty would be nice though..." Alexa mumbled until she thought of a player she and Asuna met not too long ago.
"I think I just thought of someone....but I'm going to need Argo's help finding her..." Alexa said, just as Asuna received a message. Asuna would read her message and close it.
"I just thought of one more person," Asuna said.
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The next day...
The massive group of nineteen players stood at the base of the labyrinth of Floor 5. Alexa, with the help of Argo, was able to track the player who went by the name <<Philia>>. After some negotiations, both girls were able to convince Philia to help them, after giving her the relics that Alexa had collected that night they first met.
Sadly, the person Asuna was hoping to join them, didn't.
Kirito turned away from the tower and toward the group of players with him. Alongside his party of girls and Shivata and Liten, Klein and the rest of Fuurinkazan were able to join in, alongside Argo.
Along with Agil and his small party, consisting of the players,
<<Wolfgang>>, a man with brown hair and a bandana around his head, tied up, purple clothing with a silver chest plate, and a one-handed sword on his belt.
<<Lobacca>>, a man in olive green clothing with the same colored hair, silver chestplate on as well, with a battle axe on his back.
and lastly, <<Naijan>>, a man with reddish-brownish hair in black and armor, with a mace as his main weapon.
"Something the matter?" Sinon spoke up, bringing the boy out of his trance.
"It's nothing," Kirito said, smiling at the girl, before turning back to the massive group of players.
"It'll be nineteen of us in this boss raid, our odds of winning are good. I have no intention of giving up a single casualty. To prevent the collapse of the Assault Team, and to ensure the success of the countdown party Shivata and Liten planned for us....let's all give it all we've got!" Kirito shouted.
"Hell yeah!! We got this!!" Klein yelled, raising his One-Handed Curved Sword in the air, his guild members following in his steps, raising their weapons in the air.
"Let's do this boys!" Agil yelled, turning toward Wolfgang and the other two. They too would raise their weapons or their fists in the air, shouting in agreement, Shivata and Liten raising their sword and mace in the air.
"Alright," Kirito spoke up.
"Let's do this!"
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The group of players would charge through the labyrinth with ease, destroying every mob that was in their way. Before they knew it, the group would reach the front door of the boss room. The three former beta testers would stand side by side as they stared at the stairs that led toward the room.
"There's another corridor at the top of the steps? Or is it the boss room itself...?" Kirito asked as he laid his chin in the palm of his hand, thinking.
"Was it different in the beta?" Shivata asked.
"It was. Before, there was a door here, and when you opened it, you were in the boss room." Kirito said.
"Never knew that. I didn't participate on the floor boss or even venture around this floor much back in the beta. What kind of boss was it?" Sinon asked.
"According to his profile, he's a gigantic golem, the Guardian of the Ruins. But till now, all of the floor bosses have been modified in some way, even if they looked the same as they did in the beta. Oh, right, do you know anything that may have changed for this boss?" Kirito asked, turning toward Argo.
"Excuse me, Kii-Bou, did you forget that I'm an information broker?~" Argo smirked.
"R-Right, sorry!" Kirito said, opening his menu toward the trading menu.
"Normally, that's what I'd say, but this one's free of charge," Argo said, a smirk growing wider, causing the boy to sigh to himself. Argo would turn toward the other sixteen players in the room.
"So, long story short, it looks like the boss is still a golem, just like he was in the beta. There's a crest on his forehead, and that's his weak point. So don't miss your shots, Sinonon.~" Argo said, turning toward the archer, causing her to growl a little.
"Kind of sounds magical, huh?" Agil said.
"Yeah. And it's no wonder that at this milestone level, the Floor Five Boss is especially fearsome. Well, I guess you're just gonna have to see for yourselves." Argo said.
"W-We're gonna assume that the boss rooms gonna be right there...?" Alexa asked.
"I can go ahead and check it out," Kirito said.
"Hold up. Let me handle this." Argo said, walking forward. Everyone would watch Argo climb a couple of steps before stopping and turning back toward the group.
"Could be that..... their stairs are a trap, rising from the floor to block off the entrance. Even if that happens, I can escape before it closes all the way." Argo said.
"Then let's go together," Kirito said, walking forward to follow the rat, Sinon following close behind, soon followed by Asuna and Alexa.
"That's non-negotiable," Kirito said, looking down at Argo, who was now puffing her cheeks up in a pout.
"I guess I can live with that," Argo said, smirking at the boy. Kirito and Argo would turn toward the three girls, along with the other fifteen players behind them.
"You guys, sorry to ask you this, but could you guard the stairs?"
"Sure, no problem." Klein waved at the boy, Agil nodding next to him. Kirito and Argo both turn back toward the stairs and start to ascend a little, only for Kirito to stop when he sees his party members following.
"That includes you guys," Kirito said toward the girls, as he turned toward Sinon.
"Especially you."
"What the hell do you mean by that?!"
"You know exactly what I mean."
"I'm going with you."
"No. You're not."
"I swear to god Kaz-"
"Oii! Kii-Bou, Sinonon! You two can fight later, we don't have all day!" Argo yelled, sighing. Sinon sighed to herself as she backed away from the two.
"Just....be careful," Sinon mumbled, causing the boy to smile at her.
"Don't worry, we'll be back soon. Let's go, Argo."
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The seventeen players waited patiently at the stairs, waiting for the return of Kirito and Argo. Just as someone was about to speak up, the group felt the room start shaking suddenly. Without any thinking, Sinon was the first to run upstairs toward the boss room, Asuna and Alexa following behind, before the rest of the group. Alexa looked forward to see the room ahead was glowing blue.
They triggered the boss...!
"Kirito! Are you all right?!" Sinon shouted.
"NO!! WAIT!!" Both Argo and Kirito shouted toward the group of players, trying to stop them. Sadly, Alexa had stepped on one of the blue lines on the floor in the room.
"I thought the boss would've shown up by now," Shivata said, examining the room, stepping on the blue lines.
"GET BACK!!" Kirito yelled at the group. With the warning, everyone started to move around, when suddenly three stoned arms came out of the ground, one of the arms grabbing Lobacca and Dale, while stoned legs came out of the ceiling, trying to crush them.
"ASUNA!" Kirito shouted toward the girl. Asuna would charge toward the stoned arm holding onto the two players, striking the arm.
The arm would open its hand, dropping both players. Agil and Issin would run forward, successfully catching their fellow players. Kirito would look toward the ceiling, seeing it open up, as a face started to peak out. Then, its name appeared.
<<Fuscus the Vacant Colossus>>
Five Health Gauges appeared next to it.
"He's....He's not like the beta...." Kirito mumbled as the boss roared.
"Avoid the lines!" Argo shouted as the blue lines started to move around, a lot faster than before.
"The boss attacks with those arms and legs you just saw! If you step on the blue lines on the floor, it'll bring up target circles! I'm going to step on one on purpose, so get your sword skills ready to attack!!" Kirito shouted as he charged forward, Argo following behind. Kirito looked to his right to see the lines coming toward him.
"Here it goes....!" Kirito shouted as he stepped on the line. The target circle would appear around the boy, as the arm came out of the ground, trying to grab ahold of him. Kirito would dodge the hand, as he rolled over toward his party.
Kirito, Argo, Asuna, and Alexa would prepare their sword skills, letting their swords and fists glow.
"NOW!!"
The four would charge forward toward the arm, unleashing their skills on the arm, depleting the boss's first HP gauge to only 25%. Suddenly the red crest that Argo mentioned earlier had appeared on the forehead of the boss.
"That crest is his weak point! When you see your chance, go for it!" Kirito yelled at everyone, mainly toward the one player who was using a ranged weapon right now. The group of players would unleash their attacks on the boss when an arm or leg came out of the ground or ceiling, while Sinon tried to get the right opportunity to fire an arrow at the crest.
"Hey, you guys! The walls are moving!!" Philia shouted. Everyone looked toward the walls, seeing that they were moving now, in a waving-like motion.
"Definitely not a pattern we've seen before! Is it safe to keep this boss raid going?" Argo shouted.
"I'm getting a bad feeling about this...Everybody! Take shelter downstairs!" Kirito yelled.
"Everybody, this way!!" Asuna shouted, waving toward the group, and leading them to the stairs.
"Kii-Bou!!" Argo shouted, pointing toward the ceiling. Kirito looked up to see that the boss's face, was now gone.
"W....What the...."
"Shiva!!" Liten yelled, grabbing both Argo and Kirito's attention. They'd watch as the staircase exit disappeared, the boss's face appearing where it once was. They'd see that Asuna was stuck in the boss's mouth, after having pushed Shivata out of the way. The boss's mouth would slowly begin crushing Asuna, lowering his HP gauge.
"ASUNA!!" Alexa shouted.
"Alexa!! Try to attack that crest!!" Kirito ordered.
The purple-haired girl ran toward the boss's face, climbing onto its forehead, seeing that the crest was gone.
"It's not here!!" Alexa yelled, panicking.
"The boss is the room itself," Argo said, grabbing Kirito's attention.
"I bet he's moved that crest somewhere inside this room," Argo said as the players kept striking at its face, while Asuna'a life was being crushed out of her.
"We can't save her unless we smash it!" Argo yelled. Kirito, followed by Argo and Sinon ran toward the center of the room, looking for the crest.
"This is really bad. If we don't do something, Aachan's gonna...." Argo said as she looked at the HP gauges in her top left corner.
ARGO - 87%
KIRITO - 89%
ASUNA - 65%
ALEXA - 90%
SINON - 98%
SHIVATA - 85%
LITEN - 80%
Just as Asuna's HP reached 65%, the sound of something shattering echoed. Argo looked over to see the chest-plate Asuna was wearing had shattered, now the stone teeth were pushing into her skin now, causing the girl to yell.
Alexa would plunge her sword in between the bosses' teeth, trying to pray it open, Klein would assist her and plunge his sword in as well. Asuna's HP gauge began to deplete more, now that her armor was gone, her HP went from 65 to 40 in less than ten seconds.
"D-DAMN IT, OPEN!!" Alexa yelled, putting more force into her blade, only for the durability of the blade to reach 0%. Alexa fell backward, as she watched her sword, <<Swiftblade>> shattered into broken glass.
"A-ASUNA!!" Alexa shouted as Asuna's HP gauge reached 10%. Just as the mouth was about to completely close on the girl, Klein's eyes widened when he saw the boss's mouth slowly opening, a weapon then appeared in between the boss's mouth, keeping it from closing completely.
"Is someone there?!" Klein yelled.
"Mi....to...?" Asuna mumbled.
Alexa's eyes widened when she saw the other purple-haired girl crawl out of her mouth.
"HURRY!! NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!!" Mito shouted toward Kirito. The boy looked at the arm that was returning to the ground. He'd then realize, where the crest was.
"Everyone!! I want you to step on the lines to bring out the arms and legs! The crest's gotta be in there somewhere!!" Kirito shouted.
"Got it!" Shivata said, running forward, with Liten behind him.
"Gotcha!" Argo shouted, running toward one of the lines.
Klein would throw Alexa a backup sword he had gotten on the last floor for her to use. The group of players would keep stepping on the lines, trying to find the crest, while Mito tried to free Asuna.
"Kii-Bou!!" Argo shouted. Kirito looked over toward one of the legs, where the crest was resting. Kirito would rush forward toward the leg, as it started to rise back to the ceiling. Kirito would prepare the <<Sonic Leap>> Sword Skill to launch himself up.
"You won't make it!" Argo shouted as she ran toward him, jumping onto his shoulders, and launching herself off him, toward the leg.
"HIT THAT TARGET!!" Argo yelled as she charged up her <<Acute Vault>> skill. Just as she was about to hit the weak point, one of the arms would grab ahold of the Rat, throwing her away.
"DAMN IT!!" Kirito yelled. Just as the leg was about to disappear, the boy saw three arrows flying toward the leg, one of the arrows hitting the crest.
"BULLSEYE!!" Sinon shouted as the leg disappeared. Klein looked over toward the boss's forehead, where the crest appeared where it was before. The boss would open its mouth more, letting the girl it was crushing free. The group watched as the boss's face disappeared again, the staircase appearing where it once was, Mito holding onto a weakened Asuna while healing her.
Kirito would look back toward the ceiling where the boss's face had returned, the crest visible.
"Kirito! How is this different from the beta?!" Mito shouted, looking toward the black-haired boy.
"His weak point was fixed on his forehead in the beta, but now the pattern's changed, and it looks like the crest will move all over its body!" Kirito said as another leg came from the ceiling, sending Philia and Naijan to the ground, paralyzed.
"There it is!" Kirito shouted. The leg that paralyzed the two had the crest now. Mito ran forward, using a whip-like skill on the leg, hitting it.
"You guys, on my signal, stomp on the lines. As soon as we spot the crest, I'll pummel it!" Mito ordered, everyone yelling in agreement. The team of players would do as ordered, bringing in more legs and arms, one of them having the crest on it. Mito would strike at the weak spot, while everyone else striked at the arms and legs.
Just as the boss reached its final HP gauge, the blues line started to move away from the players, moving toward the ceiling, while the room that was once glowing blue, was now glowing purple. The group of players would watch as a blast mist cloud appeared, and a stone golem descending from it.
"FALL BACK!! FALL BACK!!" Kirito shouted, causing everyone to run from the boss, who landed on its knee, slowly standing up, looking down at the twenty players.
"Holy shit....." Klein muttered.
"This thing is huge...." Agil said.
"Yeah...but now we can use our initial strategy to fight it! We're gonna obliterate that final bar!!" Kirito yelled.
"RIGHT!!" everyone yelled in agreement.
"CHARGE!!!" Everyone yelled, running forward toward the boss. The boss would throw its fist toward Asuna and Kirito, both dodging the attack and striking its fist and arm. Shivata and Liten would hold their shields up on the same fist, countering the attack. Everyone would launch attack after attack on the boss, depleting its last HP bar to 25%.
"KII-BOU!! THE CREST ISN'T MOVING ANYMORE!!" Argo yelled, after failing to attack its head.
"Gotcha! Asuna, Alexa, Sinon!" Kirito yelled toward his party members.
"On it!!" the three yelled.
Kirito would lead the girls forward, whereas Asuna and Alexa would climb on the wall, and Kirito and Sinon would climb on their arms.
"ONE MORE STRIKE!!" Kirito yelled as Sinon jumped on his shoulders, launching herself into the air. Alexa and Asuna would both launch themselves off the wall, swords glowing pink and purple now. Kirito would launch himself off the boss's arm, toward the forward with his sword glowing blue.
"IT'S OVER!!"
The Swordsman and Swordswoman would strike at the boss's forehead several times, while the archer would fire the rest of the arrows in her quiver.
"FOR YOU!!!" The four yelled in unison, unleashing the last strikes and arrows on the forehead.
The boss would screech one last time, before exploding into blue shards. The four would land on their knees, as they examined the room, watching the room change into a normal corridor, and a congratulations sign appearing over them.
"D-Did we do it...?" Philia asked, panting.
"W-We did it!!" Shivata shouted.
"WE DID IT!!!" Everyone, except Kirito's party shouted. The group of players would begin to celebrate by hugging each other, slamming fists together, and high-fiving together, while some collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Kirito sighed in relief as he sheathed his blade.
"Good job, Kirito," Asuna said, smiling at the boy.
"Y-Yeah...Good work..." Alexa stuttered.
"Show-off," Sinon said, smirking.
"Yeah, Yeah, great work you guys," Kirito said, smiling at the girls. The boy then remembered back to why they were here in the first place.
"Whoever got the Guild Flag drop, let us know, okay?" Kirito called out, looking back to the sixteen other players. Everyone would open their inventories and start looking for the flag.
"It's not in my inventory!" Argo shouted.
"I don't get it, either!" Klein said.
Everyone remained silent, as they tried figuring out, where the flag was, until...
"Is this the flag you're talking about?" a voice spoke up. Kirito looked up from the ground to see Mito walking up toward him, the flag in her hand.
"That's it!" Kirito yelled, other players sighing in relief. Mito would lay the flag in Kirito's arms, giving it to him.
"Are you sure?" Kirito asked as the girl backed away a little.
"I have no use for it," Mito said, turning toward Asuna.
"Mito..."
"Asuna..."
"Thank you for coming. Let's do this again sometime, okay?" Asuna asked, smiling.
"As tempting as that is and all. But the thing is, I want to find it, too. My way of life in this world. I mean, that's one of the best parts of this world, right?" Mito asked. The girl gasped when Asuna suddenly hugged the girl.
"You're right about that...I know you can do it, Mito. For sure!"
"Yeah, I'm gonna work at it. Really work at it...So, summon me again when I do. I'll come running to you, Asuna, no matter what."
"Right! I'm really counting on you." Asuna said as the two hugged in silence for a little before Asuna let the girl go.
"Okay, see you," Mito said, before walking off toward the teleport exit.
"See you, Mito..." Asuna said.
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"ALS should be showing up any minute now..." Kirito said, looking at the flag in his inventory. The boy would then look away from his menu and toward the girls.
"Are you guys sure you didn't want to head toward the next floor with the others?" Kirito asked.
"It's not like we're in any hurry," Sinon said, crossing her arms.
"We enjoy keeping you company anyway," Asuna said, smiling.
"W-W-What she said..." Alexa mumbled, blushing a little.
"U-Uh, thanks..." Kirito said, as he turned back toward the entrance, where he saw the ALS walking in, Kibaou walking to the front of the group. The man would see the entrance to the teleport gate open, and Kirito's party in front of them.
"Huh...In any case...since I know for a fact that you defeated the boss, I guess it won't kill me to say, "Good work!" "Kibaou said.
"Blackie, what did you do with the boss's drop item?!" a player with glasses yelled.
"Yeah, we know he dropped that guild flag!" a player said.
"Yeah. It dropped, all right." Kirito said as the flag materialized in his hand.
"This is that flag. It's called <<The Flag of Valor>>. You all probably already know its effect." Kirito said.
"Leave it to the renowned Beater himself. You made sure you got your hands on it, huh?" the glasses player said.
"What are you even gonna do with it? You're not even in a guild, or are you going to start a guild now with your harem there?!" a player yelled. Kirito's grip on the sword tightened, while he heard Sinon growl behind him.
"No. I will not be making a guild, and I have no intention of handing this over to you guys either. But only under two conditions." Kirito said, glaring at the group of players.
"Did you say conditions?" one of the players yelled, raising his sword toward the boy, only for Kibaou to raise his arm to that player, walking forward a little, a few feet away from Kirito.
"Let's hear them, what are the conditions?" Kibaou asked.
"On paper, it's two, but as long as one of them is cleared, I'll be satisfied. First of all, if the same item drops again in the future, ALS will take ownership of one, and DKB the other. So, whichever guild doesn't have a flag at the time gets this one, no questions asked."
"And the second one?"
"That will come into play if ALS and DKB merge, forming an entire new guild. If that were to happen, I'll hand it over on the spot." Kirito finished, causing some players in the ALS to mutter to each other.
"No way is that ever gonna happen!" a player yelled.
"Merge with those guys who act like they're better than us?! You've got to be kidding!!" another yelled.
"Go ahead and ask them! They're just gonna tell you that you're crazy!!" another yelled.
"How long do we have to wait till another flag drops?! We'd just be wasting our time till it drops!!" another yelled.
"Kirito..." Asuna mumbled.
"Ka-Kirito..." Sinon stuttered.
"Kirito...." Alexa mumbled as well, the three girls, looking at their party leader in concern now.
"Sorry....but I'm not changing these terms," Kirito said, as the flag returned to his inventory.
"I know...!" a familiar voice shouted, grabbing the boy and girl's attention.
"I know what's really going on! These guys never had any intention of handing over that flag!!" a player with a mask covering his head yelled, Kibaou turning toward him now.
"Making us jump through impossible hoops when they're only gonna swipe the flag and create a guild of their own!!" the player yelled.
"I thought I just said that wasn't happening!" Kirito yelled.
"You gotta be kidding me-" Sinon began, only for the other ALS players to start speaking up again.
"They're gonna keep it for themselves?"
"I always knew they'd pull something like that."
"We don't have to sit here and listen to their garbage! KIBAOU!! IT'S ONLY FOUR OF THEM, AND TWO OF THEM CAN'T EVEN FIGHT!!" the player yelled, mocking Alexa and Sinon.
"THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS THAT WE CAN TAKE THE FLAG BACK!!" the player yelled.
"You talking about brute force, Joe?" Kibaou asked.
"That's right! We've got a whole force. We can take care of these four fo-" the player named Joe began, only for Kibaou to pin him against the wall.
"YOU IDIOT! I don't care how valuable the items are. If we start menacing our fellow players at sword point to get them, we're no better than a bunch of criminals! Think hard again why ALS exists in the first place!" Kibaou yelled, shoving him against the wall again, causing Joe to fall over.
"Sorry, you had to witness that crap." Kibaou apologized to Kirito's party, keeping his back turned toward them.
"Those conditions of yours...the same goes for DKB, then?" Kibaou asked.
"Yeah. Of course, it does." Kirito said, Kibaou now turning toward them.
"In that case, we'll leave the flag with you for now. To be honest, I don't see a merger in the works. All right, we're taking off!" Kibaou said, turning back to the ALS, and boss room entrance.
"Hey, the teleport gate to the main town on Floor Six has already been activated, so if you're heading back to <<Karluin>>, that way would be quicker," Kirito called out, Kibaou turned back toward the boy once more. The man would then begin walking toward the teleport gate.
"Hey, thanks, Kirito." Kibaou thanked them as he walked past the boy and the girls. The rest of the ALS would start to follow Kibaou, as some began to whisper to one another.
"Jeez, so once again Blackie makes off with the prize?"
"Not even in a guild, and he robs us of that rare item!"
"How sneaky is that?"
"It's not like we're not putting in the work, too!"
"If all he cares about is himself, then he should clear the game alone!"
"I pity those girls who are still tagging along with him."
Kirito and his party members remained alone in the room. Kirito would let off a sigh, as he turned toward the girls.
"Nice work you guys...We should rest a while, then..." Kirito began, only to stop when he saw the girl's facial expressions were the same.
"I-Is something wrong, you guys....?"
"Why..." Sinon spoke up first.
"Why..." she said again.
"Why do you have to go through all of this....for the Assault Team? For everybody trapped inside this world...? You risk your life battling....and even though you were the one who kept the guilds from collapsing, those people keep clinging to their cliques, doing as they please....feuding without a second thought....that's who you've been fighting for until you're battered and bruised....and all they do is bad mouth you....it's.....it's so wrong....it's so wrong....!" Sinon said, letting her emotions out.
Asuna and Alexa stared at the crying girl. For the time they've known her, they have never seen her cry. Even if Alexa knew Sinon in the real world, she had once never seen the girl cry. Asuna would grab ahold of Alexa's hand, grabbing her attention.
"Let's leave them alone...." Asuna mumbled. Alexa would turn back to Kirito and Sinon, then turn back to Asuna.
"Yeah...." Alexa mumbled. The two would begin walking toward the teleporter, where they'd take one more glance toward their party members, where they'd see the boy comforting the girl.
"Come on. We don't want to be late." Asuna said toward the girl.
"R-Right...!"
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"FIVE!"
"FOUR!"
"THREE!"
"TWO!"
"ONE!"
"ZERO!"
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"
With those words said, the fireworks were set off, and the sky began to light up. Within one of the buildings, the party of one boy and three girls were drinking champagne together.
"Still can't believe they got hold of fireworks. Any idea where they were selling them?" Kirito asked, watching the fireworks show.
"I believe I heard you can buy them somewhere on Floor 1," Alexa said.
"I believe it's at a gear shop somewhere in the Town of Beginnings," Asuna said.
"I heard it was Liten who found them," Sinon said.
"Then we can use those fireworks against mon-"
"Hate to burst your bubble, but they can only be used in safe zones." Sinon interrupted the boy, smirking.
"Darn...." Kirito muttered, causing the girls to giggle a little.
"2023, huh?" Asuna said, looking back at the fireworks.
"It's still hard to believe...two months have already gone by...." Alexa said.
"Yeah...When I shut myself into my room in the Town of Beginnings, every day felt so....long....but now, it's like each day goes by in a flash." Asuna said, putting her champagne glass down on the cobblestone railing.
"You know. After I left the Town of Beginnings, and before I met you guys, I thought that I could just treat my weapons as disposable. I'd buy the same one over and over, and I never enhanced them or had them serviced. Once the blades got dull, I'd toss them onto the floor of some dungeon. But that was who I was in the past. But then Mito gave me the <<Wind Fleuret>>, and thanks to you guys, I had it reforged into the one I'm using now. And after all the battles I've been through, I've started to realize something, little by little. That I should look out for myself more. And so I want you all to look out for yourselves, too, Kirito, Sinon, Alexa." Asuna said, smiling at her friends. Alexa stared at the girl, before smiling at her as well.
"Okay. I will."
"I guess I could too," Kirito said, smirking.
"I'll see if I can. I gotta make sure this idiot doesn't do anything idiotic most of the time." Sinon said, elbowing Kirito in the rib.
"A-Anyway, I'm gonna head down and get a new bottle and something to eat. Any of you wanting to come?" Kirito asked.
"I guess I could," Sinon said before Asuna or Alexa could speak up. The two girls would watch Kirito and Sinon head off.
"We didn't even get a chance to accept his invite or not." Asuna said, giggiling a little.
"Like you said, wherever he goes, she follows," Alexa said, causing Asuna to laugh a little more. Alexa turned toward the exit the two took.
....Why do I have a bad feeling all of a sudden....? Alexa thought.
———————————————————————
Meanwhile...
"Oi, Shino, watch your step," Kirito called out, as the girl nearly tripped over, dropping the lantern.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll watch my step."
The two would continue to walk in silence toward their destination until Kirito stopped in place.
"Kaz? What's wrong?" Sinon asked.
"It's nothing.....let's get going."
The two would begin to jog a little, until Sinon stopped in place, turning toward the other way again.
"Shino?" Kirito called out, at the doors. The girl would keep quiet as she ran over toward Kirito, just as the boy was about to push the doors open, Sinon would drop her lantern, as a knife was pushed against the side of her neck, causing both teens to freeze.
"It's.....showtime!" the man said, pushing the blade closer to Sinon's neck.
"Who.....are you? Kirito spoke up, nearly turning his head, only for the man to speak up.
"Stay still, now....move again, and my knife will slash your girl here." the man said, as he moved the knife away from her neck, slowly pressing it against her back, moving it downward.
"We're in a safe zone.... your threats mean nothing here..." Kirito muttered.
"Listen to you. Get a drip, will you, blackie? The safe zone ends at that front lawn. This is part of the dungeon." the man said, causing both teenagers to stiffen up. Kirito's eyes would slowly turn toward Sinon, seeing her shaking slightly.
"How much can you do with a knife?" Kirito said, returning to his calm state.
"Haa? Aren't we feisty tonight? But what if I told you that I'd dipped this blade into Level 5 paralyzing and damaging poisons?" the man said, Sinon, gasping a little when the tip of the blade touched the back of her head.
"Why are you doing this?" Kirito asked, causing the man with the knife to laugh a little.
"Isn't it obvious, bro? Because it's entertaining!"
"Enter....taining....?"
"Yeah....I want to have a good time.....might as well, on this big stage, right? I want to set it up well so it'll be a blast! All right, I wouldn't want any intruders to butt in. We're heading someplace else. How do the catacombs sound to you?" the man said.
".....Fine by me," Sinon said, speaking up for the first time since the man placed the knife to her neck.
"Sinon..." Kirito mumbled, as he watched the girl walk forward, with the man behind him, knife pointed to her back just as the man passed Kirito, the <<Anti-Criminal Code>> activated and pushed the man back from the girl.
"KIRITO!"
"On it!" the boy shouted, unsheathing his blade, and throwing his blade toward the man, only for the man to dodge the attack. The man would give the boy and girl a devilish grin, when what looked to be a purplish pink ball would roll into the room, between the man and boy. The ball would then explode into a smoke cloud, filling the room up.
"Until next time, Blackie! Archer!"