CHAPTER 9.1 - Taurus King

"Or you can use your feet even your head if you must," The NPC old man said

"How many days before we destroyed it?" Kouki ask and face the rock

"Only one person who completed the quest and he took three days completing the quest" The old man pointing the broken rock on the side.

"What? I can't be here. The groups going to reach the Boss chamber two days from now" Worried Asuna said, "It is possible to cancel this?"

"No," The NPC old man said and sits at the top of one rock

They don't have any choice but to do it. They punch and kick the rock but it's already midnight but all they did was scratch on the rock

"Hays how long has it been since I slept outdoors?" Liten said while Asuna keep punching and kicking the rock

"Asuna, I'm sorry for dragging you to this mess. I know Boss battle is important for you as a front-line player however, there is a chance that you-" Kaoki didn't finish his word when Asuna spoke

"Nah, I choose this it was my decision to accept the quest, and besides there are still days left to finish it" Asuna smiled

"We better rest first, good thing I have food here" While eating they hear a growl coming from the monster around "There are plenty of trembling oxen surrounding this zone it was too dangerous to sleep, you two can sleep after this, I will watch" Liten and Asuna laid the beds while Kouki was just sitting on the top of the rock while observing the environment

"If I could see the stars from here.." Asuna took a deep breath as she looked at the calendar with the date sign of the day they will fight the Boss "I need to finish it and come back" She look at the sky and closed her eyes

***The Next morning***

Liten was startled to hear a noise coming from Asuna's place "Ohayo~" She yawn "You too early Asuna-Sama"

"Good morning!" Asuna kept kicking the rock "Look at this!" Asuna pointed the rock "I put a crack on it" Kouki and Liten came over to look at it

"Wow Asuna it has a big crack" Liten complement Asuna "Let's eat breakfast now we have a whole day to do this"

Asuna received a message from Argo reminding her that the Boss battle will be tomorrow morning. She looks at the rock in front of her "It's going to take a few more days at this rate"

It's getting dark but they still haven't been destroyed because that Asuna lost her hope. She checks the calendar again "Thirteen hours left before the Boss battle" She looks at the rock again thinking it would take another two days before it was destroyed.

Kouki blames himself he knows that tomorrow's Boss battle is much important to Asuna, but he can't do anything "I need to think. I can't let her stuck in this place" He murmured

They decided to stop by midnight. Asuna sat on the top of the rock she look at the clear sky "I guess-" She hang her words when she heard a growl and a monster came out from the darkness.

It's a Trembling Ox monster it is a massive beast, standing two and a half meters to its shoulders. The Trembling Cow is a female version that is twice the size of Trembling Ox.

They just stared at it; this monster won't attack you unless you didn't make the first move. They just sighed as it left "Asuna-Sama" Liten rushed to Asuna's seat and sat beside her "May I ask something?" Asuna nod as an answer "Why did you choose to be a front-line player rather than live peacefully on the beginner's floor, Even there's a chance of you die why are you still pursuing" Liten hug her knee

"Because I want to go back" Liten and Kouki look at Asuna "I want to go to College have a good job and lastly is have a happy family in the future" The midnight cold wind blew "But how can I do that if I stuck on this game? I don't want to rotten on the first floor and wait to die, let's face the reality we will not stay here forever. I want to do everything I want even if I die" Asuna gripped her rapier "I will clear this game no matter what happens" Kouki and Liten smiled

***2 Hours before The Boss Battle***

Kouki looks at Asuna who was still kicking the rock he is blaming himself for the reason why Asuna is stuck in this quest "Hey! Kouki-Kun what are you doing?" Kouki walks toward the rock assigned to Asuna and punches it

"Helping you, there are no rules that the player can't help his other player right?" Asuna diverted her gaze to the old NPC man who was guarding them. He just looking at them while smiling

"I think it's okay? That old man was just staring at us" Liten started to punch the rock that assigns to Asuna "Hey stop looking at us come and help"

"B-but how about you're assigned rock?" Asuna asks

"It can wait, but the Boss battle cannot," Kouki said "Common there's no time to think we need to do this faster" After thirty minutes it's finally broken by the last hit of Asuna

"Congratulation young girl you completed this quest," The NPC man said "You will receive the martial art by completing this quest"

"Asuna you need to leave there's no time left," Kouki said

"B-but how about you two?"

"Don't worry we have a lot of time breaking that rock, if you are grateful then kick the ass of the 2nd floor Boss for us HAHA" Liten said. After that, she wasted no time and quickly went to the labyrinth

***Outside the Boss chamber / December 20, 2022***

"All eyes on me!" Lind tried to get the attention of the players "I'm Lind the leader of the dragon knights guild as the representative of the first party to reach the boss chamber, I'm here by the leader of the raiding party of the second-floor boss" The players look at him "Let's do this and Win!" He shouted

Lind is an admirer of Diavel, he even chose to model his appearance to be more like Diavel. He had his long, brown hair dyed blue and he wore silver armor, consisting of a chest plate and shoulder plates, with a blue tunic underneath, similarly to what Diavel had worn before his death. Lind was armed with a scimitar, called Pale Edge.

"Guilds? We can't even make it guilds yet" Kibauo said

"The first arrive assumes leadership," He said "That was the agreement, was it not?" They start fighting again, while the other player's sight this scenario is not new to them

"Hey, what the matter here," Agil asks Kirito. He had seen Kirito standing while staring at the distance as if he was waiting for someone "I heard you were working as a pair with the Princess" He was referring to Asuna "But you look like a husband who just saw a note that says 'I'm moving back in with my parents"

Kirito has been restless for a while and doesn't know why Asuna hasn't arrived yet "Looks like you waiting for the princess" Agil continue

"Haven't seen you since the first floor Boss fight. You were a big help in the Boss fight" Kirito tried to divert his attention but his mind was still looking for Asuna