CHAPTER 9.2 - Taurus King

"Then let us open the door to our triumph over," Lind said but he stopped just as he was about to open the double door of the Boss chamber when suddenly Agil spoke

"Wait a minute, are you sure you're not relying too heavily on the strategy guide's information again? Shouldn't we be preparing for the possibility that they've made changes since the beta test like they did on the first floor?"

"O-Of course! I have no intention of repeating that same mistake again" Lind said as he remembered Diavel

"Then we ought to have a clear plan for retreat" the entire player was listening to Agil "If we noticed different patterns from the advance information, we ought to pull back temporarily and rethink our strategy, is that all right?"

"Yes that's will do," Lind said "Ahem! And with that, let us open-" He hang his words again when Kibaou spoke

"Hang on just a second!" Kibaou said

"What is it now?" Lind protest

"I agree, the strategy guides a problem, I hate this to say but, it's being written by an Intel merchant who isn't been in the Boss chamber! In that case, we know we got at least one person here.." They diverted their gaze to Kirito who was still looking at the distance thinking why Asuna was not yet here "Who's seen the Boss for himself" Agil quickly stepped on Kirito's foot so his attention went to them

"Uhm, what?" Agil whisper to him so he knew what they were talking about

"So why don't we get his idea about this?" Kibaou continue

"At the very least, the regular Taurus's have the same attack as they did in Beta, so the Boss should use swords skills that are an extension of that pattern. Just avoid getting hit with the double debuffs at all cost" He remembers what happened to Asuna when they have battled to the Lesser Taurus Striker "If you get stunned while you're stunned, that turns into paralysis. And every player in the Beta who got paralyzed.. Die.." The player suddenly felt scared

"We need to avoid the second hit, that's our main priority then," Kibaou said

"Okay, let's-" Lind did not finish his words again

"Let's get going" Kibaou opened the door

"Hey! Who said you could!- I'm the leader here" Kibaou didn't listen to him. When they entered the two monsters greeted them

"T-That's huge.." The player was scared after seeing the monsters

The Boss was guarded by the two mid-bosses; Nato the Colonel Taurus and Baran the General Taurus

Baran the General Taurus had a five-bar hit point gause. Baran's ripping muscle was developed in a bristly, crimson red pelt. Its waist was covered with a luxurious golden cloth, but his upper half was bare. Additionally, a golden chain dangled over its shoulder, and the Taurus wielded a golden hammer that shone with dazzling brilliance. While another monster was Nato the Colonel Taurus was one of the two mid-bosses that assisted Asterius the Taurus King on the 2nd floor. Nato had three Hp gauges. Aside from differences in color and size, Nato was like a body double of Baran. Nato was a blue-skinned, bull-headed beast with shining black horns, hooves that were as big as buckets, and a bare upper body. The sub-boss was 2.5 meters tall, half the size of Baran, and armed with a two-handed hammer.

The raiding party for the battle was consisting of forty-seven players. The players were divided into eight parties. Group A, B, and C was the Dragon Knights Brigade. While group D, E, and F was the Aincrad Liberation squad. Group G was the Legend Braves. And the last was group H led by Agil and one of the members was Kirito.

Group G and H were assigned to deal with the mid-boss, led by Agil and e decided to have Kirito be the damage dealer, while he and his friends tanked the damage. Nato was about to hit the three-part combo "Group H block the attack!" Agil said after blocking Kirito sprints towards Nato and attacks it making a vertical slash. After using skill, Nato is left rigid for a few moments.

"Here it comes! Asuna switch!" Kirito suddenly remembered that Asuna hasn't come yet so he dodges to avoid the attack of the monster. Nato is about to use its skill, it lifts its hammer straight aloft. The hammer then stops overhead for an instant and its wide surface begins glowing with brilliant yellow sparks. Then with a fierce roar, the beast brings down its hammer, slamming it against the floor. "He's in his delay. Switch out!"

"Team G Braves attack!" The leader of the Legend braves command

"HAHA, what's wrong?" Agil handed to Kirito a health potion "You look lonely, missing your partner?" Agil joke. Kirito accept and drank it

"Wait, what happens to that rare double-sided ax?" Kirito notice that Agil was using a different kind of ax. Agil is now using cheapo store brought the model

"Hey, things happen. Don't worry about my performance, I'll maintain my marks" Kirito suddenly remembered what happen to Asuna's wind fleuret when she tried to upgrade it, he think it happen to Agil

They look at the main force that was assigned on Baran "Evade!" Lind shouted

"They don't look so good," Agil said

Baran used its Numbing Denonation it is a special debuff skill that has twice the effective range of Nat's numbing Impact. Players caught in the golden sparks released by the skill are rendered stunned for three seconds. If the same players caught in the golden sparks released by the skill are rendered stunned for three seconds. If the same player is hit twice with the skill in succession, the stun effect is changed to a more dangerous paralysis effect.

"I can't move my body" The players who hit was paralyzed

"Forget about the weapons that have been dropped! Everyone that can move, pull the paralyzed ones away!" Kobaou shouted

"We can still do this.. We can still do this.." Lind said, he stopped the retreat

"If all players were stunned we won't able to escape!" Kirito stopped Lind he approached him "Let's withdraw for now and do it again!"

"But we're already halfway! If we leave now.."

"I know it's difficult" They look at the players who were paralyzed

"One more.." Kibaou said "If one more person becomes paralyzed we'll leave" He sights "Don't you want to keep going?"

"It is okay?" Lind asks kibaou

"Everyone was focusing and their moral high" They look at the other players who tried to block the attack of Baran "We also used a lot of pots, I'd hate wasting them" Kibaou seriousness can be seen on his face

"Got it. Let's do this" Lind said

"Thanks, I appreciate it" Kibaou turned his gaze to Kirito who was watching them

"If you've decided the rule then that's fine" Kirito runs away from them "Just be careful when it gets to the last Hp gauge!"

"It looks like there were no changes made to these two" Agil said to Kirito when he comes back

"At this rate.." Kirito said, "Hey Blacky, you know there is something wrong?" Kirito turned his gaze around the chamber "The Boss was missing.."

"What are you talking about.." The whole chamber was illuminated by the light and they saw the main Boss of the second floor

"Asterious the Taurus King"

MOO~~~ the growl of the King was heard in the different corners of the chamber