"Beater"

December 2, 2022 - First Floor: Tolbana

Hikari: 'It's been about a month ever since this death game first began and still nobody other than me found the boss room for the first floor. I found the boss room when I was grinding my way to level 12 as Kirito should be around that level and of course watching this show made it easy to find good hunting spots and better quests. I know it's selfish but if I want to finish this story I need to do whatever I can to survive. And of course, during this month, 2,000 people have died from this game.....'

Hikari: "Might as well read a book while waiting for the meeting to start." I took out my book that's purely for cooking and baking. I'm trying to learn how to cook and bake in this game and how to increase my cooking and baking skills since I'm staying for 2 years I might as well have a comfortable life until the game is cleared.

Hikari: 'Kirito is a going to be nicknamed a "Beater" soon well unlike him I'm just a plain old cheater who knows everything.' I then heard that the meeting is going to start so I put away my book and went to the meeting

Hikari: 'It's time for the first-floor boss.'

Hikari: 'It seems like I just made it.' I then sit down on an empty seat and I saw Kirito on the other side. I waved at him and he waved back.

During the 1 month, my equipment didn't change much only having a piece of armor on my chest area.

I also have a sword on my arsenal now and its the "Annealed Blade" while my old dagger was changed to an "Assault Dagger"

Annealed Blade

Assault Dagger

I then see Diabel getting ready to start the meeting

Hikari: 'Well here it is' Diavel clapped his hands to get everybody's attention

Diabel: "Okay, let's get a starter, people!"

Diabel: Thank you for responding to my summons today. My job is... in my own mind, I like to think I'm a "knight."" Everybody started laughing at him I don't really understand why though I mean he is technically being a knight right now

Player 1: "Dude there's no job system in this game!"

Player 2: "A knight?"

Player 3: "So is this meeting a joke too?" Of course not you extra

Diabel: "You guys wanna hear this or not?" Everybody stopped talking Diabel then got serious

Diabel: "Today, our party discovered the boss room at the top of the tower." Everybody was surprised to hear that the boss room was discovered

Player 4: "Seriously?"

Diabel: "We need to defeat the boss, reach the second floor, and tell everyone waiting in the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to beat this game. And that's the duty of every one of us here now! Isn't that right, everybody?" They then nodded then clapped and started cheering, Diabel really is a motivational speaker it's just sad that he won't make it

Diabel: "Okay! Then without further delay, I'd like to get this boss-raid meeting started. First, I want you to team up into parties of six." Kirito and I tensed up

Kirito: "Huh?!"

Hikari: 'Great... I forgot about this part not only do I need to party up with someone but with six people SIX!' I then looked at Kirito and he seems to be not doing well

Player 5: "Of course we'll be at the same party." It seems like Kirito is panicking I might as well wait till Asuna comes and joins him then I can join as well

Diabel: "A conventional party has no chance against a Floor Boss."

Player 6: "I'll be the leader."

Diabel: "We'll need to form a raid group using multiple parties."

Player 7: "Let's do this."

Soon enough everybody was partied up except for Me, Kirito, and Asuna

Hikari: 'I might as well wait for those two to pair up.'

Kirito: "So you're a solo player? Then want to form a party with me?" Asuna then looks at him

Kirito: "He just said we can't beat the boss on our own." Yes you can Kirito with a lot of grinding you can solo a floor boss and you will soon do that in the future

Kirito: "So just for this fight?" Asuna nodded then Kirito sent an invitation to Asuna, she then accepted it

Hikari: 'Time for me to come in.' I then started walking to the pair

Hikari: "U-Um you two wouldn't m-mind if I join you g-guys?" Again seriously?

Kirito: "Yeah sure three people is better than two right?" Asuna nodded, he then sent me an invite and I accepted it

Diabel: "Okay, are you about done forming your parties? Now then-" He gets cuts off by the one person I hate from this entire show

???: "Hold up a second!" We then saw a point guy jumping down

???: "My name's Kibaou got that?" I rolled my eyes

Hikari: 'Yeah and nobody cares."

Kibaou: "There's something I wanna say before we take on the boss. Some of you here need to apologize to the 2,000 people who have died so far!" Most of the people were confused about what he was talking about I then saw Kirito beside me looking uncomfortable

Diabel: "Kibaou, these people you're referring to... do you mean the ex-beta testers, perhaps?"

Kibaou: "Of course I do!" Please shut up already

Kibaou: "On the day this stupid game started, the beta guys ditched us beginners, and they all disappeared. They took all the good hunting spots and easy quests for themselves, so they were the only people getting stronger."

Hikari: 'How does that make any sense? Sure the ex-beta testers took all the easy quests and the good hunting spots but those quests and hunting spots can still be available to everyone the only problem is finding them. Heck, I even saw some of the new players doing the same quest I was doing to earn a lot of Col.'

Kibaou: "And since then, they've just ignored the rest of us. There's got to be some of them here! Guys who were beta testers!" You haven't been up to date, aren't you?

Kibaou: "We should make them get on their knees and apologize, and give up all the items and money they hoarded."

Hikari: 'Nobody needs to apologize to anything nor give up their stuff do you have any idea how much work they did to get the stuff they have now? Sounds to me your just begging for easy loot.'

Kibaou: "As party members, we can't trust them with our lives, and they cant trust us!" I saw Kirito being pressured a lot so I gently placed my hand on his shoulder

Hikari: "You don't need to say anything I'm on your side." I whispered to him, he then looked at me and smiled a bit but he was still being pressured

Hikari: 'Where's Agil when you need him?' Then suddenly a buffed man spoke up

Buffed Man: "Can I say something?" He then stand up and walked to Kibaou who's being intimidated by him

Hikari: 'Yes scare the bastard.' I smiled

Agil: "My name is Agil. Kibaou, let me get this straight... You're saying that because the ex-beta testers didn't take care of them, many beginners died. That they should take responsibility, apologize, and provide compensation. Is that right?"

Kibaou: "Y-Yeah." Agil then shows Kibaou a guidebook

Agil: "You got this guidebook, didn't you? It was provided for free at the item store, after all."

Kibaou: "Sure, I got it... So what if I did?"

Agil: "It was the ex-beta testers who were distributing these." Everybody was surprised at what Agil said and Kibaou wasn't liking it

Agil: "Listen up. Everyone had equal access to this information. And yet, many players still died. What to learn from those failures, and how to try to defeat the boss... That's what I thought we'd be discussing here." Kirito sighed with relief ln keeping his ex-beta tester title a secret well it's not going to be a secret soon

After a whole Kibaou gave up and sat down then soon after Agil as well

Diabel: "All right. Okay, can we resume the meeting now?" Everybody nodded

Diabel: "As for information for the boss... Actually, the latest edition of that guidebook was just issued." Everybody was a bit surprised at this that the boss information was in the guidebook

Diabel: "According to it, the boss's name is Ilfang the Kobold Lord. Also, he has an entourage known as the ruin Kobold Sentinals. The boss is armed with an axe and a buckler. He has four health bars, and when the last one is in the red, he switches to a curved sword-type weapon called a Talwar. His attack pattern changes too." I frowned when he said "Talwar"

Hikari: 'And That's where your wrong Diabel.' Diabel closes the book

Diabel: "This concludes the briefing. Lastly, regarding item distribution, money will be automatically divided equally. EXP goes to the party that defeats the monster. And whoever receives an item keeps it. Any Objections?"

...

Diabel: "Okay, we leave tomorrow, at 10 in the morning. All right... dismissed!"

Hikari: "Welp t-things have calmed down now."

Kirito: "Yeah thanks for that earlier Hikari."

Hikari: "N-No problem I'm glad to help." Just then we both saw Asuna leave

Hikari: 'Well she'll open up later tonight'

Soon night came and me and Kirito were walking around while I was still reading the book from this morning then Kirito spotted Asuna sitting

Kirito: "Look it's Asuna." I saw Asuna eating bread and knowing I don't do well with meeting people I decided to back out

Hikari: "You go talk to her Kirito, you know how I am when am meeting new faces." I was just walking away till Kirito grabbed my arm

Hikari: "Eh?"

Kirito: "Nope you're coming with me besides we're party members so we should all get to know one another." Kirito then drags me to Asuna

Hikari: "E-Ehhhhhhh?!"

Kirito: "Those are pretty tasty, aren't they?" Asuna then looks at the two of us

Kirito: "Mind if we sit down?" Asuna said nothing and continues to eat her bread, I guess that's a yes?

Hikari: "E-Excuse us for t-the interruption." We then sit beside Asuna until she scooted away from us Kirito then decide to take his bread out and eat it while I silently continue reading my book

Asuna: "Do you really think it's good?" Asuna spoke

Kirito: "Uh-huh. Ever since I came to this town, I've been eating at least one daily. I do change it up a little though."

Asuna: "Change it up?" Kirito then placed a jar

Kirito: "Try putting some on the bread." She then proceeds to add it to the bread

Asuna: "Cream?" Kirito then adds the cream to his bread while also getting another bread

Kirito: "You want some Hikari?" He holds out a piece of bread in front of me

Hikari: "H-Huh? Oh s-sure." I accepted the bread he gave me then proceed to add cream after that the jar disintegrated into particle

Hikari: 'I wonder how it tastes.' I bite down on the bread and my face instantly lit up

Hikari: 'How could a bread with cream be THIS Delicious?!' Asuna then looks at us then decided to bite down on her bread

The both of us looked at her seeing her reaction to the food

...

She instantly finished it all and although I couldn't see her face I knew she loved it

Hikari: 'Cute.' I continued savouring my bread and cream

Kirito: "It's a reward for a quest called "The Heifer Strikes Back," one village behind us. If you want to do it, I'll tell you the trick."

Asuna: "No. I didn't come to this town to eat good food." I didn't bother listening to her as I was thinking about what dessert should I make that uses cream

Hikari: 'Oh maybe Cream puffs that's good.'

Kirito: "Then why did you?"

Asuna: "So I can still be me."

Hikari: 'I need to complete that quest.' I then stood up

Hikari: "K-Kirito I'll go a-and complete that quest s-so see you tomorrow."

Kirito: "Sure see you tomorrow for the boss raid."

~Kirito POV~

I then see Hikari go off to complete the quest

Asuna: "Your friend doesn't really like me does she?"

Kirito: "Huh? Oh no she doesn't hate you that's just how she is when meeting new faces. Once she starts to know you she will talk normally." Asuna only hummed

Kirito: "So. What did you mean by "So I can still be me?"

Asuna: "I'd rather stay myself until the very last moment than be locked inside an inn back in the first town, and slowly rot away. Even if I'm defeated by a monster and die, I don't want to lose this game... to this world. No matter what."

I munched on my bread

Kirito: "I wouldn't want a party member dying on me... And am sure Hikari wouldn't want that either... So at the very least, don't die tomorrow."

~Hikari POV~

I was leaning on the wall listening to the conversation the entire time

Hikari: "I'm sure he won't Kirito and besides..." I started walking to the last village

Hikari: "You're going to protect her Kirito."

December 2, 2022 - Floor 1: Forest Field

Kirito: "Let's go over the plan again."

Hikari: "B-But Kirito y-you repeated it multiple t-times already."

Kirito: "I know but remember we're going into a raid battle so it's if were fully prepared."

Hikari: "F-Fine." Kirito then told us the plan again

Kirito: "As the leftover team, our target is the Ruin Kobold Sentinals, the boss's entourage.

Asuna: "I know."

Hikari: "Of c-course we know Kirito y-you told us multiple times a-already." Holding a Cream Puff I baked yesterday I took a bite out of it. That's right I leveled up my baking skill while also leveling up my cooking skill as well so now I can cook delicious food for my poor stomach

Kirito: "I'll use a sword skill to knock their poleaxes up. The second I do, one of you two need to switch and jump in."

Asuna: "What's a switch?" Kirito looks at her in disbelief while I continue to munch on my Cream Puff

Kirito: "Don't tell me... Is this the first time you've ever been in a party?"

Asuna: "Uh-huh." As soon as she said that Kirito stopped dead in his tracks, me and Asuna looked back at him and saw his face written with "This is going to be a long day"

After a bunch of explanations of how to switch and clearing some mobs along the way we finally reach the boss room

Diabel: "Listen, up everyone. I have only one thing to say. Let's win!" Everybody had a determined look

Diabel: "Let's go!" He opens the entrance and we went in

Hikari: 'There he is the Ilfang the Kobold Lord.' It jumps out of his throne room and makes a massive roar and 3 Sentinals spawn in

Diabel: "Commence Attack!" The main group charges in and the battle start with Diabel leading the group

Diabel: "Squad A! Squad C! Switch! The boss then prepares to attack

Diabel: "Here it comes! Squad B, Block!" Agil and Kibaou blocks the attack using swords skills

Diabel: "Squad C, Keep guarding and prepare to switch. Now! As you fall back, prepare to attack from the side! Squad D, E, and F keep the sentinels off us!"

Kirito: "Yeah you got it!" Kirito parries the sentinel

Kirito: "Switch!" After he said that Asuna came in fast

Asuna: "I'm on it." While using a sword skill on her rapier to knockback the sentinel

Hikari: 'I forgot how fast she is in the anime' I was holding one of the sentinels till it backed off to try and attack the main group

Hikari: "Oh no you don't!" I then got in front of it and use a sword skill "Vorpal Strike" and thrust my blade forward disintegrating the sentinal into particles instantly

Hikari: 'Maybe I grinded too much yesterday.' I looked at my HP bar and am Level 16

Hikari: 'Yep too much.' Just then the boss roared and I see it's down to its last HP bar and it's in the red too

Hikari: "Looks like it's time" I frowned

Kibaou: "Looks like the guidebook was right..."

Diabel: "Stand back! I'll go!" He ran past me not before I gave him a look saying "You idiot." he noticed this but keeps going to get the last attack bonus.

Hikari: '*Sigh* Here it comes' I ran back to Kirito and Asuna to hold off the other sentinels

Diabel charges up a sword skill to get the last attack bonus but suddenly...

Hikari: "...."

Instead of a Talwar the boss took out a Nodachi

Kirito: "WAIT STOP!" Kibaou noticed this

Hikari: "This is going to be a pain later." I muttered still holding off the sentinels

Kirito: "Jump back as fast as you can!" But it was too late

The boss jumps up to a pillar and jumps down to Diabel and slashes him before landing another hard hit on him making him go flying up in the sky

Kibaou: "Diabel No!" The main group was suddenly jumped by the boss without the team leader the rest of the squads don't know what to do and Kirito going to Diabel

Hikari: "Goddammit. Well, it's time to hold it off till those two get here." The boss was going to attack some but...

*CLASH*

I blocked it just in time

Hikari: "Ngh! You really are a pain in the butt ain't ya?" I am level 16 so this should be no big deal but since my Strength is balanced like the rest of my stats this is annoying. The player who I was protecting left to regroup

The boss then parried my sword and kicked me hard at the side I was then launched to the side of the room and hit the wall I checked my HP and it started at the yellow zone

Hikari: "Ouch but it looks like I bought enough time." As I see Kirito and Asuna ready to attack the boss I then took out a health potion and healed myself I then stood up

Hikari: 'Looks like Diabel is dead huh?' I shooked my head and walked to the pair

The boss roared

Asuna: "I'll go too."

Hikari: "Count me in as well."

Kirito: "Okay." The three of us then ran toward the boss

Kirito: "Use the same sequence as we did in the sentinels."

Asuna: "You got it." While I nodded

The boss then started to attack with a sword skill but me and Kirito parried it with our own

Kirito&Hikari: "SWITCH!" Asuna then prepares to attack but the boss reacted too fast and attacked

Kirito: "Asuna!"

Hikari: "She's fine, look." Her cloaked got destroyed but she managed to hit the boss with a sword skill

Hikari: 'Wow she really does look beautif- wait no this isn't the time for that!' I shook my head and focused on the boss

Kirito: "Here he comes again!" Me and Kirito went to parry the boss's attacks while Asuna deals damage with her rapier

Still, the boss was able to resist and tries to attack Asuna however Kirito blocks and parry's the attacks but one of them manage to hit Kirito and launch him and Asuna back

Hikari: "Dammit alright big guy LETS DANCE!" The two of us prepared a sword skill

I used the skill "Horizontal Square" to not only damage the boss but also parrying his attack and it worked when the two of us went to attack each other I parried his three attacks then attacked him on the last combo but unfortunately, he was still able to resist and used a fulled powered sword skill at me

Hikari: 'Jesus why does keep resisting!' I manage to block the attack but I was launched back with Kirito and Asuna

Hikari: 'Well this is annoying actually wait a minute where the hell is the others aren't they suppose to help us by now!?' The boss then tries to do a fulled powered attack again and me, Asuna tried to block it but instead.

Agil: "HUAAAGH!!" Agil parries the attack with his axe the boss was then launched back and the other players rush in to fight

Hikari: "Freaking finally Agil your always here at the last second." Agil then smiles

Agil: "We'll hold him off till you guys recover."

Kirito: "You got it."

The others then continuously attack the boss while it blocks their attack the boss then broke through the players and jumped up to finish them off but

Kirito: "WATCH OUT!"

Kirito: "YOUR GOING DOWN!" Kirito then gets up and charges up a sword skill and jumps up and attack the boss mid-air before it attacks. the boss then went to the ground while Kirito lands back down and runs to the boss

Kirito: "COME ON ASUNA, HIKARI HELP ME BEAT THIS SUCKER! ONE LAST ATTACK!"

Hikari: "Roger that!

Asuna: "You got it!"

Hikari&Kirito&Asuna: "HUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!" The three of us charged at the boss while the boss tries to attack Kirito parried it, Asuna then used a sword skill followed by me Using another sword skill swinging my sword to the left and right and followed by Kirito swinging his sword and down and finally Kirito swing his sword upward slicing the boss in half, killing the boss

....

I smiled and put my sword on my back

Players: "W-We did it!" Everybody cheered while me and Asuna high fived each other

Hikari: "You did amazing back there."

Asuna: "Thanks but you were the one who helped us buy time back time in there so I should be thanking you."

We both chuckled, we then went to Kirito who got the "Coat of Midnight" with Agil joining us

Agil: "Good work. That was some splendid swordsmanship. Congratulations. Today's victory belongs to you"

Kirito: "No..."

The other players started cheering for him saying "Yeah man you rock." Or "You were amazing back there." It was a nice celebration.

Kibaou: "Stop Cheering!" He shouted

Hikari: 'And here it comes.'

Kibaou: "Why did you do it huh? Why did you let Diabel die?"

Kirito: "Let him die?" Kibaou was in tears and angry

Kibaou: "That's what I said! Admit it you knew the technique the boss would use! If you'd given us that information upfront, he wouldn't have died!" The crowd then looked at Kirito with suspicious glares but that wasn't all

Player 8: He must be an ex-beta tester! That's how he knew all about the boss's attack patterns. He knew, but he kept it from us! There's gotta be others here too, that's right? Those beta testers! Like her!" He points at me

Hikari: "W-What?" Are you kidding me right now?

Player 8: "Yeah you knew the boss's attack patterns as well! And you didn't even flinch when that boss showed the Nodachi! You must be another beta tester" Is this guy for real? I mean yeah sure I knew it was going to be a Nodachi but how the hell could I have known its attack patterns?

Hikari: "W-What are you talking about? If I knew the a-attack patterns I would have been in the main group! And why did you think I didn't react when the boss showed the Nodachi I w-would have lost focus! And not to mention the fact t-that I saved one you people who was going to die!" But no matter my reasoning they wouldn't believe me great just great

Agil: "Hey calm down." Agil and Asuna tried to reason with the group until

Kirito: "Ahaha..." the rest of us looked at Kirito who was laughing

Kirito: "Ahahaha... Ahahahaha.... An ex-beta tester, did you say? I wish you wouldn't compare me to those newbies."

Kibaou: "W-What?"

Kirito: "Most of the 1,000 people who won SAO beta test slots were beginners. Who didn't even know how to level up. Even you guys are better than them." He stops right in front of me

Kirito: "And you aren't even a beta tester I've seen those crappy moves you did. Heh no wonder why you got your butt kicked back there." It took me a second to click things together

Hiakri: 'He's trying to protect me..' I mouthed him a 'Thank you' then I started to act being depressed

Kirito then starts walking towards Kibaou

Kirito: "But me I'm not like those guys. During the beta, I made it to higher levels than anyone else was able to reach. The reason I knew about the boss's sword skills was that I fought tons of monsters with those skills on floors far above us. I know lot's of other things too. Way more than any information broker." He had a smile on his face but I knew what he was doing

Kibaou: "W-What. That's... That's way worse than a beta tester! That's cheating! You're a cheater. That's what you are!

Player 9: "Yeah a cheater!"

Player 10: "A beta tester and a cheater... A beater!" Me and Asuna were just beside him and looking at him still smiling

Kirito: "A beater... That's a good name." The crowd was shocked at his words

Kirito: "I am a beater. From now on, confuse me with the other testers." He then put on his "Coat of Midnight"

Kiriro then goes to the second floor but not until Asuna goes after him and calls him I followed her

Asuna: "Wait." Kirito stop

Asuna: "When you two called my name when we were fighting."

Kirito: "Sorry for being rude. Or did I mess up the pronunciation?"

Asuna: "Where did you two learn it." She looks at me while I give her a deadpanned look

Kirito: "You can see another HP gauge below yours around here, right. Isn't there something else written below that?"He then points to where the HP gauge is on our screen

Asuna: "Kirito... Hikari... Kirito, Hikari? Are those your guy's names?" I forgot about this scene

Kirito: "Yeah." While I only nodded Asuna then starts chuckling

Asuna: "Oh, so it was written there all this time!" I only smiled

Kirito: "You can become powerful, so if someone you ever trust ever invites you to join a guild, don't turn them down. Because there's an absolute limit to what you can do as a solo player."

Asuna: "Then what about you?" Kirito didn't say anything and disband the party and goes to the second floor

Hikari: "Guess I should get going" I left the party as well and went for the second floor but Asuna stopped me

Asuna: "Wait he didn't answer my question so how about you?" I only sighed at her question

Hikari: "Asuna that's because I know how to play this game and get stronger while being a solo player that's also probably what he meant."

Asuna: "But where will you go?" She asked as she concerned about me

Hikari: "Obviously not here even if Kirito defended me I have pretty much still lost all trust in the other players and don't worry about me am going to be fine but you need to worry about yourself." I then left her to go to the second floor

Hikari: "*Sigh* What a day..." I then make a plan to go grind as much as possible as soon I got to the second floor