Chapter 28

We charged into the 2nd floor labyrinth, Kirito and I ran in as we were met with a new enemy called <>, They looked mostly skeletal like the Demonic Servant of the first floor dungeons but it was wearing less armor and bore a cloak around it. They carried daggers that have the tip curve slightly inwards the tip of their daggers looking serrated, looking like they're meant to stab, rip and tear at the same time. These are new... I looked as some of the Frontliners had already begun their fight with these Dusk Sentinels.

The Dusk Sentinels weaved around the oncoming attacks being nimble as they began striking back at their attackers, slashing and ripping parts of people's virtual skin as they gained a mild bleeding effect. I stayed back a bit to observe these new enemies as one lunged at me, I barley dodged their dagger as it walked at me strangely, it used the momentum of it's body falling to one side or the other to strike harder.

I caught onto this as I blocked a heavy attack and took chip damage. but as fast I was these nimble Dusk Sentinels were faster, catching me off guard as they began barraging me with quick stabs. I kept my guard up as my health was dropping more and more, I then dodged a stabbing attempt. I swung my new Rune Clasher as I swung straight at where it's abdomen would be, cutting through it's cloak and cutting through it's spine.

They're nimble and fast yet fragile, dying rather quickly as people found out, swarming in groups to get an upper hand. I looked around as to help out the Frontliners and check for causalities. As I ran through, dodging swords, maces, katanas, rapiers, and other weapons, I spotted Toru who punched the arms off of a Dusk Sentinel and then round house kicked it's head off, causing it to shatter.

She seems angry...

I ran up to her as I patted her back, she swung but stopped right at my face as she saw it was me. Fearing for my life, I pushed her hand down as I asked, "Have you found a room?". "I have Kirin-Kun!" She said as I began following Toru, opening the doors to another room as it had a chest sitting in the middle, being an obvious trap. I looked back down the long hallway as I saw the rest of the group making their way down, our progress slow but consistent.

"It's a trap Toru, We should warn the others."

"Ok!"

We closed the doors to this one as We jogged back towards the Frontlines, suddenly I hear a shout from Toru, "WATCH OUT!" She shoved me to the side as I fell to the floor and she was hit straight through her shoulder. Toru cried out in pain as it was an arrow that shot into her back shoulder. A small metallic chain was attached as she was starting to get dragged further down the hallway.

"KIRIN! HELP!!"

She cried out as I got up instantly running over and grabbing onto her arm and planting my feet down. "I got you!!" I shouted as I grabbed onto the arrow, trying to pull it out of her back. She hugged onto me as she tried to stop herself from sliding further and further. We were both eventually being dragged slowly as the archers were porched on a beam, underneath them was an abyssal drop as we were slowly being dragged closer and closer.

I struggled to get it out as Toru shouted in Japanese, "Any time now!!" I was managing to budge the arrow out as I felt one shoot straight into my shoulder as well, <> were then pulling on the chains as I managed to rip out her arrow. She cried out in pain as she began pushing against me, stopping us from being dragged off the edge.

I then began pulling out the arrow as this one was harder to pull out, feeling the pulling pain of the arrow as I managed to pull it out, the both of us falling down as Toru landed on top, the Vulture archers getting ready to fire once again. "quick Toru, let's move!" I shouted as she got off quickly and I rolled to the left, both vulture archers missing their shots.

"Pass me a pebble!"

She looked around as she picked up one and tossed it to me, I caught it as I charged it up, eventually tossing the pebble straight into one of the Vulture archers heads, causing them to fall backwards and into the abyss.

"That's one!-"

Suddenly a loud BOOM! goes off as we both looked back, seeing someone had entered the trap. "God damn it!" I shouted as I dodged an arrow shot, seeing it pull the arrow back by the chain. "Now Toru!" I shouted yet again as she tossed me another pebble, I began charging it up as it glowed blue this time as I chucked it at the Archer, hitting it square on the forehead as I saw it fall back and into the abyss.

I sighed in relief as Toru did as well, we looked at each other as we both laughed a bit. I walked over and helped Toru up on her feet as we both suddenly blushed at how close we were again, But at the same time Kirito and Asuna stumbled upon them.

"Hey you two, you can kiss after we get to floor 3." Kirito teased.

"Shut up Kirito!"

I shouted out of embarrassment as Toru and I quickly let go of each others hands and we saw the rest of the frontlines catch up. Sato stayed behind to check up on the casualties as the rest of the group marched ahead, running into more Dusk Sentinels, booby trapped rooms, and more room with Vulture Archers, these rooms having inside trees this time.

After 10 minutes of exploring we found the Boss room, we stood in-front of the room as we took this time to rest up and heal ourselves, I looked at the door as I had the same scared feeling of death awaiting inside the room. I took a deep breath as Kirito walked up beside me, patting my back. "Argo's info can't be off this time." He confidently said as I nodded reluctantly.

"Her information can't be off this time, but our beta strategy might..."

I said as Diavel gave another speech alongside Kibaou. While they gave their speech, I looked in my inventory as I realized that <> doesn't have a WGT (Weight) stat, I thought of it as weird as every weapon has a weight stat to balance it out. Is this weapon bugged...? I thought as I closed the inspection tab and heard the doors open once again.

Instead of charging in enthusiastically like the first floor, most of us walked in, spaced each other out to make sure nothing happened like the Fatal Scythe fight. As we checked around it was rather quiet, the door then slammed shut like the first floor. My sudden urge to run had kicked in as I began surveying the area. Toru noticed this as she shouted, "Everyone! Be on guard!!" as only some of them did as she said.

Diavel was obviously annoyed as he shouted "ON GUARD EVERYONE!" raising his sword as they all cheered, getting on guard almost immediately. Toru pouted as she was a bit annoyed, muttering, "oN guArd evErYone..." almost imitating Diavel's voice in a way to throw dirt at him. I chuckled a bit to myself as the ground began to rumble.

 from the inside trees of the boss room came out a giant, it was bony thin as we were able to see the outline of the ribcage. The head however was the skull of a deer with antlers, the spine, elbows and nails were all sharp as the spine and elbows had bony nails coming out of it.

This was also a completely new boss to me and Kirito, seemingly as this floor's theme was replaced entirely than what we knew from the beta. As it cracked it neck it then had it's eyes glow red as it roared out in a Animalistic Stance, it's name showing up.

Xeishu The Forest Demon

Everyone froze up in fear as we saw the clear inspirations of the wendigo as it's base model, It began to tap it's nail on the tiled ground as some began to back up, it then snapped its head towards those backing up as it lets out a bloodcurdling roar, running at the person backing up with incredible speeds.