Chapter 353

May 30th, the final day of the beta test.

All beta players gathered at the central plaza on the 45th floor, the highest floor cleared so far.

Of course, it was Dak and his companions who had reached this floor. The fastest any other players had gotten was defeating the boss on the 38th floor.

"Wow! That Pokémon is so cool!"

"Right? It's like the ultimate mount. Having a Pokémon like that during the official release would be amazing!"

"I need to figure out how to get one during the official release."

As over 900 of the 1,000 beta players crowded into the plaza, all eyes were on the trio at the center.

Now, alongside Dak's Darkrai, there were also Arcanines belonging to Madara and Izuna.

Madara had earned the nickname "The Ceiling," recognized as the strongest player of the beta.

Izuna, on the other hand, was known as "Sword Saint," acknowledged as the best swordsman. Rumors swirled about his real-world identity, with some speculating he was a grandmaster from a famous kendo school.

The two had become so strong that they didn't even need to fight themselves. Their Arcanines, both at Lv.57, could defeat most opponents on their own. Converted to player stats, their levels were equivalent to a Lv.45 player.

The highest-leveled player, other than Dak, was only Lv.48, so it was nearly impossible for anyone to match the combat experience of the two Arcanines.

Arcanines, with their incredible speed and unpredictability, were nothing like the scripted monsters of SAO. Most players couldn't even dodge their attacks.

As for Dak...

His nickname, "The Freeloader King," was a playful jab. His ten equipment slots were all filled with rare items farmed by Madara and Izuna.

Despite the teasing, no one doubted Dak's strength.

In the dueling arena, where all equipment, levels, and attributes were balanced, leaving only skills unchanged, Dak ranked third in win rate—just behind Madara and Izuna.

Even more impressive, Dak could bring Darkrai into duels as a passive skill, though he rarely did unless fighting Madara or Izuna. This further cemented his reputation.

Dak had also become synonymous with the title "Trainer."

As the first Trainer class player to appear, he shared extensive information about the class and Pokémon, helping other players prepare for future interactions with Pokémon.

However, Dak's true intention was to encourage players to form bonds with Pokémon and value them as companions.

"Shirona-san!"

As Dak chatted with one of the Arcanines, Kirito suddenly approached.

"Hey, Kirito! What's up?"

"Can I add you on Insta?"

Kirito scratched his head shyly, already viewing Dak as a friend. To him, Madara and Izuna felt more like respected uncles.

"Insta?"

Dak tilted his head, recalling the social media platform from his previous life. With a mischievous smile, he patted Kirito's shoulder. "Kirito, do you believe in fate?"

"Huh?"

Kirito was stunned.

"We'll meet again during the official release. If fate allows it, we'll cross paths."

It was a polite way of declining the request, and Kirito's face fell.

He had thought they were friends, but Dak wouldn't even share his social media. His hope of playing together after the official release felt dashed.

"...Alright," Kirito replied, dejected, and turned to leave.

"Hold on," Dak called out, pulling him back. "You've been secretly learning Izuna's Uchiha Sword Style for so long. Aren't you going to say goodbye?"

"Ah, right, I should do that!"

Realizing his oversight, Kirito nodded. Over the past 20 days, he had learned much from Izuna. Even when sparring with Suguha recently, despite not practicing for a month, he had dominated the match. Suguha even commented that his swordsmanship had improved.

"And one more thing—don't ask them to add you as a friend either. You'll see them again during the official release, and you'll definitely recognize them immediately."

Dak grinned and waved him off.

To Dak, Kirito was more like a junior. Although Kirito hadn't formally become Izuna's disciple, Dak saw it as an eventuality. By the official release, Kirito would likely be a true junior to him.

Kirito found Izuna feeding a large bone to his Arcanine. Though game food couldn't truly satisfy hunger, it could provide a sense of taste, serving as a snack for the Pokémon.

"There's no need for goodbyes. We'll see each other again soon enough."

Without looking up, Izuna spoke, recognizing Kirito immediately.

"Thank you for your guidance, senpai. May I continue learning from you during the official release?"

Kirito bowed deeply.

"You've practiced swordsmanship before, haven't you?"

"Yes, but I gave it up. Kendo was too hard, and I didn't enjoy it."

"Then why are you willing to practice here?"

Izuna raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious.

In his era, not practicing swordsmanship was not an option—it increased one's likelihood of death. But in Kirito's peaceful, law-abiding world, such choices were understandable.

Izuna respected the efforts of his ancestors to create a world where people had the freedom to choose not to fight.

"Well..."

Kirito hesitated, unsure of his own reasons. As a 13-year-old, he couldn't articulate his feelings clearly.

"It's fine if you don't know yet. It doesn't matter much to you right now. But if you want to learn from me during the official release, give me a reason."

Though Izuna's tone was calm, his naturally cold expression made him seem stern.

"Understood. Thank you again."

Kirito bowed deeply once more and left with mixed emotions.

As the clock struck midnight, June 1st, Children's Day arrived.

Blue light beams illuminated the plaza, and all players were forcibly logged out simultaneously.

Before disappearing, Kirito glanced back at Dak and his group but couldn't see their faces as they had their backs turned.

12:01 AM.

The once-crowded plaza was now empty, save for Dak, Madara, Izuna, and their three Pokémon.

The light beams that had surrounded them were merely an illusion. They hadn't logged out at all.

"When does the official release start?"

"According to the original timeline, it should be November 6th. But now..."

Dak estimated thoughtfully. "Next month, July 1st."

In the original timeline, the six-month gap between the beta and official release was due to numerous bugs and Kayaba Akihiko's preparations to turn the game into a death trap.

Adjusting the NERvGear's electromagnetic pulse strength and adding deadly mechanics to dungeons took significant time.

Now, with the help of Porygon-Z, even with the addition of far more features, the process was expedited.

"That's quick. Guess I'll come back in a month. Honestly, I'm a little tired of this already," Madara said, stretching lazily.

"Yeah, the difficulty is too low. We've already figured out all the monsters' attack patterns," Izuna added, petting his Arcanine.

"Kayaba plans to add more advanced AI during the official release. Every monster will have seven or eight attack patterns, even the weakest ones in the wild."

"Doesn't that slow down the pace of progression? I thought you wanted players to clear the game," Madara asked, puzzled.

"Keep in mind, 5,000 Pokémon will be entering the game during the official release. Even with their strength reduced, that's still a massive force. If we don't strengthen the monsters, players might clear SAO in less than half a year."

"Fair point. So, what do we do for the next month?"

"You could explore the maritime world. It'd take at least 100 years to fully chart it," Dak suggested to the Uchiha brothers.

"As for me... I'll help Kayaba fulfill a childhood dream of his."

(End of Chapter)

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