01x02 - Beater

[bunniefuu]

Since the game began, a whole month has gone by.

And , people have d*ed so far.

After all this time, none of the players have been able to clear floor one.

I used to be a beta tester,

and even I haven't found out where the boss's lair is.

And today, finally, we're having a meeting to

figure out how to find and defeat the floor one boss.

Mitometeta okubyou na kako

Wakaranai mama ni

Kowagatteta ushiro no jibun ga Genjitsu wo ima ni utsusu

Ikutsu mono sora wo egaita

Koko wa kitto hakanai kokoro

Midashite

Yume de takaku tonda karada wa

Donna fuan matotte mo furiharatteku

Nemuru chiisana omoi hirogari dashite

Kizuku yowai watashi kimi ga ireba

Kurai sekai tsuyoku ireta

Nagai yume miru kokoro wa sou eien de

I want to always be with you

I'll give you everything I have...

Beater

Okay, people, now that everyone's here, let's get this meeting started!

So anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for coming. Good to see you.

My name is Diabel.

And in this game, the job I rolled is "Knight".

Dude, there's no job system in this game!

A knight?

- You guys want to hear this or not?

Right, anyway, here's the deal...

Our party found the boss room at the top of the tower today.

Seriously?

First, we need to defeat the boss and make it to floor two.

The next step is: We have to tell everyone waiting in the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to b*at this game.

Fact is, it's our duty as the most capable players here.

Do you agree, or not?

Okay!

Glad to hear you're all with me on this. Now, let's figure out how we're gonna b*at the boss.

First off, we'll team up into parties of six.

Of course.

A typical party doesn't stand a chance against the floor boss.

That's why I...

We need a raid group made up of multiple parties.

You got left out too, huh?

Not even.

I wasn't left out. It's just...everyone seems like they're already friends.

So, you're solo too?
You want to form a party with me?

You heard what the guy just said.
We can't b*at the boss on our own.

And it would only be for this fight.

Do you accept party invitation?

Alright! Looks like everyone's teamed up!

Now then-

Hold on a sec!

My name's Kibaou, got that?

Before we take on the boss, I wanna get something off my chest!

We all know about the , people who d*ed so far, yeah?

Well, some of you need to apologize to them right now!

Kibaou, I think I know who you're referring to...

You mean the ones who are ex-beta testers, right?

Of course I mean them!

The day this stupid-ass game started, the beta guys just up and vanished, right?

They ditched all us beginners!

They snagged all the good hunting spots, and they grabbed all the easy quests, too!

They were the only ones getting stronger in here.

This whole time, they've ignored us like we're nothing!

Hell, I'd bet there's some of them here!
Come on out, beta testers!

We should make them apologize to us! and we should make them all give up their money and the items they've got!

They can't expect the party to trust them when they don't trust us!

Why should we?

Can I say something?

Hey... my name's Agil.

Kibaou, right? I want to make sure I'm on the same page...

You say the ex-beta testers should be blamed for the rookies' deaths because they didn't help them...

And you want them to apologize and give up their winnings...

I leave anything out?

No... you didn't.

The item store hands these out for free.

There's a guidebook. You got one, didn't you?

Sure, I got one...

So what about it?

You know who was handing these out? The ex-beta testers.

Huh?

Listen up!

Everyone had equal access to this information.

Even so, lots of players still d*ed.

Now, I didn't come here to point fingers at anyone...

I'm here because I want to learn from those players' deaths.

I'm here because I want to find out how we're gonna b*at the boss.

Okay.

Can we get back to the meeting now?

For info on the boss...

It's all in here. The latest issue of the guidebook you just heard about.

According to the book, the boss's name is Illfang the Kobold Lord.

Also, he'll be surrounded by his minions, the Ruin Kobold Sentinels.

Illfang carries an axe and a buckler.

He has four health bars, and when the last one turns red, he switches to a curved sword-type w*apon called a Talwar.

He can change his patterns of att*ck too.

That's it for the briefing.

As for the distribution of loot, money will be divided equally among everyone.

The party that defeats the boss gets the EXP.

And whoever gets an item, gets to keep it.

Any objections?

Good! We leave tomorrow at in the morning!

Meeting adjourned people!

Those are pretty good, aren't they?

Mind if I sit down?

You really think these taste good?

Uh-huh.

Since I came to this town, I end up eating at least one a day.

Of course, I got a trick to make it taste better.

What trick?

Try it with some of that.

Cream?

I got it from "The Heifer Strikes Back".

That's the quest in the village before you get to this one.

D'you want to know how I did it?

I appreciate the offer...but, I didn't come to this town to eat good food.

Okay...why are you here?

So I don't lose sight of who I am.

I don't want to lock myself in a room in the Town of Beginnings and slowly rot away. I'd rather stay the way I am until the last moment.

Even if a monster beats me and I die.

I won't lose...to this game or this world.

No matter what.

I wouldn't want a party member dying on me...

So try not to die tomorrow.

December , Floor : Forest Field

Let's go over it again.

We're the backup.

So our target's gonna be the boss's minions:
The Ruin Kobold Sentinels.

I know.

I'll use a sword skill to knock their weapons up and out of the way.

When I do, switch and jump in.

What's a Switch?

Okay, level with me...is the first time you've ever been in a party?

Uh-huh.

Listen up, everyone.

I've only got one thing to say to you.

Let's win!

C'mon!

Commence att*ck!

Squads A and C! Switch in!

Here it comes!

Squad B, block!

Squad C, keep guarding and prepare to switch.

Everyone else, when you fall back, regroup and flank them!

Squads D, E, and F, keep those minions off us!

Yeah, you got it!

Switch!

I'm on it!

I thought she was a beginner,

but she's got good skills.

I can't even tell the tip of her sword.

Right on.

Looks like the guidebook was right...

Stand back!

I've got it!

I thought the plan was for everyone in the group to surround it.

That's not a Talwar!

It's a No-Dachi!

This isn't like the beta!

Wait, stop!

It's no good! Get out of there!

Diabel, no!

Diabel!

What the hell were you thinking?

You know... you were a beta tester, too, weren't you?

You were after the last att*ck bonus...the rare item...

You're just like me...a beta tester?

Please...

You have to....

Defeat the boss.

For everyone here...

When this death game started,

the only thing I thought about was how I was going to survive, nothing else mattered.

Take care, I'll be seeing you, Klein.

But you weren't like that, Diabel.

You never abandoned the other players, you brought them together.

You led everyone, and you fought brilliantly!

You tried to accomplish something I couldn't.

I'll go too.

Okay.

We'll hit him just like we did the minions.

You got it.

Switch!

Asuna!

He's coming back!

No!

Go!

We can hold this bastard off until your health's back up!

You guys...

Watch out!

Not a chance!

C'mon, Asuna....

Help me b*at this sucker!
One last att*ck!

You got it!

Yeah!

Coat of Midnight

Nice job.

That was fine swordsmanship.

Congratulations.

Today's victory is all thanks to you.

No...

Stop Cheering!

Why'd you do it, huh?...

Why'd you let Diabel die?

Let him die?

That's what I said.

Admit it, you knew the technique the boss was gonna use!

You could've told us!

Then Diabel would've stood a chance,

He wouldn't have had to die!

I know why he knew! He used to be a beta tester!

Think about it! He knew the boss's att*ck patterns.

He knew, but he kept it from us!

And...I bet he's not the only beta tester here.

Come on! Show yourselves!

- I'm not.
- Aren't you one?

This is bad.

At this rate...

For everyone here...

Hey, calm down...

So you guys think I used to be a beta tester...

It's not cool to put me in the same class with those newbs.

W-What'd you say?

You heard me. Most of the , people who scored a slot in SAO's beta were rookies.

They were so green, they didn't even know how to level up.

Hell, even you guys are better than they were.

But me? I'm nothing like those guys, man.

During the beta, I made it to floors that were higher than any of the other testers. That's a fact.

I knew about the boss, because I fought tons of monsters with way more sword skills on higher floors.

I know a bunch of other things too.

More than you can imagine.
More than any info broker.

W-What the hell?

If that's true, then you worse than a beta tester!

You're a g*dd*mn cheater, that's what you are!

Yeah, a cheater!

A tester and a cheater...

He's a beater!

A Beater... yeah, that's good. I like it.

Okay...

You can call me a beater.

Just make you don't confuse me with those beta testers anymore.

Coat of Midnight

Wait.

When we were fighting the boss, you called me by my name.

I wasn't trying to be rude.

Did I mess up the pronunciation?

How'd you even know it?

If you look right about here, you'll see another HP gauge under yours.

There's a name written right next to it, yeah?

Kirito...

Kirito?

Your name's Kirito...

Yeah.

I'm so dumb. It was there the whole time and I never knew.

You can become powerful here on your own.

But if the day comes when someone you trust invites you to join a guild, don't turn it down.

'Cause there are limits to what a solo player can do.

But...you're solo....

Will you disband your party?

Tookuni kikoeta kane no ne ga sukoshi samishikute

Mou ichido tsuyoku kondo wa takaku kake nuketa

Tada kurikaesu genjitsu mo

Hoshi no kazu no negai goto mo

Mezasu beki asu wo mitsuketa

Kono omoi ni wa katenai

Me no mae ni hirakareta hate nai sekai

Tatoe yume demo ii

Mayoi tsuzukete mo mune no oku de tsuyoku

Zutto zutto hibiiteku

Sotto sotto hikatteru

Next Time:

Red-Nosed Reindeer