Sword Art Online Progressive - Volume 01

by Chapter 1 + Intermission

  "…I got it too."

  Next to me, the up-until-now silent rapier user whispered. I inquired "For free?", and she nodded.

  "There's a commission to the item shop owner, but since the price is 0 col, everyone got it. It really came in handy."

  "Wh…What's going on…"

  That «Rat» —that business demon who would sell even her own status information if it could make her money, had freely distributed information? Impossible! I shifted my gaze, but the stone wall Argo had been quietly sitting on a few minutes earlier was empty. The next time I met her, I wanted to ask for the reason why, but somehow I could already see her saying "That information is 1000 coL" in response.

  "——I got it. What about it?"

  Kibaou's sharp voice made me reluctantly interrupt my thought process. Agil put his strategy guide back in his pouch, and said with his arms crossed.

  "This guide, whenever I reach a new village or town, is always found in the item shop. You must have noticed that too. The information comes too quickly, don't you think?"

  "So what if it's too quick!?"

  "It means that the ones who provided the information on monsters and map data that appear in this, cannot be anyone other than the original beta testers."

  The players went abuzz all at once. Kibaou closed his mouth sharply, and the knight Diabel behind him nodded in an 'I see'

  way.

  Agil turned his gaze over the assembled group, and spoke in far-carrying baritone.

  "You see, there is information. And even still, many players died. I think the reason for that is because they were veteran MMO

  players. They measured SAO with the same ruler as other titles, and missed points that they should have noticed. However, now is not the time to hunt down who is responsible for those casualties.

  Whether we are or aren’t responsible, it will influence this meeting, is what I think."

  The two-handed axe user Agil’s attitude was very imposing and his argument was also extremely straightforward, and so Kibaou clenched his teeth as it seemed that he couldn’t find any chink in what had been said. If anyone else other than Agil had claimed the same thing, then Kibaou would probably counter with 'Saying that means you are an original beta tester', I think. But, as it was now, all he could do was glare at the giant with hatred.

  Still standing on the fountain’s edge behind the two confronting each other silently, Diabel nodded once more as his long hair swayed and was dyed purple from the setting sun.

  "Kibaou-san, I can also understand your point. I, too, went into fields without knowing left or right, and finally arrived here after many near deaths. But, as this Agil-san said, isn't it now the time to look forward? Even original beta testers…no, especially original testers, we need their fighting strength for this boss fight. If we removed them, and that resulted in the attack failing, what would be the point?"

  This was truly a refreshing speech that made me think 'Just as expected from one who calls himself a knight'. Many people in the audience also deeply nodded. I felt the atmosphere change from 'condemning original testers', and I involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief. Though I realized it was shameful of me to do so, I listened to Diabel continue.

  "Everyone, I’m sure you each have your own thoughts and feelings, but right now, I would like for you to cooperate to break through the first floor. If there are people who will not fight alongside original testers under any circumstance, then it is unfortunate, but you are free to leave. For a boss fight, teamwork is more important than anything else."

  Sweeping his gaze across everyone, the knight finally stared at Kibaou with a serious look. The cactus head swordsman took that gaze for a while, but made a huge snort and then spoke in a stifled voice.

  "……Fine, I will obey you here. But I want it to be clear in black and white, that it is only up until the boss fight is finished."

  Turning around, Kibaou retreated from the front of the group with his scale mail clinking. The axe user Agil, too, spread his arms to show that he had nothing more to say, and returned to his previous place.

  In the end, that scene was the highlight of this meeting. Because, even if we worked out anti-boss strategies, we had only just arrived at the top floor of the maze. In a situation where no one had seen the boss's face, things like strategies could not be made, but……

  —No, the truth was slightly different. Because I knew that Aincrad's First Floor Boss was a gigantic Kobold, that its weapon was a huge Talwar, and that once engaged, 12 heavily armored Kobold royal guards would spawn.

  If I revealed that I was original tester here and provided information on the boss, our chance of success might increase to some extent. However, if I did that, they could ask 'Why did you remain silent until now', and there was the fear that the 'hang the original testers' atmosphere would reappear with that flow.

  Also, my knowledge was acquired from the old Aincrad, so there remained the possibility that, when the official service began, everything or just a small detail about the boss had been changed.

  If we based our strategy on information from the beta and rushed in now, then when we actually fight the boss, if the boss’

  appearance or attack pattern were completely different…or anything else like that, then the raid group could be annihilated in the confusion. Ultimately, until the boss room door was opened and its inhabitant popped up, nothing could start.

  I convinced myself with that half as an excuse, and continued to keep my mouth shut.

  The meeting finally ended with the knight Diabel giving extremely positive words, and the participants responding to that by giving a collective grand war cry. I also raised my right hand up in the air for show, but the rapier user next to me did not even move her hand from beneath her cape, let alone give a shout. Turning around without a sound even before the word "Dismissed" was spoken, she whispered to me at a volume only I could hear before she left.

  "Before the meeting, you said something…if we both live through the boss fight, tell me what you said."

  To her back as she disappeared into the dim road, I silently answered.

  —Sure, at that time, I will tell you. That for my own survival, I threw away everything else.

  6

  Although the meeting lacked any real discussion, it still seemed to have boosted the players' morale, and the 20th floor of the First Floor Dungeon was mapped with unprecedented speed. On the afternoon of the day after the meeting, Saturday December 3rd, the first party (Diabel's party of six again), discovered huge double doors in the innermost depths of the dungeon. The sound of their cheers reached me as I fought solo nearby.

  I heard that Diabel's group had boldly opened the Boss Room door, and saw the inhabitant's face. On the evening of that day, at another meeting around Tolbana's fountain plaza, the blue-haired knight reported back proudly.

  The boss was a huge Kobold, 2 meters in height. Its name was «Illfang the Kobold Lord», and its weapon was of the scimitar category. Around it, there were three metal-armored, halberd-wielding «Ruin Kobold Sentinels»— The information up until that point was exactly as it was in the beta. If I remember correctly, the «Sentinels» would reappear when the boss lost one of its four HP bars, totaling 12 «Sentinels»

  that had to be eliminated, but, as usual, I did not have the courage to say this at the meeting. In any case, the actual fight would not occur any time soon, and since several scouting battles will be conducted first, this will soon become known information—that's what I told myself as an excuse, but something that proved my worries were entirely pointless was discovered in the middle of the meeting.

  At an NPC stall shop in a corner of the plaza, «the aforementioned item» was put up for sale since who knew when. Composed of three pages bound by sheep skin, it was more a pamphlet than a book. 'Argo's Strategy Guide: First Floor Boss edition'—was its title. The price was 0 col from the start.

  Of course, the meeting was temporarily paused as all the participants purchased (
or more like took) a guide from the NPC, and perused its contents.

  As usual, there was an impressive amount of information. From the recently discovered name of the boss to its estimated HP, its main weapon the Talwar, the weapon’s speed, how much damage it dealt, and the boss's Sword Skills, this information comprised the first three pages. The fourth page contained information on the surrounding «Sentinels»; there it was clearly written that they would POP four times, to 12 total.

  Also, on the cover of the guide, there was a single line of text in a bright red font that had not been on any previous «Argo Strategy Guide» until now. It said— [This information is from the time of the SAO beta test. It is possible the current version may be different.]

  When I read this, I reflexively raised my head, and looked around the plaza for Argo. However, I could not find the «Rat» dressed in simple leather armor today. I lowered my head again, and whispered in a small voice.

  "…She went on the offensive…"

  This red warning line might have destroyed Argo's current status—her positions of «An informant who simply bought information from original beta testers no one knew». Almost everyone who read this would begin to wonder whether the Rat herself was an original tester or not. Of course there was no proof, but later, if the feud between new players and original testers expanded to more than it was now, there was no doubt that the danger of her being the foremost target of denunciation would increase.

  But on the other hand, thanks to this strategy guide, some troublesome and dangerous scouting battles would surely be avoided as well.

  Like yesterday, the forty-odd people who read the guide looked to the blue-haired knight standing on the fountain's edge as if to let their leader decide how they should react.

  Diabel lowered his head as he seemed to think and consider something for several dozen seconds, but soon enough he quickly stood up straight and shouted in a voice filled with positivity.

  "—Everyone, right now, let's be thankful for this information!"

  The audience was immersed in a buzz. Because that speech chose reconciliation instead of confrontation with the original testers. I thought Kibaou would again jump out growling, but the brown cactus head that appeared and disappeared at the front of the crowd was standing still for the moment.

  "Leaving aside its source, thanks to this guide, we can skip two or three days of scouting battles. Indeed, I think this is incredibly helpful. Because, scouting battles have the possibility of incurring the most deaths."

  Here and there in the plaza, different colored heads nodded.

  "…If this is true, the boss's numerical stats are not so bad. If SAO

  was a normal MMO, then even if everyone’s average level was level three.. no, level five, that would be enough to kill it, I think.

  So, if we polish our tactics correctly and bring a lot of POTs6 to the fight, it's possible for us to defeat it without any deaths. No, sorry, not even that. There will be absolutely zero deaths. That, I promise you on my pride as a knight!"

  Loud clapping continued as 'Yo, Knight-sama!' and other cheers filled the air. The fact that Diabel was someone with good leadership was something even a rebellious solo player had to accept. Guilds could not be made until the third floor, but at that time an impressive conquest guild would probably be made…

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  6 POTs: Game term, short for healing and various other potions

  I was feeling various degrees of admiration like this, but as the knight continued speaking, I choked slightly.

  "—Then, it's a bit fast, but I am thinking of starting the actual conquest strategy meeting right now! In any case, if we don't make a raid party, we cannot split up our duties, right? Everyone, first make a party with your friends or the people near you!"

  ………What did he say?

  With that single phrase that reminded me of the times during my elementary school gym classes in the past, I hurriedly calculated in my head. In SAO, one party was 6 people, and there are 44

  people here, so…if people aimed more towards balance, the best would be 4 parties of 6 members and 4 parties of 5 members? But even if that were so, if the leader didn’t specify that……

  My high-speed thoughts as I thought it over while standing still were useless in the end. Because, in slightly less than one minute after Diabel's directions, seven 6-member parties were quickly formed. Understanding that the knight wanted to make 6-member parties from the beginning, even Kibaou who was a lone wolf no matter how you looked at him and Agil who gave off the feeling of a gentle giant found five friends in an instant. Maybe the only person who didn't say 'Let's fight together' really was me—— No, that wasn't correct.

  When I glanced around with a downcast look, I discovered the hooded cape rapier user standing around by herself, and I quickly approached her.

  "……So you got left out too, huh?"

  To my quiet inquiry, a hot, angry glare was directed at me from beneath her hood, and at the same time a suppressed voice replied.

  "……Not left out. All the people around me seemed to be friends with each other, so I simply refrained."

  That's what left out meant—

  I wisely prevented myself from retorting like that, and instead just nodded seriously and said.

  "Then, how about forming a party with me? A raid is up to eight parties; if we don't do that then we cannot join."

  It seemed attacking in a systematic way like that was correct, as the rapier user showed hesitation only for a moment, before she scoffed and said.

  "Since you invited me, I will have to accept."

  The competitive childlike expression that said 'you asked first so you make the request' that she gave here was something that I had graduated from the previous month, so I nodded and touched her color cursor in my view to send the party invitation request.

  The rapier user pushed OK with a curt gesture, and then in the left side of my view, a second small HP gauge appeared.

  I gazed at the short alphabetic letters displayed beneath it.

  [ASUNA]. That, was the name of the mysterious fencer who possessed the godly fast «Linear».

  The knight Diabel's leadership was pretty good not just with speeches, but also with the finer practical details, as well.

  He checked over the seven completed 6-member parties, and with only the smallest number of switches, formed seven specialized parties out of them. Two heavy-armor Tank parties. Three high-mobility and high-firepower Attacker parties. And finally, two long-weapons Support parties.

  The two Tank parties take turns being the targets by the boss Kobold Lord.

  Two of the firepower Attacker parties would concentrate on the boss, while the third one would kill the sentinels first. The Support parties would mainly use the Delay skill with mostly long-reach weapons, and interrupt either the boss' or guards' attacks when possible.

  Although simple, this plan didn't have many holes, and I thought it was a good strategy. While I was lost in admiration, the knight came at last to the good-for-nothing two-person party (of course, that's me and the rapier user), and after appearing to be lost in thought for a while, he said pleasantly.

  "You two, please support Group E in order to make sure none of the Kobold Guards remain, okay?"

  In other words, 'Don't interfere with the boss fight and stay quietly at the back' was what I felt his words meant. Sensing that the rapier user, who was apparently called «Asuna», beside me was about to give an unfriendly response to that, I stopped her with one hand and replied with a smile.

  "Understood. That's an important role, leave it to us."

  "Yes, I am counting on you."

  Flashing his white teeth, the knight returned to the fountain. At that moment, close to my left ear, I heard a voice tinged with a dangerous tone.

  "…What important duty. It will finish without us being able to land a single attack on the boss."

  "W-We c
an't do anything about it, we only have two people.

  There's not nearly enough time for Switch and POT rotation."

  "…Switch? POT…?"

  Hearing that questioning whisper, I once again thought.

  This rapier user really did leave the Starting City as a complete beginner without any knowledge, and struggled all the way here by herself. Most likely with only five non-enhanced store-bought rapiers, and by relying on just the single sword skill «Linear»— "…I'll explain in detail later. If we talk here it will never end."

  I estimated that her response would be 'Unnecessary' with more than a 50% probability, but the rapier user remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded with a minute motion.

  The second boss strategy meeting ended after a short greeting by the leaders of each group that were designated from A to G and the plan for how the col and item dropped in the Boss Battle would be divided was established. The giant axe user Agil was Tank Group B's leader, and Kibaou, who had a burning enmity for original beta testers, was Attacker Group E's leader. Since Group E's goal was to kill the Kobold Guards, it meant that the rapier user and I, the remaining pair, would be assisting Kibaou. To tell the truth, he was one opponent I wouldn't want to be too close to, but he didn't know that I was an original tester—he shouldn’t know, that is. On a side note, the face of the «Rat» was not among the raid party. Of course, I didn't mean to criticize her at all. With that «Strategy Guide», her duty was well fulfilled.

  For distribution of drops, we adopted the simple rule of 'Col will be automatically divided evenly among the 44 raid party members while each item will belong to the person who receives it'. In the MMOs in recent years, drop items would typically have a system where a dice roll was performed between the people who wanted a drop and competed for it, but for some reason, SAO used the previous era's method, where the item was suddenly dropped into a random player's storage, and moreover, without anyone else knowing either. In other words, if a «Boss-dropped items must be dice rolled anew» kind of rule were set, then the person with the actual item would have to turn in the item by notifying everyone of it themselves.