Lost Realm Online

Once Emus had knocked the spear up, Asuna dove in, delivering rapid thrusts to the exposed creature. Kirito then moved in, restarting the cycle. It wasn't long before the creature fell, and it was joined shortly by the other two, taken down by other groups. It was at this time that they all became aware of the main group's progress with the boss; it's health was in the red, and it threw it's weapons away, reaching back for it's new weapon; A Talwar, according to the guidebook. Kirito got excited, then paused as he saw Diabel move in on his own, telling the others to hang back. 'That's wierd... doesn't matter, we're going to clear the first floor!'

Rachael hung back along with her party as their targets fell. The boss was already switching styles. Things were going relatively well for the raid. While she knew she couldn't become physically tired from such little movement, but she was panting all the same. A high adrenaline rush came from fighting under the game's restrictions. She watched Diabel close in on the boss with slight trepidation. 'Th-that's dangerous!! But, I guess as long as he dodges the first swing...' She'd studied the guidebook from cover to cover, fully expecting the Talwar sword to appear.

Emus was of the same mind as Kirito, but he was still a bit worried. He should remain positive, and he normally was but he couldn't help but feel when things went wrong and shit hit the fan.

Hopefully it was nothing.

As the boss drew it's new weapon, Kirito immediately freaked out. Rachael, Emus, Asuna... everyone there, they wouldn't notice anything wrong. He, however, knew. That was no Talwar; it was a No-Dachi. "No! Jump back as fast as you can!" Diabel was already charging, and it was far too late. The Kobald Lord sprang forward with an as-of-yet unseen agility and speed. It bounced around the walls and pillars of the room, confusing Diabel, before slamming into the ground next to him. Diabel cried out in pain as he was slashed deeply by the blade, flying back, only to but struck a second time and sent flying. The main group was then set upon by the enraged boss, while Kirito ran over to the fallen Diabel. His HP was dropping fast.

"Why did you try to do it alone..." He reached for a health potion, but was startled when Diabel refused it.

"You were... a beta-tester, weren't you? You know what I was doing..." Kirito let out a gasp, eyes widening.

"...You... were after the last attack bonus rare item... You were a beta-tester too?" Diabel smiled weakly.

"Please... defeat... defeat the boss... for everyone..." Diabel began to glow, before his body shattered into data. Kirito stared at the space in shock. He had just seen a man die...

"...You were a beta-tester.. but... you never abandoned the other players... you... you did what I couldn't..."

Rachael froze up completely. She could do nothing as she watched Diabel get knocked around effortlessly... Then his HP reached zero. That wasn't game over... He died. The man who led everyone into the first floor to help get everyone home... He just died. In that instant, all of her sorrow transformed into a deep, seething rage. She gripped her spear with all the strength her hands could muster, to the point where she believed her knuckles would bleed.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!!!" With a pained outcry, she charged forward to join the main group. She darted between them and quickly landed a few spear thrusts before it could attack. Instead of switching back, she stayed forward and barely dodged its swing.

'Everyone here... just wants to go home!' She struck the boss with another skill. 'They're just trying to LIVE!!' Rachael was about to attack again when its next sword swing came as a lower sweep than she'd expected. The blow connected with her stomach, both winding her and sending her flying back. She rolled quite a ways before coming to a stop. Her HP quickly drained into the low yellow. "Damned programs... They don't even care...!" She struggled to stand up.

This wasn't the first time Emus had seen someone die before, but it didn't mean he could simply just ignore what happened. In a way, it had made things feel more real then they had been. He knew people died in this 'game' but to actually see it was a entirely other story.

Before Emus could do anything else, Rachael snapped and charged forward. "Damn it, hang on!"

Too late.

She wasn't in the right mind and had blindly charged; Emus tried not to wince when the blow connected to the young woman's stomach. He quickly rushed over and went t help her up to her feet. "No else is dying. If we're going to do it, we do it as a team, got it?"

They could think about things later. Right now getting too emotional was going to get them all killed. They couldn't afford it right now.

"Kirito, Asuna, look alive!" Kirito might take a minute, but he had to get the others to focus or they would end up dying too.

Emus' call managed to speed up Kirito's currently sluggish thoughts. Diabel's last words, the last request of a dying man... had been to defeat the boss, and save the others....

The Kobold Lord was bearing down on Rachael again, only to suddenly be staggered as Kirito rushed forward and blocked, before knocking it back. He took a stance, his eyes burning fiercely. Rachael would find Asuna suddenly helping her up, and then moving to stand next to Kirito. Once he saw the others were ready, he shifted... and shot off toward the Kobold Lord with a cry, Asuna right next to him, and with faith that Emus, and likely Rachael, would be right on their heels.

Rachael rose easily to her feet with Emus and Asuna's aid. She steadied herself both physically and emotionally. Rachael remembered just how much was at stake when Asuna rushed to Kirito's side. Emus was beside her at the ready. All of the other parties were fighting hard, too. This was no time to lose her head. Rachael sighed heavily and raised her spear.

"I'm sorry... I'm fine now! Let's go, too!!" She timed her charge to match Emus'. What they needed now was a solid strategy; the one they'd been using from the start.

Emus was entirely focused, in the zone as he called it. Nothing else mattered but getting through this and making sure everyone else under him made it intact. Too many mistakes and regrets on his part and this wasn't going to be one of them. Once again, his sword glowed faintly with power a faint silver color as a clear sign he was going to use a sword skill to knock another spear up.

Kirito and Asuna parted when they noticed this. Kirito shifted forward and blocked the Kobold Lord's swing, being driven back, as Asuna shot up and jabbed her rapier into his face repeatedly, making him stagger, and giving Emus and Rachael perfect openings.

Rachael sped down the center path behind Emus, giving the others time to grab the boss' attention. After Asuna's strike, Rachael thrust here spear into the Kobold Lord's side. She managed to land a couple solid skills before back-stepping, cautious of the foe's recovery. She quickly ducked out of the way to allow Emus' advance, moving toward Asuna to keep the cycle going.

"This one's for free!"

His sword that simply been glowing faintly suddenly roared to life; the aura surrounding it becoming more visible as he lunged forward. He didn't over think his moves too much as overthinking would get you killed quickly in a real fight. Sure you didn't want to run around screaming your head off randomly flailing your weapon, but in the heat of battle there was rarely time to think everything through. It was just react.

He tried to get a couple of hits on the thing before backing off a bit, he didn't want to over reach and ended up getting smacked into next week.

The group fell into rhythm, beating the boss back, as more people were inspired to dive in as well. Before long, the boss was at just a sliver of health left, and Kirito shifted into high gear. With a cry, he charged at the boss full speed, feeling rather than seeing Asuna and Emus to either side of him. Asuna reached it first, rolling around to it's back, and knocking it toward the others with several well placed stabs. Kirito went to the left, knowing Emus would notice and move right. This would leave Rachael, right behind, to deliver a blow to it's unprotected belly while Kirito and Emus launched attacks at it's sides... except the boss suddenly roared and spun with it's blade. Kirito barely got his sword up in time, and was sent flying backward from the force.

"Hah?!" Rachael barely managed to roll underneath the boss' surprise attack. Leaping to her feet, she saw Kirito tumbling back from the strike. Rachael gritted her teeth and broke her advance, swiftly moving toward Kirito whilst maintaining her guard. There was no way in hell that thing was getting past her so long as her teammate was recovering. "Kirito! Get up!" She kept a close eye on each of her teammates' life gauges.

Emus didn't lose focus as he got in preparation to deliver the final blow. It was because they were close to the last of the boss fight did he become wary. After all from experience things got harder if the opponent knew they were tight on the ropes. Technically, this was just a AI but it would be naive to think it might not possibly be a more advance one capable of learning and adapting.

True to his thoughts, the beast shifted and ended up slamming into Kirito before he blocked. Emus didn't pause his advance, instead attacking aggressively on the side for a moment before forcing himself to reluctantly draw back. It was far too easy to get wrapped up in things; the flow of battle made him a bit reckless once he picked up the metaphorical blood in the water so to speak and had to reign himself back in.

Besides, Kirito needed a moments distraction anyway.

Kirito rolled with the blow, and ended up on his feet, though grit his teeth. His health bar had taken a nasty dip from that. "Tch... keep it's focus!" He went into a stance, his sword starting to glow a bright blue as he prepared a sword skill. Asuna darted past, peppering it's side with rapid thrusts of her rapier.

Rachael shifted her weight forward and low, before taking off toward the boss. The tip of her spear fiercely shined of yellow as she dashed to its side opposite of Asuna, stringing a couple slashes and one piercing thrust into a skill combo. After their twin-sided assault, she shifted back. The foe's front and back would be wide open for a moment.

Emus could tell Kirito was up to something, so he did as requested and kept the creatures focus off him at the moment. When Rachael did her attack and proceeded to retreat, he took the opportunity to capitalize on her intial assault. Though not trained at all in any kind of swordplay like Kirito, he had a improvised style that worked well enough since his play fights with kids and sticks.

Of course, that was quite different. Back then, you didn't have to worry about dying.

He lunged; the first few strikes of the blade hitting home or at least he hoped they did. Emus wasn't concerned about style, looks or anything as long as he got a few more hits off.

The Kobold Lord staggered, moving to strike at Emus and the others. It never got the chance however. It turned as Kirito charged, but it was too late. A flurry of heavy, rapid blows, finished by a slice that nearly bisected the boss; It fell back as if in slow motion, before dispersing into data. Kirito landed in a crouch, and suddenly in the air above them, appeared the words; CONGRATULATIONS! The crowd erupted into cheers, as a little window appeared in front of Kirito. 'Last attack bonus... Coat of Midnight?'

Rachael gripped her spear to her chest tightly. Was it over? Did that really do it? She hadn't realized she was holding her breath until she exhaled, seeing the 'CONGRATULATIONS!' sign filled her with indescribable relief. "Ha... Hahaha!" She broke out of her awed stupor with a laugh that slowly grew more genuine. Her excitement only grew as a high pitched jingle rang through her ears. A small screen popped up in front of her bearing the words 'Level Up!'.

"Yahooo~! Awesome!!" Rachael jumped for joy, throwing her hands up mid-jump and making a peace sign on the landing.

Emus was amused how happy Rachael seemed to be, but he had to admit he was happy to come out of things alive as well. He kinda liked living, after all. He went to lean a bit against his sword, and sort of just savored the feeling of what happened go through to him.

Kirito looked over his shoulder at everyone celebrating. 'We're alive... all of us. We survived...' He took a deep breath, finally smiling. 'We did it...'

"Why!?" The voice cut through the cheers and drew people's attention. Kibaou was on his knees, staring at the floor. "Why did you let Diabel die?" Kirito blinked, confused.

"Let him die?"

"Of course! You knew that technique the boss used! If you'd told us about that up front, he wouldn't have died!" And just like that, the cheer that had filled the room was gone. People were starting to mumble to themselves, and shoot looks at Kirito. Finally, someone else spoke up.

"He must be a beta-tester! That's how he knew all the bosses attack patterns! He knew, but he didn't tell us! Other beta-testers are here too, right!? Come out!" People were starting to look around in fear and suspicion. Asuna was already moving to try and calm everyone, but it didn't seem to be working. The mounting suspicion would spread to other players eventually. It would possibly have a very, very bad turn for things... and Kirito knew that... and made a choice. Everyone's attention was drawn to him, as he began to laugh. An cold, almost cruel laugh.

Rachael's breath caught in her throat. She was too nervous, to scared to try and speak up. It didn't seem like that would do a lot of good right now, anyway.

None of this sounded right. Everyone was about to turn on each other over nothing! First off, Kirito seemed like a reliable person. What would he have to gain by keeping that information from everyone? More lives would only be at risk. Secondly, the guidebook was made by beta-testers. It didn't mention anything about the boss' new tactic. Either there was a massive conspiracy being held by nearly one thousand people, or the game was simply changed since its BETA stage. The latter makes perfect sense, but still... These people were not in a rational state.

Rachael was at a complete loss of what to do when Kirito's laugh shook the room's atmosphere. 'He's... laughing?'

Emus was just getting pissed. "Hey..just wait a damn moment!" But his words seemed to be going on deaf ears. He wanted to scream and rip his hair out in frusteration of how stupid everyone was being. Emus didn't understand it and it didn't make any since to the Alusarian. Why turn on each other when they needed all the help they could get? Why use someone as a scape goat when...

It just didn't make any damned sense.

He was going to say something else anyway when Kirito burst out laughing. "..Kirito the hell?"

Kirito's laughter died down after a moment, leaving the room in silence. "...A beta-tester?" He slowly stood, turning to the group. "I wish you wouldn't compare me to those newbies." Kibaou was clearly shocked by this turn of events.

"W-what!?" Kirito began walking forward, through the group of players, toward Kibaou.

"Most of the beta-testers were beginners, who didn't even know how to level up. You guys are better than they are. But I'm not like them. I made it higher than anyone else during the beta test. The reason I knew the bosses skills, is because I fought monsters with katana skills on floors far above us." He smirked then, eyes narrowing. "I know a lot more. Way more than any information broker." Kibaou was unnerved, and again, more quitely, could only ask;

"Wh-what...? That's... that's way worse than a beta-tester! Y-you're cheating! A cheater!" The crowd took up the cry of 'cheater', until someone else spoke up.

"A beta-tester and a cheater... a beater!" During it all, Kirito stood there, hand on hip, a smug look on his face. Asuna wasn't far off, watching him with a neutral expression.

"...A beater... I like it.... that's right. I am a beater. From now on, don't confuse me with the other testers." Kirito pulled up his inventory, and in front of them all, equipped his newly acquired Coat of Midnight. He threw another smirk at Kibaou, who simply stared in shock. Kirito then turned, and walked past everyone, toward the entrance to the second floor.