Abyss of the Shrine Maiden

The Four Progressors

When Asuna and Koharu finally had their eyes on the boys, the situation could only be described as tense. The first draws Koharu’s eyes first; in what looks like a cross between a turtle and a wyvern, the beast has a dragon-like face with scales all over its body and a shell with long and sharp spikes. Behind it is a giant blue signal, this game’s icon for a barrier. As for the two swordsmen, they’re not trying to attack it, just standing in front of it, weapons out. Either they’ve figured out its attack range, or figured out attacking it leads to retaliation, but in any case, the boys did not fully retreat like Klein and Agil.

It is as if they were waiting for Asuna and Koharu. “Kirito, Jaymes, we’re here!”

“How did you two get in this mess?”

“Kirito slipped off that cliff right there, right underneath the guy’s snout. You can imagine the rest.”

“Its name is Painbringer, but I rather not experience pain while acting foolishly, so we got out of its range.”

“For once you’re thinking.” Asuna gives Kirito the side-eye glare then faces the monster. “It’s completely blocking the road. There’s no way to avoid fighting it.”

“It’s gotta be at least a mid-boss, which means it’ll be way stronger than those other small-fry. Guys, are you ready?”

Jaymes gives his sword a quick twirl. “Always.”

Koharu nods as she gets into her attack position. “Let’s do this.”

“All right… Where’s everyone else?”

“Do we need them, Kirito,” Asuna rhetorically asks, then gestures to the ensemble. “I say the four of us are good enough.”

“Good point. Attack!” Kirito leads the four into battle, striking first with his black and blue blades and a sword skill. While the hit connects and damage is applied to the Painbringer, Koharu can barely see it dip. Considering it was at full health prior, it's just a scratch to the mid-boss. Jaymes suddenly stop moving as he and the girls come into range. He holds his shield up and forward, and Koharu understands without further explanation. She follows his command, and four blades dance around the Painbringer as it fights back, with Kirito drawing aggro.

Origin’s battle system is slightly different from its progenitor, Sword Art Online. While the fundamentals are the same across the board, the addition present is a hidden break and topple system, called the weak and down mechanic. It requires players to rack up damage to enemies to increase the damage multiplier, then the break (or weak) phase occurs. That happens as soon as Kirito finishes a skill called Blazing Spin, the status appearing in thin, purple letters. Now with the defenses broken, the damage applied starts to rack up.

They manage to whittle the first of two health bars to about 75%, then Jaymes called for a shield skill and bashes it against the Painbringer’s head. “Down” appears in white letters, and the beast is immobile. At once, the four fire off their strongest skills for the few seconds Painbringer is in the stun effect, then back off once it wears off and a barrier raises around the monster, signaling its defenses are back with a quarter of the first health bar remaining.

Once again, without any words, the four resume attacking, employing the same strategy. Before they exploit the “WD”, the first bar is depleted, and after another WD, about 60% of its health remains. The four part ways and surround the monster, boxing it in a square. “Let’s finish this! Use your skills! Starburst Stream!” Kirito unloads his signature sixteen-hit combo Dual Blade sword skill. Once he finishes, he leaps back. “Asuna, switch!”