Looking For Something Real (Sword Art Online)

6. An end to a Guild

Chapter 6- August 22nd 2024- "An end to a Guild"

55th floor- Selmberg

The next morning I met with Asuna at her home in Selmberg. We both reassured Tori and Asuna let her inside. "Feel free to raid the pantry" Asuna said "I've made up some food especially for you". Once Tori was inside Asuna activated the locks on the house. This kind of player home protection would prevent a player other than the owner from entering or leaving the house. Chances are this protection cost about as much as the player homes on this floor themselves.

Asuna and I walked in silence, I wanted to ask about the plan but knew better than to ask in such an open place. We teleported to the 32nd floor and made our way just short of the dungeon entrance. A group of players had gathered just out of sight and I recognized the heraldry of multiple guilds from the assault team among them.

We passed by the group and slightly further on before rounding a corner and catching glimpse of The Black Swordsman leaned against a tree. "Hey Kirito" Asuna said in a voice just above a whisper. "Has anyone been in or out of the dungeon?"

Kirito shook his head. "Nope, it's been all clear since I got here. What is this about Asuna?"

"Come with me and I'll explain" Asuna said turning back down the trail. Kirito and I fell in step behind her. As we rounded the corner the rest of the team all looked up and Asuna spoke.

"I know you are wondering why I called this team together so I'll cut to the chase. We believe that this is where Laughing Coffin is holed up and we intend to flush them out and deal with them for good. Our job is to arrest them if we can but if not, show no mercy."

A murmur fluttered through the crowd for a moment. Some faces betrayed scepticism, others anger and a few fear.

"The plan is to have Tyzn and Kirito near the front, they are our best trackers and have the highest chance of finding them. Our shield users will also form at the front and sides to protect our flanks. We are going to sweep the dungeon floor by floor until we find the bastards. Is this all clear?"

Another murmur reverberated, this one in agreement. Asuna nodded and gave the command "let's fall out."

We had been in the dungeon for nearly two hours. With this many skilled players in a low level dungeon like this mobs posed no real threat and were quickly dispatched. As we continued our march down one of the corridors a cry came from my side. It was Kirito shouting "Ambush!"

The fight began in an instant. I managed to bring the blade of Whirlwind high just in time to block an axe that would have cleaved my head in two. To absorb the blow I spun on my heel and on the return of the spin cut low tripping the Coffin. I didn't have time to think though as a dagger wielder came in from my left. He was too close to use the bladed end of my weapon so I jutted out with the shaft, catching him square in the chest and sending him tumbling. There was no respite at all as attacker after attacker rained down on us. I watched in dismay as two of the assault team were cut down by a large group of coffins who just cackled manically as the pair exploded into crystals. Then another member of the assault team was tackled off the platform and fell into the abyss.

I felt a swell of anger in my chest. A burning which ignited into an inferno. Letting out a guttural cry I leaped forwards at the nearest coffin and hit him with such force that my glaive nearly passed straight through him. With his body now in pieces I looked for a new target. I saw Kirito duelling with two swordsman and a second coffin approaching from behind brandishing a cleaver. Kirito was managing to hold the two off so I selected the cleaver wielder and unleashed a <<Rage Spike>> to intercept. Stopping between him and Kirito, the Cleaver swung around cutting deep into my shoulder. However this was a hit I was willing to take as he was left wide open to a vertical strike which sent him reeling. I followed up with another attack which sent him off the edge of the platform. I turned back to Kirito to see him cut down one of the swordsmen.

The battle raged on, but it seemed we were finally getting the upper hand. Eventually we beat the coffins back but when all was said and done only three surrendered. We had lost 11 players in the fight but the coffins had suffered greater losses. As the battle ended I sat down and reached into my coat and pulled out a healing potion. It was only then that I realised in my rage fuelled state I hadn't been watching my HP. The bar was deep in the red, one more hit would have finished me. As a solo player it was dangerous to let your HP drop to those kind of levels.

Kirito appeared next to me and leant against a nearby pillar. "Thanks for the save back there. I saw you jump in to take a blow meant for me" he said.

"No problem, you've saved my arse more than once, I'm not close to even yet."

"After this fight I'm pretty sure we are" Kirito retorted.

The sound of footsteps rang out as Asuna came charging down towards Kirito and I. She leapt at Kirito and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Thank god you're both ok, you two had me worried" she said to us both.

Kirito seemed taken aback by the affection. I couldn't help but smile at the scene. It was then that it dawned on me. The 59th floor, when Asuna had got her new attitude towards enjoying life. Both Asuna and Kirito had disappeared from the frontline at the same time. As the pieces fell into place I let out a haughty laugh.

The two swapped their attention to me and Asuna jumped back from her embrace of Kirito. "And what's so funny huh?" Asuna snapped at me.

"Oh nothing, just you two make a cute couple." At that both of them looked shocked and tried to look as disgusted as possible. Yet it just made it all the more obvious it was just both of them trying to deny their feelings.

"What, him? No way, he acts like an impulsive child."

"Oh yeah? Better than having that stick up my backside!"

"If you're not careful I'll take that stick and beat you with it!"

I couldn't help but laugh again at this display, interrupting their feud.

"Ergh, whatever" Asuna shouted. "You two are too dumb to realise that solo players are in so much danger on the front lines now and still you just refuse to join a guild. I honestly don't know why I bother caring about if you two are ok anymore." She stormed off pouting and Kirito followed along saying "hey wait up Asuna, I'm doing fine on my own."

I decided to let them continue this without me and checked on my gears condition. It was then I realised that a blow I took in the battle must have been made with a special degradation weapon. My chest piece was down to just 106/1600 HP.

Damn I thought. Liz is gonna be pissed. It was then I realised the date. Oh crap I haven't been back to Liz in two weeks!