The Hacker of SAO

Meetings

One month had passed since the game had started. However, not one person... has cleared the 1st floor. Not even I, who was the best hacker, could find the coordinates to the boss room. I had bumped into a girl before as she stated her name was Asuna. She didn't seem to care bout me being Virus but she was more focused on beating the game. But today, a boss fight conference for the 1st floor will be held. I made my way to the meeting area and sat at the furthest but close enough to hear as Asuna sat beside me.

"Listen up! I'll be started the conference now!" A person with blue eyes and hair spoke in the front. I soon noticed a person in the front who looked very familiar. I fixed my mask properly and pulled my hood on only showing my blue streak.

"Strange..." I muttered.

"What is it?" Asuna questioned as she wore her cloak.

"The guy in the front. Black hair. He seems familiar..." I replied.

"Maybe in the early days." Asuna stated.

"Thank you, everyone, for responding to my invitation. My name's Diabel, and my class is... informally, Knight!" Diabel said and Asuna started giggling.

"There's no class system, you know." Someone in the front shouted, soon Diabel calmed everyone down and turned serious.

"Today, on the highest level of this floor, my party discovered the boss room! By defeating the floor boss and reaching the 2nd floor... we'll be able to show everyone in Starting Town that this death game can be cleared! It's our responsibility to do so! Don't you agree, everyone?" Diabel shouted. Soon people started clapping and I silently clapped along with Asuna following my lead.

"Now, I'd like to begin discussing our battle strategy. For starters, we're going to split up into parties of six." Diabel said, I saw the raven started to get nervous. Asuna had already sent me a party request which I accepted.

"Don't tell him my name. I want to see if he knows me." I said to Asuna as I saw the raven approach.

"Mind doing a party with me?" He asked. He seemed to be looking me over for some reason. Asuna looked over to me and I nodded. She sent him a request which he accepted and I looked at his name, Kirito. He seemed to be looking at my name as well. I had already remember how we met just afew hours after the game had been launched.

"All right! Are you guys done partying? Now-"

"Hold it!" A voice cut Diabel off, I soon saw a ginger haired man jump down and landed infront, "The name's Kibaou. There's something that I need to get off my chest. I'm positive that there are some amongst you that should be apologizing to those who've died so far."

"Kibaou-san, the people that you're referring to are the beta testers, correct?" Diabel asked.

"Of course I am! Not to mention that so call Virus! On the day that this crappy game started, the beta testers and that Virus disappeared, abandoning all us beginners. They monopolized the good hunting grounds and profitable quests, prioritizing themselves over others. And afterwards, they feigned ignorance for doing so. Some of you are sure to be beta testers! And one of you must be the legendary Virus!" Kibaou shouted, "We should have them kneel in apology and hand over the money and items they've been hoarding! i cannot and will not entrust my life to such people!"

"Mind if I speak?" I heard another voice shout out, I looked over and saw a man standing up, "My name is Agil, Kibaou-san, basically you're saying that the beta tester should take responsibility for the many deaths by apologizing and offering reparations because they didn't look after us new players, right?"

"Y-Yeah." Kibaou said stuttering.

"This is the guidebook... I believe you have one too. It's up for free at the item shop, after all." Agil stated.

"I do. What about it?" Kibaou asked.

"Virus had been talking to the beta tester by message and had made this guide which he gave to the beta tester to send out. Listen, this information was available to everyone, yet many players died. What I thought we'd be doing here was planning how to fight the boss, using what we learned from these deaths." Agil stated, soon they went back to their seats. Asuna looked at me and I nodded.

"Okay. May I continue? About the boss... The truth is, the guidebook that was just mentioned had information about it in its latest version. According to this, the boss is called Illfang the Kobold Lord. Also, he has mobs called Ruin Kobold Sentinels guarding him. His arms consist of an axe and a buckler. When the last of his four health bars becomes red, he switches to a curved sword called a talwar. His attack patterns also change. That concludes the conference." Diabel stated, "Lastly, concerning loot distribution... the money is automatically distributed, EXP goes to the party that lands the last hit, and items belong to whoever gets them."

"Sounds fair to me... Asuna?" I whispered quietly. She nodded in reply.

"Any objections?" Diabel asked, "Okay we'll leave at ten in the morning tomorrow. You are all dissmissed."

I stood up and Asuna followed my lead. Soon it turn nightfall and me and Asuna sat in the darkness eating what I think it was, bread.

"What did you think about this?" Asuna asked.

"It seemed okay. Nothing fishy and all." I stated and she nodded.

"It taste pretty good doesn't it?" I heard a voice behind us ask, I look over and saw Kirito, "Mind if I sit here?"

I nodded and ate the last of my bread before pulling down my mask. As soon as Kirito had sat down Asuna came closer to me to avoid Kirito.

"Do you really think it's good?" Asuna questioned.

"Of course. I've been eating it at least once a day since I got here. I put a little twist on it, though." Kirito stated.

"A twist?" Asuna asked and looked at me. I nodded and she looked back as Kirito placed down a jar.

"Try putting this on the bread." Kirito said. Asuna once again looked at me and I nodded. She poked it and her finger lit up. She then put it on her bread which soon had cream on it.

"Cream?" She muttered. She hesistated before taking a bite of it. She soon started wolfing it down and I chuckled. Once she was done she elbowed me and I shrugged.

"It was my reward for a quest called 'The Cow Strikes Back' from the previous town. If you want' I can tell you how to beat it." Kirito said.

"I didn't come to this town so that I could eat good food." Asuna stated.

"Then why did you and your friend came here?" Kirito asked.

"So I could remain as myself. For him..." She said and looked at me, I nodded, "He just came here to check up on things. I'd rather survive as myself than slowly rot away in an inn back in Starting Town. Even if I end up dead at the hands of a monster. This game... This world, is something I won't give in to. No matter what."

"I don't want a party member to die on me." Kirito stated and I nodded in agreement, "Worry about your life more, at least for tomorrow."

Asuna soon nodded before standing up infront of me.

"You mister have to tell me." She ordered and I put up my hands in defence.

"Maybe next time?" I said quietly.

"You better! Now time for a rest so don't go running off or I'll find you myself!" Asuna stated and walked away. I sighed and got up to follow her.

"It's been awhile Virus." Kirito suddenly said.

"So it has been Kirito." I said in response.

"How has it been so far?" He asked.

"Good other than the normal hack me out of the game. When will they learn I can't..." I muttered, "Asuna understood but the rest just..."

"I know that feeling." Kirito agreed. I soon waved him good bye and ran after Asuna.