Sins - Phantom Swords

Chapter X: Into Fire

7th January 2023—Aincrad. Floor 5, Dungeons

In a typical game, one started off from Lvl 1 and grows through experience gained in completing quests and battling monsters. It wasn't a strange thing whatsoever, though when you considered the fact that defeat at the hands (claws, maws, etc.) of the very monsters you're meant to kill result with your death in the real world...

Well, you get yourself the brave ones, who intend to march forwards and try to win the game no matter the cost. And you have the cowards, those who'd prefer hiding in the safe zones and wait out the dangers.

She was a little ashamed to admitting that she was one such player in that second group, and the transition from that to a player who was actually going to fight was a terrifying one.

She looked to the front of the group, where Kirito had his Elucidator drawn, taking charge as he always does. Flanking him on both sides were Asuna and Argo, while the rest of them lagged slightly behind. Kizmel, being the Dark Elf that she was, kept watch over their environment, alert as ever.

Silica looked back to their leader and wondered just what was going on in his head. He'd faced trouble countless of times alongside everyone here much more than she ever had, yet he'd never allowed it to get to his head. And she was glad for that. The game continued to evolve, even now, more serious than ever about killing all of them.

She gulped, clutching her dagger a little tighter. Dying... She still couldn't wrap her head around that thought. It felt like a stab to the gut. To know that losing in-game would end up with the 'NerveGear' executing a command to fry the brain like putting food in a microwave...

It was made even worse by the fact that a couple of other players had already died out in the wilderness before the announcement had made because they hadn't known that dying would do that to them, plus the other players who died later on. She, her friends... would any of them be—

"Silica-chan, are you alright?" The girl tensed, feeling the worried gaze of her friend wash over her. "You don't look good."

"I-It's nothing, Asuna-san! J-Just prebattle nerves," it was half the truth, but it would have been enough. Perhaps talking would take her mind off her thoughts. "I just... Will things be okay? We have no idea how things will be when we step into the dungeon, and the Shadows protecting the boss room sound really strong..."

"Considering that they're well above Lvl 20, they sure will be," she'd heard him sigh plenty of times, but they'd been either exaggerated or tired. This one was stressed. A genuine reflection of the burden he and his friends have had to bear this entire time. "It makes things even more complicated when you take into account how it's literally changed the course of this ga—world. Things have become a little too complicated for my liking."

It has. For the Beta Testers, it must feel so weird for the game to change so drastically to the point that it doesn't feel like the familiar game that they've played before. And all players are just thrown off their rhythm, uncertain and lost.

"But we can win this. We will," everyone shared his steadfast determination, confidence pouring off his words and into her spirit as she nodded in agreement. "Kayaba made one mistake when putting us here, and that's letting us get as strong as we have. Nothing can stop us."

"Heheh! Leave it to the summoner swordsman to be the motivator!" Lisbeth's tease got him to squawk back in indignation. "But I agree, one-hundred percent! This'll be a good one!"

Right! This is just the fifth floor, after all, so there was no way it could go that bad compared to the higher floors. They've only just started, after all!