Sword Art Online: Fate (Sword Art Online x Male Reader)

Chapter 2: Friends Along The Way

December 2, 2022. Floor 1 – Tolbana Town.

One month has passed since the game began. People said during that time, around two thousand people have died. I didn't count so I don't know what the exact number is, but one thing is for sure, that a lot of people died in one month. However, no one has yet been able to clear the first floor. In the past couple of weeks, I've been struggling myself, since I'm not a beta tester I don't really know anything about the world, where the good spot to hunt, what quest should a beginner start with, or even how to use a sword skill. On my own, I try to explore the map, hunting as many enemies as I can, but unfortunately, it doesn't turn out that well. Since I don't even know how to use a sword skill until last week, because of that I keep struggling when fighting a simple enemy like boar or sentinel kobold, it's not like the fight was hard or anything, it just takes more time fighting them without it. Not just that, since there is a lot of beta tester playing the game, most of them monopolize the hunting ground for themselves, they know when the enemy spawns and clear it out, without even giving other players a chance to farm an experience point for them to level up. Every time I found a new spot to hunt, it was usually already empty, someone clears them out before me. I need to wake up at midnight only to get a few exp at this rate. On top of that, I play solo, it's not like I want to play solo or anything, it's just, people don't really want a newb in their group, they are avoiding us and since I'm a total beginner, they avoid me too. I know that my life is going nowhere at this rate, even the beta tester can't complete the first floor in one month. So today I decide to change how I play the game, I always play it safe since I still don't know about anything and my level is very low compared to the other players. When someone spread the news that a high-level player is holding a meeting on how to defeat the first-floor boss, I decided that I want in.

The meeting took a place in an old colosseum in town. The Colosseum was designed for a place where people watch duels, the stage forming a semicircle in the center of the colosseum and there is a stage seat row around it, where the people take a seat to watch the show. When I arrived, there are already a few players here, they are waiting for the meeting to start. I take a seat in the back row and decide to check my stats and item while waiting with the rest. After a few minutes, a lot more people start gathering and a man steps onto the stage. He claps his hands to gather everyone's attention.

"Okay, let's get started, people!' the man said. "Thank you for coming today. My name is Diabel. I like to consider my 'job' as Knight." He continued.

Everyone laughs as he said that he likes to consider as a Knight. They thought that he was joking around, "There's no job system in this game!" One of the people shouts as the other laugh. I only let out a small smile as I take a closer look at this Diabel guy. He's around 5'7 inch tall with blue hair, wears blue attire and some decent armor with him. He carries a sword in his waist and a small shield on his back. Just by looking at him, I know that he is already five levels above me.

He raised his hands and calm everyone. He closed his eyes, before turning his face serious, "Today, our party found the boss room at the top of the tower."

Everyone was taken aback by that. "Seriously?" said one of the people. They didn't believe it, finally, after all this time, someone found the boss room.

"We need to defeat the boss to reach the second floor and tell everyone waiting in the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to beat this game. Everyone presents here shares this duty!" Diabel continues as he clenches his fist in front of his chest. "Do you all agree!"

Ever since the game started. A lot of people are too afraid to even leave the beginnings town, they all locked themselves in the inns just waiting for the nightmare to end. A lot of people also killed themselves by jumping out from the Aincard into the void. All of those people, they lose hope. It's true what he said. If we were able to beat the boss, it might give them hope to clear the game, not just for them, but for everyone that got stuck in this place.