8 Chapter 8

It's amphitheater, an open-air venue used for entertainment created from stone and looks like a ruin. Here is the meeting would be held.

When they arrive in the town, There's still many time before the meeting. So the girl part ways from the two of them and Kazu tell her the place the meeting would be held.

When they arrive at the meeting place, many people has already gathered here and take a seat to wait the meeting to begin. Nao sit with Kazu at his side and not too far from them, a red-hooded girl could be seen sitting there.

And then after some minutes passed, when the times come, a boy stand in front all of them and start the meeting.

"Thank you all for heeding my call today. My name's Diavel,.. and I like to think myself... as playing as a knight..." He said confidently. While after that people around start to laugh and the atmosphere become more ease.

'Well, he really look like a nice and honest guy. If I don't know what he was hiding from series I watch in the past, mostly I would believe this personality of his to be real.' Noa thought.

Everything happen next was the exactly same with Nao had already know. Diavel tell everyone about the boss room and after that, talking about duty to clear the floor for the sake of the other that trapped in the game.

'I admit his leadership was pretty good. But knowing what hiding behind make me irritated insted.' Nao had an annoyed expression instead behind his mask.

After that Diavel said about make a party, and because there's Nao with him now, Kazu make party with him right away. And instead Kazu that look panic because alone like in the story, the panic one become someone else right now.

Nao steal a glance from the corner of his eyes to the red-hooded girl and could see her panic state clearly. He chuckle in his mind looking at her state.

'pfthahaha she is not completely alone though, we know each other after all before here. but she is too pride to ask for help. hahaha~' She could be seen steal a glance from time to time toward Nao and Kazu, but not say anything.

'Well, I guess its enough to tease her.' Nao thought.

"Na! Mind to join our party? That guy said that we need a party to join the boss raid after all." Nao said to the girl with smiling eyes. And the girl nodded as a respond.

"Then Mr. Boyfriendo, what you waiting for? Sent the party invitation already to your Mrs. Girlfriendo." Nao said to him with a wink.

"What are you talking about??!!" Kazu sweat profusely while repute at him.

"Ahahahaha~ Alright alright, just invite her already. hehehe"

Nao then look at the girl expression and what he found there was, a blush?

'Are~? Is something happen before? That's right, they are quarreling when I found them, Is she interested in him already?' Nao thought maybe something happen before between the two.

After that, the girl become one of their party and her hp bar could be seen on the corner of his sight.

'Well, Like kazu who named his avatar Kirito, She really named her avatar with her real name, Asuna, huh. I named my avatar with my real name too, but it's only my nick name.' He thought while looking at the two names from the corner of his sight.

After all player make a party, Diavel speak again.

"Alright, then..."

"Hang on just a sec, sir knight!" And before Diavel could continue, he interrupted with someone voice as Nao has expected. This guy finally appear, he thought.

'And this is it, the annoying guy.' Nao thought with weary expression behind his mask.

"My name's Kibaou."

'That's right, Kibaou. I remember his name now.' Nao remember the guy name from the series.

"You cowardly beta testers!!!!!. Show yourselves!!!!!!!!!" He shout loudly to the audience.

"I know a few of you here amongst us. Come out and show yourselves."

"You owe an apologize to the two thousand player that already died. Because you were too busy hogging everything to yourself! Now get down on hands and knees to apologize and donate your stockpile of cols and items." He said with righteousness in his tone.

Nao look at Kirito from the corner of his eyes, and could see the cold sweat profusely trickling down from his dreadful face. Asuna look at him too, and from her expression, she maybe have some guess.

'Well, instead of the beta testers, the one that have to apologize the most was me.' Nao thought that he is the one that have to apologize the most.

And like in the story too, Agil step forward to argue with him. And Kibaou can't repute back when Agil take out the guide book that created by the beta testers.

"Yes many people died. But that was because they assumed that sao work the same way as other mmos and failed to pull back when needed to."

Kibaou tongtied and can't repute anymore.

'Well' let's join the fray then. He is annoyed after all.' Nao thought.

"Sit down already if you understand, Clown." Through the area, a cold tone could be heard.

Everyone automatically turn their attention to the source of it. There they found someone sit leisurely with palm of his hand under his jaw, with dark hair with hairpin on the left side, while the back side tied in short ponytail. He has obsidian eyes with cloth mask covered his lower face.

"What you say?!?!" Kibaou said feeling upset.

"I said you're prancing around like a clone." The guy said coldly with half closed eyes stare chillingly at him. This guy was Nao.

"You!??!?" Kibaou feeling angry but dread at the same time from how cold he speak and that chilling eyes sent toward him.

"I what?"

"Ugh..." Sweat could be seen trickled down from Kibaou's forehead. He feel strangely intimidated from those chilling eyes and Nao's tone of speak which always cold and indifferent.

"Right after the death game was started how many player you think that still right in their mind?" Nao speak to him again.

"They are in the despair. Even there are player that believe a baseless rumor about hidden log out spot and ended killed instead by the monster. Because they are despair they will do anything and everything to survive. Amongst ten thousand player, can you guaranteed that no twisted and psycho-like person in there. Trauma which caused by this kind desperate situation, even saint could turn out to be a demon. In this kind of situation, will you say 'I'm a beta tester and I have the information'? It'll be interesting then to watch a fat lamb put amongst desperate and hungry wolf that would do everything to survive. It'll be good if every ten thousand player was a good person, but what you will do to the twisted and wicked ones."

"There's no obligation too for them to babysit the other. You trapped here, but so they are. In the "ten thousand" number, beta testers are included too. They want to survive too. With the limited resource, information they has was what will make them have more chance to survive. And I if they could get what they needed to be strong enough to clear this floor, why not? I don't want to stuck in this floor after all. And the resource wouldn't enough if we don't clear the next floor as soon as possible. If the beta could do it faster, then why not?"

"They want to get out of here as soon as possible too. And its not like all of the beta left us behind completely right. We have the guide book that some of them created, for free on top of that. Not all the beta are selfish bastard and scum that use every wicked mean to get what they wanted and left us behind with nothing. But some of them has reasonable reason too. But the one that unreasonable here was you, clown." Nao look at Kibaou chillingly.

"Apologize was understandable for the beta in scum category. But what is it about hand over col and items as an apology to the deceased? From what I know col even can't be used in the real world. Because if my slow mind serve me correctly, in the place I live in, we use something called mmm~~ I guess it's yen!! So I don't know that the deceased one can use col. Are you still sane?" Nao tilt his head in the last part to mock the guy in front of him.

"YOU!?!??!"

"Like I said. I what?" Nao respond simply.

"Y-you!? Why you defend beta testers! That's right, you always wear cloth mask! You are beta testers right?" Kibaou accuse him in the end.

He was very upset, first he tongue-tied by Agil. And now he ridiculed by this masked man in front of him, so he grasp every thing that could be used to repute him.

The other player was effected too, and make the atmosphere very heavy. Kirito was very nervous because the one that beta tester was him.

As a respond, Nao just standing up and slowly opened his mask. And as soon as Nao's face was revealed, silence reign the area. What a handsome man. No, he is a beautiful man. His face was too perfect and in the end, what conclusion that they get was it's a "bug" from the system when nervegear scan his face. His face was too beautiful to be real.

But what come after that was not admiration for how beautiful his face was. His face was indeed beautiful, but his expression was so cold. Added with his chilling eyes that look at Kibaou down there at the stage. Make his look feel strangely very intimidating.

"I'm not a beta tester, but if you want it then so be it. What now?" He said in his cold tone with intimidating look.

No one say anything, his voice was the only one that permitted to be heard.

"You want duel to the death? Two thousand player has already death, so one added to that number wouldn't mean anything. Let's see how well you dance."

"Let's Dance!" Nao said with one eyes closed.

Kibaou can't say anything at all. And actually no one could say anything. It's utter silence. In fact from the moment Nao stand up and reveal his face, the only voice that could be heard was Nao's voice and the wind which brush the surrounding things as the background.

The atmosphere really heavy right now. Strangely, every one in there feels like don't want to ruin this heavy silence at all. But after some time passed, Diavel, as the one who have leadership charisma amongst them break the silence.

"cough, Alright I think it's enough. Like said before we need to clear this floor soon. And for that reason we are here. Our enemy was the boss floors. Fighting each other will not solve anything. Am I right?" Diavel said while looking at Kibaou and then to Nao.

Kibaou nodded and Nao nodded slightly too. After that Kibaou walk toward the audience to take a seat.

"If you want to rob someone," But before Kibaou reach the seat, Nao speak again while glance at him. Make him stopped halfway.

"Just say clearly that you want to rob them. Don't act saintly like brought the deceased one as your excuse." He said slowly and back to his seat but not put his mask on his face again.

Kibaou continue to walk, reach his seat and sit down with disgruntled face. And finally after that everyone sigh in relieve.

"Alright, then let's continue the discussion. Because all of has has make a party, then next was the strategy to fight the boss."

After that, they continue to make strategies for the fight with Illfang The Kobold Lord.