-269-. The start of conflict

In that instant, the attention of all the players in the plaza converged in one direction.

That direction was the edge of the central fountain.

There, standing on the edge, was a person who had gone unnoticed until now.

This person was wearing various shiny metallic armor, holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, the epitome of a traditional one-handed sword user.

Moreover, he was remarkably handsome, his wavy long hair dyed a vibrant shade of blue. With a refreshingly confident expression on his face, he exuded an unimaginable sense of charm and appeal as a one-handed sword user.

With an attitude that made people wonder if he was consciously aware that they were in a death game, the one-handed sword user addressed the entire plaza.

"Thank you all for gathering here today. My name is Diabel, as you can see, I am a one-handed sword user."

The one-handed sword user known as Diabel knocked on his chest armor with a solemn expression as he introduced himself.

"As you can tell from the scene before you, I will be hosting this meeting. Because, I am the one who gathered all of you here. I am the initiator of the strategy meeting for the 1st Floor Boss Raid in Aincrad."

At his words, all the players present held their breath.

Even Rozen and Kirito focused their attention on Diabel.

The reason was simple.

If this person was indeed the initiator of the raid meeting, it meant one thing.

"That's right."

Diabel seemed to understand what many players were thinking and admitted calmly.

"Not too long ago, my teammates and I discovered the boss room on the 20th floor of the labyrinth."

This was the reason everyone had collectively held their breath.

Outside of town, whether it was in the training area or the labyrinth, the map was pitch black. Players had to explore step by step and manually map the area.

In this context, even though all players knew that each boss's room was situated at the staircase leading to the previous floor, finding that room still required meticulous exploration.

Taking the 1st Floor as an example, since the labyrinth had twenty floors, the 20th floor directly connected to the previous floor.

Players knew that the boss's room must be on the 20th floor.

But no one knew exactly where on the 20th floor the boss room was located.

The fact that Diabel could find the boss room indicated that they had spent a considerable amount of time in the 20th floor labyrinth, recording its map extensively.

It was worth noting that even top players and many others were mostly active on floors around the teens. Not many dared to venture into the 20th floor.

It was obvious that the monsters in that area closest to the boss would be powerful. Very few had the courage to venture directly into that area. Even Kirito, without teammates and forced to go solo, didn't dare to dive into the 20th floor. Rozen had been active on the 19th floor lately and rarely ventured into the 20th floor.

Although Rozen had recorded almost the entire map of the 19th floor, making him more familiar with it, he had no reason to enter the floor above. For leveling, the 19th floor was sufficient. The fact that Diabel's team had entered the 20th floor ahead of everyone else showcased their courage.

"Kirito, do you know that Diabel guy?"

"No, I don't. I rarely interact with other players. I got some information from Argo, but Diabel wasn't among them."

Rozen and Kirito were having this conversation at the edge of the plaza.

Meanwhile, Diabel began speaking again.

"One month, a whole month has passed."

Diabel's expression grew solemn, and even his voice became heavy.

"We've been trapped in this world for a full month."

Diabel's words caused players to lower their heads, falling into silence.

It was evident that some clenched their fists, others were filled with frustration, some clenched their teeth in anger, and others displayed expressions of sadness. The players' collective pain was palpable.

In this situation, Diabel spoke up loudly.

"During this past month, I believe everyone here has come to understand that this world is no longer just a simple game."

"No outside rescue is coming."

"Internal liberation is still out of reach."

"We've yelled, suffered, and even gone mad, but it's all been in vain. We've been forced to pick up weapons and make our way here."

"Comparatively, in safer areas, even in the starting town, there are many players who, because they fear the outside monsters and death, stay within the safety of the town. They live every day in nightmares, hoping for salvation."

Diabel clenched his fist and raised it high.

"But I don't want to rely solely on such a faint hope. If no one is willing to step forward, then I will. I'll lead everyone and conquer this game together!"

Diabel's speech ignited a flame within each player's eyes.

At this moment, Diabel surely shone brightly in their eyes, right?

Because...

"I want to tell everyone that we're not beyond rescue. Even if the path ahead is filled with suffering, we must move forward!"

Diabel declared fervently.

"Let's defeat the 1st Floor Boss together, move on to the 2nd floor, and tell those players waiting in the town that this death game will one day be fully conquered!"

"This is the obligation of those among us, the highest-leveled players, who have gathered here!"

"Isn't that right, everyone!?"

Diabel's passionate speech immediately set the atmosphere ablaze.

"Yes!"

"That's right!"

"Let's conquer this damned game together!"

"Show Kayaba Akihiko what we're made of!"

"Yeah!"

The players erupted like boiling water, roaring and cheering loudly.

Seeing this, let alone Kirito, Rozen couldn't help but be impressed.

"Boosting morale before a battle is a must; otherwise, even winnable fights can be lost. Diabel, this guy, whether intentionally or not, shows good leadership by doing just that."

As someone who often commanded and gave orders from behind the scenes, Rozen was well qualified to assess Diabel in such a manner.

Diabel smiled, seemingly unaware of this, and was about to say something else when an unfriendly voice cut in.

"Wait a second! I have something to say!"

Suddenly, the square was dominated by this hostile voice, causing the players present to freeze momentarily and look towards the source of the sound.

"What's going on?"

Kirito also looked over.

Only Rozen, upon hearing this voice, slightly narrowed his eyes.

Because, for Rozen, this voice was not unfamiliar.

And even with just this voice, Rozen knew what would happen next.

"Of course..."

Rozen smirked and looked over.

In the next second, a one-handed sword user with a hedgehog-like head entered Rozen's line of sight.

It was Kibaou.