New Legend(1)

--- Kirito ---

After running with all my might, I finally made it to the Boss room. The heavy double doors loomed before me, and I pushed them open, heart pounding with a mix of hope and dread. The sight that greeted me was far from what I expected.

Illfang the Kobold Lord, the first floor boss, was wielding a club instead of the nodachi I remembered from the beta test. His movements were much faster, far more formidable than anything I had anticipated.

What's happening?

SAO should still be a balanced game, but this situation didn't look balanced at all.

Even so, I must do something.

But before I could rush in to help, my attention was drawn to the two people behind this.

A man with black hair and red eyes and a woman with orange hair and eyes. Their features were according to the descriptions.

But they were not asking for any help, even though they noticed me.

I contemplated stepping in anyway, but if I did, it would be similar to attempting to steal loot from them.

'...Was there such a skillful party in the beta test?'

To be able to challenge the boss all on their own in such little time, there's no other explanation aside from the fact the two are beta testers.

It's strange, though.

'Why do I not remember them?'

I don't exactly remember each one of them, but I would have surely remembered a crazy party like this...

It's impossible not to draw attention to yourself when you're this strong.

The man was executing a powerful skill I didn't recognize, but it didn't do much damage. The woman, using her rapier with remarkable precision, struck multiple points on Illfang's body—his chest, sides, and neck—with her skill, Linear. Her attacks dealt enough damage to make the Boss focus on her.

At first, I thought she was buying time for the man to recover from the post-motion of his skill, but then I noticed his spear still glowing.

'He has a skill with multiple moves. To execute the next one, he needs an opening.'

The woman was acting as the decoy, not the main damage dealer. As Illfang's club swung towards her, she took the hit at the last moment, her HP bar turning red. Her voice rang out in a fierce shout, "Now!"

The man took the cue. With a surge of energy, he launched into another move. His horizontal sweep connected with Illfang's left side, the force much greater than before. The sheer power behind the strike pushed the Boss to the right, creating a crucial opening. The man didn't hesitate.

Leaping into the air, his spear carved a brilliant line through the air as he executed the third and final move of his skill. The spearhead blazed with energy, descending with unparalleled ferocity. The impact was like a thunderclap, the spear striking Illfang's head with such force that the Boss was driven into the ground.

The earth seemed to tremble as Illfang's massive frame was crushed under the attack. The effect was immediate and catastrophic. The Boss' HP plummeted to zero in an instant, the last sliver of health vanishing as if it had never existed. Illfang then dissolved into a shower of experience points, the particles dancing in the air like stars.

'That is an incredible skill. Although it's easy to counter if you know how it works beforehand.'

I stood at the doorway, taking in the aftermath. The man, now panting with exhaustion, turned to the woman who was sprawled on the floor from the earlier hit.

Despite his fatigue, he went to her side, offering a hand to help her up. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

She took his hand, her face a mix of relief and exhaustion. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

I felt like I was witnessing the birth of a legendary party.

These two had not only challenged the boss alone but had actually brought him down.

This victory will certainly boost the players' morale, but it's crucial that everyone understands the Bosses might be entirely different compared to the beta test.

The man looked up, noticing me for the first time. His red eyes were intense, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. "Thank you for not interfering."

I nodded. "It was what anyone in my position would've done. Don't sweat it. There was no room for me to step in anyway. What concerns me most is the Boss's difficulty. It's on a completely different scale compared to the beta test. I'm sure you both noticed that as well."

They exchanged glances, the woman looking confused.

I was also puzzled.

...?

"Oh, we're not beta testers."

...Seriously?

--- Akira ---

Kirito made it here faster than I expected.

To be able to solo all the floors of the Labyrinth to reach this place before everyone else, showed how skilled he was.

But well, it's not really surprising to me.

"So it wasn't common for a boss to be this strong..." Asuna's light comment made Kirito smile awkwardly.

Sorry, bud, it seems I might have given her a strange sense of what's normal after spending so much time with me.

"That is indeed a problem," Kirito said. "Now that you two have achieved such an impossible feat, other players will start believing they can do the same. If we don't immediately dispel that notion, many talented players will die needlessly."

I had a feeling Kirito wanted to save as many people as possible, just like in the novel. I liked that about him. Unlike some unreasonable hero trying to save everyone, he was focused on preventing deaths he could actually do something about.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to convey the message myself," I said with a grin.

Asuna sighed, while Kirito looked confused, not quite understanding what was happening.

Oh well, my guy, there's no need to worry. Those hypocrites coming in search of an easy boss kill will be perfect to spread the word.

I'll take the role of hated player from you, Kirito.

---

Author's Note:

I skipped a bit of the fight since I believe there wasn't much to actually write about it, aside from the killing blow.

This mini-arc is about done!