-279- Kobold Lord

The next day, early in the morning.

Normally, at this time, players would already be heading into the labyrinth area for leveling up.

But today was different.

Shortly after dawn, a total of sixty players gathered once again in Tolbana's Fountain Square.

Each of them was decked out in their best equipment, carrying their finest weapons, and even loaded up on the highest-grade recovery items within their capabilities. This gave each player a somewhat imposing appearance.

However, their faces were marked by seriousness and tension, creating a slightly oppressive atmosphere over the square.

In this situation...

"Yawn~~~"

Rozen yawned while lazily making his way to the square.

"Hey, you guys are here pretty early."

Rozen casually greeted the players who had gathered early, still wearing a sleepy expression on his face. This irritated quite a few players present.

Kibaou, among the crowd, was taken aback.

"Isn't this supposed to be a crucial battle? Why is he acting so carelessly?"

It seemed that this hedgehog-haired single-sword user hadn't completely let go of the past.

Not just Kibaou, even Diabel smiled wryly, and the other players were feeling displeased as well.

In contrast, the beta testers were somewhat resigned but not surprised.

"Same as always."

Kirito said this with a wry smile.

"Is he always like this?"

Agil asked with some confusion.

"Since the beta testing phase, he's always been like this. Every time the Frontline Squad decides to challenge a Floor Boss, he's always the last one to arrive."

Argo provided this piece of information, shrugging.

Standing next to Argo, Asuna couldn't help but speak up.

"Is this okay?"

Clearly, Rozen's behavior wasn't impressing this young lady.

However, Argo just chuckled.

"It can't be helped. After all, he's the one who perfectly commands everyone and consistently takes down Floor Bosses without casualties."

Argo's words gained agreement from Kirito.

"Don't be deceived by his appearance. Once the real battle starts, he'll be the most focused among us all."

Kirito said this.

Hearing this, Asuna fell silent again.

So, Rozen, still yawning, walked into the midst of all the disapproving or helpless gazes from the players.

"Gu!"

Whether it was influenced by Rozen or not, the Rainbow Butterfly looked just as sleepy, perched on Rozen's shoulder and dozing off.

Of course, compared to Rozen's sleepy appearance, the Rainbow Butterfly's drowsiness only made it look cute.

Diabel glanced at this rare Familiar for a moment before returning his gaze to everyone present.

"Now that everyone is here, let's have our final strategy meeting before the raid begins."

Saying this, Diabel looked in Argo's direction.

"Miss Argo, could you please explain to us the details of the Floor Boss on the 1st Floor during the beta test period? Its attack patterns, anything we should watch out for?"

Diabel earnestly sought information from Argo, as she was one of the beta testers. The players present all turned their attention to her.

"...Sure, I can do that."

Normally, Argo would only provide such information for a considerable fee, but this time, it seemed like she was ready to spill the beans. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to speak.

"However, let me make it clear upfront. The information I have is only from the beta test phase. Gathering information about Floor Bosses after the official launch has become a bit difficult. After all, I wouldn't dare to enter a boss's room alone, and the room you guys discovered was only recently found, so I can only provide information from the beta test phase. It's not out of the question that the Floor Boss's characteristics may have changed after the official launch."

With these words, Argo carefully chose her words and began to explain.

"During the beta test period, the Floor Boss of Aincrad's 1st Floor was a massive two-meter-tall creature known as a 'Kobold Lord.' The official name for this boss is 'Illfang the Kobold Lord.'"

"It was the ruler of all kobold on the 1st Floor of the labyrinth, and like other kobold, it can use sword skills. Its weapon was a one-handed bone axe, and it also had a small round leather shield. This means its attack power was extremely high, and its defense was strong as well. Moreover, it had a total of four HP bars. Even with a six-person team of players using their skills constantly, it would take at least half an hour to deplete its HP."

Argo's explanation made the expressions of the players grow more serious.

But...

"This is the most basic information."

Argo emphasized her voice, almost like a warning, and continued.

"The most crucial thing to note is that the Floor Boss isn't alone. There are three 'Ruin Kobold Sentinels' equipped with axes and spears, wearing metal armor, guarding it. And each time one of the boss's HP bars is depleted, new Kobold Sentinels will appear. By the time the boss's HP reaches the fourth bar, there will be a total of twelve Kobold Sentinels accompanying it. So, before the guards accumulate, they must be defeated. But the boss itself will interfere as well. To conquer this Floor Boss, you need enough manpower—some to deal with the boss and others to deal with the Sentinels. If the number of Sentinels increases, the difficulty will become extreme."

This was the first point to pay attention to.

"Also, when the Floor Boss's HP reaches the red zone of its last HP bar, it will abandon its weapon and shield, entering a brief invincible state. During this time, it will switch to using a curved sword, leading to a significant change in its attack pattern. If your reaction is slow, it's possible for the boss's new sword skill to wipe out all your remaining HP at once."

At this point, Argo glanced around at everyone present.

"I suppose I don't need to explain what that will be like, do I?"

Argo's words made the players present swallow nervously in unison.

Both Kirito and Asuna furrowed their brows.

"This is quite challenging," Diabel rubbed his chin and then turned his gaze to Rozen, who was still yawning. He asked, "Mr. Rozen, how do you think we should approach this Floor Boss?"

Upon hearing Diabel's question, all eyes turned to Rozen once again.

"How to approach it?"

Rozen continued to yawn and looked at Diabel, who was staring earnestly at him, with a serious expression. Rozen smirked.

"Don't overthink it. Just follow the usual strategy for dealing with bosses."

Rozen looked towards the area where the beta testers were situated.

"Next, I'll adjust the team composition a bit. Based on my instructions, form teams with each other."

After saying this, Rozen began to give orders.