Sword Art Online: X

The Month That Passed - Kirito

It's been a month already since we had been trapped in this death game, and 2000 people are already dead.

Our true looks had been revealed, and I was shocked to find that X was actually from my school. He was a year older, but we still encountered very often since we both did computer engineering. 

Ever since that day, X and I have split up. I went to the next town to farm XP whilst he just travelled from town to town, killing monsters on his way. 

Soon, there was a meeting held in the town I was in.

"Alright, everyone, settle down. I have some news. Players in our group have located the labyrinth where the first floor's boss is." The blue-haired knight in the auditorium announced, "My name is Diabel, and I will be leading our charge into the first floor boss. We'll prove to those that are weak and scared that this death game we are trapped in can be beaten! Who's with me?"

Everyone cheered for him, but there was one voice that stood out, "Hold it!"

A spiky-haired guy walked down from the bleachers of the outdoor auditorium and stepped down in front of Diabel.

"What is it, Kibaou?"

"I think there are those who owe us an apology!" Kibaou snarled.

Oh no.

"Kibaou, are you referring to the beta testers, perchance?" Diabel asked uncertainly.

"Of course! Them beta testers just up and left everyone to get to the best grinding spots, leaving us to fend for ourselves! You know who you are! Apologize right this instant!" Sheesh, Kibaou was aggressive.

"If I may interject."

A tall man with dark skin walked down in front of Kibaou.

"And who the hell are you?!"

"My name is Agil, and though it's true that the beta tester left everyone behind, they also wrote this guidebook." Agil held up the guidebook that X and I wrote, "They gave us their knowledge in this book. Everyone read it, yet some still died. They can only blame their own stupidity at that point."

Kibaou was left with no space left to argue.

"Anyways, moving on, thank you, Agil and Kibaou, for announcing your views, but the point still stands. As the front liners, we need to give our fellow players hope. We will beat the first boss as one! Form up into parties, we'll leave tomorrow morning!" Diabel announced.

I looked around for familiar faces. But I found none. Not even X was here.

Everyone seemed to already know each other, so I shuffled next to a girl who also seemed to be alone.

After a while of awkward conversation, we partied up and stayed together for the rest of the day.

Diabel read through the information of the boss, formulating a strategy that we committed into our memories

...

The next morning, we arrived at the boss room only to find that it had already been opened.

We quickly rushed inside, and we found the most spectacular sight.

X, alone, was taking on the Kobold Lord.

He was only armed with a dagger, yet the boss was already down to its second last health bar. 

Everyone was shocked, but then Diabel led the charge, "Aid that lone warrior!"

We all charged in and assumed position.

The girl I partied up with (Asuna), who was relatively new to the game, and I were supposed to fend off the minions of the Kobold Lord, but X was doing a lot better than us, using a hit-and-run tactic that allows him to slash apart all of the minions apart as he passes them.