Fake World. Real Experiences.

Chapter 4: Preparations

It has been one month since this death game began. I somehow survived so far, but only  because I was much higher leveled then the other players. Tell ya one thing, if I ever see that girl with the pink hair, I'll have to thank her for the tip. Even though I really stole it, but still. 

Over 2,000 players have died already. And no one was able to find where the boss room was. It was beginning to be to much, so someone decided to hold a meeting on how to approach this. I was one of the people who caught word of this. I walked into town square, taking a seat on the stone seats of the theater, a blue haired man trying to control the crowd. 

"Alright everyone, may I have your attention please?" The blue haired man asked the crowd.

Everyone grew silent, setting their attention unto him.

"Thank you all for coming to this meeting today! My name is Diabel. I am what you may call a 'Knight'" He said in a playful tone.

The crowd laughed at him.

"Their is no Job System in SAO!" a member of the crowed said.

We all laughed along, this humor taking a load off of most of us. I knew it was healthy to laugh, but you never really get that until you're in a tense situation like SAO is.

But now his eyes were serious, determined even.

"Today, our party has finally found the floor bosses lair!" Diabel stated.

What?! I was looking all over for that place for like two days straight! I thought, the crowd astonished to have finally found the lair.

"We must beat the boss and gain access to the second floor, to prove that this game can be beaten!" Diabel went on.

I felt an honest smile form on my face. The crowd was clapping now, whistles of joy and hollers of determined fighters.

"Alright everyone. Lets all calm down and form a plan of action." Diabel said, trying to calm the excitement of everyone.

"To begin, I would like us all to form parties of six."

My eyes widened. Now, I know I was usually a solo player, but because of that, I didn't have much buddies to go to. By the time I looked around, everyone was already in a party. My head looked around. There had to have been someone there, right? 

It was here I saw them. On the opposite end of the theatre, I saw a lone player in a black cloak. 

Wait...they're getting closer! I thought, them slowly scooting my way, long pink hair falling out of the hood.

W-wait...it's her! The girl from that day!

She stopped right next to me. While her hair was coming out, that was all I was able to see besides her mouth and chin.

"So...you were left out, to?" She asked, her voice calm.

"U-um...I wouldn't say that. I don't know anyone here, so...they all just buddied up before me." I replied. 

"So you're a solo player?"

"I wouldn't say that either...It's just I don't take the effort to find other players." I say a bit shyly.

"Well...I'll party up with you. But only for this raid, and nothing more." She said rather coldly.

"T-that's fine." I said. 

She opened up her menu, sending me a party request. I accepted it, and I noticed her health bar appear under mine. I was finally able to see this person's name.

...Mira,huh? I thought, looking at her.

"Alright! Has everyone formed their parties?" Diabel asked. 

Everyone nodded, Mira and I included.

"Alright-"

"HOLD ON!" A voice rang from behind. By the time I was able to look, a beaten up man had jumped his way to the center of the stage.

"My name is Aden, and their is something I wanna get off my chest." The beaten up man said.

I stared at him, confused more than anything.

"Some of you bastards need to apologize for the lost of 2,000 players!" Aden said angrily.

The crowd looked around at each other. I frown at him, and I stand, Aden's eyes on me.

"Are you one of them?! Those Beta-testers?" Aden yelled, I slowly walk down the stairs, giving him a annoyed look.

"No...but what do they have to do with anything?"

"Everything! They left us for dead, taking all the good grinding spots, and all the easy quests!" Aden went on.

"I know at least one of them is here, show yourselves! Get on your knees, and apologize, and fork over all your items and COL!" He said, pointing at his feet. 

I look up at Mira, her staying calm and not moving. I put my eyes back on Aden.

"So, you want them to provide compensation? For holding back information?" I ask Aden

"Y-yeah." He answered.

I reach into my pocket, pulling out a small booklet. 

"You do have one of these guide books, don't you? Their free at the item store after all."

"O-of course.." He mumbled.

"Well, in case you didn't know, it was beta-testers that gave the information to make it." I said firmly. The crowed looked at me in surprise, including Aden. I face the crowd.

"Listen everyone, we all had equal right to this information, but regardless, we lost a bunch of lives. I came here to learn from those mistakes those players made and to finally get some progress made on this game."

I notice Diabel smile at me, Aden finally took a seat, in a rather fussy pose. I returned to my seat by Mira as well.

Once the meeting was finally underway, we found out the boss was called Illfang the Kobold Lord, he had four health bars, a axe and buckler, and a sword called a Talwar. He was going to be accompanied by three Ruin Kobold Sentinels. Sounds like a out right pain in the ass. But what I thought was interesting, and the point we focused on most, was when the Kobol's last health bar was in the red, he would change his attack pattern. So we agreed at this moment to attack him with everything we had.

Money was to be distributed equally, experience would go to whoever's party took the boss out, and anyone that got an item would be able to keep it. From there, we created a plan, and went over it a million times.

"Alright, we will head out at ten AM! Dismissed!" Diabel finished. The group went off to prepare for the boss raid. Before I even got the stand, I noticed Mira was already gone.

Good lord...wouldn't kill ya to break the ice with your party member, ya know. I thought. I left the theater to look for her, figuring if she wouldn't. I would.