The next day, Tolbana, the town center…
A strategic meeting was held here to discuss the strategies and preparation for taking on the 1st Floor’s floor boss.
Early in the morning, a bunch of figures already gathered after hearing about this meeting. These players are either strong, or very confident, or they had aces up their sleeves.
Unintentional or not, there are no guilds here, only organized parties. Heck, some more established parties aren’t even here.
Maybe, for them, this kind of meeting is a joke. Even large guilds and very organized parties weren’t able to enter the Boss room, what of these rag-tag bunch of misfits?
If only they know that the ones who defeated the 1st Floor boss in the original work were actually this disorganized raid group of parties…
A lot of people showed up for this meeting that was held at a fountain with a semi-circle platform. Players that had a bit of fame sat around the stairs as they looked at the platform. Some of them are busy talking to each other while waiting for the host to arrive.
When Wu Yan arrived, there were already well over thirty players here.
Everybody also noticed him the moment he came here, it’s hard not to notice someone with obviously very advanced equipment.
“That black coat, that black longsword…”
The players immediately gasped in shock.
“Wait, isn’t he the beta tester that caused an uproar near the start of this game?”
“Beta tester…”
They started gossiping while glancing in his direction. They are mostly treating him with negativity.
Some distance away from him, a rather handsome black-haired youth who looked like he can become a professional sponger reacted to the words “Beta tester” and he quickly looked in Wu Yan’s direction. Just like this player, there was another player with a rapier as a weapon…
“He’s a beta tester, huh…”
The handsome youth mumbled. He didn’t treat Wu Yan with negativity like the other normal players. In fact, he looked like he could sympathize with him.
As for the hooded player, nobody could tell but the player is definitely examining Wu Yan.
After being leered by most of the players here, he started getting a bit annoyed even though he knew it would turn out like this. Maybe, he’s a bit too flashy for his own good.
Wu Yan crossed his arms as he found a place to stand. He didn’t want to see down but he did take a look around the place. It didn’t take him long to find the handsome youth who was looking at him and the hooded player not far away from him.
When Wu Yan noticed him, the sponger-looking handsome youth nodded. He’s obviously friendly but Wu Yan can’t help but be a bit surprised.
He looked like he can easily cross-dress better than women. This handsome youth was none other than the original main character of this universe, Kirigaya Kazuto, inside SAO, he is known as Kirito.
Wu Yan recalled how the original male protagonist and female protagonist took part in a meeting about raiding the 1st Floor Boss.
Oh, so that meeting was this one, then?
“If that’s the case, that hooded player must be…”
He noticed her brownish-orange chestnut hair peeking out of her hood.
That’s the original female main character of SAO, Yuuki Asuna, she used Asuna in-game as well.
He looked at Asuna and Kirito who sat not far away from each other and he lowered his head to hide an amused grin.
“This Boss fight won’t be at this rate…”
A blue-haired swordsman character walked up the stage and he started speaking after everyone piped down.
“I would like to thank everyone for coming here, I am Diavel!”
The player known as Diavel gave everyone a courteous smile.
“I identify my own job as a knight!”
Everyone started laughing out loud when they heard Diavel. Wu Yan also shook his head as he couldn’t believe someone can still crack a joke in this grim place.
SAO didn’t have a job system so most people are classified according to the type of weapon they used. If you used swords then you’re a swordsman. Of course, nobody stopped you from calling yourself a knight. There wasn’t anything to stop someone from picking up a spear and calling themselves a spears-man. It’s just a matter of weapon proficiency and adeptness with the weapons.
Diavel continued like he wasn’t joking. He reported his findings with a serious look.
“Today, my party and I discovered the Boss room for this floor in the highest floor of that labyrinth tower.”
The other players waited for Diavel to finish his sentence.
“We have to beat the Boss to get to the 2nd floor.”
Diavel looked very determined.
“Spread the news, tell them there’s an end to this death game. We are gathered here with this objective in mind, freeing everyone from this horrible nightmare!”
“Isn’t that right? Everyone!”
He filled this place with his determined voice. The others exchanged a look and they cheered out loud in agreement. They applauded and whistled for Diavel.
Well, Diavel has a bit of charisma, that’s for sure. He already raised the morale of the players before the boss battle, morale is an important non-measurable factor that can affect the outcome of the raid battle.
Diavel laughed and he continued in a cheerful tone.
“Good! Let’s not delay this any longer, we shall commence our strategic meeting!”
“First, you should all organize yourself into six-person parties!”
Kirito’s expression changed.
“Floor Boss shouldn’t be taken lightly, it’s almost impossible for one party to take down a floor boss by themselves. We must group up and fight together as one!”
The other players concurred so they started making parties. Wu Yan, Asuna, and Kirito are the only ones without a party at this point. Kirito is looking left and right in panic.
Kirito looked at both Wu Yan and Asuna before he started making his way towards her.
Is his harem sensor on or something? He can’t even see her face but he went for her anyway. This is just…
Kirito successfully partied up with Asuna and then he approached Wu Yan.
“Hey, erm, do you wanna party up?”
“Wu Yan turned him down with a light smile.
“It’s okay, I am not used to working in parties…”
Kirito replied with a slightly confused tone.
“But, you do know floor bosses aren’t meant for solo raids, right?”
“You mean a player can take down the boss by himself?…”
Wu Yan straightened his back and he unleashed an invisible wave of pressure that can only be felt by Kirito and Asuna. They both were taken aback by this sudden rise in pressure.
“Says you, but why can’t someone take the boss down by himself?”
Wu Yan heartily laughed.
“I am more than enough to kill the boss!”
If Wu Yan said this without showing his invisible force, both Kirito and Asuna would have treated him as a boastful person. With his dominating pressure still around, they knew he had a solid reason for claiming something like that. Hidden behind her hood, Asuna examined Wu Yan as if she’s re-assessing Wu Yan.
“Okay, I assume everyone’s done partying up?”
Diavel smiled.
“Then…”
“Wait just a second!”
The other players looked at the source of the nose and they saw an older-looking player with a sea urchin-like hairstyle.
The player jumped down and he climbed up the platform.
Wu Yan’s eyes flashed with intrigue when he saw this player.
