Chapter 21: Chapter 21
Town's Plaza, Jaileum. 08:53 AM. October, 18th 2023
The Plaza was slowly, but surely become increasingly crowded with people and chatter as more and more players was coming from the teleport gate. The time for the capture group to be teleported to the labyrinth slowly approaching too, make the plaza more boisterous with chat and discussion as time passed every second.
However, a girl could be seen more and more become worries as time passed, until finally she folds both of her hands together in front of her and put her chin on top of it with closed eyes. She prays in silent for her beloved one to be save deep inside her heart.
'Please be safe, Nao-kun.' Yuna said inside her heart with closed eyes.
After a long time waited, the last preparation meeting ended and the time for the forty-eight capture group, who carefully selected, to go to the battle finally come.
"Look! There." One of the players said while pointing at one direction and many of them could seen at where the man was pointing at, the forty-eight capture group lead by Heathcliff slowly approaching the plaza.
Cheers explode immediately right after the group could be seen by them. Some motivating them,
some cheers at them, wish their luck in the upcoming battle and entrust their hope, a long-awaited freedom on the group and to shoulders it to the front line.
Yuna look at the group too and after some careful look, she finally could see her man there, at the back of the group with Haku on top of his head and the all-black attired man walking side by side beside him.
"Look, that red armored player in the front. He's the KoB's commander, he's said the strongest player in SAO." A man said while pointing at Heathcliff.
"Heathcliff, huh. It's really incredible to be the strongest player and become the commender of the strongest guild on top of that." A man besides him said too.
"Right, that's very amazing." The man said again.
There's a player beside them who was a member of the DDA, one of the clearers guilds, overhear their conversation and chuckled a bit. Though he didn't select as the capture guild, he participated too in the meeting yesterday and witnessed interesting performances of the KoB's guy at the meeting.
On top of that, the elite guilds of the front line also compete with each other, and the KoB become the strongest guild makes the other guild a bit annoyed. The DDA and the other guilds were already formed long before the KoB, so the recently created guild being said the strongest than the other guilds that formed long before them leave a bad taste to the other guilds.
So hearing the both players talking about the KoB make the man from DDA a bit annoyed, but when he remembers the ridiculous performance of the KoB guy from before makes him chuckled mockingly.
"You said the KoB commander was the strongest? I am not sure about that." The man from DDA said after his mocking chuckle. He won't ever let the KoB in the limelight.
The both of the man from before look at who was talking and want to retort back his words but after knowing that he was from the DDA, the both of them stopped right away.
"Isn't all known about it already? That the commander from the KoB was the strongest." The other player around joins the three's talk.
"You sure about that? That was an arguable statement you know because there's another player who can be said the strongest aside of him." The DDA guy said.
"Who?" The three of them said at the same time. Not only them actually, but also other players around who overhear them talking about it become interested too. All of them know the guy was from DDA too, so he must be more knowledgeable about the front line.
"You see that guy, who has a white fox on top of his head?" He said.
The curious players look at where he pointed at and sees the guy who wearing a purple haori with a white fox on top of his head and nodded.
Yuna, who also overheard this talk was a bit surprised. 'Why he pointed at Nao-kun all of a sudden?' She thought.
"I know him. This guy and the black attired guy beside him was the only two solo of the front line. I heard that the both of them could reach this far without the support of any guild at all." There's a man who knows him and said what he knows.
"Yeah, the both of them was very strong and some of the clearers said that the two was the strongest too aside from Heathcliff, especially the purple haori guy." The other player around who know about them said too.
"What's wrong with the purple haori guy?" One of them asked.
"From what I heard, he's one of the few that always participated in subjugation raid from the very first floor. Aside of that, if the one who discover the boss room was him, he would scout it right away, alone! On top of that, from what I have heard too, until now, he discovered almost half of the boss room already and always scouts the boss inside." The man said.
"He is there too with the black guy when this floor boss discovered by the party from the KoB. He scouts the boss inside too with the black guy from what I heard." The other said.
"What?!! Scout the boss alone? That was crazy!!!" the guy from the start said.
"Not only that, I ever participate in a subjugation raid before and fight the boss together with him. His strength wasn't a joke at all. His katana was a very sharp and fast weapon. His skill activation was very fast and precise. Together with that black guy beside him, the both was the most damage dealer to the boss all the time. If Heathcliff was the controller of the whole situation, the purple guy would be the balancer of the foremost battlefield. He isn't a tank, but he crazily handle the boss aggro alone." The DDA guy said with a bit of amazement inside his tone.
It couldn't be helped, though. Even if many didn't like him, Nao's way of fight was a clear proof about his real strength.
"But, you know. The black guy was the rumored beater right? Isn't it possible that he was the same type scum too?" One of the guys said after remembers about the famous beater.
"The possibility was very high. Rather it's maybe really the truth knowing how he made it this far alone." The DDA guy said again. Even he amazes with Nao's strength, he still didn't like him in the end.
"But still, from the start up to now he always alone. Explore the labyrinth alone and even scout the boss alone too. Then pull the boss's aggro alone. Why did he do that insane thing that far? Is he tired of living or something? If he always does those things, what awaited him was dying alone in the labyrinth without anyone knowing in the end." One of the men shook his head in disbelieved.
"Well, that's true. There's a limit in the end for every one." The other agrees too.
"I think he was desperate or something like that. Well, the same could be said about us too, but for him, look at his face. Maybe he has a girlfriend or something outside and very desperate about trapped inside?" The guy who said that smiled wryly in the end. Very few riajuu who was a gamer too after all.
All of them smiled wryly too and silent in the end. 'Explode yourself and go to hell, Riajuu!!!' All of them cursing at him inside their mind.
Yuna, who heard all of their talk become worried about him once again.
'Nao-kun, please don't do something reckless.' She said inside her mind while looking at him. He looks at her too and smiled brightly, makes her feeling a bit better and smiled back at him.
Nao already know her position from far away and always monitored her. So he knows right away when she looks at him worriedly and smiled at her to tell her that he will be alright.
Nao spotted Nautilus too around her, slightly in front of her to be more exact. So he become a bit worried too and contact his clone right away.
Nao: You there?
Clone: Always. What's wrong?
Nao: Be more careful these twenty-four hours.
Sebas: It's fine, I am here and beside her body too.
Nao: It's better then. Create the energy barrier to protect her brain and nerve system now and keep it like that until I said it was alright to stop.
Sebas: Alright!
Sebas then tell the other clone to create the energy barrier to protect her brain and her nerve system.
Sebas: It's created! She's protected now. But why created it right now? There isn't anything wrong with her nervegear now.
Nao: I'll tell you later the detail. Shortly I will fight the boss right now and wouldn't around her for a while. So I just a bit worried. Tell me soon if something happen, I am counting on you.
Sebas: I see. Understood!!
The telepathy was ended after that.
'I will try to end the battle quickly and back to her side before something wrong happen.' Nao thought.
All of the capture group finally arrived at the plaza and ready to go.
Heathcliff in front of them then take out the crystal and raised it up.
"Corridor Open." He said and activated the Corridor Crystal.
After that, a portal with water like ripples opened in front of them. Heathcliff stepped in first and the other followed him one after the other. They entered the portal accompanied by the cheers from the players in the plaza.
Nao was the last and step forward, but before he stepped in, he looks at Yuna and smiled at her and disappears into the portal after that.
'Nao-kun,' Yuna said inside and close her eyes again and praying for his safety.
----
All of them arrive in the corridor before the boss room and make the final preparation.
They take out the necessary item like teleport crystal, antidote crystal and potion, healing crystal and potion, and some additional weapon. After all of its done, they stood in front of the door and ready to charge in.
Heathcliff was at the foremost of the group while Nao together with Kirito, Klein, Agil and Asuna right behind him ready with their weapon.
Usually, at this very moment before entered the boss's room, all of them always heard the same line being said in every floor.
However at this moment, they couldn't hear that line at all make not only people close to him, but all of the group looked at him. 'He didn't say -Let's dance!- line right now?' All of them thought and a bit startled. That line always could be heard every time before entering the boss room after all. So, he didn't said that line right now make them, even Heathcliff feel a bit strange and couldn't help looked at him.
When all of them looked at him, The purple haori wearing guy, they could see that he was stood there, ready to fight with a glint inside his eyes. They could also see a very tense and unusually serious expression on his face. What's wrong with him these days? They thought remember that he was very aggressive too at yesterday meeting.
"Oy oy~ What's with that face? Your katana feels very heavy right now? Then give it to me." Klein said with tease at him. He was very jealous though with Nao's katana make Nao always tease him that his bushidou wasn't enough, so his luck with katana not high enough too.
"Keep dreaming!" Nao said simply while caressed his katana affectionately to tease him, make Klein annoyed.
"Are you really alright?" Asuna asked him worriedly. She really feels worried when she looks at how tense he was and remember that actually he didn't want to take part of this battle before. She think maybe he has something that bothering him.
"It's alright. I just have a bit bad and uncomfortable feeling that always tugging ceaselessly in my heart these days." Nao said to her.
"I hope your bad feeling was wrong this time." Kirito said while grip his sword tightly.
He know Nao's instinct was very keen. Nao's sixth sense was already very amazing after all when it was in the real world and Kirito think that it was his instinct caused by very hard practice in kendo.
He remember when a ball shoot at Nao's back head and undoubtedly would hit him, he tilt his head simply and the ball hit kirito's face instead make his nose bleed profusely. He think that, not only instinct, but he also maybe has another eyes on his back.
"I hope so too." Nao respond simply and the door finally opened.
All of them readied themself and charging into the dark room.
Slowly, the room illuminated by the surrounding light and all of them could see the boss clearly in the middle of the room.
Nao's expression become very cold seeing the boss and charge as fast as he could at the boss even before the other could react.
'Let's end this quickly and back to Yuna's side.' Nao thought while remember Yuna's smiling face.
"NAO-KUN!!!" Asuna surprised looking at Nao who charge alone.
"NAO!!!" Kirito chase after him too.
The boss reacted as soon it spotted a player neared it and swing its weapon downwards. Nao didn't care at ll, he remained charging at the enemy and evade it closely and jumped on its hand, continue his running on its hand and slash at its face that covered with iron helmet.
It's knocked back and Nao continue his slash after slash on its chest until its belly while falling down to the ground. He still used one katana right now, but his attack speed was still very fast and the attack ended quickly. He continue his onslaught on the enemy's foot and then to its back.
The boss wasn't a push over either and attack Nao again but Nao could predict all ov it and move to the safe area even before its attack executed.
The other still stunned looking that Nao suddenly charged alone and pull its aggro to himself.
'He's really a madman.' All of them thought.
"Attack!!!" Heathcliff shout and wake them up and started to charged to the enemy too.
Nao push his prediction ability to the limit so that not only he can predict the boss movement but also all around him. Make him able to inflict as much damage as possible without disturb the other rhythm and effectively decrease the boss HP as quick as possible with all maximal damage inflicted by all of them.
He move around agilely after calculate all the other movement and the boss movement too. Evade to the place that the other wouldn't disturbed while still attack the boss from time to time.
The boss swoop its weapon from the left side to the right. All the heavy type players readied their skill to parry it. Two side collided and repel each other. The boss knocked back and this was the chance.
"Switch!" Heathcliff said and the attacker switch with the other and start the onslaught.
Nao run to the side and slash on its body one after the other and raised his slash speed to the max.
'Quicker!!' Nao thought inside and move quicker and quicker to execute the attack.
Nao was the most damage dealer, so the boss aggro completely didn't change at all and keep targeted him from the start. The boss onslaught at him was very fast and swing after swing executed with its weapon was enough to decrease at least half of the HP. Some hit him but he didn't care at all. He keep charging at the boss like a madman and attack it with very cold expression.
Cold sweat run down on the other player when looking at how he fight the boss. The boss HP decrease, but the same happen with his HP too.
'Is he really want to die??!' All of them thought.
"Nao share the aggro with the others!!!" Kirito shot at him looking how his HP already hit the yelow color.
However, Nao didn't heed at all and keep his onslaught contest with the boss. He will evade if necessary but let the attack be if it isn't much and more concentrate to inflict more damage to the boss. Not let any chance to attack it go even if he has to be affected by the boss onslaught too.
The other was helped by it because they could more concentrate to attack it and only need to be careful with its AoE attack together with its missed attack. But the boss class was boss class after all. Even if its aggro was directed at Nao and he receive the most onslaught, if they didn't careful enough, their life would be the price for that.
There's no magic attack in SAO and all of them still need to close enough with the boss to attack it. One step wrong when around it, the consequences would be dire. That's why Nao pull the aggro, so the other needn't to worry about the most of its attack and concentrate more to execute the attack. With that, more damage would be inflicted, make its HP decrease faster.
Of course with the consequences that his HP would drained faster than the other. But needn't to worry about the HP.
The boss attacked again with a breath taking speed and continue with another hit towards Nao after Nao evade it. Make the boss's attack as propeler, he positioned his katana slightly to the side while parry its second attack and throw away to the side. Keep his balance, he charge to the boss again to attack it.
"NAO-KUN!!!!" Asuna scream and her face become pale looking at him charge at the boss again. His HP already red right now, why still charge at the boss to attack it.
The other also stunned. They really helped much with this but if he dies, isn't it would be still futile in the end to lose him. 'Really, what the hell is wrong with this guy today!!!' All of them thought. Kirito didn't said anything even thought he scared too. It's futile to talk with Nao in this state, so he only need to attack and dealt more damage to help him.
"Haku." Nao said simply and Haku flying around him and shout the healing flame. Its engulf him and recover his HP until its reach the yellow again.
Fighting a boss never an easy fight even if it's a normal boss. Not to mention that this time boss was very formidable, so to fight it while Nao pull the aggro completely, it's still a very long and tough battle for them. They need to decrease its multiple HP bar after all, and it won't just sit still and let them attack it either.
The fight keep going with Nao and the boss crazy onslaught competition while the other attacked too to decrease its HP. They would need to still switching too when the cool-down and let the other attack. They still need to parry the AoE attack too and switching after that. It was still a very though battle even with Nao fighting together with them. They couldn't imagine just how this fight would be ended if he really not take part in it.
With Haku around, Nao HP didn't reach the red too often but still always at the upper yellow mark and lower green with only a few time could be rise again to the middle green.
For Nao, this kind of HP rate could still be said controlled one. He had fought the boss solo several times after all, so he had experience the HP rate more dire than this one.
However, this kind of rate was very dire already considering he has Haku with him. With the support of the tamed monster to recover his HP from time to time, this kind of HP rate was crazy. Kirito and the other also think the same.
Since he has Haku with him, his HP rate never reach middle red at all with only a few time reach the upper red. This is their first time seeing Nao this reckless in a fight. They never watch when he was fighting solo the boss after all, so their reaction was normal and it can't be helped.
Asuna was the most scared of all. She wanted to help him and reach his place, but he was in the middle of torrent like onslaught from the boss. She couldn't reach him at all. He was in a tight zone and no one dare to reach it and choose to continue the attack to ended the battle soon. Even if someone want to helped him, it'll only ruin the rhythm.
Asuna could only grit her teeth and do what she could do. Her face was pale and her heart tightened every time Nao's HP drained rapidly. Luckily there's Haku with him that from time to time, always shoot healing flame at him to recover his HP.
The battle keep going and time passed quickly. Nao thought that it was still to long and thinking what should he do.
'Let's use my dual katana here then.' He thought and prepared to use his another katana.
Another AoE attack come and about ten players included Agil step forward and ready to repel it. They made a motion and their weapon started to glowing. Te boss attack descended at them and their attack was executed too.
Two side collided again and the both repelled and the boss knocked back. It's time to switch again and inflict most damage to it. All of them switched with the new group and started to attacked it. Nao used this chance to prepare his another katana and take it out.
The last chance come and he ready to attack, but just as he step forward to attack with his another katana ready, he stopped and stood still there. The other surprised he take out another katana, but what make them more surprised was not that. Why he stood there not move at all!!!
All of them was stunned with what they are seeing. Nao didn't move at all. He looked shocked and stood still there do nothing.
Just now, as he ready with his another katana, Sebas contact him from outside and tell him about Yuna.
Sebas: Yuna has ejected from the game and we burn completely the microchip inside the nervegear.
Nao was shocked and his mind blank for a moment. He stopped on his track and stood still there. He subconsciously lift his head and look at the still opened door with blank look on his face.
The other player was confused looking at his blank look and together with him look at the opened door. But there's nothing there.
Asuna, Kirito, Klein and the other look at the door too but couldn't see anything there. They want to ask why he put on that blank expression, but before they could say anything, they scared shitless with what in front of them. The boss already recover from his knocked back state and ready to attack.
The target was obvious, to the one who pull its aggro from the start.
"NAO!!!! YOUR BACK!!!!!" Kirito shouted at him make him jolted and his prediction ability scream at him.
'Sh**!!!' Nao thought, then he move his two katana and block the attack. He's a bit late though and he still throw away by the impact and rolling on the ground.
"NAO!!!" "NAO-KUN!!!!!" Kirito, Asuna and Klein, the other too actually, was frightened. It was a direct attack!!!!
His HP was drained quickly and reach the red mark fast.
"NO!!!!!!!" Asuna scream that his HP still dropped.
"Kyuuu~~!!!!!" The savior flying fast at him and shoot healing flame to recover his HP.
His HP stop decreasing and slightly recovering hit the middle red mark.
The boss, same with some of the other monster in this floor had a troublesome algorithm known as Bullying. As that name, which was tormenting the weak, implied, it was a trait of ignoring the usual hate value and aiming for players who had collapsed and couldn't move or who had suffered a debuff.
So, looking that Nao still on the ground and hasn't wakes up yet, the boss ran fast at him and ready to attack him again.
"NAO!!!!" Kirito shout at him again and start to chase the boss.
But it was too late, the attack was come and the obvious outcome would be death.
Asuna's heart was on her throat right now. Her face was as white as a white paper.
'Sh**, what am I doing.' Nao wakes up and readied his two katana. He execute his movement with two katana and repel the boss's attack. Both of them knocked back by the impact.
"Switch!!!" Nao said loudly and Kirito respond immediately and switching with him attack the boss.
The other still dazed about what had happen. He used two katana at the same time? Think of it carefully, there's always two katana on his waist. So, he can use them at the same time? They thought.
After they finally wakes up from their dazed state, they start to fight the boss again and Nao use his healing crystals to recover his HP. His HP back to green again and ready to fight.
He ran towards the boss with katana in both hand with the most cold expression he has made until now.
It can't be said cold anymore. It was completely expressionless. nothing there, nothing at all on his face that could be said expression. But all of them could see a very frightening glint in his eyes. It's very ominous and dangerous. That glint in his eyes make them suffocated. It's really frightening.
No one know what happen but they know something bad happen to him.
Until just now, Nao communicated with Sebas about what happen.
Nao: Tell me what happen in detail.
Sebas: It's about some minutes ago, her nervegear released its microwave and try to burn her brain. But nothing happen to her thanks to the energy barrier which created beforehand. While on it, I destroy the microchip beside the connector to the nerve system and burn it so the nervegear completely safe and had no harm to her.
Nao: So she's alright?
Sebas: Yeah, all of her vital was normal and everything was fine. But,
Nao: But what?
Sebas: She hasn't wakes up yet.
Nao: What?!!
Sebas: Maybe it's because she wasn't logged out with the normal procedure and after almost one year dive in, she need time to recover. All her vital was normal, so maybe she just need more adaptation.
Nao: What the doctor said?
Sebas: The doctor said we need to check her more to make sure. I use Divine Healing Magic too just now, so she would be alright. She would wakes up soon.
Nao: Alright. Watch over her, all time and tell me if something happen.
Sebas: Understood.
The telepathy ended after that and Nao continue fight again with the boss.
No one know that he was communicating with someone in the fight. They only felt that his state of mind was frighteningly bad. With two katana in both hands, he attack the boss like it was the most hated enemy in his life.
All of them was in a daze again and fear at the same time. His eyes was very frightening and together with his expressionless face, make all of them feels like they are drown in a frozen lake. They couldn't breath at all and felt the coldness all over their body.
They didn't want to look at his eyes at all, but their neck was frozen and couldn't turn around. The roars of the boss make the situation become worse and worse.
"Done with your tea time?" A very frighteningly cold voice could be hear and all of them wakes up from their dazed state. They couldn't feel anything from his tone at all.
They start to attack the boss again and continue the battle. But fight side by side with this devil with two katana make them frightened. His movement and attack was very dangerous, not only for the enemy, but for himself too.
He used his two katana to fight right now so he has more control of the fight. He used one katana to handle the boss attack and the other to counter.
But it's not make him receive less damage. On the contrary, he more brazen with the boss attack and charge without care for anything. They are safe from his attack, but looking at him in this state make them shiver.
'Just what the hell happen with him all of a sudden. Yesterday and since the fight begin until now, his mood was becoming worse and worse. And after he stood still and attacked by the boss, he become like a devil.' All of them thought at the same time.
They look at the katanas in his hand and couldn't help but shiver again.
Nao throw all the caution to the wind and attack recklessly. His mind was in a chaos right now.
'So in the end she still involved in the incident?' Nao thought while attacking the boss madly.
'Though she was alright.......'
He thought that but stop in the end and grit his teeth. His eyes filled with rage instantly and grip the both katana tightly like he want to crush them. And he attacked the boss with all of his rage inside him.
'ALRIGHT!?!!?!?! SHE HASN'T WAKES UP YET!!!! FROM WHERE IT CAN BE SAID ALRIGHT???!!! JUST WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?!' He shouted inside his mind.
'She was still alive because my clone was outside and I can still use them in this state. You think she will still alive if that's not the case? She will die for sure!!!'
'What are you doing here instead of beside her? Your pride? Because that bastard guy called you coward? You think you can eat that bullshit pride?!'
'You said you want to protect her? Then why are you here??? Why you didn't stay beside her??'
'You will die and kill yourself if she dies? You won't die even if you kill yourself millions time here!!! You think that was cool to say something like that??'
'JUST WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING??!!!?!?!'
He couldn't think straight anymore. Knowing something maybe happen but still coming to this place and not stay beside her make him feel guilty.
She's alive, but she hasn't wakes up yet right now. And she's alive because he can still use the clone in this state. Thinking that she maybe really die if that's not the case make him disgust to himself. After all big mouth he said, after he said he will protect her, he leave her in the end just because something called pride.
His worried because Yuna hasn't wakes up yet didn't help at all and make him more frustrated instead.
He attacked the boss again and again. Slash it again and again. But it still didn't defeated yet make his frustrated mind worsening.
"JUST DIIIIIIIIEEEEEE ALREADYYYYYYY!!!!!!!" He shout loudly with blood-lust eyes and frightening glint in it while attacking the boss ceaselessly.
The boss roared and attack him too. The both of them in the crazed state and exchange blow after blow, onslaught after onslaught and slash after slash.
"DIIEE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He feels really frustrated right now, really really frustrated.
After a long crazy battle, and keep attacking the boss, it's finally defeated and disappear into fragments. But no one cheers at all. They are defeated the boss, no casualties at all, but no one feels like want to cheer.
All of them look at the panting guy in the middle of the room. His HP was in the red mark and he looking at the sky with dangerous eyes. Frustrated could be seen from his face now. Everyone scared at him. He was like a demon right now. A purple demon.
He take out a teleport crystal and teleported soon after that the fight ended even without looking at the loot item or recover his red HP. No one knew where he teleported because he said with a very low voice and no one heard that.
"What's wrong with him, Kirito?" Klein asked Kirito.
"I don't know. But he said he has a bad feeling these days. And he suddenly stopped just now. Maybe something really happen." Kirito said.
"But it's just a feeling right? It won't always 100%." Klein said again.
"I hope so too." Kirito said again simply make Klein more confused.
Asuna look at Nao's panting back with worries. 'He acting strangely these days. Really, what happen?' She thought and want to hug him to make him feel better but she couldn't move at all.
'Nao-kun.' She thought when looking at him who teleported and disappear.
This is another cheerless victory for the capture group after 25th floor boss fight.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone