Frankly, ever since Akihiko Kayaba's appearance, Kirito had been worried but not panicked about being trapped in the game. During the beta, they had reached the eighth floor in just one month. Kirito had assumed that with over a hundred times more players, they could clear the game even faster. To his surprise, not only had nearly a thousand players died in the first month, but their progress was at a standstill.
The boss room on the first floor was in a different location from the beta test's labyrinth, only discovered by Diabel today. The altered labyrinth might be a reason for the slow progress, but Kirito believed the biggest problem was the players' mindset. Diabel had made this a huge deal. If they succeeded, great. But if they failed, the players who were already scared of the labyrinth would be terrified to face the boss. They could be stuck on the first floor for months, half a year, or even longer.
"It's hard to say. The strategy guide does have information on the first floor's boss, the Kobold Lord. But the boss room has changed since the beta, so who knows if its skills and mechanics have changed, too?"
"And you saw what happened today. That idiot Kibaou started a conflict between players before the fight even began. How can we work together like that? And I don't think Diabel, who organized the meeting, is as pure as he seems. He's probably organizing this not just to boost morale, but also to build his reputation. If they successfully clear the first boss, they'll be founders, and his fame will attract a lot of followers for his guild."
As Seiya analyzed the situation, Kirito and Asuna agreed with most of his points. But they both felt that Seiya's view of others was a bit too cynical. They were the same age, yet Seiya seemed to think like a jaded adult.
"Heh, you're still just naive middle schoolers. It's normal not to understand the wickedness of society."
Kirito: (What? We've been friends our whole lives. You're trying to act cool in front of me?)
Asuna: (Did he just say "middle schooler?" He's a year younger than me! Why is a middle schooler lecturing a high schooler? This is so frustrating!)
"Anyway, if anything unexpected happens, the three of us will go on our own. A mere floor boss? We can handle it, just the three of us. If we hadn't been looking for the boss room, we would have already soloed that Kobold Lord by now."
Seiya's words were incredibly arrogant, and Asuna was speechless. She was a rookie herself, but her excellent learning and adaptability had allowed her to pick up the game's mechanics quickly. Even so, she still struggled against regular mobs, so she couldn't understand how Seiya could talk about soloing a boss so casually. Was he just all talk, or did he actually have the skills?
Asuna was about to find out. The strategy meeting was set for two days later, which would give the teams time to prepare and build chemistry. Seiya and Kirito decided they needed to train with their new teammate, Asuna, to increase their synergy.
Over the next two days, Asuna realized Seiya's words were no idle boast. Her two teammates were absolute monsters. She had fought on her own before, but Seiya and Kirito's fighting style completely blew her mind.
They claimed they were helping her build team chemistry, but they took her to the most dangerous areas with the highest-level mobs! They were killing monsters above their level, and the two of them would fight multiple enemies at once. The way they moved and weaved between the monsters was truly like "dancing on the edge of a blade."
Even more outrageous, on the second day, they found a field boss that was a higher level than them. They taught her the "Switch" mechanic, which was crucial for boss battles. Field bosses weren't as strong or unique as floor bosses, but they were still a challenge for regular players. Yet, under Seiya and Kirito's guidance, they managed to grind the boss down. As the final attacker, Asuna received a huge chunk of experience that raised her level and a rare rapier called "Shooting Star" as a special reward.
From that moment on, Asuna knew that the two people she had accidentally met were top-tier players. And Seiya, in particular, was a monster among monsters. His reflexes and techniques were inhuman. When she made a mistake, Seiya would immediately cover her. She realized that his title of the "Saint" wasn't just because he was rich; his fighting ability was also as insane as a saint's.
Two days passed quickly. Seiya's team and the others met at the entrance to the labyrinth as planned. Unlike her tattered cloak from two days ago, Asuna now had her flaxen hair tied back. She wore tight leather armor, and her new rapier, "Shooting Star," was sheathed at her waist. She looked every bit the heroic swordswoman. She had worn the cloak to avoid trouble and to hide her identity. But in a lawless world like SAO, she had decided that she wouldn't hide her strength anymore.