With his body still reeling from the "Weapon Parry," Seiya was sent flying, but the parry's force also opened a window of opportunity on the Kobold Lord. As soon as Seiya called "Switch," Asuna darted forward at an incredible speed, arriving in front of the staggered Kobold Lord in a flash.
Her rapier, "Shooting Star," gleamed as she unleashed a series of lightning-fast stabs, draining the Kobold Lord's health bar to its absolute limit! SAO's sword skills have a slight cooldown after use. In boss battles, players use the "Switch" mechanic to avoid being killed during this vulnerable period. Asuna's rapid stabs had drained the Kobold Lord's health, but the boss managed to regain its balance and swung its nodachi at her.
"Switch!"
Asuna's voice echoed just as Kirito came crashing down from above, plunging his sword into the Kobold Lord's skull as it was about to swing its nodachi. This final, fatal blow drained the boss's health bar to zero, and its body shattered into a thousand shards.
"Wow! We finally got him!"
"Yes! We did it! We cleared the first floor boss!"
With the first-floor boss defeated, the teleportation gate to the second floor opened. The members of the raid team erupted in cheers. Not only had they gained immense confidence, but as the first group to clear the boss, they would be the first to enter the second floor and get all the resources.
Kirito, who had landed the final blow, received a special reward: a Black Coat. Just as he was about to equip it and begin his new life as the "Black Swordsman," a troublemaker appeared to stir up more trouble.
"Why?! If you guys knew about the boss's skills, why didn't you share the information earlier? Do you know that Diabel almost got killed? This isn't a game anymore! If Diabel's health had hit zero, he would have died for real!"
Kibaou's angry words stunned Kirito, who was still praising Asuna for their perfect teamwork. He was never good at communicating with people, and Kibaou's outburst left him speechless.
Diabel, who had just used a healing potion and was now in a safe zone, finally came to. He saw Kirito's new black coat and the teleportation gate behind him, his expression complex. "Kibaou, it's my own fault. You can't blame them. And if it weren't for Mr. Seiya, I'd probably be dead right now."
Diabel had worked so hard, only to give the final reward to someone else. He was disappointed but had to accept it. He knew he had his own selfish motives, and without Seiya's intervention, he would have died for real.
"Mr. Diabel, are you just going to let this go? If those beta testers hadn't hidden the information, you wouldn't have..."
"Kibaou, I said that's enough! If it weren't for Mr. Seiya, I would be dead! Our goal was to defeat the boss, and we did it. We should be happy about this, not creating more conflict among players!" Diabel was exasperated with Kibaou. He had once thought about taking him on as a subordinate, but now he was rethinking it. Kibaou was loyal, but he was also incredibly dense and prone to making idiotic moves.
Diabel knew exactly what had happened. Seiya and his team hadn't exposed his selfish motives, which was a kindness. But Kibaou, the idiot, kept pushing the issue.
"I honestly don't understand how someone with a pea-sized brain like you manages to live in this world. I thought you were just stupid, but you're completely brainless. It's my fault for even bothering to argue with you. Your walnut-sized brain probably couldn't comprehend my explanation anyway, so let's part ways now."
Seiya waved his hand and walked into the teleportation gate to the second floor, not even sparing a glance for Diabel or the dumbfounded Kibaou.
"Seiya has a sharp tongue?" Asuna was stunned. She had always thought of Seiya as polite and knowledgeable, but she never expected him to have such a venomous side. This kind of insult, without a single vulgar word, could make someone want to spit blood.
"That means he's truly angry this time. I've known him for so many years, and it's rare to see him use his hidden sharp-tongue skill." Kirito knew his friend was furious when he saw him leave without a word. Just as he was about to follow, Diabel called out to him and Asuna.
"On behalf of Kibaou, I apologize. He means no harm; he just speaks his mind. I also want to thank you for saving me and for cleaning up my mess and defeating the boss. If it weren't for you, the consequences would have been unthinkable. I almost made a huge mistake because of my own selfish desires, and I sincerely apologize to both of you." Diabel bowed deeply, his attitude incredibly humble. Kirito and Asuna were both kind-hearted, and their resentment quickly disappeared.
"Actually, besides the apology, there's one more thing..."