Chapter 4: The First Boss Strategy Meeting
The morning after the duel, Kamikawa Hikaru quickly noticed something strange as he walked through the city streets. Eyes followed him wherever he went—some filled with curiosity, others awe, and a few laced with wariness.
It was clear: the story of last night's duel had spread like wildfire.
And Hikaru had let it happen on purpose.
If he'd wanted to avoid attention, he could've simply ignored that challenge.
But he didn't.
Just as he reached the city gates, a group of players flagged him down.
"Bro! Wanna join our guild—Meow Meow Squad? We've got cute girls, man!"
"Hey buddy, how about joining us instead? We'll put you straight into an officer position, full perks, VIP treatment—all yours first!"
Hikaru could only twitch a brow and let out a small, dry chuckle.
What the hell? When did I become this popular…?
Still, from the beginning, he'd never intended to join any guilds this early into the game. With a light smile, he gave them a glance, then turned and walked away toward the training fields—leaving only the outline of his back in the morning light as the stunned players watched him go.
Deep down, Hikaru already knew.
There was only one guild in SAO worth calling the top—the Knights of the Blood. After all, that was the faction where Kayaba Akihiko himself resided—the final boss, and the target of one of Hikaru's system missions.
Maybe the Holy Dragon Alliance comes second…
With that, he shook his head and focused his mind. It was still only the second day since SAO launched. Most players were just starting to level up.
— — —
Whoosh!
His long black coat whipped behind him as he dashed forward, sword flashing crimson in the air. Bloodlust sliced clean through a skeleton-type monster, shattering it into blue particles.
Before he could move on, his feet came to a stop.
Not far away, another player was fighting the same kind of enemy—a small-framed figure, cloaked in a hooded mantle. She defeated the monster too, though her movements weren't nearly as efficient.
The hooded player glanced toward Hikaru, then quickly turned and ran the other way.
"…Reddish-brown hair. That's her," Hikaru whispered to himself, a subtle spark of intrigue flickering in his eyes.
But he didn't chase her.
He knew the first floor boss raid strategy meeting would be held soon.
They would meet again.
For now, another monster had spawned nearby. Hikaru turned back and dashed in.
— — —
Time passed quickly.
One full month had gone by since SAO's official launch.
Returning to town after an exhausting session of solo grinding, Hikaru was passing by a trading plaza when his ears caught a certain conversation.
"You planning to join the boss strategy meeting?"
"Why not? We've waited long enough. It's been a month—we've gotta take action eventually. Unless… you really don't want to leave this game."
"W-What?! Of course I want out! Wait, where's the meeting being held?"
Stepping forward, Hikaru politely asked, "Mind sharing the coordinates with me?"
The player who had his arms crossed gave Hikaru an annoyed glance… until he got a good look at him.
His attitude changed instantly.
Without hesitation, he flicked his fingers in the air and sent the coordinates directly to Hikaru's interface.
"Thanks," Hikaru nodded, then turned away.
So it's finally happening…
For the past month, Hikaru had trained relentlessly. His gear was now top-tier, and his level far surpassed that of the average player.
He was more than ready.
— — —
Following the coordinates, Hikaru arrived at a semi-circular open field resembling an amphitheater. A number of notable players had already gathered there.
He chose a seat near the top row, arms folded, quietly observing. The meeting hadn't started yet—it looked like they were still waiting on others.
Within minutes, the venue began to fill. Players took their places, whispering among themselves.
Naturally, Hikaru's dark outfit and crimson sword glow didn't go unnoticed.
"Is that him...? The Beta Tester everyone's talking about?"
"He looks even cooler than the rumors made him sound…"
"He must've gotten all the best loot ahead of time. That's why he's geared like that."
But not all eyes were judgmental.
Among the crowd, two pairs of eyes held a different kind of recognition.
One belonged to Kirigaya Kazuto—better known as Kirito.
He, too, was a Beta Tester. And from the look in his eyes, he recognized Hikaru as someone worthy of respect. Maybe even someone he could call a comrade… if not for the current social tension, he might've walked right up and introduced himself.
The second pair of eyes belonged to a player cloaked in a deep crimson hood.
Even though her face was hidden, the strands of reddish-brown hair poking from beneath the hood were unmistakable.
Hikaru caught her gaze and smiled faintly.
— — —
Soon, a blue-haired player stepped up in front of the group and raised his voice.
"Hey! Hey! Can I have your attention, everyone?"
The room quieted.
"Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it. Name's Diabel, and… you can think of me as a knight."
A few players chuckled under their breath. Everyone knew there were no formal classes like "knight" in SAO.
But Diabel didn't flinch. He stood tall, voice confident.
"Today, my party discovered the boss room at the top of the first floor's tower."
At that moment, Hikaru stood up.
In an instant, he was already standing in front of Diabel.
"Give me the coordinates to the boss room," he said calmly.
Diabel blinked, clearly surprised. But once he got a good look at Hikaru, he couldn't help but speak up.
"Wait… you're that infamous Beta Tester everyone's been talking about, aren't you?"
"I've said this countless times already," Hikaru replied, voice flat. "I'm not a Beta Tester. Believe me or don't—I don't care. Now, the coordinates."
"You're planning to go… alone?" Diabel asked, wide-eyed. "No matter how strong you are, there's no way you can solo a boss."
"Is that the Black Cloak guy with the red sword?"
"Talk about arrogant! Who does he think he is?"
"He's gotta be insane. No fear of death, apparently."
The crowd murmured with disapproval. Hikaru was about to respond when another voice rang out.
"Wait!"
A man leapt down from the stands and landed near them.
"I'm Kibaou. And I've got something to say."
He looked like a middle-aged man with an ordinary face, but his glare was sharp and full of intensity.
"Someone here needs to take responsibility for the 2,000 players who've already died!"
Every eye turned toward Hikaru.
He sighed and stared back at Kibaou with calm eyes.
"You mean me? Just because you think I'm a Beta Tester?"
"Isn't it obvious?!" Kibaou growled, fists clenched. "You Beta players abandoned the rest of us on day one. Selfish bastards!"
Without another word, Hikaru opened his inventory, pulled out a familiar brown book, and held it up high.
"Some of you have this. Some of you don't. This guidebook was distributed for free at the item shop—by the Beta Testers themselves."
He paused to let it sink in, then continued, voice firm.
"Let me say this one more time. I'm not a Beta Tester. And even if I were, Beta players aren't obligated to help anyone. Creating and sharing this guide was more than enough."
His gaze sharpened as he turned back toward Kibaou.
"And you... Instead of whining and pointing fingers, why don't you spend that time training?"
He then looked at Diabel again.
"If you don't mind, could you send me the boss room coordinates and whatever information your team gathered? Thanks in advance."
Diabel hesitated for a moment—then, almost reflexively, he opened his interface and shared the data with Hikaru.
Once he received the info, Hikaru glanced at Kibaou—whose face was now slick with cold sweat—then turned to leave.
But Diabel's voice stopped him.
"Wait, Mr. Red and Black Sword!"
Hikaru turned, eyebrow raised.
"I know your gear and level are probably leagues above ours. But… would you consider joining the strategy meeting? With you on our side, our odds would improve dramatically."
Tension hung in the air as Diabel awaited his answer.
— — —
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