Sword Art Online Progressive - Volume 01

by Chapter 1 + Intermission

  Just as the rapier user had said, no one had yet seen anyone—not within the current Aincrad, anyway—challenge the First Floor Boss. The risk of one’s HP gauge reaching zero, or in other words, the risk of dying would be the greatest here among the large-scale battles that had occurred on this floor until now. In other words, everyone gathered in the plaza was prepared for their own death, and by being here, they accepted they would become the stepping stones for future players…that was what it should have meant, but…

  "…No, I wonder about that…"

  I unconsciously whispered that. The rapier user sent me a questioning look from under her hood. In response, I answered while carefully choosing my words.

  "I cannot say this for everyone, but rather than «Showing a spirit of self-sacrifice», I think that a lot of people came here due to the «Uneasiness about being left behind», too. Since I’m also here for the latter of those two reasons, after all…"

  "…Left behind? From what?"

  "From the front line. Total annihilation is scary, but having a boss being beaten in a place you don’t know is scary, too."

  The cloth hood tilted slightly. Since she was a complete beginner to net games, she wouldn’t be able to understand what I just said very well—was what I thought, but.

  ". .That is like, not wanting to fall below the tenth place rank in your school year, or wanting to keep your standard score1 of 70, that kind of similar motivation?"

  “………”

  This time, it was my turn to be speechless. Thinking about it a bit, I nodded at a subtle angle.

  “Yeah…Well, probably…maybe it’s like that…”

  Then—

  Peeking under her hood, I saw her nicely-shaped lips smile slightly. ‘Fu, fu’, a faint sound could be heard. Was she…laughing?

  From the beyond-perfect «Linear» skill user, who had called my actions an "unnecessary effort" when I carried her out of the maze?

  I unconsciously tried looking directly into the interior of her hood, but fortunately the situation changed before that. With a *Pan, Pan* hand-clapping sound, a shouting voice that carried well flowed throughout the plaza.

  "O—K! Now then, it's five minutes late, but let's start! Everyone, a bit more to the front…there, come three steps closer!"

  The owner of the truly majestic voice that spoke was swordsman with shiny metallic armor covering his entire tall figure. He nimbly jumped without a running-start onto the edge of the fountain that stood in the center of the plaza. To have jumped that high with that much armor, he must have possessed very high Strength and Dexterity.

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  1 Standard Score - Basically the term for how the education system grades students relative to each other’s grades.

  When they saw the back-turned swordsman, several of the forty-odd people present rustled and murmured slightly. I understood what they were feeling. Because I, too, wondered why that man standing on the edge of the fountain was so handsome, to the point that I couldn’t help but think it was the product of a VRMMO.

  In addition, his long hair flowing down in waves on either side of his face was dyed a brilliant blue. Since hair-dying items were not sold in shops on the first floor, he must have hunted for or bought a rare monster drop.

  If he went to all that trouble to customize his hair style and color for this gathering, with only two female players here (although one of them was in a hooded cape so no one could tell from the outside), I think he must have felt some reluctance, but the man bore a refreshing smile that completely deflected my suspicion and said.

  "Today, thank you for heeding my summons! Some people here know me, but I will again introduce myself! I am «Diabel», and my class in my heart2 is «Knight»!"

  With that, the people around the fountain burst out with whistles and applause, mixed with various cries like 'You meant «Hero», right!' flew through the air.

  In SAO, «classes» prescribed by the system did not exist. Each player was given a number of «Skill Slots», and could freely select and set up all kinds of skills and train them. For example, people with manufacturing-type or trade-type skills as their main skills could be called a «Blacksmith», «Seamstress», «Cook», or other such official job titles—however, I have limited knowledge about the «Knight» and «Hero» classes, having not heard of them before.

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  2 The actual word they use here is 気持ち的, which is difficult to translate into English, but the context of Diabel’s words make “in his heart” the best way to express the meaning in English..

  But, of course, ‘calling oneself by whatever title they want’ was every individual’s freedom of choice. Looking at him closely, the man named Diabel was wearing bronze armor on his chest, shoulders, arms and shins, with a large longsword on his left hip, and a kite shield on his back. You could say that was this was the so-called Knight-class armament.

  While gazing at his majestic from the back of the crowd, I quickly searched through the index in my brain. His equipment and hair style were different, so it was hard to connect, but I felt like I had seen him many times in the front line villages and towns. And then, what about before that—the «Other Aincrad», did I see him there? At the very least, I don't remember having heard his name before…

  "Now then, as for the reason why I gathered you top players who are active at the front lines like this, I don't think I need to say it, but…"

  As Diabel's speech continued, I stopped my thoughts and concentrated on him. The blue-haired knight raised his right hand, pointed to the huge tower that rose faintly beyond the town scape—the First Floor Dungeon, and continued.

  "…Today, our party found the stairs leading to the top-most floor of that tower. In other words, tomorrow, or at the latest the day after tomorrow, we will reach it: the first floor's…Boss Room!"

  The players rustled and became noisy among each other. I was a little surprised, too. The First Floor Dungeon had 20 floors; I (and the rapier user beside me) had been close to rising from the 18th to 19th floor when we passed through the dungeon today, but I didn't know that the 19th floor was already mapped that far.

  "One month. Coming this far took one month…but even so, we have to set an example. We have to beat the boss, reach the second floor, and show everyone still waiting at the Starting City that it is definitely possible to clear this death game. That is the duty of us top players here right now! Isn't that right, everyone!"

  Again, cheers. This time, it seemed that there were people clapping who were not Diabel's friends. Certainly, what was being said was splendid and nothing was hidden. No, it would be strange to even wonder about anything hidden in those words in the first place. Right now, should I come out with my high opinion of the mediator of the front lines players that had been scattered until now, give my own applause to the Knight-sama—— "Wait a minute, Knight-han3."

  At that moment, a low voice flowed out.

  The cheering immediately stopped, and the front of the crowd split into two. Standing at the center of the newly opened gap was a short yet solidly built man. From my position, I could only make out a rather large one-handed sword on his back, and some kind of pointed, cactus-styled brown hair.

  Taking one step forward, the cactus head growled in a deep, gravelly voice that was the opposite of Diabel's beautiful voice.

  "Before that, there is one thing that I have to say, or otherwise I cannot join you."

  Despite this rude intrusion, Diabel’s expression nearly didn’t change. With a smile overflowing with composure, he said while beckoning.

  "What is it that you need to say? Well, whatever it is, opinions are very welcome. But, if you are going to speak, you should tell us your name first."

  "………Hmph."

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  3 A different pronunci
ation of the suffix “-san” that is used in the Kansai dialect of Japanese.

  Kibaou speaks in this dialect, but unfortunately I don’t know how to express it in English.

  Anyone is welcome to give suggestions in order to change his speech to reflect this.

  Cactus head gave a huge snort, and then took one, two steps forward. When he reached the fountain, he turned around to face us.

  "I am «Kibaou»."

  The cactus head swordsman who introduced himself with a somewhat daring character name glared at all the players in the plaza with beady but sharp and bright eyes.

  His sweeping look stopped for just an instant on my face—or maybe it was just my imagination. I didn't know his name, nor did I have any memory of passing by him somewhere. After taking plenty of time to look at everyone once, Kibaou eventually said in an even more threatening voice.

  "In this group, there should be about 5 or 10 people that need to apologize."

  "Apologize? To whom?"

  The «knight» Diabel, who was still standing behind him on the fountain’s edge in the back, raised both hands in a questioning manner. Without looking at him, Kibaou spat out in hatred.

  "Ha, isn't it obvious. To the 2000 people who died up until now.

  Those guys had a monopoly on everything, and so 2000 people died in one month! Isn't that right?!"

  At that moment, the audience of forty-odd people that had been murmuring in low voices became completely silent. What Kibaou was insinuating, everyone finally understood. Myself included, of course.

  In the oppressive silence, only the evening BGM from the NPC

  orchestra played quietly. No one tried to speak. If anything was said, then at that instant you would be labeled as one of «those guys»—that was the likely fear on everyone's mind. No, more than likely. At the very least, I was certainly caught by that fear…

  "—Kibaou-san. «Those guys» who you’re referring to are…the original beta testers, right?"

  With his arms crossed, Diabel showed the sternest look he had worn up till now as he asked for confirmation.

  "Obviously."

  With the thick metal pieces of his scale mail clinking over the leather he wore, Kibaou gave a glance towards the knight behind him, and then continued.

  "Those beta testers4, on the day this shitty game started, dashed from the Starting City and disappeared. They left behind over 9000 people who didn't know left from right. They monopolized good hunting grounds and profitable quests, got only themselves stronger reservation, and then always feigned ignorance about it afterwards…There should also be some in this group, some sly people hiding their beta status and thinking of joining the Boss Fight. I say we should make them kneel down and spit out all of the gold and items they stockpiled for the sake of this operation, and that they cannot be entrusted with the lives of our party members!"

  Just like his name5, he cut off his condemnation with a snap of his teeth, but still, no one tried to raise their voice to speak. As a member of the original beta tester group, I also clenched my teeth, held my breath, and continued to keep silent.

  It wasn’t because of an impulse to shout out a retort to him. Like, 'Do you think that none of the original beta testers died?'.

  About one week earlier, I bought a certain piece of information from Argo—to be precise, I requested her to investigate something. To find out the estimated death toll for the original beta testers.

  The SAO closed beta test that had been conducted over summer vacation had accepted only 1000 people. Every participant was later given the priority purchase rights for the official-version package, but considering the login status at the end of the test period, my guess was that not all 1000 testers had moved to the official service.

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  4 Kibaou refers to the beta testers as ベータ上がりども, which roughly translates as “beta testers”.

  5 The word “Kiba” means “fang” in Japanese and “Ou” means “king”, so his name would translate as “Fang King”.

  Probably 700 to 800 people—that was most likely the total number of original beta testers at the start of the death game.

  However, finding out «Who is an original beta tester» was not so simple. If a player's colored cursor had a [β] mark, then of course it would be easy—having said that, it could be called fortunate that such a mark did not exist, and all of our avatars’ appearances had been reset everyone's true appearance in reality due to the GM Kayaba Akihiko’s forethought. The only clue we could go by was the name, but many had probably changed their user names from the beta to the official release. Incidentally, the reason that Argo and I are mutually certain that we are both original beta testers was related to how we first met, but that's another story.

  Anyway, for these reasons, Argo's research should have been quite difficult. However, it took her only 3 days to give me a number.

  Approximately 300 people. That was Argo's estimate for the death toll of original beta testers.

  If that number is accurate, that means, within the current death toll of 2000, 1700 were new players. Percentage-wise, the new player death rate was about 18%. On the other hand, the original tester death rate was—close to 40%.

  Prior knowledge and experience did not necessarily mean safety.

  On the contrary, it could also be a pitfall. I myself nearly lost my life in a difficult quest that I accepted right away on the first day of this death game. Also, there were external factors. In this SAO

  official service, the geography, monsters and items are mostly the same as in the beta test, but once in a while, there is a slight difference, like a small deadly poisoned needle……

  "May I speak?"

  At that time, a rich and forceful baritone resounded through the evening plaza.

  When I returned from my thoughts and raised my head, there was a silhouette moving forward and coming out from around the left end of the crowd.

  Huge. His height probably was over 180cm. An avatar's size was said not to have any effect on one’s stats, but the rustic two-handed battle-axe slung over his back certainly appeared lightweight to him.

  His appearance, too, was impressive and did not lose to his weapon. A completely bald head, and chocolate-colored skin.

  However, that radical customization actually suited his chiseled face very well. He was far from looking Japanese…or rather, he might actually be of a different race.

  Moving forward near the fountain, the muscular giant lightly bowed to the other forty-odd players, and then turned to Kibaou who had a dramatically different height.

  "My name is Agil. Kibaou-san, what you mean to say is that many beginners died because original beta testers did not take care of them, that they should accept that responsibility and apologize along with giving reparations for it, is that correct?"

  "Th…That's right."

  Kibaou, momentarily overwhelmed, took a step back, but soon returned forward, and then glared at the axe user called Agil with his blazing, small eyes, and shouted.

  "If they had not left us behind, 2000 people would not have had to die! Moreover, they were not just any 2000 people, most of them were top-ranked veterans from other MMOs! If those stupid testers had properly shared information, items and money, then there would have been 10 times as many people here right now…no, by now we would have broken through the 2nd or 3rd floor!!"

  —300 of those 2000 are comprised of what you called 'stupid testers'!

  I desperately held back the impulse to shout that. Trivial reasons like 'I could not show a basis for the number 300 right now' and 'it would be scary to be hanged and denounced by everyone' were of course part of what stopped me. However, more than that, it wouldn’t be smart to reveal my status as an original tester by objecting here in this situation, no matter how I thought about it.

  Right now, about four to five hundred remaining original testers were mixed haphazardly among the new players. Level a
nd equipment-wise, they could no longer be said to stand out. In this situation, I had a fear that, even if I revealed myself as an original tester, let alone progressing towards reconciliation, a dangerous witch hunt might arise instead. At worst, the front line players would divide themselves between beginners and testers, and they would start fighting. That had to be avoided at all costs. Because, in SAO, player attacks were allowed in the fields and dungeons collectively known as the «Outer Area»…

  "That's what you say, Kibaou-san. I don't know about the money and items, but I believe that there is in fact information from them."

  While I lowered my eyes shamefully, Agil the axe warrior again responded in a rich baritone. From the huge pouch on his muscled and leather armor-covered waist, he took out a simple sheepskin-bound book item. On the cover, there was a «Rat Mark» designed with round ears and three whiskers on each cheek.

  "This guidebook, you got it too, right? It’s freely distributed from the item shops in Horunka and Medai, after all."

  "…F-Freely distributed?"

  I involuntarily spluttered quietly. That, just as the mark on the cover indicated, was the «Strategy Guide by Area» sold by the informant Argo the Rat.

  It comprised subjects from detailed terrain information to monster appearances, drop items and even quest explanations, and the slogan [It's fine. This is Argo's strategy guide.] written on the bottom of the cover in huge letters was no exaggeration.

  Although embarrassing, I myself obtained the whole set to supplement my memory—but, according to my memory, each book should be 500 col, a pretty respectable price…