Chapter 640: Expert Player
Kirito didn’t think there would be so many players here. The moment he entered this place, he flinched slightly from surprise. When he heard Klein, he returned to his senses.
“Kirito, my man...”
Klein ditched his crew and he ran over to Kirito.
“If I knew you would be coming, I would have called you up to do this quest together...”
Klein met Kirito when he first logged onto SAO. Even if Kirito didn’t help him much and he ultimately left Klein in the Town of Beginnings, he still appreciated the tips he gave them.
“I also didn’t expect this...”
Kirito glanced at everyone.
“I thought I was the only one with information on the special field boss...”
This boss wasn’t implemented in the original closed beta. This boss is designed and scripted so that it only appears on the Eve of Christmas. Moreover, Kirito didn’t pursue this questlines with ferocity when compared with his counterpart in the original work. He’s also not ready to solo this boss at the risk of his life because he didn’t desperately want this item like in the original story. Hence, he only found out about this quest about the same time as the other frontliners.
“I see most of the clearing guilds are already here...”
Kirito scanned over KoB, the Black Cats, Fuurinkazan, and the Divine Dragons, his sight fell on the last group, the Army.
“Oh, even they are here, the competition for this revival item will be an intense one, that’s for sure...”
Kirito said that without any worry in his tone. He looked rather relaxed, it’s almost like he didn’t think too much of the other clearing guilds here.
“Say, Kirito...”
Klein chuckled.
“Since you’re here and all, why don’t you party up with us? Whoever gets the item gets to keep it, sounds good?”
“Okay!”
Kirito agreed without hesitation.
Without being spurned like in the original work, Kirito didn’t get isolated from all the players. He also didn’t get to develop his relationship with the Black Cats, thereby preventing their deaths in a Trap Room like in the original work. The current Kirito is arguably the most blessed version in all the multiverse out there.
Kirito also wasn’t forced to move alone, he preferred to fight and move alone but he’s very open to partying with others should the need arise like today.
Even a fool will know that it’s going to be hard trying to compete with other clearing guilds. The chances of him getting the item will increase if he parties up with the parties like Klein’s.
This boss is also designed to be abnormally strong. Even someone as strong as Kirito will only be able to win with a 10% chance. Unlike the original story, he has no reason to put his life on the line (Sachi’s revival).
Kirito’s participation in Klein’s Fuurinkazan was very much welcomed. For one, Kirito’s very capable. For the other four guilds, his participation is very much unwelcomed. They had very tense expressions. Asuna is the only one who looked calm, she’s eerily composed.
Asuna was familiar with Kirito. They were in a party on the first floor. They also frequently met during raid meetings and raid fights. They also stood near the top of all players with their capabilities. They also butted heads over strategies so they are very friendly with each other.
Friendliness is one thing, business is another thing. In situations like this, she will not stand together with Kirito.
Kirito and Klein returned to Fuurinkazan. They addressed the tense crowd.
“Look, are we doing this or not? I know there’s quite some time before dawn, but I think given the boss’s strength, it’s going to cost us a lot of time so...”
The five guilds all looked at each other and they became silent, Kirito’s words made sense.
“Yes, we can’t continue staring at each other like this!”
Asuna raised her voice.
“We should just head in like this. We shall abide by raid group rules, finders keepers. Anyone disagree?”
Klein and Souta agreed with a nod. Meanwhile, Divine Dragons and the Army didn’t express their opinions.
The two guilds reckoned that they had a better chance this way since they had more members.
The heavy air also disappeared after everyone achieved an understanding of each other. Asuna nodded and she tried to continue.
“Then...”
Suddenly, the entrance experienced another spatial distortion. Asuna swallowed her words.
The others froze up as they turned towards the entrance in unison.
Even Kirito was taken aback, who else hadn’t arrived at this point?
Is it Agil?
They didn’t think smaller guilds or squad will make an appearance here. They stood little to no chance if they wanted to compete with frontliners and the raid members.
The snow was scattered by the incoming figure. When he finally appeared, he dispersed the distortion around him like he’s used to this.
The others started looking at him with popped eyeballs. They sucked in the cold air around them. They rubbed their eyes because they just couldn’t believe this guy would make an appearance here. When they finally recognized his figure, they all gasped without an exception.
Black cloak, huge-ass longsword, that phantom-like existence who looked like he belonged with the night, it’s like space itself is an accessory to him. The straps and chains fluttered in the wind, giving him a very cool and distant look. Some of the onlookers realized too late that they were staring at him with too much admiration in their eyes.
A small fairy sat upon his shoulder. The luminescent glow of the fairy gave the dark figure a sense of warmth. They also made a good contrast with their light and darkness conflicting tones. It’s like they are made this way, that the heavens ordained it so...
Black cloaks, black longsword, a fairy on his shoulder...
Is there any player in SAO who doesn’t recognize this man?
“It’s the Fae Swordsman! Wu Yan!”
Someone called out. At this time, KoB, the Cats, Fuurinkazan, the Divine Dragons, and the army finally recovered from their shock.
“Fae Swordsman! It’s him in the flesh!”
“The strongest player! The Fae swordsman Wu Yan!”
“H-he came...”
“I saw him, yo!!! I saw the real Fae Swordsman! Ayo, you seeing this, man?!”
He made fangirls out of male players. Asuna, Kirito, Souta, and Klein also returned to their senses.
“It’s him!”
Kirito hissed in astonishment.
“He’s that legendary player, huh?”
Klein mused with intrigue.
“He came too...’
Souta grinned.
“I-it’s him...”
Asuna said with disbelief.
The Fae swordsman, the strongest player, the one who took down close to twenty floors all on his own!
The player who has not been seen more than 10 times during the span of one year.
He actually appeared in front of a relatively large crowd!
The frontliners and raid group members are all equally dumbfounded as other normal players when they saw this man. They made a fuss over him just like any other players would when they see Wu Yan.
“It’s... really him...”
Asuna lost her cool look. She recalled this player who etched a deep impression into her mind, and her eyes started wavering with emotional ripples...