134 Chapter 134 - 20th Floor Boss

The days seemed to flash by, and, before anyone knew it, it was the night before the 20th floor boss raid. All one hundred and thirty-some members of the Assault Team were gathered together for one last strategic meeting.

"The scouting party already spoke their considerations. Now Argo the Rat has some information she believes will be of use to the Assault Team."

The info-broker rolled her eyes at Lind's pompous way of saying it was her time to step forward. The famous Dragon Knight was a controller, he liked to make others feel like he was always in command.

"Aight, what he said. Y'all saw the 1st phase of the boss, and that's all fine and dandy. The scoutin' party did a great job. But I and Broken Spear over there stumbled upon a quest 'bout ten days back, and it took me till now to confirm everythin'."

No one spoke. Argo was possibly the player the Assault Team respected the most in all of Aincrad. Despite her normal avaricious behavior, she was extremely generous when it came to intel about bosses, never holding anything back. Further, she was always extremely thorough with the information she collected, double and triple checking everything to make sure it was correct before passing it over to them. Without a doubt, Argo had saved the most lives in SAO, even if indirectly.

"2nd phase's still a mystery, but I know the boss goes berserk when it's down to the last health bar. It's gonna double in size and strength, which means a much larger attack range, so watch out for that. Not just that, it discards the double axes for a halberd."

"Slower and more predictable, but much more powerful and a much longer reach."

Drifter spoke up, as someone who had personal experience handling halberds. Argo nodded.

"What he said. Last but not least, the boss got a final attack. Dunno what it is, y'all know how info is always foggy on that. Seems to me like somethin' more physical, so not an elemental attack or somethin' like that. I'm not a hundred sure on that though, so take it with a pinch of salt."

She was being succinct. Argo was an info-broker, not a fighter, even if she was better than most clearers with her claws. But planning how to fight the boss fell to the frontliners.

"We already know how to beat the first phase, and we'll just have to power through the second. We'll rotate. Fuurinkazan, Legend Braves, Dragon Knight Brigade's teams 1 through 6. 4 of Aincrad Liberation Squad's parties, plus..."

Lind pointed to three or four smaller guilds and independent parties, neatly splitting them into groups. Everything else aside, he was a capable commander.

"Black Swordsman, the final phase will be up to Reaver's Requiem. Kibaou the Challenger and Liten the Fortress, as well as the ALS players not involved in the second phase will be your support."

Alright, scratch that. Lind was a pompous fool who insisted on using everyone's titles despite repeated warnings not to do so. And one of them wasn't too happy with the task they were assigned. Or with being called 'support'.

"What the heck are ya thinkin', Lind?! Just 'cause yer DKB is taking point this raid doesn't mean ya get to boss us around!"

'Oh for fu-'.

Deciding to interrupt before Lind could retort and the meeting degenerated into a shouting match, Drifter smacked the ground with the butt of his spear. The solid 'thud' stopped the two guild leaders dead on their tracks, insults caught on their throats.

"Do you two want a repeat of the 10th floor? Huh? Thought so. Then stop this pissing contest and focus! This is not a normal boss raid. One mishap and you are dead. Do you want it to be on your hands?!"

The sharp questions left Dragon Knight Lind and Kibaou the Challenger red-faced. Drifter didn't give a damn. The two guild leaders could have their little spats whenever, except now.

The spearmaster shot a glance at Kirito. The boy caught it, and nodded. Drifter got the privilege of yelling at the two idiots, and the swordsman had to steer the meeting back on track. It always worked wonders.

"Reaver's Requiem will be ready for the last phase. But we will need more shields besides Vallerk and Shigio. Liten?"

"Hm. I'll direct our shield squads."

The heavily armored player grunted in agreement. Although she had revealed she was a woman a long time ago, and started dating Shivata, old habits died hard, and she was more often than not covered from head to toe, as was this case.

"Hmph!"

Kibaou and Lind weren't happy at being sidelined, but a glare from Drifter reminded them that they were in front of 130 frontliners just like them, who were about to risk their lives in what would in all likelihood be the harshest battle in Sword Art Online yet. Even their subordinates were throwing them dirty glances, although not as overt as Reaver's Requiem and Fuurinkazan's.

"We planned all we could. No sense in overthinking it when we aren't sure of what will happen after the first phase. We'll see y'all tomorrow. One step closer."

Kirito ended the meeting with those words. Drifter nodded to Klein, Orlando, Shivata, Liten, and the rest of the Assault Team, and Reaver's Requiem walked away.

Tonight, exceptionally, they would be getting a full 8 hours of sleep. Everything ready for the raid. For whatever came.

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Kana sometimes thought those pre-battle meetings were harder to watch than the actual thing. The way they planned, made contingencies. How they casually mentioned death.

The way her son could look someone in the eye and tell them that if they died, someone else was expected to immediately take their position. Or that if he died, Kizmel and Griselda were supposed to fill the vacuum he left.

Victory before grief.

No plan survives first contact with the enemy. Maybe the Assault Team wasn't familiar with the exact wording of the saying, but they were more than aware of how real it was. Which was why, when everything went to hell, you needed to win. Even if your friends were dying around you, if your family was screaming in terror.

Victory before grief. Because if they didn't win, there wouldn't be anyone left to mourn.

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Another morning dawned in Aincrad. Just a month and a half short of a full year since Sword Art Online started.

The morning sun found most of Reaver's Requiem already up. Ran and Yuuki were polishing their swords in the room they shared - not because there was any need to clean the weapons, but just to keep their hands and minds occupied.

Sinon was sitting on her windowsill, watching the sunrise. Kizmel was already halfway through her breakfast, like the soldier she once was. Kirito and Asuna had gone on a walk while it was still dark out.

Keita, Sachi, Sasamaru, Tetsuo, and Ducker were, possibly, more nervous than the frontliners in the guild, despite the fact they wouldn't participate in the raid. Agil and Shigio were sharing a table with them, in absolute silence. Wolv was still in his room, but already awake.

Vallerk and Liz had stepped outside for fresh air. Silica was playing with Feredir and Pina in the plaza just outside of their inn. Argo was keeping her company, for once not typing away in her menu. Griselda was on the floor's edge, watching the sky.

None of them had slept the 8 hours they wanted. Well, 6 was already more than they had hoped for.

...

Toc toc.

"It's open!"

Nautilus knocked on a door, and Yuna yelled from the other side. The blade-user turned the handle and walked inside. Drifter and Yuna were sitting on the bed, staring out of the window and watching the sunrise.

The couple smiled when their friend walked in. Nautilus returned it with an upturn of his lips, and flopped down on Yuna's other side. Drifter's hand, which had been around her shoulders, stretched to lightly hold the back of Nautilus' head in a comforting gesture.

"Sleep well, Naut?"

"Did you?"

The ash-haired player threw a suggestive glance at the snuggling couple. Yuna rolled her eyes.

"I'm seventeen, dad. And you have your own girlfriend, go cuddle her."

"Sinon and I got dumped in favor of some sister bonding time. So now I can only come here to be the third wheel. Rough life, mine is."

They joked, because it was better than thinking of what was coming. The part of the raid they only alluded to, but never mentioned overtly. That they made plans for, but never thought too deeply, because it scared them.

It was never nightmares that kept them awake. It was anticipation. How was the boss? How would the battle go? What mistakes would happen? How long would it take? Who would die?

Because someone was going to. Maybe more than one person. They all felt it, hence why they were so restless and still at the same time. That contradiction. The silent, unconscious, selfish prayers to not be someone you cared about.

"Breakfast?"

"A few more minutes."

Yuna hummed, and snuggled closer to Drifter, closing her eyes. Nautilus smiled at the sight, not an ounce of jealousy in his gaze.

"You watch my back, Naut, and I'll watch yours."

"And our singing angel will watch over both of us."

...

Like always, the intimidating boss room doors stood several meters tall over the players. This time they didn't have any engravings, but were lavishly covered in silver and gold.

The mood amongst the Assault Team was somber. It had to be. They had walked into the 10th floor boss room without knowing any better. Thinking it was just another raid.

Now they knew. And six deaths were too many. One was too many. But the possibility was there, for that and worse. They felt it looming over their heads.

Frontliners died. That was a fact. Nobody expected the Assault Team to reach the top with the same members it had now. People were going to die. But never before had it felt so close. So certain.

None of them stepped back. There was pride and more on the line. And if they turned around, ran away, what good would that do? The only way out was up. The only path to survival was up.

"Ready?"

Lind rested the pommel of his sword against the doors and asked one last time. No one said anything, but the grim looks were answer enough.

He pushed the doors open.

The room was a long hall, furnished with statues and ancient tapestries. At the very end, sitting on her golden throne, awaited the boss.

She was big. Maybe 8 meters tall, with muscled forearms the size of Drifter, and about thrice as thick. Which they needed to be, to lift the two huge axes she used in battle, one gold and the other silver. Both had deadly edges.

Xhitana Queen was her name, and she was mostly human. Mostly, because she had sporadic rainbow scales growing on her exposed skin - which was almost all of it, as she barely wore enough to keep her modesty, not that any of the players were interested in peeking now.

Going up, a spiral horn grew from her forehead, and her eyes had slitted pupils.

But the most distinguishing feature of the Xhitana Queen weren't the scales or the horn. It was her heart. Her exposed, bare for all to see, heart.

There was a hole in her chest, all the way through. And her heart was in the middle, still beating, and held by thorny chains that seemed to come from inside her body.

It was gruesome. And disturbing. So Kirito nodded, and Sinon shot an arrow at it, of course.

Waiting for the boss to get up? Why the hell would they do that? Strike first, strike faster. Hit it where it hurts, and use every dirty trick in the book. That was how the Assault Team fought.

Unfortunately, it seemed the Xhitana Queen was still in the middle of her cutscene, and Sinon's arrows bounced off harmlessly.

"It was worth a try. Everyone, to your positions!"

The boss got up, pulling out her axes from where they had been stuck on the ground in front of her throne. Feeling her malicious gaze, the frontliners tightened their hold on their weapons.