"One month has passed since the game began." "December 2, 2022" "During that time, two thousand people have died." "However, no one has yet been able to clear the first floor." "I was a beta tester, and even I haven't found the boss room." "And today, we're finally holding a meeting on how to defeat the first floor boss." "Beater" "Okay, let's get started, people!" "Thank you for coming today." "My name is Diabel." "I like to consider my "job" as Knight." "There's no job system in this game!" "A knight?" "Then, is the meeting a joke, too?" "You should take this seriously!" "Today, our party found the boss room at the top of the tower." "Seriously?" "We need to defeat the boss, reach the second floor, and tell everyone waiting in the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to beat this game." "Everyone present here shares this duty!" "Do you all agree?" "All right, then let us begin our planning." "First, divide into parties of six." "Of course we'll be in the same party." "An ordinary party has no chance against a floor boss." "I'll be the leader." "We'll need to form a raid group using multiple parties." "Let's do this." "You got left out, too?" "I wasn't left out." "I just stayed out of it because everyone seemed to know each other already." "A solo player?" "Then, want to form a party with me?" "He just said we can't beat the boss on our own." "So just for this fight?" "Okay, have you formed your parties?" "Then—" "Just a second!" "My name's Kibaou." "I wanna say something before we take on the boss." "Some of you here need to apologize to the two thousand who have died so far!" "Kibaou-san, are you referring to the beta testers?" "Of course I am!" "On the day this stupid game started, the beta guys ditched us beginners, and they all disappeared." "They took all the good hunting spots and easy quests for themselves, so only they could get stronger." "And then, they just ignored the rest of us." "I'm sure someone here was in the beta!" "They should get on their knees and apologize, and give up all the items and money they've hoarded." "Otherwise, we can't trust them to protect us as party members, and they shouldn't trust us!" "May I speak?" "My name is Egil." "Kibaou-san, tell me if I have this right." "You're saying that because the beta testers didn't take care of them, many beginners died." "That they should take responsibility, apologize, and provide compensation." "Correct?" "Y-Yeah." "You got this guide book, didn't you?" "It was provided for free at the item store." "Sure, I did..." "Why?" "It was compiled from information given by the beta testers." "Seriously?" "Listen." "Everyone had equal access to this information." "And even still, many players died." "I thought the topic of discussion here was what we could learn from their deaths, and how that can help us defeat the boss." "All right." "Then, can we resume?" "The latest edition of that guide book was just issued, and it contains information on the boss." "According to it, the boss's name is Illfang the Kobold Lord." "He is guarded by assistants known as Ruin Kobold Sentinels." "He is armed with an axe and a buckler." "He has four health bars, and when the last one enters the red, he switches to a curved sword-type weapon called a Talwar." "His attack pattern changes, as well." "Wow..." "Amazing." "This concludes the briefing." "Lastly, items will be automatically distributed." "EXP goes to the party that defeats the monster." "And whoever receives an item keeps it." "Any objections?" "Okay, we leave tomorrow, at ten in the morning." "See you there!" "It's pretty tasty, isn't it?" "May I sit down?" "Do you really think it's good?" "Of course." "I've been eating at least one daily, ever since arriving in this town." "I do change it up a little, though." "Change it up?" "Trying putting some on the bread." "Cream?" "It's the reward for a quest called" ""The Heifer Strikes Back," one village behind us." "If you want to do it, I'll show you the trick." "I didn't come to this town to eat good food." "Then, why did you?" "So I can still be me." "I'd rather stay myself until the very end than sit and rot away at an inn, back in the first town." "Even if I get killed by a monster," "I don't want to lose to this game..." "To this world." "No matter what." "I wouldn't want a party member dying on me..." "So at the least, don't die tomorrow." "December 3, 2022 Floor 1:" "Forest Field" "Let's go over it again." "We leftovers are supposed to target the boss's helpers, the Ruin Kobold Sentinels." "I know." "I'll use a sword skill to knock their pole axes up." "The second I do, switch in." "Switch?" "Is this the first time you've ever been in a party?" "Yes." "Listen up, everyone." "I have only one thing to say." "Let's win!" "Let's go!" "Commence attack!" "Squad A!" "Squad C!" "Switch!" "Here it comes!" "Squad B, block!" "Squad C, keep guarding and prepare to switch." "Now!" "Switch, draw, and prepare to attack from the side." "Squads D, E, and F, keep the sentinels off us!" "Roger!" "Switch!" "Number three!" "I thought she was a beginner." "But she's incredible." "She's so fast, I can't even follow her blade." "Good job." "Looks like that information was right..." "Stand back." "I'll go!" "We were supposed to surround it with the entire group." "That isn't a Talwar!" "It's a No-Dachi!" "It's not the same as the beta test!" "No!" "Jump back as fast as you can!" "Diabel!" "Diabel!" "Why did you try to do it alone?" "You were a beta tester, weren't you?" "You know what I was doing." "You were after the last attack bonus rare item." "You were a beta tester, too?" "Please..." "Defeat..." "Defeat the boss." "For everyone..." "When this game started, the only thing I thought about was surviving." "Okay, goodbye, Klein." "However, Diabel, you were a beta tester." "But you never abandoned the other players." "You led everyone, and you fought brilliantly!" "You tried to do what I could not." "I'll go, too." "Thanks." "We'll do it just like the sentinels." "Got it." "Switch!" "Asuna!" "He's coming back!" "Crap!" "Go!" "We'll hold him off till you recover!" "You're..." "Watch out!" "I'll get you first!" "Asuna..." "One last hit!" "We'll do it together!" "Roger!" "W-We did it!" "Coat of Midnight" "Good work." "That was splendid swordsmanship." "Congratulations." "This victory belongs to you." "No..." "Why?" "Why did you let Diabel die?" "Let him die?" "Of course!" "You knew that technique the boss used!" "If you'd told us about that up front, he wouldn't have died!" "He must be a beta tester!" "That's how he knew all the boss's attack patterns." "He knew, but he didn't tell us!" "Other beta testers are here, too, right?" "Come out!" "This is bad." "At this rate..." "For everyone..." "Hey, come on..." "A beta tester?" "I wish you wouldn't compare me to those newbies." "W-What?" "!" "Most of the thousand beta testers were beginners who didn't even know how to level up." "You guys are better than they are." "But I'm not like them." "I made it higher than anyone else during the beta test." "The reason I knew the boss's skills is because I fought monsters with katana skills on floors far above us." "I know a lot more." "Way more than any information broker." "W-What?" "That's..." "That's way worse than a beta tester!" "You're cheating!" "A cheater!" "Yeah, a cheater!" "A beta tester and a cheater..." "A beater!" "A beater..." "I like it." "That's right..." "I am a beater." "From now on, don't confuse me with the other testers." "Coat of Midnight" "Wait." "You called my name when we were fighting." "Sorry for using just your first name." "Or did I mess up the pronunciation?" "Where did you learn it?" "You can see another HP gauge below yours, around here, right?" "Isn't something written next to it?" "Kirito..." "Kirito?" "Is that your name?" "Yeah." "Oh, it's been there all this time!" "You'll be really strong." "So if someone you trust ever invites you to join a guild, don't turn them down." "There's a big limit to what you can do as a solo player." "Then, what about you?" "Will you disband your party?" "Next Time:" "The Red-Nosed Reindeer."