Yo guys! Here's your next update! Also, for the pairing, many people seem to suggest a ShotoX Leafa, ShotoXSinon and KiritoXAsuna, it's not a problem to me, but... i could also do a 'Harem' if you guys want it...until I'm VERY sure (Which I am) of which girl will end up with Shoto... Or i can do a harem... Anyway, my biggest thanks to:

Thank you all for reviewing!

Now, for the 'Twilight robe' description, now, it seem I miss named it robe, instead of coat.. I'm really sorry about that, my bad. it looks almost like Kirito Mid-night coat, but the color are darkish orange, with crimson lining on the arms and lower back, all in all, it's a brighter version of Kirito's soon to be coat, both items had different effect, so not to worry. And i hope you all forgive my mistake.

Oh yeah, about Claire, yes, she's an NPC, also the reason the NPC are so advance are because its SAO, and advance rpg game, in the anime the NPC doesn't get much spot light, so I gave them some! Beside, its more interesting like this right?

Anyway, enough of my ranting! Story time!

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XXX

It's been one month since the game began, during that time, two thousand people have died. But, no one has yet been able to clear the first floor. Even we, as beta testers, haven't found the first floor boss room. And today, we're finally holding a meeting on how to defeat the first floor boss.

(Opening Theme)

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Floor 1: Meeting place.

"Okay, let's get started people!" A man yell out in a stage like place. The meeting place are like a theater place, with row of seats circling a stage like place in the middle.

Kirito and Shoto were now sitting down, the two of them were still wearing their usual clothes with an iron breast-plate.

"Thank you for coming today." A blue hair person said gratefully, he wore a blue shirt with white lining and a brown iron armor. "My name is Diabel, I like to consider my 'job' as knight."

Everyone who attended all laughed.

"There's no job system in this game!"

"Then is this meeting a joke too?"

"You should take this seriously!"

Diabel tried to calm the crowd down, but it was no use, he sighed and changed his expression into a serious one. "Today." He began, finally silencing everyone. "Our party found the boss room at the top of the tower." Now that gained their attention. "We need to defeat the boss to reach the second floor, and tell everyone in the town of beginnings, that it is possible to beat this game! Everyone present here share this duty! Don't you all agree?"

Everyone started to nod at each other, and one by one they all begin to clap their hands. Shoto and Kirito smiled as they looked on.

"Alright, then let us begin our planning. First, divide into a party of six, an ordinary party stands no chance against a boss, we need to form a raid groups using multiple parties."

Kirito sighed in relief, glad that he had at least one friend in this meeting, seeing as he doesn't really have many.

"Hey Kirito." Shoto called. "That person is alone." He said as he pointed towards a red hooded character left of Kirito. "Let's ask that person to join us."

Kirito nodded, knowing the pain of being left out. The two of them stood up, and walked towards the figure and sat down near the person.

"Hey, you got lefted out?" Kirito asked.

"I wasn't left out." The person said with a melodious female voice. "I just stay out of it because everyone seemed to know each other already."

"A solo player?" Kirito asked. "Then, wanna form a party with us?" The hooded girl looked at the two boys.

"That Dia guy said we can't beat the boss on out own." Shoto said. "So, at least just for this fight?"

The person seemed to think about it, before nodding. Shoto grinned brightly at that, before he nodded to Kirito, who nodded back before opening his menu to send the invite.

Kirito invited you to his party. Will you accept?

Confirm/Decline

The hooded girl clicked on the confirm button, allowing the two males to see her life bar underneath theirs.

Kirito

Shoto

Asuna

'Asuna huh?' Kirito thought.

"Okay, have you formed your party?" Diabel asked. "Then-""Wait just a sec!"

From the top rows of the seats, jumped down a player with white clothes, sturdy leather armor, brown hair with spikes, also had a sword at his back. "My name's Kiabao." The person said. "I only want to say one thing before we face the boss."

Kirito raised an eyebrow, and Shoto blinked.

"Some of you here need to apologize! To the two thousand who have died so far!" He said as he pointed towards the crowds.

Kirito and Shoto both glared down toward the player.

"Kibao." Diabel said called. "Are you referring to the beta-testers?"

"Of course I am! On the first day of this game started, the beta guys ditched us beginners and they all disappeared, they all took the good hunting spots and easy quest so they can only get stronger, and then, they all just ignored us." He then glared at the crowds. "I'm sure someone here was a beta! They should get on their knee and apologize, and give up all items and money they've hoarded, otherwise, we cannot trust them to protect us as party members, and they shouldn't trust us!"

Kirito clenched his fist, as he closed his eyes and his body started to shake. "Calm down, pal." A whisper was heard as Kirito felt a hand on his right shoulder, he looked at Shoto as he kept staring at the man.

"May I speak?" A bald dark-skined character said as he stood up, and walked towards the man. The man wore a iron breast-plate like Kirito and Shoto, on his back was an iron axe. "My name is Agil, Kibao, 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..."

Agil reached into his pocket and took out a small book. "You got this guide book, didn't you? It was provided for free at the item store."

"Sure I did, why?"

"It was a compiled from information given by the beta-testers."

"What!? Really!?"

"Seriously!?" The crowd begun to mutter.

"Listen." Agil now looking towards the crowd. "Everyone had equal access to this information. And even still, many players died, I thought the topic here, was what could we learn from their deaths, and how that can help us defeat the boss."

Kirito sighed in relief silently, Kibao grunted in disagreement but walked away and sat down, and Agil followed suit. "Alright, then can we resume?" Everyone nodded. "The latest edition of the guide book was just issued, and it contained information on the boss." Diabel opened the book. "According to it, the boss name is Illfang the Kabold Lord. He is guarded by two assistance known as Ruin Kabold Sentinel, he is armed with an axe and a buckler, he has 4 life bars, and when the last one hits red, he switches to a curved sword type of weapon called a talwar. His attack pattern changes as well."

"Wow."

"Amazing."

Diabel closed the book. "That concludes the meeting, Item will be automatically distributed, EXP goes to the party that defeats the monster, and whoever gets an item keeps it. Any objection?" No one spoke. "Alright, we head out tomorrow at ten in the morning. See you there!"

Everyone stood up, some were discusing with their party, some left, and Kibao was apologizing to Diabel. "Man... are beta-players really that infamous?" Shoto whispered.

"Maybe." Kirito whispered back, until he noticed that Asuna, the hooded girl, was leaving.

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Night time

At night, many players are partying with one another, many were sharing drinks, stories, and stuff. Some only chatted with friends, and some were enjoying the night view.

In the back, Asuna, alone, eating a caramel sweet bread.

"Its pretty tasty isn't it?" Asuna looked towards the voice, and saw her party members, Shoto and Kirito, walking towards her. "Can we sit down?" Asuna didn't answer, Kirito and Shoto took it as a yes and sat down near her. Asuna in response kept her distance, making Shoto and Kirito sweatdrop.

Kirito took out two breads, he gave one to Shoto and ate the other one.

"Do you really think its good?" Asuna asked.

"Of course." Kirito agreed as Shoto nodded. "We've been eating this once daily since arriving in this town, we do change it up a little." Kirito looked at Shoto as he nodded, he reached to his pocket and took out a small jar.

"Change it?"

Shoto put the jar between Asuna and Kirito. "Put it on your bread." Asuna looked at the jar wearily, as she touched it, her finger glowed, she slowly put her glowing finger to her bread, as a golden liquid thing appear on the spot she touch.

"Cream..?" Asuna looked towards the other, Shoto and Kirito already put on the cream on their breads, eating it. She looked at her bread, before she slowly took a bite, Shoto and Kirito stopped for a moment to see her reaction, she immediately ate her bread in high-speed, finishing it in an instant.

Shoto and Kirito looked at each other before laughing softly. "Do you like it?" Kirito asked, as Asuna nodded her head slowly. "You can get the ordinary cream from the quest, 'The Heifer Strike back' one village behind us."

"Ordinary one?"

Kirito nodded. "Yeah, Shoto created this one." Kirito said, pointing on the golden cream on the bread.

Shoto rubbed his neck sheepishly. "All I did was combined the cream, with Giant Bee's honey and yellow berry, I could show you if you want."

Asuna shooked her head. "Thanks, but I didn't come to this town to eat good food."

Kirito raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you?"

"So I can still be me, I'd rather stay myself than rot away at an inn back at the first town." Shoto and Kirito looked at her. "Even if I get killed by a monster, I don't want to lose to this game... To this world... no matter what."

Kirito ate his last piece of bread before saying. "I don't want a party member dying on me... So at least, you two must not die." Kirito said, looking at Shoto and Asuna.

"You got it." Shoto answered, eating his last piece of bread. "The same goes to you."

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XXX

Floor 1: Forrest field

"Let's get over it again, we, the back up, are supposed to target the boss helpers, the ruin kabold sentinels." Kirito briefed as they walked through the forrest.

"I got it." Asuna said.

"Understood." Shoto said.

"I'll use my sword skill to knock their poll axe up, Shoto then will stun them with his critical skill, the second he's done, switch in. " Kirito explained the plan.

"Switch?" Asuna asked.

Shoto and Kirito looked surprise at her. "This is your first time in a party, isn't it?" Shoto asked.

"Yes." She answered.

Kirito looked very surprise at her answer, before he stopped and sighed, making his other two-party to stop as well.

Shoto only rubbed his neck with an awkward laugh.

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XXX

"Listen everyone." Diabel said as he came to a stop at a large iron door. "I have only one thing to say, Let's win!" He said, pumping his fist. "Let's go!"

Diabel opened the door, revealing a dark hallway, when he and the players entered, the hallway was immediately filled with light as a giant monster jumped down in front of them. This monster was big, red in color, had a tail and carried a axe and shield, this was illfang the Kabold Lord. Beside him, appeared three Kabold sentinel, carrying a large two handed mace.

Illfang roared, as he and the sentinels charged towards the players.

"Comence attack!" Diabel said as the players charged towards the monster with a battle cry.

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XXX

The battle then raged on. "Squad A! Squad C! Switch!" Diabel ordered, he looked at Illfang as the boss began to use it's skill. "Here it come! Squad B block!" Agil managed to counter Illfang's attack, and Kibao thrusted his sword to Illfang. " Squad C, keep your guard up and prepare to switch." Diabel waited a moment. "Now! Switch, draw, and prepare to attack from side! Squad D,E, and F, keep the sentinels off us!"

"Roger!" Kirito said as he attacked the monster weapon. "Switch!" Shoto charged and slashed the enemy, getting a critical, thus stunning the enemy.

"Switch!" Shoto said to Asuna.

Asuna charged with her sword drawn. "I'm on it!"

Kirito looked at Asuna. "I thought she was a beginner... But she's incredible, she's so fast I can't even follow her blade."

She thursted her blades multiple time in a very high speed was towards the enemy, destroying it. "Good job." Kirito whispered impressed.

"Nice!" Shoto said with a thumbs up. "Kirito! Another one behind!"

Kirito quickly turned around to counter the sentinel attack, as he charged towards it, but the roar of the boss stopped him. Ilfang the Kabold Lord's life had reach the red in its final bar. Illfang then threw it's weapons away.

"Looks like the information was right..." Kibao said as he and the other players prepared to finis the boss.

"Stand back!" Diabel orderd and dashed towards the boss. "I'll finish this!"

Kirito looked at Diabel confused. "We we're suppose to surround it with an entire group... So why..." Diabel peeked at Kirito with a small smile, gaining a surprise look from Kirito. Diabel charged his weapon, prepared to finish the boss, until the boss equipped it's secondary weapon, a large blade with a V shape edge.

"Wait, that isn't a Talwar..." Shoto whispered besided Kirito. "Thats a No-dachi!"

Kirito too realized it's weapon. 'Its different from the beta-test!' Kirito thought as he clashed blade with a sentinel, and pushed it away. "No! Jump back as fast as you can!"

Illfang jumped towards a nearby pillar and jumped wall to wall very quickly, as it stopped right above Diabel and downward slashed him. Hitting him directly, and Illfang quickly released another attack bashing Diabel into the air.

"Diabel!" Kibao screamed out, but was cut off as Illfang landed besided them and roared.

Shoto cursed as he dashed forward to catch a falling Diabel. "Guh!" Shoto grunted.

"Diabel!" Kirito called as he ran towards the fallen body of Diabel, Kirito looked at Diabel's life bar, decreasing to red and still decreasing. "Why did you try to do it alone?" Kirito asked, taking out a potion.

"Yeah! That was reckless!" Shoto said, putting Diabel to the floor, and Kirito fought his urge to say 'Look who's talking' seeing as this is time for emergency.

But, to the two surprise, Diabel held Kirito's hand, stopping Kirito from giving him a potion. "You two were... a beta testers weren't you? You know what I was doing."

Kirito and Shoto looked surprised at his words. "You were after the last attack rare bonus item. You were a beta tester too?" Kirito asked.

Diabel nodded. "Please... you two... defeat... defeat the boss... for everyone..." Diabel said as he dissapeared. Everybody else could only look on in shock.

'When this game started... all I was thinking was surviving...' Kirito thought as he remembered the day he and Shoto said good bye to Klein. 'However... Diabel was a beta tester... but he never abandoned other players, he led everyone and fought brilliantly. Shoto too, he declined the rewards he could use because he cared about Claire... he held his sadness as Claire died so he can fulfill his promise... he learned support skills so he can be useful to others and bring a smile to their faces.'

Kirito felt a hand in his shoulder, he looked and saw a determined pair of eyes, Shoto smiled as he raised his fist. "Bro fist."

Kirito looked surprised, but he shooked his head and he nodded as he punched Shoto's fist. "Bro fist."

Shoto nodded as the two of them looked towards a roaring Illfang. Kirito and Shoto clenched their swords, Asuna quickly stood beside them. "I'll go too."

"Thanks." Kirito said. The three of them charged, "We'll do it just like the sentinels!"

"Got it." Shoto and Asuna said.

Illfang noticed three figures charging at it, before it quickly charged a sword skill.

"Hyaaaaaaa!" Kirito cried out as he also charged a sword skill, the two sword skills clashed as Illfang and Kirito both were thrown.

Shoto used the oppurtunity to dash behind Illfang and stabbed him in the back. Gaining a critical hit. "Asuna now! Switch!"

Asuna charged on Illfang, but to their surprise, Illfang quickly recovered from Shoto's critical hit.

"Asuna!" Kirito screamed out to her.

Illfang slashed Asuna, but to the two boys' surprise, she evaded, though her cloak got destroyed in the process, revealing her beautiful light brown hair, and her determined brown eyes. She charged up her sword skill. "Hyah!" She thrusted her sword, throwing Illfang to the back, and almost hitting Shoto.

Kirito and Shoto, were now stunned seeing Asuna's appearance behind her cloak. Kirito shook his head. "He's coming back!" Kirito stood up and charged at Illfang, as they clashed blades, Shoto attacked him, and Asuna thrusted Illfang. Illfang bounced back, ready to strike Asuna, but Kirito and Shoto intercepted him, The clash of blades two against one began, they clashed blades, hit after hit, flawless teamwork, but Illfang managed to evade Kirito's attack. "Damn!"

Shoto clicked his teeth as he dashed in front of Kirito, taking the hit that threw them into Asuna. Asuna and Kirito got up, and saw Shoto's HP bar decrease greatly. "Shoto!" Kirito screamed. But a shadow fell over them, they looked up and saw Illfang upon them. He slashed downward, Asuna and Kirito prepared to block it, but a blur ran past them. "We'll hold them off until your recover!" Agil said as he countered Illfang's strike.

"You're..." Kirito whispered, then he nodded and took out a potion and gave it to Shoto.

Shoto opened his eyes to see worried looks from Kirito and Asuna. "Hey guys..."

"You idiot... Don't do that again!" Kirito said.

"Im glad you're alright..." Asuna whispered.

Shoto shook his head with a smile. "Sorry, but it's going to take more than that to kill me... Anyway, let's help them out." Shoto said, pointing at a group of players that were holding Illfang off get thrown and Illfang jumped up to finish them in one strike.

Kirito quicky dashed towards them, charging a sword skill. "Watch out!" He yelled as he jumped to Illfang. "I'll get you first!" Kirito managed to land a hit as Ilfang didn't see him, resulting in Illfang being thrown and sent to the ground, creating a crater. "Asuna! Shoto! One last hit, we'll do it together!"

"Got it!" Shoto nodded.

"Roger!" Asuna said, as they all charged

"Hyaaaaahhhhhh!" Asuna, Kirito, and Shoto cried out as they charged at Illfang, Illfang slashed at them, which Kirito countered, then Shoto changed his sword grip into a reverse then jump and slashed Illfang's neck, and follow by Asuna's multiple thurst. Ilfang roared in pain as he was pushed back, Kirito used this chance as he dashed forward. "Hyaahhh!" Kirito cried out as he used his highest slash skill to cut Illfang in half, a blinding light starteed to appear around Ilfang, as he was destroyed into a million pieces.

"We... we did it!" A player said as they all cheered.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have cleared this floor.

Everyone of them got EXP, leveling them up, and Kirito getting the highest as he was the one finishing the boss.

Kirito panted, as he looked at the message he received.

Congratulations

You got the last attacking bonus!

Bonus Item:

Coat of Midnight

"Good work." Asuna said as she, Shoto and Egil walked up to him.

"I know you could do it bro." Shoto said with a grin and a thumbs up.

"That was an excellent swordmanship." Agil said. "Congratulations, this victory belongs to you."

"No..." Kirito whispered, but he was cut off as every players clapped their hands for him, his deeds of destroying the boss.

"Why?" A yell of question stopped the crowd. "Why did you let Diabel die?"

"Let him die?" Kirito asked.

Kibao glareed at him. "That's what I said! You knew the technique that boss used! If you told us up front about that, he wouldn't have died!"

A whisper broke among the crowds at that information.

"He must be a beta-tester!" A player accused. "That's why he knew all the boss attack patterns! He knew but didn't tell us! Other beta-user are here too right? Come out!"

The crowds begin muttering again, but now they all suspected each other of beta-testers.

Kirito gritted his teeth. "This is bad... At this rate.. " Kirito remembered Diabel's last words, he looked at his newly acquired item and made a decion, he swallowed hard.

"Hey come on..." Agil said, trying to calm them down.

"Hehe... Hahahahahahahaha!" A laugh gained all of their attention to Kirito, who was now laughing beside a stunned Shoto. "Ahahahahahaha... A beta-tester?" Kirito stood up. "I wish you didn't compare me to those newbies!"

"W-what?" Kibao asked in surprise like the other players.

"Most of thousands beta-tester were beginners who didn't know how to level up. Hell,  you guys are better than they were." Kirito said as he walked past the crowd towards Kibao. "But i'm not like them... I made it higher than anyone else during the beta-test, the reason I know the boss skills, is because I fought monsters with katana skills on floors far above us." Kirito looked at them with a evil grin. "I know a lot more. Way more than any information broker."

"W-what... that's... That's way worse than a beta-tester! Your cheating! A cheater!" Kibao said.

"Yeah! A cheater!"

"A beta-tester and a cheater!"

"A beater!"

"That's bullshit!" A voice silenced them. "What do you mean 'I alone' huh? What, did you forget about me?" Kirito looked at the voice to find Shoto walking towards him.

"Shoto..." Kirito whispered.

"We both fought like idiots against bosses and monsters on floors above..." Shoto said. "Don't you all forget it."

Everybody was stunned at Shoto's revelation, Kirito smiled. "Huh... so that made us both beaters huh? I like it."

Shoto laughed out loud. "Yeah, it's got a nice ring to it..." Soon, he and Kirito opened their equipment options.

"From now on don't compare us with the other testers." Kirito said as he and Shoto equipped their coats. Kirito's coats was black in color with a dark brownish color at the shoulder part, while Shoto's was dark orange in color with a crimson lining at the arms. Shoto and Kirito smirked as they walked past the stunned crowd, and towards the next floor.

"Wait." The two of them stopped. "I never asked how did you two know my name."

"Sorry for using your first name." Kirito said in an apologetic tone. Shoto nodded in agreement. "Or did we miss the pronunciation?"

"Where did you two learn it?"

"You can see other HP bars around yours, right here." Shoto explained while pointing at his HP bar. "Isn't something written next to it?"

Asuna looked at her HP bar. "Kirito...Shoto..." Asuna read. "Kirito and Shoto?"

"Yeah." Kirito answer with Shoto nodded.

Asuna then giggled, surprising them both. "So its been there all this time! Shoto of the orange, and Kirito of the black right?"

Kirito nodded as he and Shoto turn away. "You'll become really strong, so if someone you trust invites you to join a guild, don't turn them down. There's a big limit of what you can do as a solo players." Kirito quickly opened his party menu and disbands it. With Shoto following, the duo continued on as the gate to the next floor opened.

"You won't get stronger than me though, so don't forget it!" Shoto said as he waved back at her and walked towards the next floor with Kirito, and closing the gate behind them.

"Sho."

"Yeah?"

"Why did you choose to stay with me? You could led a great guild or something."

"I could. But nah... besides, do you remember our oath?"

"Yeah... "

"'We shall show the world'"

"' What two people can do.'"

To be continued...

(Ending theme)

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It's done! Hope this chapter was to your liking, guys. Also, if you guessed the next chap will be original, you're right! And expect some flashbacks of Kirito and Shoto's childhood! And the meeting of Sachi! Thank you for everything guys! Btw, If you're wondering why Shoto only wore his coat now, it's because he wanted to wear in a badass way so... that's why. Anyway, review! More review faster update! See ya!!!