After parting ways with Egil's party, Artoria and her two companions left the Starting Town, which was still restless from the stir caused by Diabel's strategy declaration, and headed south to the "Whispering Hills," a place said to have exceptional scenery.
True to its name, it was a stretch of rolling, low hills covered in soft green grass, where the wind blew ceaselessly; as it swept by, waves of grass rolled and rustled like whispers, creating a unique sense of tranquility and vastness.
The afternoon sun was just right, neither too cold nor too hot.
The three strolled along winding paths, occasionally climbing to the hilltops to gaze at the silhouette of the Starting Town in the distance and the layered floors of Aincrad further away, and at other times descending to the valley floor to cross streams dotted with wildflowers.
There were few monsters, only some harmless, hopping "Wind-Rolling Rabbits" (LV.0) and the occasional brightly feathered "Wind-Chirping Bird" (LV.0) flying by, which posed no threat but instead added vitality to the scene.
They walked and stopped, completely immersed in the natural beauty crafted by the virtual World.
Airi was like a real girl on an outing, chasing Wind-Rolling Rabbits across the grass, picking wildflowers of different colors to weave into small wreaths, and placing them on her own head and Minerva's.
Minerva, meanwhile, became interested in some peculiar rock formations on the hills that seemed shaped by the perpetual wind, using the "System's" built-in sketching function to create simple drawings.
Artoria mostly focused on relaxing her body and mind, feeling the breeze on her face, listening to the whispers of the grass blades, letting her thoughts drift, and enjoying this pure tranquility of body and mind.
Here, the shadow of the death game seemed to have been temporarily dispelled.
There were no other players in sight; there was only the sky, the earth, the wind, the grass, and themselves.
Time seemed to have slowed down as well.
"I really want to stay in a place like this forever," Airi said softly after getting tired of playing, sitting down beside Artoria and looking up at the fake yet beautiful blue sky that seemed within reach. "No need to think about clearing the game, no need to fight, no need to fear death... just like this, looking at the scenery, feeling the breeze."
"If this World didn't have the 'death' setting, this would indeed be a perfect resort," Minerva said, putting away her sketchbook and sitting down on the other side with a distant gaze. "Unfortunately, beneath the beautiful appearance lie cruel laws of survival. This is probably the creator of this World's way of presenting an extreme contrast between 'reality' and 'illusion,' 'beauty' and 'cruelty'."
Artoria did not reply, simply listening quietly to the sound of the wind.
Yes, the coexistence of extreme beauty and extreme cruelty was the true reflection of this World of SAO, and indeed of many similar situations.
Because they held a "death-immunity pass" and "resource hacks," they were able to appreciate this beauty with such a leisurely mindset.
But for the vast majority of players trapped here, behind this beauty lay fear and despair that gnawed at their souls every moment.
"The strategy meeting is being held tomorrow," Airi suddenly said, her tone somewhat complex. "Master, Miss Minerva, do you think that Diabel can succeed? Will many people die?"
"Success or failure depends on intelligence, planning, strength, coordination, and... luck," Artoria said slowly. "But death is almost inevitable."
"Facing an unknown floor boss, and organizing a large-scale strategy for the first time with no experience to follow, sacrifices are unavoidable. The key is whether the sacrifices can be exchanged for sufficiently valuable intelligence and hope for clearing the game."
"Hope..." Minerva repeated the word, casting her gaze toward the floating castle in the distance. "In a desperate situation, hope itself is the most precious power, but also the most cruel temptation."
"Diabel has ignited the spark of hope, but this also means he has pushed many people closer to the flame—which is to say, death. Whether he becomes a torch illuminating the path ahead or a wildfire that scorches others, tomorrow, perhaps, we will find out."
The three fell silent, with only the sound of the wind remaining.
They were not cold-hearted; they were simply viewing all of this more detachedly from the perspective of "vacationers."
Sympathy, emotion, but they would not let these feelings affect their "vacation" state of mind too much.
This was an invisible yet real boundary between them and the native players of this World.
They spent the entire afternoon in the Whispering Hills, and only when the setting sun once again dyed the horizon a brilliant orange-red did the three reluctantly set off on their return journey.
When they returned to the Starting Town, it was already dusk.
The atmosphere in the town was more restless than during the day; discussions about tomorrow's strategy meeting could be heard everywhere, and the air was filled with the unique atmosphere of the eve of a great battle, a mixture of tension, excitement, and unease.
However, coexisting with this restlessness was a new, discordant undercurrent.
In the corners of the streets, in the whispers of the restaurants, Artoria and the others heard, more than once, certain words filled with obvious resentment and accusation—
"...Beta Testers."
"...Those guys must know more!"
"...Why should they be able to prepare in advance?"
"...We don't know anything and can only wait to die!"
Beta Testers. These three words, like a spark thrown into boiling oil, quickly ignited a new, clearly targeted fire of hatred among the player community.
Before SAO officially opened, a small-scale closed beta test had been conducted.
About a thousand players participated in the test, experiencing part of the game's content in advance, including maps, monsters, quests, and potentially even intelligence on early versions of floor bosses.
After the game turned into a death game, the first-mover advantage and intelligence possessed by these "Beta Testers" instantly created a huge chasm between them and other "ordinary players."
They leveled up faster, had better equipment, were more familiar with game mechanics, and naturally had higher survival rates.
At first, this gap brought more envy and reliance.
Many players longed to be led and guided by Beta Testers.
Diabel standing up as a Beta Tester to organize the strategy was also once seen as a symbol of hope.
But as time passed, as ordinary players were constantly frustrated in their struggle to survive and witnessed the deaths of their companions, while some Beta Testers (especially those who chose to look out only for themselves or had arrogant attitudes) lived relatively comfortably, envy gradually fermented into jealousy, reliance turned into dependence, and eventually, under the incitement of those with ulterior motives or the catalysis of despair, it evolved into naked hatred.
"I heard some Beta Testers knew about certain hidden quests and grinding spots long ago, making a fortune silently on their own!"
"They must have private strategy guides they just won't share!"
"Diabel organizing the strategy, who knows if he just wants to use us ordinary players as cannon fodder to pave the way for himself?"
"Beta-testing dogs all deserve to die!"
Similar words began to circulate in the shadows of the town.
Although a large-scale public confrontation had not yet formed, this undercurrent of hostility toward the "Beta Tester" group was already clearly discernible.
What Diabel would face tomorrow was likely not just a powerful floor boss, but also the suspicion and division born from injustice and despair within the players themselves.
"Beta Testers... seem to be hated by a lot of people," Airi said quietly, listening to the faint discussions around them.
As an AI, she had a keen perception of complex human emotions and changes in group psychology.
"Yes, it's a very typical group psychological phenomenon," Minerva said softly. "Under immense pressure and injustice, people need a concrete object to blame to vent their fear and feelings of powerlessness."
"The 'Beta Tester' group, possessing special advantages, naturally became the best target."
"As a leader of the Beta Testers, Diabel standing on the front stage right now is both an opportunity and a burden of double the risk."
Artoria did not speak, simply scanning the whispering, dissatisfied players with a calm gaze.
She remembered in the original work how Kirito endured immense pressure and psychological burden due to his status as a Beta Tester, even experiencing self-doubt about the "original sin of being a Beta Tester."
It seemed that this trend of excluding Beta Testers had appeared earlier and more fiercely than she had expected.
Diabel's speech tomorrow would likely not go very smoothly.
It's also a bit strange; in the original work, wasn't he the one leading the search for Beta Testers? How did it become that he is a Beta Tester?
And the point of discussion still exists; this is the World's correction, right? Oh well, never mind, let's go back.
They did not go to the "Golden Oak" again, but instead found a random, clean-looking small restaurant to have dinner.
During the meal, the focus of the discussion at the neighboring table had shifted from whether to participate in the strategy to accusations against Beta Testers and suspicions about Diabel's motives.
Returning to the "Sleeping Lamb" inn, they washed up and rested.
Outside the window, the night in the Starting Town was not peaceful; faint arguments and crying could be heard occasionally, foreshadowing the ominous signs of tomorrow's meeting.
The next day, at noon.
The central plaza of the Starting Town was crowded as never before.
A sea of heads moved about; at a rough estimate, at least over two thousand players were gathered here.
They surrounded the teleport gate monument in the center of the plaza, forming a huge, noisy circular wall of people.
The noise was deafening, with various discussions, speculations, and shouts intertwined, almost turning the plaza upside down.
But if one listened carefully, one could distinguish that, besides the anticipation for the strategy, there were also many discordant whispers and sporadic boos directed at "Beta Testers."
Artoria, Minerva, and Airi arrived neither too early nor too late, squeezing into the middle-outer edge of the crowd, on a slightly higher step, where the view was still quite open.
They saw Diabel standing on the base of the monument; today he had changed into a shinier set of silver armor, wearing a blue cape, and the long sword at his waist gleamed in the sunlight, looking exceptionally heroic.
However, careful observation revealed that his brows were slightly furrowed, and in his eyes, besides determination, there was also a trace of gravity; clearly, he had also sensed the abnormality in the atmosphere below the stage.
Standing beside him were a dozen players who looked imposing; they should be the members of the strategy group he had initially formed.
But at this moment, these members were not holding their heads high and accepting the attention of the crowd as imagined; instead, they were more or less restraining their presence, and some even subconsciously avoided certain gazes of obvious hostility projected from below.
The status of a Beta Tester seemed to have become an invisible shackle at this moment.
Egil's party was also in the crowd, not far from them; seeing them, they nodded, their expressions grave.
Egil, Klein, and Lisbeth seemed to have decided to sign up as support, while Silica was left behind, her little face full of worry.
The bell of noon rang, the noise in the plaza lowered slightly, but that oppressive undercurrent did not disappear.
Diabel stepped forward and raised his hands, trying to make the scene completely quiet.
However, before he could speak, a sharp, resentful voice suddenly rang out from the crowd:
"Hey! Diabel! You Beta Testers, how many things have you been hiding from us?!"
This question was like opening Pandora's box.
Instantly, more voices erupted from every corner:
"Exactly! You knew so much in advance, why didn't you tell us sooner?!"
"Do you want to wait until we're mostly dead, and then come out to pick up the spoils?!"
"Talking about organizing a strategy, who knows if it's just to send us to our deaths to pave the way for you Beta Tester big shots?!"
Accusations, questions, and even abuse hailed down like hailstones upon Diabel and his strategy group members on the stage.
Some players who didn't know the truth or were already dissatisfied were swayed and began to join in the clamor.
The atmosphere in the plaza quickly slid from its original anticipation and tension into chaos and confrontation.
Diabel's expression changed.
He clearly hadn't expected that before the meeting had even started, the spearhead would be aimed directly at their "Beta Tester" status.
The faces of the members beside him also turned ugly; some wore angry expressions and wanted to retort, but were stopped by a look from Diabel.
Taking a deep breath, Diabel raised his voice to the maximum, attempting to drown out the noise: "Everyone! Please be quiet! Listen to me!"
His voice was infused with power, temporarily overpowering some of the din.
He looked around at the crowd below, his gaze sweeping over those faces filled with suspicion and anger, and spoke in a deep voice: "I know! Many people have issues with us 'Beta Testers'! You think we took advantage of the situation and have selfish motives!"
He paused, his tone becoming more sincere, even carrying a hint of heaviness: "I admit that the status of Beta Tester gave us some advantages in the beginning. We knew the weaknesses of some monsters, were familiar with parts of the map, and leveling up was perhaps faster. But—"
He suddenly raised his voice, clenching his fists: "This absolutely does not mean that we Beta Testers wish to see everyone die! Or that we are willing to hide information from everyone! Quite the contrary! It is precisely because we are Beta Testers, and because we have a deeper understanding of this game and its dangers, that we know better than anyone else that fighting alone will never clear this game! What good would it do for us Beta Testers if everyone were trapped and died here?!"
His rhetorical question caused some of the agitated players to calm down a little.
"I, Diabel, swear on the experience and reputation of a Beta Tester," he continued loudly, meeting those suspicious gazes with a candid look, "I organized this raid with only one goal—to clear this game and let everyone, including myself, leave alive! I have no selfish motives! I am willing to publicly share all the information I possess regarding the First Floor boss, 'Illfang the Kobold Lord', right here, in front of everyone!"
As he spoke, he pulled up his system interface and operated it quickly; a detailed, illustrated document was set to "Area Public" mode, and its contents were projected above the plaza so that everyone could see it clearly.
The document detailed the estimated HP, attack patterns, and movement behaviors of Illfang the Kobold Lord, as well as a key piece of information highlighted in red font—"When the BOSS's HP drops below 50%, its weapon, the 'Nodachi', will turn red, entering the second phase, where its attack power and speed will significantly increase, and it may add new area-of-effect skills."
This information was undoubtedly extremely valuable.
Especially the hint about the weapon changing color in the second phase, which was very likely the key to deciding the success or failure of the raid.
Diabel's public sharing demonstrated his utmost sincerity.
The plaza quieted down significantly.
Many players looked up at the information in the air, the anger and suspicion on their faces replaced by surprise and contemplation.
The value of this information was indisputable.
It seemed... Diabel really hadn't held anything back?
"This is everything I know!" Diabel's voice rang out again, carrying a sense of resolve to burn his bridges, "I have held nothing back! I am willing to stake my life and reputation on the accuracy of this information! Now, what I need are companions! Warriors who are willing to trust me and are willing to take up arms and fight side-by-side for our shared freedom! Not cowards who suspect each other and engage in infighting!"
"The status of Beta Tester is not an original sin! It is just an experience! Now, all of us are players trapped in Aincrad! Our enemies are those monsters, those floor bosses, and Akihiko Kayaba who created this hell! Not the companions beside us!"
His words struck like a heavy hammer into the hearts of many.
The undercurrent of resentment against the Beta Testers seemed to be temporarily suppressed by this candor and generosity.
Many began to rethink.
"I am willing to trust Diabel!" A voice shouted from the crowd.
It was Egil.
He pushed through the crowd, walked to the front, looked up at Diabel, and said loudly: "Did I participate in the beta test? No! But what I see is that Diabel stood up, shared the most precious information, and is willing to lead us into battle! This is ten thousand times better than those who hide in the back, making snide remarks and sowing discord! I, Egil, am willing to join the support team!"
"I'll join too!" Klein also stood out.
"Count me in!"
"And me!"
With people taking the lead, more and more players who had been watching from the sidelines or were moved by Diabel's sincerity began to respond.
A long line formed at the registration desk again; although some people still watched coldly from the sidelines, the dangerous atmosphere of division and confrontation was finally temporarily brought under control.
Diabel clearly breathed a sigh of relief, but the gravity in his eyes did not completely dissipate.
He knew that the "original sin" of the Beta Testers had not disappeared, but had only been temporarily suppressed.
On the road to future raids, this estrangement and suspicion could erupt again at any time.
The three of them, Artoria, took all of this in.
"A very clever response," Minerva commented softly, "Taking a step back to advance, using the utmost sincerity and key information to exchange for trust, temporarily suppressing internal conflicts. But the burden on his shoulders has also become heavier. Once there is a major failure in the raid, or he is found to have any 'concealment', this suppressed anger will rebound in an even more violent way."
"Yeah, being a Beta Tester... in this World, it really isn't easy," Aili sighed.
Artoria's gaze, however, turned back to the raid group members beside Diabel.
In an inconspicuous corner, she saw that boy wearing a black leather trench coat, head bowed—Kirito.
In the turmoil targeting Beta Testers just now, he had not made any moves, just lowered his head even further, as if trying to hide himself completely.
But Artoria could feel that the invisible pressure was pressing just as heavily on his shoulders.
He was experiencing the pain and loneliness brought by the word "Beta Tester" even earlier and more deeply than Diabel.
Just then, a young girl wearing ordinary light leather armor, carrying a longbow, and with chestnut-colored short hair, squeezed through the crowd with some hesitation and came near Artoria and the others.
She had delicate features and clear eyes, carrying an aura that was out of place with the surrounding environment, a mixture of strength and unease.
Above her head floated a green player cursor, and the name was—Asuna.
She seemed to be looking for something in the crowd, her gaze somewhat lost.
Then, her line of sight unintentionally swept over the three of them, especially lingering for a moment on Artoria's calm face.
Perhaps it was that quiet aura, so out of place with the surrounding restlessness, that attracted her, or perhaps it was some subtle resonance under the cognitive coordination field, but she hesitated for a moment and actually walked toward Artoria and the others.
"Um... excuse me, are you Miss Artoria?" Asuna's voice carried a hint of uncertainty; it was very soft, almost drowned out by the surrounding noise.
Artoria turned around, meeting Asuna's clear eyes that held confusion and a hint of stubbornness, and her heart stirred.
It seemed that even with the cognitive coordination field, her "abnormal" calmness had still attracted the attention of this future "Flash".
However, this was not a bad thing.
"I am Artoria." She revealed a gentle smile, "And you are...?"
"I am Asuna." The girl seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but the doubt in her eyes had not completely dissipated, "I... I saw you over there just now. I felt... you all seemed, a bit different. So... I couldn't help but come over to ask. Sorry to bother you."
Her intuition was indeed sharp.
Artoria understood in her heart, but didn't show it on her face, just smiling: "There's nothing different; we are just more... um, relaxed in our mindset. This is Minerva, and this is Aili. Is Miss Asuna also here to attend the raid meeting?"
"I... yes." Asuna nodded, but her expression remained complex, "I just came to take a look. I... I don't know what I should do. Beta Testers... ordinary players... everyone seems to have split into two factions, blaming each other... I..." Her words were a bit chaotic, clearly agitated by the conflict just now and her own inner struggle.
"The division into factions often stems from fear and lack of understanding," Minerva spoke softly, her voice carrying a strange, soothing power, "What's important is not the label, but what you believe in your heart and what you are willing to act for. Diabel has shown his sincerity; now, it depends on how others choose."
Asuna looked at Minerva, meeting her calm and gentle eyes, and the restlessness in her heart seemed to settle down a little bit.
"Thank you... you all, seem not afraid at all, and not... angry?"
"Fear and anger cannot solve the predicament before us," Artoria said candidly, "Sometimes, calm observation and independent thinking can instead lead you to a path more suitable for yourself. Of course, for things like challenging a floor boss, just act according to your ability and follow your heart."
Her words seemed to give Asuna some inspiration.
The girl lowered her head to think for a moment, and when she looked up again, the confusion in her eyes had lessened, and there was a bit more light of determination.
"I... I want to go sign up and try. I want... to become stronger, I don't want to just wait passively. Maybe... I can also do a little something for the raid."
"Good luck." Artoria nodded at her.
Asuna bowed slightly to them, then turned and walked toward the registration desk with a firm expression.
Her back, in the noisy and chaotic crowd, appeared slender yet upright, like a blade of grass struggling to take root in a gale.
"It's Asuna..." Aili said softly, watching her back, "She seems to have made up her mind."
"Yes, she is searching for her own sword and path," Minerva said softly.
Artoria did not speak, only letting her gaze sweep once more over that distant, bowed black figure (Kirito), and then at the chestnut-haired girl (Asuna) walking toward the registration desk.
The gears of fate continued to mesh slowly, interwoven between the shadow of the Beta Testers and the hope of the players.
And they, the three "travelers", still stood on the edge of the stage, quietly watching this grand drama named "Survival" and "Growth".
"Alright, we've seen enough of the excitement," Artoria said to Minerva and Aili, her tone relaxed, "It's time for us to enjoy our afternoon tea. I heard a new dessert shop opened on the West Street that sells 'Virtual Honey Cake'. Shall we go try it?"
Her suggestion instantly pulled the two of them back from the slightly heavy "plot observation" mode to the relaxed and happy "vacation" channel.
"Honey Cake! Yay!" Aili responded immediately.
"Hmm, let's go." Minerva also nodded with a smile.
The three of them didn't linger any longer, turning to squeeze out of the square, which was still busy but had an atmosphere different from before, and headed toward the West Street of the Starting Town where the sweet scent wafted.
As for the First Floor boss raid battle tomorrow, which would surely be recorded in the history of SAO, unfolding amidst the shadow of Beta Testers and the hope of players...
That was a story written by the "protagonists" and "warriors" in blood and fire, although the story seemed a bit different.
And their story was the sweet scent of honey cake, the laziness of the afternoon sun, continuing to stroll through this virtual World interwoven with cruelty, suspicion, courage, and hope, savoring that unique, complex, and real taste of a "Death Game Vacation".
The horn of the raid was about to sound, and the shadow of the Beta Testers still lingered.
And their afternoon tea had only just begun.
------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the fanfiction has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 or more chapters in advance over on my patreon: patreon.com/FTLGenBen
Also every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone, Thanks