>>>>>

On the next day...

From the morning, All of the raid participants headed towards the boss area together as they have planned yesterday. They went according to their squad, and of course, Kaito who was in squad A along with Aika's group together.

...

"So, our smart arrogant owner. Do you have any plans for this raid? perhaps like getting  the last hit or something like that?" Aika asked curiously, walking beside Kaito with other members following from behind.

They are currently leisurely walking through the forest together, and because of the huge amount of players, there is no monster around to give them danger.

"We don't need to do that." Kaito shook his head and then replied with a troubled smile, "I don't want my reputation getting worse, after all."

""Pffft"

Hearing what Kaito said, everyone in the squad can't help but laugh at his situation. Obviously, the news about what Kaito did yesterday already spread like wildfire today, alongside his appearance. If their group's reputation before was well known by a majority of players, now all the players know the information about his group-- in a bad way.

"I don't think your reputation could get any worse, Owner." Yuu commented from behind.

"Yeah... I can't believe you just publicly mocked them yesterday. Though I probably would also do the same if I was in the same position." Mikoto added.

"What I can say? We are got accused and I don't think ignoring them would make them stop." 

"We are not a beta tester, after all." Sakuya backed Kaito statement.

"Whatever you do, we will still follow you master." Akitsu added.

"Well said, Akitsu-san." Miya followed.

Kirito who has been quietly listening to their talk for a while then asked with curiosity, "So, everyone is not really a beta tester?"

""Nope.""

Everyone including the Aika party member answered at the same time. Technically, their real identity is much worse than a beta tester but Kirito won't know that.

Kaito quickly gives his confirmation by saying, "In the real world, all of us are experts in fighting. Well, most of us."

"Like a Yakuza?" Asuna asked, wondering while everyone have such high skill in combat. Even Yuu who looks younger than her is really amazing. (A/N: Cough, she is a hundred years girl though)

"Ohh... We are even worse than that... But don't worry. Kirito-san, Asuna-san, you are our friends now." Aika said with a teased tone, neither confirming nor denying their assumption.

Lisbeth who also has been listening for a while then said, "I don't have amazing combat skills like Kaito though."

"You might have no talent for combat, but you have blacksmith talent." Aika said with a reassuring tone to Lisbeth and then she come up with an idea, "Actually, why do you not just leave the Kaito group and join the Erina group? Their group is full of people who focus on non-combat skills, you know?"

"Oii... Stop it. Don't try to poach our blacksmith!" Kaito retorted Aika but everyone know it was just a joke and laughing together.

""Pffft.""

"But seriously, Lisbeth might be a fit for our group." Asuna commented while holding her laugh.

"Please stop Asuna-san. She hasn't crafted my equipment yet." Kirito wryly smiled.

"Ohh?" Aika who hear that turned around at Kirito and then asked curiously, "You have officially become the part of owner group/party?"

Obviously, every member pays attention to his answer as becoming allies with the protagonist is one of their current goals.

Kirito just smiled and answered, "I haven't decided... But everyone seems friendly to me. I am really considering it now." 

Asuna nodded and added, "Everyone is really nice! Although I have wondered, why some players here called Kaito-san the owner. It's some kind of codename?"

Hearing Asuna question, Kirito also wanted to know the answer. Like her, he has been curious about their relationship, like-- most of his party members called him a master. Does it mean Kaito was a big person in the real world and his party member are their servant? 

Now, he thought about it-- Aika said they are much worse than beta testers-- and Yakuza pretty much fits with the description.

However, instead of getting an answer, Kaito just said, "That would be a long story, but let's just say, Aika, Yuu, Mikoto, and others are my precious subordinate and it's my responsibility to keep them alive."

"Yeah, we are here because of the master's decision." Sakuya nodded, followed by the girls.

"Yes. Kaito-san is the one who persuades us to come to this game." Mikoto snorted.

"Owner, you are the reason we got trapped in this world." Yuu followed.

Looking at the excitement, Aika then suggested, "We should ask for compensation when we are out of this world." 

"Agree." (Mikoto)

"Seconded." (Sakuya)

"Master needs to be punished." (Akitsu)

...

Well... Kaito is the one who persuades them to take this group task and they are not wrong about it. 

Realizing there was no chance to get away from this situation, Kaito just scratched his head and muttered, "I hope it would be not something terrible..."

"Ara~ master pretty much resigned to his fate. This would be fun." Miya smiled.

""Hahahaha!!""

...

While the members are laughing together, Kirito and Asuna assumptions about their identity as a Yakuza group are getting stronger and more convincing. In their mind, Kaito was a Yakuza group young master-- who ordered his servants to follow him to play this game, and then they got trapped together.

This misunderstanding would bite Kaito even more in the future.

>>>>>

After an hour of walking, they finally arrived at the door of the boss's room. Like in the original, Diabel stood in front of everyone giving his speech. Sadly unlike the original, the area is pretty cramped, since there are easily more than a hundred players here. Kaito and his group members who are farthest couldn't hear anything, but they have no worries considering they already know what Diabel is going to talk about.

...

"With this many players on this raid... Would the boss stay the same, or the boss would become much harder than inside the memories?" Aika wondered as she look at the sea of players who participated in this raid.

Kaito nodded as he hold his chin speculating, "It's safe to assume it would be later... I believe that Kayaba wouldn't let us have an easy time anyway."

'Or the system wouldn't let us' Kaito secretly thought.

"What you are talking about, Kaito-san?" Asuna who hears what they both just said gets confused.

"N-Nothing." Kaito shook his head and said, "We just wondered since there are so many players here, the boss wouldn't become insanely hard, right?"

Kirito who also hears it agrees with Kaito's idea and can't help but frowned at the situation.

"That... Might happen. Most MMORPG bosses system usually scale the boss difficulty depending on how many players participate in the fight, and I wouldn't surprised if that is also implemented in SAO" 

"I know right." Kaito nodded and continue said, "This is indeed a problem."

"Then, we should prepare for the worst, Kaito?" Mikoto asked.

Knowing his bad luck might kicking again here, Kaito seriously nodded and stated, "Depend on the situation. We might need to change the plan. For now, let's see what happened inside."

"Got it." 

...

>>>>>

After they entered the boss room, what Kaito group members feared is truly happening. The moment the boss is spawned in front of everyone, while the appearance is similar to the guidebook described, Ilfang the Kobold Lord... The boss itself got blue skin and blue eyes-- as if his appearance got modded. There are also a lot more 'ruin kobold sentinels' (boss minions) than the guidebook mentions, which would be a problem with how to handle them... Considering their strategy was only for 3 of them.

This difference cause every player quickly become panicky and confused, as they didn't expect this happened.

...

"The boss looks different!"

"There are not only 3 minions... There are a lot of them!"

"Oii, the boss is blue-skinned... The guidebook says it was red-skinned! What is happening?!"

"20 kobold minions! We are screwed! The beta tester scammed us!"

...

In the midst of chaos and confusion, Diabel who is the leader of this raid quickly yelled to calm down the masses, "E-Everyone don't be panic. Each squad should be able to take 2-3 minions on their own. We will stick to the plan!"

Realizing what Diabel said is true, most players quickly calm down and prepare themselves for the fight. Once again, Kaito admired his ability to control everyone here-- however, Kaito also realize there is something wrong here and perhaps their strategy for the raid simply doesn't work. At this moment, Kaito suddenly understood why the group task was masked as 'Hard' and wondered if the system have a hand behind this bewildering situation.

....

"What we should do, Owner?" Aika asked with a serious tone.

Kaito who hear her question quickly answered, "Change of the plan. Our second priority is to defeat all the Ruin Kobold Sentinel so everyone could immediately go for the boss-- aim to defeat it as quickly as possible by surrounding it." 

The reason for his order was because Kaito afraid this situation only just beginning, and there is potential it could get much worse the longer fight goes. The only way to try to prevent that happen is to defeat the boss as quickly as possible-- even if the result would get hated by all the players in this raid.

"I got it but... second priority?" Kirito asked in confusion.

"First priority obviously to survive." Kaito explained as he unsheathed his sword and then continue ordered, "Never act alone, and don't die! I don't want to mourn anyone here today!"

Hearing his intention, everyone immediately understand what Kaito mean and unanimously replied together, ""Yes!!""

...

Not long after that, the minions and bosses advanced simultaneously toward the players, and the players also advanced together to face them-- doesn't lose in spirit against the mob.

The raid against the First Floor, Ilfang the Kobold Lord officially begins.