The atmosphere in that place became tenser as Kibaou blocked Rozen’s way, especially when he suddenly said.
“Going somewhere? Are you going to hunt some high-level monster? Or maybe you ‘re here to find some treasure chest?”
Although beta testers were indeed selfish, Rozen was not here for any of those today, besides the labyrinth area on this first floor was almost fully explored, so there should be no more treasure chest left.
Rozen just looked at Kibaou and said
“Kibaou, isn’t it?” Rozen smiled slightly, but said this on his mouth, “Rest assured, I won’t remember your name anyway, because I have no interest in you.”
“You…!” Kibaou, who was short-tempered, was quickly incited by anger.
Not only Kibaou, but the rest of the players there also seemed to be incited as well.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, you’re nothing but a beta tester!”
“Who do you think you are!?”
“You’re just a despicable guy who took an early start and left everyone behind, because of beta testers, we normal players had it rough!”
Everyone around Kibaou seemed to agree with him.
Since SAO has turned into a death game, knowledge about the game was indispensable, and instead of sharing it with other players, beta testers just kept using it to their own advantage. They could strengthen their avatar because of their knowledge during the closed beta, which was the information that common players didn’t have.
That was why common players bore resentment toward the beta testers.
However…
“Now, let me return your words right back at you, who do you think you are?”
“Are you us beta tester’s parents? Or maybe our siblings? What makes you think we’re here to babysit you?”
Rozen responded with barely any interest at all, making the crowds even more irritated.
“You self-centered beta tester! I knew it! You’re just another selfish beta tester who only care about yourself!” Kibaou yelled.
Kibaou then pointed at Rozen and said.
“I will never acknowledge a guy like you!”
The players around him seemed to have the same opinion
Rozen just smiled at Kibaou and said, “What are you gonna do? Resort to violence using that sword of yours?”
“Don’t lump me with those muggers!” Kibaou yelled with an angry voice, “One day, I will make every single one of you beta testers apologize to us, just you wait!”
Kibaou and his gang left after saying that, of course, they all looked at Rozen with hostile eyes as they left.
Only one party that remained there.
The leader of the party was a dark-skinned massive and bulky man, he looked like a foreigner no matter how one looked at him. He had two-handed axe on his back and wore heavy armor, he seemed to be the tank of the party. Only the party led this man who didn’t look at Rozen with hostility.
“Don’t mind them.” The man said to Rozen in very fluent Japanese, “They only see the drawbacks of the beta testers without knowing what beta testers have accomplished.”
Rozen was surprised by that man’s treatment, which was different from most players.
“You are…?”
Rozen asked the man’s name, although he was rarely interested in other’s name.
That man then introduced himself casually.
“My name is Agil, as you can see, I’m using a two-handed axe.”
The man named Agil asked Rozen for a handshake as a sign of friendship.
“Hello there.”
Although Rozen didn’t really care about pleasantries, he shook Agil’s hand.
But then, Agil said something that surprised him.
“Are you also coming for the red player?”
Rozen has already had a rough idea about what happened when he saw so many people gathered there earlier, and Rozen’s guess seemed to be correct.
They gathered here because they discovered there was a red player in the labyrinth area.
The reason was simple.
“It’s no joke when you’re suddenly attacked by a red player while leveling after all.”
Agil said in a witty tone.
In short, these players gathered to warn each other that there was a red player in the labyrinth area
“If you plan to stay here, just be careful, don’t just focus on the monsters, be careful of your surroundings.”
Agil warned Rozen.
“Thank you.”
Rozen nodded, but he has already several thoughts in his mind, so he quickly said to Agil.
“Then I’ll go ahead, you be careful too.”
Agil and his party smiled in response.
Rozen then ran once again through the labyrinth area and murmured
“It seems that I have to pick up the pace…”
Rozen raised his speed as he had a bad feeling about this.
