Why did Hikigaya save the anime girls in Sword Story?

"Although we've only just passed the first level, it's definitely a crucial step."

"Yeah, now is the official start..."

"...Hachiman, do you think this will end so smoothly?"

"That's impossible... the price of loss is too high, although I wish I could go back to sleep immediately."

Before he could finish his words, Ya Wang led some players to start making trouble.

"Why must Mr. Diabel die?"

Kiba first pointed the finger at Kirito, accusing him of concealing the information about the magic sword despite knowing it, thus confirming his identity as a beta tester.

Perhaps because they had just lost Diabel, the pillar of support, the atmosphere on the scene gradually turned to criticism of the closed test.

"What should we do, Hachiman-kun?"

"To be honest, I'm thinking about using rational arguments to defeat them, but I'm not sure if that will convince the public. I might even provoke even greater resentment."

Just like what Kibaou did in the meeting, the argument that "testers are really despicable" has once again emerged.

Just as the attack was about to turn to Hachiman and Asuna, Kirito suddenly stood up and spoke rapidly to Kibo:

"Why do you praise beta testers so much? Saying 'they're always one step ahead and too cunning' sounds like you're flattering them.

Listen, you all know that the beta testers are elite players selected from thousands of people, but how many of them are truly top MMO players? Even excluding the VR field?

Not all beta testers are experts, but I am different from them. I am always at the forefront and have information that you don’t know.

Don't confuse me with the average beta tester."

These words caused a huge uproar among the crowd.

"What is this? It's a foul!"

"That's cheating!"

"The beta testers cheated, so they should be banned."

"Stop the cheaters! Stop the cheaters!"

Kirito operated the menu, put on a black windbreaker and said:

"This is the boss equipment that just dropped. What do you think? It fits the image of the cheater you're talking about, right?

For this purpose, I also took advantage of those two guys who were pretty capable among the rookies, although those two naive guys didn't realize that they were being used at all.

I will help you activate the portal, just go back to the city."

Throwing these words aside, Kirito walked alone towards the stairs leading to the second floor.

"What a joke, cheater! Apologize to Mr. Diabel!!"

Someone roared, and everyone cursed at Kirito's retreating back.

But Ya Wang showed a complicated expression, a subtle mixture of hatred and doubt.

Hachiman and Asuna, stunned by the sudden situation, whispered to each other:

"Hachiman-kun...could it be that..."

"Ah, that should be it, just like me in the past."

"What should we do?"

"Perhaps we can turn a major negative impact into a minor one. The question is whether we can get people to listen to our explanation under such circumstances..."

"Do you need a shocking event?"

"That's right...you have to use something shocking enough to divert the anger."

Just as Hachiman was about to gather his thoughts and take a sip of his drink, Asuna suddenly asked:

"Hey, what did Hachiman-kun think when he first saw me?"

"Poof!" Hachiman spit out his drink.

"Is it appropriate to say this now?"

"Ah, um, you don't mean anything weird?"

"I know... I was scared at the time, in every way..."

"I'll ask about the 'various meanings' later. Since it can surprise you, maybe it's okay—"

Hachiman blushed slightly, then instantly turned pale upon hearing this.

"Hey, hey, you're not..."

"I don't think people will seriously listen to the explanations of someone they've never met. If Queen Bee could speak, perhaps the situation would improve?

So now you have to make sure everyone is willing to listen to you."

"That's true, but it's going to put extra pressure on Asuna..."

"Now, I consider Hachiman-kun my most important friend.

So when either of us needs to bear the pressure, let's bear it together.

We bow our heads together to apologize and face everyone together. Let's go, Hachiman-kun!

"I really can't do anything with you... I understand. Let's break through head-on."

The two came to the center of the venue and shouted loudly:

"Excuse me, could you please listen to us for a few minutes?"

"Please, everyone!"

"You are actually accomplices of that guy, right?"

"What else is there to say now?"

The one who attracted most of the attention was Asuna.

Hachiman was the first to remove his hood, but his low presence caused no reaction.

The moment Asuna took off her hood, the whole place fell silent.

What appeared was a peerless beauty that took everyone's breath away.

"We understand that everyone is emotional and may not want to hear any explanation. But we implore you to give us the opportunity to speak."

When the two bowed at a ninety-degree angle, King Ya, who had been silent for a long time, spoke:

"It doesn't hurt to listen. They're so sincere."

With the approval of the pioneers of criticism, the scene calmed down temporarily.

"We formed a guerrilla group with that person just now. Some people suspect that we are Kirito's accomplices, so we only state the irrefutable facts.

I'm not good with words, so if I've offended you, I apologize in advance."

Hachiman began his statement with the utmost sincerity:

"First, let me explain why I want you to listen. There are several doubts that cannot be ignored."

"Suspicious? What?"

"Regarding the beta testers, there aren't actually that many of them here. The atmosphere just now is proof of that, right?

So the question is: why are there so few beta testers here? "

Everyone looked confused, but suddenly understood after hearing what followed.

"Think about it, beta testers are supposed to be constantly pushing the boundaries. Logically, most of the people here should be beta testers, right?"

Continued with sporadic approval:

"I want to state in advance that I'm not defending the beta testers. I personally had a vague impression that the beta testers were all very strong, but the reality is as you can see.

Therefore, I believe that the difference between beta testers and regular players isn't that big. While they have a knowledge advantage and can provide intelligence, it's not a real advantage. Instead, they're more likely to be killed by version changes due to their limited knowledge and reckless behavior.

Some people showed an expression of agreement.

"Criticizing the beta testers is understandable, and I won't dwell on it. Just as there are good and bad people in the world, there are also different types of players. I hope everyone can transcend prejudice and judge others' behavior objectively.

Finally, I would like to ask you: How did Kirito perform in the battle?

A voice from the crowd:

"That guy's strength is real..."

"Even though he said that at the end, he did save me several times..."

"But he's a cheater!"

"But it's impossible to advance to higher levels alone in this game, right?

Hachiman grasps the point of contradiction:

If he really intended to exploit others, why would he have warned Diabel to "Run" when he was stunned?

This was equivalent to revealing his identity as a closed beta tester, and he subsequently took risks and gave orders many times.

The most important thing is - why did Diabel die?

This sentence instantly ignited the whole audience, and everyone shouted "It's all the fault of the cheaters" and "They failed to protect the good people and yet they are still making excuses."

Waiting for the noise to subside, Hachiman made a shocking conclusion:

"Please recall: Did anyone order Diabel to attack?"

Recalling the battle, the hall fell into silence again. It was clearly Diabel himself who suddenly...

"That's right. The truth is—when his HP was almost gone, he took the initiative to rush towards the low-health boss.

I suspect Diabel himself is a beta tester, trying to snatch the last hit reward.

It's said that whoever lands the final blow on the boss will receive special equipment, and that black windbreaker is proof of that. That guy also said it was a boss drop.

"Could it be that Master Diabel is..."

"I don't know the truth, but this explanation makes the most sense. Even if Diabel retreated, we could still defeat the boss, right?"

Amidst the gasps, Hachiman looked directly at Kibo:

"Even if Diabel is a closed beta tester, does that mean you would deny his efforts?"

"How is that possible!"

"That's right! Master Diabel is fighting so hard!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, we all acknowledge that Diaber is exceptional, there's no denying that.

Therefore, the identity of the beta tester is not important at all. What matters is the behavior and efforts of the person involved. I don't ask for your forgiveness for Kirito's final actions, but please be fair in your view of his future performance. Please."

Hachiman and Asuna bowed deeply again.

Yaou spoke on behalf of the silent audience:

"I understand what you mean, but I disagree."

"That's all, thanks for listening."

"Are you guys going to chase that guy later?"

"Of course, he's still a companion to us."

"I've noticed a special bond between the three of you, but he doesn't seem to be being used. Pass the word to us: We'll need him for the second-floor boss fight."

"I must bring it to you"

The tense atmosphere has eased. Although many people still have grudges, the two of them successfully conveyed all their ideas.

Asuna gave a final smile in return, and the two of them chased after Kirito.

As the two of them ran towards the stairs, Agil passed by and whispered, "Say hello to that kid for me."

"Asuna, what should we do after we catch up with Kirito?"

"Of course, the two of them teamed up to teach him a lesson."

The remaining players returned to the city one after another. Although Hachiman's speech did not convince everyone, it did trigger deep thinking.

At this point, the entire chapter of the first-level BOSS battle has finally come to an end.