In the world of SAO, a few players stand out for helping others, and Argo the Rat and Seiya the Saint are at the top of that list.
Argo, a beta tester, is known for her information business. She has compiled a free player guide that includes tips and information from the beta test. She's called "the Rat" because she deals in information and is so elusive that no one knows what she looks like.
Seiya, on the other hand, is the other player mentioned in Argo's guide. The guide states that new players can borrow money from "the Saint." The catch is that there's a 30% interest rate. The money can be paid back later.
So why is Seiya called "the Saint" when he charges such high interest? It's simple: his loans have a very long repayment period and he doesn't discriminate. The high-interest rate is a way to offset the huge risk he takes. If a player who borrows money dies, Seiya loses everything. And even if they pay him back, he only makes a 30% profit.
Many people thought Seiya was losing money because the risk and reward were so out of proportion. But for most new players who had no resources, his loans significantly increased their chances of survival. Because of his loans, he earned the nickname "the Saint."
However, because the game is still on the first floor, players can't open a store, so Seiya's "Wenren Store" is just a fledgling operation. Players have to rely on luck to find him to borrow money, so many people know of "the Saint" but don't know what he looks like. The player guide states that "the Saint" is a regular player, not a beta tester. Because of this, most people speculate that he must be a very successful entrepreneur in the real world to have amassed so much money in such a short time.
Both Argo and Seiya have their own reasons for helping other players, but their contributions have significantly reduced the game's death rate. Without their help, the number of deaths in the first month could have been 2,000 or more instead of 1,000.
Meanwhile, Kibaou, who had been standing next to Diabel, felt his face burning with embarrassment. He had just called Seiya a selfish "beta tester," but it turned out Seiya was the famous "Saint" and a regular player.
"All right, everyone! As you can see, even the famous 'Saint' has joined us. I'm sure we're all more confident about this raid now, aren't we? There's no time to waste, so let's all team up with the people we know and get ready!"
Diabel was also a cunning person. After realizing Seiya's influence, he immediately used him to strengthen his position as the leader.
Kirito, who was a social recluse, immediately looked at his only friend when he heard they had to team up.
"Mr. Seiya, you should join our team. We'd be a great fit."
"Brother Seiya, come join my team. My sister and I need a good leader."
Kirito was inwardly cursing as he watched everyone flock around Seiya. He thought Seiya was only popular in the real world, but he was just as sought-after in the game. Kirito, a veteran gamer, was a nobody, but this noob was the center of attention.
But then Kirito noticed someone else who was also on the sidelines. Not far from him, a person with a broken cloak covering their body also gave off a "don't come near me" vibe, which immediately caught Kirito's attention. Thinking they were both social outcasts, Kirito worked up the courage to approach the person.
"Ding! Player Kirito has sent you a party invitation. Do you accept?"
"Ding! Player Asuna has joined the party."
Kirito was relieved that the person had accepted his invitation. He saw the name "Asuna" on his party list and realized his new teammate was a female player. Just as he was about to say hello, she spoke first.
"What they just said... Is it true?"
Kirito was confused.
"I mean, what they just said about new players being able to borrow money from the 'Saint.' Is it true?"
From the voice that came from under the cloak, Kirito could tell she was a young girl. From her question, he could also tell she was a new player, just like Seiya, and knew nothing about the game.
"You want to borrow money from that guy? It's true that he lends money. He's a man of his word. But knowing him, he's always looking for a profit. Unless you really need it, I'd say stay away from him. It's a trap."
After so many years, Kirito knew his friend's personality. Seiya wasn't a bad person, but he was far from a saint. He was always looking for a profit, so why would he be so generous to others? Others might think Seiya was losing money, but Kirito knew he must have been making a killing in secret.
"Hey, hey, hey! We're best friends, aren't we? I turned down so many invitations for you, and here you are backstabbing me just to get a girl. That's a bit too much, don't you think, Kirito-kun?"