A/N: Sword Art Online is the property of Reki Kawahara, A-1 Pictures, Yen Press and Aniplex USA. Please support the official release.
Floor 9 – Town of Rundell
"Hah! I knew it!" Asuna exclaimed triumphantly as the couple left the lush courtyard attached to the rich merchant's abode, having just completed the final part of their shared questline. "I knew it was the baker! The way he kept fidgeting when we talked to him… It was just too suspicious!"
"It should have been the wife's son," Kirito grumbled in response, an annoyed frown fixed on his face as he spoke. "It just makes way more sense that way…"
"You're just mad because you lost the bet," Asuna smiled back at him. "And now have to treat me to a nice three-course meal!"
"I'm not mad about that," Kirito denied. "I'll gladly pay for dinner. I'm just disappointed they let such an opportunity pass them by. Can you imagine how good of a plot-twist it would have been if it had turned out to be the wife's son instead?"
"Doesn't matter," Asuna grinned. "I still won the bet."
A loud sigh escaped Kirito's lips at her words.
"Yes. Yes, you did. I'll buy you the Chef's Special, as promised."
"Thank you!"
Asuna had been looking forward to this all day. Kirito had promised to take her down to the Fifth Floor to her current favorite restaurant, The Blink and Brink Inn, and treat her to a three-course meal if she won a bet of his own making: guessing whodunnit in their current questline. Clearly, Kirito had not expected her to get it right, as he had bet on a different NPC from her with a cocky smile on his face.
His hubris had been his downfall, however, as Asuna had won the bet with ease, and therefore earned the right to a three-course meal on his dime.
"You really shouldn't have made that bet, you know," she teased, winking at him as they headed towards the Teleport Gate that would take them down to the Fifth Floor.
"Why not?" he retorted, furrowing his eyebrows. "I get to treat a lovely woman to dinner. I see no downsides here."
"Aww, you're such a sweetheart. But I know you're secretly fuming," Asuna smiled, walking up alongside him to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek.
"I am not!" he denied, perhaps a tad bit too swiftly.
"Oh yes you are. But that's okay. I find your childlike anger cute!"
"Okay, now that just sounds like an insult with extra steps."
"It's not!" Asuna giggled. "I promise! Look, I'm sorry you lost our bet. But this is a good thing! You get to treat me to a nice, romantic dinner! And then afterwards… who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky…"
The black-haired swordsman immediately came to a halt, his facial expression switching between intrigue and embarrassment at the speed of sound. A fresh bout of giggles escaped Asuna's lips at the sight of him. He looked like a bewildered deer caught in the headlights.
"I think…" he started, a tiny grin breaking out on his face as he spoke. "I think I ought to be happy I lost this bet after all."
The Blink and Brink Inn was a special restaurant situated at the very edge of the Fifth Floor of Aincrad. Set into the stone wall at the end of a narrow alley was a wooden door with lanterns on either side and a small sign planted in front. The sign contained the day's special written in ornate letters, combined with a warning to anyone seeking entry into the restaurant: "Don't race into the building." The reason why made itself apparent as soon as you opened the door.
The first time Argo had taken them here, the view had momentarily stripped Asuna of the ability to speak.
An infinite expanse of sky stretched out from the edges of the restaurant terrace that was to be found beyond the door, connected to a sea of clouds that marked the end of the world. A collection of cast-iron tables sat scattered upon a heightened plateau, giving the customers a magnificent view of the boundary of Aincrad as they indulged in all manner of culinary treats.
Asuna would never forget the first time she had come here. The sky had been beautiful that day. So beautiful, in fact, that she had momentarily found herself in a trance, unwilling to so much as blink, lest she risk having the view disappear on her forever.
Now, that same sky was bathed in the deep red of sunset, coloring the clouds underneath in a peach-like hue. A flock of large birds flew across the picturesque scenery, completing the image of a fantasy setting the likes of which could not be found in the real world.
As Kirito and Asuna sat down at their chosen table, she found herself unable to stop gawking at its divine beauty.
"It's so… beautiful," she breathed.
"I know," Kirito smiled, his eyes locked firmly on her and nothing else. "She truly is."
"Wha-" Asuna asked, dragging her eyes away from the view and back to Kirito. "What do you mean, 'she'? … O-Oh… You were talking about me…"
The realization hit her like a bucket of cold water, and a fierce blush erupted across her cheeks.
"Yes, I was," Kirito nodded, clearly enjoying her embarrassment.
"Well… thank you," she stammered, hiding her flushed face behind the menu.
"Why so embarrassed?" Kirito laughed. "Am I really that bad at giving compliments?"
"No! No… It's just… They feel different, coming from you. Different… in a good way… A very good way…"
"O-Oh…"
Now it was his turn to feel embarrassed.
"A-Anyhow," he coughed, attempting to steer the conversation back towards safer waters. "Do you know what you're going to order?"
"No, not yet. Give me a second to look through the menu," Asuna responded, her eyes darting across the various dishes displayed on the card in front of her.
"Personally, I recommend the Ten-Cheese Salad," Kirito commented from the other side of the table.
"I knew you were going to say that," Asuna smiled. "It's what you order every time we eat here."
"Shush," he grinned. "I'll order something else this time, then, just to please you. But you should seriously consider trying it out. It's damn good."
"Alright," she sighed. "I'll try it. But that's only one dish. We're doing a full three-course meal this time, remember?"
"Oh, right," he frowned. "My wallet is about to become a whole lot lighter."
"I'm sure your wallet will be just fine," Asuna chuckled. "You're a member of the Assault Team, just like me. We make more than enough from monster drops to live comfortably."
"Hah, speak for yourself," Kirito sighed. "80% of all my winnings go straight into upgrading gear. You just got lucky with your [Earthenblessed Rapier] +6. Seriously, do you know how low of a chance you had of hitting that last enchantment?"
"7%" Asuna smiled innocently.
"Exactly. 7%. Yesterday, I failed an attempt at 26%, so now I have to grind even more to afford my next one," Kirito grumbled. "It's so unfair."
"Not my fault you have the worst luck known to man," Asuna shrugged, before leaning over the table to give him a pat on the cheek. "Don't worry, though; you're bound to hit it eventually."
"That's actually not statistically sound," Kirito mumbled, leaning into her touch with a soft sigh. "I'm not guaranteed to hit anything. I could theoretically just keep missing forever, even with the increased odds."
"Maybe so," Asuna concurred. "But if it ever gets to that point, I'll make sure to do something nice for you to cheer you up."
"May I never hit that enchantment," he retorted drily, causing Asuna to giggle.
"Either way," she continued. "We're progressing at a pretty quick pace, huh?"
"Yeah," Kirito nodded. "Floor 9 already. It feels like we just hit Floor 8 yesterday, and now we're already beginning to explore the Labyrinth to Floor 10."
"It's only been a few days since we beat the Floor 8 Boss," Asuna reminded him. "Floor 9 has just been… easier… than anticipated. Almost a bit too easy, if you ask me."
"Agreed. I can't help but feel like there's something big coming. Almost like a calm before the storm…"
"Yeah…"
A moment of silence descended upon their table then, which was swiftly interrupted seconds later by the arrival of an NPC waiter who took their orders. Asuna ordered the Ten-Cheese Salad as per Kirito's recommendation, together with a Bruschetta appetizer and a Blueberry Tart for dessert. Kirito went for something slightly different. He too ordered the Blueberry Tart, but opted to go for the Piping Hot Gratin Soup as an appetizer and the Poro-Poro Bird Roast as his main dish. The waiter repeated their orders back to them, before leaving to inform the kitchen of their choices. Asuna knew they would not have to wait for long: Kirito had told her that all NPC chefs working at the different restaurants in Aincrad had their Cooking skill nearly maxed, resulting in lightning-fast preparation of meals.
As they sat in silence and waited for their food to arrive, however, a familiar concern gripped Asuna's heart, and soon, she found herself contemplating something she had already contemplated many times in the past.
Kirito quickly noticed the change in her demeanor, and a frown fixed itself upon his face.
"What's wrong, Asuna?" he asked, a flash of worry sparking to life in his eyes.
"Oh, I just… had a thought, is all," she responded, biting down on her lower lip in consternation.
"Well, it can't have been a pleasant one," Kirito continued, moving to envelop one of her hands with his own. "You know you can always talk to me, right?"
"Of course! I… I was just wondering…" she started, unsure of how to properly formulate the question she wanted to ask.
"Wondering… what?"
"Do you think… it's always going to be this easy?"
An uneasy silence followed, as Kirito considered her query.
"Easy as in… the clearing process?"
"Yeah. These past nine Floors… I've just had this feeling. I don't know what it is. It sounds stupid when I think about saying it out loud. After all, we've lost so many players and faced so many dangers. And yet… I can't help but feel like it's all been a little too easy."
"It's not stupid," Kirito denied, tightening his grip on her hand. "Because I feel the exact same way. The whole clearing process, while certainly grueling, hasn't really posed too much of a challenge. We've had some close calls here and there, sure, but as a whole… We're simply moving too fast."
"You don't think that…" Asuna started, her words failing her as she tried to give voice to her thoughts.
"That the game is going to get harder?" Kirito guessed.
"… Yes."
"I do," he nodded. "Back during the Beta Test… I remember reading an article in MMO Weekly. It was an interview with Kayaba Akihiko."
Asuna immediately tensed up at the mention of that name. Kayaba Akihiko. The man responsible for this whole situation. The mastermind behind the virtual kidnapping of 30,000 players, and the creator of Sword Art Online.
She detested him, from the bottom of her heart. And yet, at the same time… some part of her still craved to know more about him. Know more about who he was, and what had driven him to turn what was supposed to be the gaming world's crowning achievement into a literal death game.
"In the interview, Kayaba mentioned something that… I haven't seen any sign of yet," Kirito continued, his eyes growing distant as he cast his mind back to the world before.
"A-And what was that? The thing he mentioned?" Asuna asked, her voice coming out a touch more timid and frail than she would have liked it to.
"Evolving game mechanics," Kirito explained. "He talked about how he wanted Aincrad to be in a state of constant evolution, with new challenges and features appearing as the players progressed through the game."
"He did?" Asuna frowned, having never heard about this before now.
"Yeah. I'm assuming most people didn't pick up on it because of the simple fact that SAO is an MMO, after all. And what MMO doesn't have content updates during its lifecycle?" Kirito said.
"Is that a common thing with MMO's?" Asuna asked.
"Huh? Of course it i-… Oh, right. I forgot. You've never actually played any other MMO before SAO, have you?"
"N-No…" Asuna responded, her face twisting into an awkward grimace. "Sorry…"
"You have nothing to apologize for," Kirito smiled. The sight of it set Asuna's heart ablaze with strange feelings, and she soon found her cheeks heating up a bit.
"MMO's are what we refer to as "live-service" games. That means they are regularly updated and expanded with new content as the years go on," Kirito clarified. "They are not designed to be fully "beaten" by the players before the game reaches the end of its lifecycle."
"So… they are never-ending?" Asuna asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.
"In a sense, yes. But also no. Each "patch" usually introduces some small addition of content that is meant to be experienced in the build-up to the next Expansion, coupled with some balancing changes and general bug-fixing."
"Expansion?"
"Large-scale updates that include tons of new content and features," Kirito nodded. "They are usually rolled out every one to two years or so, depending on the size and scale of the Expansion."
"So… when Kayaba mentioned these "evolving game mechanics"… people just assumed he was talking about patches and Expansions?" Asuna inquired.
"Probably. That's my guess, at least," Kirito shrugged. "I certainly did. But ever since SAO turned into a death game… I've started to wonder."
"Wonder about what?"
"About how Kayaba intends to introduce new content and game features."
A moment of silence descended upon their table as Asuna thought about his explanation.
"You think he's going to tie it to Floor progression?" she finally said.
"That would make the most sense, yes," Kirito nodded. "I think, and this is only speculation, mind you… that Kayaba is going to expand the game with new features and content every time the playerbase, a.k.a. us, reaches a new Floor milestone."
"So the further in we get…" Asuna said. "The more updates we get. And, simultaneously…"
"The harder the game gets," Kirito finished for her, letting out a shaky breath. "Again, this is just a guess, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this is how everything is going to play out."
They were interrupted then, as the waiter returned with their food. Asuna was happy for the break in conversation, as it gave her the chance to properly digest all the information Kirito had just dumped on her.
So it is only going to get harder from here, huh… she thought to herself as she took a bite of the salad, absentmindedly noting that Kirito had been right; it truly did taste great. I was right all along. The game has been too easy up until now.
"It's quite a daunting thought, isn't it?" Kirito sighed after a couple of minutes of silence. "I mean, we've already been through so much pain and hardship, both with the Floor Bosses and the PK'ers…"
"Yeah…" Asuna breathed in response, a grimace marring her otherwise beautiful features.
"Are we truly going to make it?" Kirito wondered out loud. "With the odds so heavily stacked against us?"
"We will," Asuna nodded, an unshakable determination radiating from her eyes. So strong was her conviction, in fact, that Kirito was momentarily stunned to silence at the sight of it. "So long as we stand together, I believe we can make it. Our group is strong. Between the five of us, I believe we have what it takes to survive this. Our responsibility is just to make sure we save as many people as we can along the way."
Asuna did not know where this unknown confidence came from. But the more she thought about it, the stronger her belief grew. She and Kirito had been fighting on their own for the entirety of the 9th Floor so far. They still kept in close contact with their other party members, of course, but for these past few days, it had only been the two of them. And they had been more than strong enough to handle any challenges thrown their way.
"So if you ever feel insecure about something or start doubting yourself, feel free to lean on me," Asuna smiled. "Because I'll pull you to your feet with my own two arms."
"Wow…" Kirito breathed, eyes wide with surprise and admiration. "I… You… You're stronger than I thought, Asuna…"
"W-Well…"
"But I humbly accept your offer," he continued. "If I fall… I'll be counting on you to pull me back up again. And I'll do the same for you, of course."
A sudden warmth flared to life in Asuna's chest, and she couldn't help but smile back at the black-haired swordsman.
"Thank you, Kirito-kun."
"No, thank you, Asuna."
The couple spent a few seconds casting loving glances at one another across the table before Kirito suddenly turned to look at his food instead.
"Now, we eat," he nodded. "I'm positively famished, and that Poro-Poro Bird Roast is looking extra juicy right about now."
A slight giggle escaped Asuna's lips, before she returned her attention to her own meal.
We'll make it out of here… together. One way or the other. No matter what.
Floor 4 - Town of Rovia - "The Happy Tankard"
Argo the Rat couldn't help but sigh as she waited for the player in front of her to stop scribbling on the piece of parchment in his hands. The two of them were currently seated at a mahogany table in the back-room of an NPC-run tavern, with four tough-looking mercenaries surrounding them on all sides.
Argo had come here to broker a deal with this guy, but so far, all he had done was scribble on that godforsaken piece of parchment, and so she was beginning to lose her cool.
"Mind hurryin' it up a bit there?" she asked. "I've got places to be and people to meet, you see."
"I do not doubt it, my dear Rat," the player responded, still not looking up from his work. "Alas, I also have important documents to sign, and those takes precedence over you at the current moment, I'm afraid."
The player had long, brown hair set up into a ponytail, and a sharp chin. He wore fine silk garments, and a pair of golden-trimmed spectacles sat upon the bridge of his nose. When he finally lifted his head to address her properly, dark-green eyes tore into Argo with vicious intensity, calculating whether or not she was worth his time.
"Come on Federic, we go way back," Argo pouted, rocking impatiently back and forth in her chair. "Ya know I'm good for it. And ya haven't even heard my full proposal yet!"
"It is not the quality of your services I doubt, more so your intentions," he responded matter-of-factly, rolling up the parchment in front of him before handing it to one of his goons. "Make sure this gets to Agil."
"Yes, boss," the mercenary nodded, before moving towards the exit with swift strides.
"Ya know I would never do anythin' to screw over the Merchant's Guild," Argo reassured him, crossing both arms in front of her chest.
"I do?" Federic responded, an eyebrow raised in defiance.
"Yes, of course you do! Tell me, did I ever screw you over durin' the Beta Test?" Argo asked.
"That was then. This is now. There is a big difference between the two."
"Oh come on!"
"You are a wildcard, Argo," he sighed, removing his spectacles to rub at his tired eyes. "In the Beta Test, I saw you as a necessary risk. But now… with the way things are, you are nothing but an uncertainty to me. And I do so dislike uncertainties in my game."
"I'm not an uncertainty!" Argo objected. "Me and my party represents a very valuable partnership!"
"A partnership, you say?"
"Yes, a partnership! I came here to broker a deal with you!"
"And what kind of deal would that be?"
"We want full sponsorship from your guild, together with a letter of endorsement," Argo explained. "In return, you get exclusive rights to all the rare drops our party gets on the frontlines. Every time we get a piece of equipment we don't need, we sell it to you first, at a discounted price."
"Hmm…" Federic pondered as his eyes landed on a nearby bookshelf that was filled to the brim with all kinds of parchment and writing equipment.
"It's a good deal. Ya know better than I do how much rare drops can go for on the Player Market. Especially rare drops from the frontlines," Argo smiled.
"I do indeed. A single sword can sometimes go for tens of thousands. Which just begs the question… Why are you proposing something so ludicrous? Surely you would make more Cor just selling the drops yourself, directly to the market?"
"Yeah, we most likely would. But this ain't about the money. It's about… somethin' much bigger than that," Argo mumbled.
"And what would that be?"
"Control."
"Excuse me?"
"Ya heard me."
"Control…" Federic repeated, narrowing his eyes. "Control over the other frontline guilds?"
"Kinda," Argo nodded. "Right now, our party of five is an abnormality on the frontlines. A strong collection of random people fightin' together for the same cause. But that won't last forever."
"And why is that?"
"Because the other two big guilds aren't gettin' along. And that's a problem for everyone on the Assault Team."
"So what exactly is it you intend to do about that?"
"Well, first of all, I'd like to make our party into an official guild. After that, I'd like for us to act as the "official" intermediary between the DKB and ALS. The Speaker of the House for the frontlines, if ya will, keepin' order and all that."
"Hmm…"
Federic considered her words for a few seconds, before he gestured for her to continue.
"The problem is, as it currently stands… there's only five people in our 'guild'. And that's not nearly enough for the others to really take us seriously, especially considerin' the size of the ALS and the DKB. So we need a way to gain more legitimacy."
"And you intend to do that by forging an alliance with the Merchant's Guild," Federic surmised. "The largest trading guild in Aincrad."
"Correct," Argo smiled. "Havin' the Merchant's Guild at our backs would do wonders for our reputation. The others would have to take us seriously at that point, as we would be the only guild officially endorsed by you guys."
"You would not be the only ones for long, I imagine," Federic scoffed. "So far, I have rejected offers from any of the other guilds due to lack of funds from our side. We simply didn't have the capital or the manpower required to sign off on any of the proposed agreements. But you have seemingly caught us at the perfect time. We have just undergone a huge merger with one of the other trading guilds, and as such, now have the necessary resources to start supporting the frontliners. How you found out about it so quickly, however, is beyond me."
"I have my ways," Argo shrugged. "Information is my trade, after all."
"Be that as it may…" Federic continued. "Are you sure you are okay with this agreement? The other guilds will no doubt come back here seeking similar arrangements once they see that you have been officially endorsed by us. They will take it as a sign that we are now ready to accept partnerships."
"That's okay," Argo nodded. "We would still be the first guild ever to be officially endorsed by the Merchant's Guild. And you would make sure we are known as such, right?"
"Of course. You will be noted as our first ever official frontline partner. But are you sure our name holds that much weight? The Merchant's Guild's rise to prominence is rather recent, after all."
"Eh, most people on the frontlines are at least vaguely aware of who you guys are by now. Some of them probably even recognize your name from the Beta Test. Ya said it yourself: you've already received offers from other guilds. And for those who don't know you… well, they will soon enough. You're basically guaranteed to become one of the biggest guilds in the game, after all."
"What makes you say that?"
"Women's intuition," Argo grinned.
"Ahh," Federic replied, blinking twice before gesturing for one of his goons to fetch him a piece of parchment from the bookshelf. "Well, I certainly see no downsides to this agreement. You did mention sponsorship, though. Are you perhaps expecting us to give you financial aid?"
"Yeah. We'd like ya to give us enough funds to purchase a Guild Hall," Argo nodded.
"Those are quite expensive," Federic noted.
"Are ya sayin' ya don't have enough to cover the cost?"
"Oh, my dear Rat… We have more than enough."
"Then that shouldn't be a problem for ya."
"I suppose not."
A couple of minutes later, Federic had written down an elaborate contract that he presented to Argo.
"Sign your name here, followed by the name of your guild."
"Yeeeaaahh, about that…" Argo cringed. "We don't actually, uhh… have a name yet."
"You don't have a guild name?"
"Correct."
A sigh escaped Federic's lips.
"Well, then you can come back in tomorrow and sign the contract then. In the meantime, I'll start making the necessary arrangements for the funds required to buy your Guild Hall."
"You always were my favorite contact, ya know that?" Argo smiled, before leaning over the table to give the man a proper bear-hug. Federic swiftly dodged out of the way, however, and gave her a light slap across the forehead for her troubles.
"No hugging," he stated briskly.
"Aww…"
I knew coming here would be a good idea, Argo thought to herself as she left the tavern behind. The Merchant's Guild is going to be huge one day, and I'm lucky enough to be on a first-name basis with its leader due to my experience and contact network from the Beta Test. Having them in our corner is going to be a huge boon to our cause.
A slight chill in the wind caused Argo to fish out a woolen scarf from her inventory, which she wrapped tightly about her neck before she continued walking, heading towards the Teleport Gate that would take her back up to the 9th Floor.
Now all I gotta do is convince Kirito to be an actual Guild Leader, and then we'll really be in business! I wonder what he and Asuna is up to, anyways…
A/N: So this chapter was a real doozy. I apologize if it came across as a little boring. There was a lot of setup required here, as I begin the transition period that marks Kirito's party officially becoming a guild. As I said way back when, guild politics are going to play a major part in this story, and I think you can see the beginnings of that here.
I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless, and remain excited for what's to come. I have some MAJOR plans for this story, and I can't wait to share them with you all. The next chapter in particular is going to be a real gamechanger, so you can look forward to that.
I also want to start shifting the focus away from Kirito a bit every now and again. You'll notice that whenever I write from his POV, it's written in first person, whereas side characters are written in third person. This is intentional. You'll get used to it. So look forward to more Asuna / Argo / Klein / Marco chapters in the future.
And I think that's about it? Thank you for reading my silly writings, it truly does mean the world to me. So until next we meet... Twisted, signing off!
-Twisted