][][

Asuna rubbed her forehead, she had no idea Heathcliff had so much to do.

Before the guild leaders left they wrote down everything that was currently going on, how many players were out doing whatever missions they could, and those that were either exploring the underground tunnels or inspecting the fortress for any hidden rooms or traps that they missed the first time.

She thought that she understood the weight that Heathcliff and the other guild leaders had on their shoulders, but only now did she that she had no idea.

Asuna felt Kirito's hand on her own and she smiled at him, she hated herself for what she was about to do.

"Kirito," Asuna said to her husband

"I know, just tell me where and I'll take care of it," Kirito said to her with a calm voice.

Asuna smiled and felt some of the pressure on her chest remove itself, Kiritos words helped her remember that there are still some players that can and will fight.

She knew that the guilds had gathered together and made a detailed list of information the players had gathered, it wasn't anything new, it was just a list of monsters- maps- location and important people the players could use.

Hardly anyone had bothered to look at it.

The players had dedicated themselves to their day-to-day tasks and didn't bother doing anything else and how could she blame them, they had been promised that after all of their suffering they could go home but instead they were dropped here.

She felt Kirito tighten his grip and her growing sense of worry calmed itself, she remembered that she wasn't alone in this.

More than half of the Knights of the Blood Oath are unable to fight, the other half is helping repair the fortress...

She looked up and stared at the crystal that provided light to her new office, she didn't like it, but she had no other choice she had to deploy the other players and scout the unexplored regions of the frontier.

If the sewer systems had an opening somewhere then they needed to be found long before the enemy o the other side could get to them, thankfully this was the easy part.

The sewer systems were already explored, granted they weren't completely explored and Asuna suspected that they never would be, but they were all somewhere, where water or animals managed to enter them.

From there it would be a simple task of either booby-trapping the places or killing any monster that could be easily controlled while leaving the ones that couldn't so they could hurt the enemy forces.

Next was taking into account their resources, the One Hundred Rooms had more than enough land to grow crops and enough water to ensure that none of the players or their animals would die of hunger or thirst.

Unfortunately, those aren't the only resources needed, they would have to fall back on their old war tactics, every lower level player would have to be deployed to recover any items that will be lost and that's if they're even in those rooms anymore.

A lot of the things they used were made by the N.P.C's and they didn't arrive here as the monsters did.

Then there was the new problem, refuges, no she had to stop herself, she was thinking too far ahead, one thing at a time.

Her help screen appeared in front of her, and she looked at the sword emblems displayed on the top right corner, the other guilds had already deployed their members and those that were already in missions and those that weren't accepted the call to arms.

She watched as Kirito followed her lead and sent out the call for help to the solo players and teams, the groups didn't have any loyalty to any guild, but those that wanted something to do would accept the call to arms.

Mission one kill every monster that can be led around by other monsters, that have appeared near villages and towns, the other mission uses the sewers and explore the places that they leed to.

Mission three, take every broken weapon and armor that our blacksmiths haven't been able to fix and get them to someone that can repair them.

According to the letter, Heathcliff left the guild leaders' mission was to slow down the monsters that are approaching, look for allies, or find a place that everyone could escape to and lick their wounds before we come back to retake our new home.

"You did what you could, for now, let go greet our guest, "Kirito said to her.

][][][

He looked around and it was only his year of experience that prevented him from displaying his amazement a the sights before him.

The moment the pink-haired girl led them into the fortress, he felt his body suddenly become heavy while t the same time he felt himself become light-headed.

Magic saturated the air inside of the fortress, to the point that he suspected that if he wanted to cast a spell, he merely had to think of it and it would happen.

Crystals provided light for the fortress leaving no room for any dark place for intruders to hide in, and despite everyone ignoring his presence, he felt the eyes of a dozen trained assassins looking down at him.

There is no doubt in his mind that no title would keep him safe from these people, the moment he stepped into the fortress he was their prisoner and he would live only as long as the knights allowed him to