Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online. Sword Art Online is owned by Reki Kawahara and ASCII Media Works.
21:41, City of Giltstein, 23-06-2023.
Peace. A term that holds three essential meanings. Firstly, it says about the diplomatic state between groups as it indicates there is no conflict or dispute between the two. Secondly, it says something about the mental state of a person as it indicates there is no internal conflict in someone's mind, meaning the person in question can rest without anything pulling you out of that state of tranquility. The third meaning says something about the ambiance, meaning it was a peaceful environment when you could be yourself and let go of any charades.
Sitting in the living room of their house, Argo's peace was nowhere to be found. Although the beautiful music of a flute soothed her hearing, her mind was too chaotic to experience tranquility. Her thoughts were clouded by anger and worry, whatever it was the alliance that had been stuck in the dungeon for over two days or the toxic players who did not dare to move a single finger but still complained the loudest.
She clearly remembered each word one of those players shouted at her as she came back from an appointment with Sasha this morning. When the boy realized it was the famous Rat he was talking to, he wanted to apologize, only for her furious stare and few words to completely scare him to death. But despite having shown she was not to be messed around with, she took those words personally.
Words that the front-line players were cowards who did not want to leave the game, and just pretended to be heroes. Words that threw all the hard work and dangerous trials the front-line faced and had experienced through the mud. Perhaps it was a coping strategy for those who feel powerless and scared, but it boiled Argo's blood like no tomorrow. Even the rhythmic taps of the falling rain did not help to calm her anger.
''Are you okay, Argo-san?'' Ahti asked as walked to his vice-leader, two cups in his hands.
Argo sighed as she answered, ''Just a rough day as usual. What you got there?''
Athi smiled proudly as he answered, ''Just some experiments I have been doing with the leaves I have gardened to replicate a tea taste. Do you wanna try it?''
The rat smiled weakly as she asked, ''Are you not going to ask me a price for it?''
The herbalist smiled as he sat down on one of the comfy chairs and answered, ''Not planning to. I owe you guys so much for helping me out. Sharing the information that I have is only to repay that debt.''
Argo took a sip from her tea, and after setting it down on the table half empty, she commented, ''Consider this experiment successful. I like to have the details for in the manual. Written, please. There are too many things to worry about to note it now.'' She added as she looked out of the window.
''Are you worried about the dungeon clearers?'' Ahti asked as he shifted his eyes to Yuna, who was changing to another song as five younger players sat in front of her.
''Among other things,'' Argo answered distantly before she pointed at the window and asked, ''Just out of curiosity, can rain affect the growth of the herbs?''
''No, it can't. The plants only take the water they need. If that bar is full, the rest of the water will not affect them,'' Ahti answered as he realized Argo did not want to talk about what was bugging her. Understanding that much, he decided not to push further on it and instead asked, ''Do you wanna try my other experiments as well?''
''Sure,'' Argo answered as she kept her eyes on the rain. Seconds turned into minutes as she continued to stare in the darkness of dusk, her thoughts jumping from one problem to another.
She was so in thought she had not even heard that Yuna had stopped her performance due to straining, and settled alongside her on the fluffy chair. ''Pooh, that was exhausting. It was fun though.'' Yuna said smilingly as she shifted her curious eye on Argo. She had spent enough time in the guild to know Argo's expressions as she commented, ''You know, I learned it is not healthy to keep your worries to yourself. What's on your mind, Argo-san?''
Argo sighed as she answered, ''Seventy of my alliance members are trapped in a dungeon without any way for me to help them. Those bloody idiots of the ALS and DKB waited too long, and now those two spawns are rampaging through the forest of Wavering Mists. People are complaining we are not doing enough, and I had complaints people couldn't find a certain quest anymore.''
''You mean that escort quest you guys did three days ago?'' Yuna asked as she thankfully nodded to Ahti for another one of his experiments, took a sip from the yellow-colored juice, and commented, ''It could be a weekly quest. I heard Dynamm-san talk about it a while back. Since the rewards are quite generous for a generic quest, there could be a time limit before it appears again.''
''Could be...But having an uncertain answer is not helping if you provide critical information in a life-or-death game.'' Argo complained as she slumped deeper in the chair. ''And it is not like I can ask Kii-bou for an explanation.'' She sighed as she thought of him.
Yuna looked past the grumpy rat's expression as she saw something most of her other guild members could not see. She leaned closer to Argo and whispery asked, ''You have really devoted yourself to him, haven't you?''
Argo blushed heavily as she put her hood up and turned around to hide her face from her other guild members. In an almost unhearable whisper, she answered ''Of course... I love him after all...''
Yuna blushed as well as she responded impressed, ''To think you would say it so bluntly.''
''Well, there is no dere in Argo,'' Argo responded embarrassed in an attempt to make a joke.
Yuna chuckled, and smiled even prettier when she said, ''It seems we have something else in common then.''
Argo turned around in the chair -her still-red-colored face only visible for Yuna- as she asked, ''You still love him? Even after he rejected you and everything that happened?''
''Love is a mysterious thing, isn't it,'' Yuna responded with a tired smile. ''It can knock you down on the ground. It can make you question your intelligence sometimes. It can be infuriating but in the end, you always accept the feeling with open arms.''
''Is that the inner artist talking?'' Argo joked again. However, despite that joke, Argo never denied the statement. It was love that was shaking her mind, and once exposed to that feeling, she could not get enough of it. Perhaps this is the greed you were talking about, Oji-san. Argo thought.
''It is no good if you keep all that emotion inside though. If you like, you can sing with me. It really helps to open your heart.'' Yuna suggested.
''I'll think I pass,'' Argo answered with a reserved smile.
''Suit yourself,'' Yuna responded before she sat in the other seat again and continued her performance.
Ignoring the starting commotion of the smaller members gathering in front of Yuna again, Argo thought, I guess she got a point. I have been constantly working on my progress as an information broker. Maybe I need one skill just for my own entertainment. I wonder what I should pick, though.
Scrolling through her skill set, she considered what skill she could miss. She had seven of them, and she considered most of them a must for her work. The Claw and Martial skills were her only weapon skills, while the rest of them were combat or support skills in her line of work. The Eavesdropping skill allowed for fast information gathering, while the Searching and Trap Spotting skills were used to make certain she would not perish at the hands of Aincrad's dangers. The Hiding skill was perfect to hide for the monsters she could not handle alone, and the Acrobatics skill was there to further increase her already enormous agility. Seven total, and none she could really miss.
She was level 33, meaning it would take at least seven levels before she would be able to gain her eighth skill slot. Thus, waiting for another opening was a no-go. But every skill she needed was an important one as well. In the end, there was only one thing she could do: she needed to find a hobby without the use of a skill slot.
But what? Argo wondered as she stepped from her chair and walked through the residence for inspiration. Yuna continued to sing while Ahti continued to share his experiments with the players present. Alyse, Stacy, Mino, and Faelon were just chilling, resting in preparation for another busy tomorrow. Seven was working together with Lisa on another song at one of the tables, and the specialists continued to work on their craftsmanship in the basements. From Reiner's mixing to Artus's crafting, ending with the three blacksmiths which were working all evening on new equipment.
''Got another one!'' Bejitto announced with a floor-six chest-piece in his hand.
''Write it down and send it to Argo,'' Liz ordered as she momentarily turned around and saw the Rat herself standing there. ''Or you just give it to her personally.'' The pink blacksmith added as she gave Argo a welcoming nod.
''You got something for me?'' Argo asked, her eyes aimed at the first blacksmith of the Knights of the Blood Oath.
''Another recipe. This time for a Dusky Breastplate. I have sent the precise amounts in a private message just now.'' Bejitto informed proudly.
''Got it,'' Argo confirmed before she continued her stroll through the house while thinking about something to put her chaotic mind at ease.
~Two hours later.~
''How is this so difficult?'' Argo thought out loud as she lay in bed, her mind still trying to come up with a way to help her mind at ease. However, with the many messages still tormenting her peace, she could not think of anything that could possibly help her attain tranquility.
Just as she was about to give up, the door of her room opened as her roommate stepped in. Liz's dark red eyes stared at Argo with a confused gaze as she asked, ''Still awake? What's keeping you up this late an hour?''
Argo did not even look up as she complained, ''Where do I start? Complaining newbies, worrying about the safety of Kii-bou's group, two previous bosses who have been reincarnated, and the normal crap that you can expect on a daily basis.'' she sighed as she added, ''Yu-chan suggested I released some of these feelings into, but since I need all my skill sets, I was searching for something that did not require a sacrifice on my progress.''
''No luck thus far, I guess?'' Liz asked as she closed the door, scrolled through her menu, and switched her blacksmith outfit for her nightgown.
''Yeah. I mean, I have some possibilities, but I can't shake these annoying complaints out of my head. I just don't get what people are complaining about...'' Argo mumbled.
Liz pulled the sheets up, lay in bed next to Argo, covered a body under those warm sheets again, and answered while lying comfortably, ''In a way, I can understand them.'' Argo looked puzzled to her - with a slight mixture of annoyance in it as well- indicating very clearly Liz had to explain her statement. ''Not to say they are right, but as I speak to those newer blacksmiths on the first floors quite often, I can see why some are complaining. The manuals are great and all, but they give nothing more than an objective perspective on the floors. The people who are depending on us don't know what we are going through, what we experience, and how we feel.'' Liz smiled as she further explained, ''It reminds me of a YouTuber I was watching a couple of years ago. She showed in one of her videos all the work she had to do before she could post a video, and it gave me a different understanding of how it was to run a popular youtube channel. Even for someone like me, it is difficult to comprehend what the front-liners are going through. It is only the stories and by the damage on the weapons I can see it is tougher than in my wildest speculations, but even then, I can't possibly imagine everything that comes with it.''
After not hearing anything for several seconds, Liz asked, ''Did that make a bit of...?!'' Only for Argo to jump-hug her by surprise in bed.
Before she could respond though, Argo whispered excitingly, ''You are a genius, Li-chan. Thank you!''
Liz smiled awkwardly as she said, ''Glad I could help. Not sure what I did though. Could you help me understand?''
However, when Argo responded, ''Sorry, Li-chan, but that's gonna cost ya.'' with her typical grin, she knew she didn't have to worry.
09:36, 26th dungeon, 24-06-2023.
''Wake the fuck up, samurai. We got a dungeon to liberate,'' Lode joked as he woke Klein up.
''I see you are as breathtaking as ever,'' Klein countered in jokingly fashion.
''I understood that reference,'' Niaf commented smugly, only to get booed off. ''Oh come on!''
''You used that one yesterday already. No points in repeating previously used memes,'' Dale responded strictly as he stepped out of his sleeping bag with his usual gear already equipped.
While the boys continued to throw memes as part of their competition, Kirito lightly shook Asuna awake. ''Good morning.'' He whispered to her just-awakening state. ''Can you help me breakfast?''
''Sure,'' Asuna answered tiredly as she rose to a sitting position, and checked the morning noise that was Klein's group. ''Are they already continuing their competition from yesterday?'' She asked as she equipped her normal fighting gear.
''Yeah. They are trying to keep things lightly despite our current situation. If you ever feel bothered by it, just let me know,'' Kirito responded kindly with a gentle expression, resulting in Asuna blushing once again.
''No lovey-dovey allowed here unless it is me,'' Dynamm commented.
''Don't mind if I do then!'' Naijan jokingly responded as he already stood up.
''Oh, hell no!'' Dynamm nearly shouted as he ran away with Naijan chasing behind him.
''Another point for Dynamm,'' Dale said as he added another point to Dynamm's score.
Despite the airy awakening, the growls of various monsters in distance had already alarmed every fiber of their bodies. It wasn't a pleasant awakening in the slightest.
In fact, the growling was so unpleasant, a party was already moving towards its source. Not even ten minutes after Asuna's awakening, the sound of breaking glass could be heard, followed by a welcoming silence. ''Annoying Water Bears. We're trying to catch some sleep in here. You can't come in anyway, so why even bother with making so much noise at all?''
''What do you expect when you shout, ''by the pope!'' of all things?'' Packer retorted annoyed to his party member.
''There was a meme just lying there in the open. You can't expect me not to take it,'' Lode responded in kind.
''With that Obliterate skill, wouldn't a 'Tactical Nuke Incoming!'' be much more suitable?'' Talken suggested.
''Or for just now, 'I love the smell of a good kickass in the morning.'?'' Jun added.
There was a momentary silence before Lode facepalmed himself and answered, ''Those would have been way better! How did I not think of that?''
''Because you are an idiot,'' Harry-One answered grinningly. Before Lode could retort, he switched his attention to the group and asked, ''How is breakfast coming along? I'm starving!''
''It will be done in a couple of minutes,'' Kirito responded as he sat up a fire on the gray-stoned floor, and started to roast the bear meat they have been collecting through their mapping of the 26th dungeon.
''Anyone who needs a durability check?'' Rain asked as she was prepared to materialize her anvil. None required her assistance this morning, for their equipment was still excellent when she had checked it the day before.
''Nah, we're good. The bush-cyclops and water bears are strong, but they are slow as well. Most of the time we just dodge them,'' Mitchos responded carefreely.
Breakfast was served surprisingly quick despite the lack of any cooking gear and with additional spices stored for these moments, even the bitter taste of the meat had changed. With their stomachs full, their weapons checked, and their morale high, they continued their mapping of the 26th dungeon.
17:36, Town of Beginnings, 24-06-2023.
{Brief summary of the current situation: We are currently camping in a safe zone on the 23rd floor. Morale is high and mapping goes smoothly. Potions reserves are starting to run low, but we should be good for one full day. The dungeon exit is still blocked from the fifth-floor down. If luck has it, we will find the boss room tomorrow and perhaps even have it defeated before nightfall. Kirito out.}
Thanks for the update, Kii-bou. Really needed that bit of information. Argo thought as she walked from the plaza to her appointed destination. An inn in the southwest of the starting city, where an associate of one of the newest guild members was waiting. This better be worth it, Argo continued her train of thoughts as she ran forward, no time to waste as she didn't want to be any second longer in the Town of Beginnings.
The city itself wasn't particularly bad, but most of the players who had remained here were the truly terrified players, the same people who complained the loudest. She knew if she would stay longer than that was necessary, her presence would cause another scene. This time though, the warning would be more than just a few words.
Without wasting any time, she dashed through the streets, following the marker in her map to the destination. Not that it was needed, for she had mesmerized the lay-out of the Town of Beginnings completely.
Her agility's stats shone in the packed city, where the alleyways differ in length and width. Argo's momentum never changed as she used said length and width to her advantage. If one could see her, they could tell, even without the symbol above her healthbar, she was part of the leading guild.
One could wonder why she was running through the city like that while it was just a safe zone, especially considering she had plenty of time for her appointment. But she had a valid reason for her actions.
Stats like Strength and Agility was a clear indication for someone's build, and there was nothing more absolute than the health points in the healtbar in the top left corner. Almost everything had received a way to measure it or to monitor. One of the few things outside of appetite that could not be measured by anything in this world was stamina.
Even if you had the strength to hold a weapon effortlessly, it wasn't as if that weapon weighed nothing when you used it. Every swing, every sword skill, every move would put a strain on the body, especially after the 20th-floor update. Quickly people discovered that higher skills meant one had a lot more room to use their skills before they would be strained. But even despite that, people still discovered there was a difference between people with the same proficiency. Thus, the conclusion was made that there were more factors for straining than just proficiency. One needed to train the body and mind to grow accustomed to the movement that they required in their daily lives.
Arriving at the inn, Argo could proudly say there were signs of straining yet to appear. But she couldn't say the same from her thirst- meter.
Opening the door of the inn, she walked to the bar, sat on one of the old stools, and ordered a simple drink. Although it lacked the sweetness of Athi's experiments, it was enough to fill Argo's invisible thirst meter.
That's better, she thought as she let out a relieved sigh. She planted the glass firmly back on the bar and walked to the sidewall of the inn, where she activated her hiding skill. Although it looked shady and was completely unnecessary for her current appointment, it was useful to further train her Hiding skill and to lose the unwanted attention she had gained from using her skills to the fullest. Again, that was a solid reason not to show off her skills in a city she hated, but she knew the symbol above her healthbar was plenty to draw that attention.
Argo really hated the Town of Beginnings. There were people you still cared for, such as Sasha and the children, but there were several players she just wanted to slap in the face. Hard. With a chair.
The fifteen minutes she had to wait quickly passed by. She was about to turn her Hiding skill off when a couple of familiar faces stepped through the door. ''Have you heard the news? The third field and floor boss were defeated again. I wonder why they popped up in the first place,'' the younger blond-haired player said.
''Who knows? Wouldn't be a surprise that it was the front-line who caused it again. That is probably why there is no news from the liberation this time around.'' The older green-haired player complained.
The third player looked nervous as he asked, ''Hey, Marco, can you please not say that aloud? You know the Rat has been spotted just two hours ago in the city, right?''
''Who cares! I am not scared of Argo the Rat! Let her come and I'll show her who the boss is!'' Marco shouted confidently.
That confidence immediately vanished when a familiar voice responded, "Soo, you're not afraid of little ol' me? Well let's take this outside, shall we? Safe zones function pretty well as a crutch for cocky players the likes of you, pretty boy."
The larger player looked hesitated for a second but still decided to tempt fate as he answered, ''A front-liner challenging a newbie player. Don't make me laugh!'' The entrance door was still open, and Marcel fully used it as he added, ''So this is how the supposed-great Argo the Rat deals with her problems! Scaring your opponents''
Argo raised an eyebrow, looked at the door, and grinned humorously. ''Are you an idiot?''
''What did you say?!'' The larger player responded angrily, but also clearly uncomfortable.
Argo shook her head as she explained, ''If you want to start a commotion, you should keep in mind the time and place. It seems you did neither.'' A grievous smile appeared on her face as she added, ''But if you like, we can find the suitable time and place. I do not mind telling the outside of your little secrets, Marco. Or should I say, Annie?''
Marco's eyes opened wide, and in reflex, he made a step back. ''How do you know that name?'' He asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
''That's gonna cost ya,'' she responded calmly before her stare shifted back on the scaredy-cat. ''So, ready to apologize, or do you want to be humiliated after all?''
14:15, 26th dungeon, 25-06-2023.
Familiar black stoned walls stood in the way of the alliance once again, the secret they held behind them another life-threatening obstacle. Yet, it was an obstacle they had to face.
''Anyone good on potions?'' Kirito asked his sub-leaders as they returned from their check-up.
''Yeah, we are good. If this doesn't take forever, but we should be able to hold out for two hours without any problem. After that, it depends on the damage we have taken.'' Klein confirmed.
''It would be a problem if the boss specializes in status ailments. We don't have any poison, burn, and paralyze potions in reserve,'' Asuna reported concerned.
''We'll make the best out of it. It is not like we can gather more of them in our current condition,'' Mortimer commented as he lay his eyes on the door. He looked worried. No, they all looked worried. More worried than ever.
Was it the aftermath of the floor boss that was affecting their concerns? If that was the case, why didn't they had that same concern when facing the field boss?
Now that Kirito thought about it, the feeling of waiting in front of the floor boss rooms was never the same then the feeling he experienced when he fought a field boss. Perhaps it was the climb of the dungeon or the fact the field boss never felt as threatening as the floor bosses did.
Further climbing that train of thoughts, it was probably because it was that reason he did not have the nervousness before the battle with a field boss. Sure, the field bosses were tough, but compared to their counterparts, they were generally easy to beat. Even the field bosses of the 25th floor did not leave any victims behind, while Cruta had been Aincrad's terror personified.
But in the end, both were obstacles that had to be overcome. Physical obstacles that could be defeated by numbers and strategy. Numbers both in quantity and quality. Strategy as easy rotation, and swift decision making.
Just as Kirito was pending about those things, he felt a warm embrace on his hand. He shifted his eyes to the side, where his eyes with his last sub-leaders stare. Yuuki didn't have to say anything, as the conversation they had the evening before was enough for Kirito to understand. It was a topic he had talked about with her in private the previous day. The conversation evaporated his last restraint and with those clouds gone, there was nothing holding him back. That was the reason instead of one sheath, he wore two sheaths on his back since this morning.
Five minutes later, the preparations were complete. The room they were currently gathered in was no safe room, thus there was no speech or brave words before the battle. Only three leaders staring at the doors, their backs a reliable sight for the players who followed them.
''Let's go,'' Heathcliff announced as he pushed the door open, and walked steadily into the room.
It was a march, but the players didn't run. Normally, they ran, but today, they did not. There was no reason for them to run because the moment they stepped into the boss room, they realized there was no boss.
As expected, the room was big enough to fit two raid parties comfortably. However, if it was so big, where was the boss?
''I have got Fuscus's vibes...'' Klein spoke uncomfortable as his eyes scanned the room for any dangers, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
''Kinda nostalgic, isn't it? We got almost everyone here as well from that battle,'' Wolfgang grinned, his brown beard and scraggy brown hair untouched since that time.
''Guys, focus. We can't get caught off guard,'' Dale warned.
''Everyone, check the surroundings for switches or traps! If you step on one, be prepared to be attacked,'' Kirito warned as he had similar vibes and was already searching the ground for lines.
Darius instantly activated his Trap spotting skill, and warned, ''There are several switches on the ground and walls! Watch your step.''
As Rain activated her skill as well, Ren asked, ''How do we recognize them?''
''There are brick stones that are placed vertically instead of horizontally. As long as you avoid those, you are good,'' Darius informed.
''Rain, Darius, guide everyone to safety and mark those traps! Everyone else, be prepared for combat,'' Heathcliff ordered.
''Yes, sir!'' Both players responded as they cleared bit by bit, and asked their party members to mark the spots. Slowly but surely, circles colored the stone-gray in different colors, marking perfectly where the traps were located. But there was still no boss to be found. Thus, there was only one conclusion left to make.
Kirito shifted a quick gaze to the party leaders of his guild, turned to the closest marked trap, and announced, ''I am going to activate a trap.''
''We're ready!'' Asuna confirmed.
''We got you covered!'' Klein responded.
Yuuki and Dale nodded as well, while Heathcliff and Ren's eyes were completely focused on what was about to come. Kirito nodded to the responses and jumped forward. The moment his foot touched the vertical brick, it sank as a panel into the ground.
The moment the panel was well two inches into the ground, his Searching skill alerted him of an immediate threat spawning above him. At the same time, Darius shouted, ''There is a trap above you!'' Simultaneously, the floor under him began to tremble.
On instinct, he jumped back, just in time. A waterspout crashed from above, slamming harshly in the open hole that just broke open on the floor. In that high-pressure water were dozens of fish, healthbars of the plenty flashing before the players' eyes.
The waterspout lasted only two to three seconds and vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. When it left, two Iron-Teethed Salmons splashed hopelessly on the ground, their healthbar rapidly decreasing. There was no moment to relax, however, as Rain warned, ''Eugene-san, above you!''
The officer jumped away just in time before a second waterspout from above appeared and crashed where he just stood. Just as before, a dozen of small Iron-teethed Salmons could be seen swimming through the intense beam of water. Two seconds later, and the water spout was gone, leaving only one helpless fish behind.
''Mitchos, watch out! One on the wall!'' Darius warned.
The mohican tank was just in time to hold his shield up as a high-pressure stream of water assaulted him. It immediately pushed him out of his guarding stance and onto the ground, while several Iron-Teethed Salmons started to attack him.
''Cover him!'' Kunimitzz shouted as he slashed a Salmon in half.
''Where is that damm boss?'' Helios shouted as Darius announced another warning while Mitchos' party eliminated the fish that stayed behind.
''Considering the fish the boss until we know more! Dodge the spouts and defeat the monsters that it leaves behind!'' Heathcliff commanded.
''Yes sir!'' The others responded as Rain warned for another activated trap.
Thus, the strategy was set. With the guidance of Trap and Search skills, the players continued to dodge and kill the Iron-teethed Salmons. But despite the clear strategy, it wasn't an easy task.
Due to the water, the ground had received a Slip status, and the damage received from the pressured water itself was certainly nothing to shrug off. That was even tougher when it became known the Salmons did additional damage on armor, and the water beams shot from below as well.
The frequency of activated traps increased after fifteen minutes, and after thirty minutes, it was impossible to dodge them completely. ''How many more of these goddamm fish do we need to kill?'' Riku shouted as Alice tried to cancel a beam out by a Tornado Swing.
''Most of them are dead already. Hang in a little longer, and the boss should appear!'' Kirito tried to reassure his group before he placed his blade cross in front of him. Just in time as a third spout hit him from the side, sending him several feet back.
The damage wasn't too severe, but the status condition and the additional Salmons caused plenty of problems on their own. A salmon clenched his teeth around his sword and gnawed away its durability.
''Ha!'' A short shout came before a sword pierced through the beast's skin, and it shattered instantly. ''Are you okay, leader?'' Beowulf asked as he offered a helping hand.
''Yeah, I am good,'' Kirito responded as raised himself on his feet with Beowulf's help. As he stood back on his feet, he kept his eyes open for the next activated trap. However, even after several seconds, no more alerts appeared in his HUD.
As if she could read the atmosphere in the room, Rain informed, ''No other traps are active. It seems we have a moment to breathe.''
However, even if she could read the atmosphere, she could not predict what it would become. The ground started to tremble as several of earlier traps activated, and high-pressure tubes shot up simultaneously. The tubes did not follow a straight line, as they bent miraculously in such a way that they gathered in the middle of the room. In ten seconds tops, the water had gathered to make a terrifying enormous Salmon by the name Qirza The Swimming Ruler. Alongside its body appeared two healthbars.
''Finally, the son of a bitch showed up. Time to kick some fishy ass,'' Helios grinned as he cracked his knuckles.
''Another point for Helios!'' Mitchos grinned.
''Now is not the time for that competition!'' Dale shouted annoyed.
As Dale shouted reached the others, the enormous fish shot forward through the chamber. *Clang!* ''I can't remember we have chosen a winner yet though!'' Mitchos responded as he blocked one of the fins with his shield.
''So until that victor is known, the battle continues!'' Helios grinned as his axe blocked the left fin.
''And it will be legendary!'' Tobe roared as he slammed his shield on the boss's face.
The battle was short but legendary as Qirza the Swimming Ruler died after a brutal twenty-five-minute assault, leaving not a single dry spot on the raid group. Last attack: Issin. Meme victor: Helios.
''I don't mind camping in a labyrinth, but nothing beats a soft comfortable bed,'' Alice Rue commented as she walked alongside the raid group through the capital city of the 27th-floor Ronbaru.
''Don't forget the most important thing. No monsters grunting,'' Nori added tiredly but content as she stared at the beautiful surroundings.
Craggy coal-black mountains lay behind the treeline, various large-colored minerals sticking out from the sides while they brightened the space around them. Despite the displayed time clearly indicating dusk wasn't in another two hours, this floor had a different take on that rule.
Looking around, the floor's design was similar to the 18th, for both the ceiling as the borders of Aincrad were completely engulfed in stone and stalactites. The only real difference Kirito could differentiate between the two floors was that the 18th floor was a network of caves, while this floor seemed to be one entire room. Liz would love it, He thought as he continued to stroll over the bridge-like road, venturing deeper in Ronbaru all the way to the plaza.
The plaza itself wasn't anything special. Five paths led to the teleporter in the middle, divided by five perfectly-nurtured patches of grass. Activating the teleporter did not require anything more than a simple touch, and waiting for the teleporter to be activate didn't require anything more than patience.
''I don't know about you guys, but after spending so long in a dungeon, I really could use a hot spring. Something to soak deep in while just forgetting everything for a moment,'' Klein commented as he drank an unfamiliar drink at the edge of the plaza.
''I wish we could. The problem is that we'll get more complaints from the lower floors,'' Heathcliff responded as he took a sip of his own drink as well. ''I don't even want to know how much the complainers have escalated since we were trapped.''
''Count on the worst. Argo seems to be close to killing some of them herself,'' Kirito said calmly as he scrolled through his private messages.
Heathcliff's expression looked pained as he mumbled, ''It is that bad huh...''
''It wouldn't be that bad if they discover we cleared another floor. I hope...'' Ren added a bit worried.
''That's all we can do,'' Isabella said as her eyes were just as worried as her husband's. At least the light show that was the warm-up procedure was a distraction many could appreciate.
Asuna remembered every last one of them but especially held fond memories of her first experience with the teleporter. In an inn on the second floor, hours after a dreadful boss fight, she stared at it as something spectacle and beautiful, yet very simple.
She shook her head to quickly forget about that time since she regretted how she acted during that time. Only focusing on getting out of the world with no moment of hesitation what she was doing. Throwing her life away in an attempt to escape, only to be saved by the boy who was currently staring at her with a questionable, beautiful gaze. She answered his concern with a breathtaking smile, easily catching him off guard as well.
Of course, the fact she was wearing his coat in an attempt to cover her wet clothing didn't help him to think normally. Asuna would have snuggled deeper in the coat if she was alone, and Kirito would have hugged her so tightly he would probably be scolded if they were alone. With their hands searching each other through the darkness of Ronbaru until their fingers entwined, they continued to watch the light show.
A familiar flash welcomed the end of the show, and regretfully, their hands separated. ''Let's get back and rest for a while. Perhaps later today or tomorrow we can start mapping this floor.''
Relieved expressions gave Kirito reason to believe that was for the best, but in their eyes, he could tell a half-day rest that would hardly be enough for them to be at ease.
The teleporter shone, and immediately after its activation, various people materialized from thin air as their eyes stared far and wide to their new surroundings. From novice players who wore no equipment whatsoever, to veteran players such as the leader of the Golden Apple Griselda, the leader of the Divine Dragons Yamata, or the uprising guild Tyranny Exterminators with their leader T-cup in their midst.
Kirito didn't stay to welcome them as he stepped to the teleporter from the central path, and shouted, ''Teleport Giltstein!''
~15 minutes later.~
''We're back,'' Klein announced as he stepped through the door of Alliance residence, only to see some unfamiliar faces.
Before anyone could ask why there were seven unfamiliar faces, Argo's grinning face welcomed her guild members warmly. ''Welcome back, everyone. Can you guys help me with something?''
''Everything is fine as long as we don't have to get out of the house for it. I am beaten,'' Michos complained as he sat down on a seat.
''Perfect. These fellows behind me like to interview some of you for the new newspaper Aincrad Today. Please answer their questions as openly as possible,'' Argo said, nothing left from her former mood. ''Marcel, you can go ahead now,'' She ordered. ''You can use the rooms for the interviews.''
''Y...Yes, ma'am!'' The older boy responded almost immediately as he stood up and asked as a mouse in a house full of cats, ''Who...Likes to begin...?''
''This one's mine, lads,'' Ojima grinned as he walked to his room with Marcel in his tracks. The other four players looked scared, but after a quick, ''Move it,'' they too were motivated enough to pick a player for their interview. Only two players remained and unlike their counterparts, they looked enthusiastic.
When the interviewers and interviewees were gone, Argo looked at two players who had remained silent for so far, looked back to Kirito, and answered his unspoken question. ''Kii-bou, let me introduce you to the leaders of the guild MMO today and bosses for the new newspaper Aincrad Today, Thinker and Yulier.''
Author Notes:
This was chapter 56.
We have finally passed the 26th floor. As much as I love waterfalls, this one was tough. I am not sure why, but I disagreed with myself more than ever on this chapter. However, floor 26th is cleared, and the next floor is just coming up: the floor where the Moonlit Black Cats died in canon.
With anything said and done, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll hope to see you in the next one. Beyor out!