Ilsamor felt his body weight again while his body materialized at the teleport of 4th floor. With his weight returning, he also felt the usual cold temperature of the floor. While trying to stop the cold mentally, he thought maybe for hundredth time "My Lady, couldn't you build the temple in a warmer floor?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a girl's shout "Senpai!"

Upon hearing girl's voice, a small smile placed on his face and his cheeks subtly reddened. When he turned around, he saw a silver-haired girl around the age of sixteen was running towards him. Her violet eyes were again filled with admiration which Ilsamor still couldn't discover its reason. He too started to walk towards her "Careful Asemi, there is ice around everywhere." After these words, girl has stopped and carefully continued to walk. Once she got close enough, she stood still, and bowed respectfully. While she was doing this, Ilsamor noticed her cheeks were blushed too. He patted her head gently "Oh, come now Asemi, I told you not to do this. I actually told you that you can call me by my name, you know that, right?" Asemi raised her head and averted her gaze. "I know senpai, but I can't stop myself. Especially since you became teacher in fighting and my superior in-" Ilsamor made her a sign to be quiet, luckily she got it quickly. "Yeah, you are right, sorry. Anway, by chance have you found that item? Please?"

Ilsamor decided to tease her. "Item? Which item are you talking about? Have we talked about something like this?"

Asemi's mood dropped instantly. She bowed her head and with a depressed tone she said "No senpai, we have-"

Then she noticed that Ilsamor was doing his best to hold his laughter. Then she understood, and with an attitude that mixed with little rage and lots of joy she yelled "Senpai!"

Ilsamor couldn't hold his laughter much longer, and soon Asemi joined him too.

After the laughter died, Ilsamor manipulated his inventory and sent a trade request to Asemi, which she happily accepted. After a few more seconds, she equipped the medallion then materialized a sword on her belt. After it appeared, with a little suspicion she held the hilt of katana. And slowly she unsheathed it.

The Katana has an average length around 60 cm. Its metal was like the Ilsamor's sword, but it has a more reddish color.

While holding the katana, she didn't speak, just watched the sword with awe. Then he finally snapped his gaze from it and turned to Ilsamor. Still in shock, she managed to speak "Senpai… I can use it Senpai! It is beautiful!"

Ilsamor smiled contently "Yeah, and I must say, it suits you. We can start your training tomorrow." and he added after seeing the slight disappointment in her eyes "I am really sorry, but I will need a good rest today." Seeing that Asemi was still pouting he nervously added "And we are eating hamburger tonight!"

Thankfully, that solved the problem for a while, and the teacher and student started to walk outside the town with joy.

Fourth floor of Aincrad was the coldest floor in game that has been discovered so far. Snow would never melt, and even in the sunny days' temperature was around 4-5° C. Still, if you managed to get along with cold, Ilsamor thought, floor was beautiful. Its forests and plateaus were a sight to watch, and since it really doesn't have such important features, it was peaceful. Ilsamor, while not always happy, definitely understood why Lady build her temple in such a place.

It was a good place to hide until the time comes.

In their fifteen-minute walking Ilsamor conveyed the events that happened during meeting. At the mention of being called a charlatan, he could swear he saw a rage in Asemi's gaze that if that leader did see that, he would probably spend rest of the game inside a zone that has anti-criminal code. However, rest of the events managed to calm her down. "I'm glad that they have seen a bit of your power senpai. I am sure that you will create miracles when the time comes." Ilsamor put his hand on his shoulder "We will create miracles Asemi." Girl happily nodded.

Around the eleventh minute of their walking temple became visible.

It was actually built in the style of a town church. Built with wooden logs, temple was not so high, but it was long. Nobody know that this building was here because (it seems) while this floor was being cleaned, this temple wasn't here. At the moment three people who knew the existence of temple were Ilsamor, Asemi and that contact of Ilsamor as he asked her to meet with him here.

Interior of the temple had two floors. Lower floor was designed pretty much for praying with wooden seatings lined up two sides on, again, wooden floor. Between the wooden seatings, the walkway was leading to a marble statue of a goddess. On the right side of goddess there were stairs that leading to upper floor.

Thinking on the purpose and people who know that temple seatings were actually a disadvantage, luckily they were not immovable objects. When necessary enough space for a workout can be created easily.

As they entered the temple Ilsamor looked to the statue. Asemi, had been caught the glance and knew Ilsamor well enough, said with a smile "You may pray senpai. I will go upstairs and start preparations." Ilsamor nodded and walked towards the statue.

He found this place approximately two weeks ago, with her lead of course. When he first entered the temple, statue frightened him a bit, yet he later found calmness every time he stood before the statue. But one thing he found near the statue was, somehow, scared the hell out of him, causing him to stay away from it for a good four or five days.

Then, one night she spoke to him, for the first time since acquiring the mission "My champion, do not fear from me please. Come to me as I want nothing but heal the scars of your mind that countless battles left behind."

While thinking about it he approached statue, then unsheathed his sword, he kneeled before the statue while leaning his sword. "Brilliant lady, one who was born from darkness yet became the mistress of the light, forgive my sins that I committed today and give me the peace of your forgiveness."

He waited like that for almost ten minutes while an unknown thing soothed his mind, helping him to clear his fears and saving him from the stress of day. After that he stood up, relaxing his tensed muscles, and smiling he climbed the stairs.

Upper floor of temple was designed like a small home. Stairs were leading into an area that has a table that was big enough for eight people, around the table all equipments needed for a kitchen were available. Left side of stairs were not closed by a wall but handrails, allowing to look the lower floor of church easily. Near the handrails a bookcase was standing yet it was empty at the moment. Finally, a small corridor was leading to three doors, which were bedrooms.

Ilsamor went to table, seeing that Asemi stood up reflexively. Ilsamor, with a slight exasperation in his voice, told her "Asemi, please… I am not your commander, your teacher or supervisor. I am just a fellow gamer who is trying to teach you fighting. You can relax." Asemi blushed to boy's comments, giving him a shy look "I am sorry senpai, but you have an aura that even after you said that I cannot help but respect you. I… I don't know, but it is like, you know, I want you to become proud of me." she trailed on.

Ilsamor laughed the reaction of girl and brushed her head, which made her jump. "Don't you worry Asemi, I am already proud of you and I know I always will be. Now let's get down to business."

He materialized the meats that he gathered as loot and he used herbs he gathered to get something that resembles hamburger patty from the mixture. He was definitely sure that this process was harder in real life, but this was SAO, a death game. He didn't feel sorry for preparing his meal easily.

After the meal has been eaten, they sat in the opposing sides of the table. This was their 'free time', which is a term that tells they cannot go dungeons in this time yet as Asemi was still a stranger to her new weapon. Thus, right now Ilsamor pulled a book from his inventory that he bough from an NPC merchant while Asemi was reading the game manual about katana combat.

At some point Asemi closed the manual and looked expectantly to Ilsamor. After a few pages, Ilsamor finally noticed the girl's behavior "What's the problem Asemi, do you have a question?" Asemi nodded, then she said "Senpai… Last night, a beautiful woman voice told me to come to her. Is this the signal that you told me to wait?" Ilsamor looked girl's violet eyes "Yes, that was the invitation. But you seem scared. What's wrong?" Asemi didn't answer his question, but Ilsamor noticed that the girl's hold on her katana tightened.

"I…I fear that she will decide that I am unworthy and take her gift back."

Her answer was so unexpected for Ilsamor that he couldn't held his laughter back. While he was laughing, crimson color spread Asemi's cheeks. "It is not funny senpai! I might lose my gift but you-"

"I am sorry Asemi, but you understood the whole thing completely wrong." said Ilsamor finally managing to control his laughter. "She decided that you are worthy at the time she gave you this. These prayers are not for another check, but rather for our benefit."

Asemi straightened her back, seeing her attention has been picked Ilsamor continued "As you well known at our core, we are gamers not some sort of special forces or conscripts that joined this death game with our consent. That means all the things that happening around us are damaging our soul at its core to some extent. Some lose hope, some their mental health. These prayers are to help us with our daily stress and of course in the cases that we are wrong help us to realize and correct our ways. For the things we intent, we must stay strong."

"But senpai if the prayers are useful and beneficial as you said why don't we invite other players here? Is it not selfish to hide this information?" said Asemi a voice with more curiosity than opposition. Her question caused Ilsamor to take his eyes from her and turn his gaze to forest sight. "It is not by my choice. Lady said to me that this relaxing power is not some kind of item or effect, but actually a game service. However, by some intervention, this useful and important power has been trapped and cut off from players. She assured me that she intends to fully release that power once she gains enough strength, but until than we must stay quiet, or that power will never reach whole Aincrad."

While Ilsamor was saying all these things to Asemi, he felt something heavy on his back as he knew that he was somehow interfering with goddess's one way to deliver this miracle everyone.

After Ilsamor went to his bed, Asemi slowly got downstairs to make her first prayer.

She got in front of the statue as Ilsamor told her and kneeled like he did before. She knew that she had to form some kind of prayer herself as Ilsamor did.

She cleared her throat "Um… Hello there my lady… Oh no, that was too bad."

Feeling embarrassed she instantly felt a presence just like a child was trying to read a poem to his/her mother. "It is okay, I'm here. You don't have to rush anything. And it wasn't that bad 'General Kenobi'"

While she couldn't understand the joke lady made, she felt all of her fears and sadness that she kept bay since the day zero were being eased. She completely relaxed and without her realizing tears started fell from her eyes. She wiped them with the back of her hand, and continued to think for an appropriate prayer.

Finally, she took a deep breath. "My lady, if you allow me, I want to thank you tonight. I entered this game alone, without any friend, and spent weeks in parties that used me and threw me away. At the end, I made a mistake, getting into the forest in night. Yet, maybe indirectly but still you were the reason that my savior was strong enough to save me from monsters, wise enough to save me from despair and finally kind enough to save me from loneliness. After that you accepted me, gave me these beautiful equipments to defend all of the people that trapped in this game.

I don't know what have I done to deserve such kindness from you, but I promise you that in every step of the way I will do everything I can to make you proud. Please… Watch over us as we walk through this hell to reach the light."

At the last sentence she felt as someone put their hand to her cheek, then the sound spoke to her once again "I will. Thank you for your beautiful prayer. And please don't think lowly for yourself. As Ilsamor said that day, you didn't need help to defeat the beasts, you needed helped to stay calm."

With that sentence prayer was over, and Asemi had her best night sleep in Aincrad so far.

Next morning after their breakfast, Ilsamor pulled the seating on the lower floor away to open space for practice. Then he stood in front of Asemi. "Okay, normally we will go dungeons to both raise your skill and your level, but for now we will work like this. You will attack me, and yes you can use even Zekku as a part of your assault. I will parry and block your attacks, and if needed I will use my fist to strike you back, so be careful. Ready?"

Asemi nodded while unsheathing her katana and taking a charge position. If you asked her two week ago that can she even dare to think practicing with high level items, she would say no. But now…

She rushed and made a mid-level attack on Ilsamor, which he blocked. Then she continued her attack by using slashes and thrusts, which Ilsamor dodged or parried all of them. Her attacks started to become relentless then…

'SMACK!'

With the hit she retreated and saw that Ilsamor's fist lunged forward. He retreated his hand back. "Don't lose your control. If this was a real fight I would easily get a clean hit against you. Be the master of your sword, not the other way around." She nodded, then Ilsamor made a practice swing with his sword. "Again!"

Asemi attacked again, this time using a style which was heavily depending on over-head attacks. However, this turned out t be a mistake as Ilsamor knocked her back again, this time with a well-timed block. "Your STR stat is not that high yet Asemi. This is a useful tactic, but you must be careful who to use this one. Again!"

Asemi shot like a bullet at the beginning of the word. He rushed and used heavy swings and fast thrust in a combination again. Then, finally, she saw the opening she was searching "Now!" she though as her katana began to glow in a orange glow, soon also engulfed by flames "One-hit sword skill, Zekku!"

However, Ilsamor's reaction time was so fast, the moment her katana started to glow, his sword also rapidly gained a white light, both as a sword skill and as a power effect. Their swords clashed, and while nothing visible happened she almost felt like the damage of sword skill was somehow sucked by Ilsamor's strongest defensive sword skill, Adamant Believer.

Ilsamor retreated and panted a while, this skill while powerful, was always leaving him exhausted. After a minute or two he smiled to Asemi. "This one was good Asemi. You managed to activate a sword skill in the middle of motion. Let's try this one a few more times."

So, their sparring went on like this close half hour.

At the thirtieth minute of their training, he heard a door crack, and someone poked their head inside. That was the contact Ilsamor was waiting. "Oh, thank you for coming Argo-san. Please come in and have seat, Iwill be with you after that last session." Hearing that Argo, entered the temple while Ilsamor and Asemi made a last sparring match, fiercer than the ones before.

After that match ended too, Ilsamor sheathed his sword, and hel out his hand towards Argo "Thank you for waiting. My name is Ilsamor, I hope my friend didn't bother you too much." Argo shook his hand with a serious face "Not much. But your offer was interesting. You said, 'helping the players' but you didn't say how." replied to Ilsamor. Ilsamor nervously scratched his neck, "I hope I can provide a satisfactory answer. Would like to discuss it upstairs or-"

"This place is enough." Argo replied. Ilsamor noticed that while Argo try to seem like cool and composed, one of her hands was always on her daggers hilt. Seeing this saddened him "Really, how much trust has been lost between the players since the game began. I think only one who didn't notice was me." he thought, then forced himself a smile. "As you say. Please take a seat." Once they sit opposingly, Ilsamor cleared his throat then began to speak.

"As you said Argo-san, I want to do something that will especially help low level players. Since the beginning, a part of the player population managed solve the mechanics of this game have moved faster than others and now they are consisting most of the assault team. However, this left a huge portion of the players in the back, with assault team taking most of the strong gear in the first run. Remaining players either moving slowly due to weak equipment or self-confidence, or they have given up entirely, waiting for a rescue. I want to help especially first group by tutoring them and of course helping them to tackle dungeons."

Argo raised her brow "I see but you don't need me for this to run. Where do I come in?" Ilsamor continued "I have an expertise in fighting but not in, you know, analyze people. I don't want to be some sort of hired muscle or waste my time on players who expect me to go in dungeon for them. I want to give this service to only those who really want it or need it. I hoped that you may help me with finding such player groups, not for free of course…" Argo nodded, then thought for a few seconds, then crossed her legs. "What will be my pay then?" Ilsamor answered again "I think about %20 of my part from the dungeons and I will take again %20 of total gain at the end of training from the loots. Beside that, I apologize if that's rude but, I also offer you a room at the upstairs, whenever you want. When you come to stay, you can also eat with us." then he added upon seeing the raised brow of Argo "Of course it is not something about guild invitation or anything, it's just…" He sighed "I am not a merchant and I really don't know what else I can do for you. If you want something else, please tell me."

Argo thought man's offer for a few minutes. "Gotta say you are giving me a big part of your pay. And while I don't have a problem about accommodation, a room where only few know its place might come in handy. Alright, I'm in. But I warn you, if I find out that you are using this for some other reason that might harm those people, then you will be in a hell of a trouble, got it?"

Ilsamor smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, thank you Argo-san. Would you like to stay for lunch?"

After lunch, Asemi and Ilsamor first accompanied Argo to fourth floor's teleportation, then they continued their training in the open area, this time not limited by sparring. It was a good thing, because they got a lot of edible loot and as Ilsamor's heavy program was slowly beginning, they won't be finding such a spare time in near future.

Night followed the same suit. Ilsamor was actually a bit sad, as they usually lack col, he couldn't take Asemi to restaurants that many front-liners usually hang up, luckily for him Asemi didn't show any kind of boredom or she didn't even complained once. Ilsamor noted to a corner of his mind to definitely take her to somewhere beautiful once he finds money.

He finally closed the night by retreating his bedroom but couldn't go to sleep directly. His talk with Asemi from previous day was still bothering him. The emotion was so tense that he finally sat on his bed.

He tought for a moment. He was never a religious person before coming to Aincrad, as from all the stress and problems, he didn't look into this matter thoroughly. He swinged his hand to call menu, then he opened his inventory to materialize a certain object.

That object was a hardcovered book, about size of his hand. On its front cover the same symbol from his Coat of Heavens was adorned. Its color was dark green, with interestingly its pages were in yellow color like it was an old book. In its first page those words were written with a beautiful handwriting "We have sent this book to ease your fears after horrors and give you hope after defeats."

After reading that sentence, he had closed the book, never to open again until now. Because he was afraid. In all the tales and myths, receiving such a book usually indicates a very heavy responsibility. He hoped that if he don't open the book, he would be free of this responsibility.

But what Asemi said to him made him to rethink this decision. Does he really have a right keep this to yourself when this can help all of the people trapped in this death game?

He sighed internally, becoming aware of that he might accepted all the consequences when he pressed that blue button.

"I assure you; you are my only and best choice for such an important mission."

He thought about his life before and after the game. He knew that, while not completely he was changing bit by bit. Who would know what will he become after few months later?

Finally, he nodded, giving his decision he opened the book from middle and began reading it:

"Lady stood before her army of faithful, looking to faces of all of her believers, their faces were glowing with hope and joy. She called to them 'My warriors, ease your fears born from the upcoming battle. If you return to my side in death, you will know no fears forevermore. And if you return to my side alive with a clean victory, then you will be even more rewarded. But even at your war against darkness do not exceed your limits, don't kill needlessly, don't kill the ones without sin and the ones don't resist for if you do my curse will be upon you forevermore, the ones who repent are the exceptions."

While he was reading, he didn't notice his sword was glowing in its scabbard.