Chapter 7. The Ragout Dualist

October 17th

Xonj and Okami wake up and get ready for a day of shopping. Xonj needed to find a new sword and Okami wanted to look for some ingredients to make dinner for Xonj instead of eating the food at Philus's every night. Okami felt more need to cook for Xonj then he needed a new sword. The two walk down stairs to find the place is packed. Philus and the girls running around to tables and the bar girl bouncing back from one end of the bar to the other. Yuna in the kitchen is almost throwing food out the door to keep up with demand while Ren could not stop welcoming everyone coming through the door. Philus comes up to Xonj and Okami and asks.

"Oh Okami I would never ask you this but please can you help me and my girls? We can't keep up at this rate."

Xonj responds"Sorry Philus we had-"

Xonj is cut off by Okami and she interjects

"I will help just give me a moment with my husband."

She pushes Xonj out the door and they stand in the street. Xonj says.

"Okami are you sure about this? I mean he brings this on himself by having a B&B&B."

Okami laughs and urges Xonj on.

"Go on silly. It is fine considering how much he has done for us."

"I dont know he has taken a lot from me over the last couple years."

Xonj retorts and Okami pushes him onwards. Philus squeezes through the door and says

"Xonj! Can you take this to someone for me?"

Philus opens his menu and sends Xonj a large amount of col with a address and company name. Xonj responds with a catch in his voice.

"Phi- This- This is a lot of col!"

"Make sure it gets there and I will double your pay!" Philus yells out.

"You don't pay me!" Xonj yells back

Philus disappears back inside. Okami kisses Xonj and waves goodbye.

"I will see you when you get back!"

Then she is gone too. Xonj stands in the street and in a hush tone says.

"Ah damn it. I really wanted that meal."

Xonj lowers his head to beside his shoulders and walks down the road. First he goes to the address Philus sent him to. He arrives on Algade. Xonj travels through the town until he finds a merchant shop. Once inside he is greeted.

"Howdy! and welcome what can I help you with?"

Xonj walks further through the small store with weapons, armor and creates packed in tight. Xonj Speaks to the man behind the desk.

"Hi. My name is Xonj and my friend sent me here."

It then crosses Xonj's mind.

"What if this is some kind of shady business. Philus is the most shifty person I know."

Xonj then says "You know a man name Philus?"

"Philus you say! Ah yeah that man is a a B&B&B what a killing he makes. Good man no doubt. " The man says.

"To everyone but me it seems." Xonj says under his breath

"Yeah. Thats who I am talking about. I was asked to bring you a large amount of col."

Xonj opens his menu and opens a trade with Agil. The two make the trade off and Xonj asks.

"Agil what is all this for? Philus don't deal in weapons and armors."

Agil smiles and his hard eyes become soft.

"Philus has been donating money to me since I visited his establishment. I use it to help out the mid-level players to get them closer to the frontlines."

Xonj is more confused then he has ever been. He then says.

"Wow I had no idea that Philus has been doing this. He seems like a money hungry spider waiting to trap whom ever falls into his web."

Agil laughs and responds.

"He plays that part very well but I assure you he is a real good guy. How long have you known Philus?"

Xonj then explains their history and takes a moment to get some information of his own.

"Hey Agil I am in search for a new sword. You know where I can get ahold of something good?"

Agil puts his hand on his chin and looks to Xonj.

"I like you enough to tell you this. I think it would be good for you."

Xonj made his way to floor 74 to look for what he needed to get a new sword. He searched the forest of the floor till he spotted another player. Xonj walks up and says.

" good to finally meet you outside of boss meetings."

Kirito looks to Xonj and says.

"Xonj. Or should I call you The Wolf?"

Xonj responds

"I am fine with Xonj. Black Swordsman."

Kirito asks "Are you here doing some leveling?"

"I am here looking for you. I wanted to duel." Xonj challenges Kirito

"That's hardly something I am interested in." Kirito responds.

Xonj then says. "If I win I get that S-class rabbit you just caught."

Kirito with a raised eyebrow responds. "And if I win?"

"I will not keep finding other reasons to duel you."

Kirito sighs and opens his U.I. and challenges Xonj to a duel and says.

"If you want to fight that bad then ok.I know how good your defence is so we will set a time limit to minimize the fight time."

The counter begins and the two duelist draw their weapons. The horn sounds and Kirito leaps in and begins attack. Xonj is focusing everything on blocking. Looking for a opening but Kirito is too fast. Xonj's shield glows a Light blue activating his deflection skill. Kirito's attack is deflected and Xonj's shield glows a white activating his shield thrust. He lands the attack in Kirito's gut and is thrown back a few inches. Xonj then leaps at Kirito with a lunge of his blade. Kirito parries the attack and stepping off to the side. Kirito is now positioned at Xonj's back. He swings for Xonj's exposed back and Xonj spins off his lead foot to bring his shield up to block. The two jump back away from each other and quickly engage again. Kirito uses his superior speed to get Xonj back on the defence. Xonj thinks to himself.

"The timer is running out. I got one more shot."

Xonj again uses his deflection skill throwing Kirito's sword hand into the air. Xonj's leaps into the air towards Kirito. Xonj is almost over top of him when his shield turns a orange like red with white streams flowing in the glow Xonj yells.

"Howl of the Blood Moon!"

Kirito reaches for his back with his off hand and grabs another sword. Then the timer sounds. Xonj cancels his attack and rolls over Kiritos head and Kirito turns towards him. The two look at each other for a moment. They both wonder what had almost happened. Then Xonj says.

"Are we going to act like that did not happen?"

Kirito nods Xonj then asks Kirito a question.

"Do you have someone to protect Kirito?"

Kirito pauses for a moment as if he is thinking hard on the question. Xonj continues to talk.

"If you did I know you would have defeated me earlier in the match. You were holding back. Don't hold back Kirito. If you don't, I know it will be you to get us out of this game."

Xonj turns to walk away and Kirito then asks Xonj a question.

"Do you have someone." Xonj looks over his shoulder and says.

"Not just someone. She is everything to me. I will be fighting alongside you with all my strength to get her out of here. Thank you for the duel Kirito. See you on the frontlines."

The two part ways and Xonj heads to floor one. He heads back to the town where Matty got the message of the first floor being cleared. It is approaching dusk at this point and Xonj sits next to the old man with a wooden cane that has a knot at the top. As they look out at the falling sun Xonj says to him.

"I dont know if I am strong enough to protect her, and it makes me feel fear in my heart. I aim to just get stronger everyday for her and I feel like I can never reach that goal."

The old man responds

"A goal that can never be reached is one worth chasing when it is for strength. You are just being too hard on yourself."

Xonj responds

"Thanks gramps."

Item Received

Dawn's Light(Long Sword)

Xonj heads back to the B&B&B hoping the place is no longer busy so he can have his wife back. As he approaches the door Xonj says to himself.

"That damn Philus ruined a dinner I was dreaming of. Jerk with his good deeds."

Xonj opens the door and the place is cleared out. Ren still waiting at the door with candle light on the bar behind her and a roaring fire by the tables.

"Welcome to Philus's one time private B&B&B."

Says Ren right before she exits the building behind him. Xonj looks to the fire and see's Okami. Sitting and waiting. Xonj walks over to her and takes her into his arms. The light of the fire flickers as he looks into Okami's eyes. He then kisses her. She then looks down at the table. This catches Xonj's attention and he looks down as well to see a cup of what smelled like caramel coffee and a bowl of potato soup. Okami says.

"Your favorite right?"

Xonj looks back to Okami and says. "Yeah. My favorite."

Okami looks back to Xonj and they kiss again.