Author's Notes:

Hello, here is the second half of the chapter. Yes, I realize that yet again it is severely lacking in combat. But, hopefully that makes next chapter all the better!

Enjoy.

Chapter 25: Preparations for Ascension Part 2

After every time an adventurer levels up, the guild collects a record of what they did to accomplish the feat. With every adventurer they attempt to find it, the solution to leveling up, to getting stronger.

Every time, they fail. For what they search for is impossible. The road to greatness is paved in suffering, pain, and most importantly, the struggle to defeat those stronger than yourself. In this, there is no shortcut.

Asuna:

"It's beautiful…" Running my hand along the sleek shaft, it was love at first sight. The staff was about five feet tall, coming up to just below my eye level when placed flat on the ground. The shaft itself was maybe an inch thick and a gorgeous light-brown wooden finish. However, that nothing next to the top-piece that adorned the staff and gave it its true power. The top was pure blue glass, or some sort of gemstone, that appeared to burst from the wood in seven directions like a fountain. At the crest of each splash sat one of the powerful stones, Ocean Sapphires, seven in total.

Gazing into the gems with the power to amplify my magic, I felt like I could feel them staring back, a powerful resonance between us. Reaching out, I carefully stroked each one individually, the seven points forming almost a crown around the staff.

"Ah, be careful with it," Lenoa warned. "I've never designed a staff that looks like this before. Yet for some reason, it just seemed right." The witch broke off suddenly, as if still confused why she would make such a staff. "Anyway, while the staff itself is sturdier than you may think, watch out for the head. I'm afraid it can't sustain much abuse."

"I'll treat it like my child," I promise her with a bow. "And thank you for making this so quickly."

Lenoa simply shrugged, not caring for the flattery. "I would hope you don't. Sure it's an expensive stick, but a stick all the same. Prioritize your life first. Anyway, I had nothing to do with it. The wait was entirely on the gems. Which reminds me, if you do break any them, which will happen with use, I'm keeping a backlog of them."

"Once again, thank you." I bow deeply, trying to express my sincere gratitude.

"Bah, unless you're buying anything else, take the staff and leave."

Nodding once more, politely, I left the store, each step a struggle to keep from skipping. As soon as my back is turned, a wide smile splits my face. I had never played any of the games that Argo and Kirito used to talk about, or that Lind and the rest of my party talk about on occasion, but I could see why they would if the games managed to produce feelings like this. Simply holding the staff, knowing how much stronger it made me… was an amazing feeling. Like I could do anything.

Pausing briefly, my gaze was drawn toward the dungeon. I know I am supposed to be taking the day off. After all, my party is making an attempt to reach the eighteenth tomorrow. I'd need all of my mind for that attempt. Even if some of the more experienced level twos were coming along as chaperones, it would still be a trying day.

"Sorry everyone…" Wincing at the slight betrayal, I couldn't wait. I needed to know how much stronger I'd gotten. Along with the status update this morning, I could feel it. Level three was on the horizon. But for now, it was time to test out the staff.

Walking quickly along main street, I passed by normal shoppers at probably double their speed. Even without running, each step propelled me far along the road in my impatience to get there. Running was obviously out of the question. The elven blood running through my veins wouldn't let me make such a fool out of myself as that.

Nonetheless, I was easily striding along at nine or ten kilometres an hour. A pace I'd have considered a decent jog back in the real world. Now it felt all too slow, but the fastest I could manage and keep my dignity.

Glancing quickly at the people I was passing; I appreciated the disturbance I was making. In front of me, a path formed as whispers and movements informed the people ahead of me. Focusing my ears, I tried to pick up on what they were saying.

"Is that the water witch?"

"She's beautiful…"

Keeping my eyes straight ahead, it was hard not to blush. I hadn't realized how far my name had spread through Orario. I haven't done anything noteworthy after all. There are dozens, if not hundreds of adventurers in the city that are stronger than me. Yet some of the eyes I found on me were fellow adventurers as well. Almost unconsciously, I sped up a little bit more, trying to clear the major districts so I could arrive at Babel quicker.

"I heard Loki is pruning her to be the next Nine Hell…"

"Is she that strong!? Besides what about Thousand Elf?"

"Didn't she go rogue?"

Picking up on an interesting conversation, I almost stop and listen. But my desire to cast magic was stronger than learning about rumours floating through the city. No matter what they thought they knew was unimportant. Loki would tell me anything that I need to know.

Hopefully.

Mood souring a little, I thought back to this less than fruitful week. While I had offered more than once to aid in whatever schemes Loki and the leaders were cooking up, I got shot down every time. Comments of 'Go train,' or 'this is boring managerial work,' had gotten to excruciating to the point I had given up asking. If they didn't want my help, then fine.

Practically growling, I realized I had lost my happiness by getting mired in my thoughts. Clicking my tongue in disappointment at myself, I hoped to retrieve some of it by examining my staff again. Out in the sunlight, the crown of gems cast a corona of light through its symmetrical reflection. Maybe that was why so many people were stopping to look at me. The staff did have a unique design, different from Mirel's singular larger crystal, or Droyman's triangle of those three black gems.

Sufficiently distracted from the previous negativity, I felt myself merely curious instead as I crossed Babel's pristine marble floor. Even here I found people stopping to look at me. This time though, it may have been my attire. The long-sleeved blue dress that I wore clearly wasn't made to withstand the rigor of combat. Furthermore, I had no bag nor a party, or even supporter. It was clear I wasn't entering the dungeon to do any serious money making.

Once again though, I ignore the glances and quickly descend the spiral staircase. Around and around, it finally ends depositing me on the first floor. At last my feet stop as I stare down the four available corridors that emanate from the cardinal directions at the center of the floor. Really, I don't need any monsters to cast my magic, just an empty room.

Going to set out south, away form the staircase down to the least populated corner of the floor, I stop. Tapping the butt of my staff impatiently against the ground, I wonder if that will really work. If I'm trying to see the improvement I've made, or that the staff has provided, I may need a less ambiguous method then simply seeing my magic form the water.

Turning on heel, I stalk toward the staircase. No destination firmly in mind yet, I want a floor with a higher roof. Somewhere I'll be able to properly assess the destructive capabilities of my magic.

"The fourth maybe…?" Pondering aloud, there was no good answer. The ninth seemed the ideal spot due to its large number of caverns with high roofs. Did I really want to walk all the way there? Feeling a little stupid, it was too late to turn back. Tomorrow will provide more opportunities than I could ever want to test my power. There was absolutely no need to do this today. Except…

"Maybe I can test my limits…"

Had Kirito and Argo mentioned something like that?

What was it… "Limit testing?" Rolling the unfamiliar words around in mouth, I try to bring back half heard conversations from over a month ago. Back when we all thought we were living in a video game.

Hadn't Kirito been complaining about it?

Getting closer, it finally clicked. "There's no way to properly limit test without dying!" Speaking the words happily, I was glad my memory was still as good as ever. If I understood him properly, it meant that he couldn't determine his exact strength and capabilities without dying.

Thinking back on how Kirito was, particularly at the beginning and before I met him, I think I understood exactly what his method was. Throwing himself into monster after monster until he finally died. Doing it in such a way that he learnt something from each encounter.

Shivering slightly at the masochistic method of improving, I surprised myself in that I could see the benefit to it. An understanding of exactly what you can do. In my case…

"I guess I could throw out my magic until I mind down…" Immediately disregarding the thought, the second part of Kirito's statement really hit home. A mind down alone in the dungeon would probably kill me. "One full power blast."

Deciding that would have to be enough, I couldn't afford to exert myself beyond that. The raid tomorrow would push my limits far enough as it was.

Entering the third floor, I pause briefly to consider if this place would work. Thinking over the possible rooms and floorplan, I discard it. Still not large enough. "The fifth," I decide finally. It didn't have the biggest chambers, but the floor was large enough that I shouldn't run into anyone at the far edges.

Striding forward, a lone kobold enters the corridor in front of me. Shaking my head at it, I don't break stride as it runs toward me. Switching my staff to my left, I lower my hand to my waist.

Patting around, I freeze as my hand can't find the familiar hilt. "I dropped it off with Liz…" Groaning at my idiocy, I stare angrily at the monster charging me. The pathetic beast just went from a forgettable nuisance to an actual problem. I had no idea how to fight without weapons. I didn't even have armour!

Growling at my stupidity, I instinctively flung out the butt of my staff as the kobold lunged for my head. Connecting solidly, a crack informed me of the beast's death. "That works…" Staring at its body, the neck was bent at a painful angle, a large dent in its head where the staff connected. Not wanting to leave it behind and create an enhanced species, or scare adventurers, I hovered my staff above the center of its chest and planted it. Piercing the beast easily, a small crack floated through the air before the body returned to ash.

Confidence restored, I began walking again, thinking about the encounter. While Lenoa had warned me that the top was fragile, it seemed like the rest of it was fine to use as a weapon. More than that though, I was wondering why no one had insisted that I learn to fight with a staff. Or at least how to defend myself. If I ever get caught casting magic, I won't have time to draw my weapon. "Maybe they expect me to dodge with concurrent casting?" Mumbling to myself again, it still feels like a poor substitute to having a real plan and skills.

Entering the fifth floor, I spy a wall shadow from the corner of my eye. Feeling like I should try out my staff skills a little more, I approach the creature. It doesn't even register my presence until I'm practically on top of it. It's strange how differently I regard this beast now compared to when it almost killed me back during my second trip to the dungeon. When I won through sheer dumb luck.

Smiling at the thought, I swing my staff with all my strength, trying to replicate the feeling I had of striking the kobold. Rotating my body like it's a baseball bat, the swing is awkward and extremely slow. The wall shadow almost manages to dodge the blow, escaping with only an injury.

Tsking in irritation, I had expected the fighting style to come easily. Instead I can tell that this was clearly not the way to do it. As the monster analyzes me as an opponent, I think about what happened with the kobold. I'd barely moved my hand and yet had hit it far harder than I produced here.

Something was tickling the back of my mind. A memory on how to do this, or maybe a piece of knowledge. It obviously wouldn't work to swing it like a club but… "Spears!"

A huge smile forms as I remember information that should have been obvious. The spear movements utilizing the butt of the spear are likely to be far more useful to me than anything else. They utilize the same general principle that I'm trying to achieve.

Awkwardly assuming a stance I'd seen before but never utilized, I put my left foot in front and held the staff horizontal between my two hands. Letting the wall shadow come to me, I examined it closely with my honed reflexes.

Its first attack cam from its right hand. Lifting my staff in answer, I deftly knocked the slow appendage away. Stepping around its follow-up attack, I used the staff to hit it on the side. The weak blow doing little but making it stumble.

"Maybe…" Whispering a silent apology to my staff, I brought it above my head and tried to twirl it. Making a full circuit, I fumbled the next transition but still managed to not drop it. Holding it far more awkwardly than I had intended, I brought it down vertically upon the wall shadows head. The blow caved in the silvery circle, the body collapsing instantly to the ground where it lay unmoving.

It worked, but I couldn't help but be disappointed in my performance as I gave the corpse one long look. That kind of power would only tickle stronger monsters.

"Wow, that was some move," A girl's voice muttered.

Looking up, I quickly located a pair of people. A human and a prum. Looking at the prum girl who had spoken, I got the strangest feeling that I knew her somehow. In fact, she reminded me of Kirito. While girls and Kirito were the last thing I wanted to think about right now, I had a feeling that this girl wasn't one of his.

"Do I…"

"You're her!" She shouted suddenly, going through my words. "The one that saved me!"

"That's right!" I replied with a snap of my fingers. "You took a knife for that other girl, Silica?"

"Yes," she bowed, "so umm, thank you again."

"Don't worry about it," I smile at her gently. "Here, you can take this thing's stone, I don't need it."

"And we don't need your hand-outs," the boy beside her shot back. Focusing on him for the first time, I was shocked by his appearance. The pure white hair and red eyes… he looked like a rabbit. The serious expression with the round, boyish face really sold the appearance.

Trying not to giggle, I resisted the urge to pat him on the head. I got the feeling he wouldn't appreciate the gesture. "You really don't want it?"

"Of course no…"

The end of his word was silenced by me smashing the stone with my staff. Nodding at the pair of them, I kept walking.

"Bell, you idiot! We don't have enough money that we can't use more! Our familia's rank is bound to go up again soon, the taxes will be exorbitant!"

"…Yes Lili."

Leaving the two to their lover's quarrel, I was glad that the girl found someone to dote on. She looked like she needed love when I saw her last time.

With no other encounters, I finally reached the end of the floor. Facing a wall, I prepared my magic. No one could get in my way and nothing could spawn. Taking one last deep breath, I tilted my staff and held it sideways between my hands at shoulder level.

Mirel had recently introduced the stance to me. It was more effective when trying to produce wide-area magic. Pausing for one last moment, I double-checked my preparations. Finding nothing, I began casting. The familiar words falling easily from my lips.

Usually when I cast, I never drew on more power. Relying on what came naturally had usually proven to be enough. Even then, repeated spells depleted my mind quickly. Curious as to how far I could push it, I pulled on more power. The magic circle under me growing rapidly from three, to four, and then five feet in all directions.

With no time to gape at it, I had to fully concentrate on the casting portion. The excessive power filled my body and prevented me from thinking. Wondering if I was perhaps pushing too far, the spell reached its conclusion.

"Vannforlengelse!"

Appearing like a mirage, a literal wall of watery swords formed in front of me. Each one the size of a great sword. There were hundreds, if not thousands of the things filling my vision.

"Go!"

Ordering the magic, they slammed forward with a thunderous roar. Less than a second later, they impacted the dungeon wall, and kept going.

Knocked to the ground by the tremor, I stared in awe as fragments of rock were strewn around the chamber, products of the destruction I'd wrought. Staring aghast at the now empty section, I felt my body tilt heavily, as the depleted energy wore on me. Forcing myself to my feet, I stumbled a step before finding my balance. Taking a few seconds, I felt the exhaustion steadily deplete. Nonetheless, I knew I had maybe one more spell use in me. The considerable fraction of mind I'd dumped into the casting was terrifying.

With the rocks and dust settling, I walked into the hole I'd created on the edge of the dungeon. Passing the natural wall, which was hard to determine with the thorough destruction I'd caused, it went for perhaps another fifteen feet. Frowning at it, the end seemed strange. The wall was perfectly flat here. A section, maybe ten feet wide, where a layer of mud covered an unatturally straight section. Not the dome shaped crater I expected. Taking a few steps back, I reevalute the rest of the blown out section and see that it did meet my expectations. An almost perfect semi-circle deeper in the middle where my power was concentrated. Expect for the deepest section. Walking back up to it, I hesitate briefly at the dripping mud. Forcing myself to continue, I brush my hand against it, pushing the mud off.

"Oh my god…" Before my eyes was a wall of solid metal, forged of pure, highest quality, adamantium.

Lili:

"You could have been a little nicer," I say again for what must be the fifth time.

"Her tone was condescending," Bell replied, sounding far guiltier than his words made him out to be.

Rolling my eyes at him, I didn't want to call him out on it, but I knew the real reason. He had been jealous of the woman that had saved my life before I met him.

"You know Bell…" I continue teasingly, "other people besides you can be heroes."

"Grr…"

Laughing at his muted response, I knew I hit the nail on the head. Bell had a while to go before he could match up to her. Thinking on it, I felt like I had heard stories of her recently. The Water Witch if I recalled her title properly. A rather disingenuous title. I would have thought Loki could strongarm the denatus to get her members better second names.

"So, what did happen? I don't think you've told me that story before."

"No," I reply solemnly, "I haven't." Pausing, I thought about leaving it there. Unfortunately, Bell had a right to know. "It wasn't long after I first met Hestia familia."

"Oh," Bell murmured, looking a little surprised that I was telling him.

Giving him a glare to stay silent, I continued the tale. "Silica wanted me to train her in the art of being a supporter, which none of them have, lowering their income, but that's a different matter."

Taking a deep breath, I tried to collect my thoughts of those days. It had been such a rush of emotion it was a struggle to not jump around and add in random facts that would only confuse Bell.

"So anyway, we went into the dungeon as a large group, all of Hestia familia and Miach familia… Not Nazha of course, or Yui and Strea who hadn't joined yet. It was a little awkward due to the massive split in power in our group. Three level twos, with four levels ones that could maybe handle the seventh floor. Anyway, the plan was to coach the level ones during the descent, and then switch over to the level twos fighting in floors ten and eleven so that they could learn."

"A solid strategy," Bell agreed, eyes eternally on the lookout for monsters as we prowled the lower fifth.

"Well, when we got to the tenth, or maybe eleventh, there was something strange happening in one of the side corridors. An injured man appeared and begged us to save his friends. Kirito and Rain ran off to where he told them while the rest of us stayed behind…"

Breaking off once again I didn't like to consider the part that came after.

"Did a monster party fall on you?" Bell asked, assuming the natural dangers of the dungeon were the issue here.

"No," I deny. Shivering slightly remembering the cloaked man that hit me, I finish the story in a rush. "The injured man we healed with potions, he was part of a group that… to be honest, I'm not sure what they are doing. Anyway, it seems to be their goal to kill adventurers. Maybe to rule the city or something. Once his two friends showed up, he stood up and attacked as well.

"Leafa and Silica fought one of the newcomers, Yuna and Nautilus the second. That left Philia and me for the one that was injured. Eventually, we got the upper hand, despite Philia getting injured by the man's first surprise attack. What really stopped the fight was Yuna. Landed an arrow through one of the newcomers' eyes."

"…I can't believe it," Bell muttered, swaying slightly. For the first time I've been in the dungeon with him, I felt like his attention was finally off killing monsters.

"At that point, the one fighting Philia and me ordered them to pull out, however, the other one was mad at Silica, apparently she'd really made herself a nuisance." Smiling at the thought, it was hard to believe how much she'd grown, and so quickly. I'd have to work hard to keep up. "So he threw a knife at her after she'd lowered her guard. I… well I jumped in front of it." I finish with a shrug.

"…You were a real hero," Bell finally responds after digesting it all. "Also, I noticed that this Asuna lady didn't show up in the tale."

"She's how I survived the knife," I explain, rolling my eyes at the silly question. "But thank you, I felt like an idiot at the time."

"Getting impaled can do that," Bell answered lightly. However, there was a tightness to his voice concealing an underlying anger. Waiting patiently, I was sure it would come soon. "…I just don't get it!" He predictably exploded a few seconds later to my delight at being able to understand him. "How can people want to kill others!? Are the monsters not enough? Why do they raise their weapons against other people?"

Shrugging, I didn't have a good answer for Bell. "Adventurers and fighting are a tale over a thousand years old. Familia squabbles, personal vendettas, trying to make a quick buck…"

"I know, I know!" Bell shouted, exasperated. "Uhh… Sorry Lili, I didn't mean to yell at you."

Apologizing just as quickly, it was sometimes hard to keep up with Bell's mood swings. Especially when he was in the dungeon, he could quickly shift between innocent boy and experienced adventurer. As time went on though, I was getting better at predicting his changes and mitigating the outbursts. Repeats of that first day were all but non-existent now.

"So, what are you going to give me?"

"…Give you?"

"As payment for yelling at me of course!" I reply in mock outrage.

"Oh, umm…" Blushing profusely, Bell had no answer. Bopping him lightly on the nose with my finger, I give him my most mischievous smile. "W-what Lili… what's that smile for!?"

"Because," I inform him, slowing walking toward him as he backed away. Eventually though, he ran into the wall and could scamper no further. His whole body shook like a leaf from the duress I was putting him in. Feeling no remorse, I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I get to make you do something…"

"S-something!?" He squeaked back; the pitch even higher than my voice.

"That's right, anything I want you to do…"

"EHH!? L-Lili… Umm, w-what do you mean?"

Blinking in confusion, I tilt my head whimsically to the side, assuming my best vacant expression. "I just wanted you to carry the bag up to the surface at the end of the day… After all, it wears on my shoulders all day. Sometimes I can't fall asleep at night due to the knots that form from carrying all this weight."

"…Oh, I'd uhh… I-I'd love to carry it for you…"

"Thank you, Bell!" Flashing him a bright smile, I drop the pathetic act. My heart swelled in response at that sliver of disappointment in Bell's voice. It wasn't much, but it felt like progress. "Now come on Bell, more money to get!"

"Is that all you think about?" He complained, but obediently caught up to me.

Meanwhile, tremors sent through the dungeon from a powerful spell being fired into a wall passed unfelt beneath our feet.

Kirito:

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, I was by myself, the house was eerily quiet, no one present except me. My new room was extremely sparse, by the time the girls had finished buying what they desired, it left me with a futon and a couple hangers for the small closet where I put my limited outfits. Taking the day off from the dungeon, I wanted to be at full strength for the mini expedition we had put together for tomorrow. Me, Strea, along with Leafa and Silica, would join Miach familia, and the elites from Takemikazuchi familia. A joint party whose destination was the eighteenth floor.

Information recently acquired about the place swam through my head in disbelieving circles. Only earlier today had Eina finally been happy enough with knowledge of the first seventeen to discuss what lurked further below. A floor where no monsters spawned. The thought was ridiculous, but also fitting in a way.

If this was a normal MMO, and not its own world, that's exactly what I would have done. Put a boss, the goliath, blocking the way to the next town which would sell the better gear, give out better quests, and be a place where you could make more money. The next base an adventurer would use while conquering the dungeon.

In an actual world, the reality seemed to be quite a bit different. The village that was built in this safe zone was literally called the rogue town as often as its proper name. A place where upper level adventurers could turn a profit beyond the guild's influence.

"And I'll get to see it tomorrow night. I wonder what kind of food they have…" Thinking about it, my mouth split into a wide grin. That was something I rarely had time for nowadays, eating, napping. Luxuries of an old world.

Feeling my stomach growl, I haul myself to my feet. Debating briefly on what to do, I begin to get dressed. It's been awhile since I've been to see Syr. I've still been stopping by for lunches every now and then, but we haven't chatted in a long time. In fact, she still doesn't know about my harem… Feeling a little less positive about the upcoming meeting, I can only hope that she doesn't ruin our friendship over it. Even Eina came around once I explained my motivations.

Going to strap on my sword, I couldn't help but pause and unsheathe it for a moment. Liz had done a fantastic job on it. The horn from the Raving Minotaur had dulled the sheen of the steel. While the blade wasn't quite black, it was certainly darker than most I'd seen. The nerdy teenager in my had swooned the first time I laid eyes on it. Even more importantly, it was powerful. Sometimes I felt it was too powerful.

Liz… Am I forgetting something?

The top floors of the dungeon had lost all their challenge to me. Things like a hard armored could now be cleaved fully through by my blade. Not even the thick carapace could save them. That was why I was looking forward to finally having time on the sixteenth and seventeenth floors. A place where I could grow and improve.

A place I can ascend.

Stuffing the blade back in its sheath, I could practically feel its anger at not getting to taste blood. It was like the blade had inherited the same raging anger and destructive power from its previous owner.

The streets of Orario are fairly busy as I walk along, the noon sun illuminating the cobbled streets. Thankfully, the benevolent mistress is only a short walk from our home. It surprised me how strange the sensation of walking alone was, an occurrence that happened extremely rarely nowadays. The change of pace was refreshing, able to do anything I want to without reproach, like…

"Excuse me, I'll take on of those crepes please!"

"Of course, sir! Wait… are you… the black knight!?"

"Err…" Hesitantly nodding the affirmative, I didn't know what to say. It was weird to have strangers on the street recognize me.

"That's amazing! I can't believe how quickly you hit level two! I'm sure you'll be the talk of the town in no time at all! Here, the crepe is on me, I can tell people the black knight himself ate here! Hahaha!"

"Uhh…" Unsure what to say, I numbly took the crepe from the store owner who was laughing with a deep-bellied boom. His large gut shaking with each reverberation from his throat. For the briefest of seconds, I considered poking it to see what would happen.

Reigning in the childish instinct was harder than I thought it would be. Apparently having the girls around dampens the idiot in me, a good lesson.

Or I just like trying to show off.

Smirking at the stupid thought, the girls had been present during some very uncool moments. I doubt there was anything else I could do that would cast me in a worse light. Although I imagine most of them would frown heavily upon me entertaining myself with the jiggles of a crepe seller.

Coming back to the crepe, I looked at it in my hand, the delicious cream sparkling a pure white. Stomach rumbling in anticipation, I opened my mouth wide and chomped down on it.

Standing there, in the middle of the street, I succumbed to momentary bliss as the delicious street snack went down my throat in a few swift bites. Swaying there for a few seconds, I soaked in the sensations of eating good food. All too soon, my stomach grumbled again, demanding more. Happy to oblige, my feet began moving again, carrying me into the benevolent mistress.

"Oh my, look who it is."

"Hey Syr," I reply to her with a goofy smile. The girl looks exactly how I remember, with her cute maid outfit and endearing smile. Except… was the smile always this intimidating?

Wondering if something was wrong, I climbed into my regular seat slowly. Waiting patiently, I had time to examine Syr as she dealt with the tail end of the lunch rush. Almost every patron wanting a chance to talk to her as they exited. She dealt with each one happily, a picture of professionalism. Convinced I had imagined it, I turned back to the menu.

While I had been here quite a few times, there were still some items that I had never eaten before. Like usual though, my mouth began to water as I thought about some of my past meals here. Was there a point to experimenting when the other dishes were so good? Torn by my internal dilemma, I didn't notice Syr approaching.

"Well well, if it isn't the harem king himself…"

"Uh…" Freezing, it took all of my courage to look up at Syr who was looming above me. Taking in her face, I wish I hadn't. Her eyes were closed, that same smile plastered to her face. "W-what d-do you m-mean?"

"Oh? So you're going to deny it?"

Swallowing once, I put the menu down. Syr was right, I had come partly with the intention of eventually telling her. "I-I don't know about king… but yes, I did start a harem."

"Hmm…"

"…Uhh, Syr?" Probing the waitress hesitantly, I wasn't sure what to make of her noncommittal answer. It was all too easy to imagine anything from a congratulations to drawing a knife and attacking me with that same gentle smile never leaving her face.

"I never imagined you'd turn out to be such a naughty boy," she sighed, her eyes downcast.

Perhaps expecting this least, her disappointment stunned me. "S-Syr? It isn't like that! Well, I mean, kind of, but I had to do this!"

"…Had to?" She inquired curiously, looking a little bit happier, or at least less sad.

"I want them to be happy. This way, I can do that better." Leaving it there, I found that keeping it short and sweet helped convey sincerity more than long speeches.

"Hmm," Taking a moment, Syr closed her eyes briefly, but when she opened them again, a completely different aura surrounded her as she wore a playful, borderline predatory smile. "Soooo, if I said I needed you to give me a lap pillow to be happy… you'd do it?"

"S-Syr!?" I reply shocked. As her expression doesn't change, I'm forced to generate a serious reply to her situation. "W-well… If doing such a simple thing really would bring you that much joy… then I have no reason not to."

Strangely, Syr pouted at my answer. "You really are turning out to be a womanizer." Bopping me lightly on the nose once, she gave me some advice. "You should be careful. If you keep prioritizing others, you may find you have no happiness left for yourself."

"That won't happen," I reply quickly. However, I can feel the potential in her words. The thought scared me more than I'd like to admit.

"…Maybe not," Syr muttered. Switching back to her smile, she leaned close to me until we were almost nose-to-nose, "So what time is my lap pillow nap at?"

"S-seriously?"

"Of course!" She replies with a strong nod. "I told you it would make me happy!"

"…Fine," I grumble after considering it for a couple seconds. "I'm going on an overnight expedition to the eighteenth floor tomorrow. When I get back, I'll let you rest on my lap…"

"Teehee, thank you Kirito! So, what are you ordering?"

"Oh, right!" Having forgotten about the menu, I was glad that things went well with Syr. Even if she never told me how she knew about the harem, it all turned out fine in the end. Giving her a broad smile, I was lucky to have a friend like her.

Yet something in the back of my mind told me I couldn't dally here. That I was wanted somewhere else. Ignoring it for now, I prepared to eat, if it was important, I will remember.

Lisbeth:

"Stupid Kirito, stupid expedition, stupid, late, idiot!"

Banging away at a new set of greaves, it was all I could convince Kirito to wear for metal in addition to his chest protector, something I hadn't even made.

"What's the point of having a personal blacksmith, if you don't need any gear?" Growling at him again, my hammer slipped, bending the metal. Pursing my lips, I stuck it back into the furnace. After a brief moment of deliberation, I withdrew it, quenched it, and threw it in the trash pile to get recycled. It would need to be fully melted down and the impurities removed. I'd weakened it too far with my errant blows.

Reaching for another piece to begin again, I stopped and wiped my brow. In this state of mind, I'd get nothing productive achieved. The greaves would have to wait until Kirito got back. I couldn't forge like this. Kirito was coming by soon. Pulling out my magical timepiece that I bought a while back to keep track of appointments, I winced at the time. He was already half an hour late.

The purpose of our meeting was sitting beside my workstation, wrapped in cloth. Beneath the wrappings was a blade I'd spent days slaving over under the keen eye of Hephaistos. It was in no way a masterpiece, but it would fulfill its role well.

"Or it would if the blockhead would show up… I never have this problem with Asuna." She had been perfectly on time to her appointment a little over an hour ago. Growling at the idiot Kirito, I glare at my lit forge. Deciding I'd get no more work done today, I damped it. I could barely believe how excited I'd been a mere hours ago. How I'd smiled giddily at the thought of our meeting. Waiting eagerly for his words of praise, like the ones I'd gotten after I gave him his new sword.

Pursing my lips, I realized I'd left myself with nothing to do. The surrounding members were beginning to throw me strange looks. I had damped my forge and yet stood around in my blacksmith apron, neither working nor preparing to leave. Glancing at the blade I wanted to give Kirito, I thought about trying to find him. Unfortunately, I had no idea where the boy would be right now. He may have tried for an early morning dungeon blitz to get some practice in for tomorrow and got held up, or got held up at lunch, or… is making love to his harem.

Shaking my head, I frantically dismiss the horrible and yet alluring images that rise to mind. Touching my cheeks, I find them no hotter than usual. Although since I usually work in front of forge, I wasn't sure exactly how much of this was from working, and how much was Kirito's fault.

Once again, I turned to my time piece, to find only a couple of minutes had passed. I was useless like this. I needed to find something to distract me.

"Kirito talked about his new house…"

Smiling nastily, I found a quill and piece of paper. They really needed to invent pens soon or have one of us do it for them. The antique writing method was hard, but I managed to form legible enough characters.

Kirito,

if you are reading this, I went to your house. See you soon,

Your favorite blacksmith.

Feeling like the simplified message got the point across, I displayed it prominently on my stool and took my apron off. Hanging it back on its peg, I picked the wrapped sword up gingerly and carried it toward the exit. Ignoring the strange glances from the blacksmiths that had seen me proudly carry it in, I pushed the door open with my foot and stepped into the sunlight.

Squinting under the light, I noticed some of the wrappings had shifted, revealing the pure yellow blade beneath. Shifting the weight around, I adjusted the wrappings to hide the glint. While I shouldn't be entering any of the sketchy areas of town, you can never be certain when carrying extremely expensive goods.

The moment when Hephaistos revealed the price of the materials I'd wasted… I was lucky she counted it as a levelling-up present. 3 million valis. Shivering just thinking about the number, this blade wasn't actually anywhere near that price. Only 500 thousand, or maybe a million tops. But still, that seemed exorbitant compared to the maybe 100 thousand vali gear I'd made up until now.

"Kirito better appreciate this…" Grumbling again, I couldn't believe he hadn't shown up. I would have sworn the message I'd sent through the guild to his familia had expressed the importance of my request. How excited I was to show him this.

Managing to upset myself yet again, I stalked a little faster through the mostly empty streets. With lunch time mostly finished, people had found places to be, only a few shoppers and travellers still lingering about. The oppressive heat of the summer sun certainly didn't make it any more enjoyable to be out.

"Now, where is this house again…" I had only heard about its location before. I wasn't one of the lucky few that had gotten to visit it. Mumbling over the instructions I'd wrung from Asuna, I put it together with the vague directions that Kirito had mentioned on occasion.

Forced to slow down, I bit my lip in consternation. Each of these streets that looked more like alleys could be it. Narrow, dark, secluded. A run-down church in the backstreets. I knew I was in essentially the right place, now to find which of the identical turns it was.

"Excuse me," flagging down two pedestrians that were leaving one of the alleys, "Is there an old church down there?"

The man and woman looked at each other. After a brief pause the woman, a half-elf, I think, answered, "If you mean the place that was getting remodeled, that's a block north of here."

"Thank you!" Bowing slightly, I turned that way immediately. However, part of me was a bit concerned with how easy it was to find. Hephaistos had a rotating shift of guard duty that every member had to do at least once a week to protect our familia house. Did Hestia familia have the members to spare to watch over their estate? Who was guarding it tomorrow?

Those weren't my concerns, however. They should have enough people around that one of them will make sure they protect their property. After all, its not like they are an unknown familia anymore.

Pace slowing, I wondered for the first time if anyone was home. How stupid was I going to look when Kirito finally decides to show up and I'm sitting against the locked door?

Finally reaching the correct street, the church is immediately obvious. Almost every nearby building is in a state of disrepair. Meanwhile, their home as a newly finished polish to it. The new shine of the building making it stand out a mile away. Pausing in front of it, I take a moment to admire the craftsmanship that went into its construction. As a fellow artisan I could only whistle in appreciation. Each of the gray bricks composing the exterior had been laid snuggly, creating almost nonexistent gaps for an immaculate front that looked almost smooth. The contrast to the brown double doors was also a nice touch.

Going up to knock, I paused looking at it. One of the doors was slightly ajar, a small gap where it wasn't pulled shut. Standing there, hand out, I felt that fear rise again. The door being open seemed concerning. Unable to shake my paranoia, I slipped in silently, aided greatly by the recently greased hinges.

Inside, the interior was pristine enough to make me feel conscious about my decision. The chairs were orderly tucked into the dining table. A pile of cleaned dishes sat in the kitchen. It seemed like a lovely home, albeit a sparsely decorated one.

"I guess there's nothing wrong…" Laughing slightly to myself, I can't believe I managed to convince myself that someone would break into Kirito's house.

At that moment, a thumping noise rang out, footsteps descending the stairs. Unable to hide, I simply watched as the figure lowered themselves back down to ground floor. Dressed in a nice cloak, the man certainly didn't look like a robber, but he was also someone I had never seen before. He was a pure-blooded elf, fully equipped with those haughty features that made you feel worse about yourself.

Seeing me, the man paused. "Oh, another looking to take advantage of Hestia familia's sloppiness. Let's make a deal and say we never saw each other, alright?"

"W-wait!" I squeak out, unprepared to actually confront someone. "W-what did you do here?"

The elf frowns, his long green hair swishing side to side as he examines me. "You're not part of Hestia familia… a friend?" Tsking he pulls out his weapons, a short sword and scimitar held in a dual wielding stance.

"W-wait!"

"Step aside now, and I won't have to kill you. Leaving bodies behind is messy."

Breaths coming rapidly, I had no idea to what to do. Feet planted against the floor; I honestly couldn't do what he'd told me even if I wanted to. "Why are you doing this?" The question slipped unheeded from my mouth. Confusion and fear paralyzing me.

Thankfully, the man paused slightly and shook his head at me. "You must be one of those stupid girls that the boy picks up. A couple of empty promises and you run around heeding his every command." Tsking again, he shook his head at me slowly. "How pathetic. What do you have there? A parcel for him?"

Clenching my hand into a fist, I felt the fear drain away as a hot anger rose up instead. "How dare you…"

"What was that!?"

"I said how dare you, you filthy tree hugger! You know nothing about him, and even less about me!" Grabbing the hilt of the weapon I carried, I drew it out of its wrappings in one swift motion. Finally freed, the golden blade shimmered brightly in the low light, reflecting brightly the beam of sunlight coming in from the window.

"A-a magic sword!?" The elf shouted in dismay. His face morphing into a mask of fear and loathing, as if hating the very concept.

Holding it toward him, I wasn't sure what to do. As my precious seconds ticked by, he finally regained control of his emotions.

Snorting derisively at me, he waved his sword around at the brand-new interior we stood in. "Are you seriously going to use that in here? Ruin your friend's new house?"

"I-I can't let you leave!" I answer back, hating how uncertain my voice sounded. Unfortunately, he was right. There was no way I'd be able to face Kirito again if I levelled his new, lovely home.

Tsking, the elf didn't try and call me on my bluff. Glaring at the blade I pointed at him, he seemed unwilling to take even a step closer to it.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Well!?" He eventually exploded, "what's it going to be."

"Y-you can leave when you return everything you took!" I decide. As long as I stop him from stealing anything, the only thing he'll have gained is information.

Smirking at me, he shook his head slowly like I was an idiot. "I took nothing. Now, step aside."

"Why should I believe you!?"

He laughed in answer. "I am an elf! I am above lying like a filthy human! Now I told you to step aside. You will find everything as they left it."

Groaning internally, I wanted to move and let him pass. Unfortunately, I had no way of knowing how truthful he was being. "Empty your pockets, wait no…" Unsure what to do, I pause.

His face goes molten red. "If you even think of ordering me to strip I will cut you down this instant, magic sword be damned! There is no way I'm allowing a human to view my perfect body."

"Perfectly conceited!" I fire back, my cheeks heating up at his words. The stalemate had gone from tense to awkward in a very short time. Shuffling my feet uncomfortably, it was hard to believe how seriously he had said that.

"How dare you mock elven kind!?"

"Not all elves! Just you!"

"You dare!?"

"Yes, I dare!"

"Impudent human! I will cut you down where you stand!"

"Grr…" Growling at each other, I felt it coming, the decisive moment. Any second now, he was going to act, and I'd have to make a decision. To fire on him or try and dodge and accept him getting away.

"Uh, the door is open? Did Lisbeth really let herself in?"

The tension broke as a languorous voice called out without a care in the world. Door creaking open, Kirito swaggered in without a care in the world.

"Liz! Why'd you leave that note and come… Wait, what is that weapon!? W-wait, who's that guy!?"

As his voice grew more and more panicked, the elf finally snapped. Flinching from the speed of his attack, I could only stumble out of the way as steel crashed against steel.

"Out of my way, womanizer!"

"…Not a friend I see."

Shivering, it was shocking how quickly Kirito could change. The laziness and surprise had vanished in an instant. Somehow getting his sword out in time to meet the elf's lunge, Kirito caught his weapons on his own. The blade I forged for him.

"Tck! How are you this strong!?" Screaming at Kirito, the elf feinted once and dashed away, heading for the stairs. Peeling myself off the ground, I charged after Kirito who was hot on his heels.

Even at level two, I felt slow compared to the two of them. I could hear the clash of steel from above as I hurried up the staircase. I arrived at the top just in time to catch the two of them disappear into a room. A moment later, a crash of breaking glass signified the end of the battle. Heart in my throat, I dashed into the room, magic sword held uselessly beside me. Kirito stood there uninjured, glaring at the broken window and the street below.

"A-are you alright?" I ask pointlessly. My voice timid, barely daring to speak in front of a glowering Kirito. A breath later though, I could practically see the anger rolling off him as his usual calm took precedence.

"…Yes." He muttered. "I just feel like an idiot. I never should have let this happen. I put you in danger as well."

"That's alright," I try to assure Kirito. Hesitant, I decide to tell him the potential good news. "I talked to the thief for awhile and he said he didn't take anything, so that's good, right?"

Kirito nodded silently. "I'm sure he was after statuses anyway. We have little of value except the furniture which is hard to move."

"What about money?" I suggest.

"Nah," Kirito denies me, "Lili made Hestia set up a bank account here. Most of our savings are in there. We only keep out what we need to buy day-to-day supplies."

Thinking about it, I realize that I'd never actually seen massive quantities of valis before. I'd been present when adventurers bought multi-million dollar weapons. It was obvious now that the payments are stream-lined, like a credit or debit card from our world, no one would buy something like a car with cash.

"But seriously, what is that weapon!? It's awesome!"

Shocked by the change in topic, I wondered how Kirito did it. Deciding to go with the flow, I smiled teasingly at him. "I thought I mentioned I had something cool to show you today."

"You did!"

"And yet you were extremely late."

"…Ha… S-sorry about that. I have no excuses."

"…God, you really are getting too good," I complain. "How do you make me want to apologize for you being late!?"

"Uhh… Sorry?"

"Just… Never mind. As I was saying, Tada! A magic sword, forged by yours truly. Impressed?"

"You bet!" Kirito replied almost jumping with excitement. "That's so cool! When can I buy one!?"

"What do you think about right now?" I tease him again.

"Yeah, I can… W-w-wait. You mean… I can buy this one?"

"On one condition."

"Anything," he begs, taking a large step toward me.

Gulping at his proximity, I can feel my hands start to shake slightly from Kirito's presence. Just being next to him… Is both intoxicating and terrifying.

"W-well, for starters, you have to promise to never be late for an appointment again!"

"L-Liz… You know how bad I am at…"

"Promise!" I reprimand him sharply.

"…Fine! I will make sure I visit you on time."

"Good!" Nodding my head sharply once, I take a deep breath to steady myself for next demand. Staring into his earnest black eyes though, it's hard to come up with anything. "I want you to get down on one knee and repeat the following. Liz is the best blacksmith I will ever find, and as such I will treat her with the respect she deserves and obey all of her orders since she is clearly way more awesome than me."

"A-are you…?"

"100% mister!"

"…"

After a brief pause, to my shock, Kirito lowered himself to one knee, sword held sideways on the palm of his hands like I was knighting him.

"Liz is the best blacksmith I will ever find, and as such I will treat her with the respect she deserves and obey all of her orders since she is clearly way more awesome than me."

Unable to keep a straight face, I broke out into giggles. Holding on better than me, Kirito kept the stoicism going for a little longer before embarrassment and humour coloured his cheeks as well.

"Hehe, well my dear black knight, I shall bestow this blade upon you for the low price of… free!"

"W-wait, no!" Kirito responded jumping to his feet. "I couldn't possibly. There's no way our contract…"

Putting a finger to his lips, I cut off his rambling. "I promised you that in exchange for level two, I would forge all of your gear for you. I intend to honour that. This sword will help keep you safe tomorrow. So… I wanted you to have it."

Voice petering out at the end, I averted my eyes as my cheeks heated further. Receiving no immediate reply, I began shifting my feet. I know I overstepped my bounds. Kirito already has women that take care of him. He doesn't need me to meddle in his affairs.

"Thank you."

"Huh? Eep!" Squeaking slightly, I felt a warm presence surround me. Even without looking, I knew what it was, Kirito. Leaning into the hug, I felt all the worries flow away. Here I was… safe. Like nothing could harm me, I dug my cheek deeper into the contact.

"Truly Liz, thank you. I know you were kidding, but every one of those words were true. It means a lot to me knowing that your standing behind me… No, that you're fighting with me. So, one last time, thank you for looking out for an idiot like me."

"Ahh, Kirito…" I sighed, feeling the beginnings of tears spring up into my eyes. "What's a girl to do when you talk like that…"

I felt his body tense up around me, but only for a second before he relaxed again. "You could… umm, join."

Sniffing into his cloak, I chuckle. "That's alright. I'm busy with my metal, and you have enough going on in your life."

"If you're sure…" Kirito muttered.

I didn't expect my heart to soar as much as it did, when I heard the disappointment in his voice. He wasn't just being nice. He wanted me. He actually wanted me.

"S-so anyway, uh, here's the blade, just uhh, swing it at stuff you don't like. It will produce…"

"Lightning?" Kirito finished for me.

"Yes, lightning."

"So… Uh, nice place, I guess I'll, I'll see you later."

"No," Kirito denies with a shake of his head. "This gift doesn't just protect me; it helps protect my familia and friends as well. Stay for supper, you deserve it."

Heart torn; I don't know what to say. My mind screamed at me to deny him. That if I accepted this once, I would be caught for good. It had taken me forever to convince myself I had done the right thing to turn down his request the first time. Now, having succeeded the second, I knew I'd fail the third if I accepted here. It wasn't worth the risk.

"Please, Lizbeth. For me."

"…Let me go change, I'll be back in a couple of hours." Smiling broadly once I'd turned my back, my heart leaped at my answer. After all, what's life without a few risks?

Loki's study:

"Well?"

Loki's question received no answer in the darkened room. Only the final few rays of sunlight for the day trickled their orange glow across the roof of the room. In a few more minutes, that too would be gone, and the four occupants would be left in the dark.

Glancing around at them, Loki didn't like what she saw. The leaders of her familia sat around uncomfortably, eyes shifting around, never landing anywhere for long. The whole room was filled with uncertainty, and even worse fear.

"Asuna was on the fifth floor…" Astrid finally spoke, disbelief coating every word. "We have long suspected there was another way out of the dungeon, but what she described…"

"That must be thirty, nah, even forty or fifty metres deep," Goran spoke in his deep boom. "How could they possibly have constructed a structure like that?"

"What Asuna found wasn't even an entrance," Phineas spat, joining in on the pointless chorus. "It could go even deeper."

"But how deep?" Goran puzzled. "Us dwarves are master delvers, and can dig mines stretching hundreds of metres below the surface, however…"

"It's the adamantium required," Astrid finished with a weary sigh.

Staying silent, Loki waited for her leaders to finish talking it through, to come to the final conclusion of what would be required for a base to make a secondary entrance into the dungeon.

"True," Phineas acceded her point, "It would have to be of the highest quality to endure the stress."

"One thing is bugging me though…" Goran rumbled, "the dungeon… it heals itself."

"So?"

"So even adamantium can't withstand the eventual healing of the dungeon. It would be ripped apart and recycled into teeth and claws and ore deposits."

"You can't be saying…"

"Any door or entrance would have to be made of orichalcum," Astrid whispered, eyes wide with dread. "That's simply impossible though, it's the rarest, and most expensive metal in the world!"

"Yes," Loki finally broke in, glad they had figured it out. "A metal found only with the deep levels of the dungeon, the only one a high smith can imbue with the Durandal characteristic."

Taking a small break, she met each of their eyes individually. Judging their mettle and determining whether they were up to the task. "This isn't some ragtag group of imbeciles. This is the moment they have likely been waiting for, for a thousand years. The elites, the heroes, the first-tier adventurers, wiped out. Now, for the first time, they have the chance to rule this city, and by extension, the world."

Not a one replied to Loki's query as the sunlight fled from the room, leaving them in darkness with only their thoughts to accompany them.