A/N: And we're back for the weekly instalment until my mind collapses under my own procrastination! Anywho, Review Time.

To Isshion: Happy to see you're entertained, this arc's got a bunch of action in it for everyone.

[Daora]: Just wait as I pave the way to victory!

[Artorias]: Or die trying, more power to you.

[Nagi]: You can sit back and relax Ms Isshion!

Enjoy.

"Grah, what's with these guys!?" Klein grunted, shoving back the Nodachi Infantry with his boot before crisscrossing their open chest with a thrust to the throat, dissolving the man into glass as another swept through its dead companion to lock blades with the red samurai who leapt back in fright, pushing against the mob's blade. "You two alright!?"

"Been better - gah!" Kirito replied, using Kick-Step to vault and slash the samurai's open back with Vertical Arc, canceling the skill for Asuna to thrust at blinding speeds with Shooting Star, the impact tossing the monster over the Beater's head and into another for him to retaliate with Snake Bite, shattering the Infantry's blade and in turn, the health bar as the swordsman took a two-prong stab from the following Nodachi sweeping the area with a cyan haze. "These guys keep comin'! Asuna, switch!"

He dove back as his partner stepped in long before he spoke, sending the next dark-clad soldier flying with a flurry of red thrusts into the building's support beams. She huffed, red slashes dotting her skin and armor too. The monsters were endless. "We can't keep this up, give 'em the stone!" She yelled to Klein who held back two katanas with his, diverting the blades sideways to jump away from a horizontal sword skill, back to back with Kirito.

"I doubt they'd be willin' to talk it out!" Klein informed the fencer, the six samurai approaching from the darkness. "How's our exit?"

"Blocked," Kirito panted, blade casting a deep blue, preparing to go all out with Phantom Rave to at least clear the air and possibly press for the advantage. Their health bars were in the yellow, but these soldiers were green, and several levels higher to boot. "Stay calm, think of a way outta this mess, there's a way...!"

"Samurai, duck!" Klein's body moved on instinct, ducking when the enemy pushed forward to land their strikes on the defenseless player.

Only to find themselves thrown into the air by the roar of a dragon. A woman in black and white landed before the trio, standing tall as she sheathed her milky-white katana, opening her snow-white eyes to the dark samurai. "Your clan has stained this floor with enough innocent blood, so say Shirayuki of House Winter!"

The scruffy man's eyes widened as large as his toothy smile, pumping a fist, "Hahaha, now we're talkin'!" Klein, reinvigorated, joined the shinobi's side, their blades drawn as one with Kirito and Asuna taking the entryway, their own weapons at the ready.

"This is our chance!/Let's end this!" Asuna and Kirito declared, and several blinding flashes suffocated the shrine.

|March. 28th, 12:47|

|Sword Art Online, Floor 25, Wisteria Shore|

Crossing a nearby redwood bridge under the blossoming wisteria trees as their glowing petals enraptured some of the players following the noble shinobi of House Winter. With the added muscle in their party, the group of nine left the Bamboo forest behind with greater ease, now, despite the lingering mobs and battles with players, the group was very much away from any of that distraction, much to Daora's annoyance.

"-after that, Shirayuki said the main forces were coming to the temple you guys were at," Klein recounted how the woman saved them from a serious trap, one of many set by this 'Clan of Darkness' as Shirayuki referred to them as. Disgraced warriors that have fallen to corruption under Danuja's command.

"It is true, I was fortunate to have made it, others weren't so lucky," Shirayuki spoke softly, hand glossing through the low-hanging branches of the purple trees. "My duty remains at the forefront of my mind, however, to know the strife you swordsmen face, I feel compelled to aid you when I can, and at times, this cannot be."

"Can't save everyone, Shira, gotta agree with ya though, not a nice feelin', not when ya have the skill to do sO," Argo nodded in agreement, scanning the environment. "The main quest's been hard on the Frontrunners, Kiba-Lind have their hands fulL."

"I see, informant Argo, both our battles aren't without a mighty force against uS," Shirayuki concurred.

"How has the main quest gone? We only arrived to handle the Sakura quest?" Nagi informed Asuna and Kirito, the latter sighing heavily with a disgruntled face.

"Honestly? A pain, whole big mystery involving a daughter of some rich noble guy being kidnapped, apparently as a sacrifice, but that's all we've gotten so far," He answered, then pointed to Klein. "We found him when passing the temple in the Forever Falls, whole bunch of mobs were gathering around the area so we stuck our noses in and ended up in the crossfire,"

Klein, who had come alone after he and his guild saw how tough the enemies wore, decided to split off for a bit, with Klein going out to gather side-quests for them to complete until they were safe, in the end, he got himself mixed up in the Path of Divine Sakura campaign all over again.

"Again, you guys saved my ass back there!" Klein clapped his hands into a prayer directed at the duo Clearers.

"It's all good, you don't need to thank us," Kirito smiled warily, hand raised to stop Klein with Asuna giggling behind her hand.

"You're quite welcome, Klein." She offered as her brown eyes caught sight of the purple-clad girl staring at her. "Uh, hi?"

"Ah, sorry, just that your speed was insane, I couldn't even see your rapier's blade when you used a skill!" Yuuki waved her arms the same way the fencer did. "It's like there was this twin impact after you attacked, it was so cool!" Her energetic nature was a surprise to Asuna, but she smiled graciously regardless.

"My sister's a combat junkie, sorry," Ran apologized as Yuuki spun around to her.

"Says you! Picking all the super-duper-tough quests like a sadist!" The rebuttal made Ran puff her cheeks out, face a light pink.

"It's efficient for level grinding, and that incident with the Lost Knight doesn't count," Ran butted heads with her younger sibling.

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Uh, boss, wanna keep shorty and Cupcake from attracting the mobs, oooor...?" Artorias pointed at the few monsters that took note of the commotion.

Walking up behind them, Nagi patted their heads with a stern smile. "You're both fine with how you chose to fight, okay?" The pair paused, then sighed, accepting there was no use arguing. "Yuuki's a little obsessed with PvP since fighting powerful players is her biggest pass time, and Ran wants to improve the overall quality of the Sleeping Knights, so they tend to both go off on their own goals."

"I see, so you're co-leaders?" Asuna realized, the two siblings nodding.

"Our guild had three leaders before SAO, but now it's just us, carrying on the torch if you will," Ran answered softly. Nagi was informed of their old friend, Merida, but aside from knowing that the girl was indeed one of the three founding members, neither Yuuki nor Ran knew if she was alive since they became trapped in SAO.

"Oh-oh, get this-" Yuuki grinned ear to ear, hugging Nagi tightly as he nearly tripped on a root. "-the three of us are cousins!"

"WHAT!?/The boss' - what the hell!?/Huh, since when!?" Everyone expressed, while Artorias and Daora worded their own shock.

"Uh, it's taboo to talk about the real world, even in Full-Dive," Nagi whispered behind his hand to Yuuki, who shrugged.

"My sister's here, same with you, so why not? Not like I know where you live or anything," Yuuki... had a fair point, one no one could properly counter though she did earn a slap to the back of the head from Ran. "Ow, hey!"

"You dolt," Was all she had to say.

"Hold on, why're you not surprised?" Kirito pointed to Argo, herself shrugging with a twinkle in her eye.

"I got the deets all personal like, exclusive deaL," She put two peace signs up, aggravating Kirito's eyes. "Wanna hear more, 1000 Col, Kii-boU?"

"Bite me, Rat!" He yelled.

"You know... now that I'm looking at it..." Klein rubbed his chin, staring at the trio thoughtfully with squinted eyes. "...ya do share the same hair and eye color, aside from Yuuki that is."

"Hair dye and extensions," Yuuki waved.

"Ah, yep, definitely can see it." Klein clicked his fingers.

Ahead of them, Shirayuki chuckled as they rose up the slope edging toward the highlands that rounded the circumference of the shore's forest, the higher-level monsters roaming nearby though the shinobi was hardly phased, sparing a glance at her companions. "To share the bonds of battle with family can offer an abundance of courage, strength, and insight, you three are very fortunate to have one another."

"What about you, do you have any family?" Asuna inquired, curious to know more of the woman's past.

She shook her head as they stepped upon a dirt road winding toward what appeared to be a fissure in the mountain. "I am without siblings, and my birth parents are a faint memory-" She stopped to address them. "-however, beyond these walls are my clan, so in a way, they are my family, though not in blood."

"The story's gettin' juicy could be a player instancE," Argo surmised, rubbing her hands together.

"Then what are we waiting for? That creep in black is still out there, and I'm itching for a rematch!" Daora lit a fire under his feet, fist shaking with rage. "I may've been outmatched before, but the next time I'll send him flying!"

"Or you'll have your head lopped off, whichever comes first," Artorias rolled her eyes off to the side.

"I admire your confidence, but you mustn't be hasty, against such a foe as Danuja, one must never do battle with him without the utmost caution," Shirayuki pointed firmly, pushing herself through the narrow crack in the wall, waving for the others to follow. "It's a little tight, but bare with the unorthodox method for a mere moment."

The gap was a tight squeeze, much more than the bamboo forest, but with a little effort and some held breath, the group managed inside the damp cave lit with candles, bathing the whole cave in dim light. The only indication Shirayuki was nearby was the yellow cursor. She motioned for them to follow, and together, the team traversed a small but spacious cavern toward a distant light source.

"Hey, I think I see something," Klein pointed out, their eyes adjusting to the outside world once more.

"Yeah, looks like a valley..." Ran murmured as Yuuki ran forward to be at the front with Argo and Nagi.

Shirayuki tugged her bandana from her nose, smiling excitedly with her arm outstretched for all to see. "Welcome, to Sunsinger Village."

The gang stood on a wooden deck that led down a staircase away from the concealed entry to the village. They were around the halfway point of the terraced landscape. Sheer cliffs wrapped around the sides and back of the village, concealing it from view with a valley entry to the west of their location across a lake bridge.

Whitestone walls guarded the waterfront say for two streams that fed through from the top of the village via a large waterfall that cascaded before a redwood bridge, diving into two rivers.

The buildings all shared a dark grey tile with most houses constructed of light brown wood, some with a layer of grey brick wrapped around the bottom layer. Unlit red box lanterns sat in particular spots, and other shinobi dressed with thicker armor patrolled the town filled with the assassins. Though there were a handful of civilians too who used the empty terrace plots between houses as farmland.

They passed under a garden archway as two shinobi approached them immediately, all NPCs. One of them wore the same as Shirayuki, the other, an older man sported a more traditional black kimono with a sun pattern along the sleeves and tailcoat in silver. His age showed on his face but he seemed as sharp with those steel-grey eyes and long white hair pulled into a tight ponytail, a small goatee present over his frown.

/Village Head Ahma - Lv. ?\

Thankfully, his name wasn't black like Danuja's or Shirayuki's, but he was still too high for them to visibly see, Shirayuki's level in Nagi's party was actually 55, so five over the mobs of this floor, which explains how she effortlessly cleared the Infantry back at the shrine. The old man made a startling yell like a crow, causing everyone to recoil.

"You brought in outsiders, girl!? Are you trying to give this old man a heart attack!?" Ahma cried as Shirayuki smiled thoughtfully, shaking her head.

"Worry not, Master, they are the companions I have spoken of in my letters-" So that's how she communicated. "-You may rest easy - for these two-" She motioned to Nagi and Klein who stepped forward rigidly under that wrinkled glare that analyzed their appearances. "-hold the sacred purified lotuses, and have already purified the corruption of the twenty-four realms below."

"Hmph, and I suppose they relied on your abilities the whole time?" Ahma chuffed, turning away. "They are allowed to stay, for how long we shall see - but I warn you, girl-" His sharp eyes locked with Shirayuki, even putting her on edge by the looks of things. "-enough with your fairy tale chasing, the Crest of Light is not a key, to think that disgraceful brat is obsessed enough to pursue it too..."

"Does he mean Danuja?" Kirito whispered only for a wooden sword to slap his wrist. "Ah!" Ahma appeared before the black swordsman.

"We do not speak of him, or the disgraced, boy, do I make myself clear?" The old man waited for Kirito's quick nod, then hid his training sword within his robes once more and left with his guard.

"I apologize, my Master has been on edge with Danuja's disruptions across this realm," Shirayuki murmured before ushering the group toward the upper levels of the village. "Come, we can discuss matters in private, he does not wish to worry our citizens."

"Pretty crazy that there's a whole hidden ninja village right in front of us," Klein admired.

"The cherry blossom trees are a really nice touch too!" Yuuki pointed as they passed up the stone stairway with two of the pink-leaf trees hanging above them. "But, if that other guy who shall not be named isn't the 'disgraced', who is?"

"I was wondering that myself," Asuna added with her hand up slightly.

"I get a feelin' a red flag's coming our way..." Artorias grimaced.

"I second thaT," Argo nodded.

Shirayuki didn't answer, her lips pulled into a tight frown as they were led to the left of the waterfall to one of three larger buildings. This one looked more like a mansion than a standard house. It was two stories tall and expanded into a C-Shape that blocked their view of the waterfall, facing the valley below.

Once inside the round red door, Shirayuki closed it as the lights came on automatically. They stood within a guest entrance, unequipping their shoes, the group shuffled inside the quiet abode before taking a left to the first sliding door to your bog-standard carpet room. A large table was set with drinks and edibles for guests as Shirayuki ran a hand through her soft white hair, sitting on the far end. Sunlight broke through the gap in a door that opened up into the courtyard they were just in.

"Now, I will answer any and all questions, but first, Samurai Klein, please present the fragment," She motioned for the brunette to grab the quest item. Everyone leaned in as the blue flash faded, and the materialized item was revealed.

It was one-quarter of a thick stone slab, a rounded edge. The details were worn but a fraction of the complete image was revealed, flames that circled outward in an arc, and another layer of flames closer to the center. What was strange was how there appeared to be shards of glass or crystal lodged into the stone.

"Very peculiar, and the glasS?" Argo tapped the fragment.

"This is one piece of the Tablet of Sunrise, it is one of the very few relics left by the House that began as the progenitor to the likes of Dusk, Flame, and Winter," Shirayuki explained, hands clasped on the table before deciding to pour some tea for her guests. "House Light; as for the mysterious glass, I do not know,"

Nagi pressed two fingers to his lips, squinting before speaking up. "Then what is the tablet for? Why would Danuja steal the one we found?"

"I cannot answer your second inquiry, his Clan of Darkness has no need for relics of Light, as far as I am aware," The shinobi answered, handing Yuuki and Klein their cups as they thanked her. "But the Tablet of Sunrise is... erm..."

"Is it a fairy tale, like what the Village Head snapped at you about?" Asuna asked, leaning forward as she sipped her tea with a smile. "So sweet!"

"Hm, I thank you - and yes, this relic may be seen as a sacred offering, but in reality, it is a key to a power beyond the very waterfall we passed," This brought a few heads around.

"There's a hidden room behind the waterfall?" Kirito asked.

"Why yes, as... cliche, as you swordsmen would put it, a large stone doorway remains sealed," Shirayuki stared at her reflection in her tea whimsically. "When I was still in training, myself and other kids would sneak inside the cavern beyond the waterfall, for hours we would try to find a way to open the doorway, deciphering the murals that all pointed toward the empty slot in the stone, the Tablet of Sunrise."

"That's amazing, like a hidden treasure from a forgotten era, like the pyramids!" Yuuki exclaimed, making Artorias chuckle.

"Only we have a madman with one fragment, and two still missing," She summed up, crossing her arms having finished her tea in a flash. "Question is, where do we find the others? And can the item behind that door help us?"

"Yes, I believe the power you seek to conquer the corruption lays beyond the doorway," Shirayuki answered immediately. "The other two fragments I know of, as I said, we spent many days decoding the murals," She blushed slightly. "Ahahaha, we certainly put more effort into a fairy tale than into our studies it seems..."

"When we come back with the complete tablet, that'll show him!" Daora encouraged, munching on another biscuit. "All we need is two more stones like that and the one that creep stole, right?"

Shirayuki nodded, "Yes Young Wolf, the locations of the last two shrines are the Forever Falls woods, which is just through the valley, and the last shrine is in a most unsavory place, the old residence of the Samurai Lord at the bottom of the mountains, the Toxic Bogs, even the air is poisonous,"

"Ugh, great, a poison swamp," Artorias and Kirito groaned in dismay.

"Why's it always a poison swamp?" Klein moaned too, ruffling his hair.

"I sense they do not feel particularly thrilled by that option?" Shirayuki leaned over to Ran and Asuna, the girls looking to the pale stares of disgust on the boys, even Nagi was petting Argo on the head, seeing the dead-fish stare the broker was making.

"I quit, someone else can take the info in that hellscape, ain't mE," Argo crossed her arms into an X.

Ran and Asuna giggled behind their hands, "I think we'll manage," Asuna replied.

"It's not the end of the world," Ran rolled her eyes, pointing at her sister. "No, the Dark Swamp in Asuka Empire does not count, and we will never speak of it again." Something told the gang that was a sore spot for the eldest sibling.

"Fine, then... every swamp made by Fromsoft," Yuuki chimed as everyone agreed.

"Your homeland sounds like a mysterious and challenging place," Shirayuki smiled determinedly. "Perhaps when this corruption is gone I should visit."

"Back on topic," Artorias waved, clearing her throat to glower like always. "Before we set out after the other fragments, what about the one tall, dark, and creepy took? - no offense, Blackie."

"N-none taken," Kirito waved weakly, sipping his tea but a red tick did appear above his head.

"And the 'Disgraced', who are they?" Nagi asked but immediately picked up on the scent of anger and... sadness.

Shirayuki placed her cup down with a long sigh, the otherwise fiery, spirited woman now lost in her own sad smile. "Danuja is a man who fell to temptation, a might I worry you may encounter someday, it will feed on your desires, twist you into its palm as it has for his clan. And for the one my Master spoke ill of?" She lowered her head, hiding her hurt gaze. "The one who first showed me the hidden doorway, and told me of House Light... Hotaru."

If the table was made of glass, a lead ball had just punctured through the center, Nagi's party slapping the table. "Hotaru was your friend!?"

"I knew it... that symbol on shorty's back matched this village's whole shtick!" Artorias clicked her fingers across the table.

"I knew something wasn't right about her," Daora grunted, punching the table.

"You met her?" Shirayuki looked gobsmacked, leaning over with a hopeful stare. "H-how is she? Is she well?" It was clear to them now, the silverette hasn't seen Hotaru in so long, and her clan outright discouraged mentioning her by name. Despite the fact they may be enemies, Shirayuki showed genuine concern for her health.

"She's okay," Nagi offered a smile, tapping Argo's leg as she spotted his finger wagging to stop her from pursuing this case for the time being. She stopped writing in her notes, closed the tab, and flashed him a supportive grin. "Actually, she's traveling with someone right now, and... well, we're not allies, but she did help us save innocent people in the past."

Shirayuki relaxed at this, her smile returning. "I see... thank you for sharing this with me, it appears you and your comrades continue to bring nothing but fortune to my life, for that, I am forever grateful," She bowed, then clapped her hands. "Now, I know its still early in the afternoon, but let us rest and recover before pursuing our quest, I too will conduct my own scouting into obtaining the stolen fragment later."

"I wouldn't mind taking a quick look around the village," Kirito pipped, admiring the Japanese architecture of the house. "Plus, there's a blacksmith around here, right?"

"Of course, here-" Shirayuki fished around in her pockets for something, then, procured several palm-sized tablets of wood with the engraving of the Sunsinger's crest, a sun that surrounded the kanji for 'Purify'. "-if and when you traverse the town or come back someday or visit our camps, this will grant you access without complaint."

Everyone gave their thanks to the shinobi who stood up, ushering a hand toward the girls. "Let's regroup in a few hours, come, there's a hot spring to the north of us that I feel will be particularly refreshing,"

"Haven't had one of those in a whilE," Argo stood up with a hop, giving Nagi a sweet smile and sly stare. "Try not to come peepin', HerO~"

"A-Argo, don't say that!?" Asuna gawked back at the broker who hung her hands behind her head with a hearty laugh.

"We'll see you guys later then?/Byyyye~!" Ran and Yuuki departed with Shirayuki, leaving the boys, and Artorias, to sit in silence for a moment, Nagi blushing up a storm at Argo's words feeding inappropriate thoughts into his mind. So he promptly slammed his head into the table.

"Guess we just got ditched, huh?" Artorias clicked her tongue, staring at the ceiling. "Much as I'd love to have my eyes jabbed out by a group of naked women, I'll take my dice and roll on finding some exclusive quests, you in, Numbnuts?"

Daora nodded, "Let's go!"

"Wanna see about upgrading our equipment?" Kirito suggested to Klein and Nagi. "Given our recent battles, we'll need all the help we can get, especially if Shirayuki isn't with us." He stated firmly.

"Yeah..." Nagi reached for Nevermore, staring at its stats. The durability was over half expended just from battling with Danuja, he needed a stronger weapon and fast. "Let's see what we can afford."

"Alright, let's move out," Klein slapped the table, then stared in the direction the girls left. "Lucky..."

"Hey, don't go digging your grave," Kirito shivered himself. "Somehow I get the feeling we're being judged for no reason."

"Oh, you too?" Nagi's nose twitched every time he felt like someone was talking about him.

While the boys went off on their own venture, the girls were quick to follow the kind shinobi across the waterfall bridge to the right building which served as a spa of sorts. Meant to treat the warriors of the village to various methods of body relaxation and recovery from battle, be it of the body, mind, or spirit.

Tucked in the back of the building was a lovely outdoor hot spring with a large wisteria tree hanging over the bath from a rocky outcrop at the back of the bath, lanterns hanging from the branches to cast a golden glow across the steam of the rounded pool of hot water.

Sat right under the tree, Shirayuki smiled silently at the warmth, diving down once to dampen her curly locks clinging to her skin, covering part of her face's scar. "Enjoy this feeling, for these baths are known to cure fatigue in an instant, something my clan relishes after battle,"

"She's right, this is divine..." Asuna cooed, leaning down deeper into the water. Then she coughed. "U-um, this isn't like a... mixed bath, is it?"

Shirayuki's lips curled up slightly. "Why no, we allot times for certain groups," She heard the fencer sigh with relief. "Although, you and your swordsman may order a timeslot later if you so desire."

"W-What!? No way, not in a million years!" Asuna scowled with a red blush staining her cheeks.

"I dunno about that, Asuna, your face is really red right now," Yuuki pointed out from across the bath with a cheeky smile. "You two are so cute together!"

"I - but you a - s-shut up!" Asuna dived under the hot waves, leaving Yuuki to chuckle.

"Sorry, I could not resist, not after the stories Informant Argo has told me," Shirayuki laughed behind her hand with her eyes closed. She couldn't see the dark hollow glare Asuna drove toward the rat sitting in the furthest corner of the bath.

"Nyehehehe, what can I say, the story writes itself, A-Chan, ya know thiS," Argo defended poorly with her hands up. "If it makes ya feel better, Nagi's the only other one that knows how close you and Kii-bou arE."

"No, that does not!" Asuna splashed. "And why do you keep saying that! We're partners, sure, but not... anything close to that!"

"She says it like it's a bad thing..." Ran's inquisitive brow fell, shaking her head. "Siune would get a kick out of this, be glad she isn't here."

"Yeah, she'd be on you like a hawk, my sis is much more contained." Yuuki agreed. Put Ran and Siune in the same room about romance and they'd talk your ear off. "But, do you not like Kirito? He seems pretty cool to me, ah, but so is Ka - Nagi... Artorias and Daora too, grah, they're all so cool!" Yuuki frantically ruffled the top of her head that was still dry in frustration.

"I do, it's not... look, he's a great partner, he's gotten me so far where I just fought until I got myself killed," Asuna wouldn't say it to his face, but she treasured their adventures, he gave her a reason to keep living again. "I'll never say our time was wasted, but he is an idiot half the time, but in the end, I don't think I could've asked for a better friend to watch my back."

"Yer not the same clueless greenie I met outside that dungeon on floor one, A-ChaN," Argo smiled, leaning back on the edge of the bath. "Now people idolize your talents, yer a great leader, and can keep up with the best of 'em, I'm proud of yA!"

"Thanks, Argo..." Asuna smiled softly, then she huffed with her arms crossed under her chest like a high-class teenager, "But I don't appreciate the idea of people thinking me and Kirito are an item."

"You both don't exactly make that easy..." Ran admitted, scratching her pink cheek with a timid smile. "You... both throw back comments to each other like, uh... well..."

"Like an old married couple," Yuuki stated bluntly, a flood of hot water thrown down her head.

"Yeah, that," Ran clicked her fingers at her sister as she washed Yuuki's hair.

Asuna whined, drowning deeper into the misty water, Shirayuki just chuckled again. "Between you two, and Informant Argo's own personal relations with her shinobi, I don't know which is more intriguing."

Argo gulped, sinking to make herself less visible to the insidious smile crossing Asuna's face, the twins deciding it best to tag out of this one, content with the warm bath. "Oh? Did something happen, Argo? You have been a lot more clingy to Nagi when he's around?"

"Uh, hehe, wanna pay for thaT? Heafty price toO," Argo tried to barter, but her greed wouldn't save her, seeing the trade tab appear. She began to sweat, and not from the heat. "I-i-it's a little outta your pric-"

"How. Much. Argo?" Asuna's hand cracked the wood panel behind Argo's head, but the rat didn't know if she should stare at Asuna's sinister smile or the fact her assets were basically in the blonde's face.

"How much to have assets like that?" She gulped at the thought, then shook off the idea, Nagi never seemed to care about that stuff... right? Unable to persuade her way out of this, she chose door number two. A splash flew by Asuna, and only an empty spot in the mist told her Argo had used her insane speed to zip away.

"What the - hey, get back here!" Asuna yelled but Argo stayed far enough away to laugh with confidence.

"Ain't for sale, sorrY~" She sang.

Shirayuki, Yuuki, and Ran all watched as the nimble broker slipped away from Asuna at every turn. At the end of the day, at least it was all in good fun.

|March. 28th, 15:01|

|Floor 25, Sunsinger Village|

"Is everyone ready?" Nagi asked as they gathered just outside the gates to town, rested, upgraded, and prepared for the quest before them. Shirayuki had departed with a small team of shinobi to locate Danuja's location and the fragment he stole. "Argo?"

The broker waved by the gate, leaning against it. "Keep me posted, I'll be here waitin', gotta look into the main quest anyhoW," She had a full plate herself, and with her level, it would be unwise to bring her along. "Be safE," That gentle voice of hers reached Nagi's ears, and the two passed with their signature high-five up then low in a lever action.

"Alright, if everyone's set, let's chase a fairy tale!"

"RIGHT!"

Quest Updated!

-Path of Divine Sakura: The Highs and Lows-

To gain access to the old chamber of the House of Light, Shirayuki must obtain the three remaining fragments of the Tablet of Sunrise. One in the hands of her enemy, one lost among the endless autumn, the other buried in the rotten swamps.

*Toxic Bogs Tablet Fragment [ ]

*Forever Falls Tablet Fragment [ ]

Floor 25 | Reward 1500 Col | Broken Tablet of Sunrise

The questline was marked on the two parties' log, and the group moved forward.

To Be Continued...

The quest begins, a dangerous floor, questline, and mystery all wrapped into one, how will this adventure end? I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Players!

039 - Darkest Before Dawn

Nagi's and Kirito's parties dive into two new areas on Floor 25 in search of the tablet fragments, but the dark guardians won't give them up without a fight...