«Nov 25, 2022 - 9:50 AM» «Aincrad - 1st Floor»

«Santos Residence»

The heavy wooden shutters clattered shut, followed by the soft click of the shop's lock as Marco-san turned the key. He gave the door a firm tug, testing it one last time before sighing in satisfaction.

"Alright," he said, tucking the key into his inventory. "That's everything. Shop's closed for today."

I adjusted the strap of my pouch, shifting my weight slightly. This would be the first time I left First Town since launch. Unlike most players who had already pushed forward, clearing dungeons and gathering strength, I had done nothing but hide.

And yet, here I was, stepping outside my comfort zone for the first time.

Amaya-san and Aya stood outside of the shop waiting for us, their figures barely visible through the morning haze outside the window. The little girl bounced eagerly on her heels, spotting me through the glass.

"Hibiki-san! Let's gooo!"

Aya calls in her usual upbeat and cheerful manner.

Seriously, I never really understood why she was so attached to me, but I don't hate it.

In fact, Aya's pressence... somehow calms me down.

As we stepped outside, Marco-san locked the door behind us, then ruffled Aya's hair as we reached them. She immediately swatted his hand away with a pout.

"Stop messing up my hair, Dad!"

Marco-san chuckled before turning to his wife, Amaya-san. "Everything's set on our end, dear."

She nodded, tapping through her menu before closing it. "Mm. Let us go then."

The four of us then made our way towards the Plaza.

I hesitated for a moment, my gaze drifting toward the «Teleportation Zone» in the center of the plaza. A massive circular platform, etched with glowing blue runes, shimmered under the sunlight.

Unlike game menus, teleportation in SAO required an actual item—the «Teleport Crystals», a consumable that let players instantly move between designated Safe Zones.

Marco-san pulled out four of them from his inventory, tossing one to me. "Here. Don't drop it."

I caught it instinctively, the smooth, cold surface pressing against my palm.

Before I could say anything, Aya grabbed onto my sleeve. "Let's go already!"

Chuckling, Marco-san raised his crystal first. "Alright, alright. Everyone, get your crystals ready."

I followed suit, as did Amaya-san and Aya. Marco-san gave one last glance at the shop before turning back to us.

"On three," he said. "One... two... three!"

"Teleport: Viola Village!"

The crystals shattered in unison, engulfing us in a dazzling blue light—

And in the blink of an eye, we were gone.

«Nov 25, 2022 - 10:00 AM» «Aincrad - 1st Floor»

«Viola Village»

And in the blink of an eye, we were gone.

Instead, I was met with soft golden light filtering through the streets of «Viola Village».

The settlement was vastly different from First Town. While the main city had towering stone buildings and bustling markets, Viola felt calm—quaint wooden houses, cobbled pathways, and flower beds glowing faintly under the setting sun.

It was peaceful.

"This place is beautiful..." I muttered.

Amaya-san chuckled. "It is. That's why a lot of crafters and merchants prefer this place over First Town."

Aya latched onto my arm, swinging it back and forth. "Hibiki-san, let's look around later!"

I hesitated before sighing. "Fine, fine."

Marco-san chuckled. "Sheesh, Aya, you're really glued to Hibiki-kun, huh?"

Aya beamed. "Of course!"

Amaya-san then smirked. "Guess it makes sense. She used to be attached to Akito like this, too."

I blinked. "Akito?"

Marco-san glanced at me. "My nephew. He's about your age."

Aya's grip on my sleeve tightened slightly.

"Those two were basically inseparable back in the real world," Marco-san continued. "Akito spoiled her rotten. Carried her everywhere, bought her way too many sweets... I swear, she had him wrapped around her little finger."

Aya pouted. "Did not!"

Marco-san ignored her. "She hasn't seen him since we got stuck in here, so I guess she latched onto you instead."

I felt something tighten in my chest.

I wasn't Akito. I could never be.

But if being by her side made her feel safe—then maybe that was enough.

I reached down and ruffled her hair, returning the warm gesture. "I see. I guess it can't be helped then, Aya-chan, haha..."

Aya's face lit up with joy, and for a moment—just a moment—I felt like I had done something right.

«10:30 AM» «Iris Cave»

After checking in at the inn, Amaya-san and Aya parted ways with us. They both set off towards Viola Village's «Chapel» for the rumored «Advance Potion Quest».

On the other hand, Marco-san and I set off toward «Iris Cave», located at the edge of Viola Village for the Violatites.

The entrance loomed before us—a dark tunnel lined with glowing blue minerals. Several players were gathered near the entrance, talking among themselves.

A burly «NPC Miner» stood guard outside, stroking his thick beard. As we approached, he greeted us with a gruff nod.

"New miners, huh?" he said. "If you're here for Violatites, listen up."

He tapped his pickaxe against the cave wall.

"This here is Iris Cave—the only place on the First Floor where you can mine Violatites. But there's a catch: this cave is cursed by the «Guardians of Viola». Every day, at 5 PM when the sun goes down, the Guardians will seal the entrance, and will eject all players inside, forbidding any further entrance from the outside. The entrance won't reopen again until 5 AM of the next sunrise."

I frowned. "So if we don't get what we need before then? Then bust?"

"Exactly." The NPC nodded. "On top of that, each individual are only allowed by the Guardians to mine five Violatites per day. The Guardians of Viola forbids anyone to grab more."

"How long does it take to mine one?" Marco-san asked.

The NPC smirked. "That depends. The great Guardians of Viola guarantees a blessing — a Violatite every ninety minutes — But, if your luck proves to be worthy enough, it is possible to acquire one sooner."

I glanced at Marco-san. "Guess we better get started, then."

The cave buzzed with activity—players chipping away at the mineral walls, some chatting, others grumbling at their bad luck.

I glanced at Marco-san. "Guess we better get started, then."

I swung my «Pickaxe» against the stone wall in rhythm with the other miners. The vibration traveled up my arms, the impact louder than I expected. The cave's acoustics made every strike echo, adding to the constant chorus of metal against rock.

After a few minutes, I paused to take a break, wiping the nonexistent sweat from my forehead—a habit I had yet to shake, despite this being a game.

"There's a lot of players here, huh..."

In response, Marco-san grunted beside me, still swinging his pickaxe steadily. "Yeah. Iris Cave is the biggest mining hub on the First Floor after all."

"Biggest? Because of the Violatite?" I asked, gripping my pickaxe again.

"Partially," Marco-san replied, his strikes unchanging in pace. "But also because this cave has the highest variety of minerals you can mine on a daily basis. Even low-tier ores here sell decently, which makes it a hotspot for blacksmiths and crafters."

I nodded, raising my pickaxe and continuing the repetitive motion. The sensation of mining was different from what I imagined. There was a little weight in my arms, but the game mimicked the tension—the force behind each swing felt just real enough to make me believe I was working.

90 minutes per piece, huh... I thought as I kept chipping away at the wall.

"I wonder if we'll get them all in time," I muttered, a bit anxious.

Marco-san chuckled. "Relax, Hibiki-kun. The client wants the equipment by noon tomorrow. We've got plenty of time."

«2:30 PM» «Iris Cave»

Minutes bled into hours as we continued the repetitive task.

...And oddly enough, I was insanely lucky today.

While most players struggled, somehow I was able to mine five Violatites—

—in just under four hours.

"T-That's the fifth... Seriously?"

I stared at the glowing «purple gem in my hands», my disbelief reflected in its polished surface.

I had already hit my daily cap.

The player next to me, a rough-looking guy in a brown vest, groaned loudly. "Dude, what the hell?! I've been here for almost four hours now and only got two!"

Marco-san stopped mid-swing and snorted. "Don't look at me. I'm just as unlucky as you."

The other miners muttered enviously, glancing in my direction.

"Man, he must have broken RNG..."

Marco-san chuckled. "Damn, Hibiki-kun. You sure hit the jackpot. I'm still stuck on my third."

I scratched my cheek, feeling awkward under their stares. "Uh... just lucky, I guess?"

Marco-san sighed, finally stopping his swings and stretching his arms. "Alright, since you're done, why don't you go check on Amaya and Aya?"

I closed my menu, nodding. "Yeah, I was actually thinking the same thing. How about you though, Marco-san?"

Marco-san nodded. "Right. I still need two more, so I'll catch up later. Just message me if something happens."

"Got it."

With that, I turned and left the Iris Cave, the soft blue glow of minerals fading behind me.

As I stepped outside, I pulled up my «Menu» and scrolled to my «Friends List». I tapped Amaya-san's name, and typed a «Message» to her:

[Hibiki: "I just finished mining, Amaya-san. Marco-san is still in the cave. Where are you and Aya-chan right now?"]

I tapped «Send», and closed my menu.

As I waited for Amaya-san's reply, I decided to head back toward the inn for now.

It had only been half a day, yet I already found myself missing Aya's cheerful presence.