|Floor 62|
Reaching what the game dubbed the 'Giant's Arm', it was a statue that had fallen over to form a glorified bridge over a ravine, wide enough for two carriages to cross side-by-side with some space to spare. Artorias hung back with Daora and Mito, and keeping as close to the middle of the bridge as possible. Leading out ahead was Nagi and Argo, and something was different with them, the trio had realized it since the morning they re-joined the frontlines.
It was hard to put into words, but there was this energy around them, they seemed much more upbeat and close than they usually were out in public. Then again, it was just their party, so what's there to hide about their relationship they kept to themselves? But it did get them thinking.
"Something definitely happened yesterday," Artorias deduced.
"And what might that be exactly?" Mito questioned, not taking her eyes off the bridge ahead.
Artorias glanced at her, doing much the same. "Eh, something, their whole vibe's changed. Like, for instance, they haven't lost their momentum since this morning, even though this questline's already putting us through the hurdles."
"I hate fetch quests," Daora muttered.
"Okay, but what is it you believe has happened?" Mito pressed, and Artorias closed his mouth quickly.
"Oh no, I'm not saying it, cause then I'd be labelled as perverted, I ain't given out that ammo for free," He refused, pointing at her. "You definitely know what I'm talking about, but you don't want to admit it for the same reason."
"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just asking what your take is," Mito evaded the questioning look he threw her way, inching off to the side by a step. "You can say it."
"If you already know, why don't you say what I'm thinking?" He shot back.
"Now you're avoiding the question," She rolled her eyes.
"Only because you're avoiding it, to make it that I can't avoid it, thus vindicating yourself if you're wrong." Artorias countered, the pair going back and forth whilst Daora's head swung slowly, following their conversation like a pendulum.
Growling in frustration, he grabbed the sides of his mask, finally having enough. "Oi, Bargo! What did you two do yesterday!?" Practically grinding the private conversation to a halt, the duo nearly fell over themselves, looking back at Daora with fury and panic.
Meanwhile, Argo waved a hand back at them. "If ya wanna know, it'll cost ya the low price of a hundred billion CoL!" Argo drew out a massive request, one that Daora wasn't even phased by, cackling confidently with his fists to his hips.
"It's a deal!" He declared, and Argo went back to her talk with Nagi who shook his head. "There, I'll find out before either of you!" Daora marched ahead, leaving Mito and Artorias in a state of bewildered silence, only the howling wind from the ravine passing by.
"That's not even possible, right?" Mito muttered in disbelief, rubbing her eyes.
"We'd clear the game before he even made a fraction of that lot, even then, Col caps off at a billion," It wasn't even a smart play on Argo's part, she just used the man's own lack of foresight against him, while also cluing both she and Nagi in on the topic discussed behind their backs.
Mito extended a hand between herself and Artorias. "Agree to drop it?"
"Agreed." They shook on it.
|Floor 64|
One of the more notable features of the floor, other than its abundance of forests, and elven structures, alongside the Forest Elves that lived there. The main safe zone housed numerous gardens; one such garden, Nagi was led to by Argo, her eyes glancing to his shaded ones, hidden by his hand.
"We almost there? I think I'm another set of stairs away from tumbling back down them," His right foot would be throbbing if this were the real world.
"Worry no more, Hero, we're herE!" Argo declared, hopping out in front when he met her cheeky grin, as well as the numerous faces of his friends.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" The small crowd declared from across the garden of their choosing.
Flowing, curved paths around a pond, white stone bridges crossing over the river that meandered through the middle. A large, stone gazebo overhead, decorated by vines, ivy, and other flora, forming a natural canopy around the stone. All of which led to the large table and stone benches overlooking the rest of the town not far below from a matching, white-stone railing.
Of course, they had food prepped and waiting due to Daora and Asuna, the former of which standing proudly over his work. Yuna was strumming the befitting song for the occasion happily. But most of all, it was all of Nagi's close friends. He liked to think he kept a good repour with a lot of people he spoke with, professionally or otherwise, but was glad not 'everyone' was here, and just a comfortable amount.
"Ehehehe, is this payback for me telling everyone about yours?" Nagi gestured to Artorias, face flushed pink from all the attention.
The Red Warrior shrugged a smirk. "Now we're even, boss."
"And duh, we totally did too! Payback for our 16th!" Yuuki declared, nearly throwing Artorias to the floor when she bounced to his side, himself catching her by the waist.
"Your 18th is as important as the 16th and 21st birthdays, so it's only fair you receive the same amount of effort," Ran added on, coming over to hug her cousin. "So happy birthday."
"I... hah, t-thanks, didn't expect you guys to go all out since you already wished me as much today," Nagi didn't want to make a big fuss over it. Until he first started playing SAO in the Beta, his friend group wasn't nearly as large, so birthdays were just between family. So to see so many gathered just to celebrate, it was more than he could've imagined. "Really, thank you, everyone," He chuckled, rubbing the corners of his eyes.
"Don't go puttin' on the waterworks, not like we went overboard!" Nori waved her hands.
"To me, this was more than enough," Nagi replied, seeing her face soften for a moment, giving a curt nod.
"If you say so, bud, enjoy yourself!" She winked.
With everyone starting to mingle, and no doubt drag Nagi over to eat the feast that had been prepped. Argo kept him by her side, fixing him that winning grinned he loved so much. "So...~?"
"You make very good distractions," He admitted, listening to her laugh.
"Nyahaha, its yer big day, and as yer girlfriend, I intend to deliver only the absolute best to my abilitY!" Puffing out her chest, cracking an eye open to enjoy the rosy-cheeked smile he wore. Her own lips curled impishly, tugging at his haori to bring his ear closer to her lips. "And if ya think that's all I have in store, just ya wait 'till later, I'll give ya one last important gift, top secreT~"
It was a good thing the rest weren't in earshot, only briefly seeing Nagi's face go completely scarlet behind his hand, the broker humming as she waltzed down the path, swaying her hips with a spring in her step.
|Floor 65|
Delving deep into one of the 65th's many Mayan-styled temples, Nagi slid down a small slope, coming to the base of a new chamber, raising a torch to guide the way for Sakura, grabbing the girl's hand to help her steady herself less she tumbled toward the pitfall a few feet away. A second later, Argo slid down on her heels, performing a quick hop to land beside them with a little flair.
"Thanks," Sakura smiled, looking down at her map. "I think we're close to the main chamber... actually, there's another route that leads here."
Argo and Nagi scanned the walls of the damp, dark, overgrown temple. "Is there?" Nagi asked, raising a brow.
"Um..." Sakura tilted her head, brow furrowed as her brown eyes slowly rose. "It should be... above us-?"
"-uuuuuuck- oof!" Startling them, Silent landed in a heap at Sakura's feet, groaning as his health fell below half from the fall; several arrows, 'thorns', burns, and dirt dotting his body like a pincushion. "Ugh, nailed it..." He wheezed, slowly finding the strength to sit upright, Nagi already using a health pot, dousing it over Silent's bemused face, fixing his glasses. "...thanks."
"What happened to ya to end up like ya got into a fight with a hardware storE?" Argo smirked under her cowl at Silent's state, Sakura sighed with a slight, humoured smile.
"I told you not to wander off..."
"I was checking we didn't miss a route!" His tensed voice seethed, the wounds disappearing, along with the arrows and bolts, his hand patting out the flame clinging to his shoulder still. But it was clear he was starting to feel embarrassed, waving his arms wide. "I was wrong, I admit that, okay?"
"As long as you're okay." She replied kindly, which he turned away from, rolling his eyes whilst feeling the heat rising on his face.
"Let's just get this over with already," He took one step, then paused, moving his foot toward the left instead, groaning at the traps out for his head. "God, I must've stepped on graves on the way here with my luck..."
"He was blushin' up a storM~" Argo hummed close to Sakura, herself giggling.
"He gets embarrassed easily."
"I can hear you!" Silent's voice was nowhere near silent, the girls laughing at his expense whilst Nagi remained quiet but wore his own, small grin, lighting the way forward.
|Floor 66|
At the darkest segment was the Pitch Well, its most defining feature being its overwhelming darkness. As soon as you descend into this area, visibility is almost entirely gone, leaving only a few feet in front of you barely discernible, even with a lantern or illumination potion. Sound became muffled, only a distant rumbling of Aincrad and heavy footsteps echoing just out of sight. The tension and fear of isolation made it no player wandered here alone.
Especially when everything was structured to be narrow paths and ledges, some that dropped down to the next level, others, likely to a player's death, descending deep into the abyss, never to be seen again. The only way to properly navigate was the usage of strange, glowing stones, marking routes and ledges.
"This place just goes on forever," Nagi's voice echoed, but it still made a chill run up his spine, staring out into nothing, he could see how players have died mapping this place already. Holding out a hand, Sachi handed him another batch of stones, each glimmering a soft, pastel colour in his hands. Offering a warm, soothing glow to focus on. Many more lit the previous paths and cliffsides they had already marked.
"I hope we're not down here long, I still feel like we're only an inch away from a monster..." Sachi kept her back to a wall, spear held upright for fear the darkness would spew a new monster out at them.
"I've checked, we're on a narrow path with a wall to our right, and a drop on our right, if anything comes our way, it'll be behind us," Kirito assured her, rubbing her back to try and ease some of her tension, the ravenette giving a shaky nod.
"Thanks, and sorry, this place is really getting to me," Sachi apologized, drooping a little with a self-deprecating laugh, staring down at her trembling hands clutching her spear. "I've been able to stand against dangerous monsters and bosses, but its something as simple as the dark that creeps me out. How childish is that?"
"Irrational fears are a given, even I'll admit, place gives me the shiverS," Argo perked up, hopping a gap in the dark, marked with two stones to reach them from another path. She eyed Sachi, remaining aloof but no less serious. "Yer down here and still pushin' forward, that's already leaps and bounds over most that cut their losses ten minutes iN."
"And we'll be here to keep things upbeat and lively," Nagi smiled, flicking a stone off the ledge, the group illuminated by their soft glows, a faint blue cast over Sachi's pale face, yet, her lips tugged up a little further, the shaking in her hands lessening.
"Right, thank you, I'll try to tough it out some more," She assured them, then blinked, looking around. "Say, where did Asuna go?"
"Huh, she was behind me a second ago..." Kirito tapped his chin, only for the silence to break, startling him and the others.
"YAAAAAH!" Following the bobbing light, Asuna flew down their lit path, nearly smacking Kirito with the lantern, Argo ducking from a backswing. "You left me! You left me to die!" She screamed, still running.
"I said to 'jump'," Kirito murmured, stepping forward hastily with his hands raised just as quickly. "Hey, slow down, Asuna-"
And she flew straight off the ledge Nagi sat by, her scream cut short with a solid 'thump'. All of them peered down, and where many of the stones had fallen deep into the abyss, Asuna had landed square on a new path, face first next to a pink stone, the lantern clattered a few feet ahead.
"Oh, you found it; you okay, Asuna?" Nagi called down to.
"Is yer face in one piece, A-ChaN?" Argo poked her head over beside his.
All of them watched her groan into the dirt, raising a single, weak thumb, which promptly flopped to the ground with the rest of her body.
|Floor 67|
Autumn-tinted leaves fell gently from the trees surrounding the secluded Onsen, the whole floor felt similar to that of the 10th and 25th floors, leaning more into Japanese culture, this time, mountainous regions filled with hot springs and waterfalls, making for quite the location for parties to unwind from their steady work clearing the game.
Taking the opportunity were a handful of the girls whilst the boys were out questing. Enjoying the brief respite in their lives. This particular Onsen was surrounded by walls with black-tiled rooftops, lit with old, mossy-stone lanterns, making for quite the scenic location to chat.
Swimming up beside Yuuki, Argo had that mirthful glint in her eye, the one that screamed 'intel'. "Say, haven't heard much of you and Arty, got anythin' to sharE?"
But the purplette grinned, humming a laugh. "You're not the only one who can keep things a secret, Argo."
Laughing at her reply, Argo relaxed against the edge. "That's fair, but I'm curious, how ya two been all this timE? Never got round to proddin' for an answeR."
"Honestly? I...I find it hard to believe I actually am in a relationship at all," Only Argo knew why, which is why she asked, listening intensely to the young girl smile warmly, bringing a hand to her chest. "See, a part of me is still worried about what my future holds, its hard not to consider it from time-to-time. But he never worries, he doesn't ignore the fact but that doesn't slow him down from enjoying our time together, he's actually a lot more sensitive than he lets on."
"Oh, nyehehe, always pegged him to be the sentimental type under all that ego strokin' and broodiN'," Argo snickered alongside Yuuki.
"What about you and my cousin? Lately you guys haven't been as secretive about your relationship, Artorias noticed," Yuuki asked, watching Argo grin with one eye shut.
"What can a girl saY? Guy makes it hard not to show iT," Argo kept a lot between them, but ever since that night, she didn't feel the need to be so closed off about their commitment to each other. It felt natural, sure, giving away personal intel isn't her style, but this amount was fine by her. Something the old Argo would be adamant about hiding from the world. "And I ain't complainiN'."
Of course, neither were oblivious to the others listening in, so Argo's wicked grin returned, firing back around the group. "Alright, ya heard me spill my heart, now I wanna a fair tradE!" She declared, standing tall in the water to point dramatically toward her first target, who's eyes went wide, and face turned a shade redder. "Time for ya to fill big sis in on your little, not-so-subtle, changes, A-ChaN!"
"Wh-what 'changes'?" She crossed her arms to appear annoyed. "I haven't been acting weird, have I?"
Her eyes fell to Mito who was sipping a cold drink she swiped from her menu, who glanced silently to Asuna's pleading eyes, then shrugged and carried on drinking, "Argo's right, and I know why," She answered, and the colour drained from Asuna's face.
"Mito..." Asuna's voice was steady.
"Now I gotta knoW," Argo waded through the water past Liten and Liz, both of which sighed a small laugh between them, keeping out of this. "How much for the full scooP?"
"How much you offering?" Mito pointed with the drink in her hand, Asuna splashing a her face began to steam.
"Mito, don't you dare!" But fearfully smiled when Mito's wicked grin appeared.
"If A-Chan's blowing a fuse, its gotta be a boy, righT~?" Argo's eyes gleamed like gold coins. Both turned to see the brunette squeal, sinking into the water.
"I hate this stupid game..." She whined, leading to both girls bursting out laughing, making her punch the water. "You were messing with me!?"
"Pretty obvious, Asuna, you're just too easy to tease," Mito stuck her tongue out. "Sorry~"
"You two are the worst!" She huffed, splashing them both as Mito raised her drink to keep it safe, Argo merely splashing back down into the Onsen, giggling to herself. She had all the intel she needed for later. "Fine, since you're so eager to talk about this stuff, then what about you?"
"What about me?" Mito asked, sitting back down to enjoy her drink, pretending her heart didn't just skip in momentary panic.
"Nuh-uh, you have a thing for Daora, I know you do," Asuna cut right to the point, nearly causing Mito to choke on her drink.
"This was your plan from the start, wasn't it?" Yuuki smirked when Argo swam back to her spot beside her. "Sneaky..."
"Hey, they wanna listen in to our talk, they play by our ruleS," Argo raised her hands in defence.
"She's not wrong..." Liten spoke up finally within the whole topic, raising her hand a little. "You two always get along like a house on fire whenever you come round to Liz's shop."
"That idiot's almost cost me several weapons," Liz huffed, playing with a tuft of her pink hair. "At least he pays well."
"You love the fact he compliments your work all the time," Liten smirked, making Liz blow a raspberry.
"So I like having my ego stroked, sue me," She sighed, all eyes now on Mito who cleared her throat, her cheeks a soft pink.
"I'm just fine where I am right now," Mito answered, smiling softly as she looked up at the evening sky. "People say a lot of bad things about him, how he acts, but he's been there for me when I really needed it. Even before this game, I wasn't ever put off by his personality, that was just him expressing himself the way he wanted to, didn't matter how others viewed him, and I admire that,"
Setting her drink at the edge of the bath, she gave her arms a quick stretch. "So, maybe something will happen between us, I'm in no rush. He makes me happy as we are, that's all that matters to me."
The girls cooed collectively, making her face dial up a few degrees, but all of them broke into a fit of laughter about it. Meanwhile, outside the Onsen, standing guard, Nagi smiled to himself, continuing to play his guitar in peace, knowing not a word would be spoken.
|Floor 68|
Out of every floor thus far, 68 had the most unexpected style and mechanic. Everything was underwater, the whole floor was submerged within a sea, connected by numerous paths and corridors, like an underwater cityscape. Towns and dungeons included. Of course, there were ways to exit into the depths, but those were brief moments at a time.
Most notably, the abundance of NPC and player fishermen that roamed the floor. Nagi's team had met up with Kirito at a certain point, entering one of the circular domes where more players had gathered.
"Say, aren't those KoB members?" Nagi pointed out, noticing the distinct white and red garbs.
"You're right, and over there is... that Asuna...?" Kirito trailed off when they approached, hearing the girl let out a cry of frustration, followed by a distinct snapping sound.
"UGH, it broke again!" Asuna yelled, the broken halves of a fishing rod in her hands.
The group deadpanned. "Aren't you supposed to be questing?" Kirito asked quietly.
"Yes! But we can't fish the boss room!" Asuna huffed, tossing the remains aside.
"You... can't fish..." Kirito trailed off.
"The... boss room...?" Nagi continued for him, both equally as confused, arms crossed.
"Don't start her, she's been like this for nearly an hour now," Off by one of the edges of an underwater lake, was Lloyd, his attire much the same as when Mito last saw him, seemed he didn't conform to their white and red style still after all this time. He pointed down at Asuna's downtrodden expression. "Can clear a room in a flash, but has the luck of thirteen pitch-black cats."
"Shut up, its not fair, these fishing rods are so weak!" Asuna whined back at him.
"I'm only on my third, you're on the fifteenth," Lloyd countered, making her whine in defeat again.
"Quiet down. The key will get away." By far the most bizarre sight was that of Heathcliff fishing alongside Lloyd, almost perfectly still, watching the water.
"...the key..." Artorias breathed.
"...will get away...?" Mito finished instead, rubbing the top of her head. "Alright, Asuna, can you please explain what's going on? I think my head's about tapped out today."
Dusting off her knees, Asuna sighed for a moment. "Okay, the situation is-"
The scent of fish and blood caught Nagi's nose the second they heard the spawning noise. Immediately, Heathcliff took notice. "Asuna! They're respawning!"
Around them, several ultramarine-tinted crabs appeared, alongside brown-shelled clams, all significantly larger than normal. Discarding her broken rod, Asuna brandished her rapier in an instant, the others doing much the same.
"Clear the room!" Nagi declared.
|Floor 69|
A hulking monstrosity known as Grimlock the Forsaken let out another howl that was more akin to metal tearing. Its deep, red eyes glowed with malice, and its fur bristled like steel spikes as it clutched an enormous battle ax in its clawed hand.
"It's charging again!" Asuna called as the beastman crossed the entire room in a crimson haze, ax dragged through the earth as it turned on a heel almost inhumanly fast to charge again, zipping in an endless rage, cutting through the tanks and any unfortunate to not keep up with its erratic movements.
Grimlock let out a deafening roar with every charge, shaking the very ground that was torn open with its constant stream of crimson pouring from its weapon. Kirito dove to the side, cleaving across the right hip with a spiralling skill in tandem with Sachi's twin spear thrust. It barrelled toward Asuna who kept her composure, rapier raised, winding up a skill without a hint of hesitation.
She braced as the beast's rampage was brought to a resounding halt, metal vibrating against two pairs of hands, both buried deep against the edges of the battle ax, earning a strain snarl from Grimlock. Two heads popping just above the blood-red edges.
"Seems the big bad wolf having a bit of trouble," Lloyd spoke through gritted teeth, his health steadily plummeting from the abrasions in both palms.
"You're fast but without that speed, your attack is like a bee sting!" Daora cackled, both brawlers pushing back to throw the boss' arms and weapon skyward, it only provided a very brief opening, one the Lightning Flash took, driving between the pair to deliver a final surge of glittering, pale-blue slashes, forming a haze that tore through the beastman's body, her heels skidding against the marble floor.
Crumbling to its knees, Grimlock let out a final, weak howl, collapsing at Lloyd and Daora's feet, the pair fist bumping as it was reduced to shards behind Asuna. Herself smiling when she noticed Kirito and Nagi were only a few feet away from delivering the final blow themselves.
"Looks like this one's mine, boys," She winked, the banner marking their clear declared for the raid party to celebrate.
Across from them, lowering their sword and shield, Artorias looked around. Stared at his reward tab, checked his quest menu, then immediately deflated. "That's it? That's the whole floor?" A floor that's lasted nearly over three weeks, but Artorias was not happy. "My disappointment is immature and my day is ruined, I'm going home." And he sheathed Red Death and marched for the exit to the floor above. "Honestly, perfect opportunities everywhere, just one gag, a little childish fun, that's all, but noooo, gotta be mature now, don't we? Dammit, Kayaba...!"
"What crawled up and died in him?" Lloyd questioned, peering over to where Yuuki snickered behind her hand, and a few others of Misfits either smiling slightly or shaking their heads.
"Don't worry about it, he'll get over it in an hour or two," Nagi knew the answer, but Artorias didn't need anymore annoyances today. "It was a wasted opportunity though..." Even for a childish gag.
"Agreed," Kirito murmured with a nod.
"Boys..." Asuna and Sachi rolled their eyes at the pair.
[To Be Continued...]
[Author's Notes]
Another batch of tales from skipped floors, we got wholesome moments, gags, and a so-and-so 69 joke thrown in at the end. I skipped the 63rd for a reason, we'll be revisiting that floor in the future, so that'll stay in my back pocket for now. This'll be my last upload for the year, we'll be back with the next arc in 2025!
Hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; see ya in the next chapter. And Happy Holidays and Happy New Year, Misfits!