The next morning, Kizmel returned, briefing them on the day's mission: a battle against the Queen Spider in her cave. The creature, seemingly controlled by someone, targeted Dark Elves specifically and wielded poison, prompting them to pack extra antidotes. Kizmel, however, was unfazed, equipped with a reusable detox item.
"Queen Spider, huh? Sounds tough just from the name," Hachiman said.
"Kizmel said it's strong but manageable, so we should be fine," Asuna replied.
"Here's hoping. You okay with spiders, Asuna?"
"Yup, I'm good."
Asuna's surprisingly cool with this stuff, Hachiman thought.
As usual, Kizmel carved through enemies effortlessly, and they reached the cave. Just as it came into view, Hachiman sensed players rushing out.
Probably Dragon Knights or Liberation Squad. Let's hide and observe, he thought. Crap, they're close.
He signaled Kizmel to take cover, grabbed Asuna's hand, and ducked behind a rock. As Asuna started to speak, Hachiman instinctively covered her mouth, inadvertently pulling her into a back hug.
"Asuna, look—someone's coming," he whispered.
"Mmph!" she mumbled.
"S-Sorry!" he said, releasing her quickly, mortified. That's gotta be a harassment code violation.
To his surprise, Asuna didn't open the system window to report him. Was that… okay? I was panicked, but I gotta be careful…
"Hachiman, someone's coming out," Asuna said.
"Yeah, looks like… Liberation Squad?" he replied.
"Oh, there's Kibao!" she noted.
"Should we trade info?"
Asuna hesitated, thinking. Meanwhile, the Liberation Squad's voices carried over.
"No one said anything about a monster like that!" one shouted.
"We got the talisman!" another called.
"Alright, fall back!" Kibao ordered.
"Their quest sounds different from ours," Asuna said.
"Yeah, probably because of Kizmel. This might be a unique route," Hachiman mused.
"Let's stay hidden for now," Asuna suggested.
"Works for me."
Once the squad left, the trio entered the cave.
So we're fighting a monster, huh? This feels like a difficulty spike… Hachiman thought.
The Queen Spider was massive. They strategized: avoid the web from its abdomen and use antidotes immediately if hit by its poison breath, signaled by glowing eyes. The battle began, and Kizmel's prowess shone. Early on, the webs posed a challenge, but once Hachiman severed the spinneret, the fight became one-sided. After searching the nest, they found the fourth sacred key, and a [!] marker appeared above Kizmel's head.
"Another quest, huh?" Hachiman said.
"Maybe it only triggers with Kizmel," Asuna suggested.
"Probably."
Kizmel sensed Elven energy deeper in the nest. They found a cocoon-like structure, and inside, a shimmering blue metal gleamed.
"Elven Ingot?" Hachiman read.
"Looks like a good one," he added.
"It's… captivating, somehow," Asuna said, entranced.
"Asuna, remember that weapon soul transfer you mentioned? Why not use this?" Hachiman suggested.
"No, that's not fair. We found it together," she protested.
"Our fighting style relies on you as the attacker. If you get stronger, we're all safer."
"Really?"
"Besides, I was slacking at the start, trying to take it easy. You pushed us forward, and now we've got this."
"Okay… thanks," Asuna said softly.
With their goal achieved, they returned to the camp. Oddly, they saw no other players, despite the campaign's prominence. The Liberation Squad was their first encounter, suggesting only a few groups were on this path.
Back at the camp, Hachiman and Asuna asked Kizmel about a blacksmith.
"You want to craft a new weapon with that ingot?" Kizmel said. "The friend we saved is a blacksmith, but he's… eccentric. He forges masterpieces or duds, nothing in between. The regular smiths here make solid, average weapons. I can introduce you to either. Your choice."
So that's the flag. This wouldn't have triggered without Kizmel, Hachiman thought.
"Asuna, this is—"
"Yeah, let's go with the one we saved. It feels right," she said.
At the blacksmith's, he gave them a sharp glance. "Hmph, thanks for the save. What do you want?"
"I'd like a weapon made," Asuna said. "Use this sword and this metal. Speed-type properties."
She caressed her Wind Fleuret fondly before handing it over. Hachiman expected the blacksmith to grunt dismissively, but he handled the sword with surprising care. He melted the Wind Fleuret into an ingot, combining it with the Elven Ingot. In SAO, weapon crafting wasn't recipe-based; results were random, with strength tied to hammer strikes—twenty-five on average. With these materials, exceeding that would ensure a weapon stronger than the original.
"Hachiman, hold Asuna's left hand. I'll take her right," Kizmel said suddenly.
She explained that strong emotions forged stronger weapons. Together, their combined will would create something exceptional. Before Hachiman could hesitate, Asuna grabbed their hands with a determined look. The forging began, the hammer's rhythm echoing. Ten strikes, fifteen, twenty, then past twenty-five. No weapon yet. Asuna's grip tightened, and Hachiman matched her strength. At forty strikes, the ingot glowed brilliantly, and Asuna's new weapon took form.
"A fine sword… it's got soul," the blacksmith said, awed, handing it to Asuna.
"Incredible…" Asuna breathed.
"That's something else," Hachiman said.
"A masterwork. Congratulations, Asuna," Kizmel added.
Hachiman checked the weapon's stats and nearly choked. This could last through floor six, maybe. Fifteen enhancement slots? The potential's insane.
"Chivalric Rapier…" Asuna murmured, testing it with a Linear. The strike flashed with breathtaking force.
"Like it?" Hachiman asked.
"Love it. Thank you, Hachiman. Thank you, Kizmel," Asuna said, bowing deeply to the blacksmith.
He grunted "Hmph" and returned to his work.
After reporting the spider's defeat, they learned the next quest was delayed. They decided to gather materials for weapon enhancements, using Kizmel's guidance and quest rewards to upgrade the Chivalric Rapier five times. Surprisingly, Kizmel's level had risen since they met her.
"That weapon's unreal. Its attack power might rival Kirito's," Hachiman said.
"He's probably gotten stronger too, so maybe not," Asuna replied.
"Speaking of, we've been so focused we haven't checked in with anyone. That's bad, right?"
"Yeah, we might be worrying people. Let's head back to town," Asuna suggested.
"Sounds good—wait, hear that? Sounds like an argument. I'll check it out. You and Kizmel stay here."
"Okay," Asuna said.
Hachiman activated his stealth skill and crept toward the voices.