The clock read 8:40 AM. I woke up to the jarring blare of the forced-awakening alarm—a feature I hadn't used in quite some time. Yawning deeply, I opened my menu. With a few quick taps, I equipped my familiar jacket and readied my spear, then stepped out into the streets of Danac, the 59th-floor town I currently called home.
I had promised to meet Asuna and the others at nine sharp. Since floor-to-floor travel takes only a moment via the Teleport Gate, I decided to spend the remaining twenty minutes grabbing a bite at an NPC-run restaurant. As I headed toward the plaza, a very familiar figure standing before the gate caught my eye. She noticed me too and walked over with confident strides.
"You're finally awake. Good morning, Mitsuki."
"Oh, right... morning, Alice."
She wore her signature white and blue armor, a silver one-handed sword hanging at her hip. Her beautiful blonde hair was braided back, swaying over a dark blue cloak that made her stand out even from a distance. Alice, the Vice-Commander of the Knights of the Blood (KoB)—widely known as the "Princess Knight"—had clearly come to ensure I wasn't late. While I appreciated the concern...
"I do actually keep my appointments, you know."
"That's a relief. If you hadn't shown up in another five minutes, I would have used the map-tracking feature to find your house."
"That's a bit excessive. Anyway, I was about to grab a quick breakfast. How about you, Alice?"
Before she could answer, a faint growl from her stomach gave her away. She lowered her head in embarrassment.
"Fine... I'll eat too."
Suppressing a laugh, I led Alice toward the restaurant. However—
"Good grief! This is exactly why I told you to wake up earlier!"
"Twenty minutes was plenty! We only fell behind because you took forever savoring your food!"
"That's because—it's been a while since we ate together—hush! Just run as fast as you can!"
It was now nearly ten past nine. Because breakfast had run long, we were sprinting through the shortest route from the restaurant to the Teleport Gate.
I wasn't worried about Kirito, but Asuna's punctuality was legendary—she would definitely be annoyed. I silently decided that if she got angry, I would throw the Vice-Commander next to me under the bus as an excuse.
"Teleport—Kolemdeet!"
We shouted in unison and threw ourselves into the gate's light.
The blinding glow faded, but as soon as we stepped onto the main residential area of the 74th Floor, Kolemdeet, we felt something was off.
A massive crowd had gathered in the plaza, everyone staring in one direction as if watching a performance.
We pushed through the throng to see what was happening. Suddenly, the sharp ring of clashing steel echoed through the air. Alice and I recognized the sound of a duel instantly and forced our way to the front.
There, the scene that held everyone's attention unfolded.
"No way... that's impossible."
"If you want to switch weapons and start over, I'll indulge you... but I think that's enough, don't you?"
Kirito, the swordsman in black, spoke as he sheathed his dark blade. Behind him, a player in red and white gear knelt on the ground, clutching the hilt of a massive sword that had been snapped clean off at the base. It was Kuradeel, Asuna's guard from yesterday. Seeing Asuna standing nearby, the situation became clear.
"You... what cheap trick did you use!? A Weapon Break should never happen without some kind of trap!"
"No, he didn't use any tricks or manipulation."
The duel hadn't officially ended, but I stepped out from the crowd and stood before them.
"What did you say!?"
"It's rare, but Weapon Break is a legitimate mechanic in the game system. More importantly, your sword prioritizes aesthetics over practical utility. Decorations on the hilt or guard are fine, but all those engravings on the blade weaken its structural integrity. It might hold up against monsters, but in PvP, it's a different story. Simply put, you faced the wrong opponent."
I picked up the broken blade. It was covered in beautiful patterns, similar to those found on Western pottery. Looking at the hilt still in Kuradeel's hand, I saw that the connection point to the blade was incredibly thin. It was bound to snap under a heavy blow. The remains of the sword dissolved into light particles and vanished.
"Damn it... don't mock me! I am an elite of the great Knights of the Blood! I cannot lose to 'Beater' scum like you!"
The word "Beater" sent a familiar pang of pain through my chest. I suppressed it and walked slowly toward him.
"Since you're being this persistent, do you want to take me on too?"
To be honest, I don't usually enjoy such posturing, but I decided to play the "rival" card. Since I had previously dueled Alice—one of the strongest in the guild—to a draw, and Kuradeel had witnessed that fight, he knew he stood no chance against me. His face twisted with pure malice and resentment.
"That's enough. Kuradeel, as Vice-Commander, I cannot overlook any further behavior that tarnishes the guild's reputation."
Alice stepped in with Asuna to settle the dispute. Alice had apparently heard from Asuna that the trouble started because of Kuradeel's excessive monitoring. With Asuna's agreement, Alice officially relieved Kuradeel of his guard duties and ordered him back to headquarters.
Realizing that further escalation would only make things worse, Kuradeel conceded the duel. Though his steps were quiet as he walked toward the Teleport Gate, he couldn't hide the raw fury and deep-seated hatred burning in his eyes.
I watched him disappear into the gate, but that final look he gave Kirito and me—so full of loathing—remained etched in my mind, leaving me unsettled.
"I'm sorry. I dragged you both into a mess."
"Don't worry about it... more importantly, are you okay?"
Asuna sighed as the commotion died down.
"Yeah... I think I'm responsible for the suffocating atmosphere in the guild lately..."
Although Asuna spoke freely with us now, there was a time when she was so obsessed with clearing floors that she adopted cold, extreme views. If Kirito hadn't challenged and defeated her in a duel back then—breaking her "Flash" persona—the four of us wouldn't be sharing a meal today.
"It might sound strange to say this, but without Asuna, the clearing progress would be much slower than it is now."
Asuna looked up in surprise at Kirito's reserved praise.
"That period was full of tension, sure. But thanks to Asuna's leadership of the clearing group, attack patterns and strategies were solidified. That's how we made it to the 74th Floor. I think it's an achievement to be proud of."
"Kirito is right. And if anyone is responsible, I share the blame too. At that time, even though I was closest to you, I couldn't say anything. I didn't know how to reach you while you were so driven by the clearing... though it's an excuse, I apologize."
If Asuna's drive back then was a desperate desire to return to the real world, it was natural Alice wouldn't know what to say. Alice, who has no memories of the world before this game, feels the urgency of "finishing the game" differently than Asuna does.
"Alright, let's end the gloomy talk. It's been a while since the four of us cleared together, so let's enjoy it."
I clapped my hands to break the heavy mood. Asuna gave a small smile.
"True. Then I'll rely on you guys today so I can relax a bit. I'm leaving the front-line duties to you two."
She patted Kirito and me on the shoulders. We both let out a synchronized "Huh?"
"Wait a minute! Kirito is fine, but my weapon isn't built for front-line tanking!"
"Mitsuki, that's not fair! We're rotating front-line duty, got it!?"
Laughter returned to the group as we set off toward the 74th-floor labyrinth.
The labyrinth on this floor, carved into a massive rocky mountain, features a variety of monsters on every level. The 20th floor, where we were now, swarmed with Lizardmen and skeletons. Skeletons are usually difficult for Asuna and me since our piercing weapons aren't very effective against bone, but...
"Haaaa!"
My spear lunged with pinpoint accuracy, striking the ribcage of a Demonic Servant, an armored skeleton. I dodged its consecutive attacks, parrying the final blow with the shaft of my spear before executing my favorite counter—driving the spear with all my might into the skeletal knight's shield.
"Alice, Switch!"
Due to the heavy blow during the "stiffening" period following my sword skill, the skeleton knight stumbled back, immobilized. Alice seized the opening, leaping over me to unleash her four-hit sword skill, Horizontal Square.
"Sei-yaa!"
The final strike severed the skeleton's upper body, and the remains shattered into light particles. After the fight, I spoke to Alice as she sheathed her sword.
"You've completely mastered aerial sword skills, haven't you, Alice?"
"I'm glad to hear that, but my success rate still drops significantly when I try for five or more hits. I still need more practice to reach your level of free-motion control."
"That's more than enough. Even though I'm the one teaching you, aerial skills are rarely used. Staying grounded and focusing on precision is much safer than risking it in the air."
Executing sword skills in the air where balance is unstable is my specialty. I had heard that even Kirito's limit was four consecutive hits, the same as Alice now.
I don't have a clear answer on how I do it; it's just a "feeling." I remember when Alice asked me about it on the first floor; I tried so hard to put that "feeling" into words but failed, leaving her looking quite dissatisfied.
The fact that she refined this skill on her own to this level proves once again that Alice's talent with a blade is exceptional.
We rejoined Kirito and Asuna, who were fighting nearby, and continued through the labyrinth. Kirito, who was leading and monitoring the map, suddenly stopped.
"Look... that thing over there."
Where Kirito pointed, a massive door stood, radiating an ominous aura. Just standing before that door, decorated with grotesque carvings of faces twisted in agony, made the air feel heavy.
"This is... the Boss Room, isn't it?"
"Yeah... no doubt about it."
We had finally found the 74th-floor Boss Room, but we weren't about to say, "Okay, let's go back now." Unlike the first ten floors where information was available from the beta period, fighting here without prior knowledge was suicide. The rule was to find the room, conduct reconnaissance to learn the enemy's strength and style, and then prepare for the actual raid.
"What do you think? Should we take a quick peek?"
The three of them considered my suggestion.
The first reconnaissance is always the most dangerous, for the reasons I mentioned. However, considering we represented the elite—the absolute best of the clearing players—we could likely scout it safely.
"Alright. We'll just open the door and look inside. It's too dangerous to fight a scout battle with so few people, so we just watch. Agreed?"
Floor bosses usually don't leave their protected zone—the Boss Room. Opening the door and watching from the outside isn't very risky. We all nodded at Kirito's words and drew our weapons. After confirming everyone had their "Teleport Crystals" ready as a precaution, Kirito and I pushed the door open with extreme caution.
The door groaned as it swung inward. The interior was pitch black. The boss wouldn't appear until we ventured a certain distance inside.
I signaled Alice and Asuna to stay back, and Kirito and I crept cautiously into the room. After about five meters—it appeared.
Torches on the walls ignited, bathing the room in a pale blue fire. In the center waited a massive demon with the head of a goat.
The boss's name appeared with four HP bars: The Gleam Eyes.
The moment it spotted us, The Gleam Eyes raised its greatsword high for an attack—!
"Back up!!"
Kirito and I turned instantly, fleeing the Boss Room with the girls who were waiting at the entrance.
We ran as hard as we could until we reached the nearest safe zone, where we sat down for a debriefing.
"That's going to be a tough fight..."
"Yeah... from what I saw, its only weapon is that greatsword, but it definitely has special attacks..."
"I saw part of the wall reflecting the torchlight. This is just a guess, but there might be other weapons hidden in the walls."
"So we have to expect a weapon change when its attack pattern shifts... our best bet is to gather a large number of heavy-shield tanks and whittle down its health patiently."
"Right. We'll need at least ten shield users. For now, we focus on its weaknesses and try to harass it to find a counter-strategy."
Asuna gave Kirito a sharp look as he summarized the info we'd gathered.
"Shield tanks... huh?"
"What is it?"
"I've always wondered—isn't the biggest advantage of a one-handed sword the ability to carry a shield? Yet I've never seen you equip one, Kirito."
It wasn't just one-handed swords; weapons like scimitars, maces, and small axes allowed players to equip a buckler, providing strong defense without significantly sacrificing speed.
Asuna's rapier fell into this category too, but she didn't use a shield because it hindered her speed and hit count. Alice followed a similar logic, telling me once that a shield got in her way when she wanted to swing her sword with both hands, especially since she relied on traditional skills and free-motion combat.
"Some people don't carry shields just for aesthetics... but you aren't that type, Kirito. And I've never even seen you use that second sword Liz made for you—it's very suspicious."
"It's not what you think..."
Kirito looked away under Asuna's suspicious gaze. Regardless of why he didn't carry a shield, bringing up the second sword might not be a good idea right now. I thought about how to help him, but luckily, Asuna dropped the questioning.
"Anyway, it's late. Let's have lunch."
Asuna opened her menu, and a large basket appeared in her lap. When she lifted the cloth cover, there were four wrapped rolls.
"Did you buy these on the 61st floor?"
"I didn't buy them. I made them."
Kirito let out a cry of shock, and I shared his disbelief. To have the chance to eat food cooked by a girl—other than my mother—in a place like this after all these years was something I never expected.
At Asuna's request, I took off my gloves and nervously unwrapped a roll, revealing a sandwich that looked incredibly appetizing.
"Bon appétit!"
"Bon appétit!"
I took a large bite, and a nostalgic flavor flooded my mouth. It tasted exactly like those famous fast-food chains I used to visit before coming to this world.
"Asuna, how did you get this flavor!? This isn't something you can get from stores."
I spoke for Kirito, who was devouring his sandwich and clearly had the same question. Asuna began to explain with a sense of pride.
She said that over the past year, she had analyzed and blended over a hundred types of spices found in Aincrad to recreate flavors like mayonnaise and soy sauce. SAO's taste-simulation engine is complex; appearances don't always match the flavor. You might find fruit that looks sweet but tastes incredibly spicy, or things that don't look like food but are delicious.
The fact that she had tested every possibility reflected incredible willpower. I think Asuna is the only person in Aincrad who has done such a thing—if she opened a shop for these spices, she'd be sold out instantly and become incredibly wealthy.
"Miss Asuna, please teach me the recipe later."
Although we hadn't leveled up our Cooking skill and couldn't utilize the spices to their full potential, adding them to NPC restaurant food would certainly revolutionize the taste.
"Sure, but—if you put it on restaurant food, the flavors might clash with the original seasonings and change the taste, right?"
She exposed the bitter truth as if reading my mind. I thought about it and realized she was right, so I gave up and focused on enjoying the sandwich in my hand.
Alice was eating her sandwich in silence. After looking at me, she continued to study the food Asuna had made with deep concentration.
As we enjoyed our post-lunch rest, a strange sound interrupted the silence of the labyrinth. Footsteps—and many of them.
Kirito and I both put our hands on our weapons. A group appeared before us, wearing the familiar emblem we had seen many times.
"Oh, hey, Kirito! Mitsuki! It's been a while!"
Klein, the leader of the Fuurinkazan guild, ran toward us in his samurai armor, a katana at his side and his usual grin on his face.
"Hey, Klein. Glad to see you're still alive."
"Haha, still as blunt as ever. It's rare to see you and the other 'Solos' gathered together—wait, huh?"
He stopped talking when he noticed Asuna and Alice in the back. Klein blinked several times, then grabbed us by our collars and lowered his voice.
"Hey, what's going on here!? I knew Mitsuki and Alice were close, but even Kirito has a beautiful girl with him!?"
"Calm down a bit...!"
"How can I be calm!? I'm twenty-four, single, and searching for a girlfriend with all my soul!"
Seeing me with Alice before boss battles had become a common sight for everyone, so he had nothing to say about her, but Asuna's presence shifted the balance. Klein began rubbing Kirito's head aggressively and complaining.
I couldn't help but smile at the scene.
Despite the guilt we felt from the past that made us keep others at a distance, Klein's personality—treating us the same as always—was something we were truly grateful for.
Suddenly, another group of players entered the safe zone, making the place even louder. Their footsteps were heavier than the Fuurinkazan group, and they were more numerous. They wore heavy armor and carried axes and spears, the clanking of their gear filling the air.
Their leader, a large man, stopped in the middle of the safe zone and ordered his men to rest. The moment they heard his command, they collapsed onto the floor from exhaustion. Only the leader remained standing, walking toward us.
"I am Lieutenant Colonel Corvatz of the Aincrad Liberation Force."
Commonly known as The Army, they were a massive organization formed from guilds that had participated in the clearing since the beginning of SAO. However, after losing many members in the 25th-floor boss battle, they nearly collapsed. They moved to the Starting City to focus on maintaining order and strengthening their organization rather than clearing, so we hadn't seen them on the front lines lately.
The man called Corvatz scrutinized us. His features weren't clear under his helmet, but the atmosphere around him was far from friendly.
"Have you already cleared the path ahead?"
"Yeah. We've mapped it out all the way to the Boss Room."
Kirito answered for us. When Corvatz heard that, he let out a scoff.
"Then, hand over the map data you have."
He said it as if it were his right. Klein was the first to object.
"Hey, you want us to just give you the map data for free?"
There was no response. It seemed he was asking for the data without offering money or items in return.
"Mister, do you realize how much work goes into mapping the front lines!? This isn't the lower floors where there are only weak monsters!"
On the 74th Floor, monster levels are high, there are unknown traps, and encountering powerful enemies even at our levels is dangerous. Mapping under such conditions is no small feat, as Klein said.
Faced with this logical objection, Corvatz raised his booming voice:
"We work to distribute information and resources fairly among the general player base, maintaining order—and we fight to liberate all players from this world as quickly as possible! Therefore, your cooperation is your duty!"
Duty, then. Strange words coming from The Army, which had isolated itself on the lower floors and hadn't participated in a boss battle in a long time. However—
"Fine, I'll give you the data."
Kirito stopped the objections from Klein and the others, opening his menu to extract the map data.
"Kirito, you're far too kind."
"I was going to publish it through information brokers once I got back to town anyway, so it's fine. I'm not interested in trading map data."
Kirito pulled out the data in the form of a paper scroll and offered it to Corvatz. But before he could take it, Kirito pulled his hand back slightly.
"I'll give it to you, but on one condition. Since you said you distribute information to others, you must promise to publish this data for free to everyone as soon as you get back to town. Don't even think about hoarding it for The Army."
Bad rumors about The Army's behavior on the first floor sometimes reached the upper floors. Since they were asking for the data for free, their word couldn't be fully trusted.
Corvatz gave a brief "Certainly" and took the map. After confirming the data appeared in his menu, he said, "Thank you for your cooperation," with a coldness that lacked any gratitude, then turned to leave.
"If you're thinking of challenging the boss, you should back off."
I warned Corvatz as I watched his back, suspecting their intentions for coming to the front lines now. I expected a response like "No need to tell me that," but—
"That is for me to decide."
Corvatz's words left us all stunned.
"You... we just looked at the Boss Room! That's not an opponent you can defeat with so few people or minimal effort! Besides, your men look completely exhausted!"
"My men are not so weak that they'll collapse from this! You lot, get up immediately!"
At Corvatz's shout, his men stood up heavily, staggering. Their exhaustion was obvious and couldn't be hidden. Fighting in a virtual world builds up mental fatigue, and doing all that without enough rest while facing front-line monsters they weren't used to was a massive burden. Even if their HP was full, their bodies might not respond in critical moments, leading to a fatal mistake.
As Corvatz tried to force his men into formation, a strong, steady voice spoke from beside me.
"Corvatz, was it?"
"Is there something else?"
Corvatz turned only his head toward the source of the voice—Alice, who stepped forward.
"I'll be blunt. If you challenge the boss like this, your squad will be annihilated."
"Did you not hear what I just said?"
"I heard it. It was the talk of a fool who misunderstands his duty despite being in a leadership position."
Alice's expression was dead serious. But Corvatz thought she was mocking him, turning his whole body to face us in anger.
"You... haven't you learned how to speak to those of higher rank?"
"Unfortunately, I have no respect for a fool blinded by a desire for achievement, leading his men into certain danger."
Although Corvatz was physically larger and more intimidating, Alice radiated far more power and will. She was a Vice-Commander in the Knights of the Blood, often taking over general and field command alongside Asuna in boss battles. Since she held a leadership position, she was trying to advise Corvatz, who was about to do something reckless.
Corvatz, perhaps feeling defeated by Alice's unwavering resolve, let out a scoff, adjusted his cloak, and led his men further inside until they disappeared from sight.
"Good grief. Will they be okay?"
"They seem to have high enough levels for the labyrinth monsters, and I don't think they're reckless enough to fight the boss on the first encounter..."
But Corvatz's final words were truly worrying. If they decided they "could defeat it themselves" just by seeing it, it would be a disaster.
"Let's go and at least take a look."
"Right. Let's go, guys."
If we went back and Corvatz and his men stayed there and never returned, it would be a terrible feeling. And if The Army intended to return to clearing seriously, it was our duty as those who came before them to teach them the necessary rules and basics.
"I don't know which of us is kinder."
Kirito and I set off in the lead, followed by the Fuurinkazan group. I caught a glimpse of Klein talking to Asuna and Alice in the back. I couldn't hear what he said—was he trying to flirt?
"The day this game started, I left them behind in the Starting City. It seems they still feel guilty about that even now. Even though I was the one who decided to leave, saying, 'I can't burden you any longer.' While we were moving slowly, they became known as the 'Beaters.' I heard a lot of baseless rumors when I was on the middle floors. As you can see, they're just kids in middle or high school, right? When I think about the weight they carry on their small shoulders, I feel ashamed as a grown man."
"Klein..."
"If my forgiving them would lighten their burden, I'd laugh and forgive them a thousand times over... but saying that might just hurt them more. So... so I'm asking you—"
Klein turned toward them and stood straight.
"Miss Asuna, Miss Alice. Please take care of them."
Klein said that and bowed his head. Asuna and Alice looked at the backs of the two boys walking away slowly, and then—
"Yes."
"I certainly will."
They both smiled as they answered sincerely.
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