August 26th 2025, ALO
"Good, you're here." Asuna sways her hips from side to side as I approach her near a forest in Gnome territory. With her is Yui, so I guess we're not totally alone on this "Asuna-Jaymes date". Yet, while I know the quest details, I still have no clue why Asuna wants me with her. The in-game reason, that is.
But the blue-haired Undine fairy is quite happy to see me, so I let my prior thoughts go for now. "Right in time. Hello, Yui, joining Mommy today?"
The little pixie nods happily. "Yes, Mommy believes I'd be a big help to you and her."
"Shall we get started? The cave is nearby."
"Then let's head out." Gesturing for Asuna to lead, we begin our quest together. The details are quite simple: There's a dangerous rare beast in the cave, so we're contracted by a nearby village to take care of it. The reward is a rare item, but I don't know if it's a monster drop or a reward from the villagers. But each person gets a reward of their choice, from what I read.
“I still don’t understand why it’s just the two of us. Don’t give me the ‘we never quest together’ reasoning again, we practically see each other everyday now and if you wanted to go on one before, you would’ve asked. You insisted I join you for this one.”
Asuna rolls her eyes. “It’s for Lisbeth, okay. But I couldn’t say that around her. As for why it’s just the two of us, Yui assures me the boss itself is doable with a strong pair. Aren’t we a strong pair?”
“Lisbeth? So the reward is a rare material for smithing? Oh, well that explains it. And I guess we are a strong pair.”
“Good. It makes me happy to hear that. It might be awhile before we see play with each other in the virtual world anyway, won’t it, with you going to another game and all.” It’s true. At the beginning of the next month, I’ll be heading over to Gun Gale Online to join my childhood friend, Momiji Takadane, and play with her. She says a tournament is coming up pretty soon, so it’ll be the best time for me to gain some experience “playing a VR game for the first time”. Yes, she’s unaware of my prior experiences with VR, especially the two years in Sword Art Online. I believe it is best to keep it that way for now. I never had to explain it to someone who wasn’t there before, so I wouldn’t know how to do so.
“Don’t get sentimental, Asuna. We’ll see each other at school and I’ll come back eventually to ALO. Just don’t go too high in New Aincrad without me. Yui, I’m counting on you to tell your daddy to not leave me too far behind.”
“Yes, Uncle!” Deep in the forest, we come across a high hill. Carved within is a dark cave, yet it doesn’t seem deep. I turn to Asuna, who goes over the quest details.
“This is the den of the monster. Hmm, this does seem too easy and straightforward for a rare item.”
I take my sword in hand and approach the cave. “That’s how I like things. Easy and straightforward.”
“Oh, that doesn’t explain Lis at all.”
“But it explains you and Kirito almost...Ahhh!” I feel the sharp tip of Asuna’s rapier on my back pressing against my spine. Even with the pain suppression the Amusphere performs on my real body, I might be feeling that for a while. Satisfied with herself, she takes the lead. Yui looks back, giggling to herself. “This is why we’re never alone,” I say to myself as I regain the ability to walk and follow the girls into the cave.
YOU ARE READING
The Blacksmith and the Warrior
RomanceAs the war between freedom and imprisonment in Sword Art Online comes to its final months, one of the heroes seeks to avenge his fallen friend and fulfill his promise to her. In the real world, a year later, he seeks to find happiness in love. In bo...
