After the events with Musashi and Volt, things seemed to be going well for the time being. But it wasn't long until the gang received another invitation from Kirito for a somewhat different reason aside from getting them to join his guild.
Due to the lack of support and intel on the red player guilds, Kirito requested the group to help him search for those guilds. The gang was all in, but they made it crystal clear – no KoB membership. And from that moment on, Kirito unofficially dubbed them the Shadow Legion.
3 Months later
May 2024
Floor 64 Dungeon - Crimson Grove
"Annnnd that's the last of them! Phew, finally!" Haru stretched his arms out like he had just run a marathon.
"Are you sure these drops are the right ones?" Volt asked, scooping up the scattered loot as she doubted the boy.
"Yeah, it's everything I need to craft the item, although I have no clue what it is." Haru had a puzzled expression on his face.
"Well, whatever it is hopefully it'll be useful," Musashi sheathed her weapon and gently stroked her winged companion's feathers as it let out a soft squeak
"Alright then, I guess it's time to bounce. Let's roll," Hero activated a teleport crystal, whisking the party away to the nearest town.
Floor 64 — Claret Town
Just days ago, while organizing his belongings, Haru stumbled upon a familiar scroll bestowed upon him by an NPC on the first floor. Hindered by his low level before, he now unveiled its previously obscured contents, revealing scant details—mere lists of collectibles, specific instructions, and the requisite smithing level for crafting.
With this knowledge, the group set their sights on locating a blacksmith skilled enough to forge the coveted item from their available resources. However, Haru already had someone specific in mind for the task.
"I don't feel too good about this..." Musashi's expression darkened, and Ark tilted its head inquisitively.
When Haru says he knows someone, I hope it's not—
"GOLD!" The younger one bolted toward a player bathed in the gleaming hue of gold.
"I knew it..." The eldest member of the group looked like she was ready to make a swift exit.
"Hm? What's wrong, Musashi? Not feeling full of spunk?" Hero inquired, concerned for his teammate.
"No, by the look on her face, it seems she's not thrilled about running into this person again," Volt accurately pointed out.
"Long time no see, Haru and Musashi!" Gold slapped Haru on the back with gusto. "I'm guessing you two are the fresh faces in the party," he observed, glancing at Hero and Volt.
"We've actually been a team for quite a while," Hero admitted, scratching his head with a light chuckle.
Volt just nodded as a response
"I've got a favor to ask, Gold!" Haru dropped bags of items in front of him, handing over a scroll he'd obtained from the first floor. "I need you to craft this item. I don't know exactly what it is yet, but it needs a high smithing level."
"Ohhhh, stepping into my domain, huh? Deal, kid! But it won't come free – still running a business here," Gold declared.
"Fine! 1 million col, take it or leave it!" the young player boldly offered.
"One mill—" His party members couldn't believe it, but it was classic 'Haru.'
"Hm..." Gold scrutinized the scroll, "Alrighty! With all these materials and complex instructions, I'll give myself until the end of the month to reach the required smithing level. Got other customers in line, you know."
Musashi, Hero, and Volt were taken aback by the extended timeframe. Haru, however, brushed it off. With that, the crafting of the equipment was entrusted to Gold, and all that remained was to play the waiting game.
...
"By the end of this month, huh? That's in two weeks...What you guys think the item is? I hope it's a really cool weapon!" Haru's eyes lit up as he played with Musashi's pet.
"Squeee!" It chirped in agreement.
"Maybe a shield with insane stats, oh man. That would be awesome," Hero fantasized about his ideal shield.
The remaining two sighed, but still threw in their thoughts.
"Considering the materials we gathered, it might turn out to be some light armor," Musashi shared while putting her arms behind her head.
"I could care less...but it could be some kind of super ultra weapon with a special skill," despite dismissing the topic, Volt still showed some interest.
The crew then ventured back into the labyrinth, resuming their grind to level up.
Floor 64 — Labyrinth
After spending about five hours in the dungeon, the crew decide to have a break and review their stats.
The current status for each member of the Shadow Legion.
Haru. Lvl 78. Weapon: Lance/Spear
Musashi. Lvl 77. Weapon: Sword
Ark Lvl. ??? / Claws and breath attacks
Hero. Lvl 71. Weapon: Axe/Shield
Volt. Lvl 60. Weapon: Dagger
"Now that I think about it...Volt, your level is waaaay lower than ours," Haru pointed out, meaning no harm.
"Hm? So what? I hold my ground just fine on the front lines despite my level. If anything, I think I fight better than most," she retorted.
"Yeah, you're right," the kid shrugged his shoulders in agreement, and the conversation came to an end.
The group of four took a seat on the ground, engaging in some casual chatter.
"Hero, about your eyepatch, is there something wrong with your eye?" Volt couldn't resist asking, feeling a bit bothered by her curiosity.
"I've never asked him that question, but I was always curious. Why DO you have an eyepatch?" The group's eldest voiced her intrigue.
"This? It's just an accessory," he casually took it off.
"Huh? No stat buffs or anything? Just an accessory?" Musashi couldn't believe what she heard. "You're kidding. Why would you keep it on if it has no benefit?!"
Hero blushed a little bit, "Do you really want to know?" It almost seemed like he was going to give the most ridiculous response in history, and he did. "I've always wanted to be a 'Hero'! The kind that saves the day and protects the smiles of everyone he cares about! Like a hero, I wanted to have a distinctive aspect, and this eyepatch was practically calling out to me to wear it, sooo... here we are."
Volt and Musashi were left speechless, while Haru thoroughly enjoyed the story.
"THAT'S SO COOL! HERO WANTS TO BE A HERO! If anything you look like a villain with the eyepatch, BUT everyone has their own image of a 'Hero'," Haru grinned.
"Yup! And that's basically how I ended up choosing this name. With this game I wanted to become the hero I always imagined but..." Hero paused, glancing at the younger boy.
Small and a bundle of energy, this kid...is more of a 'Hero' than I'll ever be. Hero chuckled to himself.
"Hm? Why're you laughing? Did I say something funny?"
"In your dreams, kid. Like you could tell jokes we could understand," Musashi jumped into the conversation.
"I second that," Volt added.
In the end, everyone burst out laughing, sharing a moment despite the challenging circumstances they were in.
One of the few moments they would cherish before encountering more trouble.
YOU ARE READING
Sword Art Online: Forgotten Edition
FanfictionAn unspoken story of a young hero who fought on the front lines of the death game, Sword Art Online (SAO). Despite being called a 'hero', his name is nowhere within the archives of the game's database when SAO was completed. The true story of his e...
