After the strategy team successfully defeated the boss on the 96th floor, some members chose to rest, so they ran to the tavern to eat and go to the inn to sleep; Other members choose to strike while the iron is hot and continue to investigate the monster-infested battle area to see if they can get any new information.

And Kirito and Asuna originally planned to celebrate with their companions, and it was an accident that they would meet Gu Wu and Ayaka Terasawa.

Therefore, after the blue-haired woman finished speaking, someone invited Kiritto and Asuna to the tavern to celebrate, and it seems that the two of them have also contributed a lot in the previous strategy.

Ayaka Terazawa also noticed this, thinking that players who were fighting bosses not long ago must be tired, so it is natural to take a break now.

So Ayaka Terazawa, who got the information, bowed her head to the two of them and thanked them.

"Thank you very much Kirito-kun and Miss Asuna for their help, I'll take care of it myself, I won't mess around this time, so please go and rest!"

"You have to remember clearly, don't run to the monster area of the higher floors, especially the ninety-seventh floor, which has just opened, because even we don't know what kind of danger there is......"

Hearing Asuna's re-admonition, Ayaka Terazawa nodded very affirmatively.

Kirito on the side also reminded him

"You'd better investigate more on this level, after all, the area on the ninety-seventh floor hasn't been investigated yet, and since your companion has appeared on this level, maybe some players will see him; It's just that...... Now that he's sold his iconic spear, it's likely to be a little difficult to find, so if you need help then, you can find us at the Raiders rest house here. ”

"Okay, thanks again both for your help."

"Well, please be careful, after all, this is a special period, and you must calm down."

It is estimated that Kirito is about to attack Ayn Grant, and if he is confused by excitement at this time, he will definitely face a bad situation in the next battle.

Seeing Terazawa Ayaka leaving, Gu Wu also waved goodbye to the two protagonists, after all, he planned to finish all the 'side plots' that he accidentally encountered.

And in Gu Wu's opinion, Terasawa Ayaka will most likely take risks for her companions, because she is too simple and straightforward, and she doesn't know what to do and what not to do.

Maybe it's because of the worry of her companions that she has lost her original calm, but in short, it will definitely become very bad if she leaves it alone, and the probability of encountering danger again is also very high.

Seeing that Gu Wu was also about to leave, Kirito and Asuna stopped him together.

"About that 'tenfold potion of effect'......!!"

"Don't worry, Kirito-kun, Miss Asuna, I'll come back to talk to you again, and you can also prepare before that, anyway, the strategy for the ninety-seventh layer is also a must-do in the eyes of the strategy team, right?"

It's just that this time with an employer, there hasn't been much change overall.

As for Ayaka Terazawa herself......

She looked at Gu Wu with some confusion, as if she didn't know why Gu Wu wanted to go with her, so she asked Gu Wu very directly

"Does Mr. Gu Wu have something to do over there?"

"It's interesting to have a dull girl......

"Sluggish? Did I understand it wrong? ”

"Of course, I'm going to do it with you."

"But...... Mr. Gu Wu said that he didn't want to form a team or join a guild, if you are with me......"

Ayaka Terazawa has a lot of concerns, perhaps too much in other people's thoughts.

Gu Wu, who stretched his waist, responded with a smile

"Anyway, the Raiders team is resting, which means they won't act immediately, and I can just go with you to investigate during this time, or has Miss Terasawa become a loner now?"

"No, no, if it weren't for Mr. Gu Wu, I'm afraid I would have been killed by those monsters a long time ago......! So...... It would be very reassuring to have Mr. Gu Wu here. ”

What a lovely guy.

Gu Wu was thinking like this while being questioned by the other party

"What were Mr. Gu Wu and Kirito-kun talking about just now? What is the '10x Effect Potion'...... I always felt like I had heard it somewhere on the street on this level. ”

"It's literally, a special potion that's ten times stronger than an ordinary potion, and I'm going to trade with them with this thing."

"...... the deal? Mr. Gu Wu's commission can only be completed by players in the strategy group? ”

"What ...... say?"

At this time, Ayaka Terasawa covered her mouth, and she said cautiously

"I'm sorry...... It's me asking too much......"

"It's okay."

Although it is not something worth hiding, it is also very troublesome to explain, so Ayaka Terazawa took the initiative to end the conversation, which can be regarded as a great help.

Straight to the point.

Gu Wu and the girl beside him walked forward according to the information of the female player, and halfway through, you could see that some of the players who planned to leave this floor and go to the upper floor, some of them were excited, some were worried, and their expressions were different.

Gu Wu, who was walking against the crowd, looked for 'Xiangyang Avenue', and soon saw a few blocks marked with big characters.

Terazawa Ayaka, who was originally traveling with her, distanced herself from Gu Wu because she was going against the current.

Gu Wu, who had stopped, took a few steps back, then pushed away the crowd and grabbed the girl's right arm and took a step forward, breaking through the surging crowd.

It seems that there are a lot more players leaving here than expected.

"They...... It's looking forward to the day when you will be able to play this game......"

Ayaka Terazawa looked at the back of the person who was leaving, and said thoughtfully.

"If only it were just a dream, then everyone wouldn't be miserable."

"But this virtual world is real for everyone......"

"Yes, that's why you have to be serious."

"It's good to know, Miss Terazawa must remember that she can't take any more casual adventures."

Like the protagonist duo, Gu Wu, who told the girl, didn't want to see her disappear from this world like this.

Without continuing to talk nonsense on the road, the two of them soon came to what the blue-haired woman called 'Xiangyang Avenue'.

Most of the shops on this street are run by the player, so it has become desolate due to the player's departure, most of the shops are closed, except for one equipment shop.

"There are prop shops all around here, and there's only one equipment shop, so let's go there and have a look."

"Okay!"

Ayaka Terazawa replied quickly, and she could feel her nervousness from her response, probably because she was worried about hearing bad news.

Gu Wu wished everything well.

He then made his way up the stairs made of dark wood to the shop.

"Welcome!"

A middle-aged man who was packing up his armor fiddled with his windshield goggles and then responded in a deep voice.

He wasn't very tall, but the character's body was very muscular, and his bronzed skin made it easy to think of him as a blacksmith casting iron in front of a fire.

"Oooh! It's two guests?! Although the restaurant is about to close, we will not turn down customers easily! ”

"Hello ......"

"This young lady doesn't have to be restrained! I've got armor, weapons, and props to add to these things, as well as rare materials! It can meet the needs of two people!! ”

"That...... I'm here to find someone......"

Get?

The store manager's mood calmed down, and Gu Wu on the side pointed to a long sword.

"I'm going to see the sword."

"Hey! Let me finish my last business! ”

"Why the last time?"

Hearing Gu Wu ask, the shopkeeper pointed to the top of his head.

"Above...... The ninety-seventh floor must not be long before it will be cleared by those powerful strategy group players, which means that this game is finally going to be cleared! Therefore, after I finished my business, I left the money for daily life and donated the rest of the funds to the strategy team!! ”

"It's amazing...... But it's not okay to be too optimistic. ”

"This guest! This game will definitely be raided!! ”

Even if you're not a front-line player, the manager's tone is very positive.

Then Gu Wu took the blade handed to him by the other party, looked at it and felt good, so he asked while saying that he wanted to buy it

"This young lady and I came to find someone, hoping that the store manager can do me a favor."

"Since you're a guest, there's no reason not to help!"

Even in the gaming world, it's always true that profit is profit.

After Gu Wu got the answer, he set his eyes on the girl, and Terazawa Ayakite, who realized something, immediately explained his intention again, and told the other party some information.

"Crystal spears...... Wait a minute...... I remember! Actually, I was quite impressed. ”

"Is it a man who brought it and sold it?"

"Yes."

"Red hair?"

"No, it's black hair."

Black?

Terasawa's companion, Kazama, is mostly a red-haired crystal spearman, but now his weapons are being sold by others.

"The black-haired player was tall and thin, and he didn't have just one, but a lot of luxurious weapons, so I couldn't buy them all, so he left with some of them."

"Is there a crystal spear among them?"

"Yes, that crystal spear is very well made, I sold it to a ......"

"We asked."

After Ayaka Terasawa, who reminded the other party in this way, interrupted her speech, she asked a new question.

"Does Mr. Store Manager know anything else?"

"This ...... That's all there is to it......"

When Ayaka Terazawa looked disappointed, the store manager suddenly slapped his hands and added after making a noise at the counter

"When that person came over, he said, 'It's really miserable in the bamboo forest,' maybe it has something to do with the bamboo forest?"

"Thank you!!"

Ayaka Terazawa was like a resurrection, and she suddenly had a spirit.

Bamboo forest......

It's almost like gathering intel in an RPG, but this time it can be a good or bad one.

————

The main block of the 96th floor of Ayn Grant is Verutus, and its labyrinthine area is the "Hall of the Sword of the Paladin", which is quite a dangerous area.

However, after being raided, the terrain of the maze and even the surrounding area was investigated, so in the map created by the player, you can see most of the environment on the 96th floor, so it is hundreds of times easier to find than the 97th floor.

"The bamboo forest is on the side of the village closest to the labyrinth area of the 'Paladin's Sword Hall', let's go over and take a look."

"But Mr. Gu Wu, if there is no teleportation point there, it means that you will pass through some monster areas."

"I'll fix it."

“……”

Terasawa Ayaka who was silent remembered her previous experience, and she chose to believe it after seeing Gu Wu's strength.

As a result, two players who had just passed LV50 began to move towards the battle area above LV90.

There were no obstacles along the way, partly because of the map, and partly because of luck.

When you arrive at your destination, you can see a village built inside a thick stone wall.

Generally speaking, monsters have a fixed area of activity except for special settings that will only attack villages, so it is practically impossible for villages to become battlefields; However, 'the villagers are afraid of monsters' is a natural setting, which is why it is so exaggerated.

The tower at the entrance and exit now had ten guards, dressed in somewhat rudimentary armor, and asked the two men in a loud voice.

"Where are you adventurers from?! What is the purpose! ”

"We came to find someone, and we were separated from our companions before."

"Come in!"

Terasawa Ayaka was easily put in after answering, Gu Wu thought that no matter what answer the other party would open the door, after all, this is not the kind of hidden area, there is no need to set conditions.

When the gate opened, the view blocked by the stone wall suddenly widened.

There are two floors of buildings in the field of vision, and they are divided into designated areas, some of which are terminated, some are livestocked, and some people are writing letters, and I don't know what they are writing.

"I'll take you to the village chief!"

While following a guard forward, Gu Wu heard the sound of a wind chime, which was hung at the door of a stone building, but there was only one wind chime on the two ropes, and the other one was interesting.

Gu Wu, who was thinking about this kind of thing, soon met the village chief with Terazawa Ayaka.

After explaining the intention to the village chief, the other party also informed the location of the bamboo forest, which was at the back door of the village.

"There are demons in the depths of the bamboo forest, so blessed cross daggers are set up in the bamboo forest to prevent them from coming out; So far, quite a few players have fought against them, but they have left without completing their missions, and some of them have even disappeared inside...... The most recent was an adventurer with a spear, and then ...... Players with a greatsword. ”

"Spear!!"

The girl became excited.

This is also a hidden plot, right?

Even if the floor is raided, there are many tasks that are not completed by players, after all, most people are looking at high-pay, low-risk, and efficient tasks.

"Mr. Gu Wu...... I want to check it out. ”

"I'm also very interested."

Gu Wu pulled out the blade he had purchased from the owner of the weapon shop before.

"Let's try it with this thing this time."

"Enchantment?"

"Don't worry, let's go."

Most of the truth that everyone wants to know is ahead.

。