……

……

"Hmm...... Tier 1 joint meetings? The girl in the gray cloak with a beautiful face looked around with some curiosity, like an ignorant little squirrel, and a strand of brown hair fell from under the hood.

Asuna woke up in the safe room, the black-haired swordsman looked puzzled, and when she asked, the other party hesitated and didn't confess, just said that he didn't know.

What a strange person.

Obviously said that he didn't want to save her at all, but he simply wanted to get the information on the map of the maze area from her, but he specially took her to a safe area and guarded her by the side, what a weirdo.

Later, Kirito tells him about what happened in Torbana, and mentions the joint strategy meeting on the first floor.

So, she and he went back to Torbana.

Because under the threat of death, the desperate Asuna had great courage in her heart.

"Even if you lose to a monster and die, you don't want to lose to this game and this world!" With this firm idea, she took the initiative to step out of the initial town, and then kept upgrading, farming monsters, and had no other idea of living in addition to constant raids.

It's like a spring that keeps tightening, and finally the string breaks, but she is inexplicably satisfied.

Asuna sneaked a glance at Kirito, the mysterious weirdo, but maybe his heart was surprisingly good.

And it seems to be about the same age as her, 14 years old, just from the delicate appearance, there will be an illusion that people wonder if this is a girl.

However, SAO has already scanned the player's gender, and there should be no gender error, so it should just be a coincidence.

"Is there anything on my face?" Kirito touched his face a little strangely and asked puzzled.

"No, you're thinking too much!" Asuna pouted and snorted.

"Weirdos." Kirito turned his head and muttered something quietly, and then was instantly heard by the perceptive Asuna.

"Who do you say is a weirdo!" Asuna's slightly heroic eyes were raised, and her tone was threatening.

"Don't get excited, don't get excited!" Kiritani and the people hurriedly stretched out their hands and shook them on their chests, and then denied it: "By the way, let's go to the central square to participate in the strategy council." ”

"Hmm...... That's right, but I'll go to the blacksmith shop to fix my equipment first. Asuna was stunned, then pulled her cloak and nodded.

Kirito accompanied her to the blacksmith's shop, and by the way, he also restored the durability of his love sword +6 "Sword of Trials".

When they entered the central square, they found that there were quite a few people here.

"It's the same as Argo said, many of them are unfamiliar faces...... Kirito muttered quietly, and Asuna next to him turned her head to look at him suspiciously.

"Ahem, it's okay, let's go inside." Kiritani coughed lightly, then pointed to the entrance.

In addition, Kiritani and people also noticed one thing, that is, most of these people are distinct, completely with an attitude of not getting along, divided into different teams and hostile to each other, it is not a strange relationship, and he always feels that there is some kind of familiar connection between this group of people.

"How so?" Kirito felt that he didn't understand a little.

To be reasonable, there shouldn't be such an atmosphere, now that everyone is trapped in a game of death, everyone has the same goal and the same goal, and there is no need for conflict.

And, what is it that makes this feeling both familiar and unfamiliar? Incomprehensible, of course, in addition to that, as a seasoned RPG player, his keen sense of smell allows him to discover a very dangerous emotional atmosphere around him.

The existing average grade is not enough!

After experiencing the last five floors of the labyrinth area, this is the conclusion that Kirito has reached.

The average level here does not refer to all players, but refers to the average level of players who have entered "Torbana" and have a certain level, which is not enough.

The boss of the fifth floor of the strategy and the first layer of the maze area without damage.

If it's an ordinary virtual online game, you don't have to worry about this problem at all, but!

However, now that the game has become a reality, all players have only one life, and although it is a game world, it is no joke.

The death of each person means the loss of a life, this price is too heavy, so the safest method should be taken, although it is slow, but compared to life, time is nothing, slowly farm monsters to upgrade, and then raise the level to the extreme of the first layer, and then use the efficient and coordinated strategy team to achieve the success of the strategy without casualties.

But...... What the hell is it now?

Everyone is excitedly discussing the future after the first layer of the strategy, discussing the second layer and the scene after that, everyone is convinced that they can quickly complete the 100th floor and leave this damn world, however...... All are also ignoring the horrific reality of death.

The atmosphere became more and more intense, at first he only felt a little bit of a sign but by the end it was too late to react, he really wanted to stand up and tell the actual situation, but was it really good to do that?

Will others really appreciate it?

Kiritani and people discussed this kind of thing when they were chatting with that guy in an email, and he said: The instinct of human nature is to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, whether it is physical or psychological, once someone tries to break this instinct, then it will be counterattacked, even if that person is expounding the truth, it is the answer, but when it is contrary to everyone's answer, then the truth is heresy, it is a fallacy, and it will not be recognized until a long time later, another group of people have new ideas and match them.

No one will believe his words, because this kind of words will puncture beautiful illusions, and similarly, he doesn't plan to be this kind of big hero, the person named Kiritani Kazuto is just an ordinary professional player, just an ordinary person, without that kind of heroic belief, once he is suspected of being an internal beta player and the truth is revealed, then what awaits him will only be a tragic ending.

"What are you thinking? The meeting began. Asuna poked Kirito's arm and asked suspiciously.

"Ah, it's okay...... Wandered for a moment. Kiritani Kazuto was stunned, and then tried to show a smile: "Then, let's go, just sit in the position over there." ”

He's not a saint, there's no need to make such a big sacrifice for others, he wants to live, get through this game, and then live well, so ......

I'm sorry, but I hope you can meet a real hero.

Kirito and Asuna walked side by side, sitting near the edge, and then saw a man walking up to the high platform in the center under the gaze of everyone.

"It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time." The black-haired young man with a pair of glasses and an indifferent expression said slowly, his tone was flat but inexplicably stressful:

"I'm Chu Xuan."

"And the people who convened this meeting."

……

……

PS: According to reason, Chu Xuan didn't have glasses when he entered SAO, so let's ignore it, just treat it as the glasses are the body.