The water temperature is perfect, it is neither hot nor cold, and after soaking in the water, you can feel the relaxation of all parts of your body.

The effect of the Illusion Hot Spring is also great, and the conversion of the system processing makes all parts of the body experience the feeling of being wrapped in the hot spring and increasing the blood flow rate.

Leaning on the side of the hot spring, Natsume closed his eyes and enjoyed the refreshing experience he had been enjoying for a long time.

Just as he was about to straighten his hands that were curled up in the hot spring, Natsume's movements were interrupted by a voice next to him.

"Natsume, sir?"

Removing the bath towel covering his head, Natsume shifted his gaze to the girl with long silver-white hair on his left.

Because it is a mixed bath, although the boys are stripped naked in the water, the girls can only soak in the hot spring in their underwear, which is somewhat uncomfortable.

However, when the girl approached, Sakura's face was not an uncomfortable expression, but a smile with some gratitude.

"Don't add the word sir, call me something?"

Perhaps frightened by Natsume's cold tone, Sakurami's body shrunk back, revealing that aggrieved expression.

Ahhh

Natsume placed a wet and unused bath towel on top of Sakura's head.

"Say, what do you want to say? By the way, I used this bath towel that I didn't use to wipe my body over there. ”

"Okay, okay, I just wanted to thank Natsume for his help just now, if it weren't for you......"

"No problem......

Natsume interrupted Sakurami's words, and he looked at the three people in front of him, and Yari was frowning in dissatisfaction from being sprinkled with water by the other two. The reddish ends of the hair drip with warm droplets. Yali also began to fight back.

These four people. It's not like you're in a death game, it's like you're traveling through an adventure world.

That's why Natsume said so.

"Even without me, those three people will save you and get you out of danger, they are not the kind of people who give up their companions."

"Yes, thank you."

With a smile on her face, Sakurami, who had taken the bath towel from the top of her head, hugged it to her chest.

If you look closely, the player named Sakura has a face that looks like a puppet. A delicate face coupled with a gentle smile definitely scores high in the real world.

Don't look away, I felt a little uncomfortable, so I closed my eyes sideways and entered a state of rest.

"My heart is beating faster, so I judged."

"Don't say anything superfluous, stupid dragon."

"Listen to Natsume-sama."

On the edge of the hot spring, Sophieli, who was kneeling there, did not come in to take a bath because she claimed to take care of Natsume, but Natsume knew that she was just a little shy in front of so many people.

Maybe I heard the conversation here. The three people who were originally fighting on the opposite side all came over.

The person who took the lead in speaking was Yali, a girl in a bikini.

She ran over and hugged Sakurami and put her face together with the other's. Asked maliciously

"Sakurami-chan, what are you talking to Natsume? You can't say things we don't know. ”

"Only, it's just to thank Natsume for rescuing, so I don't mean anything else."

"Well, what an easy kid to be teased with, just kidding."

Natsume looked at Sakurami, whose face suddenly turned red, and most likely such a person would die on the way.

This is not a curse on the girl, just telling the truth.

If Sakura Mei continues to keep it up, she can't go all the way to the end, and sooner or later she will die in this world.

Unless she gives up the adventure with this group and goes to the safest first layer to wait for the strategy of the raider group.

However, no matter which player it is, they all have their own dreams of becoming a hero and attacking this SAO, maybe this girl is the same as those people, and she doesn't admit defeat but has a bit of a cowardly character.

At this time, two boys came over on one side.

The spearman who was introduced before did have the frivolous appearance of a fishing girl, but he was explaining to Natsume the prejudice of the head of the regiment against him at the moment.

"I'm really good-looking, but I've never taken the initiative to approach girls, it's all girls who come by themselves, and now because there are very few real female players in SAO, that situation can't happen."

"In the last game, didn't you have a lot of female members of the guild after it exploded? You frivolous man, by the way, Natsume, why are you here. ”

Why?

Natsume didn't hide anything, but said the reason why he wanted to take a bath.

Whoaaaa!!a

The four of them let out an exclamation together, and the leader of the group, Kes, held Natsume's hand.

"Like-minded! Natsume, do you want to team up together?! We're going to keep going up and see the world in its entirety! ”

"Look, the whole picture of this world?"

"yes."

Fox let go of Natsume's hand, and he looked up at the blue sky above him.

It was a clear sky and countless white clouds.

Reaching out, he used his right hand to block the sunlight that was shining through the trees.

"We want to see the world, and what we once fantasized about is now a reality, don't we want to see it? We do want to get back to the real world, but it's also great, isn't it? In addition to fighting, to be able to rest, to have fun, without the constraints of society, think about it, what would be the scenery on the other side of that distant side? Isn't that exciting? So, we have to move forward, even now, and try to chase the dream of rebuilding. ”

Most players are paralyzed by the words "upgrades" and "strategies", but they have new 'dreams' in this non-existent world, and although they act like children, Natsume can't deny it.

What's so bad about it? Instead of the intrigue of hard work, it is better to set off towards the place you want to go.

They are able to take a real step in the virtual world, which is a little untouchable in Natsume's eyes.

His unattainable dreams were nothing compared to them.

Why do you still want to fulfill that wish?

Even if you know that it is futile to go back to the past, you can't give up, maybe this is your stubbornness.

"How? Want to join us? How many levels are you now? No, it doesn't matter how many levels you have, join our team! You're welcome! ”

"This ......"

Please join, Sakura said as well, and the other two nodded in unison.

Natsume has no right to refuse.

Natsume estimates that the current general level is around level 20, and if he says his level, he may be rejected as a closed beta tester.

"My level is thirty-one."

“…………”

There was silence, but—

"Wouldn't that be nice?"

Koss patted Natsume on the shoulder.

"I'm the highest, and I'm only level sixteen, you're really amazing, with your joining, you can have a strong teammate who can be trusted with your back."

It seems that these four people did not refuse Natsume's plan at all. (To be continued......)