It resembles a goat, but it has a fierce and muscular expression, and its body is more than five meters long, covered with black and purple fur. A blue-eyed beast with demonic horns and a serpentine tail. In its hand, it holds a simple but vicious sword, which is a boss monster named "Cold Eye".

The current situation is that Kirito and Lilan are facing off in an arena-like place, which is believed to be the home of the blue-eyed orcs.

"When was the last time I saw him?"

\"If I'm not mistaken, it was the boss fight on the seventieth floor of Ayn Grant. It was a rough time for everyone at the time, but it wasn't a big deal for Kirito and I to get involved in the end. \"

This is the second time Kirito and Lilan have seen a blue-eyed orc. Still trapped in SAo, he continues his adventure to climb Ayn Grant. The boss guarding the rooms on the 70th and 71st floors is the blue-eyed orc. It surpasses its previous bosses in strength and has trouble with its specialty, the high-fire sword technique unleashed in the two-handed sword.

However, no one was killed in the attack, and eventually, Kirito and Lilan subdued them as human dragons.

Because this 'SAo' is using that SAo replication server, the Blue-Eyed Orcs are also there. However, the blue-eyed orcs who once guarded the passage connecting the 70th and 71st floors are now only one of the boss monsters. The important role they played back then is long gone. Perhaps because of this, when Kirito and Lilan fought back then, they had an incomparable advantage and were able to push the blue-eyed orcs into a corner.

The remaining amount of "hp bar" has been reduced to yellow. Although the amount of elimination with sword skills is not large, Kirito has a way to eliminate it. The blue gauge at the bottom of the area where the HP bar and other items are lined up is at its maximum. It is now possible to establish a human-dragon relationship with Lilan. Obviously, if they succeeded in uniting the human dragons, then they would be able to push the blue-eyed orcs into a desperate situation in an instant.

"That time, in the end, you and I teamed up to defeat the human dragon."

"If you say that, you can explain it, you can recreate that era."

"That's it, buddy, are you ready?"

Lilan smiled proudly. I don't need to be told that I'm ready. From my experience playing "SAo", I totally understand that "Lilan" is much more reliable than "SAo". Kirito couldn't help but fall in love with him the moment he used this power.

\"Ready. Kirito please. \"

"Okay. I believe you. ”

As he spoke, Kirito took a deep breath and put pressure on his abdomen—

"Lilan!"

It roared, slamming the inhaled air into the ground. Immediately after, Lilan jumped in front of Kirito and burst out with a white light that sounded like an explosion. When the light he had seen so many times had faded, Lilan's appearance had changed.

White wings with energy tips grew from its back and rumps, and a long golden mane flowed from its head. It had the outline of a wolf, with a sword-like horn on its forehead and luxurious golden horns near its ears. A noble wolf dragon covered in white-gold armor and fur. Kirito's partner, officially known as the "Guardian Dragon Upot", has appeared as a wolf dragon since SAo, and has now returned to its original form, facing the blue-eyed orcs.

Kirito jumped onto Lilan's back, who had regained her wolf dragon form, straddled him, and grasped her mane firmly with both hands. His eyes had risen in height, almost the same as those of a blue-eyed orc. His blue eyes seemed to glow with surprise and anger. The sudden appearance of such a werewolf as an enemy was a natural reaction.

"Lilan, go crazy!"

"Of course, that's my intention. You won't be swayed! \"

A voice echoed in my head. This is the voice of the old woman that has been heard since SAo. When Kirito heard Lilan's unique communication as a wolf dragon and grabbed its fur again, the blue-eyed orc jumped to his feet and swung his greatsword with a ferocious beastly sound. Although this is an attack on Lilan during SAo's battle, of course it is impossible to be hit by something like that.

Before Kirito could give the order, Lilan took a step back and left the Greatsword's attack range. Soon, the blue-eyed orc released all the weight of his body into the void. The ground rolls up again, creating a cloud of dust effect, and Lilan jumps in.

When the blue-eyed orc's face appeared in Kirito's eyes, Lilan threw a punch at the blue-eyed orc. A roar of rage reached his ears, and the impact and vibration spread throughout Lilan's body, attacking Kirito. I'm used to things like this, but I still can't control how I react to the shock and vibration of Lilan's attack. If you don't do your best to persevere, you'll be thrown off.

Lilan ignored Kirito and slammed her fists and claws into a corner. The naked blue-eyed orc was physically attacked by Lilan, and his 'health bar' quickly turned red. Maybe it would be better if he put on armor or combat uniform. The blue-eyed orcs are probably attacking with all their might and giving up their defenses. This idea is also very close to Kirito's idea.

However, the blue-eyed orc was not defeated, and he let out an angry roar halfway through, and the greatsword in his hand slashed towards Lilan. At this moment, Kirito was shocked. The destination that the blue-eyed orc's blade points to is where Lilan is - where Kirito is. Since I was riding on Lilan's back, it was not uncommon for boss monsters to attack me, but if you asked me if I could teleport at the time, it wouldn't.

"I am"

\"I won't let you! \"

Just as Kirito whispered involuntarily, Lilan suddenly raised her head. Immediately, a sharp sound sounded like metal colliding, and red sparks lit up Kirito's face. Lilan's greatsword-like horns blocked the blue-eyed orc's greatsword. I don't know how many times I've been helped by Lilan's unique approach, which has an intelligence that can't and shouldn't be compared to other demons.

However, with each repetition, the accuracy improves—that's how Kirito feels.

Immediately afterward, Lilan was stabbed in the chest by the horns of the greatsword to the chest of the blue-eyed orc, who had lost his posture after being bounced off by the greatsword. Kirito was shocked again, but it was the blue-eyed orcs who shocked him even more. The blue-eyed orc, who can be called a sheep monster, opened his blue eyes and exhaled a breath of turbidity.

If the depiction of this game were more realistic, Kirito and Lilan would have been bathed in the blood of the blue-eyed orcs long ago. The match wasn't that shocking, though, so nothing happened to Kiriri, or Lilan. Kirito stood up as he thought about it in his mind.

The blue-eyed orc was impaled by Zhilan's horn and could not move. He'll be back in a few seconds, but before that, Kirito can easily launch more attacks. Immediately, Kirito recognized the movement of the upper body of the blue-eyed orc, and in the moment of slowing down, he jumped off Lilan's back, quickly closing the distance between him and the blue-eyed orc. When Kirito came to him, the blue-eyed orc's movements almost stopped.

Sure enough, at this moment, he stopped - seeing that everything was as he expected, Kirito raised the corners of his mouth, held the sword full of light in both hands, and danced a sword dance in the air. The help of the system. Thanks to the system, he was suspended in mid-air, and the sword danced wildly at a speed unattainable to ordinary people, slicing the blue-eyed orc from his face to his chest.

When the number of slashes reached fifteen, Kirito unleashed the final blow at the blue-eyed orc with his twin swords, ending his sword dance. A sword skill that has existed since SAo, saving Kirito, every time, and slashing all the strong enemies that stand in his way. Although it exists under the secret arts, the power of the sword technique is greater than the secret arts.

Sixteen combos of dual-wielding sword technique "Starburst Stream".

The final blow knocks the blue-eyed orc into the air and frees him from Lilan's horns. Lilan grabbed Kirito's back, which had stiffened after launching her sword technique, and Kirito straddled Lilan's back again. The blue-eyed orcs are running out of health. Stop next.

"Lilan, don't hit me!!"

After receiving instructions from the tall beast tamer, the beast was ready on the spot. The heat exuded from her whole body, and the atmosphere around her suddenly became overheated and swirled, and the tips of her wings were dyed orange-red. The center of the high-fever tornado itself is where Kirito is, and the scenery of the blue-eyed orcs and arena begins to flicker. A heat wave enveloped Lilan and myself. The heat of the mist eventually flowed into Hiran's mouth, and the sound of flames roaring from the depths of Nichilan's body could be heard.

Then, the next moment, Lilan raised her head, took a deep breath again, and swung down, the flames and heat that had condensed in Lilan's body radiated an extremely thick beam. We've seen Lilan's nirvana since SAo and ALo. In the end, the ultimate flame breath that became incomparably powerful in each game engulfed the entire body of the blue-eyed orc in an instant.

The first time I saw it in SAo, I was so shocked that I couldn't speak, and for a moment I couldn't move, burning the blue-eyed orc's greatsword, burning his limbs, and burning his last breath. , as well as his "health bar".

The name means "flame of the goddess" in Arabic, the current language of Egypt, and in Egyptian mythology, the god of war Upuut is said to be the prototype of the guardian sword dragon Upuut.

\"Ilaha Salala\".

The irradiation of the ultra-high heat beam, reminiscent of the Divine Flame, ended about ten seconds after it began, and at that moment, Lilan returned from werewolf form to werewolf form.

Kirito was suddenly shrunk by the demon and was thrown into the air and fell, but as soon as he landed, he caught the impact and absorbed it, passing unscathed. He did not readjust his weapons at that time. Because the decision has already been made.

The horn sounded, announcing that the battle between Kirita and Lilan had ended in victory, and "Congratulations!!" appeared in the place where the blue-eyed orcs were. ". Kirito sighed when he saw the work he had seen since SAo, but it overlapped with Lilan's work. Both the beast tamer and the demon did the same thing, but Kirito didn't particularly care.

Soon a window opens in front of Kirito informing him that the event and quest have been completed, and that he has received the reward item. The item you acquire, this is an accessory that significantly elevates its status. This is not seen in Ainground. Like the "Ruins of Stabatos" in the area where the arena is located, it is likely that the items that were forcibly released due to the birth of Aingrant did not appear in the beta test.

As a gamer, I had to be glad that I was able to get an item that I hadn't gotten yet, but neither Kiriri, nor Lilan, was ecstatic and closed the window. Kirito sighed through his nose again.

"Aren't there any clues here?"

"I also conquered the 'Starbatos Ruins' to the depths, but in the end there were only some unrealized events."

"If we searched so far and didn't find any traces and clues, then it could be somewhere else, or maybe it was moved"

Hearing Kirito's words, Lilan folded her arms. He is in a position of deliberation.

"It seems that they were probably moved. The Mary Twins are surprisingly free, so they'll probably be moving around. They should be able to pick up the [Anima box] signal, but why can't they pick it up again? ”

I walked around the ruins of Stabatos, including this arena, but I couldn't find anything that the player told me. However, we have not yet confirmed the specifics of the scattered investigations. You should check it out first. To that end, we should all come together.

"Now, please let me know if anyone else has received any information. Maybe they've found it. Information about Tia and [Masked NPC]. ”

Kirito activates the message window and taps the holographic keyboard. I wrote that my investigation was over, and I would designate a meeting place and click "Send", then close the window, then call Lilan and leave the arena.

Ayn Grant has opened up a new area where unknown NPCs wearing masks can be seen. This information was brought to Kirito and the others by the informant Argo and the informant Spiegel, who was not even as good as the informant.

After the birth of Angronte, Irongrant prevented Irongrant from falling into the disaster of Angronte and the destruction of all NPCs by preventing the creator itself. After that, the managers of SAo, which has an Ainground background, conducted an investigation into the existence of Aingrant.

It turned out that Ayn Grant was completely harmless, but existed in the form of a field collection. There is no negative impact on the base system or the core system of the SAo. While observational and operational testing was still needed, it was concluded that Ian Grant had nothing to worry about, and that the beta testing of "SAo" was continuing, and that the official launch of the service was getting closer.

One day, while I was playing SAo, Argo and Spiegel infiltrated Ayn Grant and returned with intel on them. In any case, while Ayn Grant has not yet been managed and developed tested, there is an area that is functioning properly, and the portal of the "City of Initiation" also acknowledges that area is a newly liberated realm, and they say they are going to fly over.

As a result, many players are now flying towards Ayn Grant, but the informant receives the news that a "masked NPC" has been found there.

NPCs are things that can be seen at a glance, just like advanced or third-order, and although you don't know the details, if you can get your hands on them, you may be able to encounter unknown events. Now that the news has spread throughout the City of Ancestors, everyone is interested.

Kirito and his friends have no choice but to ride the waves. If it's an NPC with an unknown event, there's no way I wouldn't want to contact him and see the event. In addition to that, Kirito has one more thing to worry about. It's about Marie's twin sister, Tia.

Tia, who created Ayn Grant and planned to destroy the world, disappeared after being destroyed by the Prime Minister and Kirito. Pria wants to meet Tia as soon as possible, and she often asks Kirito if there is a way to go to Ayn Grant to find Tia.

Due to the player's attacks and persecution, her daughter Tia harbors hatred for humans and is full of negative emotions inside. Although that hatred and negativity were purified by the prime minister, it is doubtful whether they were completely purified, and Kirito has been worried about leaving himself alone from the beginning. So I understood Marie's feelings, but I couldn't do anything about it because I couldn't make it to Ayn Grant.

Finally found a way to fly to Ayn Grant. Kirito and the others immediately prepared and headed there. The same goes for the "Masquerade Npc", but in search of Tia, who is said to be somewhere in Aingrant.

After flying to Ayn Grant, they came to the central plaza of the Starbatos Ruins, where Kirito now was.

A large area of ruins, full of collapsed ruins, arenas, ancient cities, and underground ruins. This place, which seems to be filled with the romance of an ancient civilization, captures the hearts of players and encourages them to explore.

Kirito and the others are also exploring the ruins of Starbatos, but because of the news from Kirito, friends scattered all over the world have gathered in the central square where Kirito is.

"Well, I guess there's no 'masked NPCs' or information about the ranks."

Kirito looked at the window in front of him and muttered to himself. The reliable friends who conquered SAo's predecessor, SAo, and ALo, which was born after SAo, also went out to explore the ruins of Starbatos and gather intelligence. Kirito has compiled the information gathered by everyone, as well as the information he and Lilan have gathered, into a memo and is looking through it.

"There is no trace. I guess it's not here. ”

As everyone's friend and comrade, Shino, who is very important to Kirito, said this, and others began to say the same thing.

Perhaps because the ruins of Stabatos were cut out of Angrud, they themselves are smaller than Angrud's grounds. So I thought that if I searched for it, I would immediately get some kind of information, but Kirito's interpretation was wrong. Not only the information I have gotten, but also the information you have gathered, there is no information about the 'masked NPC' and the level. If you ask me if it's a waste of time, I can say no, but it's hard to say it's rewarding.

"You say 'Npc in a mask,' but what does it really look like? There is no information on this. ”

"yes, it's hard to understand just saying 'npcs in masks'. What kind of mask does he wear and what does he look like? ”

Sirika said with a look of embarrassment, and Lizbet grumbled. They have a point. In fact, even Kirito doesn't know the details of the 'Masked NPC'. Gender, name, physical appearance – it can be said that all the information that should be provided is missing.

There is no Argo nearby that can bring me this kind of information. She told me she was still out exploring. By the way, Filia also seems to be with him, but she didn't come as expected. By the way, her passion for finding treasures was so high that she called herself a treasure hunter, and when she came to the ruins of Stabatos, she showed great excitement and walked towards the ruins with cheerful steps.

Spiegel, who is in the same industry as these girls, told everyone.

"I've been investigating, but the informant hasn't been able to gather any information at all. I?? All they knew was that he was wearing a mask, and nothing else. Eyewitness players describe the situation in detail. "It is said that he disappeared before he could record something like this."

"They disappear so quickly after being discovered, which means they're wary or shy about people. Rare monsters and rare environmental creatures also have a habit of running away once they are spotted. "Player." A lot of people have

Everyone was thinking about the words of Diabel, a young man in blue and white armor and blue hair. Stories about monsters and environmental creatures often appear in messages about monsters and environmental creatures that seem to succeed in discovering them, but then immediately run away.

Although they have the trait of gaining a lot of experience after defeating them and dropping extremely rare items such as S-rank ingredients that have been used since SAo, they hate being seen and will run away as soon as they appear. was discovered. There are many monsters and environmental creatures with such personalities and traits in SAo.

However, this only applies to monsters and environmental mobs, not NPCs. He swaggered around the court, dazzling anyone who saw him. Still, I think NPCs that might have some type of event are unique and good.

However, isn't it a bit unreasonable for an NPC to stir up trouble, walk around in such a vast field, and run away when discovered, without any clues to find him? Kirito couldn't help but think so.

Lifa seemed to have the same idea, and she raised her hand to express her opinion.

"But isn't it too difficult to have such a spec? Even in ALo, it is extremely difficult to meet and talk. \"

"In other words, masked NPCs have different properties from other NPCs, such as Marie and Tia-chan."

Yuki, who spoke after Lifa, turned to Plemir, who was sitting on the rock of the ruins.

Marie and tier are both NPCs implemented in "SAo". However, it has recently been discovered that the reality is that Alice, who was born from "mhhp" to which Lilan and Jupiter belong and "mhcp", to which Yui and Strea belong, are also AI. gave birth to them in the same way.

As proof, they are equipped with the "Anima box" that "mhhp" and "mhcp" are equipped with, and thanks to the presence of this "Anima box", they have grown faster compared to other artificial intelligences, which have evolved. When Lilan and Jupiter actually gave a special order to the Pumir, it worked, and a white box with intricate blue light streaks running through it emerged from inside the temporarily inoperable chest of the Pumir.

There is no doubt that Marie is the daughter of Alice's creation, and the same is true for her. This is a truth that only Kirito and his friends know. Asuna shouted as she prepared for the premiere.

"Marie, don't you feel anything? Did you feel any different reactions or signals? ”

Marie shook her head, looking disappointed.

"I learned from Lilan, Jupiter, Yui, and Strea and gave it a try. However, while I could detect the reactions and whereabouts of Lilan and the others, I couldn't sense Tia or any other being. ”

Everyone looked a little disappointed. This is also something that Kirito actually tried.

If Marie is an "Anima box equip" like Lilan and the others, they can detect each other's "Anima box signals". So I thought I could easily find Tia's whereabouts, but Marie told me, "Lilan they can find her, but Tia can't find her." ”

Lilan and the others did the same, replying that they didn't know Tia's location. There should be the same heart box, but it can't be detected. Initially, Marie and Tier were unable to detect the Anima box signal due to being used as receivers for the Cardinal's System Crash Simulation Module, but this is no longer the case.

However, Tia's "heart box signal" can't be found anyway, and something strange may happen to Tia. Kirito and the others couldn't help but think so, and at the same time were a little worried. Primel has always been like this, so he wants to go to Ayn Grande.

"It's natural that you can't detect the reaction of masked NPCs, but if you can't detect even Tia's reaction, that's an anomaly. I'd love to find it soon, but"

"There is no trace of Tia either, and it seems that the informant has not yet entered."

Tia's family, Jupiter and Streya, also had a hard time hiding their worries. Even if I went through all the information I had gathered from beginning to end, there was still nothing that appeared to be about Tia. It is full of exclusive activities and quests for the ruins of Stabatos. Information that I would normally appreciate is not needed at all right now.

Was it a mistake to come to the Starbatos ruins? Maybe you've received false information? Just as Kirito was thinking this, a voice called for Kirito's voice in the distance. From where Kirito was, two figures came towards me from the left. They were all girls; One of them is characterized by a brown cloak with a red pattern on its face, reminiscent of a mouse's whiskers. Everyone else was dressed in blue and white, but the first thing I noticed was that they all showed their lower abdomen. Argo and Philia didn't join, but explored.

After Shino shouted the name, the two came to Kirito and the others. Both looked like they had accomplished something.

"Did you two catch something?"

"Of course. But when I found out, I was disappointed. There is no point here. ”

"Listen, everyone!"

With that, everyone looked at the striking Filia and Argo, and the report began. It seems that the two have found their way to the lower levels of the Starbatos Ruins and have received information from players who are already exploring the lower levels.

It is said that the 'Masked NPC' has been moved from the ruins of Stabatos and reappeared in the lower grounds.

The name of the place, which is the lower level of the ruins of Stabatos, the number of layers of New Iron, is unknown. As the name suggests, it's a place of ice and snow where players begin their exploration, being able to spot a masked NPC.

Of course, I couldn't touch it and it ran away, but I was able to recognize its shape. The "masked NPC" is said to be wearing a black robe that covers the mask and is armed with a two-handed sword. Last time I couldn't even figure out what it looked like, but this time I finally got a glimpse of how it feels, so maybe it will be easier to find it - that's what Argo and Filia reported.

"Has [Masked NPC] moved down? Or is it possible to move downward? ”

"When I was in Ayn Grant, I had to go through the labyrinth, but that doesn't seem to be the case this time. If you can find your way down, you can go straight to the lower grounds. \"”。

When Argo answers Klein's question, Kirito now has a question. I know that the structure of this Ayn Grant is incomplete and can go up and down freely, but I don't know if the monster will become weaker if it goes down? In fact, Ayn Grant is constructed so that the higher the enemy, the stronger the enemy, but what about this?

When I asked this question, it was Lilan who answered.

"The low level of Ayn Grant is set to make the enemy weaker. However, this is true in SAo, which is different. In SAo, the difficulty is set to allow the player to be able to deal with the range. "The range of actions that can be acted on has been expanded. The basic system of "SAo" is probably adjusting itself. Just because you're heading to the lower level, there's no guarantee that the monsters there will be weakened. \"

"In fact, there may be some people with bones."

Hearing Agil's words, Lilan nodded. There are no traces of "masked NPCs" or ranks in the Starbatos ruins. I may not have found all traces of Tia yet, but I'm curious to see what the 'Masked Npc' looks like, and maybe like the Masked Npc, Tia will be found in the North Trough in the snow and ice, and maybe she will be able to find her traces.

Just as Kirito was thinking this, a shadow began to move beside him. This is the premiere.

"In that case, let's hurry on. I'm also worried about the "masked NPC", but I want to find Tia's trail as soon as possible. \"

Marie had a determined look on her face, as if urging everyone. I was glad to see an expression on her face that I had never seen before, but at the same time, there seemed to be some friends who were curious about it, and one of them was Celica. Premiere soon.

"Marie, you really want to see Tia-chan. I don't know why you want to see her so much. ”

Marie was stunned. He didn't seem to expect to be asked such a question.

"Is that why I want to see Tia?"

It was Lifa who told me to interrupt. It seems that Kirito and I can understand this because we live with the prime minister and her sisters.

"I'm really worried about Tia-chan. After all, Marie and Tia-chan are sisters and family. ”

At first, I was surprised to hear that Marie and Tia were actually members of Lilan's family. Now no one is surprised by this. Faced with such a shocking fact, Marie clasped her hands to her chest.

"Yes, I'm worried about Tia. Tia hadn't really thought about socializing with people before. That's why this Ayn Grant was created and tried to destroy the world. \"

"Of course, there are also players who are targeting Marie-chan and Tia-chan. If they had been chasing us, something like this might have happened\"

Lilan looked sad, and the others followed suit. The premiere continued.

"That's partly true, but I think it's also because Tia hasn't been able to meet the good people like everyone here. However, I was able to meet everyone, and by connecting with everyone, I was able to access all kinds of possibilities. I was able to find such a safe place, I was able to meet my family who was born before me, I was able to live with them, I was able to connect with everyone. It's all thanks to you. I want to teach Tia to appreciate this and marvel at how wonderful the connection between people is. ”

The governor told her the truth that their community was where she felt safe. Kirito didn't expect him to have such great feelings for himself. Apparently the others felt the same way, and Celica looked embarrassed.

"I itch when someone says it's a safe place"

"I'm really glad to hear you say that, though. I guess that's what you think of us. ”

Marie nodded to a happy-looking Lizbet, and walked over to Kirito. Marie is shorter, so when he lowers his head, Kirito's black eyes meet Marie's pale blue eyes.

"Kirito, let's go to the North Trough Ice and Snow area where there are reports of Tia's sightings, and meet her. \"

"Of course. I'm thinking about bringing Tia back to you as soon as possible. ”

Since Marie feels good about this, Tia naturally feels the same way. Tia must be left alone after losing her former owner and friend. It must be painful not to be able to trust anyone. I need to take her to a warm place as soon as possible.

"Everyone, keep your heads down, try your best to find Tia before the [Masked NPC], and protect her in the North Trough Ice and Snow Zone."

When I gave instructions to them as I did in Ayn Grant, they all happily replied, "Oh! "If these friends were here, I believe they would be able to alleviate Tia's pain. In order to do this as soon as possible, I had to find Tia.

After listening to Kirito's instructions, Argo and Philia began to command. Kirito and his party began to track down the girls.

"Huh?"

With a loud shout, I slashed forward with my sword in both hands, slashing the enemy there. However, he was unable to overcome it and was forced to retreat.

These enemies come in many forms. A wild boar with white fur, a scorpion in blue armor, and a blue moth with disgusting eye-like markings. There were two people each, trying to surround her. His physical characteristics are suitable for people living in this snow-covered ice field.

"I'm starting to do it"

She readjusted the swords in her hands, turning her attention back to the monster. These monsters were all types she had never seen before, but at the end of the day, they all had the same characteristics as the monsters she had dealt with before. It is a barrier that stands in the way, an enemy that must be defeated. That hasn't changed.

"But what?"

She usually doesn't do anything but chop down monsters and split them into pieces, and she becomes suspicious of these monsters. The monster behaves strangely.

The monsters I've seen so far have the right shapes. It can be said that it is in a very beautiful shape, and not a single part is broken. But the white wild boar, green scorpion, and green moth in front of him are now partially missing or disintegrating. The cross-section of the notched part glows with a black-purple mosaic pattern. She didn't remember a monster with this trait.

Maybe I just met a new species, but even so, I felt something was wrong. It was as if his body, engulfed by some unexplained anomaly, had a deviation.

Now she is like this, her body has changed dramatically.

"No, no, no! I'm not with you! ”

She shook her head and turned to face the strange-looking monsters.

Am I like you?

I'm a special person. That's why I'm different from you.

You guys who don't have potential are different from monsters who can't create anything. What's more, you don't even have names.

\"My name is Tia, I'm different from you nobodies!! \"

When she, the girl named Tia, screamed from deep in her stomach, other voices rang out around her. There was a jolt around Tia, and the snow piled up on the trees around her fell with a crackle.

Tia stomped the snow on the ground, kicked it up, and approached the white boar in front of her, while stabbing it out with her two-handed sword. I heard a thud and felt it break through the flesh. At first I thought it was scary, but now I don't feel like anything else.

At the same time, all the monsters around them pounced on Tia.

Tia roared again, pulling out the two-handed sword from the white boar's head, the light on the blade condensed, ready to strike, and swirled with a swirling slash. The blade wrapped in light caught the scorpion, the moth, and the white boar that pounced on Tia, and circled around it, and as soon as it was done, it was released and flew away with great power. With a roar, the six crashed into the snowfield, the trees, and the snow-covered boulders. Immediately after, his whole body turned into a purple light and shadow, disappearing like glass.

The monsters I've seen so far have turned into pale blue silhouettes, and then the shards of glass that have turned into pale blue have disappeared, but now the pale blue has changed as well. This proves that something strange must have happened to the monster.

Tia watched the scene and tucked her sword into the scabbard on her back. What's that, exactly? Who caused this strange change?

When I let out a sigh, it dispersed like white smoke and disappeared. In the past, Tia has brought accidents and disasters to this world. However, this is stopped by Tia's twin sisters and the humans with whom they have a good relationship. So Tia remembers what the girls said to her more clearly than ever.

"I live in this world and meet everyone and I know that even if we ourselves are precious lives, we are the ones who are grateful for being born." I was able to connect with these people and learn about the expansion of the world. I also learned that everyone has great potential. Tomorrow, I will have new discoveries and experiences, and I am sure that I will be a different person than I am today. Tomorrow, a new friend may be by your side. That's what these people taught me. ”

Tia's mind echoes the words of a woman who introduces herself as Marie. It seems that Marie believes in humans. They seem to love those who are supposed to persecute them. He suggested that we should connect with humans.

Human beings are the ones who persecute themselves. This anomaly can also be caused by humans. Human beings always persecute themselves and deny themselves.

Thinking of this, Tia clasped her head in both hands. I have a headache. It was as if there was some kind of mystery in my head that was trying to bite my head and escape. It's also one of those strange things that happened to her.

"I'll be lonely for the rest of my life." No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't connect with humans.

I heard a voice. It didn't reach my ears, but echoed directly in my aching head. What's more, her tone is the same as her own.

"No, it can't be true."

"I had no choice but to be alone. No matter how hard I try, nothing will change. Not possible for me. Nothing will change in the future

Tia shook her head in denial.

Are you going to die alone?

"Is it impossible?"

It's not going to happen. It's also possible for me.

Even I can reinvent the future.

"Don't make fun of me! I will create the future. I will create the future!! ”

Tia roared desperately, resisting the voice. Tia's voice echoed around her, and when she couldn't hear it anymore, the headache and the sound stopped.

Tia took her hands away from her head and faced forward. I have a place to go. There is a future that needs to change. It is also for this reason that ...

“... Let's move on. ”

Tia muttered to herself as she began to make her way through the rocky snowfield. "Damn, are you so sad, are you so sad?"

"Crane, get ready and get warm."

Kirito, who was stunned, turned his head and said to Klein, a young man who looked like a wild samurai. Crane wrapped his arms around his body and exhaled a breath of white air.

"It's still too cold, this must be a climate anomaly or something!"

Hearing Klein's complaints, Kirito seemed even more shocked. As far as the eye can see, the sky is covered with black snow clouds. Visibility was also poor due to a small snowstorm. It's a snowy field, colder than any other I've walked so far. The same is true of the Kurdish desert at night, even more so than the underground caves of the Great Forest of Aldrob.

The next destination, a corner of the North Trough Ice and Snow Domain, was surrounded by cold that even Klein shivered. It takes about fifteen minutes to walk from the ruins of Starbatos, and after descending through a small floating island floating in the air, you come to an open area.

In the middle of a meadow, there was a teleportation stone, which was a distortion point, the air was strangely clearer than the ruins of Starbatos, and the temperature was slightly colder. When Argo and Filia explained that the teleportation stone was used to fly to the North Trough Ice and Snow Domain, Kirito and the others immediately activated the teleportation stone.

When the teleportation that had been experienced many times since SAo ended, the faces of Kirito and the others suddenly turned pale. The destination is the North Trough Ice and Snow Zone, which is sometimes covered in snow and snow, and sometimes blizzards.

When Kirito and his friends arrive, they quickly turn into snowmen in the blizzard, with big feet and white all over, but they don't turn into a cloud of snow. After listening to Filia and Argo's explanation, I prepared my winter gear.

In "SAo", depending on the setting, you'll often be transported to places with very different climates, where temperatures often rise and fall dramatically during the day and night. So when Kirito and his friends go there for an adventure, no matter what field they go to, they don't forget to bring items to protect them from the cold and heat. This time, I also prepared the same cold protection equipment in advance, so I was able to avoid being swallowed by the snow in the snow area of the North Trough.

Still, the cold in the icy and snowy areas of the North Trough is bearable, and I really can't keep out the cold without using cold-resistant drinks. Because Kirito used that item, the blizzard was also razed to the ground, but Crane was still trembling, which made Kirito a little stunned.

The reason why Klein and Kirito are together is because they are members of the Explorers. After arriving at the North Trough Ice and Snow Zone, Kirito and the others split up and decided to explore in small groups as they normally would.

At that time, for some unknown reason, Kirito finally explored with the trio of Crane and Lilan, and it became what it is now. But I didn't mean to refuse. This is because I have so far rarely explored with Klein.

Kirito, Lilan, Klein. Kirito found such a combination refreshing, so he decided to continue exploring. Well, I don't remember the last time I teamed up with Nobushi, but if I had left him alone as soon as I started exploring, he would really look like he would turn into a snowman.

Kirito calls out to the wild samurai or samurai.

"If you feel too cold, you should stay close to Lilan."

"It's Mr. Zuo. It is said that if you come near me, the cold will be relieved somewhat. Don't hesitate, come on, Crane.

When the old woman's voice rang in his head, a few tears welled up in the corners of Crane's eyes. His gaze was slightly behind Kirito. A huge figure stood there, calm even in the wind and snow. Klein answered, and let out a small cry.

\"R, Lilan~ You've gotten to the point where you can say something like that~\"

In front of Klein's gaze was a wolfdragon with platinum fur and a carapace-like luxury, with white wings growing out of its shoulders and hips, and a giant sword-like horn on its forehead. Ruiran is a dragon who controls fire and heat, and his body heat leaks outward, melting the snow that clings to him. Lilan's environment is warm enough that she doesn't have to worry about snow or cold, thanks to the traits she doesn't have in SAo. It would be better if they stuck together.

Recognizing the figure, Crane jumped over without hesitation and grabbed the bristles. A happy, silly side quickly appeared on Klein's face.

"Wow, it's so warm, Lilan is so warm."

"We can go on like this~" I saw Klein say next. That's probably what he thought. But that's not the case.

Lilan's heating ability was known to all his friends, and even the girls would ask him to come over after a while. The time hadn't come yet, but Lilan had to leave the party and head to another party to warm up the girls. This time, Lilan is not so much Kirito's "demon" as it is more like a heater or something.

Kirito has mixed feelings about his precious "dependents" being treated like this, but there is nothing he can do about it, because depending on whether Lilan is present or not, the search efficiency will fluctuate up and down.

"As long as it's warm enough. Lilan was going to another party eventually. ”

"Really? Lilan is your 'acquaintance', is that okay? ”

"I don't mind, that's how Lilan helps everyone, and as an animal trainer, I'm also very picky."

If there are really big boss monsters coming out, I'll call them back, but there's no sign of that happening yet. There are some enemies that can be dealt with even without Lilan's strength, so it doesn't matter if Lilan isn't nearby. Although this is not the case in SAo, it is possible to do such a thing in SAo, and Kirito feels that the burden on his shoulders has become lighter.

Immediately afterward, Klein's voice continued to sound.

\"Then again, Kirito, don't you remember? \"

"Remember?"

It must have happened during SAo. In SAo that uses SAo replication servers, there are a lot of things that remind us of SAo. Come to think of it, I also remember this place where the ice and snow are raging. The outside of the city, where Japanese snowflake culture is believed to be prevalent, is also surrounded by snow and ice. Klein and others, who have been using Japanese-designed equipment since the beginning of SAo, are filled with excitement and joy as soon as they get there.

"I remember it was in a Japanese-style town in SAo. It did snow. The onsen there is great though. \"

"Oh, yes! That place is indeed the nicest town. The hot springs, Japanese food, and swords are all excellent. I will never forget that. However, it's not there. ”

Kirito suddenly turned to Klein. Klein had unconsciously moved away from Lilan's mane.

"That was before you met Lilan, and you were so wild back then, so I'll remember that. So when I saw you like this, I couldn't help but think of it. ”

Hearing this, Kirito stopped moving. What Klein said was exactly what Kirito remembered now. However, although I thought about it, I didn't think about it very clearly, so although it was in my mind, its shape was vague. It was Klein's words that made this ambiguity firm — or should I say, put it away.

Kirito's mind became clear, and the sound of the blizzard and snowflakes faded away, but then a voice suddenly sounded, startling Kirito. It was Crane's screams. Before she knew it, Klein, who was beside Lilan, was already lying on the ground, clutching her head with one hand.

Because Lilan wrinkled his nose, he probably tried a light body tackle.

"What are you doing while you stay, Lilan!?"

"What are you talking about? Didn't you hear what Kirito was thinking at the time? \"

Seeing Lilan angry at the complaining Crane, Kirito realizes this again. Come to think of it, that's when Lilan came to me, and I became a trainer. Come to think of it, Crane might have been Yui's player who knew when he was going to become an animal trainer. Maybe Klein knew something he didn't even know about Shino, who he loved.

Just as Kirito was thinking this, Crane stood up and slapped the snow off his knees.

\"I hear you. At that time, Kirito was trying to resurrect everyone in the guild. I just lost a friend, so our destination is the same. However, we are conquering it in a conquering way. \"Guild, but at that time Kirito was fighting alone, and even dealt with the boss alone"

I can't refute the arguments of the Red Turban Samurai. Because everything is true. Finally, a worried glint flashed in his eyes.

"Hey, Kirito. Were you still worried about the guild at the time? You've been hurt by it, so I heard Lilan is coming for you. \"

With that, Lilan yelled at Crane. The fact that he growls at his friends in a voice that only speaks to his enemies is a testament to how angry he is. Crane was naturally surprised by Lilan and took a step back. You're obviously doing something for your friend that shouldn't be done.

"Lilan, stop!"

When I inadvertently shouted, Lilan reacted in surprise and sent me an apologetic voice.

"Klein, I'm sorry. I won't do this to you.

\"No. It was I who said something unnecessary. You shouldn't listen to such words. It's my fault, Kirito. \"

Klein apologized to Kirito, but Kirito shook his head.

"No, I think it's time too. That's when I felt like I had to tell you about the guild. \"

For me, this is the most tragic and traumatic memory in SAo. The only people who listened were Shino and Lilan, and the other friends didn't know. I wonder what the guild I was in at the time was like. Who are the people there?

That memory had been pressed deep into his mind by Lilan's power, but now he could recall it completely. Is this also growth?

"So be it, I'll talk to you. \"

"It's okay, you don't have to force yourself."

"It doesn't matter. I don't think I'll hesitate any longer. ”

After saying that, Kirito began to recall the old guild.

"Cheers to our moonshine black cat!!"

One shouted, six followed, and the sound of cups clashing rang out. I can't help but think that it might not fit. With the shouts of the six, Kirito said:

"Cheers, Cheers"

I whispered, holding up my glass. The contents of the cup shook a little, and it didn't hit anyone, and four of the six people finished their drinks at once, making a big gulp. In the end, all four of them finished drinking, breathed a sigh of relief, and shouted "Poof!" in unison. "A bang. It felt like a banquet or a festival scene, and Kirito's mind became more and more confused.

\"Well, Kirito-san, you've really helped me a lot. You helped me out of a dangerous situation. \"

The one who shouted to Kirito with a confused face was a young man in light armor on a reddish-brown battle uniform—a man who claimed to be Kaita when they met. Hearing this, Kirito was relieved from his confusion and shook his head at Kaita.

"No, it's not a big deal. It doesn't matter. Or rather, why don't you stop using honorifics? ”

Keita seemed in awe, perhaps because he had been helped in the crisis. It seems that she didn't expect Kirito to say that.

\"Oh, really? In that case, don't use polite words anymore, thank you so much, Kirito. Kirito really helped me a lot. \"

Well, of course - Kirito thinks so too. The status bar is reflected in my field of vision, and the level next to my name is shown as 40. I'm level 40 and have encountered an enemy on the 11th floor of Ayn Grant. I would say that they won easily and deservedly.

The reason why Kirito at level 40 is not on the front line where he should be, but at a level far below this, is not because of leveling, he was on the front line before he came here for the first time. Place. However, in the process of conquering the front, the remaining necessities ran out. Moreover, these items are all made from items that can only be obtained by going down to the eleventh layer.

It's something you don't really need, but if you don't have it, you're in trouble. You must have the items you need to carry out this life-threatening tactic.

Eventually, Kirito left the front line without telling anyone - even though he had no one to tell him. He had descended to this eleventh layer.

Kirito looked around at the people gathered in front of him. We are a team of six, four men and two women. When Kirito descended to the eleventh floor, searching for materials for the items he needed in the forest field, a loud bang was heard.

It's like the sound of metal crashing, it's like the sound of animals, it's like talking. It was the sound of battle. It sounds like the player is fighting monsters. He had heard such things many times on the battlefield, so it wasn't really something he cared about, but at this moment, Kirito was worried. The voice was mixed with screams and "Stand back!" Shouts like that. Players fighting monsters are cornered.

Even in real life, the game ends straight into a dead end. As expected, we can't ignore the players who have been cornered. Kirito stopped looking for the item and walked in the direction of the sound.

In less than a minute, Kirito found the source of the sound. Players in groups of six. It was cornered by a giant mantis-shaped mid-boss monster.

Speaking of which, Kirito was a little surprised. The balance of those people is extremely poor.

The vanguard consisted of only one young man with a shield and a one-handed club, followed by a thief with a dagger, a stickman with a stick, two pikemen, and a single-handed swordsman. The structure was such that if the vanguard wielding one-handed clubs were cornered, they had no choice but to retreat slowly.

The one-handed swordsman who was supposed to come forward acted as if he was protecting one of the spearmen, and it seemed to be of no use. In Kirito's opinion, looking at the attack team on the front line, this is the worst way to fight. In previous games, those who made fundamental mistakes in strategy and structure would learn a lesson by being defeated by the boss, but in this SAo, if they die, it's over.

Can't let them end - thinking like this, Kirito didn't even call for help, so he jumped out, blocked the middle of Mantic and the six, and started the battle.

"Well, I'm glad I could help you. I also suddenly heard a voice and when I got there, I was surprised to find out what was going on. \"

When Kirito said this, everyone around him, mostly young people, smiled wryly.

The praying mantis that attacks them is a mid-boss monster that Kirito also often fights. The Unique Scythe is required as weapon material, and the Scythe does not always drop when defeated. However, it is something that strengthens and protects your weapons. Kirito fights the praying mantis until the required number is reached.