Bab 394: -389- Need some rest
Later, in order to issue a wanted notice for Kuradeel, the players present dispersed from the Transfer Gate Plaza.
Before parting ways, Rozen made an announcement to all the clearing group players.
"We've defeated the Guardian Boss on Floor 74, and we've activated the Transfer Gate Plaza on Floor 75. You can start exploring it anytime, but you'll need a more well-rounded team than usual to venture outside the safezone."
"As is customary, if there are no issues, Floor 75 will follow the pattern of Floors 25 and 50, with a significant difficulty spike."
"So, please conduct careful reconnaissance before venturing into the wilderness, and report any boss spawns immediately."
After giving this notice, Rozen allowed the clearing group members to disband right there.
Naturally, Kibaou's group could also leave directly.
"That's it for today, thanks for your cooperation," Rozen said to Kibaou, but his tone was much more distant than usual.
"Hmph..." Kibaou didn't say much, perhaps realizing that saying more wouldn't change anything. He snorted and spoke cryptically, "Floor 1 is territory of the Aincrad Liberation Army. No one can act recklessly there."
Leaving behind these enigmatic words, Kibaou then took Kobatz's group and used the Transfer Gate to return to the Starting Town on Floor 1.
At the same time, Asuna expressed her gratitude to Heathcliff.
"Sorry for troubling you, Guild Leader."
Asuna lowered her head toward Heathcliff.
"No need," Heathcliff replied briefly. His tone, like Rozen's, was colder than usual. He continued, "I'll return to headquarters now."
With that, Heathcliff didn't wait for Asuna's response and directly led the main force back to the Town of Granzam on Floor 55.
The Transfer Gate Plaza, which had been crowded with hundreds of players just moments ago, suddenly became sparsely populated, with only Rozen, Asuna, Kirito, Klein, Agil, and a few others remaining.
As for the players from the Crimson Wings and FuurinKazan guilds, they were also dispersed by Rozen and Klein to return to their respective headquarters. They needed to prepare the wanted notices and organize strategies for Floor 75.
Now, only a few people were left on the scene, making the atmosphere rather heavy. All eyes turned to Rozen.
The reason was simple: "Hey, Boss," Klein couldn't help but ask, "Is it true that Kuradeel just escaped?"
This was the question everyone wanted to ask. Did Kuradeel really just escape, or did he die under unusual circumstances? Everyone wanted to know the answer.
But...
"What good would it do to know?" Rozen's tone remained indifferent, and his words were unassailable.
Indeed, what would knowing change?
If Kuradeel had truly died under unusual circumstances, it would have serious consequences. It would shatter the players' beliefs and lead to panic. Players would start fearing for their lives even within safe zones, and combat-oriented clearing group players might lose faith in their own HP bars.
The consequences of such an event would be severe. The game's complete clearing would become an impossible dream, and the hope of reaching the top of the tower, a journey already three-quarters complete, might vanish into thin air.
This had to be avoided.
So...
"Let's assume that Kuradeel escaped, and leave it at that," Rozen asserted without giving room for argument. And nobody had the will to contradict him.
Clearly, everyone understood that this was the best outcome.
However...
"What should we do about the Black Iron Palace?" Agil asked involuntarily.
The Black Iron Palace, situated in the Town of Beginnings' square on Floor 1, was the respawn point for players during the closed beta.
When a player died, they would respawn in this palace and return to the Town of Beginnings on Floor 1.
In SAO, after the death game mechanics were implemented, the Black Iron Palace lost its original purpose as a respawn point.
Instead, it became home to a stone monument inscribed with the names of all players.
When a player died, their name would be crossed out on the monument, with the cause of death noted behind it.
In other words, if Kuradeel had truly died, his name would be crossed out on the monument. So, if any player went to the Black Iron Palace to confirm this, Kuradeel's lie about escaping with a teleport crystal would be exposed.
Egil was likely concerned about this, but it was Kirito who addressed the issue.
"We probably don't need to worry about that," Kirito said. "Didn't Kibaou mention that it's their territory?"
Hearing this, the others finally understood what Kibaou said when he left.
"Mr Kibaou must have realized something and told us that the Black Iron Palace would be under his supervision, so players wouldn't find out about Kuradeel's situation."
As Asuna explained Kibaou's actions, everyone understood and fell into silence. The situation had been resolved for now, but it left a lingering unease in their hearts. They pondered their next steps.
"Hey, Kirito," Rozen suddenly spoke up. "I'm feeling a bit tired and need some rest."
Rozen's words were quite unexpected. What he meant was clear: "Can you guys take care of the Floor 75 clearing for a while?"
He looked at Asuna, Kirito, Klein, and Agil. They were initially surprised but exchanged glances and nodded without a word.
"It's time for you to take a break," Klein patted Rozen on the shoulder. "You've been carrying us all this time."
Agil also smiled. "Leave Floor 75 to us," he said. "We won't let any casualties occur before reaching the boss room."
They all made this commitment.
Clearly, they understood that Rozen had something important to consider, and he genuinely needed a break. They decided to share some of the responsibilities, regardless of what was on his mind.
"Thank you," Rozen smiled.
On the sidelines, Asuna watched this scene unfold with her eyes glistening.
And so, for the first time since the game began, Rozen stepped away from the frontlines of the clearing and embarked on his first and last vacation.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone