章 26: Chapter 26
Nao sat on a boat while holding his fishing rod in the middle of the lake. Haku as always, perch on top of his head waiting patiently for the fish to be hooked by the bait with him.
It's five days already since the event with the leader of the silver flags guild at the 55th floor plaza. After that day, Nao and Kirito always went down to the lower floors to looking for the orange guild. Well, it's only Kirito actually who still diligently looking for them.
After they met up at the 38th plaza, Nao said that he would be the one who cover the 37th and 38 floor while Kirito would be the one at the 35th and 36th floor. Kirito agreed at his idea and the both of them went to their respective floors.
However, Nao didn't looking for them after the first day he did that. After all, he already knew that they aren't at the 37th and 38th floor right now, so he won't find the woman there. Rosalia will appear in the forest of wandering instead when Silica break up with her party at the 35th floor, about nine or ten days after the incident.
That's also the reason why Nao make Kirito become the one who cover the 35th and 36th floor, so that he could meet with Silica there and help her from The Drunk Apes.
Nao just tell Kirito after they separated, to send him a message if something happen, or if he found the guild. He comes back to his log house after that and decide to just fishing on the lake around until the fate made Kirito meets with her.
"Well, It'll be useless after all to looking for the woman at the 37th and 38th floor. Even if I had millions of eyes at those floors, I won't ever found something which simply aren't there to begin with. Also, I don't want to become the hero for the loli. It'll be a bit troublesome." Nao said while still holding his fishing rod.
Time passed and Nao could seen that the sun start to setting and night will arrive soon. So he decide to end the fishing here and check its proficiency.
"Hm~ 917, huh. Well, not bad." Nao said and wave his hand to make the window disappear.
"Well, let's wait for him at Mishe. It's ten days already, so he must be met Silica today." Nao said.
He row back the boat to the shore of the lake after that and went straight to the village to teleport to the 35th floor.
He arrive at the village soon after that and take out his Oni-mask. He put the mask on his face and teleport from the village's teleport gate right away to Mishe.
What entered his sight after teleported was the view of a bustling town with players and NPCs. The town was a base for many low and middle level players after all, so it's a normal thing that the town become this crowded.
Nao remember that the last time he come to this floor was on the Christmas Eve for the Flag Mob, Nicholas The Renegade. Though in the end, even all of them manage to got the rumored revival item, its useless to revive Yuna.
But still, Nao had the item, the Divine Stone of Returning Soul with him, because even though it can't be used to revive Yuna, the item still could be used for someone else in the future. All of them at that time unanimously agreed that Nao would be the one who keep the item, and Nao hadn't any objection either. It's a useful item after all, so he accept it.
He shook his head a bit to wakes himself up from the memory at that time, and start to stroll around for a while. He look around, but still couldn't find Rosalia. He thinking about it for a while and decide to go to the forest of the wandering mist.
"Let's check the situation a bit there. Though it's getting darker and darker as time passed, the sun still hasn't completely gone yet. So maybe they are still inside the forest right now." Nao thought and went to the town's gate and leave the town to the forest right away.
He spread his Sixth Sense and could sense all things around him, from monsters to players. It hasn't as great as in the real world, but it's near. Just a little bit again and the [Extreme Super Growth] skill could upgrade it become as great with the one in the real world. Of course when he comes back to the real world, it'll upgraded greatly after it handicapped inside the game.
He ran at the forest direction while Haku flying beside him closely. It isn't very fast, but not slow either. Nao adjust his speed so that he could sense the presence more detailedly.
Nao ran and sense the surrounding for a while before he finally entered the forest area when the sun completely drowned by the darkness, and the night blanketed the world.
Nao keep running and sense at the same time until finally, he spotted familiar presence a bit far away ahead. He stopped and sense him carefully and nodded after confirming that he is Kirito.
Nao make sure to move outside Kirito's detection skill range so that he wouldn't be detected and follow him.
Nao could sense that Kirito was wandering around aimlessly inside the forest after following him for a while. But Nao didn't mind and keep following unnoticed behind him.
"So he hasn't found any clue yet, huh. Well, he would, ah! No, not only him, we would be able to find Rosalia soon after we went back to Mishe. Maybe she's already there right now. But we nee..... huh?!"
Nao want to said something, but stopped after his Sixth Sense could sense another presence ahead of Kirito a bit far from him. There're four monsters and one players.
"It's her." Nao said after nodded slightly.
The player was of course Silica. Nao could know it from hr posture and a little monster flying around him.
"There're five prese.... ah~! It's four now." Nao want to said five, but the little creature flying around her got a direct hit from an ape and finally shattered into fragments of bluish light.
Kirito could already detect the three apes and the girl, so he ran at them and kill all the apes just before it swing down its weapon to kill her. The three apes also become fragments of bluish light and disappeared after that.
Nao then walk more slowly after that. He wait outside of Kirito's detection range and wait for them to finish their business. Though Nao couldn't heard what they are talking about, he know the general idea. Well, he didn't interested about their conversation either anyway, so he just wait and lean his back against a tree and put his hands inside his pockets.
"Well, I thinks it's fine now." Nao said and walked at their direction.
He walk slowly, but make sure his movement create sounds so they could heard that someone was coming. Kirito turn around and readied his sword while Silica nervously looking at the sound direction.
The figure finally appeared in front of them and they could see clearly who it was or what it was.
"Kyaaaaaa!!!!" Silica scream hysterically after looking at the figure.
Kirito a bit surprised too and grip the sword's hilt tightly, but after looking at the figure carefully, he could seen a white creature on top its head. He blinked his eyes several time and finally recognized the figure in front of him.
"Nao?" He ask the figure who wearing a spooky oni-mask.
"Hmm~? What?" Nao said simply.
"Sigh~ I think it's a new humanoid type monster." Kirito said after a sigh of relief.
"Who do you call monster! Well, rather..... mmm" Nao refute him and pause for a bit.
Nao look at Silica who had teary eyes, a bit quivered body with nervous and afraid look on her face. Nao couldn't help but to think some weird things and tilted his head and looking at Kirito suspiciously. He know what happen clearly, but the situation in front of him make it some unavoidable thing to thinking that way.
Kirito who look at him with a weird angle of tilting head when at the same time looking at him, couldn't help but to feel a bit unease.
"W-what?" Kirito asked Nao in the end.
"Well, you said something about monster just now, but I think the one fit to be called a monster was you." Nao said at him still with the same look inside his mask.
"What are you talking about?" Kirito asked him confused.
"Ummm~ well, how should I said about it. Honestly I don't know you had that kind of..... umm~ well, unique? Yeah, that kind of unique hobby, but could you control yourself a bit? I know it's a virtual world and not the real one, so there isn't any police or swat, but I think it's better to had a bit self restrain. You ever heard yourself right, something like -Yes loli, No touch- from the internet? I think it's better for you to stick to that principle too, you know." Nao finally said what inside his mind.
Kirito was confused at first and unsure about what he is talking about. But after some thinking for a while, he realized it and couldn't help but cough several time and pointed his index finger at Nao.
"Y-Y-you...?!?!?" Kirito couldn't finish his words at all. His words chocked inside his throat and he couldn't let it out of it.
"Well well, I understand there're some people who had a very unique hobby like that, but I hope you had a bit of self restraint. I won't tell Sugu-chan about your hobby and about what happened here. I promise." Nao said very sincerely while rise his right hand like make an oath.
Kirito couldn't said anything and very speechless after heard how sincere and faithful his words are. So he calmed himself down first with a few deep breath and look at him angrily. Nao tilt his head innocently makes Kirito's lips twitching uncontrollably.
"What the hell kind of misunderstanding thing your head think about?!?!?! I didn't do anything!!! What sh***y unique you are talking about?!?!??" Kirito finally said after calming down. Well, he didn't calm at all though. But at least, he could said something now.
"Ee~~h? Misunderstanding?! But look at her. Teary eyes, frightened and nervous look, even I could heard clearly she was screaming hysterically just now. Don't be shy about that. I don't mind at all you have that kind of unique hobby. You are still my friend, don't worry about it." Nao said with reassurance at him and give a thumbs up.
Kirito want to tear his own hairs from his scalp looking at how his respond at every words he said. He know this guy in front of him was this kind of person, but it still makes him very annoyed. He pointed his index finger at him and said again.
"Look at the mirror first before said something. She becomes like that because of you!!!" Kirito said at him accusingly and panting heavily after that.
Nao blinked his eyes several time didn't understand and tilt his head while looking at the guy panting heavily while pointed his finger in front of him. Nao really didn't understand and wasn't an acting at all. He tilted his head thinking about it.
"Hm? Me? Why all of a sudden it's about me? What's wrong wit.... Huh?!" Nao didn't finish his words because he realized something when his finger accidentally touched something when he want to pinch his chin.
'Aa~~h~ I see. I forget that I put this spooky-mask on my face already.' Nao thought inside.
"Ahahaha~~ I am sorry. I forget that I put this on my face already. hahahaha~" Nao said while scratch his back of head.
Kirito feels unknowingly very tired. He didn't know what he should do about this guy in front of him. He could only sigh in the end and shook his head.
'Sigh~ I don't know why, but I feel very tired.' He said inside his mind and shook his head.
Silica who look at their conversation, quarreling and teasing couldn't said and do anything. She know this two know each other, but unsure is they are in a good term or in the bad one. Maybe it's alright if it said in the good one, I guess. She thought inside.
She feels a bit confused at first and she still feel very sad about Pina's death, but after looking at the two like that, she couldn't help but smiled and chuckled a bit.
The two heard her chuckled look at her at the same time. Kirito smiled slightly with a sigh, while Nao chuckled a bit too inside his mask.
Nao introduce himself and Haku after that makes her a bit surprised that Nao was a beast tamer too.
"Nice to meet you, Nao-san, Haku-chan. So you are a beast tamer too? My name is Silica. I am a beast tamer too, but..... because of me, Pina...." She said and become very dejected in the end with teary eyes.
Kirito then remembered that Nao ever came to the field dungeon Silica and him intended to go to, so he step forward for her and said at Nao.
"Nao, you said to me that you ever explored a field dungeon at the 47th floor, the Hill of Memories before, right? And you said about the flower too." Kirito asked him.
Nao knew what he mean by asking him about that, but he pretend to confused a bit and answer him. Well, he didn't have the flower with him too anyway.
"Yeah, well, I came to that place before because I heard about the flower, the Pneuma Flower which bloom there could revive the tamed monster. So I explored it before and looking for the flower just in case something happen to Haku." Nao said to Kirito.
Kirito's eyes brightened and opened widely. He then asked him again right away.
"Did you have the flower with you now?" Kirito ask.
"Kirito-san." Silica said looking at Kirito with grateful and teary eyes.
Silica was surprised at his words, but also still had a hope inside her heart.
"No." Nao answer him simply.
He didn't lie though. He really didn't have the flower with him right now because the flower didn't bloom when he visited the place.
Silica feel a bit dejected again after heard that he didn't have the flower. She was confused at first that Kirito suddenly stepped forward and and asked about the field dungeon he told her before to him. But when she heard about Nao explored the place before, and looking for the flower, she understand right away and filled with hope.
Kirito said before to her that the death tamed monster could only revived in three days after the death. If it's more than that, it'll be useless even if she had thousands of flower with her. The field dungeon was on the 47th floor too on top of that, mean that with her strength right now, it's impossible for her to explore the dungeon.
Kirito said he want to help her before to explore the dungeon, with the reason that she looks similar with her little sister. But it's still 47th floor they are talking about, even though Kirito said he was willing to help, but with her strength right now.....
So when she heard that Nao explored the field dungeon before, there's a hope inside her that maybe he has the flower with him. She could buy the flower from him. Even if the price was very expensive, she would work hard on hunting the monsters, so she could pay the debt she had to him in the future.
But this hope shattered too when Nao said he didn't have the flower, makes her feels dejected. There's no other choice but to explore the field dungeon herself and become a burden for Kirito.
"You didn't have it?" Kirito asked him while blinking his eyes.
After Nao seen the look kirito had at him, he explain to him about the flower.
"The Beast Tamer wasn't the only requirement. You see, the place was named 'The Hill of Memories', mean that it's something like remembrance, memorials or reminiscence, something like that." Nao said.
Kirito think about it carefully for a while and widened his eyes in understanding.
"That mean..." Kirito want to said something but paused for a while, so Nao said the rest for him.
"That's right. Even if the Beast Tamer come to the place where the flower would be bloomed, if the the tamed monsters still alive..."
"The flower still won't ever bloom." Kirito said.
Nao nodded at him and Kirito sigh after knowing about the flower won't bloom if the tamed monster still alive.
"You know the spot the flower bloom, right?" Kirito ask him again after that.
Nao nodded confirm his statement and told him the place.
"It's in the center of the dungeon, on top of a hill as the dungeon named. There's a stone there and it said that the flower would be bloomed on top of it." Nao said after that.
Kirito think about that for a while and asked him again.
"I know the dungeon and I ever explored it too before, but I didn't know the stone location." He mumbled under his breath.
Nao remain silent and didn't said anything. Silica also didn't disturb him and just look at him quietly.
After a while, Kirito raised his head and look at Nao with unsure look.
"Well, Nao. Could you come with us there? You see, Silica was a beast tamer too, and her tamed monster was killed just now, so I want to help her go there for the flower. It'll be faster to found the stone if you, who know the place come with us, so...." Kirito said.
They are currently looking for an orange guild after all right now, and they still haven't find them yet after five days looking for them. So, to want to do another thing when the first thing hasn't done yet was a bit...
Nao understand why Kirito hesitated to said the words, so he looking at Silica who look at Kirito at the moment, and nodded at him.
'Well, it'll be related to each other as soon as we back to Mishe, you know. You needn't to feel like that.' Nao said inside.
"It's fine. It won't take that much of time anyway, so..... Okay, I'll come with you." Nao said and nodded at him.
Kirito then turn around and look at Silica who was looking at him and smiled lightly at her. She wakes up from her state with reddened face and turn around. After a while, she realized what Nao said, face him and bow at him deeply.
"Thank you very much, Nao-san." She said gratefully at him.
Nao chuckled a bit and just said that it was fine and brush it off.
After that, Kirito said that it's better to go back to the town to make a plan and prepared for tomorrow.
They agreed and decide to go back to the town after that.
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