Capítulo 24: Chapter 24
In the corridor of a hospital, a girl could be seen walk through it while carrying a bouquet of flowers in her hands. She has brown short hair with braids from above her forehead to the left side behind her ear and wore thick winter clothes to protect her from cold air.
It's already February, so winter will be over soon and spring will arrive afterwards.
However, the air temperature still cold and the cold breeze caused people to shiver from time to time.
The girl name was Shigemura Yuuna, the first person who survive from an incident known as the SAO incident where ten thousand player trapped inside a game by the creator of the game itself.
She trapped with the other players inside the game for almost a year, before finally ejected out of it because she killed by the horde of monsters inside, make her HP reach zero and her avatar destroyed into fragments.
Normally when a player's HP hit the zero point inside the game and the avatar destroyed into fragments, the player's body in the real world would also be died caused by the nervegear's microwave burnt the player's brain.
However, Yuuna miraculously survive even after her avatar inside the game was destroyed.
The investigators found that Yuuna's nervegear was totally damaged due to the microchip inside it completely burned for no known reason. No one knew the real reason until Yuna told them about some FNC case she heard from Nao and some investigators conclude that the FNC was the only possible reason.
She was ejected from the game on October, but didn't wakes up right away after that. She in an unconscious state for over two months after she ejected from the game and finally wakes up on the Christmas eve two months ago.
At first, she didn't know what happen and didn't remember anything about SAO. But after Kikuoka Seijirou, one of the investigators from SAO Case Victims Rescue Force introduce himself and said about SAO, she remember everything right away.
She desperately want to got up and looking for the man she loved to know his condition.
Her family confused at first and Kikuoka also didn't know what happend, but after some time and Yuuna calmed herself down, Kikuoka asked her about "Nao", the name she unceasingly said.
"Is he player who trapped inside too? I am an Investigator of SAO Case Victims Rescue Force, so if you know his real name, maybe I could help you to find him." He said at that time.
Yuuna then told him right away that Nao was indeed one of many players who trapped inside the game and tell him hurriedly his name.
"Handa Naoharu. His real name was Handa Naoharu. Please Kikuoka-san I want to see him, I want to know if he is alright right now." Yuna begging him while sobbing with watery eyes.
Kikuoka stunned at first. He surprised when Yuuna tell him the name he very familiar with. There's no one after all who didn't know about the name in SAO Case Victims Rescue Force and many other institution which related to SAO incident.
After Argus, the developer of SAO went bankrupt due to the SAO incident, RECT Progress Inc. takes over SAO server management from them and also bought the rights to the Cardinal System along with it.
However, it isn't RECT Progress inc. alone who involved in it. The incorporation only provided the human resource to maintain the server and the other things related to it. While all the necessary funds for it was provided by another party and RECT Progress inc. doesn't spend even a penny in this takeover. They only needs to provide human resources to maintain the server.
The one who provided all the funds was A butler of a player who trapped inside the game. He covers all the necessary funds for them under the player's name.
Not only that, the said butler also involved in the Amusphere development process, the much safer console than the nervegear and has more than seventy percent the right to it after provided all the necessary funds in the development process.
The same goes for ALfheim Online, the recently launched VRMMO-RPG by RECT Progress inc. a few months ago. The butler provided all the funds for its development too and has the most share right to it.
All of the funds and share right was under the same name, Handa Naoharu.
Many parties who intrigued about it start to investigate about the butler and the player's identity right away.
Kikuoka wasn't an exception either. He was indeed investigator from SAO Case Victims Rescue Force, but he also a Member of the Ministry of Internal Affair's Telecommunications Bureau and a Lieutenant Colonel of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force at the same time.
He start the investigation about their identity or anything related about them but to no avail.
Many of them unable to find anything in the end, so they decided to track the flow of the funds used. They stunned at once because after all of it tracked back thoroughly, they found that all of it came from several international companies around the world that involved in the energy industry.
They become more and more intrigued about them, but they unable to do anything to the said international companies, so they decide to spy on the butler instead.
But the result was a bitter end for them, even also for Kikuoka. The butler only alone but all agents sent to spy on him had the same final destination for every one of them, the hospital.
The butler, Sebastian Michaelis even came to his office one day and handed all the agents ID to him with a smile that isn't like a smile at all.
"If you want to know something, I am willing to tell you if it isn't something secret." Sebas said while sat on the sofa calmly and sip his tea which no one knew, who serve it to him before Kikuoka enters the room.
He then got up after put on the table, the IDs of many agents who sent to spy on him and ended in the hospital now. He walked passed beside Kikuoka, still with a "smile" and said before leaving.
"But your actions before were very inappropriate by sending stalkers. After all, we also had something called privacy to be respected. So, let's just say that it was an honest advice out of kindness." Sebas pause for a moment while turn his head slightly.
"You can tell your superior too about this, that next time something like this happen again, let's say that even the corpse won't be left, Lieutenant Colonel." He said with cold and deep voice make Kikuoka shiver and fear from the bottom of his heart.
Sebas leave just like that and no one knew how he could enters the office and how he leave from the building.
"Kikuoka-san?" Yuuna's mother called him after looking how he suddenly stood still with nervous face.
"Huh? A-ah I'm sorry. Cough. Shigemura-san, are you sure his real name was Handa Naoharu?" Kikuoka asked her again.
"Un! He told me that his name was Handa Naoharu, fourteen years old." Yuuna said surely.
"I see. I know him and he is fine, but from what I know, he's still inside the game right now. Is his HP hit the zero too like you or something?" He said to her and asked in the end.
She didn't answer his question and sobbing silently after that.
"Thanks god he's alright..... he is alright." She said while crying.
She cries for a long time and asked Kikuoka finally where is he after she calmed down. Kikuoka told her that Nao was hospitalized in different hospital and he told her again that he need to asked someone first to meet with Nao.
He contacted Sebas right away even though it's midnight at that time. Sebas already told him before to contact him if Yuuna regain her consciousness. His reason was he want to know about Nao's condition inside from Yuuna and because Yuuna really knew about Nao, Kikuoka contact him right away.
Sebas already knew that Yuuna has wakes up but he still wait for Kikuoka's call. He then picks up the call and Kikuoka told him about Yuuna. He then said that he will go there himself to meet with Yuuna at the hospital she hospitalized.
Sebas came to the hospital she hospitalized on the next morning and went to her room right away.
The two talk for a long time about Nao and in the end, Sebas suggested to her parents to transferred her to the hospital where Nao was hospitalized and underwent her therapy there.
Sebas said that the facility was better there and told them that he would be the one who take care of everything.
The facility was indeed better there, so that Nao could use it as the reason why he could recovered faster later on. That way, Sebas also could use that same reason to make Yuuna's therapy faster and make her body back to normal bit by bit with magic.
Her parents hesitated at first. They didn't know anything about the man in front of them after all, but Kikuoka said that it's alright and he said the facility was indeed better there. Kikuoka a bit scared with Sebas after all, so Kikuoka want to try help Sebas a bit to make himself in good terms again with him.
After considering his words and their daughter pleading eyes which looks really want to see this man called Naoharu, they agreed in the end and decide Yuuna will underwent her therapy there.
The transfer process carried out right away and everything was ready just in a day. Yuuna transfered on the next day after that and placed in the room next to Nao's room. Of course she didn't want to go to her room yet before she could see Nao first and Sebas could only nodded to her request.
He feel a bit worried because he didn't know what would happen. There's another girl after all inside the room. Sugu was inside right now.
Her parents, Kikuoka and the doctor with some nurses who responsible with her treatment could see his worried look and wondered what happen. Yuuna didn't care at all about the other things because the only thing she want was to see him right now.
The door opened and she enters the room on her wheelchair right away.
She look around the room and spotted there are two women inside the room. One of them was an adult woman around late thirty or fourty, sat on the sofa near the window while the other one was a girl, sat beside the bed.
The two looked at the door when the door was opened and a bit surprised by the number of people who came. The girl look at Yuuna and Yuuna did the same too, they looking at each other for a while before she finally could see the one who laying on the bed.
Yuuna didn't care about anything at once because something gripped her heart tightly. The feeling spread throughout her body, make her eyes moist and finally it trickled down trough her cheek.
She neared the bed slowly and hold the man on the bed's hand gently after that.
She was crying silently while holding his hand. No one said anything and let her be.
Only a silent cry could be heard for a long time inside the room until Yuuna finally said something.
"I am sorry, Nao-kun." She said softly between her sob, but the room was quiet without any sound, so all of them still could heard it clearly.
"Even though I promise you not to use it. Even though I promise you not to use the Skill without you around. Even though you warn me again and again." She said softly.
"But I am fine, Nao-kun. I am here beside you. Please be safe. Please, .... stay alive. I'll be waiting for you. Always. I'll always be waiting for you no matter how long it'll be." She said and almost chocked by her own word.
No one said anything because they didn't know what to say either. Moist eyes could be seen from Yuuna's mother and some of the nurse too. They quietly stood still there quietly.
Sugu didn't say anything either. She sat quietly beside the bed and let her be while holding one of Nao's other hand. She already knew about Yuuna from Sebas when he said about the first survivor of the incident. He also told her That Yuuna will came to the hospital, so she already had a rough idea about what happen.
She let Yuuna be even though she felt very complicated feeling inside, but she brace herself and hold the hand tightly.
Time passed slowly and still no one said anything even until the silent cry stopped.
Yuuna finally aware of the girl who sat beside the bed opposite to her again. The girl hold Nao's right hand while she hold his left hand.
Two girl holding Nao's each hand and look at each other silently for a while.
The others inside the room finally realize it too when seeing that the two girl holding the man's each hand and could understand a bit about what happen. The atmosphere from before changed drastically become something entirely different. It's very ... awkward.
There's no one said anything too right now, but it caused by different reason from before. They just look at the two girl gazing at each other silently.
"Nice to meet you. I am Shigemura Yuuna. You must be Kirigaya Suguha-san, right?" Yuuna said finally with a bit of smile on her face after the long silent.
"Huh? Yes I am and nice to meet you too Shigemura-san, but how did you know? I am sorry, have we met before?" Sugu surprised that the girl know her.
"Just Yuuna is fine." Yuuna said again still with smile.
"Then me too. Just Suguha is fine, Yuuna-san." Sugu said to her too.
"Un! Alright then, Suguha-chan. I know you from Nao-kun." Yuuna said and looking at Nao in the end.
"From Nao-kun?" Suguha blinked her eyes a few time and look at Nao too.
Sebas finally realize after looking at them, that the two girls haven't realize yet that there're the others too inside the room.
There're him, Yuuna's parents, Sugu's mother, Kikuoka and doctor with two nurse too inside the room. He wondered whether he should stop them or let it be, but decide to let it be in the end.
"Un! He told me about you. About the one he loved so much, who must be waiting for him with worry outside the game." Yuuna said again while smiled gently lloking at him, laying on the bed with nervegear on his head and caressing his cheek gently.
Sugu's heart filled with happiness when she heard that he still love her and knew she was waiting for him. But she feel conflicted too at the same time because she knew what kind of eyes Yuuna has when looking at Nao right now. That was eyes filled with love and affection, the same she has herself for him too.
The others inside the room very surprised too hearing what she said, especially the parents ones. It could be seen easily and clearly that Yuuna love him too. To said that the man she loved has love for the other girl, it's hard to describe what they feel inside.
"Do you like him, Suguha-chan?" Yuuna asked Sugu finally.
"I love him." Sugu said surely looking at Nao gently.
"I love him too." Yuuna smiled after heard what she said and said that she loved him too.
The room's atmosphere become really awkward for the others inside the room. Everyone stunned and couldn't said anything after heard the two conversation. They won't be able to say anything either because Sebas has already take care of it.
"But he said that he will give up on me right away if you want to, Suguha-chan." Yuuna said in the end make all of them dumbfounded with widened eyes. Sugu very surprised too after hearing what she said just now and look at her who still looking at Nao while caressed his cheek gently.
"You are very important for him, Suguha-chan. He will do everything for you and even though he said he love me too, he said will also give up on me if you said so without hesitation." Yuuna said again.
All of them couldn't believe what they are heard and see just now. How could a girl said something like this with smile on her face the entire time? She just said that the man he love will leave her right away for another girl. They couldn't believe what they heard at all.
Sugu also stunned by her words. It'll be a lie if she said that she didn't feel happy after heard what she said. The man she love will do everything for her, even give up on the other girl if she want to. But her heart also filled with conflicted feeling knowing that the girl in front of her has the same love she had for him.
"But even though he give up on me and leave me for you, I'll never give up on him. He is the only one for me in this life and no one could replaced him in my life. I won't ever give up this feeling just because he gives up on me. I loved him before, I still love him too right now and I'll always love him for ever." Yuuna said with a bright smile on his face.
To have this feeling, to have this love for him was a happiness in itself for her. She already decide from long ago that she won't care even if he didn't accept the feeling she has for him. Even if he give up on her and leave her in the end. She will always embrace gently the warm feeling of love she has for him and never let it go forever.
Looking at how bright her smile make all of them inside the room stunned again. She really love him, they thought.
Sugu couldn't say anything either and just quietly looking at her while thinking what should she do.
Yuuna silent for a while, then look at Sugu and said what she want to said.
"That's why, Suguha-chan, I need your permission to be beside him. So, do you mind if I love him too? And will you share him with me?" Yuuna said her words honestly to her.
No one said anything and the room fell into a long silent.
Sugu didn't know what to say and do to reply her question. Even though she said that she won't mind it before, to said it and actually did it was different. As a girl herself, she want to him, the one she love to only love her too. She quiet for a long time and didn't said anything.
But finally, she recalled her bright smile while saying that she won't ever give up on him and always love him forever no matter what. Her words was very honest too for her.
"It'll be a lie if I didn't want to have him for myself and want him to love me alone." Sugu said after the long silent.
Yuuna remain silent with anticipation about her answer, but felt a bit worried after heard what she said.
She understand her feeling after all. As a girl herself, or rather for anyone, no one would be willingly share their loved one with someone else. It's something normal for everyone even for Yuuna herself.
She asked Nao too before about the possibility of giving up on Sugu and be hers only, but Nao said it was impossible right away and instead, he said he will give up on her if Sugu said to. So she feels worried that Sugu didn't want to share Nao with her.
"But I knew it was a wishful thinking after considering many things about him. Sebas-san also asked me about the possibility of he has other girl he loved too before, so I have prepared myself since then if it really happened." Sugu said while looking at Nao and still holding his hand.
"I feel afraid actually every time I am thinking about it. I am afraid that if he love someone else, ...." Sugu paused for a bit, she hold Nao's hand tightly, afraid that he would leave her and go far away to the place she couldn't reach.
"If he loves someone else, I feel afraid that he will leave me alone and forget about me." She said finally and look at Nao with a bit downcast eyes.
No one said anything and let her to speak whatever she want. They understood her feeling somehow.
"Though I knew Nao won't do something like that, I couldn't help but still feel worried and afraid about it." She said again with the same look from before.
"But after I heard what you said, Yuuna-san, I feel relieved knowing that he love me more than I know. I am happy that he will do everything for me, even if I said I want him to give up on you. I feel relieved now that he won't ever leave me even if he has someone else he love." Sugu said and smiled happily while looking at him.
"That's why, I don't mind, Yuuna-san. Because now I know that my place in his heart was very important. It's more than enough for me to have that place in his heart." She said while smiling cheerfully.
He then look at Yuuna, smiling at her and said what she want to said.
"Thanks, Yuuna-san, because you love and care about him dearly. As someone who love and care about him myself, I feel glad about it. Let's get along well from now on, Yuuna-san." She said to Yuuna while smiling cheerfully.
Tears trickled down from Yuuna's face, but she smiled brightly too at the same time. It's the tears of happiness because she finally could be beside him even in the real world. He won't give up on her and she could express her feeling at him freely.
"Thank you, Suguha-chan. And from me too, Let's get along well from now on." Yuuna said and bow to her.
"It's fine. I don't wanna be a bad person who keep him from myself after all. Rather, I will make him the villain and cruel one instead because cheating from me." Sugu said while looking at him and poke his cheek several time.
Yuuna blinking several time after heard her words and couldn't help chuckled a bit because of that. Sugu a bit startled about that and asked her.
"Y-yuuna-san?" Sugu said a bit startled.
"Fufufufu I am sorry. You know, Nao said the same things too before to me. He said that if we talking about Suguha-chan, she would said something like make him the bad guy who cheating from you. I didn't expected that you really said something like that." She said with a bit chuckle from time to time.
"Ehehe~ I see ..., We know each other for a long time after all, so I think he know well." Sugu said cheerfully.
"Hmmmm~ now that make me a bit envy that he know you well and for a long time already." Yuuna said with a pout.
"Hehehe~ It's alright, Yuuna-san. You will be with him too from now on and I will tell you about him too if you want. And please tell me about him too inside the game." Sugu said to her.
"Un! I will tell you everything I know about him inside the game." Yuuna nodded and smile cheerfully too.
"Ah! That's right, Yuuna-san. Is there another girl besides you?" Sugu asked Yuuna again.
"Hmmm~ I think there's one, but it's like Nao-kun hasn't realized it yet last time I see her." Yuuna said after remember about Asuna.
"Sigh~ I see. It's really can't be helped if we talk about him." Sugu said after sighing.
"Fufufu~ That's right. But after careful thinking, I think she really love him too you know." Yuuna said again.
"Who is she?" Sugu asked about her.
"Her name was Asuna, but I don't know her real name." She answer Sugu and tell her about Asuna.
"He~~ Asuna, huh. How is she?"
"Well, she is ...."
The atmosphere inside the room changed again drastically from the awkward one become a cheerful "girls talk" one.
The others inside the room unconsciously smiled looking how cheerful they are talking about the man they love. But the smile become a wry smile in the end because the two girls didn't realize that they are still there, but the two treat them like a statues.
The parents ones also feel happy too at first looking how cheerful they are, but feel conflicted too at the same time. They love the same man after all and decide to share him together. On top of that, there's another one too besides this two. All of their lips twitched thinking about it.
They then remember Sugu's words about she want to make Nao the cruel one, so they decide to blame all of things to this hateful guy who seduce their cute little angels.
The two keep talking about may things cheerfully and didn't realize the other at all, until the doctor said something that make them jolted.
"Sebastian-san, I think it's the time." The doctor said make the two girls jolted and turn their head to the source of the voice.
The two widened their eyes after finally realize that their family and the other was still there. The two looked down at the ground with red face like tomato and want to find a hole to hide themself, remember what kind of conversation they had before.
Kikuoka chuckled with the doctor and some nurse while the others could smile wryly and shook their head.
Remember that embarrassing moment again make Yuuna, who walked through the corridor red-faced again and cover her face with the flowers she hold.
After some time, she finally arrived at Nao's room and slide opened the door.
"Excuse me." Yuuna said while the door was opened.
"Yuuna-san!" Sugu who inside the room greet her right away.
"You here already, Sugu-chan? Where's Sebas-san?" Yuuna said and entered the room.
"He said has something to do and leave the hospital for a while." Sugu said to her.
"I see." Yuuna nodded simply.
She then replace the flower inside the vase with the new one she brought and change the water too. She then put the vase on its place again before and sat with Sugu beside the bed.
It's been almost two months already since then and Yuuna already back to normal again. She trapped inside the game just for about eleven months, so her therapy wasn't that long. Sebas use his magic too on top of that, make her to recover much faster.
The two would always chat about many things every time they met. Suguha was a very cheerful girl to begin with, so talk with her wasn't that hard and Yuuna was a really good in reading the mood make the two become very close soon.
Like right now, they would converse cheerfully about many things, didn't realizing that the guy who laying on the bed listen to their conversation sometimes.
Nao, who right now in a small hamlet on the 55th Floor, close his eyes to listen Yuuna and Sugu's conversation instead rather than to listen an overly long story, full of useless details, told by the elder NPC in front of him.
He was in this place to take a quest about a dragon in this floor, but because the elder who give the quest keep talking a very long buls***, he decide to listen to regain a bit of his control about his body and listen to the two conversation.
After a very very long long looooong time talking, the elder finally mention about the dragon and give Nao the quest.
"Sigh~~~ What a troublesome thing to start a quest." He said and turn around to leave after receive the quest.
He ran with haku flying beside him to the West Mountain.
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West Mountain, 55th Floor.
Nao walked on the snow-covered mountain-road with Hakau on his head. The temperature was very cold around here, make Nao's [Cold Resistance] upgraded again and again.
To begin with, his avatar was a game base body, connected to the brain by the nervegear through the nerve system. It's not directly linked to the soul and has nothing to do with it.
So even though his [Cold Resistance] upgraded again and again, the effect it given to or the upgraded part was the real body, which connected directly to the soul.
All about the avatar in the game determined by the level and parameter's value.
Like how the skills works, even if Nao exercise a skill movement madly, but didn't have the [Skill] in his skill-slot, the avatar won't get stronger. The movement won't be counted as a skill by the system either and won't inflict the proper damage in the end.
That's why even though the [Cold Resistance] upgraded again and again, the one which upgraded by the [Extreme Super Growth] was the real body and not the avatar in the game.
It's the same for the other receptors related things, like heat or pain for example if there wasn't a pain absorber system in the game.
Even if the [Heat or Pain Resistance] upgraded continuously, the brain will always receive the information about it, because the information is sent by the nervegear to the brain through the nerve system. Not from the receptors of the real body which upgraded by the [Extreme Super Growth] skill after experience the senses.
After all, pain, cold, heat and so on, comes from receptors in the human body, so the upgraded part was the body. Not like mental based resistance which comes from the mind, so the upgraded part was the mind which was inside the soul itself.
That's why come to a place with extreme environment, like this mountain, give Nao a bit of benefit.
"My [Cold Resistance] was upgraded several times already just now. I think with my current [Cold Resistance], swimming with penguins in Antarctica, with only a trunks as the only equipment won't be a problem at all right now." Nao said while smiled wryly.
He shook his head after that and continue his journey.
The current front line was at this 55th floor and when Nao heard about white dragon with a rare material as the drop item, Nao remember that this dragon was the one Kirito and Liz would encounter in the future. So he come to this mountain looking for the material and use it to upgrade his Myouhou Muramasa.
Some elite parties from a few clearers guild already comes here before and defeat the dragon, but they didn't get any useful item in the end.
The dragon dropped only a small quantity of Cor and some poor-quality equipment after it's killed. So some start to thinks that they need to bring along someone with high enough proficiency with forging skill to get some useful drops, considering the place filled with crystals everywhere, so the drop would has something to do with forging material.
They didn't wrong about the material part, but a bit wrong or didn't had the information yet about how to get the material part.
Nao knew that to get the material, one needn't to kill the dragon. They only need to go to its nest and look for its shi- *cough*... excrement. Though Nao still not sure about the "Need someone with high enough proficiency with forging skill" part because Kirito come here with Lizbeth.
There is no Job-system to begin with in SAO, so basically there's no blacksmith category in it too. That's why Nao unsure the necessary of a "blacksmith" to obtain the material.
In SAO, there's only skill-system, so someone who usually called "blacksmith", like Lizbeth, was someone who mainly learn some support skill like [Slash Weapon Forging], [Thrust Weapon Forging], [Blunt Weapon Forging], [Light Metal Armor Forging], [Metal Equipment Repairing], [Metal Refining] etc. as their skill set.
Every player in SAO have two initial slots skill at level one. There'll be additional slots afterwards and become five slots skill at level twenty. After they have five slots at level twenty, there'll be an additional slot every ten level. So the skills a player could learn was limited.
Nao's current level was 89, so he only has 11 slot skills with him now and need only one level to make it 12 slots.
A skill could be removed from the slot, but once it removed from the slots, the proficiency would be reseted to zero even if it has already completed or reach level 1,000. A player need a special item to store the skill if they didn't want the removed skill reseted to zero.
Nao has many skill himself and he couldn't use all of it with only eleven slots. He need to store some of it with the special item, Crystal Bottle of Kales'Oh, so that the skill proficiency not reseted when removed from the slot. Almost all of his skill already reach 1,000 after all, so he would be damned if its reseted to zero again.
Many of this skill learned too by the [Extreme Super Growth] skill, not only the fighting related skill like [Acrobatics], [Parry], his [Katana] skill or [One-handed Curved Blade] etc. but also the support skill like his [Familiar Communication] to communicate with Haku, [Searching], [Hiding] and even forging skill like [Metal Refining] when he tries it, was learned too.
He didn't know what this skill would be in the real world. Is the [Familiar Communication] would enable him to communicate with animals or something? He is unsure either with some forging skills he learned here because the process vastly and far far away different from the process in the real world.
It's basically a game after all, so the process was also very game-like. Click some button, heat the ingot, a few hit with hammer and it's done.
But Nao didn't think too much about it, especially with the forging and creation ones. He has [Imagination Creation Magic] after all, so if he want to create a weapon or something, he only need to create it with his magic using his imagination.
He learned the [Tools Appraisal] and [Equipment Appraisal] too, but what learned by the [Extreme Super Growth] skill wasn't [Appraisal], it's [Assessment] instead.
Nao unsure why, but he guess that it won't be game-like things when he use it in the real world. It'll be more like increase his keen to assess something and not like to suddenly a window about the items pops up out of nowhere. That skill was failed to be created even with the [world energy] which killed him after all, so he doesn't think that it'll be learned that easily.
Nao has some theory about that. He guess that it has something to do with the information it needed. It need all the information, even all knowledge about all things from the most little things to the biggest one. Not only about the already exist and created one, but also one that doesn't exist yet and hasn't created yet.
That was a skill which enable one to know about anything after all, so it'll be like a universe scale library. Information about all things from all universe was there and one only need to touch or see the thing and information about that would pops-up from the library.
He couldn't help but recalled about a novel from his previous world when think about it. Nao think that even that amazing library need the one who has it to flip a book or touch something to get the information. So it'll more hard for him to suddenly has an information about all things out of nowhere.
Maybe the appraisal was the simple version of that library? Nao thought.
Nao shook his head in the end and continue the journey to the dragon nest with Haku on his head.
Soon, he arrived at the border of the area and could see many sharp crystals around.
"Here we are." Nao said while looking around.
He spread his Sixth Sense and could see in his black and white vision the dragon was there. He then look at the time and it show 05.49 PM.
"If my memory serve me correctly, the dragon would leave its nest at night. It said to be nocturnal after all. Should I wait or Kill it?" Nao thought.
"Well, lets wait a bit then." Nao said and sat down to hide from the dragon perception.
Nao didn't feel to fight right now, so he would just wait until it leave the nest and take the item.
He wave his hand and the window pops-up. He click on the skill and his skill slot appeared. He scroll down and found the [Metal Refining] skill which was already added to the slot. Because it has something to do with material, he think the [Metal Refining] one would be suffice.
"I hope the requirement to bring a "Blacksmith" was wrong. If it indeed that a "Blacksmith" was needed, then I hope with adding the [Metal Refining] skill to my slot would be enough. There's no job-system in SAO to begin with, so it must be enough." Nao said and scroll down again the skill-slot.
He then stopped at a one skill and checked its proficiency.
"It's still 784, huh. Well, I acquired it just recently so its quite normal." Nao said while looking at its properties.
"But still, as expected from a Unique Skill. It has really a generous bonus with it, especially this attack speed." Nao said after looking at the properties of the skill and see that his attack speed would be doubled with this Unique skill.
After wondering for a long time about the possibility he acquire the [Dual Blade] unique skill because of his reacion speed, he finally get the answer after got this unique skill and unlock it recently.
His unique skill wasn't the [Dual Blade] which Kirito would get. Or he should already get it right now? Nao thought. He didn't know after all when exactly did he get it, but he already got his now and already unlocked it not too long ago.
He's right in the end that the [Dual Blade] unique skill more suitable to someone who use one handed sword in each hand. Not a katana user which basically was a two-handed sword.
His unique skill called [Battoujutsu], which basically an art in drawing a katana as fast as possible from the saya to attack enemy.
It's a speed inclined attack but has great damage bonus too as a unique skill.
One of its moves was, as the name said, an Iai technique. It's only one-hit move, but has the same damage with the other move.
"Though it's really a great skill, I still couldn't use it with two katana at the same time. It can't be helped for Iai, but for the others, I think I need to complete the proficiency of the skill first."Nao thought while pinching his chin.
"I will be able to use it without a problem if it's my real body though." Nao said and subconsciously touch one pf his katana with his left hand.
He looked down at the katana and smiled slightly.
Nao still has two katana on his wait. But one of it was different from the previous one.
One of the two was his previous katana, Myouhou Muramasa and the other one was his new acquired katana, Mikazuki.
"Mikazuki, The Crescent Moon, huh. Well, it's more curved than Myouhou Muramasa and Kogarasumaru. It's indeed looks like a crescent moon. Its tsuba has a shape of three crescent moon too." Nao thought about the katana's name.
Mikazuki was more curved than his previous katanas, make it more easy and fast to draw. Really compatible with Iai-like technique which the attack was executed as soon as the katana was unsheated.
It has yellow cord on its tsuka and has golden tsuba in a shape of three crescent moon as the hand guard. Its saya has wrapping too on the base with the same wrapping and color like its tsuka.
Nao got this katana from a drop after the capture group manage to defeat the 50th floor boss.
Like the first quarter floors at the 25th floor which ended with many casualty, as the half threshold of the entire Aincrad, the 50th floor has a very ridiculously formidable boss as its guard.
The boss was a Six-armed metallic Buddha statue. It has six arms as it name said and consisted by metallic material, make it ridiculously had a very hard defense.
It's onslaught was like a torrent with its six arms, unceasingly attack any player who close to it.
At the first of the battle, Nao intended to share the aggro with the others and won't dominate the fight. But he throw away that plan as soon as he realize how horrible the battle become after just about ten minutes. It would be a slaughter if its continue like the 25th floor boss battle.
Nao take a deep breath and readied the both katana in his hands, he fully focused all of his attention to the boss and dash at the boss.
It spotted the new player who dashed at it and made an attack with its palm. Nao's prediction could see the near future so he know what would happen, but still he evade it just barely. It's so fast! If he hasn't the prediction with him, he would be throw away with that palm attack like the others before.
The attack hit the ground with a loud bang! and the dust scattered all around. Nao continue to ran at it and ready to attack, but even before Nao could move, his prediction and instinct scream inside his mind, so he stopped his intention to attack and dodge.
The attack come right after that from its another arms and the dust scattered all around again.
Knowing it'll be a gamble to neared it, he concentrate all his mind to the boss and directed all his prediction to its movement and stop calculate the other player.
He decide to just concentrate with the boss movement. Its speed attack was very frightening, so Nao need his full attention on it. He would pull its aggro and let the other adjust the rhythm themself. It's too hard for him with his speed right now to do the two things at the same time. His speed not fast enough yet for now.
Nao then readied his katana again and concentrate only with the boss.
The boss attack to many place with its arms, Now!!
Nao dash as fast as he can to reach the boss while the chance was still there. He soon reach it and after evade its attacks while ran, he use a heavy slash not only to attack it, but to knock it back too.
Asuna know what he want to do and made her move too and attack it as fast as she could. Kirito didn't wast any time too, he know Nao won't back soon after Asuna's attack ended, so he attack too and while Nao and the boss start to regain their balance, he readied his stance to parry its next attack after regain its balance to knock it back again.
The others see what kirito did and start to move too.
Agil readied his axe and its start to glow ready to face the boss attack. Heathcliff step forward too readied his shield to collided it with the boss attack. The other readied their stance too, this one attack after its knocked back wouldn't an easy one after all.
The boss readied its six arms and attack all the player with it. All the players weapon was ready too and two side collided with a loud sound after the collision and the boss knocked back again.
Nao finally ready and regain his balance again.
Just now, he create an opening first and knocked it by himself and he repelled, Asuna then attack it to make its state of knocked back last longer. Kirito did the same thing too to give Nao more time to regain his balance because he know he want to start to pull its aggro from now on. He need space and time as an opening to do it and the other player give him the second opening.
He sprint to neared the boss again and execute his attack. Right to left then use the inertia from the attack to spin and slash his other katana. Make two slash with his right one and make a scissor cut in the end. He slash again, again and again with incredible speed make him inflict the most damage to the boss and its aggro fully attracted to him when the boss regain its balance.
After that the contest of onslaught between Nao and the boss officially begin. One with six arms while the other with two katana.
The other adjust their rhythm with the two who exchange blow with each other. Beside they didn't want to disturb the flow, they didn't dare to make a mistake either. One wrong mistake and an attack from the boss or from Nao would land on them instead.
Nao didn't use his prediction on the other player at all now, he just concentrate to evade then counter, parry then counter, attack and attack to maintain his attack on it. Keep his damage rate on it remain the most inflicted than the other player.
He ordered Haku to ready anytime. He only ordered Haku to only use heal and stun from time to time. He want to prepare the paralysis for the direst situation which might come next.
Fight with something who has six arms and also has higher parameter on top of that was a very tired thing for him. His Sixth Sense scream the entire fight.
It's a very tight fight. Its six arms had both strength and speed, he really felt surrounded from all sides without nowhere to go and could only push himself to the limit to concentrate more.
Long time passed and Nao feel more and more suffocated with all the torrent-like attack from its six arms. He grit his teeth and decide to gamble everything. They couldn't stay like this all the time. It'll very dire when it in the berserker mode even if they could drain its HP bit by bit.
'I must cut off the hand. Let's bet all I had on it and break the flow a bit.' Nao thought while still in the air, evade and and counter at the same time.
"Haku!!!" Nao said to it and it fly toward him ready with healing flame.
Nao readied his two katana to cut off one of its arms. But it would be a dire bet if he calculate wrongly.
He push to the limit his prediction and could see clearly where the attack exactly would land, but he didn't try to parry it to knocked it back. He want to cut off its arms when its extended towards him.
He ready and the attack finally come. He readied his two katana and move a bit to the side and while spinning, he swing the katana with all his might to cut it off. He swing with all his might, and.... one of its arms cut off, it just has five arms now.
It works, one of its arms was cut off, but Nao become vulnerable after doing the full power swing and his sixth sense scream, he grit his teeth and want to parry it. He know that in his state right now, he would get hit mercilessly and throw away, but the boss would be knocked back too. So Nao brace himself and readied his katanas.
The attack come and Nao launch his attack. Two attack collided loudly. Two katanas meet with multiple arms and the collision make Nao feels his arms would break.
'Sh**!!! It's heavy!!!!!!!' Nao scream inside his mind.
The boss knocked back but Nao too. No, Nao wasn't knocked back, he throw like a doll and without a doubt will hit the ground hardly.
"NAO-KUN!!!!!!"
""""NAO!!!"""
His friends was frightened, but Nao only shout at them as a replay.
"SWITCH!!!!!!!!" Nao shout on top of his lung and hit the ground hardly after that.
The other know what he meant. He knocked the boss back and the next was their job.
Asuna grit her teeth and grip her rapier tightly. She attack the knocked back enemy with hatred and tears in her eyes. She choose to believe the man she loved and attack the boss madly.
Kirito, Klein, Agil and the others too attack the boss again. He willingly get hit and in dire situation to cut one of its arms, he even knocked it back so they could continue the assault and make its knocked back state last longer. They won't let this chance he laboriously create for them by wagering his own life on it ended in vain.
Haku flying fast and shoot its healing flame and then the flame engulf Nao's body completely, slowly recovered his HP to the yellow. Nao hurriedly take out healing crystals and use it.
"Heal!!" He said and the crystal scattered.
He dash again at the boss didn't look at his HP bar at all which slowly recovering.
When he neared the boss, the other make it in a state of knocked back again and Nao switch with them quickly.
He do the same thing from before, inflict as much damage as possible and pull its aggro again. Nao exchange blows after blows again with it and the other drain its HP while evade and parry its attack which some time still directed at them.
The battle last for a long time and Nao do the same thing again and again to cut off its arms one by one, throw away again and again and Haku would fly at him to recover his HP. When the boss hasn't knocked back yet when Nao done, Haku would be the one who make an opening with stun, though wasn't too long, it's enough to Nao to engage with the battle again.
Three of its arms already cut off when its HP hit the red mark and the boss change to its berserk mode.
Its berserk mode was very ruthless and five player death at once because of it.
All of them brace themself and continue and Nao exchange blows and slash again with it until it finally hit its limit and the boss finally defeated.
No one cheers. All of them laying on the ground like a broken doll. The fatigue from the battle was very tense for them.
Asuna turn around as soon as the battle ended and looking for Nao.
She looking around and spotted him finally at the center of the boss room sat on the ground panting heavily. His HP was red even after Haku shoot its healing flame. He was in the middle of the onslaught the entire fight even when the boss in berserk mode. It's a miracle that he still alive after the crazy berserk mode.
She ran at him, then hug him tightly make Nao very surprised. He blink his eyes several time and sigh with a little smile on his face in the end.
He caressed her hair gently. He knew she was crying, so he let her be and bury her face on his chest.
He ignored the ridiculous eyes of the others around them. He didn't care at all at them.
Kirito, Klein and Agil could only smile wryly and sigh in the end.
All of them then slowly recovered from the mental fatigue from the battle and start to check what they got from this bloody battle. From the smile of their face, it's easy to said that the reward was quite handsome. It could be said to be a special floor after all and the boss also ridiculously very formidable.
After some time, they started to get up and go to the 51st floor.
The floor slowly become more and more quiet caused by the lack of people who one by one leave the boss room.
Asuna finally calm herself down and stop crying.
"It's impossible asked you to stop doing dangerous like that again, right?" She said softly.
"Un..." Nao just nodded and respond slowly.
"Then I will just believe in you from now on. But at least, give me a right to feel worried about you and just let me like this to calm myself down from my anxiety and worry." She said again and bury her face on his chest more deeply.
'A right to worry, huh.' Nao said inside his mind. Nao knew very well how unbearable it was to feel worried about someone, especially the one you loved.
".... Un." Nao silent for a moment and nodded in the end.
"Un..." Asuna nodded too and hug him gently.
'If her attempt to forget about her feeling at me failed, huh.' Nao said inside his mind remember his conversation with Kirito before. He then sigh in the end and caressed her hair again.
They remain like that until player who left on the boss room was only them and their friends like Kirito, Klein, Agil and the fuurinkazan.
Asuna finally let him go after some time.
"Feel better?" Nao said while smile at her.
"Un!" Asuna nodded and sat beside him.
Nao check his loot from the raid after that and Asuna did the same beside him. Nao scroll down the item list and surprised when he look at the items he got.
"Huh?" Nao subconsciously let out a voice of surprise from his mouth.
Asuna turn her head when she heard that and asked him.
"What's wrong Nao-kun?"
Before he could wakes up from the surprised state and answer her question, Agil and the other come at him.
"Sigh~ Doing that kind of gamble and bet your live on it when fight a crazy boss like that to cut off its arms was an insane thing, you know that? Just a bit of mistake and you will die for sure, and you even do it three times on top of that." Agil said with helpless look.
"That's right, it's too risky you know?" Klein said too.
"Well, I know that. But I had Haku with me and it's works at least." Nao said while looking at them while smiled slightly.
"Sigh~ Just because its works, it's still too risky." Kirito said to him after sighing. It's pointless to change his mind though. Kirito said inside. He knew Nao well after all.
"Well, It cant be helped. You see yourself at the last moment, right. We barely manage to make it out even after its three arms already cutted off." Nao said while sighing in the end.
"Well, you are right, though. But still....." Kirito said and decide to give up to to convince him, then sighing.
"Rather than that, I had something for you." Nao said and take out the item from his item storage.
It's a black one-handed sword and Nao throw it at Kirito. Kirito catch it and check it.
"Elucidator?" He said while read its name.
Then he continue with its properties and surprised.
"O-oi Nao, this is?" He asked Nao again.
"That's drop item from the boss just now. I don't need a one-handed sword, so it's for you." Nao said simply make all of them surprised.
"Is it alright? I mean you could melt it and use the ingot to forge a katana." Kirito said again.
"You needn't to worry about that. I got a nice katana too after all." Nao said simply.
"AGAIN!??!?!!!" Klein couldn't believe he got a new katana again.
Nao hold his urge to laugh and take the new acquired katana out.
"Yep It's a very great one." Nao said with a sly smile on his face while looking at Klein.
Klein kneeled on the ground looking at the new katana. It has a golden tsuba, with beautiful wrapping on its tsuka and its saya has crescent moon-like pattern through its surface. It's really a beautiful katana.
"Sh**!!!!!!!!!! Why always you!!!!!!!!" He screaming in frustration in the end make all of them chuckled a bit.
"Like I said. It's about the Bushidou. Yours isn't enough so your luck with the katana was poor too." Nao said with a little chuckle.
"Shut it!!!!! Oh!!! Wait a minute... That's right! Because you acquired the new one, give me, no I'll buy the other one." Klein said and neared at Nao.
"No way. Katana was a Bushi's life and soul. Not for sale." Nao said while cross his hand.
"Ah, come on..... na na It's fine, right. you give kirito a sword. So give me your other one katana too." Klein neared Nao again and hold his shoulder.
"Too close, too close.... let go of me..."
"come on na na...."
"I said let go of me...."
"Come on... give me one too....."
"Where do you think you put your hand at?!!?!... I said...."
"Na na na na come on, Nao-kun....."
"Don't call me with that tone.... and let go of me ,,,,, too close..... too close....."
The other could only shook their head looking at the two like that. One was very persistent and the other didn't budge either. They quarreling for some time, Nao couldn't resist him anymore. He sigh and give up in the end, then finally give Klein his other katana, Ookanehira.
"What a persistent guy. Sigh~" Nao sigh remember the event at that time and shook his head.
"But I never expected that Elucidator will be dropped to me. Is it because I inflict the most damage to the boss? I wonder. But at least I got Mikazuki along with it and I needn't the Elucidator too. Ah, right I got that mask too." Nao said and scroll down again his item list and found the mask.
It was an "Oni" mask with four long tusk from its mouth and two curved horn on its forehead. It has a very creepy face too. Nao looked at the mask in his hand and smile wryly.
"Is it a coincidence? Or Kayaba give this mask to me intentionally through item drop?" Nao said.
"I got a creepy "Oni" mask just after many player called me "Onigatana". To be a coincidence, the timing just too....., Mmm, But if I said that he intentionally given it to me, he can give me a few floors before the 50th." Nao pinch his chin again after think about it.
"Also, from what I know, the Cardinal system run itself without Kayaba's intervention at all after SAO become a death game. Well, he still has the game master authority, though." Nao thought.
"But if I look at it carefully, it's somehow looks like the 50th floor boss's face. So maybe it's just a coincidence and was a really item drop from the boss to begin with." Nao said after looking at the mask carefully.
"Well, at least it has very nice attribute on it, so I don't mind at all, especially the agility one. For the enhancement to the eyesight and better vision at night, I had my Sixth Sense, so it's not a big deal. Well, but it's still a nice item." Nao check its attribute and look at it while considering the benefit.
"Let's put this on from now on then. They already called me "Oni-gatana" too right now." Nao said while smile wryly and sigh in the end.
"Sigh~ Tough to be honest, I prefer the "Murasaki-gatana" than the Oni-gatana. I think it can't be helped and already too late right now. With this mask, let's become "Oni-gatana" then from now on." Nao said and put on the mask.
He didn't put on the mask even though it has very high attribute was because the "Oni-gatana" name the other player given to him. It isn't like he hate the name or something like that. He liked it and sounds cool in his opinion, but he like the "Murasaki-gatana" more and if he put the mask, he would be completely become "Oni-gatana" and the "Murasaki-gatana" was no more.
He look around after put on the mask and nodded. The attribute work well and Nao could feel the enhancement. He could see everything better than before and the agility boost make his body feel more easy to move.
Time passed slowly and finally the dragon leave its nest. Nao look at it through his mask and get up. He neared the nest and could see the hole in front of him.
"This is it." Nao said and prepare the rope.
He know that once he enter the hole, its nearly impossible to climb up again, so he prepare a very long rope and take it out of his item storage.
Tied one end of the rope to the crystal around the place, he then threw the other end of the rope into the hole. He look down into the hole and thanks to the enhancement to his eyesight from the mask, he could see the rope reach the bottom of the hole.
He grip the rope, he jump down into the hole and start to climb down with the rope after that.
Time passed and he could see the bottom. He then jumped down and his foot finally touch the bottom of the hole.
"It's really a large hole." Nao look around and walked to the center of the hole.
"Let's start digging the snow then, Haku." He said and start digging the snow.
After he digging the snow for some time, he finally found the ingot, not only one, but he found five of them after the digging session.
"Five, huh. Why is it this much? Just how much parties who come here to do this quest but failed to obtain this thing. There are still many places that I haven't digged out yet too, so maybe there are many more than these five. Well, it's a maybe, though." Nao thought unsure about the number.
"Well, let's bring the three of them. One for upgrade Myouhou Muramasa, the other one for enhance Mikazuki in the future. I can't upgrade Mikazuki after all." Nao said and throw away the other two material and looking at the two katana.
"Well, I wonder if there are another weapon out there which could always be upgraded like Myouhou Muramasa. I got it as a reward from a quest, triggered by an item I got as a drop item after soloing a boss after all. I get "cursed" too because of the quest on top of that." Nao thought about how special his Myouhou Muramasa.
Normally, a weapon could only be enhanced, not upgraded. If a weapon already reach its enhancement limit, it couldn't enhanced again and become an end product. So the wielder need to looking for a new powerful weapon on the upper floors or melted it into an ingot and use it to reforged a new weapon different from before.
But his katana, Myouhou Muramasa could not only enhanced, but also be upgraded again and again as long as the material's quality to upgrade it high enough. After it upgraded, the enhancement will be reseted again to zero but the properties it had would be increased.
He got Kogarasumaru from a drop after defeated the 47th floor boss, then he used a material dropped by the same boss to upgrade Myouhou Muramasa.
After the upgrade was done he checked the properties of the new upgraded one and surprised by the result. It has higher parameter than Kogarasumaru, an item dropped by a boss, the same boss he got the material to upgrade Myouhou Muramasa.
That was the first time he realized that maybe his Myouhou Muramasa would had higher quality too, than if he use the material to upgrade it to forge a new one.
The main reasons he always upgrade Muramasa than forge the new one with the material was because one of attributes it had, parrying which was quite high and very useful for a light type weapon like katana. He think that the parameter would be from the new material, but after that new found, he knew that some of the parameters from the old one was also added to the new one.
"And for the last one, .... Well, The dragon was still alive and it'll always respawn after some time even if it's killed. So Kirito and Lizbeth would still found the material in the end." Nao thought.
"Ah, that's right! One of my [Weapon Forging] proficiency was completed two weeks ago. The first weapon forged after completion, the system will certainly give the masterpiece. Should I try the new completed skill to forge something with this material?" Nao remember that one of his weapon forging skill finally reach level one-thousand or completed.
After he knew that there's an item which could be used to store a skill without losing its proficiency at the 3rd floor, Nao started to learn another skill without hesitation since then, like the forging skill. Every time he didn't sleep in the town, he would leveled up his non-combat skill, especially after he got the Myouhou Muramasa.
His katana was upgradeable weapon after all and Nao thought maybe no one had this kind of upgradeable weapon except him. So he rise his forging skill when he didn't sleep in the place where people won't see him.
He didn't want Kirito and Asuna know he could forge a weapon after all. The first reason was if they know he has high level of forging skill, there's a possibility that they would depend on him about weapon or equipment and won't ever meet with Lizbeth later.
And the second reason was with this kind of high level proficiency in forging, they would know that he never sleep at all considering Nao was a very ridiculously active clearers of the front line. He is a solo too on top of that, so the only possible thing he could still reach that kind of level in forging was he never sleep at all or have a very little time of sleep.
He always wait the front line to reach the more higher floor to sell the forged weapon to the middle and lower class player, so no active higher class players knew about his weapon. He didn't sell the forged weapon for the money and only because it's useless to store it in his item storage, so he didn't mind at all to sell it to the middle and lower level players.
Aside from had a very much time, he never lack of forging material too on top of that. He always got handsome drop from his fight even from boss raid battle because he was the most damage dealer in every fight. So his forging skill was fastly raised with the best material he used in every forging process.
He had a plan to completed the weapon forging skill more early before. He want to forge a dagger for Yuna at that time as the first weapon forged after completion will 100% be a masterpiece. But he finally get the dagger after the capture group defeat a boss as an item drop, so he postponed the completion plane for a while and rise it normally again.
He still could complete the skill much more early even with normal rate, but Yuna's "death" make his mood worse every time, so he didn't feel like to forge anything and only want to fight.
He continue the forging again just recently when he look how messy his item storage with many material. He didn't feel like to sell his rare material either, so he used it to level up his forging skill and stopped when it finally reach completion.
It'll be a waste after all to use the masterpiece bonus after completion just like that. So he save the bonus for later when he found a very good material to forge amazing weapon.
"But what kind of weapon should I forge? Should I forge a katana? But I had two amazing katana already now." Nao thought what kind of weapon should he forge.
He think for a while and remember something. He smiled slightly and decide the type of weapon he want to forge.
He then store the material and start to climb up the rope.
Soon, he finally reach the surface and manage to climbed out of the dragon's nest.
"Well, let's go back, Haku and forge a new weapon."
"Kyu~!"
Nao said and Haku replayed him immediately. He start to ran and leave the West Mountain.
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Nao finally arrive at the main settlement of the 55th floor after some time and teleport from there to the 22nd floor, to go back to his house. Yep he has a house now.
After Yuuna finally wakes up, he often to go to panareze at the 24th floor and the 22nd floor.
Panareze was the place where they knew each other for the first time and the 22nd floor was where they usually met to spent the time together.
The 22nd floor was a really calm floor and relatively safe because monsters only seldom appear within this floor. Yuna like this place so much because of that.
One day, Nao stroll around this floor and come to many place in here and he accidentally found the long forgotten house again after a very long time.
He really wondered how could no one purchase the house yet until now. But then he remembered about how sparsely populated this floor was with active players and the players in this floor won't even able to do the quest. Not to mention the price was very expensive even for the clearers.
To begin with, monsters only seldom appear within this floor and even the Labyrinth on this floor had a very mild difficulty. There's also no important quest in this floor, so almost all of active players had very little to no interest at all about this floor. So Nao thought that no one found the house because no players interested to explore this floor
If Yuna doesn't like this place so much, Nao won't come to this floor either to spent his time. Though Nao also think that this floor was indeed a very relaxing place.
The players who interested about this floor was only the fisherman, player who choose the [Fishing] skill, because there're many lake here. While the others was the wood carpenter, player who choose the [Lumber] skill, considering how large the forested area here. The low monsters population also the other reason for the both.
Nao finally purchase the log house in the end after considering about many things.
Actually, he already found the house a very long time ago, about at the time when the front line was still on this floor. He found a quest and the reward was a right to purchase the house, but he didn't purchase the house in the end.
The house indeed very expensive, but money isn't a problem for Nao considering how crazy he fight and hunt from the start. So he could purchase the house right away after he completed the quest and got the right to purchase it as the reward.
The reason he didn't purchase the house at that time was because he think that this house was where Kirito and Asuna would be live in later in the future. So he leave it just like that and forget about it as time passed.
Later he met with Yuna, fell in love with her and spent many time together with her. The both come to many place together and spend their time together and one of them was this floor.
The floor she like very much aside one of the isle around Panareze on the 24th floor, the place where they know each other for the first time. She likes the relaxing atmosphere of this 22nd floor very much and the very low population of monsters make her like it even more.
Nao then remember about the house at that time when Yuna said she liked the place so much. He had a plan to purchase it and live in there from then on together with Yuna. But he want to make it a surprise, so he want to purchase it when the special time come, like Christmas or new year.
'There're still many nice place out there for Kirito and Asuna to live in, so I'll purchase the house for Yuna instead. Sugu and Yuna was the first and I will think about the others later after that.' Nao thought at that time.
But before he purchased the house, Yuna ejected from the game and Nao forget about the house again as time passed for the second time.
He only remember about this house again after he found it accidentally when strolling around. He finally purchase the house in the end after considering Kirito and Asuna relationship now and many other things.
So he purchase the house and even make the interiors of the house very similar with his house in the real world. So that if Sugu or Kirito come here, they would be stunned at how similar it was with his house in the real world.
The carpenter could only stood still and dumbfounded too at that time.
Nao spent a crazy amount of cor just to alter the interior and make it like how he wanted. Even though the house not equipped with a waterwheel, because it wasn't what it designed-to-be to begin with, but Nao still added a little workshop to forge something.
Nao arrive at the teleport gate of the Corral village, the main settlement in this floor and walk on the pathway to go back to his house.
After about an hour walking on the pathway, Nao finally arrive at his house and take out the key. He entered the house after that and look around.
"Sigh~ Though I am glad that Yuna already fine outside, but still I couldn't help to think that if she still inside the game, she will greet me and said something like 'Welcome back~' every time I open this door." Nao sigh because no one greet him as soon as he comes back home and think it'll be Yuna who greet him if she's still here.
"Well, it can't be helped I guess." Nao said and walked towards his little workshop.
He unequipped his combat equipment and take out the Crystal Bottle of Kales'Oh which stored his recently completed [Weapon Forging] skill inside. He take out a new Crystal Bottle of Kales'Oh to store the skill he want to removed for a while while forging a new weapon.
He then remove one of the skill from the skill-slot and store it inside the bottle by exhaling it. The skill turned into liquid inside the bottle after the process was done.
After that, he store the bottle in his item storage and take the [Slash Weapon Forging] skill bottle, pulling out the stopper and inhale the liquid inside. The liquid turned into a light-like thing, inhaled and the skill added to the skill-slot along with its already completed proficiency.
His [Metal Refaining] skill was already in the slot, so he needn't to add it again.
He then turn on the furnace, take out the Crystallite Ingot and take all the necessary tools.
He operate the furnace and select the forging option. Then the type of weapon option pops-up next and Nao select the type of weapon he want to forge. He inserted the ingot into the furnace after that and it burned inside the furnace.
"Ah! I remember that when the clone examine the Cardinal system, he found that it could detect a special brain pattern and had the ability to imprint the data on many things, item included. Could I make the system imprint my brain pattern in this weapon too?" Nao thought after recalled about the clone Sebas made to infiltrate RECT Progress inc. during the development of ALO.
Cardinal system had that ability aside from its management process. It could detect unusual and special brain pattern and imprint it on many things even on the surrounding landscape to analyze it. This brain pattern detection had something to do with its monitoring systems which closely related with players mental state like happiness, sadness, loneliness and so on.
Knowing this, Nao close his eyes and imagined many thing. Thanks to his [Imagination Creation Magic], he could imagined anything clearly.
He imagined many things about happiness, joyfulness, and about hope at the same time. He didn't know if the system would detect his brain pattern and imprint it on the weapon he forged or not, but there's no harm about trying it anyway.
Time passed slowly and the ingot ready to be processed to the next step.
Nao opened his eyes slowly while still keep all the imagination on his mind and proceed the next step. He take the glowing ingot out of the furnace and put it on the anvil.
Hold the hammer in his hand, he hit the ingot with it while filled his feeling with the many image inside his mind. He hit the glowing ingot a few time until it finally start to change.
He then stopped when the ingot start to glowing more brightly and slowly take a shape of the weapon. The glowing light last for a while and finally Nao could see the weapon clearly.
It was a beautiful looking rapier with shiny silver blade edge and navy-blue pattern along its center of blade. It had mix of golden and blue colors as its beautiful guard color and hilt, with a blue crystal-like pummel as the base of the hilt.
"Well, at least in terms of appearance, no words could describe it other than beautiful." Nao thought after looking at its appearance.
"As expected from a masterpiece bonus from completion, huh." Nao said after that.
Nao want to forge a new rapier for Asuna after remember that she hasn't use the rapier like in the series yet. After all, he give Kirito the Elucidator and even give a katana to Klein, so he think about give her something too.
Nao knew about her feeling for him, rather he would be a very idiot guy if he still didn't know about all of it. After all, she more open lately if no one around in expressing her affection towards him.
"Well, let's check its properties then." Nao shook his head after thinking about it.
He then touch the rapier and made a gesture with his hand. soon after that, a window about its properties pops-up in front of him.
"Its name was Frozen Starlight, huh." Nao mumbled under his breath about the rapier's name.
"And its properties, ..." Nao said again and look at its other properties, but he stopped in the middle of his words.
He sat still there didn't move looking at the window and blinking his eyes several time. He looked again from up to the bottom at the rapier properties but still the same.
He then take out his katana, Mikazuki and unsheathed it from it saya, then he checked its properties besides the rapier.
He compare the both properties carefully and smile wryly in the end.
"How could it had higher parameter than Mikazuki? Though just slightly, but its agility is very high. Is it normal even for a masterpiece? It hasn't enhanced yet too on top of that." Nao said while shook his head.
"Should I forge a katana instead before and not rapier? hehehe~" Nao chuckled a bit looking at the rapier's properties again.
"Hehehe~ Well, let's just said it's her good luck, I guess." Nao said and put back his Mikazuki.
"Let's make the scabbard next." Nao said and put the rapier to the side.
He take out the materials needed to make the scabbard for the new rapier and also take the other Crystallite Ingot to upgrade his Myouhou Muramasa after make the scabbard.
The rapier's scabbard was blue in color too and also had the same motive with the rapier itself.
The new upgraded katana also completed and had more parameters than before. Nao also compare the new upgraded katana with the new rapier and the result was as expected. His katana had higher parameter, though not that far away. Though the rapier was a masterpiece and all, his katana was an extremely rare quest reward in the end.
After all finished, he then check the time and it's 11.46 PM already, so he decide to just give the rapier tomorrow morning and go to rest.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder