Grinding Levels [1] ~

"Listen to me. I'm going to get out of this city and head over to the next village. Come with me."

I told Klein as he was still pale, but when he heard my voice, he looked at me in a confused expression.

Then after some thoughts, he said to me nervously.

"But...But you know. I said before that I stood in line for ages with my friends to buy this game. They would have logged in and most likely they'd be in the plaza even now. I can't... go without them."

Even though he would not voice it out on me, I knew that he was probably hoping me to bring along his friends with him. If it was the Kirito from the original series, he would have already declined. But I'm not.

"Okay. But I need to go somewhere first you go gather your friends. I'll come back to you tomorrow, okay?"

I said to him. I was going to grind some levels tonight and I don't want some distractions. I have set up my intelligence higher so that my brain can handle more fatigue than a normal one could.

"Really!?"

Klein must have found it hard to believe but I just nodded at him. The earlier we can get out of here. The earlier we could be back to real life. Suguha must have been worried sick about me and also aunt as well.

I then looked at Klein who was still pale and I know that he must be afraid. I then thought of something and told him.

"I know that you're afraid and it is not to wrong to be. Fear is what makes us feel human. And fear can also be a driving force that will help us to survive."

(AN: I need some help upon this one as this will have a role in the next chapters. Please suggest some good ones that are appropriate for their situation.)

Hearing this, Klein then looked at me, even though his face was still pale but there was a burning fire in his eyes and I knew that he will be alright.

"See you tomorrow then Klein."

"Yes, Kirito. See you!!"

I then dashed towards to grassy field as with my stamina, I won't get exhausted no matter how much I want to. I will be hunting some monsters to help me level up, even though I could have just asked the system but it was like.

[Host can't use the system to increase your level directly or else the system will self destruct.]

I really don't know if this system is helping me or not. But no matter what, I still need to level up fast if I want to finish this game fast since it's not like I could just kill them all just to bring them back to the real world as no one would know what is happening in the real world.

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Currently, I am now far from the town so I am just looking for monsters to kill. I am currently level 6 because of my hunting with Klein earlier as we were not afraid to die as we knew that we would be resurrected.

In level 6 there will be three skill slots available and all of my skill slots are used.

The skills that I have chosen are.

[Dual Blades]

Since this was given to me at the start of the game because I am the one with the highest reaction speed and also, Kirito had it from the original series.

[Searching]

So that I could find monsters faster since I can perceive them in a distance now and this is also useful in tracking as I can track monsters just from their footsteps and all. And the last skill was,

[Extended Weight Limit]

With this skill on, I will not have to worry about carrying two swords all the time and I can also carry more if I want because all of these skills of mine are all mastered because it seems like my [Instant Mastery] was still active even here.

That means I can also learn other skills that are in the game and will still have them in real life. So before I settled for these three skills, I tried every skill available here and I will also look for more ways to gain skills.

Another thing that I have was the sword Yoru which was looking different from as it looks the same as the small sword which I got by default. I was not surprised because of this because when I saw that it had a unique effect called [Copy] and [Grow].

There was another one but it was still blank as if it needs to be unlocked but I didn't think much further of it for now. [Copy] will make Yoru copy the appearance of my other sword while [Grow] will make it stronger alongside me which is really good.

When I asked why he gave it to me, it just answered.

[Yoru, just followed host, on its own without the system's intervention. But the system will punish the host if he does something that would cross over the line.]

With this, I now have two small swords that are on my back of which one will grow while the other one will be thrown.

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{Asuna's POV)

I was very shocked at that sudden announcement that was made that I didn't even know where I am right now.

It was still very hard to believe that we would be trapped here. If I knew that we would be, I would have never played this game in the first place.

But there is no medicine for regrets and I can't do anything about it. I want to spend some time alone first so that I can think of what would I do. Although I am afraid, who will I depend on this game since I don't know anyone?

As I was walking through the back alley, I suddenly heard someone say these words.

"I know that you're afraid and it is not to wrong to be. Fear is what makes us feel human. And fear can also be a driving force that will help us to survive."

His words reflect what I was feeling right now that it feels like he was talking to me. When I looked at the one who was talking. I was shocked to find his appearance.

--How can he be this handsome!?

At first, I thought that it must be only his avatar but didn't everyone all changed back to their real appearances? So that means that it is his real appearance and he looks so handsome.

I might have not realized it but his face had more effect that his words to calming me and that was when this thought appeared on my head.

--I must follow him.

I don't know why but something inside me tells me that I should follow him. It's weird but why do I like this feeling?

Just as I was about to go out and ask him, I saw that he was no longer there, the only one left was the one whom he was talking to. But that boy was not there anymore.

I will ask this bandana guy where and who he is and I will not take no for an answer.