25 Chapter 25

The sun rising slowly, illuminate the world with its warm light to greet a new day.

The light of the morning sun entered the room through the window, and caressed Nao's face gently. Nao's eyes dazzled by the light, he covered it with his hand and slowly opened after a while.

"Morning already, huh." Nao mumbled under his breath.

He got up after he familiarized his eyes with the new day light, stretch all of him limbs and sigh blissfully.

"Got refreshed after sleeping feels really different from if I using the refreshing magic. There's an indescribable pleasure in it." Nao said and yawning after that.

Haku flying at him and landed on his lap as soon as he awakes. It's stretching its limbs and yawning too after that. Nao caressed its head gently and with a slight smile on his face, he greet it.

"Morning, Haku."

"Kyuu~!" It replied him and purring blissfully. Nao chuckled a bit looking at how cute this creature are.

He look around the room for a while and smiling slightly.

This room, like the other interior of this house, also altered when he bought the log house. He placed a few furniture inside, a king size bed for him to sleep and a little sofa with a table placed near the window of the balcony. It make the room really looks similar with his bedroom in the real world.

He take a deep breath before finally got up from the bed, then leave the room and get ready for the day.

He went to the kitchen right away want to cook something for the breakfast. He then take out his [cooking] skill which stored inside the crystal bottle. Its proficiency hasn't completed yet though, and hasn't very high proficiency either. But still, it's more than enough to make a simple dish.

He still raised the skill when he was at the lower floor, but after the food of the more upper floors get better and better, and he stopped to rent a residence, he never used the skill anymore since then. That's the reason its proficiency was quite low even amongst the uncompleted skills he had right now.

"What an irony to compare my cooking skill in this world and the real world." Nao sigh and shook his head.

His cooking skill was quite high actually if it's compared to the other players, even though only slightly higher. But if it's compared to his real world cooking skill.... Well, it simply can't be compared at all and it would be too unfair to compare the two.

The cooking process also very simple like how the forging skill and the other skill works. He even needn't to slice the ingredients himself at all. It'll be done with just by touched the ingredients with the knife and the ingredients will be automatically sliced, so all of the cooking process done in a jiffy and the dishes were ready.

He put the dishes on the table, take some berries out for Haku and eat their breakfast together.

After the breakfast was done, he went to his small workshop and took the sheathed rapier he forged yesterday, and store it in the item storage. He then put on his equipment and ready to go.

He leave the house and lock the door carefully.

The house was outside the village, so it isn't included into the [Area] effect of the village. That's why even if the monsters and players seldom come to this location, if there's any of them come to this place, they still could entered the house if it's unlocked and do whatever criminal code they wanted.

But if it's locked, it'll be fine because the house was counted as Nao's property, and was still an [Immortal Object], so no one could break the house or forcefully come into it after destroyed the locked door.

He walk down the pathway and went to the corral village's teleport gate and teleport to the front line at the 55th floor.

He walk slowly and enjoy the view around him. There's a big lake around, with some fisherman already do their activities on it. Nao could also seen the coniferous forest and a large grass plains along the way to the village.

He could finally reach the village after some time. He went straight to the teleport gate and want use it to teleport to the front line.

"Good morning, Nao-san."

But before he could reach the gate,he could heard someone greet him amicably from behind. He turn around to look who it was and could seen an elderly man stood there smiled amicably.

He appears to be in his 50s and holding a fishing rod in his hand. He wears a simple fisherman's outfit with a straw hat and wears metal rimmed glasses. He smiled amicably at Nao, so Nao replied him with a smile too on his face and greet him back.

"Good morning, Nishida-san." Nao greet him back.

The elderly man was a fisherman around here, Nishida. Nao meet him a few weeks ago when he learned the [Fishing] skill out of curiosity.

When the man suddenly approach him, Nao remember this elderly man from the story, and knew that he was an amiable man. So Nao didn't mind at all and just let him be even though he suddenly approach him and talk to him out of nowhere.

The man also kindly told Nao about the lake where he could rise the skill more efficiently after that, so Nao had quite a good impression about him.

When he learn the [Fishing] skill, the skill also learned by the [Extreme Growth Skill]. It makes him wondered about if he completed the skill, whether his catch rate in the real world would raised too or not.

Because of that, he start to raise his fishing skill proficiency from then on. He even deliberately taking time for it, make him often met Nishida around the lake.

"Ah! That's right. Thank you very much for telling me about the lake in the south. Thanks to that, I can raised my [Fishing] skill level more efficiently." Nao said and bow a bit at him.

"Ahahaha~ It's nothing at all, I tell you about the lake because you said you want to raise the skill. After all, the fishing skill was my only expertise in this game, so I am glad knowing that it could be a bit of help for you." Nishida said and smile amicably.

"By the way, how much it raised now?" Nishida ask Nao in the end.

"Ahaha~ it's only about 600 right now." Nao lied while scratched his head.

"Hooo~~ It's quite fast!!! At this rate, I think it won't be long for you to be able to catch something from the big lake too. hahaha~" Nishida very surprised about how fast his fishing skill raised.

"Ahahaha~ Well, I wonder about that." Nao said after laugh hollowly.

'What his reaction would be if I said it's over 800 already.' Nao said inside his mind and chuckled a bit.

There're many lake around the house, so he could seen from time to time, the fisherman fishing on it when he stroll around. After watching them fishing on the lake a few time, Nao think that it's very interesting and looks so fun, and want to try it himself.

After trying it himself, he really enjoy it when he manage to catch the fish himself. It's feel fun for him when the fish eat the bait and hooked. He never fishing after all in both life and this was his first time.

But he feel quite annoyed when he got nothing at all. So he raised its proficiency madly to raise its catch percentage.

He even raise it to the point he went to the lake at night and didn't go to the front line for a few days just to raise the [Fishing] skill proficiency.

"Ahahaha~ It's alright. Though I also wonder why that big lake had that kind of difficulty, but it'll be fine with enough proficiency, you know." Nishida said.

'It's caused by the big monster in it, right? I think he hasn't know about it yet, huh.' Nao thought inside.

"Then Nao-san, I need to go now. Have a nice day~." Nishida said with a smile at him and ready to leave.

"Yes, have a nice day for you too, Nishida-san. I hope you catch many fishes today.~" Nao said too at him.

"Ahaha~ Then." Nishida then bow a bit at him and leave after that.

Nao bow at him too and went straight to the teleport gate.

"Teleport: Granzam!" Nao said and the bluish light sphere start to engulf him.

The front line was on the 55th floor now, so he teleport to Granzam, the floor's main settlement. The KoB's headquarters was also in Granzam these days, so he need to go there to give the rapier.

He disappeared from the 22nd teleport gate and reappeared at the 55th floor's teleport gate soon after that.

He open his eyes and look around. Nao a bit surprised when he could seen there's a crowd of people when he arrive at the plaza.

'What happen?' Nao thought inside looking at the crowd.

He looked around and could see that there's a guy there, someone he know stood amongst them. He walk slowly at the crowd and neared the guy, who had a black one-handed sword on his back.

"O-oi! Look!"

"Oni-gatana!"

"Shh!!! Shut your mouth!"

As soon as a few of them spotted him, hushed voices could be heard right away from them. Nao sweatdropped with twitching lips at their reaction and could only sigh in the end.

Their reaction was a normal thing considering the many event about him already spread out. There's no one after all, amongst the clearers and active players who didn't know about him these days.

Rather than that, even if one never seen him in person, everyone must have heard about "Oni-gatana" at least once or twice from the others who ever seen him or know about him.

One of the two solo players of the foremost line, the one who single handedly defeat a group of parties from KoB and DDA. The only guy who called the "Devil" by the other clearers on the front line. All know about the "Devil" already these days.

The place was quieted down at once and no one dare to speak loudly when he come close to the crowd. They talk with hushed voice feel afraid to annoyed this "Devil" in front of them with their talk.

'Well, I know many called me "Oni", Devil. But isn't it only a title? Do you need to be that afraid of me?' Nao couldn't help but sigh inside helplessly.

When he close enough to the crowd, he could see that there's also a guy who's crying amongst them looking at him.

'And why are you crying? Is that necessary? Am I that scary? I haven't put the oni-mask yet, you know.' He said inside his mind.

He finally reach the man with a black one-handed sword on his back soon after that.

"Yo! It's really a rare thing to see you here this early these days." Kirito said to him.

It's a bit far from his house to the teleport gate after all, makes him never come to the front line early after he bought the house. He also never come too early before, so it's normal that he rarely seen this early on the front line.

But today, he want to give the rapier to Asuna, so he come more early today.

"Well, I have something to do, so I come early today. Rather, what's wrong with this crowd?" Nao asked him after that.

"Ah~, You know the guy over the...."

Kirito want to said something but stopped because suddenly, the guy from before, who was crying in the middle of the crowd ran at Nao.

"O-oi!!! What are you doing?" Nao asked surprised that the crying guy he saw before, suddenly come at him while crying and grip his clothes.

The others also surprised too. He even dared to approach that "Devil"? Is he that desperate? All of them thought at the same time.

"Let go o...."

"Please Oni-gatana-sama! Please help me!!!"

"Huh?!?" Nao startled, didn't know what happened.

'What's wrong with this guy? Rather, what is this "-sama" thing, stop it!!!' Nao thought.

He didn't know what's going on, so he look at Kirito beside him. But Kirito only shook his head after he saw the question look on his face.

Nao become more confused about that, so he could only sigh and look at the guy.

"What's this help you are talking about? First of all, let go of me and stop the "-sama" thing!!! And just call me Nao. Say what happened clearly and stop crying." Nao said and the guy nodded at him nervously. He let go of his grip on Nao's clothes after that and start to speaking.

"Ma-my name is Seiken, I am the guild leader of a little guild called Silver Flags from the middle level floor." The guy said after stopped crying.

Nao thought for a while trying to remember this guy, but couldn't remember anything about him or about his guild.

'Rather, he said from middle floor, right? What player from middle floor want from me?' Nao thought inside his mind.

"Then?" Nao asked the guy again.

"About five days ago, my guild got ambushed and attacked by an orange guild. All of my guild members were killed. The four of them were killed except me." The man said while grit his teeth.

Nao blink a few time after heard what he said.

'So, he cried not out of fear after seeing me? Well, it's obvious though. But still, PK, huh.' Nao thought and remembered about a guild he heard a few months ago. The first red guild, The Laughing Coffin finally appeared in SAO.

It's happened on the New Year's Eve a few months ago. The guild attacked a small guild that having a party in the field and killed all of the players. They didn't try to hide anything at all, so they obviously done it intentionally to make themselves known publicly.

Thanks to that, the news about them reached the main information providers in Aincrad on the next day after the incident happened, and the incident itself become the first murders by the red guild in SAO.

'Is it their doing?' Nao thought inside his mind.

"Well, put aside about having me to help you or not. First of all, let's change the location and tell me what happen there." Nao said after looking around.

It's not a nice place to talk about it after all. Too many people here and there's a possibility that there's a spy of the group who ambushed and killed all this guy's guild members amongst them.

Though a player with orange cursor still could enter the town and another place with [Area] effect on them, but the NPC guard will attack them as soon as they spotted. A player's HP won't decrease even a bit inside the [Area], but they still could be attacked and the armor still could be damaged.

The feeling of being attacked unceasingly, then thrown away again and again by the attack also wasn't a pleasant feeling. After all, the NPC guards won't ever stop to attacked them either until they get out of the [Area].

Also, no one know what the other green players would do to the orange player as soon as they spotted them inside the town. The most possible thing was that they would tied the orange player and sent them to the prison inside the black iron palace. So, no orange player had a courage to enter the [Area].

But they had a way to overcome the problem. They still need to get the supplies and informations from the towns after all. So usually, they had a green player amongst them who had a role as a spy to gather information and supplies from the towns.

That's the reason why Nao said that they need to change the place before they start to talk about it.

"Let's go." Nao said simply before turn around and leave the crowd. Kirito and the guy didn't said anything and followed behind his back quietly.

They went to a secluded area on the corner of the town, where no one could seen or heard their conversation. Nao double check the place again with his Sixth Sense and he know there's no one around.

He nodded slightly after that and looked at the guy.

"Now you could say what you want to say here." Nao said and guy nodded at him.

"Yes." The guy said and rearrange his mind to tell the two in front of him about what happened.

"It's happen before our party attacked by the orange guild, a few days before that, there's a woman who want to join in with our party to the hunting ground, and all of us accept her right away at that time." The guy start to tell the two.

"A woman?" Kirito ask.

"Yes. She's a red haired woman and her cursor also green. Her name was Rosalia." The guy said.

'Huh?!' Nao surprised a bit, remembered something from the story he knew when the guy start to talk and mention about the woman.

'A woman with red hair and her name was Rosalia?' Nao blinking his eyes several time while thought about that and clearly remember about it.

'Eh?!! Is it about that incident in the story?' Nao thought inside his mind.

The guy then continue his story and tell them that the woman's identity was actually the orange guild, Titan's Hand's leader. Her intention to join in with them was to targeted the party as their prey and rob them after waiting for the money and item gathered enough.

The guy also told them about how they suddenly ambushed on the 38th floor five days ago and continue about how his other party members, except him, were killed by them heartlessly. Helplessness anger could be seen clearly from his face make Kirito frown and clench his fist.

Nao glance at Kirito's reaction and told the guy to continue. The guy nodded and then told them about Rosalia's appearance along with her other guild's members after that.

'From this Rosalia woman's appearance and she's also a spear user on top of that. So it's really that incident, huh.' Nao thought and glance at Kirito again.

The guy's talks ended after that and Nao asked the guy in front of him about his intention straight to the point.

"Then, what do you want now?" Nao asked him.

"Do you want me to kill them for you?"

Nao said to the guy with cold tone, make not only the guy, but Kirito also stunned and looked at him. They could seen clearly in his eyes, a sharp glint which scared them to the core.

The guy and Kirito gulped and silent for a while before the man finally answer him.

"N-no I don't want that." He said and operate his window status and take an item out of it.

'Coridor Crystal? I see.' Nao thought after seeing the crystal.

"I used up all of my savings to buy this and had set the destination to the prison on the first floor. But I am not strong enough to defeat them and send them there, so..." The guy stopped his words and look at Nao instead with unsure look.

Nao know what he want and completed the sentence for him.

"You want me to send them to the prison?" Nao said and the guy nodded hopefully.

Nao sigh a bit and think carefully about it.

'Well, first of all, it's five days already since then and the location of the incident was at the 38th floor.'

'Normally it'll be a troublesome thing to went to every lower floor and looking for them, but I know the woman would appear in the forest of wandering at the 35th floor. So...' Nao thought inside.

The guy look at him hopefully. He know who the man in front of him clearly even if this is his first time seeing him in person.

A few of the middle and lower level player still come to the foremost line's floor from time to time after all. Though not to hunt, but just wander around the town and looking for any usseful information about the front line.

They often come from time to time, especially the one who want to be a part of the clearers one day. That's the reason why, even though most of the players never seen Nao in person, they still know the news about him.

All of Them knew about the guy who singlehandedly defeat a party from KoBin the labyrinth, and even torture one of them after that. They knew too about his fight with the DDA group on the Christmas Eve, and how he fight on every the subjugation battle from the talks of the other clearers.

They know every event about him on the front line, and even know about his love story with a girl who "died" at the 40th field dungeon, the famous "utachan".

There's fifteen people there after all when Nao punch Nautilus and said she was her woman. There're also many players who always could seen him at her every singing session before. Even though it's hard to find where utachan singing, he always could be seen there. There're also some of them ever seen the two hug each other dearly on top of that, so all of them know at once that the two was a lover.

In the end, the love story of Oni-gatana and utachan become public consumption after that.

They all know the love story about a guy with a beautiful singer girl, but ended with tragic death of the girl, and the guy become a "Devil" because of that.

To begin with, there's no entertainment at all in Aincrad, and this kind of story was an entertainment in itself, make the utachan and oni-gatana love story spread like wild fire on each floor.

Thanks to that, every players become aware about the reason of his attack to the KoB party and why he torture one of them.

His rivalry with the commander of the KoB make the guy from KoB's provoke him in the meeting, and ended with his frustration about utachan's death. They know that, all of it was the cause of the birth of Oni-gatana.

The devil who born from regret and longing, that was Oni-gatana for them.

Many players had many different reaction about it, but they agree with one conclusion why this guy become like that.

He just an empty shell and had no desire to life anymore. He didn't want to kill himself, so he looking for the death from the fight. That's why he become like that when fighting on the front line. That was what inside their mind and most of them agree with that notion.

But either way, even if many had many different reaction and all, but the most sure thing about him was that he made it until now because he was very strong. No one doubt about that and no one dare either to actually doubt about that.

That's also the reason when the guy heard from the hushed voice of players around that he was the oni-gatana, he believe that with his strength, he could send his guild members' killer to the prison easily. After all, he was the one who rumored to be as strong as the strongest player in SAO, Heathcliff.

But it's hard to meet with the KoB's commander, so when the other strongest player appeared in front of him, he think that it's the only chance he had.

He throw away all caution to the wind and asked him for help, because if he is willing to help him, the Titan's Hand was done for and all of them would be sent to the jail without a doubt.

That's why he really hoped that Nao would help him and look hopefully at Nao who still thinking about it.

'Should I go or.....' Nao thought and look at Kirito.

"What do you think about it?" Nao ask him finally make him raised his eyebrows.

"What I think about it?" Kirito said.

'Of course, the one who is supposed to go and caught them is you after all. It's your "Boy meets girl" moment with that loli, you know. Well, I won't say something like that, though.' Nao said inside his mind.

"Yeah, I want to know your opinion about this." Nao said to him with straight face to cover his real words.

Kirito think about it carefully and after some time thinking about that, he finally said.

"It's already five days since then, so the possibility they leave the 38th floor already was very high. It'll be a bit hard to looking for them." He said.

"Well, that's true. But as an orange guild who rob the other player, their aim was obviously money. The lower floors was NG, they won't get anything useful from that. The upper floor also NG, they aren't stupid enough to face the stronger party. And considering the troublesome "Bully" trait of the monsters on the 40th floor, the most possible range was 30 to 39, huh." Nao said to him and Kirito nodded agree with him.

"The silver flags guild attacked at the 38th floor so this Rosalia woman must be looking for the next pray right now. And the most guild usually had a base lower than their hunting ground, so they won't be on the 39th floor, but lower than 38th." Nao said again.

"This is the range, from 35 to 37 or 38. It'll be too long for them to go to the more lower floor than that just to looking for the prey. They could only move through labyrinth after all, though the Mid-boss and the boss already gone, it'll be too troublesome for them to move too far away just to looking for a prey." Nao conclude in the end.

Kirito pinch his chim to think about it and nodded.

"You are right. Considering the 35th floor main settlement was Mishe, then it's reasonable the most possible lowest range was there." Kirito mumbled thinking about it.

Nao let him be and didn't disturb him, while the guy who was the leader of the silver flags guild silently listen to their conversation. He glad that the two of them considering his request.

"So, what to do now?" Nao asked him after the long silent.

Kirito blinked his eyes several time while look at him. He didn't understand why he asking him about what to do? because the one being asked for help wasn't him, but Nao.

"Why you asking me?" Kirito asked him, confused.

'Of course because it's your destined encounter with the loli.' Nao said inside.

"Because it's too hard if it's me alone who do that. 35th to 38th was four entire floor, you know that? How many days do you think I'll need to spend just to looking for them?" Nao said and sigh after that.

"If you help me, maybe I'll do it. But if it's only me alone, then I'm sorry." Nao added in the end.

"Well, you are right. It's four entire floor, it's still too large to cover alone." Kirito said too and look at the guy.

The guy look at him with his pleading eyes make him hard to reject him. He give up finally and sigh in the end. He had the intention to help him anyway when he look how pitiful the guy was at the plaza.

"Let's help him then." Kirito nodded to the guy and make the guy really happy about that.

"Thank you very much." He thank Kirito and bow at him deeply.

"O-oi don't do that. It's fine." Kirito said and trying to make the guy stand straight again.

Nao finally sigh after finally Kirito accept the guy request. He then turn around to leave the place.

"W-wait, Nao! Where you want to go?" Kirito said after looking that Nao was ready to leave.

"I said I have something to do, remember? So I need to go, I am late already by the way." Nao said without stopping and keep walking.

"Then how about this matter?"

"Let's start it tomorrow at 38th floor first." Nao said.

Nao then turn around and face them again. He pointed at the guy in front of Kirito and said to him.

"Just give the Corridor Crystal to him." Nao said and pointed at Kiirito.

"Keep the crystal and let's meet up at the 38th floor teleport gate plaza. I will help you to catch them." Nao said to Kirito and ready to leave again.

The guy nodded and give the crystal to Kirito who was startled because of that.

"Why me? And Why it's you who are helping me here? Isn't it you, the one he asked about this help for?" Kirito complain finally at him.

"Hmm~~ But the one who accept the request was you." Nao said and pointed to him.

"What logic is that?!!" Kirito still didn't accept this.

"Of course my logic~." Nao said while smile coquettishly and wink at them.

Kirito's lips was twitched because of that, while the guy in front of him sweatdropped looking at it. Is he really the oni-gatana? He thought inside.

Nao turn around again and leave the two after that.

"O-oi, Nao!"

"Just send me a message if something happed. Let's meet up at the 38th tomorrow, and don't be late." Nao said still walking and wave his hand.

"Late? Who do you think you talking to? Yourself?" Krito said but Nao didn't answer him and only chuckled a bit without turning back.

Kirito could only sigh in the end when Nao's figure couldn't be seen anymore.

-----

After Nao leave Kirito and the guy, he went right away to the place Asuna told him to wait her at.

'Well, thought I believe she's already there and be the one who's waiting instead.' Nao said inside his mind while smile wryly.

He walk for a while and finally reach the place. Nao looked around looking for her and finally spotted Asuna sat on a bench near the fountain. He walked slowly at her and she also could seen him. She pouted at him make Nao smiled wryly at her.

'Well, it can't be helped if she annoyed. I am the one who want to see her but I am being the one who coming late. Ahahaha~' Nao said inside his mind and laugh hollowly.

He finally reach the bench where she sat on and she crossed her arms and look at him quietly. Nao know well what it mean, explanation.

"A~hahaha Well, ummm... sigh~ I am sorry I am late." Nao said apologetically at her with the most honest face he could do.

Asuna didn't said anything and remain like that for a while, but sigh in the end with helpless expression.

"Sigh~ Anyway, I know you'll be late, so I come 15 minutes behind time, but to think I still become the one who's waiting even after that." She said helplessly.

"Ahahaha~ I am sorry. Really I am." Nao apologize again at her.

"Mm~ mh, It's alright now. But still, I want to know the reason, not about the cat or anything. But the real reason." She said and demand him an explanation.

Nao then sigh slightly and sat down on the bench with her. She neared at him, wraps her left arms around his right arms and rest her head on his shoulder. There's no one here after all, so she express her feeling towards him more openly and more freely. Nao let her be and only smiled slightly at her.

"Then, what makes you coming late?" Asuna ask him again after a while.

"It has something to do with an orange guild." Nao said at her.

She surprised and raise her head to look at him worriedly. Nao know what she thinking inside her mind, so he smiled at her and pat her head.

"It's not me. You see when I arrive at the plaza just now, ..." Nao said and start to explain about what happened to her.

He told her about how he meet the guy who his guild members killed five days ago. About how he crying in the plaza looking for someone who could help him send the killers to the jail. Nao also told her what the guy told him about how the guild members ambushed at 38th floor, and finally robbed then killed after that.

Asuna was very shock after listen to what he told her. She close her mouth with her hand because of that. It's a murder case after all, not as simple as PK in a game anymore. Fright and shock could be seen from her face and widened eyes clearly.

Nao sigh looking at her reaction and gently hug her to calm her and make her relax. She hug him too and take a deep breath to calm down her mind. They remain like that until Asuna finally said something.

"Is it the same guild from a few month ago?" she said softly.

"No, it's different. This one called themself Titan's Hand and only had eight members in it." Nao said after shook his head.

"Titan's Hand." Asuna mumbled the name softly.

"I didn't understand at all." Asuna said again after that.

"Why they did something like that? It's not like they had a problem with the ones they killed, they did nothing to them, but they still killed them just like that. Why they did something like that." She said at him.

"Well, I wonder about that too. But maybe..."

Nao said and pause for a while to think more about what to say. Asuna look at him and waiting for what he want to said.

"Maybe it's the way they express themself or something like that." Nao said after pause for some time.

"Express themself?" Asuna ask him.

"Un! There's many restriction after all in the real world. You have to do many thing according to the flow, read the other and act accordingly. There's also many norm and rule you need to obey in the real world. And all of that sometime make you have to be someone else, become not you at all. Make you couldn't express your truest feeling and lied to yourself." Nao said.

Asuna listen to his words silently and didn't said anything. She just hug him gently and softly while listen to him.

"But this is a virtual world not the real world. They needn't to obey anything here and they could do anything they want to do. They could be anything and do everything freely without the real world norm."

"Many player did the same thing actually here. This is virtual world for them, not the real one. That's why, there's some player who sometime have really different personality from what he had in the real world. Because they restricted in the real world and can't do and can't be what they wanted." Nao said again.

Asuna remain silent even after Nao finished his words and didn't said anything. Nao let her and just caressing her hair gently. She closed her eyes and hug him more tightly after that. They remain like that for a while before Asuna finally said something.

"Because they want to express themself, they killed the others just like that?" Asuna asked again.

"They are the extreme case. After all, there's a scapegoat to blame all what they did to." Nao answer her.

"Scapegoat?" Asuna surprised and look at him.

"Normally they won't kill even if they express themself with the extreme way. They are had one thing that hold them back from killing after all." Nao said and look at her after that.

"I want to ask you something. Why you didn't want to kill someone?" Nao asked her finally.

Asuna very surprised because he suddenly ask her something like that. She looked at him unbelievingly and didn't said anything for a long time. She calmed herself down after a while and think about the answer.

"Because it's wrong to do that." She said finally.

Nao smiled slightly at her and asked again.

"But this is virtual world, not the real world. Norm about killing was the wrong thing didn't work here. This is the world mean to fight and of course, also to kill." Nao said while smiled at her.

"But still, that is a wrong thing to do here." Asuna said again.

"Then how about if they'll kill me if you don't kill them?" Nao asked her again.

Asuna want to refute him, but Nao tilt his head and smiled at her want her to answer. Looking at him like that, Asuna then said,

"Then..... I will kill them." She said finally.

"After hesitate for a while." Nao said while smiled at her.

"That's because...." Asuna want to refute him right away and tell him why he hesitated, but something stopped her.

His index and middle fingers poke her forehead gently and he keep them there. Asuna's heart strangely filled with indescribable feeling when he touch her forehead, but the most of them was happiness.

"That's your last restriction." Nao said and smiled gently at her while still touch her forehead.

"My last restriction?" Asuna asked him confusedly but did nothing about his fingers on her forehead. She feels strangly happy he touch her forehead.

"Un. The last restriction, guilty conscience." Nao said to her make her eyes opened widely.

Nao smiled at her reaction and take back his fingers from her forehead. She feel a bit sad when his touch leave her forehead, so he hug his arms gently instead. Nao chuckled looking at her act like that and pat her hair gently.

They remain like that for a while before Asuna ask him again.

"So, my final restriction was my guilty conscience?" Asuna ask him softly.

"Not only you most of the human being had it with them. I am not an exception either, as long as a human being still has their sanity and not a cold-blooded person or a psychopath, they'll have it with them." Nao said at her.

It's true. Even though he won't hesitate to kill, it'll be a big lie if he said that he didn't feel anything at all, like guilt, though slightly after doing that. After all, he is still a human who's born in the modern civilization in both life. the life he has now and the previous one.

"The first thing restrict someone to kill was the norm. It's wrong to kill someone. But norm still could be crushed, by the extreme anger for example. When someone filled with anger or even wrath, they won't care something like norm." Nao said to her and she listen to him attentively.

"And that's when the second restriction come forth." Nao said and smiled at her.

"Second restriction?" Asuna ask softly.

"Un! The law." Nao nodded at her and said after that. Asuna then nodded too understand what he mean.

"When someone ignore the norm, they would restricted by the law. He could do that, but the consequences was a free ticket to live in the jail from then on." Nao said.

"But then again, this is a virtual world. People won't care about a norm if they didn't want to and could throw it away at any time. There isn't something like law either in a game. There's a rule, but not cover everything and haven't the same effect with the law in the real world. So the last restriction was the one which could stop them from killing."

"The guilty conscience." Asuna said subconsciously and Nao nodded at her words.

"Even if they want to express themself extremely, their guilty conscience will stop them from killing. Like how they act at the early time of the game, even if they do whatever they want to do, like become bandit and rob the other player, it never ended with killing before." Nao said again.

"Then why they become like that right now?" Asuna look at him and ask.

"Of course because they could ignore the guilty conscience now." Nao said simply.

"So they simply become a cold-blooded person and psychopath?" Asuna said with a frown.

"Some of them indeed become like that after a few killing, but not all of them. Especially at the beginning." Nao correct her.

"Then how they could overcome the feeling of guilt?" Asuna asked him.

"They put the guilt on someone else." Nao simply said to her and smiled after that makes her startled, but then she think about it and widened her eyes in realization.

"Scapegoat you said earlier?!?! Could it be....." Asuna said in realization.

"Kayaba Akihiko." Nao said to complete her words.

Asuna finally understand why they did something like killing just like that. She didn't understand at first why they could did it like nothing at all, but now she understand everything right now.

"Even if they killed a player in the game, the one they killed was an avatar. Just a bunch of data and not a living things. There's nothing wrong to begin with about PK in this world, this is game after all. A place where you fight not only the monsters, but also another player. And even if this game become as simple as a game, what they killed was a bunch of data. Not a living things." Nao said again to her.

"But this is not a game anymore. If someone kill a player here, they would really died." Asuna refute him.

"If I kill someone here, is it also me who kill the one in the real world too?" Nao simply asked her.

"That was....." Asuna want to said something but stopped after thinking a bit and silence after that.

"That's right. The one who killed them was the microwave of the nervegear. And the one who created and designed it was Kayaba Akihiko. So the one who kill them was Kayaba Akihiko." Nao smiled at her after saying that words.

"But if they do not make the victim's HP zero to begin with, the nervegear won't kill the one in the real world right?" Asuna reason him again.

"But that was your perspective, not theirs." Nao simply make her couldn't refute him again.

She knew the meaning of his words clearly. Everyone had their own perspective, their own idea and their own opinion. Someone couldn't force an idea or an opinion to someone else just like that. Everyone had their own right to believe what they want to believe.

"This is a virtual world, a place someone could express themself freely because there's no norm or law which strong enough to restrict them. There's also someone who could be blamed about all things that happen inside here. So they could really do whatever they want, even kill without worry about anything."

"On top of that, no one would blame them even when this game finally cleared one day. Even if someone actually sue them about it, they had many alibis and claims, so it's useless in the end." Nao finally said in the end.

No one said anything afterwards and remain like that for a long time. Asuna still hugging Nao gently while Nao caressed her hair gently too.

After the long silent, Asuna finally said something.

"That's what their opinion. Then how about your opinion, Nao-kun?" Asuna asked him softly.

"My opinion, huh." Nao said her words and smiled a bit.

"Un! You could kill before but didn't do that. When you torture "him" especially, you could kill him out of rage at that time, right? But you didn't do that. Is it because your guilty conscience stop you from doing that?" she asked him.

"No." Nao said simply and smiled slightly.

"Then why?" Asuna was a bit confused now.

"Because I don't want to kill him. It's that simple." Nao said at her simply.

"To begin with, he isn't the one at fault about what happen to her. So I don't have the right to kill him because of what happen to her or blame him either. I just vent up my frustration at him at that time mainly because he's the one who provoke me not because he directly has something to do with the incident." Nao said while smiled slightly.

"The one at fault was me." Nao said in the end softly.

Asuna was surprised and looked at him. Nao simply smiled at her slightly make her heart gripped tightly again like when before the Christmas eve. So she hug him tightly immediately afraid that he would be like that time again.

"Sorry." She said softly and hug him more tightly.

"Mm~ mh, it's alright." Nao said and caressed her hair again more gently.

Asuna smile happily when he caressed her hair. They didn't said anything again after that and remain like that for a while.

Time passed slowly and they still remained like that without care about anything. What could be heard was only the sound of the water from the fountain around them, make the atmosphere become more and more peaceful for the both of them.

After like that for avery long time, Nao then remember about something he want to ask her for a long time. He then decided that he will ask her about that right now.

"Asuna?"

"Hm~?" Asuna respond simply.

"It's a fool question though, but I just want to ask you. You still like me right?" Nao asked her.

"Fufufufu, No! I don't like you anymore, you know." Asuna said after a bit chuckle.

"Huh?!" Nao startled at her answer and didn't know what to said.

"Fufufu, I don't like you anymore. I love you now. And I will always love you forever because I know that my attempt to forget about this feeling was simply impossible." Asuna said and hug him more tightly.

"The harder I try to forget about it, the feeling become more and more stronger than before instead. So I decide to give up and just honestly keep this feeling. I don't care if you reject me again, because I will always love you no matter what." She said again and smiled at him brightly.

Though Nao had already expected her answer, but to actually heard it himself feels really different. He stunned there after she said something like that. Her bright smile even after said something like he reject her makes him feel really sorry about that. He regret it very much now after heard her answer.

He calmed down his mind and hug her tightly. Asuna was a bit surprised at first, but then she smile happily after that.

"That's right. I always want to know about this, could I ask you this?" Nao said finally after a while.

"Um." Asuna nodded.

Nao take a deep breath slightly then ask the question.

"Why you love me? I mean, you know, there would be always a reason about anything right? Thought something like love was a bit hard and vague to describe, well, you see, I just want to know." Nao ask her but a bit unsure about the question himself.

Asuna chuckled a bit looking how he become a bit confused about his own question, but she know what he mean. He want to know why she has this feeling and all related to it. She smiled slightly again remember about that and hug him gently.

She didn't said anything for a while. And Nao let her be and just wait for her to be ready to talk about it.

She remain like that for a while, then answer him finally in the end.

"I started to like you since we arrive at Rovia." Asuna said while looking at him affectionately.

Nao was stunned when he heard about that. He didn't expected at all that it would be that long. It's at the 4th floor after all and he realize her feeling at more upper floor than that.

'Wai- what?!? Rovia?!!! Isn't that at the 4th floor? How could I didn't know she liked me at all at that time? Is she serious? She isn't lying right????' Nao thought inside couldn't believe what he heard at all.

Asuna chuckled when she could seen how surprised he was when she told him about it. It's looks so funny for her looking at his surprised look, so she decide to unravel more about it.

"I said it's when I start to like you, not when I start to interested in you." Asuna said with teasing smile.

"Huh?!?" Nao responded subconsciously with dumbfounded look, make Asuna feels more and more glad about telling him the truth because his reaction.

"I started to interested in you from the day when the first floor boss meeting was held." Asuna tell him again and Nao just quietly listen to her.

She smiled slightly remember about at that time and continue to tell him more about her feeling.

"When you met me and Kirito-kun around the forest at first floor, I remember you said that you miss the chance to play the game at beta test, right? But at the meeting, because Kirito-kun was one of them, you sided with them and defend them. I know right away at that time when looking at how strange Kirito-kun act. But because of that, people start to said that you are one of them. Even until now." Asuna said at him.

'Well, though indeed I feel a bit sorry for Kirito at that time, but the main reason was because the Kibaou guy was very annoying, you know.' Nao thought after heard what she said.

But he didn't said anything and let her continue her words. Asuna then look at him and said again.

"I know you aren't one of them, but you didn't try to deny it at all. Rather, you looks like didn't care even a bit about that. You ignore everything and didn't care at all about the people who hate you because of that." She said while poking his cheek with her finger.

"Not only about people's opinion, you also seem to be didn't care at all about the reality that you're trapped in here, about it become a death game and all about that. You strangely act normally and very usually without worry about anything." Asuna said while remembering his behavior at that time.

"Your strange indifferent and nonchalant demeanor was the ones which make me interested in you at that time. Only interested though, nothing more than that. But that interest in you make me always pay attention to you, and change that feeling become something else as time passed." Asuna finished her words and look at him again.

"I strangely feel safe around you. Looking at your back every time when the three of us fight together, always give me the feeling of security. You always protect me, protect Kirito when needed. You always help us at every given time too."

"Your Laodicean attitude about this death game, your lack of fright and worry everytime we fight, make me feel relax and couldn't help thinking, that everything's gonna be okay as long as you are around. I become strangely feel more and more safe around you as time passed." Asuna said and hug him gently while smiled warmly.

"I become more and more curious about you because of that, and finally, when we are on the gondola at Rovia, I couldn't hold back my curiosity anymore and ask you about that. Did you still remember what I asked you at that time?" Asuna ask him with a gentle smile on her face and poke his cheek a few times with her finger.

Nao become silent after she ask him in the end of her words.

'On the gondola at the Rovia, the 4th floor, huh.' Nao thought and trying to remember what happen at that time.

Nao silent for a while trying to remember what she asked him at that time. Asuna let him be and didn't saying anything. She calmly rest her head on his shoulder and waiting for him remember about that.

After some time, Nao finally remembered something. But he smiled wryly instead with twitching lips after remembered what she suddenly ask at that time.

Asuna chuckled a bit looking at his wry smile and said to him.

"Fufufu~ Remember about that?"

"Well, yeah. -Are you had a dense personality? like the type of person who is very slow to realize something?-, right?" Nao said with twitching lips and wry smile.

"Fufufufufu~~ Un! That's right." She said while chuckled cheerfully.

Nao could only sigh looking at how her reaction and pinch her cheek, make her pout and pinch his nose as a counter. Nao chuckled a bit at that and let her cheek go.

The three of them was on a gondola at that time in the Rovia. Nao could feel Asuna steal a glance fro time to time at him, but he just brush it off after thinking 'What's wrong with her?' and ignore it after that.

But after some time, Asuna finally look at him straight and Nao look at her too with question look on his face. And what she ask to him after that make not only Nao himself, but also Kirito to be surprised.

"Are you had a dense personality? like the type of person who is very slow to realize something?" Asuna asked him suddenly out of nowhere make him smiled wryly.

Kirito was surprised at first but then laugh loudly with tears in his eyes after that make Nao very annoyed. He then kicked him hardly from the gondola and plunged him into the waterways. Luckily, because it was in the town and there's [Area] effect in it, Kirito's HP won't decrease even if Nao kicked him with all of his might, so his cursor didn't change color into orange.

Kirito had swimming ring with him at that time, so he reappeared to the surface soon after that and rebuked him.

"What the hell are you doing??!?!" He said with bulging nerve on his head.

"Ahahaha~ I am sorry. My leg slipped a bit." Nao chuckled and said innocently.

"What kind of slip was that?!? Do you think I am a three years old kid or something?"

"No. I think you are a toddler instead." Nao said while smiled innocently.

"You...."

"Well well, hurry up swim back here before you catch a cold." Nao said to cut his words still with innocent smile on his face.

"Who do you think the one that plunged me here to begin with?!? And what catch a cold you are talking about inside a game?" He said annoyingly.

"Then you want to swim to go there? Well, I don't mind tough. I will use the gondola then." Nao said lightly and tease him.

"Ugh.... Sh**...." Kirito finally said and begrudgingly swim back to the gondola.

Asuna sweatdropped looking at them like that. She didn't know what to do or said at all, especially this strangely easy going person in front of her.

"Then, are you that kind of person?" Asuna ask him again after kirito back to the gondola.

"Well, Ahahaha Why do you think like that?" Nao ask her back instead after the wry laugh.

Tough Kirito still feel wronged, he couldn't help but to chuckled when she bring back the topic.

"I just curious about that. After all, your behavior was very strange. Since the first floor, you look didn't care and untroubled with how the other players looking at you. Even after what happen a few days ago after your argument with Lind, you looks didn't care at all and just brush it off. So I wondered is it just because you really didn't care or you are a very dense person, the type of person who is very slow to realize how the look they had at you." Asuna said.

Nao blinking several time after heard her word, while Kirito just smiled wryly after heard what she said. He know Nao well after all, so he know the answer. Well, she know him just a few days before the first floor boss battle, so it can't be helped. Kirito thought.

"Well, it's not like I didn't know what kind of eyes they had when they looking at me, I know it very well." Nao said simply.

"Then why you look untroubled at all about that?" Asuna asked curiously.

Nao smiled lightly and said again.

"Because I don't care at all about it. They are strangers for me, why I need to think about what they feel or what their opinion?" He said again.

Asuna listen to him quietly and didn't said anything.

"You know, it's impossible to make everyone satisfied about you. Why you need to be troubled about the one that didn't like you. Even to the point you sacrifice your own feelings, your own ideas and your own happiness, to change yourself and become someone else, that not you at all, to satisfy the others. Even lied and fooled yourself." Nao said to her.

Asuna jolted a bit and look at him with wide eyes. She still didn't said anything and just look at him.

"This is my life, so I do what I want to do. I did everything for my own and my loved one's happiness. I don't care about the others at all. You won't know when you'll die after all, so it's better to always life your life for your own happiness, so when the death come, you won't feel regret about your life." Nao said and smiled slightly remember how he died in his previous life.

He then look at her and smile brightly. He then said to her, who sat there quietly listen to him with all the time, his next words.

"Because it's your life, ....."

Asuna smiled and hug him more gently after she remembered again what he said at that time. She looked at him with bright eyes and touch his cheek gently with a warm smile on her face.

"Because it's your life, Instead for someone else, Just smile for yourself." Asuna said softly to him.

Nao look at her and smiled slightly after she said what he said to her at that time. He remembered clearly that he said something like that to her.

"Your words from that time, I remember all of it until now. Because that was the words that freed me from my previous self. The words that make me realize how wrong I was all this time. The words that finally change all of my feeling about you from before, become a very warm feeling inside and make me falling in love with you." She said finally with happiness on her face and caressed him gently.

"You said before, about the restriction of the real world, about people should act accordingly with the others, about the rules and all." She said softly.

"You know, I am the same too in the real world. I always obey what my mother's said. Did everything for her approval, become someone else, sacrifice my feelings, lied to myself and just move like a machine. I smiled not for myself, not for my happiness, but for someone else." Tears trickled down slowly on her cheeks as she said her words.

Nao gently wiping the tears on her cheek and smiled warmly at her. She hold his hand and put it on her cheek. He close her eyes and could feel the warm of his hand. After a long time, she opened her eyes again and look at him.

"But you freed me from all of that. You wakes me up from all of that. You give me colors to my colorless life. You introduce me to a happiness I never know before. You make me realize all about it with your words." She said happily at him.

Nao quietly listen to what she said and did nothing. He just let her said what she want to said.

Asuna then touch his cheek gently again and look at his eyes lovingly.

"Thank you and I love you." She said finally with the most cheerful and bliss face Nao ever seen from her.

Nao touch her cheek gently and make Asuna faced him better. He look at her gently and neared his face with her. Asuna a bit surprised, but smiled happily after that and close her eyes. Their face become more and more close as time passed slowly and finally, there's no more space between them and their lips touch each other. Nao kiss her softly and gently.

Nao could feel her stiffened a bit when his lips finally touch her soft lips. But it's loosened up again when she finally relax and wrap her hands around his neck.

Tears trickled down again from her eyes because of the happiness her heart filled with at the moment. He finally accept her. He accept her feeling after a long time. All her feeling inside her heart released all out along with her tears that trickled down from her eyes.

Their kiss last for a very long time before finally separated from each other. Asuna look at him lovingly and then she hug him gently. Nao hug her back gently too.

"I love you." Asuna said.

"I love you too." Nao said to her too.

Tears unceasingly trickled down from her eyes and she hug him tightly, afraid that he would leave her.

"I love you." Asuna said again with tears in her eyes.

Nao smiled slightly and said again.

"I love you too." He said.

"I love you." She said again.

Nao chuckled she said it again, but decide to play along with it.

"I love you too." He said again.

Asuna said it again and again and Nao would answer it again and again too.

They hug each other and playing a "said and answer" game for a long time while the time passed slowly around them. They remain like that accompanied by the sound of the water from the fountain and let the time flow slowly.

After a very long time played the "said and answer" game, Asuna then stopped, but still hug him.

Nao let her be for a very long time before finally said something.

"You won't to go to the labyrinth today?" Nao asked her finally.

"Because you said you want to see me last night, I said to the guild that I want to rest today." She said softly.

"I see." Nao said simply.

"Un." Asuna hug him more tightly after nodded.

Nao then remember after that about what he want to give her and said.

"That's right, I want to see you because I had something for you." Nao said and let her go.

"Something for me?" Asuna ask him.

Nao just nodded at her and wave his hand to operate his status window. He scroll down his item storage and finally found the item then take it out. The item land on his hand and he give it to her.

Asuna feel a bit surprised looking at the item she hold with her hands. It's a weapon and still sheathed in its beautiful blue scabbard. She hold its blue hilt and unsheathed it, so she could seen its real appearance. The weapon finally unsheathed and shows its brilliance to the world.

"Beautiful." She said unconsciously looking at the rapier in her hand.

Nao smiled slightly looking at her reaction. He glad that she like it.

"It's name was Frozen Starlight, and it's a present for you." Nao said.

Asuna looking at him happily. She sheathed back the rapier and hug him and thank him.

"Thank you. I will take care of it dearly." She said to him softly.

"Ahaha~ Well, I am glad about that, but even though it's a beautiful rapier, I'll be glad even more if you used it too." Nao said to her after a bit of chuckle.

"Fufufu~ Un! understood." she nodded at him.

Nao hug her more gently and steeled his mind.

'She's my woman now.' Nao said resolutely inside his mind.

"There's one more thing I want to give you." Nao said after thinking for a while.

"Hm~?" Asuna respond slightly and let him go.

Nao then un-equip his left earring and give it to her. She look at him while blinking several time. Nao chuckled a bit then said.

"Put it on. I have one with me and I will give the other one to you." Nao said while smiled slightly.

Asuna nodded and put it on her right ears. Nao look at it and said to her while softly.

"You look more beautiful with that."

Nao said with a bright smile on his face. Asuna blushing because his words. They had the same earrings too right now on their right ears. Asuna jumped at him, wrap her hands around his neck and kiss him passionately. Nao kiss her back and hug her wist makes her come closer to each other.

Luckily, there's no one around. If there's any, they would opened their eyes widely and unbelievingly about what just they see. Not because she was the vice-commander and Nao's reputation as oni-gatan, but because how passionate they kissing over there.

The both of them separated after a while and panting heavily. Asuna's face was all red because of the blushing, she feel very embarrassed so she hug him and bury her face on his chest to hide her embarrassment. Nao just smiled and let her be.

'Well, let's forget about the labyrinth today.' Nao said inside his mind.

He then close his eyes and decide to just enjoy his time with Asuna for today.