chapter 25

After Leonard and the guild "Moonlit Black Cats" arrived back to the safety of the town, the newbies couldn't help but fell down and let out a long sigh of relief, for they all had survived the closest experience to death itself.

Among them, Sachi felt the most of out it because it could end up even worse for her than the other member of the guild.

"That was really close." Keita could help but smiled bitterly as he thought back at their little encounter with the bunch of players killer.

"Yeah...it's really close, I'm sorry everyone- I should have focused on leveling up my detections instead of focusing on just attack skills….if I did that instead...we wouldn't be running into this type of situation...and Sachi-" Ducker the thief felt a heartache over the facts he could have prevented the encounter if he were too raised his stealth detection skill a tad higher.

"Don't worry too much about, you're fine right? A bit freaked out but at least none of guys are dead and the damsel is unharmed as well." Leonard spoke up sarcastically trying to lighten up the sour mood that hangs around the group.

"But it could have been prevented!" Ducker was upset over his own failure.

"Calm down kid, it's not the end of the world, at least I came in to intervene didn't I?"

Leonard tried to calm down the teen.

"Calm down Ducker, it's not your fault." Sasamaru came over and placed his hand on the blond hair teenager back.

"Let just forget all about the bad stuff, why don't we go and grab a bite?" Keita seeing the situation was getting sour and sour suggested that they should head out to eat.

"Alright then."Leonard nodded and soon the other agreed.

*****

Back on the third floor, within the Dark Elf settlement.

The party of adventurers(players) included Diavel and the all too familiar face of Kibaou, Kirito, Asuna and many other nameless players are gathered within the biggest tent that was located right in the middle of the entire settlement.

"Kizmel, I see that you have brought the human into our home, you better have a good reason for all of these." inside the tent, a man with brownish skin, white hairs and pointy ears remarked Kizmel for bringing the players into their settlement.

"Commander, if it was for these human adventurers, I believe that I won't be here after I stole the Jade Key from the Forest Elves tribe, it's all thank to these brave adventurers that I manage to kill off the pursuers and make it back safely." Kizmel then reported her run in an incident with the forest tribe and how the floor clearing raid party had helped her.

However, she did not tell the commander that it was all the adventurers' handyworks in beautifully dispatching the forest elves, not her- who just lured the entire group of them at the players who had nothing to do with any of this.

Diavel, Kibaou, and Kirito were stunned speechless by how Kizmel "Detailedly" reported everything to the commander in charge of this dark elven settlement.

The dark elf commander just looked at the shabby group of players with his eyes for a moment.

"I apologized for my previous rudeness, thank you for lending Kizmel a helping hand, as her mission is very important to our people." the commander bowed his head slightly.

"Uh, it's- no problem at all…" Kirito tried to force a smile on his face as he replied back to the dark elf commander.

"Please, allow me to repaid you adventurers with our hospitality." the commander told the players, as soon as he spoke those words they were quickly informed by the system message saying that they're welcomed guests within the dark elves settlement of Lyusula, the settlement itself will act as a safe zone for all the players, much like that of a town, while they're guests of Lyusula all their shopping spending will get a 10% discount.

The reward greatly please many of the players- to which some even set out immediately to start a little shopping spree- most of those players spend their hard earned Col on weapons and armors to improve themselves, while the other group spend most of their money on consumables such as potions- one of those players was none other than Diavel himself.

"Where are you two planning on doing now?" Kizmel asked Kirito and Asuna, as they were the only one left after they went out of the commander tent.

"Don't know, maybe finding a place to stay first? I think we are likely to spend quite some time on this floor." Kirito told her.

"Why don't you two come with me? You two can stay at my place, there's plenty of room there." Kizmel suggested as she heard Kirito and Asuna was going to find a place to stay for a while.

"Oh no I don't think it's appropriate-" Asuna was about to finish that sentence however Kirito quickly jumped at her offer.

"Oh yes please!" Kirito answered.

Asuna just looked at Kirito with a complicated expression displayed on her face.

"What? It's mean that we don't have to pay for something like an Inn, besides I doubt that an inn can accommodate all of us." Kirito told her.

"But...you staying alone with two girls…" Asuna muttered out in a low tone.

"Staying alone with two girls…" Kirito took a moment to try and comprehend those words, it was then that he got flustered after figuring out what Asuna meant by staying alone with two girls.

"That's not what I mean! Beside Kizmel is an NPC and you are-" he waved his hand erratically while adding in the fact that it's not really two girls as one of them was an artificial intelligence created by the cardinal system but he trailed off and left the sentence unfinished.

"I'm what? Finish that sentence! I dare you to!" Asuna quickly grabbed Kirito by the collar of his shirt and brought her face closer to that of him while having a threatening expression plastered all over her face.

"Uh-no no it's nothing! It's just who could resist staying together with a pretty girl!" Kirito accidentally blurted out those words of which had come straight and unfiltered from his mind.

"Oh shit...why the hell did I say that?!" was the only thing that repeated itself over and over again within his small mind after he blurted out those words.

When Asuna heard what Kirito had to say about her, her face immediately began to burn up in a shade of pink and red and she dropped him off before quickly grabbed Kizmel hand and dragged her away while telling her to quickly lead the way.