Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Third Floor.

-Second Floor Boss Chamber-

Everything with the Legend Braves had been sorted out. 

While Kirito and Asuna had gone forward to the Third Floor, Sharia was forced to stay behind.

Of course. It was none other than the likes of Diabel, Lind, and Kibaou.

"Yo. Kibaou. It's been what, ten days?"

"Kuh-"

Honestly, since back then Sharia had said he disgusted him, he had developed a slight dislike for the teenager. But what could he do?

Beat him? As if.

Even a beta tester like Diabel and Argo had confirmed it. Sharia is not a beta tester. Yet, why was the darn kid that strong?

"Tsk. I'd like it if I didn't have to ever face yer ever again."

Kibaou didn't hide his dislike, to which the teenager himself found refreshing.

"There, there." 

The teenager had reached for him and patted his back.

"I simply came to ask this of you. I want you to become one of Aincrad's central powers."

"H-huh?"

Kibaou was shocked, blinking his eyes as he stared at Sharia. Has this kid gone senile? Certainly not… or maybe he did.

"In other words, I want you to create your own guild and expand your influence."

Kibaou would have thought Sharia was joking, but the look on the kid's face said otherwise. This was truly baffling.

If Sharia was saying this. Then that means he knew. Kibaou had glanced over to Diabel, who just sported a sly grin.

'So, that's how it is, huh?'

"Fine. I'll do as yer say."

He clicked his tongue, folding his arms as he looked the other way. He didn't like being ordered, especially by a kid like Sharia who wasn't up to his age.

As that was taken care of. Sharia let out a satisfied smile before being interrupted briefly.

"Now that's done. Sharia-sama. Please, over here."

Diabel had walked up to Sharia with a smile that gave him chills.

Now that he thinks about it. Hasn't Diabel and others been treating him a lot too politely?

He could understand Diabel, but why the others? Has he become popular like an idol or something?

Certainly not… Right?

"Is there anything you need?"

Sharia asked, wary as his body shrieked a little facing the smile of the Blue Knight.

"Hahaha ✨️ It's nothing. Now that the Third Floor is opening, it means that the Guild System will be available~"

The moment he said that, a cold sweat went down Sharia's back. 'Shit. This is bad,' Sharia thought.

He knew where this conversation was headed. Immediately, he glanced around, and sure enough, he had been trapped in the Blue Knights formation.

"Heh. Do you think you lot will really be able to stop me?"

Sharia gave off a grin. No, it was a nervous grin that was faltering by the second. Of course, he was doing his best to keep his composure.

"Oh no, I don't think as lacking as we are, we can stop you; however, the current Sharia-sama is tired from his fight. I believe we should be able to keep up with the spent Sharia-sama."

As much as Sharia hated it. Diabel was right. He was careless. He hadn't even used his restoration potions or crystal.

Should he try?

Who would be faster… him or the knight in front of him?

Even if Diabel hadn't contributed to the fight, apart from him, Kirito, Asuna, and probably Heathcliff.

Diabel should just as much be in the top ten current strongest players. 

 Comparing him to players like Kirito, Asuna is not fair, but still, the Knight is still in a league of his own.

After all, he is someone who was able to quickly intercept Asterios's attack when Sharia was in a pinch.

That alone is something noteworthy.

'No. Even if I get away, this annoying guy will keep chasing me.'

Looking at the smiling Diabel, he thought so.

"Fine. I guess… However, you'll be the one managing every other affair of the Guild, and I'm free to do whatever I want anytime."

Hearing Sharia's words. Everybody paused, looking at each other for a moment, before erupting in cheers.

"Yes!"

"Phew~ It's a good thing he accepted."

Naturally, as ready as they were, they didn't think they were strong enough to keep up with Sharia.

If anything, they wished he didn't start running around, avoiding them.

"Hahaha. Of course. The Guild isn't to tie you down; if anything, it's to make your wish come true."

Wish…

Sharia's thoughts trailed off. Did he have any wish, so to speak, off?

Not that he could remember. But if they were going to be subservient to him, then who was he to stop them?

"Haah. Just do as you want."

Dealing with fanatics wasn't his thing. He'd rather deal with Asterios than the cunning Diabel in front of him.

On that note—

"By the way. It's about the Legend Brave. To make things easy, I want you to appoint someone who will act as their observer; one of Lind's men can do that."

Sharia, after he and Diabel had gotten some space, had begun to address the Knight, looking over to his vice, who bowed ever so slightly with a smile on his face.

"As you will."

"Next. That indirect PK allegations. It smells fishy. Investigate those players and stop any rumours about the PK from spreading."

Although from one standpoint, it seemed like he was protecting the Legend Brave. 

He actually had another motive in mind.

"If you truly want to become my right-hand man, then you should know why…"

Sharia said, looking away, making the Blue Haired Knight connect the dots himself.

After a few seconds of thinking, the Blue Knight blinked in realisation.

"You mean that poncho-wearing player?"

He remembered Sharia having an odd reaction to that description; it was as he thought.

That poncho-wearing player is somebody to watch out for.

".... I'm surprised. You got it right. Exactly. This is why I want to keep the news under wraps for now. And moreover, I doubt that player's allegation was true."

"He sounded like he purposefully did that to further instigate the rest into killing them."

Diabel had continued Sharia's line of reasoning and deduced that much on his own.

Having not to say much was… actually new for Sharia. Is this how characters with competent subordinates feel?

"Rest assured, I'll make sure to carry out this mission flawlessly."

For some reason, why is Diabel starting to mirror a certain character?

Forget that.

"Haah—" Sharia stretched, feeling a little tired.

"By the way, What's the third floor about?"

Looking over at Diabel, Sharia had asked.

"Does milord plan on clearing the third floor's main quest?"

Diabel had asked that with a slight tilt of his head, making Sharia's eyes widen.

"W-wait—hey, you mean the main quest exists in SAO?"

That was huge information for Sharia as far as he knew.

"Not really a main quest, but a campaign quest. Apparently, it's a war between the forest elves and dark elves."

"Whichever side one choses, the player is to continue a chain of quest like that, or so it was in the Beta."

Diabel could only recall that much, feeling a little lacking.

"Does Sharia-sama have any intent on participating in the campaign quest?"

Sharia thought about it for a moment. But then, he shook his head, giving up that idea.

"I'll not be participating in the quest. While it's beneficial for the rest of you all, I don't see myself having to go through all that."

Sharia was quite straightforward. As long as it doesn't involve fighting or clearing fighting quests….

His interest would wane.

Although he was curious about the details of the Third Floor Campaign Quest…

He knows a certain Black Swordsman who'd spill the beans to him later on.

Besides, it wouldn't sit well with him knowing this world had changed so much because of him intervening.

"Then, what do you plan on doing?"

"Hm. Let's see… Maybe hunt a few mobs and wait it out. I can also have a rest."

"I support that."

The third-floor gate would have long been opened by that player couple.

"Seems like others have left."

As he said that, he got off the wall he leaned against, leaving the second-floor boss chamber through its exit.

As they exited. Amongst the crowd following behind Sharia and Diabel, Sharia himself had failed to notice a figure staring at him from behind the crowd.