——The 47th floor of "Aincrad", the main district "Floria"
Famous for the flowers that cover the entire floor, this floor is also known as the "Flower Garden".
Under everyone's strong request, Yuuki had no choice but to set up the guild headquarters of "Arcadia" on this floor.
But rather than saying it is a headquarters, it is more like a four-story villa.
But today, almost all the owners of this house were out, leaving only two people, who seemed to be preparing for something.
…
(Hmm...they are back too, it seems like a coincidence.)
On the edge of the cross-circular square of "Florya", a girl with long hair looked at the two people walking out of the lighted portal, smiled expectantly, and then greeted them.
"Ah - really, why can't I do it!"
While complaining to herself, Lisbeth did not notice the gradually stiffening expression of the long-haired girl, Lanzi, after hearing these words later.
"Obviously I also want to have a cute familiar like Pina..."
"Ha ha……"
Looking at the elder sister beside her with some dumbfounding, Silica touched the blue familiar above her head.
That was when the little girl accidentally conquered it on the eighth floor of "Philippan".
Later, out of envy, Lisbeth often pestered Silica to try to go to the eighth floor together, but she never succeeded.
"Silica, the 'Dragon Messenger', definitely sounds better than Lisbeth, the Hammer Girl!"
(So I still care about this...)
Just when Silica smiled bitterly and was about to comfort Lisbeth, the sudden appearance of a figure next to her made the little girl's hair stand on end.
"Liz——!"
"Alas!!"
After dragging out the pink-haired girl's name, Lan Zi appeared next to the two of them with a bad look on her face.
"I've asked you carefully before, right? Don't do 'unnecessary' things."
Today is a very important day. If she fails to complete the preparations in time, Lan Zi will let her know why the flowers on this floor are so red.
Lan Zi is so 'unreasonable' when someone is involved, and it's obviously related to her today.
"Ah! It's just a way. It's really just a way! Right, Silica!?"
"Uh-huh!"
Seeing the gentle elder sister who was suddenly so scary, Silica's little head nodded like a rattle.
"Yeah?"
"Yes! Please check!"
With a loud response, Lisbeth handed over the things she took from the lower floor with respectful hands.
"……Um."
After confirming the high-end ingredients in his hand, Lanzi nodded, and his gloomy expression finally softened.
"call……"
Seeing Lanzi, whose mood had improved and walked towards the guild headquarters, Lisbeth wiped away the non-existent sweat.
"Perhaps the most terrifying person in our guild is not our president, but Lan..."
"Um……"
The emotion from the heart received a positive response from Silica.
——On the 22nd floor of "Aincrad", deep in the labyrinth forest on the north bank of the village of "Golar".
Stepping on some moist soil under my feet, I saw a seemingly endless forest in front of me, and occasionally two monsters' screams could be heard in my ears.
But this did not have any impact on Yuuki, who was used to all this.
--Ding!
Yuuki stopped in her tracks after flicking away the throwing weapon that was suddenly shot out from the dark corner with her backhand.
"Can't you finally bear it? You've put so much effort into spreading the news that there are strange things in the forest on the 22nd floor to lure me in."
With a cold snort, the black-haired girl looked at the black shadow that began to surge in front of her.
It is no secret that she often goes to the 22nd floor, and she is indeed looking for something.
And long before she went to this level this time, Argo had already warned her that there was something wrong with the information this time.
But Yuuki still took the opponent's 'card'.
Because her 'time' is running out.
…
"Hum hum……"
Dozens of players wearing black cloaks appeared from the shadows and stood next to the leader. As if they had already figured something out, a man's sinister laughter rang out.
"You didn't expect that we would meet again in this form, right? Miss beta tester."
"——!"
What gradually emerged from the hood was a face that Yuuki had long forgotten.
"...That's what it is. You have really degenerated completely."
Since entering the middle and upper levels, their guild has been targeted by orange-named guilds more than once.
As the most special guild in Aincrad now, it seems that all the orange-named guilds have targeted them and want to kill them to show something.
And now, this commonplace approach to targeting the root cause finally has a face.
"I didn't expect you to join them. I thought you would have been left to fend for yourself in this world."
After that day, this man was not only expelled from the "military", but was also blacklisted by most of the guilds.
That almost twisted and ferocious face belonged to a man named "Kibaou".
"You guys really dare to pick up anything."
Although she was surrounded, Yuuki didn't show any panic on her face.
Looking at the smiling faces carved on the black wooden coffins marked on these people, the black-haired girl spat out the name of the guild in disgust.