Am I the only one streaming Sword Art Online on the entire internet?

The village chief's voice echoed across the square, and the villagers fell silent and listened intently.

"Eugeo, having successfully fulfilled his calling, has the right to choose his next calling! He can continue logging in the forest, or he can inherit his father's business of farming; of course, he can also freely choose to become a shepherd, a brewer, or a merchant, among other paths!"

Sorin watched the scene with great interest. He knew perfectly well that for Eugeo at this moment, there was only one choice he could make. It was the choice that truly followed his heart, the only reason he had strived until now since Alice was taken away. Therefore, Sorin had no concern whatsoever that he would choose a profession like merchant or farmer, and live a mundane life in this small village.

Even with Thorin's certainty, Eugeo still went through a mental struggle. His left hand clenched and unclenched repeatedly, finally gripping the hilt of the Blue Rose Sword tightly. He looked up, glancing at the circle of villagers and the village chief, before declaring in a loud and clear voice:

"I want to become a swordsman. Then I will hone my swordsmanship, and one day I will go to the central capital!"

After a moment of silence, a commotion, like waves crashing on the shore, suddenly arose among the villagers, but Sorin didn't believe it was a sound of support for Eugeo's decision. To the villagers, accustomed to following the rules, Eugeo was like a black sheep out of place in the sheepfold, and now he had made his own decision—

"Black sheep wall. The phrase can unlock the map, it's not just made up..." Sorin sighed to himself. "Only the unruly black sheep can break free from existing constraints and see a wider world, and the world will open its arms to him... How interesting, it's getting more and more interesting."

Every adult frowned and whispered among themselves, even Eugeo's father and his brothers wore rather bitter expressions.

It was the village chief who calmed the commotion. He raised a hand to quiet the villagers, then, with a stern expression, he spoke:

"Eugeo, you wouldn't be thinking of—"

He paused here, stroked his beard, and then sighed.

"Fine, I don't need to ask your reasons anymore. After all, according to the rules set by the church, you do have the right to choose your next calling. Alright, then as the head of Lulit, I approve Euclid's son Eugeo's new calling as a swordsman. If you wish, you can leave the village to hone your swordsmanship."

Eugeo breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the village chief's words. His hesitation wasn't actually about whether he wanted to embark on the path of a swordsman, but rather whether the village chief would let him leave. Now it seemed his worries were unnecessary; the village chief wasn't so old-fashioned as to prevent him from choosing his sacred duty as a swordsman simply because he wanted to leave the village.

"Now that I'm like this, I should be qualified to stand alongside Sorin and truly begin learning his skills," he thought to himself. Then he raised his head, looked directly at the village chief, and bowed deeply. "Thank you, village chief. I will continue to work hard from now on."

After saying this, he looked in Solin's direction. However, Solin wasn't looking at him this time; he was still scribbling in his notebook with a quill pen. He knew Solin had a habit of keeping a diary, and sometimes he would curiously ask Solin what he wrote in his notebook, but Solin would always just shake his head, seemingly reluctant to discuss the contents of his notes.

“It must be something very important. Maybe he has lost too much, so he wants to record his life in this way?” Eugeo thought of this, and then suddenly thought of something even stranger, “Speaking of which… Sorin always claims to be a boy, but he has never really proven it. And both his voice and appearance… he looks like a girl.”

As he thought of this, he saw Solin suddenly raise his head and glare at him, so he immediately stopped thinking and turned his gaze back down. The villagers, after hearing the village chief's decision, seemed to accept the outcome. Although still somewhat hesitant, they began to clap their hands. However, just before the clapping grew louder, a sharp sound suddenly pierced the night sky.

"Stop right there!"

Eugeo looked down in confusion, only to see a burly young man push through the wall of people and rush out. This man had withered leaf-colored hair and a stern face (according to Sorin), and a simple longsword hung at his waist. He was the guard who usually stayed in the southern duty room.

He puffed out his chest as if to challenge Eugeo on the stage, and then shouted in a deep voice, "I should have the right to be a member of the Zakaria Guard first! Eugeo should have been ranked after me when he left the village!"

"That's right, exactly!"

At this moment, another person came out shouting loudly. This middle-aged man had the same hair color and a similar Sima face as the young man (this is still Suolin's evaluation), but he also had a potbelly.

Seeing that things were not going well, the village chief quickly came out to try and smooth things over.

“But Zeke, you’ve only been a bodyguard for six years now, right? According to the rules, you can only participate in the Zakaria sword tournament four years from now.”

"Then Eugeo will have to wait another four years! Eugeo's swordsmanship is inferior to mine, yet he's participating in the tournament before me. That's outrageous!" the young man argued vehemently. But just as he finished speaking, a pebble suddenly flew from an unknown direction and hit him on the head, causing him to cry out in pain, "Who! Who attacked me!"

"Such a slow reaction, claiming to be better than Eugeo... reminds me of a very old joke."

Solin suddenly stood up from the table, holding another pebble in his left hand and the chicken leg in his right, and said with a smile:

"Key duplication, three yuan per key, ten yuan for three keys. Do you need one?"

Underworld, March 19, 378th year of the Human Calendar

"What nonsense are you talking about, whether you have a key or not?"

Jike frowned as he looked at the amnesiac girl who had suddenly appeared, and asked her question with displeasure.

"Just asking, are you worthy?" Solin smiled and looked directly at the stern-faced swordsman, calmly repeating his previous words over and over, "Are you worthy? Are you~ worthy~?"

At this moment, Zeke finally realized that Sorin was mocking him for not being worthy of joining the Guard before Eugeo, or even being qualified to compete against Eugeo. He immediately flew into a rage, glaring at Sorin with eyes like saucers, and roared back in a gruff voice.

"Only swordsmen like myself, who have trained for a long time and whose skills are fully developed, are qualified to participate in the Zakaria Swordsmen's Tournament! If I am not qualified, then how can this lumberjack be?"

Upon hearing Zeke's impotent rage, Sorin laughed even harder, his silvery laughter filled with endless mockery.

"Oh. So you mean you're good at it?" he said with a smile. "Alright then, how many rounds will you play?"

“I’m not worthy…” Zeke instinctively wanted to respond, but then he understood the implied meaning in Sorin’s words, which made him furious and impotent once again. “After saying so much here, do you think my swordsmanship is even worse than that idiot who spends all day chopping trees?”

“That’s right, that’s what I think too.” Sorin tilted his head, deliberately staring at Zeke with a rather innocent and clear gaze, and his voice became soft under his special control, “Eugeo is super amazing.”

For no apparent reason, he didn't want to be too high-profile in front of the villagers. So, after helping Eugeo divert some of the hatred, he deliberately acted weak, drawing everyone's attention back to Eugeo. This way, Zeke, provoked by him, wouldn't offer any more excuses related to those long and tedious rules, but would instead confront Eugeo head-on to see who was the strongest champion tonight—which was exactly what Thorin had set for him.

However, even Sorin hadn't expected that the wise man who willingly took the bait after his maneuver wouldn't be Zeke himself, but rather the middle-aged man with the same smirking face as him—Zeke's father. This man stormed over angrily and shouted:

“I cannot tolerate an outsider saying such things! If you think my son’s swordsmanship is inferior to that of a lumberjack, then let the two of them have a match right here and now!”

Upon hearing his words, the villagers murmured their agreement to join in the fun. They treated it as an unexpected entertainment during the celebration, raising their glasses high, stomping their feet, and shouting "Bila bila!"

Soon, a space had been cleared in front of the stage for the two to duel. Sorin quietly walked to Eugeo's side, looked at the bewildered Eugeo, and asked seriously:

"Did you hear what that Sima-faced man called you just now?"

However, Eugeo had been in a sell-on state the whole time, or rather, he had no idea why things had turned out this way. Only after seeing Solin did he seem relieved and continue:

"What should I do? Things have gotten so serious... Do I really have to duel him?"

“I said, did you hear what that smirk-faced guy called you just now?” Sorin shook his head seriously, then pointed at Eugeo and said in a low voice, “They think you’re a lumberjack, and since your job is lumberjack, you can’t possibly beat Zeke, whose job is guard.”

“Yes… Zeke has been practicing swordsmanship for many years, while I’ve only been learning for a little over half a week…” Eugeo still seemed uneasy. He nervously gripped the hilt of the Blue Rose Sword in his right hand, then slowly released it, repeating the action. “Can I really defeat him?”

“Be confident. You’re not the lumberjack who only knew how to cut down trees anymore. As the apprentice of the Thousand Swordsman, Sorin Markov, you should have confidence in yourself.” Sorin smiled and patted Eugeo on the shoulder, encouraging him. “The battlefield is ever-changing, and it’s all about adaptability. Just using a single sword technique like a slashing strike is far from enough. But don’t worry, this guy probably doesn’t even know any sword techniques. I’m just worried you might accidentally cut him down.”

Eugeo was still very nervous, but at this moment, Sorin had walked to the side and was sitting quietly on a small stool, giving him an encouraging look.

"Keep quiet! Well then—although this wasn't originally planned, we've decided on the spot that Captain Zeke will duel the lumberjack… no, I should say the swordsman Eugeo! The duel must only end when the opponent is slightly injured; neither of them can violate their destiny, understand?"

The village chief clapped his hands, signaling everyone to quiet down, and then briefly explained the rules of the competition. No sooner had he finished speaking than Zeke forcefully drew his sword, while Eugeo hesitated for a moment before drawing his Blue Rose. Upon seeing the beautiful glow of the Blue Rose in the firelight, the villagers couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

Zeke seemed intimidated by the aura emanating from Eugeo's longsword. He tilted his head back slightly, but quickly returned to his original position. His expression was a mixture of anger and jealousy, and then he pointed at Eugeo with his left hand, uttering words that were completely unexpected.

"Eugeo, is that sword really yours? If it's borrowed, then I have the right to forbid you from using it..."

Before he could finish speaking, Eugeo interrupted her with an extremely firm tone.

"I obtained this sword in a northern cave, therefore it now belongs to me!"

A low murmur rippled through the villagers, while Jik remained silent. Sorin found this behavior quite strange; he had expected Jik to continue his charade, but he hadn't. Perhaps it was because, in this world bound by a programmed legal system's "taboo catalog," such questioning was already the limit.

In short, after his questioning proved fruitless, Zeke simply spat into each hand, like those samurai, and then raised his sword high above his head, assuming an upper stance. Eugeo, on the other hand, held his sword in his right hand, facing forward, while his left hand and left foot were slightly pulled back and lowered towards his waist, a clearly defensive posture.

"Now—the competition begins!"

Underworld, March 20, 378th year of the Human Calendar

"Eek... Hmph... Ahhhhhh!"

Zeke let out a rough roar, then swung his sword down with considerable force, making one wonder, "Was that really just a light touch?" However, beneath the seemingly brutal movement lay some subtle maneuvers, causing Sorin to nod in approval.

His upward slash was merely a feint; he switched to a horizontal strike mid-air. While this mid-strike technique was quite basic, it was a remarkably skillful maneuver for a guard captain in a small village. Moreover, his use of this vertical-to-horizontal slash was partly due to his anticipation of Eugeo's possible response.

This is quite easy to understand upon closer examination. Although Eugeo is now a swordsman, he was originally a lumberjack, and the most proficient and likely slashing technique for lumberjacks is the horizontal slash. When both sides are using horizontal slashes, it's extremely difficult to passively counter the first person's horizontal slash from the back.

But in the next moment, Eugeo's actions exceeded his expectations. He stopped in place, raised his sword to his shoulder, and then took a step forward, drawing a sharp arc in the air at a 45-degree angle.

This attack, launched after the opponent's initial strike, struck Zeke's sword halfway through its horizontal swing, knocking it away and tearing the steel blade to shreds.

"Nice!"

Sorin couldn't help but clap and cheer, but he was also a little puzzled, because he clearly hadn't taught Eugeo this high-level slashing technique, but he had just seen the light emitted by the sword technique, and it was indeed a sword technique.

"So that means the natives can also learn skills... That makes sense. The NPCs here are so intelligent. If they are genius enough in the setting, it would be easy for them to develop their own sword techniques."

Solin thought to himself that he didn't think much of it, perhaps because after that incident he subconsciously didn't want to take the game too seriously. So he just marveled at the game's advanced learning capabilities thanks to its built-in AI.

"But then again, can I really still consider them just simple NPCs or AI?" he asked himself, after all, this whole thing felt so strange to him. "The anxious nun after learning of Selka's disappearance, Eugeo who always had a smile but sometimes showed sadness, and that smug-faced anger and jealousy... Even a genius like Kayaba Akihiko only created Ivycin, but here there are so many NPCs with real human emotions... So what kind of place is this?"

Still, no one answered the question. He was like a solitary traveler, encountering different people along the way, but none of them sharing his path. He had no true kindred spirits to rely on; the only one he could depend on was himself. It was truly strange, like…

“The Truman Show,” he suddenly murmured to himself, then looked up at the star-studded night sky. “So… who is the person who orchestrated everything, this ‘Christopher’?”

Cheers erupted once more. Sorin knew that after Eugeo's sword severed his weapon, that smirking man was no longer a threat. Zeke and his son left looking dejected, and the previously lively music resumed.

"I won, Sorin... What's wrong?" Eugeo walked back to the spot, looking at Sorin sitting quietly on the small chair, his hands folded near his knees, gazing at the sky in a daze. Then he suddenly patted Sorin's head. "Wow, I beat the eldest son of that guard family, the strongest swordsman in the whole village..."

Eugeo expected Sorin to turn and stare at him as usual, then utter a curse word from his hometown (yes, he realized Cyka blyat was indeed a curse word). However, Sorin continued to gaze at the distant stars, his beautiful, violet-like eyes filled with a mixture of loneliness and sorrow.

“Eugeo.” Sorin suddenly spoke, his voice so fragile it was heartbreaking, yet still carrying a forced confidence, “I’m not surprised you could handle that guy. He’s too weak. If he were to encounter those goblins, he probably wouldn’t even be able to withstand a single blow from the weakest one.”

"Don't force yourself, Sorin. You weren't like this just now. What happened?" Eugeo squatted down next to Sorin, looking at the Sorin who was completely different from usual, and asked with concern, "Did tonight's celebration remind you of things back home?"

However, after asking that question, he also carefully recalled the time he spent with Sorin—he had never seen Sorin's true self. Whether it was his usual joking manner or his ferocious enjoyment of killing when facing enemies, it was all like a mask concealing his true inner self.

And what he saw at this moment should be the real Solin. A boy who usually pretends to be optimistic, but is always saddened by things like amnesia and being far from home.

“I just suddenly thought of some bad things. Don’t worry about it.” Sorin shook his head, then stood up from the stool, looked in the direction of Central Capital, and continued, “I have a feeling that the culprit that caused my amnesia and left my hometown to come here is not the Dark God Vekuda, but something else. As for the specifics… we might find out when we get to Central Capital.”

"You suspect... that the person who erased your memories and threw you here was an Integrity Knight?" Eugeo asked. "But why would they do that?"

“I think… it’s just one possibility. They take away the person who violated the Taboo Index, erase their memory, and then put them in a village on the other side of this world. It’s an easy thing to imagine, isn’t it?”

Sorin made up a reason on the spot, but Eugeo was not fooled by him. Instead, he stared intently into those beautiful eyes.

"This kind of thing is just another way of fooling children. I think you're way past the age of having such fantasies."

"Then just pretend I'm daydreaming. You're leaving tomorrow, so remember to pack your things tonight." Sorin sighed, deliberately changing the subject. Eugeo wanted to press for details, but he didn't want to see Sorin continue like this, so he nodded.

"Alright then, I'll be going now. See you tomorrow."

Alicization, February 3, 2025

So, after several twists and turns, Thorin and Eugeo's wondrous adventure has come to a temporary end. They are now preparing to embark on a new journey, but before that, let's shift our focus and see what's happening in reality.

------

Endo sat nervously in the café chair, still pondering what had happened to Shino that had caused such a drastic change in the once timid girl. Of course, her unease also stemmed from something else: the words Shino had said before leaving during their last meeting.

"What do you want to tell them? That I killed someone in that bank robbery years ago? Or... something that requires a confidentiality agreement?"

In fact, during that horrific incident that shocked the world, another of her delinquent subordinates was one of the victims… or more accurately, a hostage. When she was successfully rescued, she saw Sinon, dressed in tactical gear, approach the middle-aged man in a GIGN uniform and white gloves, reporting something. She didn't hear the specifics, but she later revealed this information during a conversation with Endo.

So, after several disappearances occurred, even affecting her subordinates, Endo, who had failed to seek help from the police, saw Shino as his only lifeline at this point.