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

"I don't know much about these things, so it's up to you, Sorin." Yuna replied softly, watching Sorin walk into the dark elf's blacksmith shop, and then stood at the door of the blacksmith shop to wait.

Normally, the blacksmith shops that Sorin saw in the city were always bustling with activity. Whether it was a small shop like the stall in Nezha on the second floor or a large blacksmith shop in the main city, customers would always feel the blacksmiths' warm hospitality the moment they entered. So he didn't take Yuna into the blacksmith shop.

But things were different here. Not only did Solin not hear the sound of blacksmithing outside, but when he came in, he only saw a dim blue flame sitting quietly in the furnace, occasionally sticking its head out from where the fuel was piled up.

"What do you need? Humans? Enhancement or weapon forging?" The dark elf blacksmith sitting in the corner greeted the customer as a matter of course, but Sorin felt that the blacksmith's tone was somewhat perfunctory.

"I want to melt down some of my weapons into raw metal, then forge a few more weapons, and finally enhance them," Sorin stated his purpose directly.

“Alright… take out your weapon and let me see it, then sit over there and wait a moment…” As the blacksmith said this, his gaze inadvertently drifted to the Illusionary Blade on Solin’s back, and then his tone suddenly became inexplicably excited, “Wait a minute, your blade… can I take a look at it?”

"A sword? You mean the Illusionary Light?" Solin asked doubtfully, then took the Illusionary Light sword from his back and handed it to him. He took the Illusionary Light, examined it in his hand for a long time, then sighed softly, his handsome face showing a haggard expression.

"Human traveler, do you have time to listen to a story?" His voice was not as ethereal as the other elves', but rather filled with a withered quality.

“I do have time, but my companion is waiting for me outside. Could you let her in?” Solin nodded and then tentatively asked the NPC for permission.

"It's alright, let her in. Now that you've acquired this fine knife, the weapon must have been made for her, right?"

Solin nodded, walked out the door, and waved to Yuna.

"It's not hot inside, and I think I triggered a hidden quest that requires a dialogue. I was worried you'd be getting impatient waiting outside, so I came out to tell you. The blacksmith said he has a story to tell, and you can come and hear it if you're interested."

"Hmm." Yuna responded briefly to Sorin, then followed him into the blacksmith shop, curiously observing the interior facilities, which were different from those in human cities. She then followed Sorin and moved a stool from the side of the wall, sitting down in front of the blacksmith.

"What a pretty young girl. And it seems... you even know a bit about music theory." The blacksmith made a casual, polite remark before turning his gaze to Solin, his tone becoming serious and weathered.

"This sword was forged from the bones and scales of a Winddragon. After a long and fierce battle, I killed that giant creature and created [Phantom Light]. And now, there's another story between her and me..."

59. The Sword Dancer and the Swordsmith

The handsome dark elf blacksmith picked up a wine jug beside his seat, gulped down two mouthfuls, burped, and then began to tell his story.

“I was once a warrior myself, but unlike the Royal Guard you’ve seen, my unit was known as the Daggers of the Night, or more accurately, a highly trained scout team. My identity in the outside world was that of a wanderer operating in human settlements, making a living by forging farming tools for the villagers,” he said. “Within the area surrounded by the Great Tree, all human settlements serve as a buffer zone between us Dark Elves and Forest Elves, and it is often in these very areas that many spies lurk.”

"So this handsome guy is actually in the intelligence unit," Solin thought to himself. "Won't it cause problems if he reveals this to us now...?"

“I know what you’re worried about, human. Your contributions to the dark elves are great, so I can consider you one of my own.” The blacksmith seemed to understand Thorin’s thoughts perfectly. “Until that day, I met a human girl, she carried a katana and looked like a rogue.”

"She said her responsibility was to protect the village and prevent it from being harassed by nearby monsters. I was skeptical of this. Although there are no individual or social differences between men and women among the dark elves, humans do have this idea. I find it hard to imagine that such a village would need such a young girl to protect it."

"She asked me to forge her sword, to make it stronger, because more powerful monsters had appeared nearby. And from the moment she met me, my usual job expanded to include forging swords for her. The sword was very ordinary—ordinary materials, ordinary workmanship, ordinary design—like one of those mass-produced military-grade products from our assembly line… even slightly inferior. I did my best, but I could only make the sword barely usable, and that clearly wasn't enough to meet her needs; at least, it wasn't enough to defeat those stronger monsters."

When Solin heard this, he resisted the urge to say, "We just do regular disco, we just rock out." However, he felt that the plot was somewhat familiar, reminding him of a very old anime.

"Did that girl's village have a piece of jade that attracts monsters, and then you ate it?" He couldn't help but complain in the end.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I originally thought my interactions with her were limited to this, but during a mission, I encountered her again at the forest elf camp. She was mistaken for a spy trying to gather intelligence and was captured and taken to the camp. My mission at the time was simply to scout out the camp's troop distribution. Perhaps it was a moment of impulse, but I infiltrated the camp and brought her out. No one knows I ever infiltrated here, because all the forest elves who discovered me were killed by me."

"How did it go from Inuyasha to Assassin's Creed in the blink of an eye? That's quite a leap." Sorin had a lot to say about this backstory, but Yuna was quite engrossed in it. Her expression became noticeably tense when she heard that the girl had been captured, and after hearing this part, she couldn't help but applaud the blacksmith.

"That sounds like a really heroic act. What happened after that?" Yuna asked.

"Later... a long time passed, and she came to me, saying she wanted to fight Nereus, the corrupted tree spirit in the Tower of Babel. I had witnessed how powerful that guy was, and I advised her not to go, but she insisted. I said that her sword was not enough to defeat that terrible monster, and asked her to allow me to forge a more suitable blade for her. She agreed, and I took advantage of the shift change to leave for three months."

"I traveled through the Sacred Tree to a higher snow-capped mountain, bringing back the scales and bones of the Wind-Drifting Dragon. Three months later, this sword took shape in my hands. As she took the sword, I asked her again, but she only smiled. She said, 'This is the fate of a guardian. Like the Death Ravens in the Dark Elf legends, who fly back to the cold earth on the winter solstice, knowing they will never return, yet trying to slow the frost.'"

"Alright, it's turned into Monster Hunter again. I was wondering why that monster, which was clearly poison-type, dropped an ice-type sword. So that's what happened."

This might be the difference between Sorin, a veteran player, and Yuna, a newbie. Having read many game backstories, Sorin often offers more criticism when viewing a game's backstory from a third-person perspective; while Yuna might immerse herself in the story, her eyes welling up with tears when she hears its ending.

The blacksmith spoke while drinking, his tone shifting from lighthearted at first to somber later, and finally to a mixture of sorrow and regret. Perhaps he did want to keep the girl, but from the beginning, they were two parallel lines that should never have intersected. It was just that the blacksmith's illusion told him that this was a world of Riemannian geometry, but in reality, Euclidean geometry still ruled this place.

"After that, I was transferred from that village back to the castle as a guard. Later, due to several punishments, I was demoted from centurion to deputy, then to private, and finally became a cook. Later, they thought my cooking was terrible, and hearing that I had learned blacksmithing while I was undercover, they assigned me to be a blacksmith, helping to maintain tons of equipment every day. Even then, I still fantasized that she was still alive, continuing to wield that beautiful katana and protect the peace of that village, until now, when I see you. But it seems you should avenge her."

“That’s right. I led my guild to kill the Fallen Treant Nereus and cleared the path to the fourth level.” Sorin nodded. Actually, he was quite moved by the story. But as people get older and experience more, their attitude towards things becomes much more peaceful, or rather, they are not so easily swayed.

However, after carefully considering the cause and effect of the story, he realized that a human girl who always appeared in the village, claiming to be the village's guardian, was captured by the forest elves as a spy and was constantly being eliminated by monsters. More importantly, Nelius, as the boss guarding a labyrinth area, was not, by design, something that should be able to escape the labyrinth area and wreak havoc on the village...

"The current artificial intelligence shouldn't be that scary, right..." Solin thought to himself, then suddenly got a fright. After analyzing the situation, he deduced that the girl who haunted the blacksmith's dreams was probably a closed beta player who cleared the third floor and left. It was just that the designers, after seeing the interaction based on the closed beta, added this quest item to the third floor boss and also added a hidden character line.

"...Thank you. There aren't many people who can listen to an old man like me ramble on for so long. These young people nowadays are all so impatient, really..." The blacksmith, of course, had no idea what Solin was thinking. After finishing this background story, he assigned Solin a task.

"...After being demoted to cook, I threw my forging hammer into the maze area in a fit of anger. That forging hammer possessed magical power; I was able to forge a blade like the Illusionary Light thanks to it. If you want a better weapon, you might consider retrieving that hammer."

After he finished speaking, a golden exclamation mark appeared above his head, indicating that the mission was acceptable. Meanwhile, Sorin only had one sentence left to say.

"Well, this story has gone from Inuyasha to Assassin's Creed to Monster Hunter, and now it's become Diablo. Isn't there a guy next to that hammer carrying a hammer named Blacksmith...?"

60. For those I cherish, I will protect them with all my heart.

With the aim of maximizing efficiency, Thorin did not immediately leave the city to find his hammer after accepting the blacksmith's quest. Instead, he continued to search for the mentor of the skill "Weapon Master" in the city, namely the dark elf sword dancer Kismer.

The NPC's location wasn't hard to find; in fact, it was quite easy. After walking around the streets inside the castle twice, Sorin spotted the beautiful woman in a light purple evening gown.

“Hello, Master Qizmeier, I am Sorinmakov, the successor of the [Weapon Master].” He stepped forward and began to speak according to the lines in the mission description. However, to his surprise, the sword dancer seemed to still have a deep impression of his heroic actions that day.

"Sorin? I haven't seen you since you dealt with that damn forest spirit. I've only heard Kirito and Asuna mention you a lot lately, saying you're actually quite strong." She smiled and nodded at Sorin, then continued, "And you're looking for me at this time to hone your skills so you can fight better, right?"

“That’s right, Master.” Sorin hadn’t expected that NPCs with some degree of artificial intelligence, like the blacksmith from before… or, in DNF terms, APCs, were actually quite numerous. Of course, Kirito hadn’t mentioned their story with Kissmel to him, otherwise Sorin might have been even more surprised.

"Speaking of which, it's been quite a while since I last heard from them," Kissmael said with a hint of regret. "How are they doing lately?"

"They're alright. After completing their mission on your side, they participated in the campaign against the guardians of the Tower of Babel. As for now... they're probably busy trying to acquire their own ship." Sorin thought for a moment, then subconsciously responded in a manner befitting a normal conversation, "Master Kissmail, how should I improve my weapon mastery skills?"

“I’ll answer that question later. But for now, I have a question for you.” Kissmael’s tone suddenly turned serious. “I see in you a determination to become stronger. But… what is your reason for becoming stronger?”

Sorin felt like he was on a side quest, one where a bad answer could lead to a hard game or even a bad end. After careful consideration, he gave his prepared answer.

"I want to lead those who trust me to the top of the Tower of Babel, and that is my reason for becoming stronger."

"This is only part of it, and it's not what you truly wanted, Mr. Sorin." Kissmail shook his head after hearing his words. "Follow your heart. Is the person in the mirror who you want to be, or who others want you to be? Think carefully, and then answer this question again. What is your reason for becoming stronger?"

"Holy crap, is this NPC really that intelligent?" Sorin thought to himself. He had a vague feeling that something was amiss, but just as Kissmael had said, this wasn't his true intention, or rather, what he truly hoped for. Everyone trapped in SAO hoped to escape this nightmare as soon as possible, and he was no exception. And most people who had heard of the title "Thousand Swordsman" genuinely hoped that Sorin and his team could break through the hundred-story floating city as soon as possible, thereby rescuing all the people living there.

Yuna watched Sorin and Kissmel nervously from the side. She had been listening to their conversation, but even she herself didn't see Sorin for who he was. The only Sorin she knew was what Sorin herself had revealed, whether intentionally or unintentionally—that he liked to play strange jokes, seemed to have skillful and elegant techniques with women but was very naive in terms of emotions, and had a smart and meticulous mind... But she didn't understand Sorin, or rather, Mo Yulan, just as Sorin didn't understand [Yuna Shigemura].

She watched as Solin fell into deep thought, remaining motionless for a long time. Solin, meanwhile, was recalling events from a long time ago.

——————Winter 2002, Harbin, Birch Street residential area——————

"Dad, are you leaving?"

Mo Yulan sat at the dining table, her clear eyes fixed on the man in front of her, her gaze filled with longing and reluctance.

"Yes, I'm leaving. Remember to listen to Uncle Graz, okay?" His tone was gentle, but there was a hint of unspeakable sadness hidden within it.

Mo Yulan didn't pick up on all that; he only cared about one thing: his father, who had been with him since childhood, was leaving him and might not return for a long time. Bitter tears streamed down his face, and his voice trembled with sobs.

"They say Dad is a hero, that Dad can take a gun and [rat-a-tat-tat] take care of those bad guys. Is Dad going to fight bad guys this time too?"

“Yes, Dad is a soldier, and a soldier’s duty is to protect the country. Yu Lan, if I pick up a gun, I won’t be able to hug you. But if I put down my gun, I won’t be able to protect you. That’s about it.” He sighed, placed his chopsticks on the edge of his bowl with trembling hands, and said earnestly, “I don’t want to see that day, but if you really have the chance to pick up a weapon and go to the battlefield, it must be to fight for the people you cherish in your heart.”

"Like Daddy?"

"Yes, just like Daddy." He ruffled Mo Yulan's hair, then sat up from his seat. "Remember the constellations I told you about? The brightest star in the constellation Jing is Sirius, which symbolizes us soldiers. If you miss Daddy, look there, okay?"

"Okay. Goodbye, Dad!"

The man sighed and walked out the door into the snowy night. Mo Yulan leaned against the window, watching the man disappear into the distance, leaving a trail of footprints until they were completely buried by the snow. Only then did he reluctantly return to his bed. After that, however, the man vanished completely from his life.

------

"Damn it, liar! With such heavy smog in Ice City, where the hell am I supposed to see Sirius?" Sorin snapped out of his daze, cursing viciously, his eyes turning red. He pondered seriously, his right hand resting on the hilt of his rapier, his left hand raised in front of him, palm facing forward, fingers together, and then slowly, word by word, he spoke these words to Kismer before him.

"I will protect those I cherish with all my heart. That is the reason I have fought until now."

61. What's wrong with those troublemakers who dare to open fire on me?

“Protecting those you cherish… Very good. You have proven your determination to fight, and I believe you can go further and further on the path of a weapon master. Judging from the weapons you carry, you should be considered a master as well. There is not much I can teach you. But as a weapon master, the weapons you have practiced are far from enough.”

“But carrying this many weapons is already my limit. Any more would be very inconvenient in combat,” Sorin continued, following up on Kismael’s words. He guessed that the conversation was about to end and that she would soon give him the next mission objective.

“You’re right. And the weapon masters of all ages have found a solution through battle and training.” Kismer nodded, then pointed in the direction Sorin and Yuna had come from, and tossed a small, black, leaf-shaped plaque that looked like jade to Sorin. “One of my former sergeants is now in charge of weapon forging and maintenance for the Dark Elf forces. Take this and go find him. Tell him you need something called a Kaleidoscope, and he’ll tell you what to do next.”

Sorin held the plaque in his hand and pondered for a moment. Then he bowed to Kismer and said, "See you later, Master." After that, he left with Yuna.

“I just came from there…” Solin said with a hint of complaint, “So what kind of person is that blacksmith? He can’t be someone like Akasha who is beyond the Three Realms and outside the Five Elements, can he?”

"More than that, I'm suddenly more curious about you, Sorin," Yuna sighed softly. "You seem to be just as you always say, mysterious and with a story to tell."

"Wow, Qin Sanshu's verbal tic is really contagious." Suolin shrugged and replied in a serious tone, "You might not believe it, but I'm actually a guardian from the alternate dimension Innid. I was ambushed and sealed inside a stone. I just came out two months ago and wanted to play some games, but I got trapped here."

"……All right."

------

"Why are you back again? Did something happen while you were looking for my hammer?" The blacksmith looked at the two men at the door and asked in confusion. "But judging by the time, you shouldn't have gone too far out of the city."

“Well… actually, it’s like this, Mr. Blacksmith. I just went to see my mentor, Master Kissmael. She said that after I find you, I’ll show you this, and then she said I need something called the ‘Kaleidoscope,’ and you’ll tell me the rest.” Sorin said this, taking the black leaf-shaped token out of his inventory. “Here it is.”

"Kaleidoscope...Young man, you actually inherited that." The blacksmith's face showed a hint of surprise after hearing Solin's words, but he quickly recovered. "To put it simply, the so-called 'Kaleidoscope' is a weapon storage device with a quick-access function. I doubt any other blacksmith could make something like this."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, sir blacksmith. Please let me know if you need anything."

“One of the essential materials for making the kaleidoscope is natural crystal, a mineral material that is easily shaped under certain conditions and used to make the internal parts of the kaleidoscope. Of course, you don’t need to know the specific principles behind it; that’s my concern. You just need to bring the material back to me.” The blacksmith took a roll of blueprints as thick as an almanac from the cabinet beside him, flipped through a couple of pages, put it back, and turned around to say, “You can obtain this material from the forest area outside Yuffie City. It appears at the base of the roots of ash trees. If possible, also bring back some ash wood for me; that’s another material for making it.”

"Then we'll take our leave now."

------

“Let’s plan this out. The maze area is on the other side of the forked river in Yuffie City. We need to search for a hammer there. The ash tree and natural crystals need to be collected in the forest area, which can be reached after we reach the other side of the river. So let’s find the materials for the Kaleidoscope first, and then find the hammer for him.”

He stood on the boat, flipping through a map with one hand while rowing with the other. Yuna remained quietly seated on the gunwale, holding the silver flute. Sorin had previously asked for the flute out of curiosity and examined it, discovering it was actually a weapon with a panel; the system displayed it as "Feializ's Hymn +8," its base damage even surpassing Kirito's "Forged Blade +6."

"Speaking of which, we're on the fourth floor... haven't we fought any monsters yet?" Yuna suddenly asked. "That cute shark we saw when we first came here shouldn't be considered a monster, right?"

“If that doesn’t count, then there really isn’t any.” Sorin carefully recalled how long he had been slacking off after reaching the fourth floor, then shook his head, trying to forget his slacking off. “But Kirito and the others said that the monsters on this floor are a mix of humanoid and non-humanoid. In the forest… we might see forest elf patrols, wolf packs, or grizzly bears or something like that.”

As he said this, he anchored the boat in the shallow waters near the shore, then walked over to Yuna and gently patted her shoulder.

"Huh? What's going on... Ah!" Yuna was still wondering what Solin was going to do when she suddenly lost her footing and found herself being lifted up by Solin around the waist. He then leaped up and landed steadily on the beach without even getting her [Wilderness Rhythm Combat Boots] wet.

Actually, when Sorin was doing this, all he was thinking about was preventing the young lady from falling flat on her face and then directly into the water. When he held Yuna in a princess carry on the beach, the scene suddenly became quiet.

"Why...why suddenly..." Yuna's pretty face turned red, and she didn't know where to put her hands in front of her chest. Of course, besides being shy, she also felt a strange sense of security.