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

"I feel like my knight has suddenly become a lot cuter."

Yuna looked at Sorin with a smile. Sorin's short, bright silver hair was neatly plastered to his ears, and his blushing ear tips were clearly visible. His alluring blue-purple eyes looked moist, and he seemed to have lost his sharp edge.

"Cute? What the heck? It shouldn't be that bad."

Solin shook his head, and a shower of water droplets flew outwards from his head. "Go ahead, remember to adjust the water temperature, I just turned it on a little too hot."

"Ah."

The reply was brief, followed by the sound of the door closing. Sorin knew how troublesome and tedious girls' bathing was, so he needed something to pass the time. However, the only thing that could be considered a written text in SAO so far was Argo's strategy guide, which was more likely to make him sleepy than to pass the time.

Of course, occasional daydreaming can also help pass the time. After daydreaming for a long time, Yuna, whose hair was also wet and disheveled, finally came out.

"Yuna, if I told you that we're not far from successfully completing this game and escaping from here, would you believe me?" Sorin leaned against the headboard, tidied her messy hair at the back of her head, and suddenly asked this question.

“Although I don’t know why, I feel inexplicably credible. It’s probably because of the feeling that Sorin has always given people.” Yuna leaned gently on Sorin’s shoulder, her tone hesitant. “If I had to give a reason to believe him, I would only say that Sorin is very capable.”

“But even the strongest person gets tired… Ever since I learned this was a death game, I’ve been working tirelessly to improve my strength. After establishing the Edelweiss Guild, I have to constantly remember my responsibilities as the guild leader, even though I’m someone who really hates this kind of troublesome stuff.” Sorin sighed and lowered his head helplessly. “I didn’t join any clubs or hold any positions in college because I was afraid of trouble, let alone leading so many people forward.”

Yuna remained silent, listening quietly to Suolin's outpouring. She knew that this man, who had always appeared so dashing and strong in public, was gradually approaching his limit.

“I’m sorry… but I’m really tired. I want to say that to them, but every time I see their expectant and determined eyes, I swallow my words back… I don’t want to do this anymore, Yuna. Give me an afternoon… just one afternoon.”

Yuna nodded seriously, sat up again, and gently hugged Sorin, stroking his back as she had done after the encounter on the fourth floor. The guy who was teased by his guild members and fans as a "steel straight man" was now trembling slightly, revealing a side of himself he had never shown in public before.

Perhaps he had much more to say, but for now, after a moment of silence, all Yuu could hear was the sound of soft breathing. She glanced down and saw that Solin had closed his eyes, with only a forced smile on his lips, which soon returned to its expressionless state.

92. I wish to shake a cherry blossom tree with you under this dazzling starry night, and summon a night of starlight.

The room fell silent for a moment, broken only by Sorin's steady breathing. Yuna lay on the other side, curiously watching the guy who claimed to be twenty-four but clearly looked like a young boy. Asleep, Sorin had completely shed his confident and sharp aura, appearing so vulnerable.

"Why have you never thought of asking others to help share some of the burden? The things you're carrying are far too heavy, Sorin."

As Yuna thought this, she drowsily closed her eyes. When she woke up again, it was already evening, and the outside lights faintly shone through the window, adding an ambiguous lighting effect to the room.

She looked to her side, but Solin, who had been lying there quietly, was nowhere to be seen. Just then, the door clicked open, and a silver figure walked in.

"I saw you weren't awake, so I brought you some food." Suolin put the bag on the table and sat down on the edge of the bed. "It's only six o'clock. Do you want to go for a walk after you eat?"

“Yeah, I’m going out to practice my skills tonight.” Yuna said, taking out her Irish bagpipes and gently fiddling with them to test the sound. “My skill level is currently five, but my proficiency has been increasing very slowly lately, and I don’t know why.”

"Maybe they don't want these kinds of skills to be too powerful in the early stages. My skills have been stuck at level 5 for quite a while now." Sorin checked his character panel, where the slot for [Weapon Master] was still at level 5, and the proficiency was still below 100. "Or maybe all skills will increase at a relatively slow rate after reaching level 5, but I only have [Weapon Master], so I'm not really sure about the others."

"That's about it. Let's not talk about that now... I'm going to eat." Yuna said, taking the bag that Sorin had brought back. The bag contained several Rubik's Cube-shaped buns. Although they looked as strange as the city, judging from Yuna's expression, they tasted quite good.

“By the way, Sorin, what are you doing now…” Yuna suddenly looked at Sorin with some concern, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Sorin just smiled calmly and shrugged, as if he didn’t care, but his tone was quite firm.

"Don't worry about me, Yuna. One afternoon is enough for me to be weak. I can take a short break, but I absolutely cannot abandon this responsibility. Even if it's for no other reason, I cannot let my country be disgraced here. This is what it means to be duty-bound."

Yuna sensed the firmness and confidence in his tone; she knew the dashing Thousand Swordsman was back. So she stopped paying attention to these trivial details and focused on her dinner.

After a brief dinner, Sorin and Yuna casually put on their coats (just kidding), closed the door, and went out. The main city was still dimly lit at night, with a few players and even more NPCs on the streets.

When choosing a place to practice her skills, Yuna usually avoids locations with particularly bright lighting. A shady spot under a tree, bathed in moonlight, is enough for her. Of course, it was precisely in that shady spot, under the moonlight, that the girl in the white dress stood, that Sorin fell in love at first sight.

Coincidentally, although they hadn't discussed it beforehand, both of them wore the same outfits they wore when they first met—a girl in a plain white dress and strappy sandals, and Deacon Ozori in a Senate cloak. Of course, this was thanks to the fact that winters in SAO weren't too extreme.

In today's setting, the moonlight isn't as bright as it was when the two first met. It's hidden behind several layers of thin clouds, giving way to the stars in the night sky. In reality, it's rare to find a place where you can see a sky full of stars at night. While the virtual world has confined these people here, it must be said that its existence offers a possibility, a miracle that makes the impossible possible—more miraculous than a one-mana board clear.

"Think about it carefully, this virtual world allows people who are blind to see colors, and it allows people with disabilities to wield their non-existent limbs again. If it weren't for this accident... or rather, this case, this kind of immersive virtual world would have truly changed people's lives. It's a miracle."

Yuna sat under the tree, gazing up at the boundless sky, and suddenly sighed. Sorin sat beside her, leaning against the tree, but his attention wasn't on the starry sky. At that moment, no matter how beautiful the scenery, nothing could compare to the girl beside him.

"Perhaps. But for me, the greatest miracle is meeting you here, a girl I can cherish and protect for a lifetime." Suolin revealed a faint but healing smile, her words filled with infinite tenderness. "I once thought that if a true love were placed in front of me, I would never follow the same path as Supreme Treasure. If I had to put a time limit on it, I would hope it would be this lifetime."

There's a saying that goes, "A straight man's sweet talk is as blunt as steel," and that's probably something like this. After hearing these words, Yuna blushed from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears, and she looked like she was about to steam.

The two people under the tree fell silent once again, but this silence was perfectly timed. Like the blank space in a traditional Chinese ink painting, the pristine white paper left room for boundless artistic conception.

"...Then you have to promise me that you won't force yourself anymore." After a long while, Yuna broke the silence first, "The way you looked this afternoon...it really hurt me."

"Don't worry, look at me now, I'm completely fine, aren't I?" Suolin quickly reassured her after hearing her say that. "More importantly, aren't you going to practice your skills tonight? I'm waiting to listen to the music."

"Okay, so what would you like to hear today, Sorin?" Yuna stood up, took the bagpipes out of her backpack, and played a few notes. "First of all, I should mention that I don't know many strange tunes~"

"You can even play Captain Jack Sparrow's signature background music. I wonder what kind of song would sound strange to you." Sorin couldn't help but complain about Yuna's performance that day. "Forget it, I'd better not request any songs. I'm afraid I might accidentally play 'takarajima,' which is ingrained in my DNA. You decide."

Yuna paused for a moment. Although she understood that "takarajima" probably referred to Shin Takarajima, she still couldn't understand why this song was ingrained in her DNA. Of course, she had heard a lot of inexplicable things from Sorin before, so she didn't pay much attention to it now. She adjusted the bellows and pressed the keys with her right hand, producing a series of notes.

Solin heard a familiar melody; it was "Sakura Sakura Aikan-ni" (Cherry Blossom, Cherry Blossom, I Want to See You), composed by Kenichi Takano in 2007 and covered by RSP. It was a very healing song in every way. Moreover, Yuna had previously only played simple melodies on the bagpipes; this was the first time Solin had heard Yuna's voice, and it also had a refreshingly healing feel.

As the song ended, as if echoing Yuna's voice, countless cherry blossom petals inexplicably drifted down from beneath the snow-covered fir trees, enveloping the small space.

"I wish to shake a cherry blossom tree with you under this starry night, and summon a shower of stars." Solin suddenly murmured to himself. He looked at the horizon, and as if to prove his words, countless shooting stars streaked across the sky, leaving trails as they disappeared in a flash.

"Okay, it's a deal then. I'll be waiting for you to take me to watch the meteor shower under the cherry blossom tree after we go out~"

93. The Curse of Pisagros (Part Two)

"Hello, Mr. Liu Ziyang, this is Dokkaebi from Rainbow Team. There is something related to the SAO rescue operation that requires your cooperation."

Dokkaebi held up her phone, her tone serious. Beside her were the remaining members of the Rainbow Team's SAO rescue squad. Previously, Mo Yulan's message had only been shared with Grace, and the others were also curious about what had happened.

"Okay, I'll do my best to cooperate with you, but then again, what's the big deal that you have to come to me for? Can't you just ask Lao Mo?" Liu Ziyang's voice, sounding like he hadn't woken up yet, came from the other end of the phone.

“Mo Yulan asked me to inquire whether any of the currently signed players from Qingwu and Musashi, as well as all Japanese Gold-level or higher pros, are trapped in SAO. He said this matter is related to the success rate of the entire operation.” Grace recalled Mo Yulan’s question and then relayed it word for word to Liu Ziyang on the other side of the Sea of ​​Japan. “This matter shouldn’t be considered a secret within the industry, right?”

"It's not really a secret, you can just ask Lao Mo about it, honestly," Liu Ziyang complained on the other end, seemingly because the matter had disturbed his sleep. "The only one who would be streaming and slacking off the day before the GP starts is Xiao Mo. Everyone else is already in Tokyo preparing for the next day's competition. Also, please tell Xiao Mo that considering his special circumstances, Wizards of the Coast has reserved his spot in the Mythic top 32. Currently, Zhi Zhanshen is temporarily occupying that spot, but if he dies in SAO, that spot will no longer be reserved."

“…Okay, so that means those people he didn’t mention are also trapped in SAO, right?” Grace confirmed again, receiving an impatient “No, no, no” reply before the other end hung up.

"..." Grace put her phone on the table and looked at the people sitting at the table. "We need to speed things up. Xiao Mo said he is 80% sure that one of the players is Kayaba Akihiko himself, and my question will increase the success rate to 90%."

“In that case, we really need to hurry. Hopefully, he can stay calm.” Elias tapped the table lightly with his right hand, pondering, “But I still don’t understand why this question could increase his chances by ten percent.”

“That’s not something we should be thinking about. If we don’t hurry, we’ll just be holding my son back, and that’s something I can’t tolerate.” Mo Tianfang pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s get everything ready. Now that we’ve confirmed that Kayaba Akihiko isn’t in Tokyo, we can only start looking in the areas around Tokyo.”

------

“Supporting a Pro… Wizards of the Coast is really kind of me. I’ve already missed three Grand Prix and one Pro tournament, and they still managed to save this spot for me.” Sorin looked at the message Grace sent him and fell into thought. “No one is trapped in SAO… Then it’s more than 90%, it’s practically confirmed.”

"Are you thinking about something, Sorin?" Yuna looked at Sorin with some confusion and asked, "It feels like something very important. Did someone send you a message?"

"I guess so, but you probably wouldn't understand even if I explained it in detail." Solin shook his head, then pointed to the quest menu, "Old Steward Sai'e from the South City Item Shop... seems to be nearby."

He looked up and saw that the shop sign in front of him was "Sai's South City Props Shop". There was also a number puzzle at the entrance, but this puzzle was just a 9x9 Sudoku. The difficulty level was not high, and he filled in all the numbers in just seven minutes.

The item shop on the sixth floor has a different layout than others: it features a large, L-shaped counter on the outside, inside which are stocked with health potions, ready to be sold at any time. People who went out to fight monsters at the south gate and returned from outside the city around noon or evening would usually spend a little over forty kor to buy two potions—that was the price a couple of days ago, now it's risen to over sixty kor…

The shop owner, Mr. Sai, stood behind the L-shaped counter. Mr. Sai looked like a particularly kind old man, smiling as he looked at Sorin and Yuna, and even took out a few medicine bottles from his counter.

"Hello, adventurers from afar, what do you need?" He squinted, and although his tone had a touch of the mercenary nature of a merchant, it was not offensive; on the contrary, it felt perfectly natural.

“Hello, Mr. Sey, we are entrusted by Lord Selon to find the Golden Cube of the former Lord, Paisagros. Do you have any clues?” Thorin asked in the polite tone he used when speaking to NPCs. “Lord Selon said that you were the former Lord’s steward, so you should know something, right?”

"You mean...you mean that! The cube that killed the traveler and brought the curse!" The kind old man's expression changed drastically upon hearing about the golden cube, and his voice became shrill. "I heard a scream...a piercing scream! Like those elves who were hanged as heretics! When I got there, all I saw was a bloody mess...a head that had been smashed beyond recognition! Do you know how horrifying that head was?"

“Calm down, Mr. Sey. I’m sorry to remind you of that scene.” Solin interrupted the old butler’s neurotic shouting with a sigh, trying to steer the conversation back on track. “We only want to know the whereabouts of the Golden Cube and the previous lord himself, we don’t care how much the traveler was smashed like watermelon juice.”

He was able to say these words without changing his expression, but Yuuna, who was standing next to him, turned pale and was clearly frightened.

"I don't know... I don't know! Go ask the servants from that time! They should know more. That's all I know!"

However, the neurotic old butler failed to calm down and instead became even more agitated. After saying these words, he planned to kick Sorin and Yuna out of the small shop.

Left with no other choice, Sorin had to leave with Yuna temporarily. However, just as he stepped out the door, he suddenly received a message from Argo.

"There are rumors circulating among ordinary players who are not part of the strategy group, as well as some players from the Dragon Riders and the Aincrad Liberation Army who did not participate in the red-name extermination operation at the time. They say that your true identity is actually a ruthless killer who kills without batting an eye, and that your hands are stained with the blood of dozens of people. This rumor is currently gaining momentum, so please be careful."

"Ha, you're so clever, PoH!" Sorin laughed out loud after reading the message. "I know what you're probably thinking, but you've given me a chance now."

94. Spreading Rumors (Bonus Chapter 5/75) (Damn it! I've already finished five chapters!)

Sorin himself knew perfectly well that the rumor that he was a murderer originated from PoH, and there could be no one else but him. Those players who heard the rumor would soon find out it was true after a little inquiry, and if the rumor spread like wildfire, it would greatly damage Sorin's credibility.

However, Sorin is now planning to step back and wait for the Rainbow Team to find Kayaba Akihiko himself, so he doesn't care about these messy things, or rather, that's what gave him a legitimate reason to leave.

"I'll just wait until I finish clearing this floor," Sorin thought to herself, having already made up her mind, and then sent a message to Argo.

[SorinMarkov: Don't pay attention to these rumors. If you have some free time, you can help spread them a bit more. I have my own plans.]

He didn't care what Argo would think when he saw the message. However, most discerning people thought that since he was able to refute the King of Fang's doubts during the first level of the campaign and simultaneously use the situation to build his own power, dealing with such rumors shouldn't be a problem for him now. Therefore, he would deliberately orchestrate a situation where he couldn't stay in the frontline group because he hadn't handled the rumors properly.

Of course, that's something to consider later. His immediate priority is to finish this quest called "The Curse of Pisagrius" as soon as possible. However, he suddenly noticed a problem: the quest description always stated that "the traveler killed by Pisagrius cast a curse on this city," but the quest itself is titled "The Curse of Pisagrius."

If translation errors can be ruled out, then this is clearly the first point of contention in this task.

As he was thinking this, he suddenly opened his taskbar. He noticed that the section that previously only displayed task backgrounds now had several new messages:

[You have completed a conversation with Lord Theron and obtained Clue*1 (This clue can be used to replay conversations with key figures)]

[You have completed a conversation with the prop shop owner, who is also the old steward of the former city lord, Paisarus, and obtained Clue*1]

"Interesting... This is clearly an open-ended mystery quest." Sorin looked at the two messages and nodded knowingly. "Yuna, didn't you think... that old butler's reaction just now was a bit off?"

"I think it's quite normal. After all, he witnessed such a horrific murder scene. It's normal to become hysterical when recalling it." Yuna carefully recalled the old butler Sey's behavior just now, her tone slightly hesitant, "Is there anything wrong with it?"

“I think if we continue down the questline, it’ll just be another story, but there might be more information, or rather… more clues!” Thinking this, Sorin suddenly perked up. “Let’s hurry and find those servants he mentioned. I think I understand!”

Solin's words were ambiguous, and although Yuna had read works like "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" or "Detective Conan," she was only a layman enjoying the spectacle. She herself knew nothing about deduction. Therefore, she couldn't understand what Solin meant, or what he had actually figured out.

[Solin: That's right! There's only one truth! (After saying that, he used the tranquilizer dart in his hand to knock the girl unconscious.)]

"When you have eliminated all the impossibilities, what remains, however much you may not want to believe, is the truth." — Sorin Sherlock Markov

With solid evidence from a detective, I suspect the current city lord is problematic.

[I am the prophet. Tonight, watch the city lord. The witch will protect me. Pass.]

[If the prophet doesn't report it, treat him as a werewolf; the witch will take him away!]

Their next destination was the servant's house, but the servant offered little useful information, remaining hesitant and fearful. They then visited other servants, two of Pisagrius's disciples, and Pisagrius's gardener, receiving largely the same feedback. When Thorin inquired about matters concerning the former lord, they invariably displayed fear and panic, remaining tight-lipped about the events of that year.

After leaving the gardener, Sorin went through all the clues again, reviewing all the previous conversations. The most useful information extracted from these conversations came from the talks with Lord Seron and Steward Sey. The later conversations, except for the last one about possibly knowing more people, were just a bunch of broken records.

"This is interesting... Yuna, have you figured out the problem?"