I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

Asuna paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yes, I saw a beautiful sunset. In the real world, I rarely have the opportunity to calm down and appreciate it like this."

The old man let out a low laugh, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out, making him look exceptionally kind.

“The scenery of this land is indeed beautiful. Even after living here for so long, I am still amazed every time I see the sunset, even though…” He paused, his gaze becoming somewhat distant, “Even in this world, there are moments worth lingering over.”

Asuna hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Um... could we stay here for the night? It's getting late, and we still have to cross dangerous rocky terrain to get back to Urbas..."

The old man turned around, a gentle glint in his cloudy eyes: "You've helped me, so this request is no problem at all."

He pointed to the wooden ladder in the corner of the room: "There's an old mattress in the attic. It's simple, but it's better than sleeping outdoors."

"That's great!" Asuna smiled happily, then asked somewhat shyly, "And... do you have a kitchen here? I'd like to use the rock herbs I gathered today to make some dinner."

The old man raised his gray eyebrows and pointed to a makeshift stove made of stones on the other side of the house: "You can light a fire there, and the cooking utensils are all in the wooden box underneath. But..."

He looked at Asuna's exquisite attire and said, "My conditions here are simple, probably not as good as a kitchen in the city."

"It's alright!" Asuna had already strode towards the stove, deftly rolling up her sleeves.

A pale green [Cooking Skill] effect appeared on her wrist. She took out a whole piece of fresh meat from a [Grassland Rock Sheep] from her inventory—a high-quality ingredient that Wangyue Feng had hunted a few days ago. A system floating window automatically popped up:

Ingredients: Grassland blue sheep (89% freshness).

Recommended cooking methods: grilling/stewing.

Special effect: AGI increases by 3 within 3 hours after consumption.

Asuna tossed the chunk of [Prairie Goat] meat into the air, and the cleaver instantly turned into a blue light—this was the [Precision Cut] effect triggered by her cooking skill.

"Shh!"

The mutton automatically splits into uniform cubes and falls into the earthenware pot.

Just as Mochizuki Kaede rolled up her sleeves to help, Asuna lightly tapped the back of her hand with the back of her knife: "You're only responsible for eating."

Then she took out the [Rock Grass], and the blade danced at a speed that was difficult to detect with the naked eye, and the grass instantly turned into even fine threads.

She mixed the chopped vanilla with the juice of [Canyon Berry] and ground it in a mortar. With a "ding" sound, the mixture emitted a faint golden light—triggering the [Spice Synergy].

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Old Hunter

When Asuna lifted the lid of the clay pot—

With a soft "pop," golden steam billowed out like clouds of mist, instantly filling the entire wooden house.

The rich aroma seemed to take on a physical form, transforming into tiny particles of light that slowly settled in the air. The lamb was stewed until tender, coated in an amber-colored broth, with a thin layer of vanilla oil floating on the surface, shimmering with a delicate golden light in the firelight.

Wang Yuefeng unconsciously took a deep breath, his nostrils filled with the unique crispness of rocky herbs, the slight tartness of canyon berries, and the rich aroma of mutton.

"Asuna, your cooking skills have gotten even better."

Even before touching the spoon, just smelling the aroma, Mochizuki Kaede couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

The old herbalist's eyes, which had been cloudy, suddenly lit up. He shakily approached the earthenware pot, an incredulous look on his wrinkled face: "This is the first time in all my years that I've ever smelled such fragrant stewed mutton."

Asuna tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a little embarrassed: "I just used all the materials I collected today."

She carefully placed the stewed meat into a wooden bowl.

The mutton was stewed until tender, falling apart at the slightest touch of a spoon to reveal its pinkish texture. The aroma of herbs rose with the steam, making the simple wooden cabin feel cozy.

Mochizuki Kaede took the bowl and carefully blew on it to cool it down. The first bite released the savory flavor of the lamb, the unique aroma of the herbs perfectly balancing the richness, while the sweet and sour taste of the berries added even more depth to the flavor. The meat was so tender it required almost no chewing, and the broth was rich yet not heavy, making every bite unforgettable.

"Is it delicious?" Asuna looked at the two of them expectantly.

Mochizuki Kaede didn't answer immediately. Instead, she scooped up another spoonful and put it in her mouth before nodding, "Mmm, delicious."

The old herbalist was too preoccupied to speak, focusing intently on enjoying the food in his bowl. He ate quickly, yet cherished every bite, as if savoring some precious treasure.

Asuna looked at the satisfied expressions on their faces, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her own.

Outside, the night wind whipped sand and gravel against the windowpanes, while inside, the steam rising from the pot of stewed mutton around the old wooden table where the three sat swayed in the lamplight. The old man's withered fingers held the rim of the bowl, and he suddenly said softly, "Before we set off tomorrow... have another bowl of this soup."

……

late at night.

Beneath the low, sloping roof of the attic, an oil lamp burned quietly, casting flickering light and shadow on the wooden wall.

Mochizuki Kaede and Asuna were each wrapped in simple travel sleeping bags, separated by a dim lamp. Although the old man had provided an old mattress, their long-standing habits from adventures made them more accustomed to their own sleeping bags.

Asuna lay on her side, her chestnut hair spread out on the lining of her sleeping bag. She stared at the light that was so close to her, the orange glow dancing in her amber eyes.

She suddenly spoke up: "What do you think of today's stewed mutton?"

Looking at the wood grain of the roof, Mochizuki Kaede replied, "Very good."

He paused, then added, "The meat is very tender, and the herb flavor is just right."

Asuna chuckled softly: "Actually, there are still some areas for improvement. We could use a little more herbs, and if we extended the stewing time by another ten minutes, the meat would be even more tender..."

Mochizuki Kaede turned her head to look at her. The lamplight reflected on her profile, casting a soft, warm glow.

“But I’m very happy today,” Asuna added. “In the real world, I’ve never cooked; the housekeeper always takes care of that at home. The only time I’ve ever cooked was probably when I made sandwiches in cooking class in middle school…”

Mochizuki Kaede hummed in agreement. He had never cooked in the real world either, and his situation was similar to Asuna's, as they were both cared for by a nanny.

"Oh, right!" Asuna suddenly blinked as if she remembered something. "If we could find [Morning Dew Mint], adding it to the soup would enhance the refreshing taste and make the flavor more complex."

"Is this spice on the second layer?"

"Yes, it was mentioned in the intelligence report."

Asuna's eyes gleamed in the light: "It is said to grow near the Central Grasslands."

She propped herself up, her chestnut hair falling over her shoulders: "Should we go leveling up over there tomorrow? The [Common Bison] in the Central Grasslands may not be high level, but there are many of them and they respawn quickly, making it a good place to level up efficiently."

Mochizuki Kaede nodded: "We can also collect more spices while we're at it."

He seemed to remember something and added, "Do you have any space left in your inventory?"

“Of course,” Asuna smiled. “The initial space provided by the system is enough to hold all the spices for the entire grassland.”

Her tone suddenly became lighter: "And I heard that the [Shepherd's Trail] on the west side of the grassland occasionally spawns rare ingredients..."

The flickering light of the oil lamp danced in her eyes, casting a warm glow. Mochizuki Kaede unconsciously glanced at her a few more times, until Asuna tilted her head in confusion.

“Today…” she suddenly said softly, “even though it’s in a place like this, it feels pretty good to be able to cook and eat like this.”

"Let's set off at dawn tomorrow," Asuna said, snuggling deeper into her sleeping bag. "First, we'll level up on the grasslands, and then..."

Before she could finish speaking, her breathing became even and long. Wang Yuefeng gently extinguished the oil lamp, plunging the attic into darkness, with only the occasional chirping of insects outside the window remaining.

The attic was plunged into a gentle darkness.

Their even breathing mingled, gathering strength for tomorrow's adventure. As Asuna teetered on the edge of sleep, she vaguely thought—in this cruel game, sharing a meal she had cooked herself might be the most precious reward.

the next morning.

After breakfast, Asuna and Mochizuki Kaede bid farewell to the old herbalist.

"When you pass through Urbas, go to the 'Buffalo Spirit' tavern and find the old hunter, Grand."

The old herbalist handed a roll of yellowed parchment to Wang Yuefeng, a sly glint in his cloudy eyes: "He'll understand when he sees this."

Mochizuki Kaede took the parchment, and the moment she touched it, a system notification sounded softly: [Acquired quest item "Herbalist Tar's Secret Letter"] .

Mochizuki Kaede put it into her inventory: "We will."

“What are Mr. Grand’s distinguishing features?” Asuna asked.

“He always sat in the very corner.” The old man turned to tidy up the drying rack for herbs. “He had three scratch scars on his left cheek, and next to him was a wine jug engraved with a bull horn emblem. He had a bit of a strange temper, but seeing this…”

He pointed to the scroll: "...We will treat you well."

Outside the door, the sun had fully risen on the second floor, painting the canyon walls a golden-red. Wang Yuefeng pushed open the wooden door, and the morning breeze, carrying the scent of the grasslands, rushed in.

"Take care." The old man stood at the door, his figure appearing particularly small in the morning light.

Asuna waved her hand: "We'll make you stew again when we find better spices!"

The old man paused, a complex expression appearing on his wrinkled face, as he watched the two young people walk towards the desolate plain bathed in morning light. Mochizuki Kaede led the way, with Asuna following behind, occasionally glancing back at the receding wooden house.

"Let's go to Urbas first and find Mr. Grand." She jogged a few steps to catch up with Wangyue Feng. "And then go to the Central Grasslands?"

Mochizuki Kaede nodded: "This should also be an important NPC quest, where you can obtain special items."

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Roar of the Wilderness

Urbas.

[Bison Spirits] Tavern.

Pushing open the heavy oak door, a wave of heat, mingled with the aroma of ale and roasted meat, hits you. As one of the few NPC taverns in SAO directly managed by the system, [Bison Spirits] perfectly replicates the rugged frontier tavern style of Western movies.

A bronze bull's head hangs from the ceiling, its rubies, inlaid in the eyes, gleaming blood-red under the kerosene lamp. Behind the bar stands the tireless NPC bartender, whose ID, "Old Tom," is marked with a gold system icon.

Every half hour, the piano in the corner plays the background music "Prairie Rhapsody".

Amidst rough wooden tables and chairs, a dozen players were chatting and laughing loudly, raising bubbly wooden wine glasses. Although the alcoholic beverages in the game wouldn't actually make you drunk, the system would simulate a slightly tipsy state.

Several warrior-like players had a status icon floating above their heads that read "[Slightly tipsy: STR+1/DEX-1]".

Asuna's boot heels made a soft, crunching sound as they stepped on the sawdust-covered floor.

“That’s…” Mochizuki Kaede’s gaze was fixed on the shadows in the corner.

In the deepest shadows, a figure clad in worn leather armor sat alone. Before him sat a conspicuous horn-shaped wine jug on an oak barrel, its surface engraved with spiral patterns.

It has the same characteristics as described by the old herbalist.

As they approached, a scent of herbs and leather wafted towards them. The man slowly raised his head, revealing a face etched with the lines of time, three jagged scars running across his left eye—it was none other than [Old Hunter Grang], his ID accompanied by a distinctive golden quest marker.

Mochizuki Kaede didn't speak, but simply took the roll of parchment from her inventory and gently placed it on the scratched wooden table.

The old hunter's rough fingers traced the distinctive sealing wax mark on the parchment, his hoarse voice almost drowned out by the tavern's noise:

"That old man Tal hasn't been carried off by the harpies yet? He's finally willing to hand over the prescription?"

He stood up: "Come with me."

As Asuna walked through the bustling crowd, she noticed several players casting curious glances at her; clearly, this NPC wasn't someone anyone could easily talk to.

The old hunter then led Mochizuki Kaede and Asuna to the dilapidated hunter's hut on the west side of Urbas.

The moment I pushed open the door, the smell of dry herbs wafted out. The room was simply but orderly furnished: the walls were covered with various animal horn specimens, half-finished arrows were scattered on the workbench, and pale purple bubbles were bubbling from the alchemy cauldron in the corner.

The old hunter smoothed the parchment with his rough hands; the prescription on it was already yellowed: "That stubborn old man, Tarna, actually handed over the prescription..."

“As agreed.” He looked up at the two of them, a glint of light flashing in his single eye. “I will make you the [Bison Horn], but you must first prove your strength.”

A system notification then appeared in their field of vision:

[Accept the quest: Roar of the Wilderness].

mission target:

Hunt 15 [Ruin Bison] (distributed in the Central Grasslands).

Collect 8 [Bison Horns].

reward:

Buffalo's Horn Flute ×1.

2000 KEL.

"A bison horn?" Mochizuki Kaede's gaze lingered on the quest reward screen for a moment. The name didn't sound like a weapon; it sounded more like some kind of special item. Perhaps a summoning item, or a key to unlock a hidden area. In any case, in the world of SAO, special items often meant more possibilities.

After accepting the mission, Mochizuki Kaede and Asuna left the hunter's cabin.

"Today's mission objective is very clear..." Asuna said, looking at the mission board, "Hunt fifteen bison, and then collect [Morning Dew Mint]."

Her voice held a hint of anticipation, clearly indicating that she was more interested in spices.

Wang Yuefeng nodded, and the two passed through the heavy western gate of Urbas and continued on their way. The vast central grassland suddenly unfolded before their eyes.

A dry, hot wind, carrying bits of grass, whipped Asuna's chestnut hair into the air. In the distance, ten massive, dark figures strolled leisurely—those were the [Ruin Bison].

Their bulging muscles rolled beneath their skin, their bronze horns gleamed with a cold metallic sheen under the blazing sun, and their hooves kicked up clouds of dust as they pawed the ground.

"Click——"

Mochizuki Kaede placed his hand on the sword hilt, the metal armor clanging against the scabbard. He slightly bent his knees, leaning forward, already in a fighting stance.