I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

With a crisp cracking sound, the white dragon's massive body suddenly stiffened. Starting from its reverse scale, countless cracks spread across its entire body like a spiderweb. The next second, the entire white dragon exploded, turning into thousands of ice crystal fragments that flew through the air.

Silica defeated the White Dragon and obtained the rare forging material [Ice Soul Crystal]!

……

On their return journey, a faint rustling sound in the snow-covered coniferous forest caught their attention. Pushing aside the snow-covered bushes, they discovered a strange creature curled up in a snowdrift.

It was a small flying dragon covered in sky-blue down, most striking of all, with two long tail feathers that spread out like ribbons across the snow. Its round, golden eyes looked timidly at the group, and its nose was still covered with unmelted snowflakes.

"Chirp..." The little creature chirped like a fledgling.

"So cute!" Asuna, Silica, and Yuna instantly formed a semi-circle and squatted down, their three pairs of eyes shining like stars, as if they had discovered a treasure.

Silica quickly took out the remaining nuts from her bag. The little guy sniffed them, then held them in his front paws and started nibbling on them, making satisfied "cheep cheep" sounds.

Mochizuki stood a little distance away, and a system window unfolded in front of him: "The race name is displayed as [Winged Dragon], which is an extremely rare special monster."

. . . .

Thanks to [C小妖C] for the knife! And to [无潺] for the monthly pass!

Chapter 153: Bina

"It's said that once tamed, it can learn healing skills." Mitt leaned against a pine tree with his arms crossed, watching the little guy surrounded by girls with great interest: "However, the capture success rate is less than 5%."

As they were talking, the pterosaur, which was eating with its head down, suddenly shook its downy fur, and its two tail feathers spread out into a heart shape with a "snap" and affectionately rubbed against Silica's wrist.

A flashing virtual interface suddenly appeared in front of Silica's eyes:

[Gain the bond with the Winged Dragon].

“Silica…” Asuna covered her lips with her slender fingers and said in surprise, “It has chosen you as its master.”

Yuna reached out and stroked the little dragon's soft back with envy, her fingertips sinking into the warm fur: "It's so nice."

Silica clicked the confirm button, and a new interface opened:

Please confirm its name.

The girl held out her finger, and the little guy immediately nuzzled against it with his head. She thought for a moment, then suddenly broke into a bright smile: "...Let's call you Bina, okay?"

"Chirp chirp!" The pterosaur suddenly flapped its wings and took flight, two tail feathers entwining around Silica's hair. It drew a shimmering trail in the air before landing steadily on the girl's shoulder, affectionately nuzzling her cheek. Mochizuki Kaede and Mito exchanged a glance, simultaneously seeing the unspoken exclamation in each other's eyes—this was probably the most unexpected gain of the day.

……

the next day.

Sunlight streamed onto the white stone-paved streets of the main district on the forty-eighth floor, Lindas, making Mochizuki Kaede and her group stand out among the bustling crowd. To be precise, what attracted the attention of passersby was Silica's fluffy pterosaur, Pina, who was lazily preening her tail feathers.

"Look! It's the legendary pterosaur!"

"Isn't that a special monster that appears with an extremely low probability in the wild?"

"Someone actually managed to tame it..."

Exclamations of amazement came from all directions. Silica shrank back a little shyly, but couldn't help stroking Bina's wings with pride.

In fact, when they brought Bina back to [Gransam] last night, it had already caused a small commotion, and even the elusive intelligence broker Argo traveled a long way to find out what was going on.

Within the monster ecosystem of SAO, a peculiar mechanic exists: some monsters hostile to players occasionally exhibit rare acts of friendliness. When astute players seize these fleeting opportunities, feeding or interacting with them correctly, they may transform former enemies into loyal allies. These tamed monsters are called "Familiars," and players who successfully forge a contract gain the coveted title of "Beastmaster," a title envied by other adventurers.

"Why is she named Bina?" Mochizuki Kaede remembered asking that question last night.

Silica stroked the pterosaur's chin, her eyes suddenly softening: "Actually... it's my cat's name, the calico cat that always waits for me to come home from school..."

Pina's two tail feathers wrapped around Silica's wrist, just like the cat in the real world always wraps its tail around her ankle.

They walked through the winding cobblestone streets of Lindas and finally stopped in front of an elegant shop with an anvil sign. A huge waterwheel was embedded in the side of the shop, turning slowly with the stream, making a regular and soothing "clang-clang" sound, and the clear water splashed in the sunlight, refracting into tiny rainbows.

“Don’t underestimate this little house that’s just for players,” Asuna explained softly. “Liz told me that because of this special waterwheel, its market value has tripled.”

Pushing open the oak shop door adorned with bells, the crisp "jingle" had barely faded when a lively voice rang out from inside:

Welcome!

Lisbeth put down her coffee cup and stood up from behind the workbench. Today she was wearing a brand new blacksmith's outfit: a dark red puff-sleeved top that made her skin look as white as snow, a pure white apron tied into a pretty bow at the back, and a red ribbon on her chest that trembled slightly with her exaggerated welcoming gesture.

"Ah! It's you!" Her eyes lit up instantly, and she ran to the group in a few quick steps.

"Ta-da~ As you can see..." She spread her arms and spun around, "This is now the newly upgraded [Lizbeth Weapon Shop 2.0]!"

Pina peeked out curiously from Silica's shoulder, looking around the shop with interest. Lisbeth then noticed the new member and approached Silica in surprise, asking, "What's this?"

Mochizuki Kaede smiled and said, "This is Silica's new partner."

"Huh?!" Lisbeth was a little surprised, so Asuna and Yuna started talking about how they met Pina last night, with Silica occasionally adding a comment.

"The person I met in the snowy mountains last night..."

"It suddenly took the initiative to acknowledge me as its master..."

"It also seems to really enjoy eating nuts..."

"It's so fluffy and feels so good to touch..."

Meanwhile, Mitt walked to the weapons display stand and browsed through the various weapons. She narrowed her eyes slightly, seemingly seriously considering whether to upgrade her equipment.

After Asuna and Yuna finished their story, Lisbeth finally snapped out of her amazement. She carefully ran her fingers through the soft fur on Pina's back, the texture so delicate she couldn't resist touching it a few more times: "This feels amazing!"

“Right?” Silica said with a smile, and Pina chirped in response, her two tail feathers swaying happily.

Mochizuki Kaede coughed lightly at the right moment: "Liz, we've come to ask you for help upgrading Silica's Crescent Moon." He gestured for Silica to take out her weapon and materials, and the girl brought up the [Crescent Moon] and [Ice Crystal] from her inventory.

“Leave it to me!” Lisbeth instantly switched to craftsman mode, snatched the materials and weapons, and turned to walk toward the workbench.

With a click, she pulled down the control lever on the wall. The waterwheel on the side of the shop began to turn slowly, and the bellows driven by the waterwheel began to beat rhythmically, continuously feeding air into the furnace. The rotating whetstone emitted a deep hum, and the entire forging area seemed to be infused with life.

She tossed the forging material into the furnace, flames dancing on her focused profile. When the temperature reached the critical point, she skillfully used long-handled tongs to remove the red-hot metal billet, sparks flying like fireflies. The heavy billet was placed on the anvil with a chilling "thud."

She gripped the hammer in her right hand, and after bringing up the crafting menu and selecting the recipe for [Crescent Moon], a crisp system notification sounded.

"It's about to begin!" Her voice carried the unique excitement of a blacksmith. Although SAO's weapon forging system essentially determined quality through random numbers, Lisbeth always believed that focus and momentum during forging would subtly influence the outcome. She slowly raised the hammer, her eyes becoming incredibly sharp.

"clang--!"

Chapter 154: Valentine's Day

"clang--!"

With a final, resounding hammer strike, the brand-new Crescent Moon Wheel revealed itself amidst the steam, its silver-white blade adorned with icy blue patterns.

“Done!” Lisbeth wiped the sweat from her brow and solemnly handed the weapon to Silica.

Silica took it with both hands, and the moment her fingertips touched the blade, the system interface unfolded before her eyes:

[Weapon upgrade successful: Crescent Moon Wheel → Aurora Crescent Moon Wheel]

[Additional Attribute: Freeze Damage +30%]

“That’s amazing…” Silica looked at Lisbeth again and said, “Thank you, Miss Lisbeth!”

Lisbeth put her hands on her hips and laughed, "It's a fair trade, you paid for it anyway."

After saying goodbye to Lisbeth, who continued working while humming a song, the group returned to the sun-drenched streets of Lindas.

“Now that the weapons are upgraded, it’s time to head to the maze area,” Mitt said.

Yuna chimed in, "Let's keep grinding levels today and increase our experience."

Asuna nodded: "It's a good opportunity to see how powerful Silica's new weapon is in actual combat."

Pina chirped excitedly on Silica's shoulder, her two tail feathers forming an exclamation mark shape. Silica smiled and patted the little one's head: "Pina can't wait to set off either."

Mochizuki Kaede's gaze swept over her teammates, who were all ready to go, and a slight smile appeared on her lips:

"Let's go."

—The team's figures gradually disappeared into the distance, vanishing into the deep entrance of the maze. The towering maze towers cast sharp shadows under the midday sun, the intense light being fragmented by the stone walls.

……

February 14th. Valentine's Day.

[Golden Rule] The guild has a rare day off today, and the members have made their own plans.

Early in the morning, Mitt went alone to the high-level training area to increase his experience points.

Yuna then arrived at the central square. After a year of performances, she had amassed a considerable fan base. When she appeared beside the fountain, a cheer erupted from the crowd—

"It's Miss Yuna!"

Will you sing a new song today?

Among the crowd, players held up fluorescent signs that read "Silver Diva," and every time she plucked the strings, enthusiastic cheers erupted from below the stage.

Meanwhile, Asuna and Silica are experiencing a special adventure. Asuna learns of a special quest from Argo, the completion of which will reward them with the limited-edition recipe for "Heart-Shaped Chocolates." This recipe is of great significance to them, as they plan to make Valentine's Day chocolates for Mochizuki Kaede today.

“But…” Argo asked, “What do you need those limited-edition recipes for?”

Silica's face flushed red, while Asuna tried to remain calm, though the tips of her ears were already tinged with a faint blush: "I just think the limited-edition recipes are really worth collecting."

"Oh~?" Argo drawled, suddenly leaning closer to the two of them. "Today is Valentine's Day...you're not going to make a special chocolate for someone, are you?"

The two, their thoughts exposed, froze. Argo, seeing this, burst into laughter, but there was a hint of melancholy in his laughter: "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. Come with me, that special NPC only appears today, and its location is very well hidden."

Argo led them through a maze of twists and turns, finally arriving at a secluded alley.

"This is it." They finally stopped in front of a small house entwined with rose vines.

Pushing open the creaking wooden door, a warm, sweet aroma wafts out, and an NPC grandmother wearing a pink apron is busy at the kitchen counter.

Argo pointed at her: "She is the pastry master Madeline, and the recipe for the Heart-Shaped Chocolate can only be obtained by completing her special task."

As the dialogue was triggered, the old woman looked up, a kind smile hidden in her wrinkles: "Ah, are you young people looking for the secret to true love? But to obtain this recipe, you must first defeat the [Sweet Nightmare]—a special monster that only appears on Valentine's Day."

"Sweet Nightmare?" Silica tilted her head in confusion.

"It's a monster formed from the resentment of undelivered chocolates," the old woman said mysteriously. "It's hiding in the Forest of Heartbroken People outside the city."

As soon as the quest acceptance sound effect played, Argo turned around briskly: "Let's go."

Passing through the forest entrance adorned with broken heart sculptures, the atmosphere immediately turned gloomy. Faded love letters hung from twisted tree trunks, and rotting chocolate boxes lay scattered on the ground.

“That’s it.” Argo suddenly pointed to an open space.

A pink mist was gathering, gradually forming a huge, chocolate-shaped monster. Its body dripped a viscous liquid, and its two empty eyes flickered with an eerie red light.

The icon for "Sweet Nightmare" appeared above the monster's head.

"Prepare for battle!" Asuna swiftly drew her elven sword, the blade slicing through the dim forest with an emerald light. Silica also drew her [Aurora Moon Wheel], its silver blade leaving frost marks in the air.

"Whoaaaaah—!" The monster let out a shriek and suddenly shot out countless arrows made of solidified chocolate from its body.

Argo quickly jumped back to dodge, shouting a warning: "It's an area-of-effect skill, [Bitter Rain]! Getting hit will inflict paralysis!"

Asuna nimbly dodged, her rapier weaving like a butterfly, each thrust precisely hitting the monster's weak points. Silica, meanwhile, circled the perimeter, her crescent moon tracing graceful arcs as she severed the monster's extended tentacles one by one.

Just as the monster's health dropped to 30%, a sudden change occurred. It suddenly swelled to three times its original size: "Why...why won't you accept my chocolate..."

A mournful wail echoed through the forest, and the powerful sonic attack briefly stunned all three of them.

The monster's giant hand rushed towards Silica. Despite the girl's best efforts to dodge, her left shoulder was still grazed, and her health points instantly decreased. Pina flew to her with a cry and used a healing skill on her.

"Thanks, Pina!" Silica gripped her weapon again, just in time to see Asuna leap into the air. The elven sword, trailing a long, luminous tail, plunged deep into the monster's pulsating, syrup-filled core in its chest the instant the monster was stunned by the attack.

"Ughhhhhh—!" Sweet Nightmare let out its final lament, its massive body collapsing like ice cream under the blazing sun.

A crisp system notification sounded, and amidst the melting chocolate remnants, a parchment scroll tied with a pink ribbon radiated a warm glow.

Mission accomplished, the three returned to town. Asuna bowed deeply to Argo, her chestnut hair cascading down her shoulders: "We really owe you a debt of gratitude this time."

"Next time, I'll give you a 20% discount on the intelligence fee~" Argo waved and turned to leave. After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned back, her smile slightly blurred in the backlight: "Make the best chocolate."

. . . .

Thank you to [大樱红茶君] for the knife and monthly pass! Thank you to [边际的黄昏小镇], [战极の铠武酱], and [创造.奇迹] for the monthly passes!

Chapter 155: They've Been Discovered