693: Finally, a happy day
Today, Inside the floating citadel of Aincrad, players would gather in groups of two or three as they vigorously talked about a certain topic. Solo players also appeared amidst the crowd, although, they are acting as listeners than conversation partners.
The player population in the labyrinth area immediately declined. Hotels, inns, and lodgings filled up with players as they all cheered and poured their hearts out. They were all talking about one thing, the 74th floor was cleared!
After what appeared to be a few months, Wu Yan finally solo-killed another floor boss. With another floor conquered, the day they can break free from this death game encroaches ever closer.
Inspired by this, some players made energetic attempts at getting on the 75th floor. They wanted to be the first ones to clear the quests there, some players are also there to find rare material. Meanwhile, the more ambitious players are starting to test the monsters’ power levels on the newest floor.
Of course, that’s not their final aim. They wanted to gather information because they are frontline players who wanted to take down the labyrinth.
Nobody noticed a weird thing. The absence of the Black Cats and Fuurinkazan despite the attendance of nearly all major guilds on this floor.
That’s because the absentees are all busy partying in a hotel on the 50th floor.
“Cheers!”
Wu Yan, Asuna, Kirito, Liz, Sachi, Shion, Silica, Klein, Souta, the Black Cats, and the Fuurinkazan are all here. They lifted their jugs as they cheered out loud. Agil is also here, the mood couldn’t be livelier.
Wu Yan glanced over everyone and he pursed his lip.
“It’s just a floor clear, do we really need to throw a huge party like this?”
“Yeah, you weren’t here the last time we partied like this…”
Kirito chugged his drink. He chuckled as he continued.
“Taking down almost a third of the floors in Aincrad, you’re like a ghost, nobody caught any glimpse of you. When news of the floor being cleared spread, you are already long gone. Just treat this as all the accrued celebrations being cleared in one go.”
Wu Yan rolled his eyes at him, he spoke with a slightly annoyed tone.
“Of course, you’re one to talk, you’re not the one who is footing the bill for this round of celebration!”
“Oh, come on…”
Asuna slapped Wu Yan’s shoulder.
“You have so much Cor on you, this is like taking out a penny and donating it. I am sure even after booking this whole hotel, it isn’t enough to reduce one basis point of your net worth, right?”
“Well, yeah…”
He looked at the people smiling and giggling around him. He decided to just go with the flow.
“Why do I feel like I am the ATM machine, here?”
“Hey, don’t sweat the small stuff!”
Klein wrapped an arm around him and he gestured by lifting his jug.
“You’re the MC today, don’t grumble all day now!”
“That’s right Onii-san…”
Sachi tilted her head. Her faint smile couldn’t fully express the joy in her heart.
“You never joined our party, it feels good with you around the place…”
“Yea yea!”
Silica concurred. She giggled along with Sachi.
“Everybody’s happy and smiling, this is a rare scene and I like this feeling!”
“Okay okay, I can never win against you girls…”
Wu Yan bitterly laughed.
The others all laughed out loud. Shion teased him.
“I wonder what would happen if I went outside and yelled out loud that ‘Wu Yan is right here’, what do you guys think, will that blow the roof off this hotel?”
“Mother-, you better not…”
Wu Yan raised an arm in protest.
Liz crossed her arms and she told Shion off.
“If you did that then this party will be halted…”
“I think the pretty Asuna’s presence would lead more traffic flow to this place…”
Kirito rubbed his chin.
“I think it would be more interesting if we told everyone outside that she’s here…”
Wu Yan chortled as a chill ran up his spine.
“Duel invites will flood my system notification if you did that…”
“Yeah!”
Shion glomped Asuna.
“Asuna will also get buried by the incoming players!”
“Please spare me from that…”
Asuna thought about the possibility and she declined. She experienced events like that. For instance, not too long ago, the other guys in Fuurinkazan were fanboying all around her.
“Hmm, Kirito…”
Wu Yan jabbed Kirito in the waist, he pointed towards a certain direction.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay, praising another girl in front of your own girlfriend?”
Kirito’s expression froze up as he mechanically turned around. Lisbeth was looking at him with a sinister look. Kirito’s heart started racing but not in a good way.
“L-liz…”
Kirito’s eyebrows started jolting. Liz walked towards another table with a cold snort. Kirito followed after her with hung head.
Wu Yan, Souta, Klein, and the others were looking at Kirito with sad eyes, they silently pressed F for their comrade who entered the doghouse. They found a new sense of respect for Lisbeth who tamed the solo player known as the Black Swordsman. She’s got maxed skill in Henpecking. As expected of Lisbeth.
Klein chortled in glee. He watched with amusement as Kirito and Liz went at each other.
“Looks like that guy needs to up his game…”
“Look who’s talking…”
Souta started savagely ripping him out.
“That guy is still underage and he’s already enjoying love. Look at you, you’re over twenty-years-old and you’re still single, I mean, well?”
Klein’s shoulder slumped down. A dark aura wrapped him and he snapped back at Souta.
“You’re one of the single over-twenties too, right? You’re in the same boat as me!”
“Ara, you’re wrong about that…”
Shion jumped out of nowhere.
“The guild master has a girlfriend!”
“What?!”
The others looked at Souta who is laughing like a fool by himself. Klein was outraged.
“Impossible! This is impossible!”
“Yeah, I can testify as a witness.”
Silica raised her arm like an eager student trying to answer a question.
“She’s in our guild. Sachi has seen her and I have seen her as well!”
Everyone turned towards Sachi. They wanted her to spill the beans but she hurriedly explained.
“I didn’t do it on purpose, I passed by and I saw the guildmaster entering the headquarters of the guild while holdings hands with a girl…”
“Ooooohhhh~”
Everyone started taking jabs at the person in question.
“To think their relationships are already so developed, they are even holdings hands…”
“We are still at hand-holding, I sweat!”
Souta lowered his reddened face.
“Don’t think overboard…”
Everyone laughed out loud. Meanwhile, Klein looked like he’s experiencing what is called the everything-is-a-lie phase.
He slumped down on the floor in an Orz pose as gray lines surrounded his body.
The others all laughed even harder.