A journey to another world starting from a sword

Dante decided here to follow the majority, which was his original intention.

To everyone's surprise, Diabel spotted him precisely in the crowd, then gestured with his head, "Want to chat?"

"..." Dante followed Diabel's footsteps and walked alongside him.

Seeing this, Asuna quickly chased after him, standing less than a meter to the left and behind Dante.

Kirito has left the group.

After Dante and Diabel pushed open the door leading to the second floor located directly behind the lord's throne and went inside, Dante received this system notification and also received a simple email from Kirito.

"I'm going back to the first floor now."

He looked back and saw Asuna casually closing the system pop-up window, Mito standing behind her in a daze, and Silica carefully watching her step to avoid slipping.

"What's wrong?" Diabel asked, noticing that Dante had paused.

“It’s nothing.” Turning back, Dante stepped forward again and onto the narrow spiral staircase.

“Thank you so much this time.” Diabel said in a voice only the two of them could hear, when they were some distance away from the squad members behind them.

“Likewise,” Dante said calmly.

As if in denial, Diabel shook his head and said, "I'm not worthy of your thanks. Thinking back, I think I lost my temper a bit."

Although he would stop at nothing to obtain the rare equipment dropped by Ilfangu, it was so that he could stand at the forefront of the player group and guide them forward.

However, after the battle just now, he suddenly realized that if he hadn't impulsively rushed forward, even if the kobold lord Ilfangu had wiped out two squads in one fell swoop, he could have commanded everyone to deal with the situation flexibly, and no one would have been killed.

If Dante hadn't stepped forward and had died, the final result would most likely have been a failed raid, with half the players dying during the retreat while being pursued by the boss and his minions.

No. As long as those stunned players are used as bait, the other players in relatively rear positions should be able to retreat easily. Abandoning their companions and running away will only result in the deaths of a dozen or so people.

However, this would be an even bigger blow to morale, making it difficult for players to organize a second boss raid, and the remaining 8,000 players would completely lose hope of clearing this deadly game.

It was he himself who almost destroyed this excellent situation... with his own hands.

Diabel looked down at his feet, then looked up at the steps, and then turned to Dante solemnly, saying, "The dropped equipment is not the most important thing; what matters is the strength of everyone working together."

"It's best that you think that way." Dante smiled at Diabel with a hint of relief.

"Ah, I discovered it a little late."

"It's not too late."

After climbing the last flight of stairs, another door appeared before me.

At Diabel's polite gesture, Dante opened the door, thinking that Diabel's reason for asking him to open it was probably because of the incredible view before him.

The second layer is a beautiful yet dangerous realm depicted by lush green grass and a continuous range of table-shaped mountains of varying sizes.

Diabel must have seen this scene during the closed beta testing phase, which is why he was asked to open the door.

Because the exit of the door is located in the middle of a steep cliff, Dante can get a panoramic view of the second level from here.

The view is filled with interconnected, round, table-shaped rocky mountains, with layers upon layers of magnificent hills that, under the afternoon sun, take on a dazzling golden hue.

Unlike the first layer, which is rich in diverse terrain, the second layer is mainly mountainous. According to Argo's intelligence, this layer is also home to a large number of bison-type monsters.

"How beautiful!" Asuna, who was following behind Dante, cheered with joy after witnessing the sight.

Although Mitt had seen it once before, he was still very moved when he saw it a second time.

Silica, like a child, grabbed Dante's sleeve and peeked out from behind him, her pale red eyes gleaming. "Ah... so this is the second level...?"

As soon as Diabel stepped out the door, his companion grabbed him, patted his shoulder hard, and shouted to vent his excitement.

“You can catch up later. I’ll lead the rest of the group towards the main street first.” Diabel said to Dante once all the others had arrived.

They were tasked with opening the second-level transfer portal and delivering the exciting news that the first level had been successfully conquered.

Otherwise, why didn't they just go back the way they came and wait for the transfer door to open automatically two hours later?

“Okay.” Dante nodded. He wanted to see the scenery again. It would be even better if he had a camera. Aincrad should have similar props, but they would only be available on higher floors.

As the noise faded away, he sat down on the edge of the platform that stretched out from the rock surface.

“Aegir asked me to tell you that I look forward to fighting alongside you again next time.” Mitt took two steps forward and stood two meters behind and to the side of Dante.

"Is that so... Agil... We can bring him into the team during boss battles in the future."

"He's a tank, and a squad leader too. Diabel probably won't agree." Not seeing any hope, Mitt dismissed the idea.

She also realized that their team only had four people, which was two short of the full squad required for the Boss raid.

Ideally, you should have a reliable and consistent team member; at the very least, you should know them well.

Kirito, a closed beta tester who left, was someone she acknowledged for his strength, but she felt he wasn't quite there to fight alongside her as a comrade.

Where can we find the other two...?

Yuna and Ashura?

The images of those two people flashed through his mind, but Mitt immediately smiled helplessly and shook his head, denying his own idea.

Those two are casual players; their strength isn't enough to participate in boss battles.

"How long will it take us to conquer this floor?" Asuna, who had been standing silently beside Dante, now asked the question, her chestnut hair swaying in the wind.

“Ha…” Dante chuckled, then gave a definite answer, “One week! I will take you there within a week.”

He pointed to the cylindrical tower at the limit of his vision.

"Yes!" Asuna smiled happily and chose to believe him without reservation.

“Let’s go too.” Dante stood up, supporting himself on his knees, and turned to look at his team members. “It’s still a bit early before dinner, let’s find a room with a bathroom first.”

Chapter 55: A Low-Key Celebration

Asuna nodded in agreement with Dante's suggestion.

Having a bathroom is important, and the bed should ideally be softer.

It seems they haven't checked out of their room in Torbana yet, but they probably won't be going back.

Asuna suddenly felt a little lost, realizing she should have told the landlords before leaving.

The fireplace was quite warm, and the stew made by the farm lady was delicious.

Following the path Diabel had taken, they didn't encounter any monsters, presumably because they had been defeated shortly before respawning.

This journey was led by the most familiar Mito, who carried a scythe, with Dante, Asuna, and Silica following behind her.

"Speaking of which, what was your reward from LA?" Asuna asked casually, strolling along with her hands behind her back. "You got it, right?"

“It’s a piece of equipment called the ‘Midnight Coat’,” Dante said truthfully.

"Eh—" Asuna asked with a look of curiosity, "What kind of equipment is that?"

"Well." To satisfy her curiosity, Dante put away his cloak and then clicked on a newly appeared item in his inventory to equip it instantly.

Instantly, a layer of glossy black leather appeared on the matte black armor draped with a silver wolf head, extending down to his knees.

"The defensive attributes are quite good, and in addition, it also increases the 'stealth' effect," Dante explained, pointing to the equipment's attributes in the window in front of him.

"So handsome!" Silica exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

Asuna bent down and examined it carefully, then said reluctantly, "It is quite beautiful."

"The clothes are really nice, and I can give them to you if you want them."

Even with better protective gear, it will still hurt when it's supposed to.

"No, it's not clothes..." After pausing for a few seconds, Asuna lowered her head to think for a moment before shaking her head and refusing, "You're already wearing them, forget it."

“This is equipment…” Dante said speechlessly.

Just by listening, it's clear that Asuna has absolutely no idea what a good piece of equipment in the game means.

So what if a beginner's must-have item is secondhand?

Besides, this is a rare item dropped by a boss; only 99 bosses in the entire Aincrad will drop it.

Mitt, who was walking ahead, turned to look at Dante and glanced at him up and down. "It feels different from when he was wearing the cloak."

"What's different?" Dante tugged at his sleeve, looking left and right, but couldn't find anything unusual about himself.

“Hmm…” Mitt tapped his chin with his finger as he carefully prepared his words. “Before, I was a little too high-profile. Now, I’m more like a wandering knight embarking on a journey.”

"Is that so?" Dante remained silent. He had worn the cloak before because the armor he was wearing was too conspicuous when everyone was wearing half-chest armor in the early days. Although the cloak did not cover much, it actually made him more conspicuous.

“Now that you mention it, it does seem to make sense.” Silica agreed with Mitt’s statement, but the important thing is still the people.

Only someone with a clothes hanger as good as Ashura could pull off this coat, which is why Asuna didn't want it. She felt it looked a bit strange on her, while the person in front of her looked like a model on a runway, and quite pleasing to the eye.

"Now that you've got LA, I'm sure you still remember your promise." With a smile, Asuna took a step to the right and patted Dante on the shoulder.

"I know." Dante didn't intend to renege on his promise, because he also wanted to taste what the cake he remembered tasted like.

The main district on the second level, "Urubas," is located in the center of the entire round, table-shaped mountain range. It is a city formed after the central part of the mountain range was hollowed out.

The main street of each floor is basically the largest city on that floor, and Urbus is no exception.

To avoid wasting time on the road, they took the path that Mitt had learned during the closed beta test. Along the way, they encountered a bee-shaped monster called "Hurricane Wasp." This small monster was not a threat when fighting alone.

Mitt pulled out a dagger, threw it, and swiftly defeated it.

This rekindled Dante's desire to learn the "Flying Sword" skill, but he decided to learn "Concealment" next, since he had finally obtained a coat that enhanced his skills.

After walking for another five minutes, a vast, table-shaped mountain came into view.

A few minutes later, as we descended onto the grass, a beam of blue light rose in the southwest direction.

“That is…” Asuna stared intently at the light.

“Ah, that’s a signal light notifying players that the portal to the main street of the floor has been activated,” Mitt explained.

This also means that Diabel and his group have arrived at the central square of Urbus and triggered the portal.

The players from the first level of the starting town should soon be teleported to Urubas in large numbers. By the time Dante and his group arrive, the town will probably be in the midst of a wild celebration.

After a tense and fierce battle in the afternoon, they were all exhausted. Although it was a happy thing to celebrate, they hoped that it wouldn't be too noisy.

"Let's not go to the transfer door yet," Mitt said with experience.

Regardless of where they go first, their primary task is to replenish the consumables in their backpacks at the South Market in Urubas, the main street, and repair the equipment whose durability has dropped significantly.

Especially for sharp and delicate weapons, durability is often unsatisfactory, which is why there is a parameter called durability in the enhancement section, because it is necessary.

As you enter the street through the south gate, a warning sign immediately appears indicating that you have entered the restricted area.

In the eyes of beta tester Mitt, stepping into Urubas after four months of absence, there were novel changes everywhere. It was not unchanged from before; it seemed that changes had been made everywhere, but the overall structure of the town should remain the same.

Ulubas stands within a table-shaped mountain, 40 meters high and 300 meters in diameter.

If this were a real city, it would definitely be designated a World Heritage Site.

But in Aincrad, there are countless landmarks far surpassing this one, and Mitt is no longer surprised by them.

But in Asuna's eyes, this place was full of exotic beauty, just like Yokohama, and Dante also looked around with great interest.

The next second, a quick message flashing signal suddenly appeared in the center of Dante's vision. Dante blinked, wondering who sent the message. He didn't have many friends.

It shouldn't be Diabel or Kirito, anyway.

The message bar that was opened had the other party's name, Yuna, displayed above it.

"It's news from Miss Ashurai." Mitt, who had stopped, seemed to have also received a blessing from a friend he had met a week ago.

Skipping over the greetings, Dante continued reading the letter: Congratulations on defeating the first floor boss. If you have time, would you like to come over for a drink with me and Miss Lily?

Mito received the same message, and also asked them to bring Asuna and Silica along, since they had met when they received the finished armor last time.

"What should we do?" Mitt asked Dante.

"Hmm..." Dante looked at Asuna and Silica, asking for their opinions with his eyes.

“Well…” Asuna glanced at Silica, worried that Silica might want to rest, but seeing Silica nod in agreement, she smiled and said, “It’s fine, let’s all go celebrate.”

The news that the allied forces will challenge the boss should have spread throughout the starting town by now, so there must be many players gathered in front of the teleportation gate, waiting for the blue teleportation gate to appear.

Within fifteen minutes of the portal opening, the roads of Urbas were packed with players.

Most people were dressed in light clothing made of leather or cloth, looking like they were just starting out. There were even some people wearing beginner's outfits. These people must have chosen to stay in the starting town out of fear and never go out.