I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

The commander looked at Mochizuki Maple and the others: "According to ancient records, only the purification magic sealed in the ancient elven altar can dispel this cursed fog. However, the altar is sealed by an ancient barrier and requires the Emerald Key to open it."

“And now…” His armored fingers slammed heavily on the spider symbol on the table, “this key is in the hands of the [Poisonous Spider Queen], who dwells deep within the mists. Without eliminating that monster, we will never find hope for salvation. Adventurers, I need your strength to help the Dark Elves overcome this crisis!”

A system notification immediately appeared in the center of Mochizuki Kaede and the others' field of vision:

[Accept the quest: The Elf's Blessing]

mission target:

Solve the [Cursed Mist] in the Misty Forest.

Solve the [Corrupted Swamp] in Shadowwood.

reward:

Elf Sword O Dawn's Oath ×1.

Elf Armor x1.

Elf-made jam.

5000 KEL.

As the quest was updated, Silica also received the quest reward for "Find the Dark Elf 'Kizmel'".

After accepting the mission, Mochizuki Kaede...

The commander nodded: "Kizmare, you go with them. Remember, your primary responsibility is to ensure their safety!"

Kissmael gave an elven salute: "Yes, Commander."

……

Thick fog flowed among the ancient, towering trees, seemingly alive as it enveloped the group's footsteps. Kissmael walked at the front, her right hand resting on her saber, her dark purple eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

"The fog here will obstruct visibility, and the mist spirits might attack from any direction," she whispered a reminder. "Keep formation and don't scatter."

Silica gripped her short sword tightly, her breathing slightly rapid. Although she was no longer a complete novice, she still instinctively felt uneasy facing this unknown territory. Just then, Mochizuki Kaede gently patted her shoulder.

"Don't be afraid." He smiled slightly. "The attack patterns of the Mist Tree Spirits are actually quite fixed. As long as you watch their starting moves, you can dodge in advance."

“But…but their vines are very fast…” Silica bit her lip.

“Then don’t wait for them to make a move.” Mochizuki Kaede’s voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable firmness. “In SAO, hesitation is the most dangerous thing. You have to be faster than your enemies—look, there’s a Mist Tree Spirit up ahead.”

In the mist ahead, a twisted ancient tree suddenly began to writhe, its bark cracking to reveal scarlet wood grain, and thorny vines rising like venomous snakes.

"The tree spirit's attack pattern is simple: vines whip and entwine, but the wind-up is very long," said Wang Yuefeng. "Look at its shoulders; the vines retract backward before attacking."

Sure enough, the tree spirit pulled its right arm back slightly, and the vines were poised to strike like whips.

Silica took a deep breath, gripped her short sword, and fixed her gaze on the treant's vines. The vines lashed out, and she instinctively wanted to retreat, but then she heard Mochizuki Kaede's calm voice: "Don't retreat, move to the side!"

She reacted instantly, shifting her feet and dodging to the right. The vines grazed her shoulder, crashing to the ground and sending pebbles flying.

"Excellent! Now it's time to counterattack!"

"call out--!"

Without hesitation, Silica's short sword flashed silver, striking the tree spirit's trunk precisely. The tree spirit let out a piercing screech, its vines lashing out wildly, but this time, she was no longer flustered.

"Don't be greedy with your strikes, retreat immediately after one strike!" Mochizuki Kaede's voice remained calm.

Silica quickly retreated, and sure enough, the tree spirit's vines swept wildly across the spot where she had just stood, but all of them missed.

At that moment, a faint rustling sound came from the bushes behind Silica, almost inaudible.

Asuna's ears twitched.

"Silica! Crouch down!" Asuna shouted, her figure flashing like lightning as she instantly appeared behind Silica.

"Huh?!" Silica hadn't even reacted yet, but instinctively obeyed the command and suddenly lowered her body.

——Swish!!

A vine glowing with poisonous light pierced out of the shadows like a spear, aiming straight for Silica's back!

However, Asuna's rapier was already blocking the way.

"clang--!"

The crisp sound of metal clashing echoed through the forest, and vines were forcefully repelled. Asuna's arm went slightly numb, but her eyes remained sharp, fixed on the enemy lurking in the darkness.

"Silica, entrust your back to your teammates." She tilted her head slightly, a gentle smile curving her lips. "This is the basics of teamwork."

"Th-thank you... Lady Asuna!"

“Silica, just call me Asuna.”

Kissmael had already rushed out, her saber instantly severing the attacking vines. Mochizuki Kaede quickly filled in, her lightning blade sweeping across, and amidst flashes of lightning and thunder, she eliminated another mist tree spirit lurking in the bushes.

The surrounding crimson light increased; it was the light emitted by the tree tumors of the Mist Tree Spirit.

"It seems we're surrounded," Mochizuki Kaede said in a deep voice. "Asuna, you're in charge of protecting Silica. Kissmael and I will handle them."

"Understood." Asuna nodded, her rapier pointing diagonally at the ground, standing beside Silica.

Silica took a deep breath, gripped her short sword tightly, and whispered, "I...I can fight too!"

Asuna chuckled: "Of course, but remember, always trust your teammates during battle."

Silica nodded emphatically, her eyes resolute.

"Boom—!"

Suddenly, an ominous tremor came from the ground, and the withered leaves rustled violently, as if the entire forest was shaking. Silica's petite body swayed abruptly, and she almost fell, losing her footing.

"Watch out!" Asuna quickly reached out and grabbed her shoulder, keeping her firmly by her side.

"Th-thank you..." Silica's face paled slightly, her fingers gripping Asuna's sleeve tightly.

"coming……"

Kissmael lowered his voice, slightly adjusting the angle of his saber in his hand, his dark purple pupils contracting.

"Click, click, click——"

A chilling creaking sound of arthropods approached, and in the chaotic mist, eight scarlet compound eyes lit up like will-o'-the-wisps. A huge black shadow slowly emerged from the mist.

Its body is three meters long, its carapace has a dark purple metallic sheen, its abdomen is swollen with highly venomous glands, and its sharp chelicerae resemble sickles.

A blood bar and its name appeared above its head—【Poisonous Spider Queen o Arachne】.

“This, this is…”

Silica's voice trembled slightly, and her petite body involuntarily took a half step back.

"Finally, they've shown themselves." Mochizuki Kaede's eyes sharpened, and the electric light crackling around the [Thunder Blade] suddenly intensified.

"Watch out for its venom!" Kissmael hissed, gripping his saber tightly, his kite shield held firmly in front of him, as he steadily advanced.

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Thank you to 【战极の铠武酱】 and 【布拉德莱恩】 for the monthly tickets and the blades!!!

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Emerald Key

The Poison Spider Queen let out a piercing screech, its massive body lunging forward, its chelicerae sweeping across like scythes!

"clang--!"

Kissmael's kite shield parried precisely, the deafening clang of metal clashing echoing through the air. She slid slightly backward, but her footing remained perfectly steady. Mochizuki Kaede seized the opportunity, her lightning blade slashing down with lightning speed!

The golden blade struck the Spider Queen's carapace, sending sparks flying. However, the carapace was far harder than expected, and the blow only left a charred mark.

“…Really tough.” Mochizuki Kaede quickly retreated.

The spider queen, in pain and anger, lashed out with her chelicerae while simultaneously contracting her abdomen sharply—

"Watch out for the venom!" Kissmael warned sharply, and the kite shield was quickly raised.

"Pfft——!"

A gush of viscous, purplish-black venom shot out. Kissmael blocked it with his shield, the hissing sound of the venom corroding metal sending chills down his spine. Mochizuki Kaede rolled to the side, the venom grazing his clothes and splashing onto the ground, instantly corroding a charred crater.

"We can't give it a chance to breathe!"

Wang Yuefeng gave a low shout, and the Thunder Blade crackled with lightning once more.

Kissmael understood, his saber flashing a cold arc as he aimed straight for the Spider Queen's weakest point: "I'll hold her off, you find your chance!"

Meanwhile, the remaining Mist Treants, driven mad by the Poison Spider Queen's hiss, charged frantically at Asuna and Silica.

"Silica, stay close to me!"

Asuna's voice was calm and firm as her rapier transformed into a silver meteor, instantly piercing the core of a tree spirit.

"Yes!" Silica gripped her short sword tightly, her petite figure nimbly weaving through Asuna's sword flashes. Although her movements were still somewhat clumsy, she was already able to accurately seize the openings created by Asuna, swiftly thrusting out her short sword to finish off the tree spirit wounded by Asuna.

"Very good, that's it!"

Asuna nodded approvingly.

Silica pursed her lips, intently observing Asuna's movements. As Asuna swiftly severed the vines of the three tree spirits, Silica seized the opportunity, her short sword precisely piercing the weak point of one of the tree spirits, a burl.

"It worked!" she couldn't help but cheer.

Asuna smiled slightly, but the next second, her eyes suddenly sharpened: "Silica, bow your head!"

Silica instinctively ducked, and Asuna's rapier swept over her head, pinning a treant that had been attacking her to the tree trunk.

"In battle, you can't just focus on the enemy in front of you," Asuna gently instructed. "You must always pay attention to changes in your surroundings."

Silica nodded emphatically, her eyes growing even more determined: "I understand!"

On the main battlefield, Mochizuki Kaede and Kissmare are still engaged in a fierce battle with the Poison Spider Queen.

The Queen of Venomous Spiders' six limbs plunged deep into the ground, while its other two forelimbs pierced towards Mochizuki Maple like spears. The instant the lightning blade collided with the chelicerae, a dazzling burst of lightning illuminated Kissmael's sudden attack.

Her military knife, wreathed in a dark purple light, slashed down suddenly from the blind spot of the spider's compound eye.

The Queen of Venom Spiders, wounded by this attack, became even more ferocious, her continuous barrage of venom and chelicerae attacks making it difficult for the two to get close.

“This can’t go on…” Mochizuki Kaede’s gaze darkened, and the lightning on his Thunder Blade surged once more. “Kizmare, create an opportunity for me!”

"Understood!" Kismer gripped his saber horizontally, charged forward, and his kite shield slammed heavily into the forelimbs of the Poison Spider Queen!

"Roar--!"

The Queen of Venom Spiders was slightly thrown off balance by the attack, and her chelicerae stiffened for a brief moment.

It's now!

Mochizuki Kaede leaped into the air, raising his lightning blade high, concentrating all the lightning power in his body onto the blade—

A blinding bolt of lightning struck down like divine punishment, piercing the head of the Poison Spider Queen! The Poison Spider Queen let out a shrill wail, her massive body convulsing violently.

Kissmael did not let the opportunity pass, and plunged his saber into the Queen's weak spot in the abdomen.

Just as the Poison Spider Queen was severely injured by the lightning, it suddenly went into a final frenzy, spraying out countless poisonous silk threads from its tail, which rained down like a storm!

As Kissmael was about to retreat, her feet were suddenly entangled by spider silk that shot out from the ground. A hint of surprise flashed in her dark purple eyes—

That's too late!

In a flash, a bolt of lightning tore through the net of poisonous threads.

Mochizuki Kaede charged forward with astonishing speed, grabbing Kissmel's slender waist with her left hand and slashing horizontally with her right hand, cutting off all the poisonous threads that were attacking her.

"pay close attention!"

His deep voice rang in Kismer's ear as he gave her a sharp tug, spinning her halfway through the air to narrowly avoid the Spider Queen's dying venom spray. Kismer's purple hair billowed, and her light armor clattered together.

Upon landing, Mochizuki Kaede knelt on one knee to cushion the impact, maintaining the embracing posture. Kizumel was almost pressed against him, able to clearly feel the heartbeat from his chest and the residual static electricity from the lightning blade.

“…Thank you.” After a brief moment of distraction, Kissmael quickly regained her composure and deftly broke free from the embrace. “I’ll repay this favor later.”

Mochizuki Kaede said, "I've got it."

The two charged at the dying Poison Spider Queen, lightning and blade light intertwining to deliver the final blow.