I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

Along the way, Mochizuki Kaede and her two companions formally introduced themselves to Argo. This information broker immediately gave each of them nicknames in her own unique way—"Kaede-chan," "Xiao Ya," and "Xiao Xi."

"I'm exhausted~" Argo stretched and led them to the village's famous granite bath.

After a full day of exploring the cold, dark tomb, the girls couldn't wait to step into the steaming bath.

The warm spring water instantly relieved the fatigue of the whole day.

In the steaming hot bath, Asuna and Silica stretched their tired bodies, the warm water soothing their tense muscles. Silica let out a comfortable breath, almost sinking into the water. Asuna leaned against the edge of the pool, closing her eyes to rest.

Meanwhile, in the men's bath on the other side, Mochizuki Kaede was soaking alone, his wet silver hair clinging to his neck. He looked up at the granite dome, pondering his upcoming itinerary.

In the women's bath, Asuna piled up her chestnut hair, gently securing it with a towel, and turned to Argo, speaking earnestly:

"The reason we were able to defeat the area boss this time was entirely due to the intelligence Miss Argo had gathered beforehand. However, investigating unknown monsters alone is far too dangerous."

Silica poked her little head out of the water, her wet hair clinging to her cheeks, and nodded vigorously.

Argo simply leaned lazily against the poolside, the paint on his beard slightly blurred by the heat: "So this is the job of an information broker~"

She casually poked at the water's surface: "Unknown dangers... are just the norm in this line of work."

Asuna looked at her with her amber eyes and said, "The information provided by Miss Argo is not only useful to us strategy players, but also extremely helpful to the lower-level players who left the starting town later. In fact, if something had happened to Miss Argo, the strategy operation might have had to stop. When we challenged the Taurus King on the second floor, if it weren't for your information, even if we had won, we would have suffered heavy casualties. So... actually, I'm a little worried that Miss Argo might have been just putting on a brave face all along."

Argo tilted his head slightly after hearing this, and replied thoughtfully, "Hmm... Little Argo, you're so worried about my safety because my skill tree doesn't have any combat skills, right?"

"Hmm... well, I guess so..." Asuna hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.

Although Argo was equipped with basic armor and claws, it was obvious to anyone with a discerning eye that her skill tree was entirely geared towards intelligence gathering. Skills like Stealth, Search, and Eavesdropping undoubtedly consumed a large amount of proficiency, leaving very little room for combat skills.

Furthermore, judging from her stats, she likely sacrificed strength to maximize agility. Even if she could avoid the ordinary mobs and scout out the diverse attack methods of the boss monsters, it would still be extremely dangerous…

As if sensing Asuna's fleeting thoughts, Argo grinned again, casually scooped up a bunch of herbs floating on the water, and gently tossed it to Asuna.

"then!"

Asuna instinctively caught the bunch of vanilla, and before she could react, she saw Argo holding a banana-shaped fruit and standing up from the water with a splash, water droplets rolling down her petite body.

“Facts speak louder than words…” Argo nimbly flipped onto the edge of the bathtub, his wet short hair whipping out a string of sparkling water droplets. “Little Ya, how about a PK?”

"Huh? Now?" Asuna's eyes widened, and she almost dropped the bunch of vanilla in her hand into the water.

Argo had already stepped onto the bluestone slab of the washing area, his right hand spinning the "banana weapon" in a beautiful arc: "Well~ calling it a PK might be a bit of an exaggeration, um... let's just consider it a friendly spar?"

Silica huddled in the water, watching the sudden competition with curiosity.

In short, it was an invitation to "Argo use bananas and Asuna use bunches of herbs as weapons to simulate a one-on-one duel."

Although Asuna was willing to accept the suggestion, the problem was that the two of them were currently in a completely naked state, without any equipment. To be honest, just taking a bath together was embarrassing enough, let alone engaging in a direct battle... she wasn't sure if she could fully commit.

"Um..." Asuna's cheeks flushed, "Can we have the match wrapped in a towel?"

Upon hearing this, Argo first looked down at her petite figure in surprise, then puffed out her cheeks: "I'm telling you~ I've been showing off my miniature figure so openly, what's there to be shy about with your perfect body, Argo!"

"N-that's not the point!" Asuna's ears turned bright red, and she unconsciously held the bunch of herbs in front of her chest.

"I just can't do anything with you~" Argo shrugged, but still obediently pulled the bath towel over himself.

Asuna wrapped herself in a towel and walked to the other side, still wondering how things had turned out this way. She tentatively waved the bunch of herbs in her hand; surprisingly, it was tough and flexible. Although it was completely different from a real rapier, she had no choice but to make do for now. After all, what Argo was holding looked like nothing more than a green banana.

"So how should the rules be set?" Asuna asked.

"It's simple~" Argo waved his banana weapon, "Whoever hits the other first 'smack' wins~"

"I...I understand." Asuna took a deep breath and stepped back with her left foot, assuming a standard sword technique starting stance.

Argo stood there casually as always, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, his right hand loosely holding the banana.

“Then, we can start anytime,” Argo said.

Although Asuna lacked the will to fight, since she had already accepted the challenge, she decided to take it seriously. She quickly scanned her surroundings: the washing area was about 10 meters long and 8 meters wide, with a recessed bathtub on the right and a row of wooden chairs against the wall on the left. The floor was polished granite, and some damp spots looked particularly slippery.

“With this kind of terrain… even Argo would have a hard time utilizing his speed advantage,” Asuna analyzed to herself. “It looks like this will probably be a contest where both sides stop and thrust at each other.”

She took a deep breath, her eyes gradually sharpening: "Then I'm going!"

With a sharp shout, Asuna stomped out with her right foot—

“Swoosh!”

Argo, who was in her field of vision, suddenly transformed into a white mist and vanished instantly. Asuna's pupils contracted sharply:

—Too fast!

Her petite figure almost blended into the rising steam, leaving only a fleeting trail of water on the damp granite floor. Asuna instinctively dodged to the side, but still felt a gentle breeze brush past her ear, and the tip of Argo's banana lightly grazed the edge of her towel.

You got hit?!

Asuna gritted her teeth, leaped into the air, and nimbly turned in mid-air. Using the smooth ground, she landed and slid several meters, quickly creating distance between herself and the enemy.

Chapter 70: External Skills

"Oh my gosh~" Argo waved the banana in his hand, "Little Ya's reaction is really quick."

Asuna adjusted her breathing, her gaze sharp: "...Continue?"

Argo grinned. "Sure."

Asuna remained vigilant, carefully observing her surroundings. Their positions had reversed; the bathtub was now on her left. She moved cautiously, her right foot sliding slowly across the slippery floor.

The edge of the bathtub was almost flush with the floor of the shower area, the overflowing hot water blurring the boundary. Asuna deliberately placed her left foot lightly on the surface of the water, creating the illusion that she was still standing on solid ground. This posture was extremely demanding on balance, requiring her to support her entire weight on her right foot, but she remained perfectly still.

Argo once again transformed into a white afterimage and charged forward.

This was a direct surprise attack! Argo had already closed in on Asuna as her vanilla bundle pierced through the air. But at that critical moment—

"what?!"

As she uttered those words, Argo's right foot suddenly plunged into the water! She lost her balance and tilted forward. Asuna seized the opportunity, her vanilla bundle aimed directly at Argo's chest—

However, Argo's body suddenly twisted in a bizarre way!

"serge!"

The vanilla leaf brushed past Argo's shoulder, but Asuna herself lost her balance due to the reaction force and tumbled to the edge of the bathtub. She stared in disbelief at the incredible scene before her:

Argo was walking on the water!

"Splash—!" Her petite figure leaped lightly on the water's surface, like a nimble waterbird. Silica in the bathtub opened her eyes wide, her small mouth slightly agape.

Just as her right foot was about to sink, Argo swiftly stomped her left foot on the water's surface, then switched to her right foot to push off just before her left foot sank. With a crisp "splash," she took four steps across the water before finally plunging into the water with a "plop," splashing up a large spray.

"Meow hahaha!" Argo popped his head out of the water, his eyes narrowing into slits as he laughed.

This comical scene made Asuna burst out laughing. Silica, seeing this, also giggled, splashing water with her little hands.

Joyful laughter echoed through the granite bath for a long time.

As the laughter subsided, Argo, still dripping wet, walked back to the shower area, casually tossed a banana into the tub, and stretched her slender waist.

"Hmm~ How interesting!" She flicked the water droplets from her short hair. "If we hit each other once, how about a tie?"

Asuna smiled and nodded: "Yes... of course."

At that moment, Silica swam to the edge of the pool, gripping the granite edge with both hands, and asked curiously, "Miss Argo, what kind of skill was that move of walking on water just now?"

Asuna also cast an inquiring glance.

Argo tugged at his curly, wet hair, his eyes darting around mischievously. "Well, normally I'd charge you for information, but since Xiaoxi is so cute, I'll tell you for free this time~"

She sat cross-legged in the shower area, explaining enthusiastically, "Actually, it's not a skill! It's the result of my training. I got a prop on the fourth floor that lets me walk on water called 'Floating Flip-Flops'."

“I wear it everywhere I go, and once I forgot my gear and just stepped onto the water… of course I sank. But in that instant, I took a full step on the water.” Argo’s mustache paint spread out with a smile. “Didn’t you guys try that in pools or something when you were kids? You know, that theory where you can run on the water by sticking out your left foot before your right foot sinks?”

Silica blinked: "It seems like... I've tried it..."

Argo slapped the water's surface: "After discovering that this theory might be realized in this world, I couldn't help but start practicing. I practiced every day by the river and at the bathing beach, and now I can finally take four steps! Hmm, this should be what's called an 'external skill'."

After hesitating for a moment, Asuna couldn't help but ask, "Can I learn to run on water too?"

"Hmm, it's hard to say, but I can do it, so according to the system, it should be fine... But in reality, with my petite figure and all-in agility, it's barely possible. Xiaoxi might be able to try, but with Xiaoya's incredible figure, it might be..."

"W-what's so terrible!" Asuna's face instantly turned bright red, and she unconsciously crossed her arms over her chest.

"Miss Argo, what are you saying?!" Silica blushed and hurriedly shrank back into the water.

Seeing their flustered state, Argo chuckled again.

Asuna calmed herself down and asked seriously, "Miss Argo was able to scout dangerous areas on her own because of the incredible speed you just demonstrated, right? You dared to act alone because you were confident you could avoid all attacks. You specifically demonstrated this for me to illustrate that point, didn't you?"

"Now that you mention it, I feel like I'm being arrogant~" Argo chuckled and shrugged.

Asuna's amber eyes revealed worry: "But, agility-based characters have very low HP and can't equip sturdy armor, right? What if they get hit by a monster's heavy attack, or fall into some kind of trap and can't move... Don't you think about that?"

“Of course.” Argo’s smile suddenly seemed to become transparent. “In Aincrad now, death is truly the end… If all you want to do is survive, you should join a big guild, put all your skill points into strength, and become a tank. No, maybe the smartest thing to do is never leave the starting town. But for me, there are some things more important than ‘just surviving’.”

After grinning, Argo reverted to his sly demeanor: "Sorry~ If you keep asking, I'll have to charge you for the information!"

"Ah... um..." Asuna nodded thoughtfully and didn't ask any further questions.

Argo gently stirred the water's surface, droplets falling from her fingertips: "Speaking of which, you guys, as non-closed beta testers, managed to make it all the way to the front lines, even participating in defeating floor bosses. In some ways, you're much more impressive than me~"

She started counting on her fingers: "First floor, second floor, third floor, fourth floor... you guys were all among the first to kill on these floors, right?"

Asuna exclaimed in surprise, "How does Miss Argo even know this...?"

“Because I’m a professional information broker~” Argo proudly wagged his index finger, “Midnight Coat, Thunder Sigil, Crescent Moon Wheel, and Water Boots… these BOSS drops should all be in your hands, right? I thought they would be monopolized by the closed beta players.”

Asuna shook her head: "This is all thanks to Xiaofeng, he's really strong."

“I think Asuna and Maple are both amazing!” Silica added.

Asuna smiled gently: "Xiaofeng is so much better than me... I'm completely up to where I am now thanks to his guidance step by step. Without him, I might have died in some unknown corner long ago."

Asuna's words suddenly reminded Silica of the scene in the third layer of the Misty Forest—the lightning bolt that struck from the sky just as the monster's claws were about to tear her apart.

Chapter 71: The Banner of Valor

When Asuna, Silica, and Argo finished bathing and dressed, they came out of the bathhouse to find Mochizuki Kaede already waiting outside. He was sitting on a wooden chair under an ancient tree, his silver hair gently swaying in the breeze, his gaze thoughtfully fixed on the hazy sky in the distance.

"Why are you soaking for so long?" Hearing footsteps, Mochizuki Kaede turned around and asked.

Asuna recounted their "competition" at the bathhouse.

When Mochizuki Kaede heard that Argo could walk four steps on the water without any props, she was also very surprised.

“Miss Argo,” Mochizuki Kaede suddenly asked, “since you know the loot dropped by the bosses on the first few floors, you should know about the loot on the fifth floor as well, right?”

"I'm an information broker..."

Argo playfully raised his index finger: "My motto is—"

"Sell all the information that can be sold," Mochizuki Kaede added in perfect unison.

Argo blinked in surprise with his golden eyes, then laughed along with Asuna and Silica.

“Maple is very perceptive~” Argo nodded approvingly, then bent down to pick up a branch and squatted down.

Upon seeing this, Mochizuki Kaede, Asuna, and Silica quickly gathered around.

Argo deftly manipulated the branch with his fingers and said, "The item dropped by the fifth floor boss is a flag."

"A flag? Is that a rare item?" Asuna asked, her face full of doubt.

Argo drew a circle on the ground with a twig: "This isn't an ordinary flag, it's a [Guild Flag]. It has a support effect that increases all abilities of all guild members within a 20-meter radius once it's erected."

"This guild... Flag? Is it very strong?" Silica asked.

"In terms of weapon performance alone, its attack power is pitifully low; at best, it can only be considered the weakest of the long spear types. But if you put it like this—"

Argo held the branch upright and inserted it into the ground.

"After the player equips it and places it on the ground, all guild members within a 20-meter radius around it will receive a support effect that increases attack power, defense power, and abnormal status resistance."

"What...did you say..." Asuna asked in surprise.

Mochizuki immediately followed up, "Can the player holding this guild flag move? How long does the support effect last? Is there a limit to the number of people who can participate? Does it stop working once there are more than 10 people?"

Argo held up one finger and answered slowly, "The first question—"

She reached out and pulled the branch stuck in the ground, waving it in the air: "Pulling the flagpole up like this will temporarily remove the effect. But as soon as it's erected again, the effect will be restored immediately."

“…I see.” Mochizuki Kaede stroked her chin, lost in thought.