I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

She slowly opened her eyes and found herself being half-embraced by Wang Yuefeng, leaning against an ancient tree. The cool moonlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows around them.

Her gaze shifted slightly, and she saw a hooded girl standing three steps away, her face painted with a mustache. Kissmel suddenly remembered that this was the girl she had met at the Black Sacred Tree, whom Mochizuki Kaede seemed to have called "Miss Mouse".

Argo noticed her gaze and gave an exaggerated bow with a grin: "Good evening, Miss Elf. I am Argo. Nice to meet you~ It seems my Maple is taking good care of you."

Mochizuki Kaede lowered her head and asked softly, "Is there anything else that's bothering you?"

Kissmer shook his head and said, "I'm much better now. Thank you, Lord Mochizuki Kaede."

Her voice returned to its usual calm as she gracefully rose from Wang Yuefeng's embrace. In front of others, she instantly transformed back into the reserved and noble dark elf royal guard.

Argo clapped her hands, her cloak swaying gently with her movement. "Now that the elf lady is awake, let's hurry and set off! Destination—Garay City!"

She pointed energetically into the distance, the moonlight casting a long shadow of her.

At this moment, Kissmael said, "Lord Mochizuki, Lord Argo, you are going to Garel City in our Dark Elf territory, right?"

“Yes.” Mochizuki Kaede nodded.

Argo bounced around and turned around: "We're going to find that [Sage] to ask for a lightning magic stone! Maple's Lightning Blade only needs this last core material to complete its upgrade."

"Humans can indeed enter Garei City, but if they wish to meet the [Sage]..." Qizimeier paused slightly, her dark purple eyes looking at Wangyue Feng, "it will probably not be that easy. Please allow me to introduce you then."

Mochizuki Kaede smiled and said, "That's a great help, Miss Kissmel, thank you very much."

"You flatter me, Lord Mochizuki." Kissmael shook his head slightly. "You not only saved my life, but also eliminated the Fallen Assassins. This is nothing to boast about."

Argo suddenly poked his head out from between the two: "Oh dear, why be so polite~ But since the elf lady is leading the way, maybe we can even get some Moonlight Rose Wine? I heard it's a secret brew of the dark elves~"

Kismer chuckled upon hearing this: "Lord Argo is too kind. However, if the mission goes smoothly, I can indeed take you two to try our Dark Elf's special mead."

The three then embarked on their journey to Gareth.

Led by Kissmare, the group crossed the border of the Twilight Forest.

As they stepped through the amethyst gates of Garei, the entire elven city was shrouded in night mist, and the eerie blue lights on the spires of the buildings resembled stars suspended in the air.

As rare human visitors, Mochizuki Maple and Argo immediately attracted scrutinizing gazes. The patrolling dark elf guards, clad in gleaming silver armor, immediately bowed with their hands on their chests and softened their sharp gazes when they recognized their guide as the royal guard, Kismer.

As a royal guard, Kissmael simply nodded gracefully, leading Mochizuki Kaede and Argo through the intricate streets.

They eventually stopped in front of a detached building in the southeast corner of the city.

This exceptionally grand library is surrounded by meticulously manicured yew trees, and several fully armed elite guards stand at the entrance, their armor adorned with subtle patterns that signify the owner's extraordinary status.

"Please inform him that a distinguished foreign guest requests an audience with Your Excellency the Sage," Kismer said to the head of the guards.

Even as a royal guard, Kismer still had to follow strict audience etiquette, which shows the status of the "Sage" among the Dark Elves.

Chapter 107: Triple Trial

After a long wait, the guards finally reappeared and silently nodded to indicate that they could enter.

The ancient wooden door creaked open slowly, revealing a dimly lit interior, neither bright nor dark. There was no guide; only a deep corridor flanked by walls of books on either side stretched forward.

Mochizuki Kaede and Argo exchanged a glance, then stepped inside.

The library was packed with bookshelves, stacked from floor to ceiling. The musty smell of aged paper permeated the enclosed space, so strong that one could almost taste it on their tongue. A few oil lamps cast long shadows onto the faded gold-embossed spines, making the already blurred titles even harder to decipher.

It was quiet here; dust motes floated slowly in the beams of light, and the spotless floor indicated that no one had visited this place for a long time.

They continued walking, and Argo couldn't help but lower his voice and ask, "Miss Kismer, why can't we see a single elf here?"

In the solemn atmosphere of the library, her voice unconsciously softened.

“I saw the Sage once when I was young,” Kissmael replied softly. “I only know that he has lived here alone for many years.”

Turning past the last bookshelf, they finally saw the figure under the light.

An elderly man dressed in an elegant black robe was hunched over a large oak desk. His long, snow-white beard almost reached his waist, and he wore a tall, pointed hat, a symbol of wisdom.

Mochizuki Kaede saw the ID above his head: [Buhurum: Dark Elf Sage].

“Sage,” Kismer stepped forward and bowed respectfully, “We apologize for disturbing your meditation. We have some questions we would like to ask you.”

The old sage slowly raised his head, and behind his thick glasses, his aged yet bright eyes narrowed slightly. His wrinkled hands touched the winding symbols on the ancient book, and his gaze lingered on Kismer for a moment.

"Isn't this our little drunkard, Qizi?" The old sage suddenly laughed, his white beard trembling slightly with his laughter. "The last time I saw you, you were chasing butterflies, and you were only about this tall—"

He gestured with his hand to indicate a short height.

"He also secretly drank all of my treasured Moonlight Rose Wine and got so drunk that he slept in the garden all day."

Mochizuki Kaede was taken aback by his words, and turned her questioning gaze to Kismer. The elven knight's ears instantly flushed red, and she coughed awkwardly, "Sage, there's no need to mention those things from childhood."

The old sage, seemingly oblivious to Kismer's embarrassment, continued with great enthusiasm: "Your mother was furious at the time, but I had to persuade her that only elves who steal wine are truly promising."

Kismer could only force himself to remain calm and change the subject: "Sage, we have come here today to discuss the weapon upgrade for this human warrior..."

The old sage seemed to have just noticed Mochizuki Maple and Argo: "Humans? It has been a very, very long time since I went into seclusion and had any contact with humans."

Mochizuki Kaede leaned forward slightly: "Sage, we have come for the Philosopher's Stone."

"A magic stone?" The old sage stroked the crystal ball, the nebula inside slowly rotating with his movements. "Your weapons must need a magic stone as an enhancement material."

“That’s right, that’s right.” Argo nodded eagerly.

The old sage suddenly chuckled, a hint of childlike slyness in his voice: "I do indeed have magic stones here, but why should I give them to you?"

This question stumped all three of them.

“Sage, Sage!” Kismer hurriedly stepped forward and said, “Lord Mochizuki Maple’s kindness to us Dark Elves cannot be expressed in a few words. On the third level, he not only helped us obtain the Emerald Key, but also purified the cursed mist that had plagued us Dark Elves for many years. In the Battle of Yofel on the fourth level, he single-handedly held off the Fallen Elf General. Just today, he saved me, eliminated all the Fallen Assassins, and preserved the Emerald Key.”

The old sage slowly stroked his beard, his gaze sweeping over Wang Yuefeng: "So, this human warrior has done a lot for our dark elves."

“Indeed, Your Excellency.” Kissmer gave a solemn knightly salute. “I swear by the honor of my Royal Guard that every word I have spoken is true.”

The old sage tapped the crystal ball gently with his aged fingers, his gaze shifting back and forth between Kissmel and Mochizuki Kaede.

He noticed that whenever Kismael spoke of the human warriors' deeds, the elven girl's cold expression would soften unconsciously. Her amethyst eyes always seemed to follow the human warriors' figures. Even her posture subtly tilted towards the silver-haired boy—these details were more obvious to the old sage than the stars in his crystal ball.

"Hehe..." The old sage suddenly chuckled, his white beard trembling with the laughter, and a meaningful smile appeared on his aged face: "Since little Qiz puts it that way, this old man is naturally willing to offer up the magic stone..."

He deliberately dragged out his words, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming with cunning: "However, according to the ancient traditions of our Elven race, to obtain treasures, one must pass three trials."

Argo immediately perked up his ears: "What kind of test?"

“The first level,” the old sage said, holding up a withered finger, “requires two people to work together to solve the celestial puzzle of the Moon Garden.”

He glanced meaningfully at Kismare: "That was little Kismare's favorite place to play when he was a child."

"The second step." The second finger was raised. "We need to obtain the Resonance Stone from the Amethyst Cave."

He stroked his beard and added, "The cave is so narrow that only two people can walk side by side."

Mochizuki Kaede asked, "What about the third level?"

The old sage's smile suddenly turned exceptionally kind: "The final step..."

He slowly took out a carved wooden box from the drawer. The word "Unity" was engraved on the lid in Elvish: "You and an Elvish lady need to place your hands on this contract box when the moonlight is at its brightest."

He paused deliberately: "Of course, it must be done under the witness of the ancient elven tree."

Kissmael's ear tips instantly turned bright red.

She certainly understood the meaning of the ceremony—in the ancient traditions of the elves, it was clearly a sacred ritual for forging a marriage!

Mochizuki Kaede then asked earnestly, "Excuse me, where is the ancient tree...?"

“Sage!” Kissmel hurriedly interrupted, “These...these trials are not…”

The old sage smiled and stroked the crystal ball: "What? Is our little Qizi afraid to accept?"

He deliberately used reverse psychology: "Or do you think this human warrior is unworthy of him...?"

“Absolutely not!” Kissmael blurted out, then realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself, “I meant, what do these trials have to do with obtaining the Philosopher’s Stone…”

“Each Philosopher’s Stone contains ancient elven magic,” the old sage explained solemnly. “Only those with a spiritual connection can unleash its true power.”

Mochizuki Kaede nodded thoughtfully, completely unaware of the strange behavior of the female knight beside him.

. . . . .

Thank you to [AngelLin@Linglong] and [DaYingHongChaJun] for the razor blades! Thank you to [Yagamo] for the monthly pass!

Chapter 180: The Contract

A bright, clear moon hung high in the night sky, casting its silvery light. Kissmael brought Mochizuki Maple to the Moonlight Garden, while Argo was kept in the library by the old sage under the pretext of having "something to discuss."

In the Moonlight Garden, silvery-white flowers bloom in the night, emitting a faint fragrance. In the center of the garden stands an ancient stone astronomical observatory, engraved with intricate star patterns.

“This place…” Kissmael’s voice was soft, tinged with nostalgia, “is a place I used to frequent when I was a child.”

Mochizuki Kaede looked around and noticed that Kissmel's profile looked particularly soft in the moonlight.

“The celestial mystery…” He walked toward the celestial observatory, his fingers lightly touching the ancient inscriptions. “This should be it.”

Kissmael nodded, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart. The three trials the old sage had presented, especially the last one, were unsettling. But for now, she had to focus on the trial before her.

“The arrangement of these stars…” she pointed to the pattern on the observatory, “needs to correspond to the actual star map tonight.”

Wang Yuefeng stared at the intricate markings on the star chart, his brows furrowing slightly. He knew nothing about elven astrology; those complex star trails were like gibberish to him.

“Let me guide you.” Kissmael’s voice was exceptionally clear in the night.

"Turn the star chart over there three degrees to the left," she instructed, while adjusting the star chart on the other side herself.

The two worked together seamlessly, one giving instructions and the other performing the actions.

As the last star trail returned to its position, the carved star patterns lit up one by one, reflecting the real constellations in the night sky. A beam of moonlight shone straight onto the center of the platform, forming a small vortex of light.

"It's a success." Kissmel breathed a sigh of relief.

The first test was thus successfully passed under the witness of the starry sky and the moonlight.

After solving the celestial puzzle, the two arrived at the location of the second test—the Amethyst Cave.

The cave entrance was small, half-hidden by dense, glowing vines, which shimmered with a faint purple light under the moonlight.

“This place…” Mochizuki Kaede bent down and parted the vines, “is narrower than I imagined.”

Kissmael nodded and went into the cave first: "I'll lead the way, please follow closely."

The cave was indeed as the old sage had said, extremely narrow.

The clusters of amethyst on both sides glowed faintly in the darkness, illuminating the entire passage in a dreamlike purple hue. Mochizuki Kaede had to move sideways, the scabbard of her thunder blade occasionally brushing against the crystals, producing a crisp tinkling sound.

As Kissmael was walking ahead, he suddenly stepped on the wet, slippery moss and fell backward.

Mochizuki Kaede quickly grabbed her shoulder and said, "Be careful."

"Th-thank you..." Kissmel's voice sounded a little unnatural; the two were now so close they could hear each other's breathing.

As you continue, the passage becomes even lower.

Mochizuki Kaede and Kissmel had to stoop to move forward, their shoulders bumping together from time to time.

“That should be the Resonance Stone,” Kissmael said, pointing to a floating purple crystal in front of her. Just as she reached out to grab it, the crystal suddenly moved.

"It will hide!" Mochizuki Kaede exclaimed in surprise.

The two exchanged a glance and tacitly separated to flank them. The crystal dodged and weaved around them, as if playing hide-and-seek.

"I'll count to three, then we'll attack together," Mochizuki Kaede whispered. Kissmel nodded and quietly adjusted her position.

"one two Three!"

The two lunged at the crystal at the same time.

Just before they collided, Mochizuki Kaede spun around, while Kissmel deftly bent down, their hands simultaneously touching the crystal. The crystal emitted a melodious sound and obediently landed in Kissmel's hand.

"It worked." She breathed a sigh of relief, but found that she and Mochizuki Kaede were in an awkward position—the two of them were almost touching, stuck in the narrow passage.

Mochizuki Kaede coughed lightly: "Shall we go outside first and talk?"

Kissmael blushed and nodded, and the two carefully moved out. One of them slipped, and they almost bumped into each other again, finally managing to help each other out of the cave.

When they returned to the library, the light inside had softened considerably. The old sage sat at his oak desk, his fingers gently stroking a yellowed ancient book. Argo, meanwhile, was fast asleep on the table beside him, a "slightly tipsy" status icon floating above his head. The air was filled with the faint scent of roses and sweet wine.

“Not bad, it was completed faster than I expected.” The old sage raised his head, his eyes behind his glasses sparkling with amusement.

Mochizuki Kaede looked at the sleeping Argo with concern: "Sage, what's wrong with my friend...?"