I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

Xing hadn't expected Wang Yuefeng to suddenly appear before her. Her eyes widened in disbelief. After a few seconds, she came to her senses, rubbed her eyes, and muttered softly, "Am I...dreaming again?"

The two hadn't seen each other for a long time, and this reunion made Xing doubt whether it was all just her imagination. It wasn't until Wang Yuefeng sat down next to her, his familiar scent washing over her, that the girl opened her eyes wide and confirmed that the person in front of her was real.

Mochizuki Kaede wasn't sure if the player with the red name had discovered Sachi, but protecting this timid girl was clearly more important at the moment.

However, why is Yuki here? Mochizuki Kaede thought for a moment, then asked softly, "Why are you here? It's so late..."

Fortunately, she buried her chin between her knees, and silence washed over her like a tide. After a long while, she finally answered in a voice barely audible:

"I...can't sleep."

Just as Mochizuki Kaede was pondering how to respond, the girl, still with her head bowed, suddenly said softly:

"Hey, Mr. Mochizuki... let's run away together."

Mochizuki Kaede's steady gaze flickered slightly: "Where are you going to escape from?"

“From this town…from the Black Cat Gang…from the monsters…” Sachi’s voice trailed off, “…escaping from SAO…”

Silence fell once more after he finished speaking. The only sound was the dripping of water from the sewer, as if accompanying the heavy atmosphere.

After a while, Mochizuki Kaede looked at Sachi's curled-up figure and asked softly, "Does this mean... we're going to commit suicide together?"

After a brief silence, Xing let out a faint laugh: "Hehe...yes, this should be good too..."

But then her voice dropped again: "No, I'm sorry, I lied just now. If I had the courage to commit suicide, I wouldn't be hiding in the sewers of the town's safe zone like this now."

Mochizuki Kaede's gaze fell on the girl's trembling shoulders; her thin frame appeared particularly fragile in the dim sewer. He softened his voice and asked, "What happened?"

"I……"

Xing's lips trembled slightly, as if she had used all her strength to squeeze out these words:

"I'm terrified of death."

These words were like a key, unlocking the tightly locked door to her heart. Long-suppressed fear surged forth like a burst dam.

“Because I’m afraid of death, I can hardly sleep at night. As soon as I close my eyes, those hideous monsters and those desperate scenes before death keep appearing in my mind. I’m afraid that after I die in this world, I will never be able to return to the real world. I’m so scared… so scared… that fear makes it hard for me to breathe.”

Her body trembled slightly, and she gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands, as if that would give her a sense of security.

"Why did this happen?" Sachi's voice was filled with confusion and pain, like someone trapped in a dark labyrinth, unable to find a way out. "Why can't we leave the game? Why can we really die even though it's just a game? What does that guy Kayaba Akihiko gain by doing this? What's the point of him doing this...?"

Chapter 120: Palm

As Xing spoke, she became increasingly agitated, and a small tear rolled down her right eye, glistening in the dim light over the beauty mark.

"I... have always felt that I wouldn't live much longer."

It wasn't that she didn't trust the [Black Cats of the Moonlit Night]'s abilities. In fact, under Mochizuki Kaede's guidance, everyone was improving rapidly, Keita's command was becoming increasingly excellent, and the teammates' teamwork was becoming more and more seamless.

What truly broke her was something that happened recently.

In another guild, her closest friend died. Like Sachi, that girl was a coward, only daring to hunt in safe locations, carefully avoiding danger. But fate is cruel; the girl, due to bad luck, was attacked and killed by a monster while alone.

Since then, Sachi has thought about many things and finally understood: in order to continue living in this world, no matter how strong the companions around you are, if you do not have the will to live and the determination to live, then everything is in vain.

"Actually, I've been afraid ever since I first stepped out of the starting town. If it weren't for the Black Cat Gang, I probably would never have dared to leave the safe zone. I'm happy with everyone, but every time we fight, I tremble with fear. I know I'm useless, but I just can't control my fear. Every time I see a monster, my legs go weak, and I only have one thought in my mind: to run away... If I keep fighting with this mindset, I'll die one day. This isn't anyone else's fault; it's my own problem."

Xing's voice was as light as a feather, drifting in the damp air of the sewer.

Mochizuki Kaede listened quietly, then suddenly stretched out her hand, palm up, and presented it to her: "Sachi, look what this is?"

The girl looked up through her tear-filled eyes, gazing in confusion at the hand before her: "This is... Mr. Mochizuki's hand..."

"Hmm." He nodded gently. "May I place your hand in mine?"

"Huh?" Xing blinked her moist eyes, but found a strange sense of trust in Wang Yuefeng's calm gray eyes. Hesitantly, she reached out her cold little hand and gently placed it on his palm.

The moment their hands touched, warmth spread from the point of contact. She felt her cold hands being enveloped by Mochizuki Kaede's warmth, a warmth that surged through her entire body like an electric current. This made her blush slightly, and her heart began to beat faster involuntarily.

Mochizuki Kaede looked at Sachi, her voice soft and warm: "I can feel Sachi's hands, I can clearly feel the temperature on them. Your hands are a little cold, Sachi, how about yours?"

Happiness stared blankly at their clasped hands, feeling the reassuring warmth: "I...I can feel Mr. Mochizuki's hands too...so, so warm..."

"Hmm." Mochizuki Kaede gently squeezed Sachi's hand, as if conveying a kind of strength. Then, he slowly spoke, "Sachi, although I don't know why Kayaba Akihiko wants to trap us in this game. Perhaps he has his own ambitions, or unknown purposes. But in any case, we have been drawn into this cruel game."

Mochizuki Kaede paused, a hint of emotion in her eyes: "But it is precisely because of this that I have been able to meet so many precious people. For example, the [Black Cats of the Moonlit Night], and you. Just like now, your warmth is truly being transmitted to me. This touch, this warmth, are proof that we are still alive."

As he spoke, Mochizuki Kaede's gaze fell on Sachi, her eyes softening further: "No one is without fear in the face of death, and I am too. That fear of the unknown, the fear of losing my life... But fear doesn't mean we should back down. On the contrary, it is precisely because of fear that we must face it bravely. Because we still have each other, and these comrades who fight alongside us. We are not isolated individuals. You and I, and the members of the Black Cat Gang, are all living, breathing people who can feel each other's warmth. Feeling each other's warmth, passing on our courage—that is the most powerful weapon against fear."

Sachi raised her head: "Mr. Mochizuki..."

A faint chime drifted from afar, as if announcing the arrival of midnight. Mochizuki Kaede placed her other hand over his, creating a warm embrace.

"Don't think you won't live much longer. Your trembling fingers every time you grip your spear, your rapid breathing after every battle, even the tears you're shedding now—these are all traces of your desperate struggle to live."

Mochizuki Kaede's grey eyes reflected Sachi's teary-eyed appearance.

"I want you to remember the warmth of my palm right now, remember your companions in the [Moonlit Black Cat Gang]... Live on, for these real bonds. Let our meeting become a part of your life, because from the moment we met, you will never be alone again."

Xing's tears finally broke free, but this time, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile. The rolling tears, illuminated by the wall lamp, resembled a string of glistening pearls, each reflecting the two people's clasped hands.

"Thank you, Mr. Mochizuki." Sachi's voice was a little choked up.

Looking at the girl in front of him who was trying hard to control her emotions, Mochizuki Kaede smiled slightly, giving her an encouraging look: "If what I've said can give you the will to live, that's good. But the most important thing is that you have to rely on yourself, you know? Now that you have the motivation, you have to work hard to improve your strength. In this cruel world, only by becoming strong can you better protect yourself and the people around you."

Fortunately, this time he nodded vigorously, his eyes showing a hint of determination, like a small flame igniting in the darkness.

Mochizuki Kaede smiled and said, "Not scared anymore?"

Sachi held Mochizuki Kaede's hand tightly: "Although I'm still scared, I'll do my best. I will try my best to overcome this fear, just like Mr. Mochizuki said, I'm not fighting alone."

"Go for it!" Mochizuki Kaede looked at Sachi with anticipation in his eyes. For some reason, the image of Silica appeared in his mind, that very young girl, whom he had never abandoned even when facing dire straits.

—If these two girls with such different personalities were to meet, they might unexpectedly become good friends. Silica's courage might inspire Sachi, even though Sachi is probably older than Silica.

Wang Yuefeng thought to himself.

After safely escorting Sachi to the inn, Sachi held Mochizuki Kaede's hand tightly the entire way. Her palms were slightly sweaty, the warmth seeping through her skin into Mochizuki Kaede's palm, like a silent dependence. The moonlight cast overlapping shadows of the two of them, slowly moving along the stone path.

Only when they reached the hotel entrance did Xing reluctantly let go of her fingers. She lowered her head, a faint blush rising on her cheeks, like a cherry blossom just beginning to bloom under the lamplight.

"We've arrived." Mochizuki Kaede's voice was gentle. "If anything happens, feel free to contact me via message."

"Yes!" Xing nodded vigorously, then suddenly bowed deeply: "Thank you so much for tonight."

Mochizuki Kaede waved gently, the cuffs of his black coat fluttering slightly in the night breeze. He watched the girl run into the hotel until her figure was completely out of sight.

Chapter 121: Predicament

On this day, the afternoon sun streamed through the hotel windows and onto the floor. Keita, carrying the full amount of guild funds he had finally secured to buy a small detached house as a guild base, set off early to meet with a real estate agent.

Sachi and his three companions—Sasamaru, Takal, and Tetsuo—sat around the table at the inn, smiling as they looked at their nearly zero Cor balance in the guild's common inventory, patiently waiting for Keita to return.

"Owning my own house feels amazing," Sasamaru said, arms crossed, his face beaming with excitement.

"Hey, don't act like an old man." Dakar chuckled and patted him on the back, but couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.

Everyone laughed, and the laughter echoed in the hotel, filled with anticipation for the future.

At this moment, Tiexiong stood up, clapped his hands, and said, "Let's make some money while we have time before Qitai comes back. We need to buy furniture for the house, otherwise it will look empty."

Xing's eyes lit up, and she said, "Oh, are you buying furniture?"

Dakar, hands on his hips, said confidently, "Let's go to the upper part of the labyrinth then. The monsters there drop more valuable items, and we can make enough money faster."

Xing frowned slightly with concern and said softly, "Why don't we just go to the usual leveling area? The monsters on the upper levels might be stronger. Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

Sasamaru patted his chest and replied, "Sachi, don't worry. We can earn enough money faster at the upper levels, and our levels have improved quite a bit now, so we'll be fine going up there."

Dakar nodded in agreement: "Going to the upper levels is definitely not a problem. Our [Moonlit Black Cat Gang] is getting stronger and stronger. What's this little challenge?"

Tie Xiong added, "If there's danger, retreat immediately. The four of us together will be fine."

Seeing everyone's confident demeanor, I could only nod, though I still had some concerns.

So the four of them packed their gear, left the inn, and headed towards the upper level of the maze.

……

The twenty-seventh floor.

Maze area.

The Black Cat Gang's hunt went very smoothly.

"Haha, this is much faster than the lower levels!" Dakar nimbly twirled his dagger, the blade still stained with fragments of data from the latest monster. In just one hour, his inventory of Cole's balance had already reached the target.

"Hehe, that way we can give Keita a surprise when he comes back," Sasamaru laughed.

"That's a wrap, that's a wrap!" Dakar whistled.

Fortunately, she held onto her spear tightly and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she had worried too much; monsters at this level weren't as dangerous as she had imagined. She jogged a few steps to catch up with her teammates, her boots making a soft crunching sound on the gravel path.

Just as he turned the corner, Sasamaru's spear accidentally grazed a protrusion on the wall—

"Click".

The crisp click of the mechanism made everyone turn around abruptly.

"boom!"

The ground trembled violently, and a moss-covered stone wall suddenly rose from the ground. Amidst the flying debris and dust, Xing staggered backward, and the last thing he saw was Dakar's outstretched hand, and the fleetingly blurred figures of his teammates.

“Lucky?!” Dakar’s voice came through the thick stone wall, muffled like a shout from underwater.

"I...I'm fine!" Xing pounded on the stone wall, feeling its rough texture against her palm. "I'll go around to find you from the other side!"

Fortunately, she held onto her spear tightly, took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down. The maze's passageways were intricate and complex, so she decided to head back first.

Just as she turned the second corner, she suddenly heard a metallic scraping sound ahead.

"Oh my, look who this is?"

A flippant male voice came from the shadows.

A man wearing a one-eyed mask slowly walked out, a serpentine scimitar twirling between his fingers. Beside him stood a tall, silent man, his longsword scraping against the ground with a harsh screech.

Fortunately, I only felt a chill run from the soles of my feet straight up to my heart, and my blood instantly froze.

The red player icons above their heads were particularly conspicuous in the dimly lit maze.

—Red-named player!

"A lost kitten?" The one-eyed man licked his lips. "Perfect, it'll keep us company."

As he spoke, the scimitar in his hand spun even faster, making a "whooshing" sound as it cut through the air.

Fortunately, he turned and ran, the spear shaking violently in his hand.

The footsteps behind me were neither hurried nor slow, as leisurely as a cat playing with a mouse.

After turning several corners, she burst into a circular stone chamber.

In the center of the stone chamber, a golden treasure chest gleamed alluringly in the soft light of the moss. Before she could even think, a chilling voice came from behind her:

"Oh my, you've brought us to a great place! This is a golden treasure chest!" The one-eyed man leaned against the entrance, his eyes gleaming with greed. "Lulai, go open the chest."

The tall man silently walked toward the treasure chest.

The moment he touched the treasure chest—

"Ding!"

A sharp alarm suddenly blared, making my eardrums ache.

The passage they had come through was completely sealed off by a stone door that suddenly descended, while at the same time, the other three hidden doors in the stone chamber opened with a bang.

"Damn it, it's a trap room!"

For the first time, the one-eyed man's voice betrayed panic.

A tidal wave of monsters surged out of the hidden door—stone goblins, goblins, and werewolves, their crimson eyes gleaming, emitting chilling howls like demons from hell. They bared their fangs and claws, lunging at Xing and the two red-named players.

The system's default aggro mechanism causes these monsters to prioritize attacking higher-level, red-named players.

The one-eyed man thrust out his serpentine scimitar, instantly beheading three goblins, but more monsters surged forward one after another.

"Lulai! Cover me!" He hurriedly pulled out the teleportation crystal, trying to escape in an emergency, but the moment he activated the crystal, he found that the room was designated as a crystal-ineffective zone, and his face instantly turned ugly.

The next three minutes were like a nightmare.

Rulai brandished his longsword, attempting to fend off the monsters' attacks, his body riddled with wounds from their claws. The two red-named players fought for a few minutes before being surrounded and killed by the monsters. In his final moments, Rulai was pierced through the chest by a werewolf's claws, while the one-eyed man was pounced on by a horde of goblins, screaming as he was overwhelmed by the monsters. Their health points simultaneously reached zero, their bodies exploding into countless blue fragments.