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For some reason, Kirito felt that the current Ashes seemed to have returned to the state when the three of them first met.

If I insist on a proper description, it seems that a character that can be controlled by the player has been offline for a while, and the current Ashes is naturally the state of the player who is online.

So, is it possible that this NPC called Ashes was played by other players?

Chapter 82 - Knighthood

Kirito was taken aback by his conjecture.

SAO is now being expelled by Kayaba Akihiko [@

But the first way to return is only the cold corpse. What Kirito wants is to clear the game and leave here.

However, Kirito once imagined that there would be other players who did not lose the [Exit] button because of the BUG as Kayaba Akihiko said, but after a long investigation, Kirito finally Man vetoed his own idea.

However, after Kirito had a little in-depth communication with this NPC named Ashes, Kirito felt more and more that this NPC named Ashes should be a real game player.

Rather than some NPC that operates according to the program.

This player, who didn't know his true identity, didn't completely abandon the game, but enjoyed it, and even played one of the roles himself.

If you look at it this way, even if this person is not Akihiko Kayaba, the mastermind behind the scenes, he is still a character with a very deep relationship with him. Otherwise, he would not appear in this world as an NPC.

After sorting out the reasoning in his mind, Kirito felt that the truth had been discovered by himself, so he swallowed involuntarily to calm himself down.

So if this guy is really an accomplice to Akihiko Kayaba, what will he do next?

Turning his eyes to Ashes standing on the steps behind him, Kirito found that the other party didn't stay away from him and Asuna like last time, but sat on the ground, and then waved towards Kirito and Asuna.

"Kirito-kun, what's wrong?"

Asuna noticed Kirito's tense nerves, as if she was guarding against something, so instead of walking directly towards Ashes, Asuna drew out her rapier [Flickering Light], vigilant He carefully looked at the knight sitting on the steps.

"It's okay, Asuna, don't be nervous. If this person really plans to do something to us, I don't think even I have the strength to resist."

"Kirito, what are you talking about?"

"But don't worry, even if I face the manager of the game, I will let him experience the things that the players are proud of, with the sword in my hand."

However, Kirito is not worried at all that this NPC, who is suspected to be played by Akihiko Kayaba, will take care of the two who may have discovered his hidden identity.

After all, judging from Kirito's long-term game experience, Kayaba Akihiko seems to be very obsessed with creating a perfect fantasy world and letting people have some adventures in the world he created, but Kayaba Akihiko doesn't seem to want to make his own world It becomes a situation where it doesn’t matter if you die, and you will be resurrected anyway, so tens of thousands of players are imprisoned in the game, and it becomes a classic tower-climbing RPG adventure that is really over as long as you die.

Therefore, Kirito made up his mind that Kayaba Akihiko would not end himself and Asuna because of such a trivial matter as his identity being discovered, but even if the other party really didn't talk about Takede and planned to use administrator authority, Kirito There is nothing to do.

After all, this is a game, a huge world made up of various data, as long as there is such an administrator, no matter what kind of resistance the players want to make, they will be completely obliterated by a simple order.

----

Mumu looked at Kirito and Asuna who were carefully sitting next to him. He didn't know what the two had just made up in his mind, so he became cautious.

But these have nothing to do with Mu Mu, as long as the task is completed,

"Guests from other worlds, your journey would have been extremely easy. After all, it was just some simple trials. Judging from your skills, it is naturally extremely simple, but it is a pity that now there is a small Accident."

Mu Mu made a very regrettable movement, which was a bit exaggerated, which made him not look like a knight, but a jester wearing knight armor.

But this is Mu Mu's old habit. In the world of black souls, you have to exaggerate your actions. Don't be stingy with your physical strength, otherwise, you will soon become similar to those living corpses due to the loss of humanity. thing.

Of course, Mu Mu knew that he would not become a living corpse until later, so this habit has been preserved with this high-level knight armor until now.

"Before then, can you two please listen to me tell a story from some years ago?"

Like a troubadour staying in a tavern tirelessly singing a certain old-fashioned story, Kirito and Asuna actually had a very strong sense of substitution in an instant.

Before starting to tell the story, Mu Mu took out two wooden wine glasses and placed them in front of Kirito and Asuna. Immediately afterwards, he took out a bronze cup with a glorious appearance from the back of his waist. After opening the lid plugged into the wine jug, Kirito and Asuna filled the wine glasses in front of Kirito and Asuna with wine exuding the aroma of malt.

【Jack's Wine】

Kirito looked at the wine in the glass in front of him, and after hesitating for a moment, he picked up the glass and took a sip.

"Shh-"

As if refreshing his own state, all the energy and physical strength he had consumed before were recovered, and while his body felt a burst of warmth, Kirito also found that there was an extra BUFF under his blood bar.

【Your resistance to cold has increased】

　【*=

Slowly raising the arm wrapped in the knight armor, Mu Mu slowly pointed to the city gate where everyone was, as well as the towering city walls around it.

Of course, there is also himself who makes Kirito uneasy.

"This is the place known as the high wall of Losric. What we have seen is only a corner of this abandoned city. Even I have not explored every place here. For you, it is even more important. in this way.

This was originally a city that belonged to humans, but in the end, because of a disaster, the whole world turned into this ghostly appearance. "

Accompanied by Mu Mu's words, Tongren suddenly discovered that the city gate where everyone was originally located disappeared, and what was replaced was a human city full of vitality.

Chapter 83-The Scourge of the Abyss

That was when the land was still in darkness, and the world was occupied by three things.

Immortal dragons, towering giant trees, gray rocks and fog.

This kind of world has lasted for an unknown amount of time, until a ignited flame lit up this chaotic land.

The strong man named Gwen challenged his knights and a witch who didn't know where he was like an immortal ancient dragon. Under the rain of sunshine and guns falling from the sky, the ancient dragon fell from the sky and the giant tree was burned by flames.

The world ushered in the light, and also ushered in the era of human beings.

I don't know how many years have passed, and human cities have spread all over the world. With their own wisdom and hard work, they seem to have forgotten the war against the ancient dragon initiated by the Sun King Ge Wen in the distant past.

Of course, Gwen, the Sun King, learned of the weaknesses of the ancient dragons, and was also the only surviving ancient dragon, the scaleless White Dragon Hiss.

Bailong, who still longed for immortality, built a large library, huddled in it alone, and never communicated with the outside world.

All this has nothing to do with this world, until the evil that spews out from the ground, the sin that can degrade people and lose humanity, lures the witches to carry out impossible experiments.

After a huge explosion, the enemy named Abyss finally appeared in the eyes of human beings.

----

Strolling in the royal capital which was still in its heyday, Kirito and Asuna looked at the knight Ashes walking in front and told this story which sounded full of fantasy little by little.

But Kirito is very curious about this, the story told by Ashes has nothing to do with Aincrad that has been explored so far.

So here comes the question, will Kayaba Akihiko be the kind to prepare a world plot that is not lost to Aincrad for a mission, so that players can get in touch?

And judging from the story described by Ashes, there are still many things worthy of deliberation.

Kirito tried to ask Ashes more questions, but was rejected by the other party because my memory is not good, and I only remembered so much.

"The problem now is that this power called the abyss can transform everything it touches into monsters belonging to it. The bosses you challenged before were originally knights fighting for justice, but in the end they lost their humanity. Then, it ended up like this.”

Following Mumu's footsteps, Kirito and Asuna came to the highest position in the city.

"This is what I want to tell you. The sealed abyss has appeared again, and it still appears in your world. If you don't seal these abysses, then the whole of Aincrad, maybe become what it is here.”

Mu Mu waved his arm, and the gray mist enveloped the prosperous royal city. After dissipating, the dilapidated scene reappeared in front of the three of them.

"Although it's a game, it's not a joke, Kirito, Asuna, now, there is an important task for you—"

Mu Mu raised his palm and reached out to the two standing in front of him, waiting for the other's choice.

After hesitating for a moment, Kirito asked.

"of course can."

Mu Mu's voice became clearer, and he didn't look like he was stuffed in the helmet before.

"Who are you? It's not the NPC you're playing now, but someone in reality."

"Wow, what an unexpected question."

Mu Mu was a little surprised, after all, he never thought that his somewhat lame acting skills would be exposed so quickly.

"However, this is expected. Telling you about my origin is also part of my plan."

Putting his hand on his helmet, Mu Mu took off his knight helmet, revealing his face with short black hair.

It looks like a normal human being.

"My name, you can call me Ashes. I am an undead who has completed the journey of spreading and extinguishing fire. I am also a guest from another world. As you can see, my world has fallen into silence."

After listening to what Mu Mu said, Kirito and Asuna frowned, and they still have to be loyal to their own character settings?

"Maybe you don't really believe it, but think about it carefully, is this so-called mission incompatible with your world?"

Indeed, unlike the tasks in the fantasy adventures that humans have come into contact with in the past, Kirito must admit that some of the settings he saw in these challenges are really beyond what humans can think of.

Not for gameplay at all, but to torture players!

"But it doesn't matter if you believe it or not. After all, the abyss has already appeared in Aincrad. If you don't take advantage of the time to get rid of them, then the entire game will eventually fall into darkness, just like my world. "

With another wave of hand, the gray mist rose from under everyone's feet, and when it dispersed again, Kirito and Asuna found themselves on the grassland on the latest floor of Aincrad.

"Crack-knock-"

There was a clear sound as the armor collided with the movement, and the silver knight wandering on the grassland, after noticing these uninvited guests, began to move towards this side.Behind the silver knight are those monsters that don't know what they turned into.

"The reality is right in front of you. If you don't want to talk to these guys, you can leave directly. This is not an area where the crystal is invalidated. Using the transfer crystal, you can easily return to the town."

Putting the helmet back on his head, Mu Mu bent down and grabbed a handful of withered weeds and dry gravel from the dry grass.

"Whoosh——"

The sound of breaking through the air rang in my ears, a thick arrow was shot from the big bow in the silver knight's hand, and he raised the kite-shaped shield on his left arm, the shield that had accompanied Mumu for the longest time blocked the incoming arrow .

After a loud crashing sound, the bounced arrows fell to the ground at their feet.

"I really miss it. How long has it been since I heard the Silver Knight's charge?"

In the blink of an eye, facing the silver knights rushing towards him with their long hairs in their hands, Mu Mu had an extra-large sword like a black rock piece in his hand. The extra-large sword jumped up on the spot, and the black rock flakes swung from behind ruthlessly squeezed on the charging Silver Knight.

"boom----"

It was as if something had exploded, and the smoke and dust raised made it impossible to look directly at Mu Mu's position.

Chapter 84-The Enemy of the Abyss

Mumu is sure that he has cleaned up all the abysses that appeared in the 100th floor of Aincrad.

But the Silver Knight and those monsters corrupted by the abyss still appeared on this grassland.

After the extra-large sword in his hand interrupted the thrusting skill that the players dubbed the Silver Knight Chariot, Mu Mu quickly noticed the changes in the enemies summoned by the abyss.

The blood bar disappeared, and the condition for judging whether he successfully knocked down the opponent became whether the opponent was completely down.

The Manyan huge sword in his hand disappeared, replaced by a straight sword whose blade seemed to be wrapped in frost.

[The straight sword bestowed on the Knights of Cold Valley.

Weapons with cold air can cause frostbite.

All warrior knights will eventually turn into beasts,

And the black eyes of Pope Sullivan

It will keep them motivated. 】

Illuzier Straight Sword, as a weapon that was obtained after Mumu overturned countless times at the beginning of Mumu’s adventure, he finally used the elevator of justice to kill. Iluzier Straight Sword can be said to have accompanied most of Mumu journey.

For those fighters who like to use big swords and extra-large swords, Mu Mu likes the two-player game with a shield in one hand and a sword in the other.

The silver knight, who was intercepted by the heavy blow of the huge sword, struggled to get up from the ground, but lost his blood bar, and no longer appeared as a game monster but a real enemy. The negative effect is that the silver knight's body will definitely behave like a normal human judge.

The heavy blow just now shattered all the bones in his body. Even if he was infected by the abyss and his humanity was exhausted, this blow almost killed the silver knight.

He raised his left leg and stepped on the silver knight's back, and the straight sword of Ilziel that exuded frost in his hand pierced the opponent's neck, probably where the spine and the brain are connected, completely wiped out The hapless silver knight.

These noble warriors should have been destroyed along with the world, but now, hidden under the gorgeous armor are just living corpses that have lost their human appearance.

"Bam—"