"So this is the place."
In the outskirts of Koala in the southern region of the twenty-second floor of SAO, Daniel confirmed that the forest cabin by the lakeside was indeed the one he'd been looking for.
This floor had little in the way of town structures; it was more like a small village, with all the buildings constructed from wood. Because of its small size and limited dungeon area, it attracted few players. Its main appeal was its numerous lakes and lush forests with breathtaking scenery, though few trapped in this death game had the leisure to enjoy such sights.
"Pretty expensive, though."
Despite its secluded location on the edge of the forest, the cabin cost a hefty 500,000 col—enough to buy a decent home in any major town on the earlier floors.
"I didn't expect such a beautiful place—how did you find it?" Asuna looked pleased as she opened the cabin window to take in the scenic view.
"I found it while exploring the area."
The southern region of the twenty-second floor was mostly a safe zone, with very few monsters, so players were scarce, and even NPCs were limited. Most players congregated in the northern part, where the dungeon and the floor boss were located.
To celebrate his new home, Daniel invited Asuna to come over. Upon seeing the beautiful surroundings, Asuna became excited and took charge of decorating the cabin.
Purchasing a property in SAO only gave players an empty house. Furniture, decorations, and even utensils had to be purchased separately. In the original story, Asuna's cabin had cost over four million col, much of which went toward furnishings.
Though SAO made decorating easy—players could select furniture and arrange it with a few clicks—Asuna had spent the better part of a day carefully choosing and arranging items.
"All done! Now, hand over a key." Asuna looked satisfied with the decor and, with a slight blush, held out her hand.
"Planning to move in?" Daniel was caught off guard by her request but handed her a key without hesitation. The cabin only had one bedroom with two beds, so he hadn't expected her to ask.
"This cabin is my masterpiece. Of course, I'll be visiting often to check on it. What do you think? Satisfied?"
"Very much." Daniel meant it—the place now felt warm and welcoming, thanks to Asuna's touch.
"Now that it's done, let's get ready for the bonfire party. I'll need your help."
Before they decorated, Daniel and Asuna had discussed inviting their friends over for a small celebration. Their shopping spree earlier included food, ingredients, and cooking equipment, which Asuna—SAO's top chef—would be putting to good use.
In SAO, a dish's taste depended both on ingredients and the chef's skill level. Higher-grade ingredients, like the rare S-rank items, required skillful preparation to bring out their best.
"Kirito, you… you…!"
Under the full moon that evening, Daniel's friends gathered around the bonfire in front of the cabin. Klein, clutching his chest with one hand and pointing accusingly at Kirito with the other, looked comically heartbroken upon seeing Sachi by Kirito's side.
Klein's exaggerated reaction startled Sachi, who quickly hid behind Kirito. Her shy response only embarrassed Klein further.
Only a few people attended the party. Daniel's three clones were absent, and Klein's guildmates from Fuurinkazan weren't invited either. Just Kirito and Sachi from the Moonlit Black Cats, whom Daniel had warned Kirito about, Klein, and Agil.
Agil, who had joined the initial boss clear on the first floor, had since opened a shop but still participated in clearing floors occasionally. He had originally bought the game for his wife but got trapped inside when he logged in to check it out on her behalf. Agil was grateful it was him and not his wife who was now trapped.
Asuna brought along her friend Lisbeth, which was a surprise for Daniel. Lisbeth was the best blacksmith in the game, and many high-level players relied on her equipment. Asuna's famous sword, the Lambent Light, was one of Lisbeth's creations.
"So you're the guy Asuna keeps mentioning—the guild leader of Akatsuki. I can see why she'd think highly of you," Lisbeth teased as she assessed Daniel.
"What are you talking about? Help me out here!" Asuna's face turned pink as she hurriedly pulled Lisbeth away.
Shortly after, Asuna called Sachi and Argo over to help set up the food. In truth, there wasn't much to do, but it was an excuse for the girls to huddle together.
"Flash Asuna, huh? You've got some powerful friends." Back by the fire, Klein looked a bit deflated as he turned to Daniel and Kirito. Asuna's combat prowess had earned her the title "The Flash," making her one of the most famous players in the game, and a formidable presence in the Knights of the Blood Oath. The guild's boss strategies were largely her doing, while Heathcliff led the combat efforts.
"We're just friends; it's not what you think." Daniel clarified his relationship with Asuna.
"Just friends? Why can't I have friends like that?" Klein said wistfully, his gaze drifting back to the girls. "By the way, who's that one? She got a boyfriend?"
They all knew he meant Lisbeth. Argo was a familiar face to Klein, while Asuna's relationship status was more or less established.
"That's Asuna's friend, probably the best blacksmith we have. Whether she's taken or not, you'll have to ask her yourself."
"Help me out here, man."
"This one's on you," Daniel replied with a grin.
Agil and Kirito laughed, leaving Klein visibly dejected.
"Anyway, moving on—did you hear about those recent player attacks?" Agil changed the subject after a moment.
"Are you talking about Laughing Coffin?"
As guilds multiplied, so did orange and red player-killer guilds. Among them, Laughing Coffin was the most notorious, welcoming players who took pleasure in killing.
"They're crazy, all of them. They should be locked up in Black Iron Palace," Klein said, visibly angry. Kirito, too, frowned at the mention of Laughing Coffin.
A somber mood fell over the group. Even Daniel couldn't fully grasp why these killer guilds existed. In real life, people with these violent impulses often had serious psychological issues. Here, with no real-world laws to stop them, killing was frighteningly easy.
The game did have a prison, Black Iron Palace in the Town of Beginnings, but capturing criminals was left to players since NPCs wouldn't apprehend them.
"Maybe it's time to put an end to their rampage," Daniel thought. Of course, he didn't plan to take down Laughing Coffin single-handedly, but he intended to capture many of its members and send them to Black Iron Palace.
In some ways, SAO's prison was harsher than real-life ones—there were no visits, no yard time, just the monotony of confinement.
"Let's set those thoughts aside for now," Daniel said, breaking the silence. "Here's hoping we can do this again someday—in real life."
"How about we make this a monthly gathering?" Lisbeth suggested as she joined them by the fire.
"That sounds like a good idea."
They had a wonderful evening together. In a rare show of bravery (after some encouragement from Agil and Kirito), Klein approached Lisbeth, only to return looking dejected not long after.
As Daniel watched Kirito and Sachi leave, he felt a sense of satisfaction. It was strange to see how much things had changed, but he was glad to see Kirito finding solace in the company of friends.
"I guess I won't overstay my welcome." Lisbeth grinned as she prepared to leave, giving Asuna a nudge. "Wouldn't want to intrude on you two."
"I... you're welcome to stay," Asuna offered, a little flustered.
"Nah, I'll pass. I'll leave you to your cozy setup." With a wink, Lisbeth exited the safe zone and teleported away.
What had been a comfortable arrangement now left Asuna feeling a bit self-conscious.
"Time to call it a night." Daniel's voice broke the silence.
Originally, Daniel had planned to take the couch, but Asuna insisted they share the bedroom, where two beds awaited them.
Given the limitations of the game, certain "activities" were off-limits anyway. SAO's level of immersion was impressive—skin texture, warmth, and the five senses were all replicated, but there were limits. Players didn't have internal organs or any real anatomy beyond what was visible. When players died, they shattered like glass, a far cry from real-world bodies.
The next morning, they enjoyed a lazy day together. This was Asuna's last day off, and she was reluctant to leave. As the vice-captain of the Knights of the Blood Oath and one of the core strategists of the clearing group, her schedule was packed.
"Looks like ALO is nearly ready," Daniel mused, watching the peaceful scenery. In the real world, Daniel's team was busy preparing Alfheim Online, or ALO, for launch.
Despite the controversy surrounding VR games, Daniel had worked hard to secure the necessary approvals. The second-generation NerveGear had gone through extensive testing, proving it was incapable of causing harm. This ensured a safe experience, even in the unlikely event of another SAO incident.
Public excitement for virtual reality remained high, and anticipation for ALO's release was already
building.
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