Light swirled, and the breeze of the eleventh floor, carrying the scent of grass and rock, brushed against their faces.
This was the town of "Taft," a rugged place where stone buildings stood in dense rows, exuding a pioneering spirit.
Kirito stood on the teleporter, still replaying the battle that had just occurred, a fight that had almost exceeded the limits of his comprehension; his heart still surged with emotion.
Argo, on the other hand, seemed much more relaxed; her bright, curious eyes scanned her surroundings, then unconsciously, her gaze fell upon Chen Mo's back.
That back, still as stern and unmoving as a mountain, yet it brought her an unprecedented sense of security.
Chen Mo paid no attention to their thoughts; he immediately opened his system panel, his eyes fixed on the spoils of war he had just acquired.
[Golden Equipment: Mark of Crimson]
[Equipment Level: 25]
[Equipment Slot: Ring]
[Quality: Legendary]
[Strength: 35]
[Agility: 15]
[Special Effect: Crimson Hunger — All your physical attacks will restore 10% of the damage dealt as HP.]
This is it!
A fervent gleam flashed in Chen Mo's eyes.
The 35 points in Strength and 15 points in Agility were enough to once again put his stats an era ahead of all other players.
And the lifesteal effect called "Crimson Hunger" was nothing short of a divine skill!
This meant that as long as his attacks continued, his HP would be continuously restored.
Combined with his inherent passive combat regeneration, when facing a Lord-level monster alone, he would become a truly perpetual cannon.
This ring directly elevated his solo sustainability in higher-level dungeons to a terrifying degree.
"Let's go, find a place to rest first."
Chen Mo composed himself, equipped the ring, and a warm power flowed from his finger into his body.
He turned and spoke calmly... The night deepened.
In the best inn in Taft Town, Chen Mo booked an entire suite.
Kirito meditated in the adjacent room, processing the insights from today's battle. In the suite's living room, a warm fire crackled in the fireplace, illuminating Argo's serene sleeping face.
She had been sitting on the sofa, organizing the information she had gathered today, and without realizing it, she had dozed off with her head tilted, her small nostrils gently flaring with each even breath, and her long eyelashes casting a charming shadow beneath her eyelids.
Chen Mo walked out of the room, his footsteps unconsciously softening.
He picked up a spare trench coat and gently draped it over the girl's body.
After doing all this, he himself was a little stunned.
Once upon a time, he had long been accustomed to walking alone amidst darkness and slaughter, where any emotion was a superfluous burden.
But that soft impact in his arms, that tearful cry in his ear, seemed to have truly carved a crack in his frozen heart.
He walked to the window, pushed open the wooden frame, and the cool night wind poured in.
He looked at the false starry sky of Aincrad outside the window, but his mind was exceptionally clear.
He would not indulge in tenderness, but he... no longer resisted this warmth either.
"Beep."
A friend message notification sounded; it was from Kirito.
"Have you found the Boss's location?"
Chen Mo asked directly.
"Found it."
Kirito's reply was quick, "The eleventh-floor Lord, 'Demon Sword Knight Balor,' is entrenched in the throne room at the deepest part of the labyrinth. The Knights of the Blood Oath and the Holy Dragon Alliance are gathering; it'll probably be at least three days before they organize a large-scale Assault Team meeting."
Three days?
Chen Mo's lips curved into a cold, sharp arc.
He didn't have time to play house with those so-called Assault Teams.
"Send me the coordinates."
Kirito was silent for a few seconds, seemingly guessing something.
"Are you going alone again? That's too risky! The monsters on the eleventh floor are generally level 30 or higher, and there are elite monsters patrolling the labyrinth, you..."
"Send them to me."
Chen Mo's reply was only three words, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness.
A moment later, a string of coordinates was sent over.
Kirito added another message: "...Count me in. I told you, you're my teammate, always have been."
Looking at this message, Chen Mo's gaze softened for a moment.
He didn't reply, just closed the communication interface.
In the early morning, the first ray of sunlight streamed through the window, falling on Argo's face.
Her long eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the black trench coat covering her, still carrying a faint, reassuring scent.
She suddenly sat up, her heart skipping a beat.
The living room was empty, only the embers in the fireplace were still warm.
"Chen Mo?"
She called out softly, but there was no answer.
A familiar sense of panic gripped her again.
Just then, she saw a note left on the table, the handwriting sharp as a blade.
"I'll be back soon."
"When I return, I'll take you to eat Taft's most famous roasted meat on the eleventh floor."
Argo picked up the note and stared at it blankly.
Within the cold handwriting, there seemed to be a hint of clumsy tenderness she had never seen before.
She looked and looked, then suddenly smiled.
Yet, crystal tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.
"Idiot..."
She carefully put away the note, as if it were her most precious treasure.
"I'll wait for you to come back."
At the same time.
Within the deep and oppressive passage of the eleventh-floor labyrinth.
Chen Mo was alone, holding the Blade of Perseverance, his black trench coat flapping behind him.
Before him were hundreds of densely packed Level 30 elite monsters — the Skeleton Swordsmen.
And at the end of that skeleton army, on a huge obsidian throne, a knight clad in heavy armor and wielding a runic magic sword slowly opened its crimson eyes.
Chen Mo glanced at his status bar, then at the BOSS in the distance.
There was no fear on his face, only the calm of an imminent hunt.
"Today, I'll let all of SAO see."
"What, exactly, is an assault."