When Argo woke up, the sun was shining brightly.
The oversized black trench coat she wore still carried a scent that brought her immense peace of mind.
She sat up, and the empty living room made her heart clench.
The familiar feeling of panic was about to grip her throat when it was dispelled by a note on the table.
The handwriting was sharp, just like the person.
"I'll be back soon."
"When I return, I'll take you to the most famous Taft Roasted Meat on the eleventh floor."
Argo picked up the note, her fingertips tracing the cold handwriting, but her lips curved into an uncontrollable smile.
She let out a chuckle, yet the corners of her eyes felt warm.
"Idiot..."
She carefully folded the note, tucked it close to her body, and treasured it.
And at that very moment.
[System Announcement: The eleventh-floor Labyrinth Zone has been cleared!]
[First Clear Player: Chen Mo.]
The clear system announcement echoed through every corner of Aincrad.
The smile on Argo's face froze.
She looked up at the giant purple text in the sky outside the window, then lowered her head, feeling the edges of the note in her embrace.
That man had comforted her in the most clumsy way.
Then, turning around, he once again shocked the entire world in the most violent way... One year later.
[Aincrad, 55th Floor, Main City Gransam]
Time is enough to change everything.
In this year, thousands of players, with blood and tears, pushed the progress of the Assault Team from the eleventh floor, step by step, all the way here.
And the name Chen Mo, too, transformed from a legend into a shadow.
A shadow that loomed over all Assault Teams, an inescapable presence.
He had no guild, attended no meetings, and communicated with no one.
He was like a solitary phantom, traversing the most dangerous Labyrinth Zones.
The major guilds poured all their efforts, countless manpower and resources, finally finding the entrance to the BOSS room, gathering their most elite teams, and preparing to launch a full-scale assault.
But what they often waited for was not a fierce battle.
But a cold system announcement.
"The XX-floor Labyrinth Zone has been cleared. First Clear Player: Chen Mo."
Once was a fluke.
Twice was a coincidence.
When this situation occurred dozens of times, everyone became numb.
In the current SAO, a new dynamic had long formed on the front lines of the Assault Team.
At the very top were four massive guild forces.
[Knights of the Blood Oath], led by Commander Heathcliff, known as the "Strongest Shield," with vice-commander Asuna, The Flash, possessing both strength and beauty, they were recognized as the number one guild in SAO.
[Holy Dragon Alliance], with the most members, the most overbearing conduct, resorting to any means to achieve their goals, their reputation was extremely poor, yet no one dared to provoke them.
[FuRinKazAn], led by Commander Klein, a forthright red-haired samurai, emphasizing unity and mutual assistance, enjoying an excellent reputation among ordinary players.
And the most peculiar [Moonlit Black Cats].
A small group that was unknown a year ago, now firmly ranked among the top guilds.
They had very few members, yet their average equipment was so luxurious that even the Knights of the Blood Oath were envious.
No one knew where those overpowered ITEMs came from.
Only a very few high-ranking members would cast their gaze towards the Black Swordsman who always followed the Moonlit Black Cats' Commander Keita.
Kirito.
He rarely made a move, but each time, it was enough to make everyone re-evaluate the combat power of this guild.
As for the fifth faction... it had no name, no members.
Only one person.
Chen Mo.
He, by himself, cleared more than half of the floors.
He was the common nightmare of all Assault Team players.
At this moment, the atmosphere in Gransam's Central Council Hall was so heavy it could be wrung out.
Heathcliff, Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, stood at the forefront, his silver-white armor and cross shield gleaming.
"Everyone, the strategy for the 55th-floor BOSS, the Skull Reaper, is as follows."
His voice was steady, echoing through the hall.
"Three teams will take turns reducing its HP, I will main tank, Asuna will command, and we anticipate ending the battle within three hours, with casualties controllable to single digits."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Godfrey, the bald strongman and Commander of the Holy Dragon Alliance, let out a sneer.
"Commander Heathcliff, the plan is perfect, but you forgot one problem."
He surveyed his surroundings, his voice rough.
"No matter how lively our discussion here, what if that lunatic named Chen Mo has already killed the BOSS?"
These words instantly silenced the hall.
Frustration and helplessness were written on everyone's faces.
This was their true purpose for gathering here today.
Not to discuss how to defeat the BOSS.
But how to... guard against Chen Mo.
Klein scratched his head, smiling wryly as he tried to smooth things over: "Commander Godfrey, we have already stationed people to guard the BOSS room entrance twenty-four hours a day. The moment he appears, we will receive a notification."
"Receive a notification?" Godfrey scoffed, "And then what? Who will stop him? Will you, Klein? Or will the Knights of the Blood Oath? Who can stop that monster?"
Klein's face turned crimson, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Asuna's delicate brows furrowed slightly, she took a step forward, her voice cool: "No matter what, we cannot stop our progress because of one person."
"Stop? Of course not!" Godfrey slammed the table, "My point is, don't wait! Everyone, depart now! Before that guy arrives, even if we have to pile up lives, we must kill the BOSS! It's better than getting nothing in the end!"
"I object!" Asuna immediately retorted, "This is playing with players' lives!"
"Woman's compassion!"
The hall instantly descended into chaos.
Kirito, who had been silent, watched the chaotic scene before him and let out a soft sigh.
In this past year, he had witnessed such scenes too many times.
Chen Mo was like a shark in the deep sea; his existence forced all the fish schools to huddle together, yet they tore at each other out of fear.
Only Heathcliff remained calm.
His gaze passed through the noisy crowd and landed on Kirito.
"Kirito-kun, you seem to have a different opinion?"
Everyone's attention instantly focused on him.
Kirito looked up, meeting Heathcliff's unfathomable gaze.
"I believe Commander Godfrey's concern is very valid."
At his words, even Godfrey himself was stunned.
Kirito continued calmly: "Everything we are discussing now is based on one premise—Chen Mo has not yet found the BOSS room."
"But..."
He didn't finish his sentence.
A brilliant purple light screen, without warning, unfolded above the dome of the Council Hall.
The light screen rapidly expanded, enveloping the entire sky of Gransam.
[System Announcement: The 55th-floor Labyrinth Zone has been cleared!]
[First Clear Player: Chen Mo.]
In that instant, the entire world fell silent.
Godfrey's sneer froze on his face.
Klein's mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time.
Asuna's fingers, gripping her rapier, trembled slightly.
All the elites of the Assault Team, at this moment, stood motionless like puppets from which the soul had been drawn.
Outposts, tactics, anxiety, vigilance.
All of it, in the face of these simple lines of purple text, became a joke.
Heathcliff, who had always been as calm as an ancient well, finally had a barely perceptible twitch in the muscles of his face.
Kirito slowly closed his eyes.
A curve, both bitter and somewhat relieved, formed at the corner of his mouth.
At the same time.
55th Floor, BOSS Room.
The gigantic "Skull Reaper" transformed into crystal shards filling the sky, slowly dissipating.
Chen Mo sheathed his sword, his black trench coat spotless.
He looked at the special ITEM he had just acquired, his face unperturbed.
"Beep."
A friend message popped up; it was Argo.
"You bastard did too well! You didn't see the expressions on those people in the hall just now, especially Heathcliff, that poker face almost cracked! It was so satisfying!"
At the end of the message, there was also a playful emoji with its tongue sticking out.
Chen Mo's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly.
However, this time, he wasn't planning to continue forward.
He was going to rest for a while.
Christmas was approaching.
He crushed the Teleport Crystal in his hand.