It took until nightfall to get back to Rulid Village. Partially because both Sinon and Mikoto found it rather gross to lug a goblin's head around.. also partially because Eugeo was still injured, which slowed them down, and also partially because Selka kept on fussing over everybody else, putting band aids on non serious wounds and what not.
Before they had left, they shifted through the large supplies and crates the goblins had brought with them, seeing if there was anything of use.
Sinon had found a beautiful golden bow with a quiver full of silvery arrows that seemed to glow in the darkness. She found every time she took an arrow out of the quiver and fired it, the arrow would disappear after it hit it's mark and reappear after around 3 minutes inside the quiver. A self refilling quiver.. and not only that, but the arrows were near impossible to break.
A quick called up Stacia Window revealed it as Lunaria's Bow. According to Eugeo, this bow was very rare, and was said to have belonged to the Goddess Lunaria. There was only one that was stolen by goblin raids and declared missing for decades. Apparently for somebody to find it meant very good luck, and it's range was over 500 meters.
And so Sinon declared it would be hers' from now on.
When the village discovered Selka alive and well, and learned of the other's victory against the goblins, they were shocked and ecstatic over the victory.
The village chief, an old man named Gasupht, declared that both Kirito and Mikoto were unnaturally strong swordsmen for their initially low OC, a sentiment that was then shared by many after Eugeo himself described in detail the amazing power of Star Burst Overdrive. However, he did not mention Mikoto's esper powers, a kindness that Mikoto couldn't thank Eugeo enough for.
Yuniko, on the other hand, was scolded severely by Sister Azariya, who said that it was unwise for the Priestess to leave her post and go adventuring so close to the Dark Territory. But Gasupht felt differently.
"She razed down an entire goblin horde." said Gasupht. "And Solus was always the most adventurous of the goddesses. Perhaps our dear Priestess should be given more allowances.."
All in all.. mostly everybody was relieved and happy.. and now there was a goblin head sitting on a spear outside the village entrance, something to scare any more goblins that had the audacity to journey out of the Dark Territory.
Meanwhile, Mikoto had told Eugeo about Alice's voice in her head.. at first she felt he might laugh at her, or maybe get angry that she'd try some sort of trick on him.. but Eugeo instead grew happy, whispering that he knew she was alive somewhere..
And so life continued in Rulid Village..
Later the next day, Kirito and Eugeo both arrived back at the Gigas Cedar, where they had left the Dragon Bone Axe.
"Alright!" said Kirito. "Let's cut this bad boy down shall we!?"
Eugeo nodded. "You've got it! You want to have the first cut?"
"Sure." said Kirito. He picked up the Dragon Bone Axe, and his expression turned to that of amazement. "Whoah! It's much lighter then it used to be!"
"Is it?" said Eugeo. He took the axe and felt it's weight. "You're right.. hey.. I get it, it's because we killed all those goblins! Though, I only just helped while Sinon got em for me.. I guess that's why she was why she could use Lunaria's Bow.. it's as Divine as Divine Instruments get."
"So our Object Control increased thanks to us killing the goblins." said Kirito. "Hey! That means we can probably use the Blue Rose Sword now!"
"Hold on!!" Eugeo took out the sheathed blade that he now carried with him quite often and unsheathed it. "It.. feels amazing!"
"Let me try." said Kirito taking the blade. "Okay.. this is an SAO move.. called Horizontal.."
"SAO? " said Eugeo. "Erm.. you mean it's a move from your Sword Style? Every swordsman has his own custom style you know.. when the style is perfected, it becomes blessed by the goddess Stacia, and then the moves become Sacred Sword Arts.."
"Or they become integrated into the system and become Sword Skills.." Kirito muttered. "That would explain why my moves from Aincrad worked.. wait a minute.. that's it.."
Kirito grinned. "Uhh.. I misspoke.. It's called Aincrad Style.. yeah.."
"Aincrad Style." said Eugeo. "Has a nice ring to it."
Kirito readied his blade, and he let out a side slash which glowed with bright light.. in a powerful swinging slash.. the blade sliced a tremendously deep cut into the large tree.
"That's.. incredible!!" Eugeo exclaimed. "With that kind of power, we'll be able to take the tree down in no time!! Hey.. Kirito-kun.. say, maybe you could teach me Aincrad Style? U-uh.. I'm not a strong swordsman.. I'm not really good at fighting at all.. but.. I want to learn.. if I become stronger, maybe I can find Alice! Please Kirito, teach me!"
"Sure!" said Kirito, giving Eugeo the Blue Rose Sword. "Here.. uuhh.. I'll use this twig here, and you imitate my movements. Let's start with something simple.. this is called the Vorpal Strike. It takes a while to charge, but it does colossal damage. "
And so they spent the next two hours practicing various sword moves and one handed combos.
Eugeo was a fast learner, mastering Sonic Leap and Vorpal Strike, along with Horizantal Slant to an acceptable skill level.
"I think I can start practicing on the Tree now." said Eugeo after he worked up a sweat. "Maybe these moves will take down that tree faster-"
"SLASH SLASH SLASH!!!" A repeated let of white flashes slid across the tree, and the giant tree fell to the ground before Eugeo and Kirito could even blink.
Behind the tree, stood Mikoto who was resting her hand on the Master Sword which was drawn and resting it's tip on the ground.
"Hey boys." said Mikoto. "Isn't it great? My sword feels all balanced again! Well, I'm going to head back and start cleaning before Yuniko gets on to me.."
As Mikoto left, swinging her Master Sword from left to right while humming a merry tune, both Kirito and Eugeo stared after her with open jaws.
"She.. is.. a GODDESS!!!" Eugeo exclaimed.
"You have no idea." Kirito muttered.
Later that night, a celebration was held to celebrate the fall of the Gigas Cedar. Finally, the Sacred Task had been completed, and now everyone could move on to the new fresh farmlands beyond, and move the village to a new era of prosperity.
The celebration was held outside, with picnic tables laden with food and drink.
"Now that your task is done." said Gasupht. "Eugeo.. you are free to choose yourself a new Sacred Task.."
"I-I don't feel I'm deserving sir!" said Eugeo. "It was Misaka-chan who really-"
"Oh just shut up and choose a task!" Mikoto called out from a table where she was cutting some meat for Yuniko.
Everyone laughed at Mikoto's comment, and Eugeo grinned with happy embarrassment. "Well, after a while, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do. And I realize.. that if I'm going to find Alice.. then I have to find the Integrity Knight that took her.. I want to learn to be strong. I've decided I'm going to be a Swordsman."
Eugeo nodded more fervently this time. "Y-yeah! That's right! A Swordsman! That's me!"
"Hold on a second!!" A man wearing armor that was befitting of a village guard spoke up, looking quite angry. "That's not fair! I'm the village guard! I have more skill in the art of the sword then this.. this.. Tree Cutter! And now this silly boy gets to be a Swordsman!? I worked for years as a guard with the hopes of one day becoming a Noble!!"
"Jink.." said Selka. "H-he's a hero! He saved my life!"
"I don't care if he saved the life of the Priestess!" said the guard. "He's still no more deserving then a hedgehog!"
"Hey!" Yuniko shouted. "I don't need any saving from anybody Jink! I'll send 200 missiles up your-"
Yuniko suddenly realized everyone was looking at her and she quickly reassumed her cute persona. "I mean.. I really don't think I need saving Jink-sempai!"
Jink drew his sword and pointed it at Eugeo. "I'll prove it to you!! I'll prove whose REALLY more deserving of the title Swordsman!! Draw your sword Eugeo!! Face me!!"
Eugeo backed away hesitantly.. but then, he felt a gentle hand touch his shoulder.
"Don't be scared." Mikoto said. "I've been there, when somebody challenges you and thinks that there's no way you can be any good.. or deserving. But sometimes you have to charge forward into the fray.. even if there's no certain outcome.."
Eugeo stared at Mikoto's hand on his shoulder and his face went red. "Uh.. uh.. uh.. Right!"
Eugeo walked forward and drew his sword. "Fine, I'll prove it.."
Jink grinned, obviously believing his years of experience would prove to be much more useful then the skills of a boy who had spent most of 6 years chopping away at the same tree.
Eugeo readied the Blue Rose Sword, going over all the moves that Kirito had taught him earlier that day. It was a very meager experience, but, it was all he had.
Jink lunged forward, slashing his sword downwards at Eugeo's head.
Eugeo sidestepped the blow, and charged a Vorpal Strike at Jink's chest.
Jink grinned and easily dodged the glowing sword skill.
Of course, Eugeo remembered Kirito saying that Vorpal Strike was an easy move to avoid if you didn't shock your opponent on the approach.
Jink slashed out some more. He was skilled, he hadn't been lying. But, he wasn't like Kirito or Mikoto. He had never had experience fighting any real threats... he had spent his life guarding a quiet town which goblins snuck by every once in a while.. avoiding fights.. he had practice, he had skill, but he had never faced anything real.
Well Eugeo had.. he stared danger in the face when he jumped in front of Kirito to save him from a fatal blow.
As he remembered this, he spoke to himself. "Sometimes I've got to charge into the fray.. even though there is no certain outcome.
His heart quickened, his sword flashed. The Blue Rose Sword sliced through the air, as Eugeo accidentally discovered a Sword Skill that he had yet to use. <<Slant>>.
The glowing blade broke through Jink's inferior blade, shattering the guards' blade like glass.
There was a silence.. as Jinks stared at his broken sword, gaping.
"Well, you wanted him to prove it!" said Mikoto. "I think he has.."
Mikoto started clapping, followed by Kirito, Sinon, Selka, and even Yuniko. Everybody cheered and applauded Eugeo as he sheathed his sword.
"I-I never thought.." Eugeo said. "Heh. Wow!! I-I did it!"
And so it was from that day forth, Eugeo began to gain a courage he never had before..
Eugeo and Kirito spent several days planning after that, along with Mikoto and Sinon, to make for the quickest way to joining the Sword Academy.
According to Eugeo, Each year on the 28th of the 8th month, in the massive city of Zakkaria, there was a sword tournament held for those who wished to become guards. And if guards performed well in their service, they would be eligible to take the Entrance Exam for the Sword Mastery Academy.
"It'll take days before we reach there.. and then we'll have to wait several months before the tournament starts." said Eugeo. "The three of us can get into the tournament, while Sinon tries out for the Archery corps. She'll have an easier time, there's not many requirements or hoops you have to jump through to become a Noble in that area. That's because there aren't many good marksmen in the Empire... she'll become a high class noble before any of us.. but.. she'll have a hard time still, there aren't any women in the archery corps.. not a single one's ever made it.."
"And that would give me a hard time because?" said Sinon, giving Eugeo a slight glare.
"I-I'm not being sexist, please forgive me!" said Eugeo hurriedly. "I meant that the other members of the corps would discriminate against you because you're.. er.. "
"A girl." Sinon finished. "I can handle it. I've gone through worse.. I think."
"Anyways." said Eugeo. "Until the tournament starts, we can probably get some jobs as farmhands for some of the surrounding residents."
"I suck at farm work.." Mikoto muttered.
"How do you know?" said Kirito. "You've never done farm work."
"Exactly." said Mikoto. "It takes experience to not suck."
Finally, after two days of preparation, The 4 friends set out from the village, and after Selka saw them off till the main dirt path.. it dawned on Mikoto.
This was probably going to be her longest journey yet.
Every other journey she had taken.. in Aincrad, in ALfheim. They were worlds that only spanned Kilometers at the most. While they were indeed massive.. this world.. the Underworld... it was a TRUE world. A place larger then anybody could imagine accept those who created it.
This wasn't a VR game. This was a quest, this was a life and society of real lives, forged within a Virtual shell that hid the wonder of a treasure within.. and the only way to escape it, or at least to figure out how to escape it.. was to play by it's rules for now.
"HEY!! WAIT UP YA CHUMPS!!!" Mikoto's thoughts were interrupted by the cries of a familiar red haired girl with pigtails, shouldering a large pack that was much too big for her. She was wearing a simple traveler's outfit, which all in all, made her look cute.
"Damn.. stupid.. heavy thing.." Yuniko muttered and panted as she struggled over to the group of 4. "This.. uggghhh.. Selka means well.. but she packed it so heavily, you'd have thought I was going to hole up in the mountains for 400 years!"
"They let you go!?" said Sinon.
"Oh yeah!! They gave me their blessing, pinched my cheeks, and sent a little girl barely entering middle school age out into the large cruel world." said Yuniko. "OF COURSE THEY DIDN'T LET ME GO!!! Selka let me sneak out!! She knew she wasn't going to convince Sister Azariya to let me go until I was already gone! It'll be fine.. she's persuasive enough and they can't go sending Integrity Knights after the saviors of their village right?"
Yuniko glared at Mikoto. "AND YOU!! I'm your Symbiotic Sensei ya hear!? It's part of my job description to look after you until you've got a full handle of your partnership with Nox!! So I'm going to have my eyes on you.."
Yuniko's face went right up to Mikoto's as she stood up on her tippy toes, giving Mikoto her dangerous wide eyed glare. "Alllll over you.. you're going to have my eyeballs pressed right to you.. and you know what mule? You're going to carry my-"
"Already done.." said Mikoto, holding Yuniko's pack and slinging it over her shoulder.
"O-oh.. wait.. no complaining!? No grumbling!?" Yuniko stammered.
"Nope, you're my master, and I intend to learn from you and Tempo-sempai." said Mikoto, smiling.
"Wow!" Yuniko growled. "You're just no fun anymore.. you already know my blackmail is just a farce!"
"And still I intend to listen to my Master." said Mikoto. "However.. while we're on the road, other travelers will look down upon an older person if they didn't make absolute sure the child of the group wasn't safe.."
Mikoto took Yuniko's hand. "So.. you're going to have to hold my hand.. the entire way."
"No.. NOOOOOOOO!!!!" Yuniko cried out. "YOU ARE NOT MY MAMA!!!"
"Come along sweetie.." said Mikoto as Kirito and Sinon began to laugh uncontrollably.
"Hold on." said Eugeo. "Hey.. look who else came to see us off.."
Standing in the middle of the path, was an old looking man with a white beard and a straight back. It was Garitta, the first Gigas Cedar Cutter before Eugeo. He smiled at the 5 companions. His eyes were bright and sparkling, almost as if he could see the good in somebody
"Good journey to you all, I hope you do find whom you're looking for." said Garitta. "I just wanted to grant Ms. Misaka and Sir Kirito a little parting gift before they left.."
Garitta handed both Mikoto and Kirito each a large tree branch.
"These branches of the Gigas Cedar have an extremely high Priority." said Garitta. "And as a result, they can be most possibly be crafted into very rare and powerful swords. The branch I gave you Kirito, has a nature as Black as Night.. I'm sure it will suit you well.. the branch in your hand Lady Misaka.. is one that possesses a nature that ebbs and flows.. like a ghost travelling through a wondrous river."
"Thank you.." both Kirito and Mikoto said, amazed at the generous gifts they had received.
"When you reach Zattaria, find a man called Sadore, an old friend of mine, and a craftsman." said Garitta. "He will surely craft fine blades for you two from those branches.. though I am sure the Master Sword in your possession is already a fine blade Misaka.. something tells me you need something a little more customized to your nature.. and your nature is one that ebbs and flows.. like a stubborn tide if I ever saw one.. hahaha.."
"Did he just call me stubborn?" Mikoto muttered.
"He wouldn't be wrong." said Sinon, giving Mikoto a playful elbow nudge.
Garitta bowed to the travelers before walking past them down the road. "Give my regards to Sadore.. and good luck young ones.."
"This is it.. isn't it?" said Eugeo. "On the road to who knows what."
"Most likely to pain, hot guys with biceps, and more things to kill." said Yuniko. "My kind of thing."
"It's only thanks to all of you, that I could gather the courage to take this journey." said Eugeo. "Before, I always used my Sacred Task as a Gigas Cedar Cutter as an excuse, because I was afraid to see what was out there. But.. now I... I finally have the courage to do this!!"
And that was when, much to Mikoto's confusion, Eugeo gave her a large bouquet of blue flowers, his face steaming red.."M-MISAKA-CHAN!! I PICKED THESE FOR YOU!!"
"Uh, th-thanks!" said Mikoto. "Er..they're nice.."
"Whew!!!" Eugeo took a deep breath and continued down the path. "Well.. time to keep moving.."
"What was that about?" Mikoto muttered.
"Isn't it obvious?" said Sinon, giving Mikoto a teasing smile.
"Oh come on!! So he gave me flowers! That doesn't mean anything! It's not like he kissed me or-..."
"Ah ah ah!!!" Sinon wagged her finger at Mikoto. "Remember? It's against the law to kiss unless you're married remember? So if a couple can't kiss on the lips, then instead of a first kiss.. how do you think a bumbling boy expresses his love?"
Mikoto stared at the flowers, going wide eyed. "Oh crap..."