Chapter 66

Naomi blushed at his words, but Toyo could feel his heart sink ever so slightly as he watched her special smile disappear behind it. "Why do you care about others so much? Why risk your life keeping people you don't know safe?" She gestured at his map. "Why would you go to so much trouble for the sake of strangers?"

He frowned at her questions. "Why would you?"

She hesitated. "What do you mean? I never said I'd help you, or that I even believe that your course is the right one in keeping more people safe."

"No, but you will help, and that's because you do believe in what I'm trying to accomplish."

She shot him an annoyed look.

"Are you always this sure of yourself?"

Toyo leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling as he pretended to seriously think it over. "Now that you mention it, there was this one time when I was six-"

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Ok fine, I'll help you smart ass. What do you need me to do?"

Toyo dropped his chair back forward as he gestured at the map.

"You know a lot of the other beta testers, right?"

Though still unhappy with him using the term, Naomi seemed to shake it off as she replied. "I know some of them, yeah."

"So that would mean you know quite a few of the info brokers too, right?"

Naomi narrowed her gaze. "How did you know that most of them are beta testers?"

Toyo waved a hand lazily. "It's not that hard to guess. Beta testers all had a lead as far as general game knowledge. It was beta testers behind the guide book on Floor One, of which you were a part as well. With that lead, why wouldn't they begin selling what they knew. Supply and demand. It's pretty simple stuff."

Naomi squinted at him. "There are info brokers that aren't beta testers, you know. But if it's so easy to guess, why doesn't the raid party, or everyone else for that matter, target them alongside everyone else they know to be beta testers?"

Toyo shrugged. "People are willing to turn a blind eye to pretty much anything so long as they can benefit from it. The info brokers keep players alive with the knowledge they sell. I'm sure that even the most radical leaders behind the rising hate groups know who they are. They'll never do anything about it, and the info brokers know that." He gestured at Naomi. "Honestly, I've been wondering why you decided not to be one."

She shook her head. "Info brokers are greedy. Sure they save lives, but only when the price is right. I would never charge someone in exchange for helping them out, let alone by just giving them intel on some damn quest. Besides," she added, patting the haft of the axe at her belt. "Info brokers are forced to put all of their stats and skills into being lightweight and stealthy. Staying hidden is vital for them since theirs is the most dangerous job: going out alone and clueless in order to obtain some tidbit of info. They can't afford to be fighters."

Toyo nodded. "Makes sense. I never thought about that." He leaned forward. "So from what you know about the info brokers, how many would we have to go to in order to dig up information as to the whereabouts of player deaths within the last three days?"

Naomi thought it over for a moment. "Any of them could probably help with that. It's simple data collection."

Toyo coughed. "Simple? I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that answer. How is it simple?"

"I mean I don't know all the factors involved," Naomi admitted, "But I know it would include checking the Monument of Life."

Toyo paused. "That sounds ominous."

"I'd go a bit further than that. It's a massive black stone tablet ten meters wide." Her words took on a serious edge. "The name of every player who dies in SAO is automatically inscribed on it."

Memories flashed violently in Toyo's mind. The faces of the players he and Jae had seen die suddenly filled his eyes, threatening to drown him in their agony. Telling himself to remain calm, Toyo took a deep breath.

Steadying his gaze, he saw Naomi's concerned face.

"Toyo?"

Forcing the misery and pain back into the recesses of his thoughts, Toyo looked at the map with renewed determination.

"I'm fine. It's time we got to work."

He stood up.

"Naomi, I just want you to know that I'm very grateful that you chose to help. Now let's go."

Walking out of the restaurant, Toyo was quickly joined by Naomi.

"Where to first?" She asked.

"We're going to set up a perimeter." he replied as they began walking down the cobbled street. "Five miles wide, all around the city. Almost all of the players who have survived this long have moved to Urbus, so for now our patrols will be limited to that perimeter. We will also be taking down notes on the monsters throughout this region. The more deadly they are, the more emphasis we put on visiting those areas. We should also keep on the lookout for a good outpost."

She frowned curiously. "An outpost?"

*****

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If we get 100 power stones I will increase the release rate to 3 chaps per week