CHAPTER 7.2 - Horunka Village

***Next Morning***

They left early so that they could return immediately as they were traveling when they suddenly heard a rush of water

"There seems to be a waterfall nearby" Kouki looked at his map "This is weird, there are no waterfalls nearby it suppose to be pure forestation.."

"Hey! Asuna-Sama! Kouki-Kun! Come! See this" Asuna and Kouki turned to Liten they saw that she was pointing at something so they followed her and looked at what she was pointing to. They saw a footprint

"Footprints of a big frog?... Waterfalls?.." Kouki quickly drew his sword "Get ready!" The monsters come out quickly when they felt their presences

"W-what is that?.." Asuna asked while looking at the monsters

"Scavenge Toad.. Careful they are level 7 monsters.." Liten said

Scavenge Toad is a huge green slimy frog-like creature with two glowing red eyes on either side of its head. It has two short horns protruding from the top of its head and red marking on its back, head, and front legs, the creature uses its tongue as a weapon and drops a scavenge Toad meat item when you defeat it. The item is dark red meat that can be used as an ingredient in cooking

"Stay in the back Asuna" Kouki sprint towards the monsters and make a vertical attack to the scavenge toad followed by another attack from Liten using her long mace and the monster became fragments. Liten didn't notice that there was a monster behind her so Asuna quickly pulled out her dagger from her side and quickly throw a single shot, when Liten noticed it, Asuna's dagger finally hit the tongue of the scavenge toad

"T-that was fast.." Liten quickly jumped away from the monster still amazed with Asuna's throwing skills, while Kouki attack the monster making a vertical arc "We need to get out here they are only increasing!" They run away from that place using their speedrunning skills and they hide

"It's good that those monsters were slow" They rested under a large three "Uhm.. Asuna-Sama.. You said that you are a fencer right? But how did you learn throwing daggers?" Asuna was hesitant to turn her gaze to Kouki so Liten understood "I see.. Kouki-senpai taught you; however, you are much better than your senpai HAHA" Asuna and Liten laugh

"It's just a coincidence that she's faster than me, but I'm much better than her" Kouki pouted that making them more laugh

While laughing they noticed glowing red dots from the dense and thick plants and trees in front of them "W-what is that thing?" They stood up and the monsters came out "Dire wolf, so it is true what they say that there are so many monsters here huh.."

Dire wolves are low-level monster that takes the appearance of a snarling, bi-colored wolf with glaring red eyes. Its legs, face, the tip of the tail, and the insides of its ears have white fur, while its back and red stomach are dark browns; its eyes make them unique from regular wolves.

They get ready and attack the monsters.

***Inson Lake***

It was getting dark when they reached Inson Lake "Uhm.. How can we see the special rare type monster?" They stood up in front of the Lake waited for the monsters to come out

"We cannot see it.." Kouki said

"What?! How we can fight it if we can't see it?!" Liten said

"Shh.. We can't see it but we can feel it.." Silent prevailed over them. Asuna felt something blow on her ear, she turned around but she didn't see anything, she simply took out her dagger. Asuna feel something coming quickly behind them and when she turned around she felt something hit her stomach and she fell to the grass same as Liten-Sama and Kouki-Kun "What was that? Too fast I didn't see anything.." Asuna saw her Hp level decrease. They stood up and they felt something hit them again and again. Asuna looked at her Hp level and it gradually went down

"What are we going to do?!" She heard Liten

"Not good.." She saw Liten and Kouki's Hp hit the yellow color "I need to do something.." She closed her eyes and observe the monster attack "1..2….." She counted every time the monster attack her "1.. 2…" Asuna noticed that after two consecutive attacks with an interval of 50 seconds maybe that's the monsters chance to attack Liten and Kouki "I will not going to die, I will survive until the end"

"Kouki-Kun! I have a plan! I will count up to three and you run toward that tree" Asuna pointed to the tree 2 meters away from him "Use your speed skills" Their Hp reached the orange. Kouki nods at Asuna "1… 2.. 3!!" Asuna felt the attack of the monster and at the same time, Kouki dash towards the tree. When the second attack of the monster hit her she quickly took one step backward and recharges her dagger and throws it to Kouki.

The dagger hit the monster so it pierced its true appearance. It is a feathered little dragon with its red body covered in soft, pale red feathers and two long feathers instead of a tail. It tried to escape but Asuna quickly threw her dagger and it hit the monster again and it became fragments.

"You made it!" Liten said cheerfully. Asuna saw her Hp level in it was on the red line

"Here.." Kouki handed Asuna a health potion "Congratulations Asuna-San"

"Hey! Asuna-Sama! That was amazing!" Liten hugged Asuna.

Asuna looked at the message coming from the SAO system congratulating her for defeating the rare type monster "It's a farner dragon.." She checks her inventory "I receive a Special Iron Wind.. What is that?"

"That is a type of Iron that is very rare, you can sell it our use it" Kouki explains "It can mimic any weapon made of iron just like your rapier, or it if you use the data of your fleuret this item can restore it just simply mix the Iron Wind and the Fleuret data.."

"But, Kouki-Kun is that possible? I've never seen an NPC black-smith do that" Liten said while looking at the Special Iron Wind that Asuna got "Oh? What is this?" She pointed something; it's another message from the SAO system. Asuna opened another message in it says that she received another item

"Toram Wind Kunai.." Asuna equipped the items. She saw a black kunai throwing dagger about the length of one's hand- with a handle wrapped in bandages and ring-like pommel

"That was cool, you receive a rare item.. I guess you're super lucky" Liten slightly beat Asuna's back

They decided to get back to the Horunka Village in their way they encounter monsters so Asuna tried to use the items she got, She throw a single shot it is very different from the ordinary dagger that she used before, it was most lightweight "I feel like I was throwing a wind I feel nothing.."

When they got back from the rental house Asuna quickly lay down on the bed while Liten followed her "Hmm, my back hurts. I feel like I was punched many times"

"Hmm, Liten-Sama I saw how you fight the monsters earlier, I know this is kind of.. Uhmm.." Asuna was hesitant

"Just say it"

"But can you think again of being a front-line player?" Asuna observe how Liten used her long mace and her shield