CHAPTER 8.2 - Restored and Quest

***Labyrinth/2nd Floor***

Kirito dashed towards the monster and attack it by making a horizontal. Asuna and Kirito were in the labyrinth and fighting a Lesser Taurus Striker monster it is a bipedal monster with a muscular upper body that resembles a human body but has a bullhead, legs, and tail. The monster is dressed in only underwear and strap-type armor. It also has a nose ring and is armed with a hammer.

The monster growl in pain and try to attack Kirito with the hammer but suddenly Kirito dodge and recharges his sword and attacks the monster behind its back making a vertical arc, finally the Hp level of the Lesser Taurus monster Striker become red "It's the right time! Asuna Switch!" Asuna was surprised to hear Kirito since they fought the monster Asuna was just standing there looking at the monster

"Ah!.. Ok" She sprints

"Like what I said before, be careful of its debuffs"

"I know already!" When Asuna was about to attack the monster she stopped at stared at it. She feels like the monster was a sexual maniac. It quickly attack her with the hammer good thing she avoided it "Ah!!"

"Hey! Asuna! What are you doing?!" Kirito was almost sweating profusely. The monster moved quickly and attacked Asuna again but Asuna blocked it with her rapier but because the force of the monster attack was stronger she fell to the ground. Her Hp level become yellow

"Asuna! Look in front of you!!" Kirito shouted. The monster was about to attack her with a paralyzing smash. Asuna dodge again and its hammer hit the ground but she was paralyzed.

She try to move but she can't "I can't move" The Lesser Taurus Striker monster was about to attack again "Kirito-Kun!!!" She shouted. And Kirito sprints toward the monster and attack it horizontally, the monster split into two and it becomes fragments

"What happened Asuna? That wasn't like you at all" Kirito Handed his hand over to Asuna at she accept it. Asuna didn't show well earlier so Kirito was worried

"W-what kind of monster is that? What kind of monster will wear underwear?! If I could, I would have sent it to the black iron prison based on the sexual harassment rule!" She remembered again the monster as it posed and flexed its both arm muscle in her imagination "Sexual Harassment!" She shouted in angry

"Alright! Alright!" Kirito thought of a prank and released the items they got when they defeated the monster "Ahh.. Then it's best not to use this loot.." Showing the strap-type armor that the monster wears earlier. Asuna was shocked seeing the items that they got; Kirito equipped it and presented it to Asuna. "What do you think?" Kirito model it in front of Asuna

"Ah!!!" Asuna's face turned red, and she recharge her fleuret and about to attack Kirito

***Restaurant***

They are currently eating when Argo suddenly and is accompanied by a man

"A-Chan? Ki-Boy? What are you doing here? Eating together in a fancy restaurant" Argo looked at them in a suspicious way

"We are disturbing their date," The man beside Argo said. He is Nezha he has short and squat, with a young honest face, appearing to be in his teens. He has slightly drooping eyes and plain parted bangs, making him look like a perfectly typical crafter and his voice was young and boyish. They met Nezha when they fought the first-floor boss Illfang he was a good friend of Kirito same as Agil

"Ahh, your right we must leave," Argo said. Kirito was daydreaming after hearing that, he likes the idea of the 'Dating' thing

"No!-" Asuna stood up quickly

"Kirito-San How long have you and Asuna-San been a couple?" Nezha ask

"We are not a couple!!" Asuna protest her face turned red and Kirito did not protest

"Oh? I'm sorry. There are so few female players in SAO, topics like that are boiling plate discussion material, I didn't think it would be such a surprise" He apologized

"Wait! Are you saying people are spreading rumors about us?" Kirito ask, he sense something bad he suddenly remembered that when they enter this restaurant people are watching them

"You two are always seen together; even going in the same room everyone's seen you doing that" They suddenly remembered the night that Kirito escorted Asuna when she has gone for a day after her fleuret destroyed "And also a certain reputable source has said that upon visiting Kirito-San's inn room late one night a completely nude Asuna-San emerged from the bath" Asuna and Kirito looked at Argo who was looking in the other direction avoiding their eyes "And also her estimated measurements and the color of her underwear have been sold for a vast sum of money"

Asuna was embarrassed she faced Argo "HA-HA I regret it all" Argo was sweating while looking at Asuna who at any time seemed to kill someone "D-don't worry! I haven't sold you, it's just you know" Asuna's aura darken even more "It's just you know- You're hot commodity right now"

"Indeed! They say that you're shocking beauty was enough to cause a collapsing boss raid to forget their fear of death and emerge victorious" Nezha added mimicking the action of the players who idolized Asuna "They said that you are a goddess" Asuna was almost fainted from what she heard

They left the restaurant when Asuna received a message from Liten "I need to go let's see each other in the boss chamber after two days" Asuna informed Kirito. They were about to ask Asuna but she was gone after saying that

"Where is she going?" Kirito ask

"Maybe to her boyfriend?" Nezha said Kirito give him a death glare "He-he Kidding.."

***Central Plaza/ 2nd Floor***

When Asuna arrived at the central plaza she immediately saw Liten and Kouki standing near the teleport gate "Asuna-Sama!" Liten waved when she saw Asuna. When she approached them Liten quickly gave her a hug "I missed you Asuna-Sama"

"Why are you two here?" Asuna smile

"We're here for the quest," Kouki said

"Quest?"

"Yup it was an unnamed quest here on the second floor if you completed the quest you will reward with the martial arts extra skill. Kouki-Kun planning to try that quest, you might also want to try?" Liten explain, and Asuna accept their invitation

***Southern Edge of 2nd Floor***

"Do you wish to join my school children?" An NPC old man greeted them when they arrived at the quest point "If you clear my trials I shall bequeath unto you the martial arts, the core of this style" The old man said while couching. They nod as an answer "The road of training is long and fraught with peril, are you prepared for it?"

"What are we going to do?" They ask the NPC old man

"Just crack this stone that's all" The old man pointed to the rock. It was 2 meter-high and 1.5 meters-wide rock which is almost as tough as an immortal object. The three of them accept the quest "Very well children. Then you shall each break one of these boulders.."

"This is easy as one, two, three.." They said

"But, you will not have to use your weapons" The old man acted quickly and got their weapons "Until you can complete my trial I will hold all your weapons"

"What the-? How in the earth we can break this rock if we didn't use any weapons?" Liten ask

"Simple, you must attempt this trial bare-handed. Use your fist" The old man laugh

"THE HELL!!!"