CHAPTER 12.1 - Zumfut

"Look at the size of it" Asuna was amazed looking at the three gigantic baobabs' that are thirty miters wide, seventy miters tall, and arranged in a triangle. The insides of the trunks were hollowed out into many-floored structures. The space between the three trees was used for Zumfut's Teleport Gate plaza. The northern end of the plaza is a semicircular meeting place. The mayor's office is located at the top of the northern tree, while the south-eastern tree offers to lodge for the players. A bulletin board is located outside of this tree. The Town's bells are carved directly out of the baobab trunks

"Let's see the leaving quarters are at" Kirito look at the top "Well it's up a dare for sure"

"Hurry let's go!" Asuna started to climb the stairs she was excited to see if the whole town can be seen from the top. Kirito sight and followed her

"Well, I choose the room," Asuna said when they reach the inn "I want it here! There's a bathroom too" Asuna said while the other players were looking at them "Well? You're fine with it right Kirito-Kun?"

"Well for me?.." Kirito was sweating nervously he noticed that the other players were looking at them. He knows what kind of look that the other players were throwing at them

"We have to choose if we want to go a half-day or one night?" Asuna was confused she didn't notice the look of the other players

"Well, we are going back to the camp by the night so choose half-day" The other players looking at them in a malicious way

"It's just up here; hurry up" Asuna dragged Kirito into the room "Wow!" Asuna was amazed when they entered the room "This is the best Kirito-Kun; I can see the whole Town from here"

"Yeah" Kirito lay to the bed "We still have time to unwind the strategy meeting will be at five o'clock at the Tavern" Kirito yawn "I don't have enough sleep last night maybe this is the right time to do it"

"Hey, Kirito-Kun!" Asuna turned to Kirito who was now falling asleep in his bed. Asuna walks towards Kirito and tucks him with the blanket and seats to another bed "Sleep well Kirito-Kun" Asuna decided to explore the town by herself.

While walking in the market she saw a familiar human figure so she followed it. The man entered the Black-smith shop so she came inside too. Asuna saw Kouki give his sword to the NPC Black-smith "Hey! Kouki-Kun!"

"Oh? Asuna? I forgot to congratulate you for defeating the 2nd floor Boss, I heard that you show them your dagger skills" Kouki smiled at her

"Thanks to you Senpai-Kun" Asuna smiled at him that makes him blush "Kouki-Kun what are you doing here? Are you planning to upgrade your sword?"

"Kind off, I'm planning to mix two swords" Kouki scratched his head

"What? Is that possible?" Asuna said looking at his anneal blade, same as Kirito's sword. They obtain that sword when they finished the quest on the first floor

"Yup I already reached the maximum level of my anneal blade so I need to upgrade it by mixing it with another sword" Kouki explain "However, I need to find another word, that's why I'm here waiting for Lisbeth, she has information about the rare type sword that can obtain through the quest"

"I see," Kouki noticed Asuna's rapier

"Oh? Your fleuret has completely changed" Asuna nods at him

"This is the new version of my fleuret, the Farner rapier it's already upgraded to 20" Asuna said

"Really? Then you are now the strongest player. With ought a doubt" Kouki noticed that some players were looking at Asuna "Seems there is a famous here HAHA" Asuna pouted

"I just want to ask. Why are keep enhancing your sword when in fact you're not using it to the floor Boss?" Kouki didn't answer instead he smiled at pat Asuna's head "Hey! Stop doing that I'm not a dog you know?"

"But you look like one HAHA" Kouki laugh, but Asuna grabbed her Farner and give a death glare to Kouki "HA-HA I'm didn't say anything" He is sweating looking at Asuna

"Kouki-Kun!" Lisbeth shouted. It grabbed the attention of the players inside the black-smith shop

"Don't you know the word 'modest woman'?" Liten came

"As if I care" They look at each other throwing a death glare

"Um Kouki-Kun what happen to them?" Asuna whisper to Kouki

"Hehe, I don't know either" Kouki stopped them. And they decided to go to the famous restaurant in the Zumfut

"Before I forgot" Lisbeth talk while waiting for the food to arrive "I heard from one of the players that there is a quest where you can obtain a great sword, the name of that sword was still unknown even the Beta Tester doesn't know the existents of that quest"

"Huh? Why?" Asuna asks, meaning even Kirito and Argo doesn't know about that quest in Asuna's mind

"Because only new players can do that quest, meaning no Beta Testers allowed doing that quest," Lisbeth said

"I guess Akihiko Kayaba do that for the fairness of this game," Liten said and they agree "If Beta Tester's are not allowed to do that quest then Kouki-Kun can't do that because he is a Beta Tester same as mine"

"Exactly!" Lisbeth said and diverted her gaze to Asuna "But Asuna can do" They look at Asuna

"Um I can do that, I think this is the best chance to try my farner. I want to see what it's like to use this in a real battle"

"You can't do this Asuna, we know that rare-type quests are too dangerous, remember what happen when we got the Iron Wind? We almost die, I don't want that to happen again" Kouki said "I'm sure I can find another sword that can fit to mix with my anneal blade"

"If that what you want," Asuna said

"By the way did you hear news about Pk?" Liten said changing the topic "Player killing, there is someone who saw another player killed by other players"

"What?!" Lisbeth said

"The act of killing another player is equivalent to killing another in real life. Players committed murders as they believed that the act was not morally wrong, based on the fact that game allowed such an action at all." Kouki explain

"But why are they doing that inhumane thing?" Asuna asks, she can't understand why people killed others. She also heard this to Argo before

"Some players were so deluded by such logic that they even refused to believe that people died when their Hp reached zero or maybe because of their personal reasons, like ..." Kouki paused "Their own enjoyment" Hearing that Asuna feels chill "So we need to be more careful, but don't worry there is a place that players are safe from Pk like in this place" Kouki continues "It's a safe zone. Killing players are not allowed in the safe zone"

"I guess that a good thing," Lisbeth said

After having lunch they decided to leave "I need to go, let's meet again some other time" Koiki said and walk away and Liten followed him

"By Asuna!" She waved at Asuna while she raised her eyebrow at Lisbeth

"Wait Lis, can I have a favor?" Asuna stopped her when she was about to leave "Can I.. Can I get the map to that quest?" Asuna was talking about the quest for the great sword. Lisbeth was hesitant but in the end, she decided to give the map "Thank you Lis!"

"Just be careful Asuna" Lisbeth left and Asuna decided to go back in the inn