CHAPTER 25.2 - Ruins

***Karluin / Main street of the fifth floor***

Karluin is the main settlement on the fifth floor of the aincrad. Karluin was a town builds in the center of a huge swath of ruins covering the southern end of the floor, giving the impression of a settlement of newly-arrived people reusing a fallen city of centuries past. Crumbling buildings made of darkened stone blocks dotted the town, while its center was full of leather and canvas tents that bustled with chaotic liveliness on the dark cobblestone paving. A ruined old castle with various secret passageways was located on the east end of Karluin. Although the castle itself was considered to be part of town, its basement fell outside the town boundary.

In the north side of town, about fifty meters away from the Teleport Gate plaza, was a large, crumbling ruin in the middle of another large plaza. In the center of the dark and dank ruin with thick stone walls, the main entrance to the catacombs beneath the town could be found, in the form of descending a staircase with bizarre holy statues on either side. The first floor of the catacombs was still considered to be part of the Inner Area of the town, thus it had no monsters or traps, while the second and third floors were treated as a dungeon.

The path leading to the town had several square stone blocks scattered throughout and was surrounded by half-crumbled stone walls, without any clear visual cue delineating the boundary of the town's inner area.

"This town, it's hard to tell which part of it, Kirito-Kun" Asuna was looking at the sign on the top of the arc before entering the Karluin

"Yeah, after all, the fifth-floor theme is Ruinas Historicas.."

"Ruins? What kind of floor is this?" Asuna asks looking at the old building where they passing by

"If it hasn't changed the Terrain is about thirty percent nature, the rest are ruins and maze in a way the whole field is like a dungeon" Kirito explains and they continue walking on the Karluin main street "Hmm.. There's no Aincrad Liberation Squad or Dragon knights Brigade"

"That's rare, you usually avoid them," Asuna said questioning him

"I want to catch those, I wanted to ask them about Morte" They saw them with Morte on the 3rd floor while doing the Elves Quest

"Hmm.. Ah, if that's the case" Asuna came up with a good idea "Why not ask Argo-San to look it up for you?"

"Hmm~ To be honest, I've commissioned her before on the 3rd floor," Kirito said "After I found out that Morte is dangerous I called the request"

"Eh? Why?!" Asuna raised her voice "Argo-San is an excellent informant but she's not suited for battle so she might be killed if caught!" Asuna said she knows that in terms of battle Argo's ability can't compare to the front-line player and the fact that Morte is not just a normal player, he is too dangerous especially on a woman like her

"Yeah! That's why I don't want you to go searching by yourself too. Ever" Kirito grabbed Asuna's shoulder and he emphasize his last word

"U-um.. I get it.." Asuna was shocked looking at Kirito's worried face

"Never ever, you hear?" Kirito smiled "Tell the time, you've grown strong enough that you don't need to rely on me"

Asuna blushed hearing that coming from Kirito, she didn't expect that Kirito was that worried about her safety "Tell me, Kirito-Kun-" Asuna didn't finish her words when her stomach make a sound

Gruuuuuu~~

"K-Kirito-Kun, you know of good places, right? Can you introduce me to a delicious place but also quiet? Right now?" Asuna said blushing in the embarrassment

"Didn't you have sweet potato just now?" Kirito ask while Asuna pouted "Oh, well hmm" Kirito started thinking of a nice place where they can have good food "Then, let's go" Kirito look at his map and started walking and Asuna followed him

"You sure are knowledgeable in back alleys like this" Asuna was looking around "Did you memorize everything since the Beta Testing?"

"Not at all but, I love Karluin" Kirito stopped in front of the Tavern "Over here" Asuna look at the sign

"Tavern Inn Blink and Brink.." Asuna walks towards the front door and reads aloud the sign on the door "The L in Burinku is Blink but, I'm not sure about the other one.."

"You'll find out the meaning of brink, when you go in" Kirito opened the door

"What? What is this?" Asuna was shocked looking inside the Tavern. The Tavern was very different on the outside, there is a table's on the cliff for two with railing for protection and the roof of the Tavern was full of stars "I see, so the reason it was named Blink was because of the stars and the Brink was because the table was located on the edge of a cliff" Asuna said in amazement, they walk towards the cliff "I've never been this close to the edge. Since we're here, let's get a terrace seat

"Of course, the tables outside here were very famous during Beta Testing, too" Kirito suddenly blushed "Mainly for c-couples on a d-date"

"Let's get a seat, isn't that nice.." Asuna choose their table "Well, you should be happy, knowing that you finally came with someone else.." Kirito blushed even more and Asuna suddenly completely absorb what Kirito said a while ago "I-I-It's not!" Asuna was blushed "Like I think that we're on a date right now!"

"Welcome" The NPC waitress approached them and greeted them "Have you decided on your orders?"

"Ah, umm.. We will call you when we decided" Asuna said and the waitress bowed and left them

"Fuu~ I'm experiencing so many firsts in my life. That ordering food is like we stealing something" Asuna whispered to Kirito

"Thought you said, that you decided on it quite fast," Kirito said

"Putting that aside, it has a buff to it?.." Asuna was holding the menu

"Ah, the limited edition," Kirito said

"What kind of effects does it have?" Asuna asking eyes look at Kirito

"You'll find out later" After ordering and waiting for ten minutes the food arrived

"Uwaaaaa!!" Asuna's eyes were shinning looking at the food that serves on their table "it looks expensive" They started eating. Kirito took the wine on the table and shook it gently and the color changed "The color changed?!" Asuna was amazed

"This wine called Fickle" Kirito explains "This wine changes at random between red white, rose, and sweet, dry or sparkling each time you pour it or whenever you shake it" Kirito put on a glass of wine and handed it to Asuna

"So you wound up with a sparkling rose, while mine is the white, dry type" Asuna smiled and hold the glass of wine and drank it straight, and after that, her face started turning pink

"Hee~~" Kirito looking at her

"W-What?" Asuna said she look tipsy a bit in just one glass of that wine

"I-I wondered if you had experience drinking wine," Kirito asks scratching his head

"Well.." Asuna suddenly remembered that when she was young her father and brother give her a glass of wine to try it. Remembering that makes her sad smile "A bit, just for the taste" The she look at Kirito and pouted "You've also drunk, some of your dad's beer too, right?"

"Hmm, Kinda.." Kirito look at the stars and smiled remembering that precious moment "To be precise, it was my mom's beer"