CHAPTER 30.1 - Mananarena Meeting

Asuna and Kirito decided to take a break for a while, Asuna was seating next to Kirito who was lying on the grass. She looks at the tower where all floors are connected

"Are you still worried about Argo?" Kirito asks Asuna, he closed his eyes feel the cold breeze "This is nice weather. I feel sleepy"

"Argo-San can protect herself, I'm calm now" Asuna smiled

"Maybe the reason why you spent so much time in the bath is because of girl's talks" Kirito open his eyes "I wonder what did you do the bath" Asuna blushed

"I'll tell you what girls talk, we chat and afterward we have a duel in the bath. Argo is good in battle I just wonder why she didn't like fighting on the floor Boss" Asuna was thinking

"Hmm? In the bathroom. Interpersonal battle?" Kirito started imagining Asuna naked while they have a duel, because of that he blushed

"Yes" Asuna nod, she noticed Kirito blushed as if he was thinking something "Hey! Don't imagine things!" Asuna shouted as if she read his mind

"I guess you enjoying duel now huh?" Kirito got up from lying down and looked at the vast plain that was covered with green grass. Kirito was thinking that in terms of the ability for sure Asuna will exceed him; his main role, for now, is to protect her until the day that she can be alone

"For sure every player is preparing a party for a new year to aincrad. Usually every end of the year I'm staying with my grandparents and spend the whole night there, how about you Kirito-Kun?" Asuna asks him

"In the real world at this day I used to pass with my family, almost always my father was coming from America" Kirito was thinking "I wonder if my family is cleaning our home today for preparation.." Kirito sigh

"It's been two months since sword art online started and turn into a death game, I did not believe that I survived until the eve of the new year, however still too early to relax," Asuna said "Oh! It's already lunchtime. If you take a bath you should hurry Kirito-Kun" Asuna look at him

"I like those ideas however it is not the right time to do that" Kirito mood changed

"About the Pk-gang plan.."

"That's what I'm thinking for sure that Aincrad Liberation Squad is the one who's planning to raid the place floor Boss alone," Kirito said

"What if we tried to stop them?" Asuna suggested

"We can do that but surely they will not listen. Remember what happens while we are doing the quest on the castle? They changed the plan of the time for the Boss floor raid" Kirito said

"Yeah, because of the last hit bonus. You're right if we tell them that the plan of Morte and the PK-gang and maybe they won't believe and question our motives" Asuna said "This is your fault Kirito-Kun because your steeling the last hit bonus"

"Hehe I can't do anything about that.." Kirito scratched his head

"Then what are going to do?" Asuna asks "Ah! I already told this to Argo-San and she told me that there is a meeting later on Mananarena for the New Year party tonight. The two guilds are planning to throw a New Year party for all front-line players"

"Did they invite you?" Kirito asks he remember that he is the only one not invited to the party planned by the two guilds for Christmas

"Oh? Don't tell me they didn't invite you?" Asuna covered her mouth

"Tss!" Kirito said

"The guilds representatives will later gather at a restaurant for a planning the party, we can get information from them," Asuna said "However I'm not sure if we can get information or hint about their plan"

"Yeah you're right, but maybe there is one from the guild that opposes the secret plan raid," Kirito said "Having raid alone was too risky"

"Yeah you're right," Asuna said. They are now heading to the Mananarena

***Mananarena Town***

When they arrive at the restaurant where the meeting place they immediately went inside, they look around and saw Lind who was talking to another player and already look like drank

"Hmm, this is weird I feel like he is calm. This is my first time seeing him laughing as that" Asuna said

"Yeah," Kirito turned his head to look for Shivata, according to Liten he is the one who represents the Aincrad Liberation Squad for preparing the New Year party "That man must be Shivata.." Kirito pointed to the man who was seating on the bar drinking, the whole place was surrounded by noises, coming from players who were chilling. They walk towards the man

"You must be Shivata-San?" Asuna smiled and the man shocked seeing both of them

"Kirito-San and Asuna-San?!!" Shivata asks "W-What do you need from me?"

Shivata is one of the members of the Dragon Knight Brigade. Shivata wore metal armor and a dark blue shirt, with a breastplate on top and was armed with a Stout brand. It was a broadsword-category one-handed sword that is slightly shorter and wider than an anneal blade and has a large knuckle guard

"Actually the reason why we are here is that we want to join planning for the New Year party," Asuna said while smiling, however, Shivata suspiciously look at them "Liten-San said that she can't attend the meeting, so we came"

"Then, if you wish let's talk upstairs, it's so loud here and besides we're waiting for the Aincrad Liberation Squad representative" They leave the first floor and head up to the second floor, they walk inside a private room. Shivata closed the door when they got inside and faced them

"Now tell me was is your true intention" The angry can be seen on Shivata's face "You two are solo players, you don't like to socialize with others that's why you two refused to join any guilds, right?" Asuna and Kirito were confused, they feel like Shivata was hiding something. Shivata was assuming that Kirito and Asuna knew about his relationship with Aincrad Liberation Squad member "You must leave now" Asuna feel the tense of Shivata who kept looking at the door

"You must be waiting for someone.." Asuna said, "Are you.." Asuna was thinking if she was right in her suspicion that the one Shivata was waiting is an important person to him. And besides, the meeting was between the two guilds and they came twenty minutes early

"I'm not waiting for someone!" Shivata shouted and blushed

"You must be waiting for your partner.." Kirito said

"C'mon you can invite your partner so we can talk about the party for tomorrow" Asuna smiled, even though Shivata was still not satisfied with their intention he just sigh and contacted his partner. After three minutes of waiting the door open and a player outfitted with full steel armor and a heavily armed helm, with its visor closed came inside

"This is Kirito and Asuna-San, they said that they want to help with the party" Shivata was sweating and blushed

"Looking on your face, you two are hiding something, don't you?" Asuna said winking "So, you two are not just like an ordinary partner" Shivata stiff and the person who was wearing full build armor faced Shivata and pulled his hair

"Ishivaa! I told you, your expressions forever reveal what you think!" Asuna and Kirito were right. The person who weir armor was a member of Aincrad Liberation Squad is a partner of Shivata who was a member of Dragon Knight Brigade