"Among that ragtag expedition army, he was one of the few heroes," someone muttered.
"Whoa, Kiriko and Asuna, you're this famous even among the NPCs?" Klein exclaimed.
"It's not that big a deal." Kiriko blushed slightly, unsure how to explain.
But amid the whispers, the man atop the castle began his speech.
"Brave warriors, welcome!"
"The stars fill the sky, and the time for the festival has come!"
"General Starscourage Radahn, the mightiest Demigod of the Shattering War, awaits you!"
"Warriors, fight! Defeat the mighty foe with honor and claim the Great Rune!"
"The battle festival has begun! The Radahn Festival has begun!"
After he finished speaking, everyone around them began to move.
"Oh, Asuna, you're here. And Kiriko, and... you two..."
Blaidd walked over.
Blaidd had the highest affinity with Asuna, followed by Kiriko. He knew the other two because of their quests, but only in passing. It seemed he had not even remembered their names.
"I met Mr. Blaidd while investigating the Eternal City before," Kiriko explained. Afterward, she lowered her voice. "This should be shared quest progress."
This was also a mechanic in Sword Art Online: The Lands Between. Quest progress could sometimes be shared, especially for open-world quests.
Some were even server-wide events.
Of course, players could still experience them later through instances, but by then, the instances would no longer affect the open world's main storyline.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time," Blaidd said. "It seems the actors are all here."
After saying that, Blaidd looked at Asuna. "Give it your all for the festival. But remember: for Ranni, do not throw away your life."
Asuna suddenly felt something in her arms twitch.
After Wolf Bro finished speaking, he turned to organize his weapons nearby, leaving the four of them with a