The snow fell on the bridge, covering the sword marks left by the battle, but it couldn't hide everyone's gaze.
The leader of the Divine Dragon Alliance stared at the crystal in Kirito's hand, remained silent for a few seconds, and then spoke, "At least let us know whether it can revive the dead."
Kirito did not refuse. He raised his hand to summon the item description and displayed the parts that could be made public.
A semi-transparent window hangs in the snow, with the item name written at the top: Saint Quartz of Returning Soul.
A suppressed gasp rose from the crowd. But as soon as everyone saw the words below, all the sounds quickly vanished.
It can revive players approximately ten seconds after they die.
"Ten seconds?" someone exclaimed. "It takes more than ten seconds for a message to travel from the front lines back to headquarters."
"Forget about sending messages; even if we confirm who died in the battle, it would be too late to find the holder."
The excitement on the team leader's face gradually faded. They had mobilized manpower and risked their lives to get this prop, thinking they had obtained a miracle that could reverse death, only to find that the miracle lasted only ten seconds.
Kirito's finger stopped at the edge of the window.
It cannot bring back those who have already been missed.
Those players who died on the first floor, in the maze area, and in the countless traps will not return.
The only moment this crystal can catch up with is the instant death has just occurred, before the body has completely turned into fragments.
"Are you planning to hand it over to the strategy team?" the team leader asked.
"No," Kirito replied.
Several members of the Divine Dragon Alliance immediately gripped their weapons. Lin Yuan looked at them and raised his sword.
The nascent restlessness immediately subsided.
The team leader glanced at the snowy forest across the bridge, then looked at Kirito. Someone who could solo the event boss, whose level was higher than almost all the players, and who always stayed in dangerous areas was indeed more likely to use it than a warehouse far from the battlefield.
"Keep it safe," he finally said. "If one day our men fall in front of you—"
"I'll use it if there's enough time," Kirito said.
This is not an alliance, nor a promise to hand over the item to any guild; it is simply the holder's response within ten seconds.
The Divine Dragon Alliance began their retreat. As they passed the now-faded sword mark, someone couldn't help but glance back at Lin Yuan. Dozens of people had failed to cross the threshold, yet that man was now merely standing in the snow, as if he had only been guarding the gate for his companions for a short while.
Once the footsteps had faded into the distance, Kirito handed the crystal to Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan didn't take it, but instead bent down to observe. The seven-colored light flowed slowly inside the crystal, falling into his eyes, but it didn't bring any item description. To him, it was still just an item that he could touch and sense, but couldn't use through the system.
On Christmas morning, the two returned to the inn where the Moonlit Black Cats were staying.
Keita, Sachi, and the others examined the crystal for a long time. Upon learning of the restrictions, no one showed disappointment; instead, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"This can't be an excuse for us to take risks," Keita said seriously. "We must retreat when necessary, and we can't afford to lose a single piece of the prepared corridor crystals."
"It's best if we never have to use it," Xing said softly.
Kirito put the crystal back into his inventory. "Hmm."
After that, Aincrad continued to advance upwards. Floors opened, the map was filled, and lights lit up in new safe zones; Lin Yuan and Kirito occasionally returned to the guild, but more often they entered dungeons far beyond the Black Cats's area of activity.
Lin Yuan continued to observe the swords of the monsters and players. He couldn't gain experience, so almost all the loot and experience points went to Kirito. By the time the winter snow began to melt, the Black Swordsman's level had quietly surpassed that of most of the frontline players.
February 23, 2024, the 35th floor, the Wandering Forest.
Lin Yuan followed the footprints of a knife-wielding orc across a forest clearing, then suddenly stopped.
A short, startled cry came from ahead, followed by the sharp, anxious cry of some small creature.
Kirito had already gripped the hilt of his sword.
The two exchanged a glance, then simultaneously changed direction and rushed into the depths of the woods.