Yui couldn't explain what that call was.
All she knew was that the voice came from the first floor, and whenever she tried to recall it, a black palace extending underground would appear in her mind.
Lin Yuan decided to take her back.
Kirito and Asuna did not stop them. The first level of the Town of Beginnings had the most casual players, and there was also a church that took in children. Even if they couldn't find the source of the voice, at least someone might know Yui.
The four left the lakeside cabin the next day.
Hiking down from the twenty-second floor wasn't dangerous, but the journey was long. Yui initially insisted on walking by herself, but on the third day she fell asleep on Lin Yuan's back.
When she woke up, she didn't panic; the first thing she did was make sure Lin Yuan was still there.
The closer they got to the first floor, the longer Yui silent. Occasionally, she would utter words that were not typical of children, only to forget what she had said when Lin Yuan pressed her for details.
"Monitor."
"What?"
"There are so many... emotions." Yui pressed her forehead. "Fear, pain, and people are crying."
Where did you see it?
"Not seeing."
She couldn't continue explaining.
Several days later, the towering walls of the Town of Beginnings appeared at the end of the road.
The place has changed a lot since the start of the death game. The square is no longer crowded with panicked players, shops and stalls have reopened, but more people have chosen to stay away from the front lines and make a living only on the lower floors.
Lin Yuan carried Yui into the city.
No one recognized her.
The group arrived at the church managed by Sasha. The children in the courtyard gathered around, staring at the unfamiliar girl, but Yui showed no sign of familiarity.
Sasha checked the church records and inquired with several nearby mutual aid organizations, but could only shake her head in the end.
"No child named Yui is missing. At least not on the list we've compiled."
Kirito asked, "Is it possible to live with my family on other floors indefinitely?"
"Yes, but the child rarely leaves the safe zone, let alone appears alone in the twenty-second layer of forest."
Yui held onto Lin Yuan's hand the whole time.
There were many children in the church, and the atmosphere was even more chaotic than outside the city. Her face gradually turned pale, and finally she looked up towards the direction of the Black Iron Palace.
"Under."
"Where's the sound?" Lin Yuan asked.
Yui.
As they left the church, a woman in a dark green uniform hurried over. She introduced herself as Yulier, the adjutant of the Aincrad Liberation Army.
"I've been looking for you." She first looked at Kirito and Asuna, then noticed Lin Yuan, " The Black Swordsman, and the Nameless Swordsman."
"What is it?" Lin Yuan asked.
Yulier didn't beat around the bush. After the Liberation Army was taken over by the Kibaou faction, its original leader, Thinker, was ostracized. Not long ago, Thinker was lured into the underground labyrinth of the Black Iron Palace and has been unable to escape ever since.
"The underground labyrinth isn't the kind of difficulty the first level should be," she said. "I can't save him alone."
Kirito looked at Lin Yuan.
If it were only an internal conflict within the Liberation Army, they would have no reason to intervene. However, the voice that Yui sensed also came from beneath the Black Iron Palace.
"Where is the entrance?" Lin Yuan asked.
Yulier immediately led the way.
Deep within the Black Iron Palace lies a staircase not shown on any public map. The further down you go, the less the walls resemble a typical maze; metal structures replace stone bricks, and the air lacks the odor one would expect from a monster's lair.
It's too neat here, with no decay, moss, or signs of life. It's as if the outer shell of the Dungeon in the player's eyes has been stripped away, leaving only the internal structure that supports the entire world.
Lin Yuan walked at the very front.
Yui beside him, her steps gradually becoming more determined. She seemed to have been here before, or perhaps she could only sense the path.
Lin Yuan had already drawn his sword when the first group of guarding monsters appeared around the corner.
" Nameless " unleashed a series of slashes, cutting down the three mechanical guards before they could even raise their weapons. Their level was far higher than the monsters in the first layer of the wilderness, yet they still couldn't stop the few who had already reached the front line.
Yulier followed behind, barely getting a chance to make a move.
" Thinker is deeper inside." She looked at her friend's location on the map. "The distance hasn't changed; she should still be alive."
"Brother." Yui suddenly stopped.
Lin Yuan turned around. "What's wrong?"
She wasn't facing the direction where Thinker was, but rather a metal wall without any markings.
"The sound is behind us."
Lin Yuan approached the wall. There were no cracks in the door or any mechanisms, yet the echo from his knocking was even more resonant than the surrounding area.
Kirito brought up the exploration menu but found no hidden entrance.
Yui raised her hand, her fingertips touching the wall.
A tiny path of light shone from beneath her palm, rapidly spreading along the metal surface. Unfamiliar characters appeared in the center of the wall, then silently slid out to both sides.
Behind the door was a white passageway extending deeper into the interior.
Yui's eyes became unfocused.
I heard it.
"It's calling me back."