Shocking! Two players were out in the wilderness late at night...

Taking the center of Aincrad's first floor as the origin, a vast swamp lay sixty degrees north of east.

North of the swamp were mountains stretching east to west and the labyrinth area.

Of the more than 220,000 players, roughly sixty or seventy thousand had begun actively playing, and that number would keep increasing in stages, leading to the problem of overcrowded resource spots.

In theory, the first floor's world was a full hundred times larger than it had been during the beta, so leveling resources should have been plentiful.

But resource spots varied in quality. Even without information brokers, players would assess them based on investment and returns, and in SAO's world, safety had to be added to the criteria.

High-quality, safe, high-yield resource spots always attracted large numbers of players.

Near the mountains and around the labyrinth, for example. These were currently the front lines of the clearing effort. Most resources produced there were used to enhance weapons, and the experience and money earned were also higher than elsewhere.

Then there were the forests. The vast forests produced all kinds of plant and animal materials, medicinal herbs, and so on. Potion prices had risen recently, and the prices NPCs paid for herbs had also increased considerably.

There was also the enormous grassland surrounded by the six Towns of Beginnings, the best leveling ground for beginners. It produced meat, bones, teeth, and pelts. Processed animal leather was essential for enhancing clothing-type equipment, while meat could be exchanged with NPCs for money.

Of course, safety was still the most important thing.

That was why there were so few players around the swamp-it was too dangerous.

In an area theoretically only slightly harder than the forests, players now preferred grinding tougher-defense monsters in the neighboring valley to entering the swamp.

The swamp's danger did not stem from a single, easily overcome cause. It was difficult across the board! The extremely scarce NPC villages offering supplies and the complex environment crisscrossed with waterways were only the obvious difficulties.

The deadliest part was the monsters. Their levels were unremarkable, but they were very difficult to defeat.

Giant mosquitoes that could fly and restore health by sucking blood, horned frogs that could leap great distances and attack from range, giant crocodiles with high health, defense, and attack and low-slung bodies, swamp pythons that ambushed people, swamp kobold hunters that used rope hooks to disarm players, and so on.

Any one of these monsters would have been a thoroughly nasty presence in another area, but the swamp was crawling with them.

Players had spent a long time trying to crack it, particularly teams that considered themselves powerful. They wanted to claim this untapped resource area, but ultimately left behind only a fair number of lives, adding more frightening rumors to the region instead.

By now, very few players ventured near here, especially solo players. These nasty monsters were particularly unfriendly to lone wolves.

In short, it was an excellent place to grind away an orange name.

Where the northern swamp bordered the mountains, a stretch of grassland served as a buffer. Connected to the swamp, it had the same nasty monsters, but lacked the swamp's trap-ridden terrain, making it a somewhat safer grinding spot.

But there were no players here either, simply because it was remote. Even the nearest supply village was a seven- or eight-hour walk away. Investing that much time just to grind these nasty monsters was rather nauseating in itself.

So Wang Shui and Shino had come here. They needed to stay far from NPCs and players, gradually wearing away their orange status through time and monster grinding.

During the day, they lured monsters out of the swamp onto the grassland to kill them. At night, they retreated to the edge of the valley and set up a tiny camp in a windless spot between giant boulders.

Tonight, Wang Shui enlarged the fire pit with stones, then set a clean stone slab on top to heat, using it to grill the fresh meat they had harvested today.

Having regained some of her spirits, Shino now sat far away at the edge of the firelight, gazing beyond the camp as though watching for approaching monsters-in reality, she was simply embarrassed.

Or rather, her feelings were complicated, and she could not meet the eyes of the "mind-reading monster."

Shino had originally wanted to vent her complicated feelings on the monsters, but the longer she teamed up with Wang Shui, the more a particular sense of distance filled her heart.

After just two days working together, Shino had realized how powerful Wang Shui was in the game world.

Their two-person party far surpassed Shino's former team in hunting efficiency and safety. No monster, however troublesome, seemed capable of flustering him. His attacks were always fluid and relentless, coming in unbroken layers, and his control and suppression made things incredibly easy for Shino.

That afternoon, the two of them had even defeated an elite crocodile-model monster, a target her former team would never have dared contemplate. Now that big fellow was giving off a fragrant aroma on the stone slab.

She had made a substantial contribution too, giving her the illusion that she had also grown stronger.

"Are you planning to go your whole life without speaking to me?"

Wang Shui's voice lacked yesterday's coldness and oppressive edge. His relaxed, cheerful tone once again connected the in-game [Half a Heavenly Book] with the [Satō Itsuki] she had recently met in reality.

But... he really killed people. Three people. Had it not affected him at all?

Shino could hardly avoid comparing Wang Shui to herself. To save her mother, she had seized a robber's handgun, and when he tried to wrest it back, she had been forced to kill a murderous, robbing demon. That experience had bound her soul ever since, and even now, nightmares and fear still periodically held her captive.

"Do you think I'm a demon who kills without blinking?" Wang Shui spoke again as he turned the meat. There was that hateful sensation of having her mind read again.

"This might be unnecessary to say, but that was my first time killing someone too. Through the internet, through Akihiko Kayaba's hands, like an executioner cutting the guillotine's rope."

"Of course, that feels different from what you experienced. At the time, it looked like I could even choose whether to swing my sword or spare them, find some friends to lock the robbers in the [Black Iron Palace] prison, and wait until the game ended for the law to judge their crimes."

"Outsiders might approve of decisive killing, but when there's a living person beneath your blade, any normal person-by which I mean someone whose head hasn't been clouded by various impulses-would hesitate. But I still chose to kill them."

Wang Shui transferred the cooked crocodile meat onto warm stone plates, then sat beside Shino to share it with her.

"There were three of them, high-level orange players skilled at fighting other players. If they'd had time to realize I was just an ordinary level-seven player, both of us would have died."

"Presence and decisiveness. That's why we survived."

"Actually, I originally thought I'd lose my nerve and be afraid. I even used to faint at the sight of blood. Just smelling that rusty scent made me dizzy. But I didn't. I probably have the developers to thank for not making this place too realistic."

"Of course there's a psychological burden. But I know better than you how to suppress it, and how to let it out when necessary. So stop overthinking things. Our goal now is to stay alive."

Wang Shui ended the serious conversation with its touch of lightness and began enjoying the much tastier grilled meat.

"Eat, then talk to me, and get back to being yourself. That's your recovery process. You said you'd protect me just the day before yesterday."

"I never said that!"

Shino denied it quickly, firmly, and quietly. She picked up the grilled crocodile meat to fill her stomach while earnestly trying to recall whether she had really said anything embarrassing that night.

"I'm more interested in your opinion of the meat than in you overthinking the past."

Her thoughts pulled back to the present, Shino carefully savored the grilled crocodile meat. This elite monster tasted a little like a combination of chicken and beef, lean and chewy. The faint saltiness and charred aroma kept it from being too rich.

So her verdict was, "Why do you carry so much salt around?"

Having recently acquired the [Cooking] skill, Wang Shui had been eagerly awaiting his diner's first compliment, only for Shino's sudden question to uncover unpleasant memories.

"Well... probably a bitter lesson life taught me. How does it taste?"

"It tastes great. It's hard to imagine this came from that big thing." Shino's tone and expression had also returned to normal. She began learning to empty her mind, letting herself think simply for the sake of staying alive.

"The elite monster's respawn time seems to be two days, but a roaming field monster like that might be hard to find."

Wang Shui began seriously considering the question of cooking ingredients. After a brief silence, Shino finally could not resist asking:

"Satō... Mr. Heavenly Book, there's something else I want to ask you."

Shino's correction pleased Wang Shui greatly. Someone understood how to address people by name, at least.

"In this world, the most practical issue right now is naturally clearing the game and getting stronger. You probably want to ask how to get stronger, right?"

Shino nodded. "Our hunting efficiency these past two days has even surpassed our old six-person team's. We weren't a team that just scraped by, either. Our characters were all level eight."

Wang Shui shrugged. "That's a very simple question. Even if I didn't explain, you'd understand after a while, because this is a game."

"In a game world, some things are difficult to understand through common sense. Especially in a level-based game. Once your stats, player level, skill proficiency, and equipment give you an overwhelming advantage, even highly difficult monsters become very weak."

"Eighty percent of the strength you've seen from me comes from my thirty-five strength and thirty-two agility. Ten percent comes from my weapon, and the remaining ten percent comes from my combat ability."

Seeing Shino looking thoughtful, Wang Shui continued:

"There are two important foundations for getting stronger in this game. The first, and most important, is levels and stats, along with rare, powerful equipment. Combat technique only comes second."

"Stats and equipment are more important than technique?"

Shino still seemed unable to understand how external advantages could outweigh technique. To her, Wang Shui was killing monsters with powerful skills.

"Why else do you think the clearing group risks their lives on the front lines? Many of them aren't nearly as skilled at combat as you imagine. Their real strength is their experience in strengthening themselves. They know how to stack stats effectively and efficiently. Most gaming fanatics in reality have fairly average physiques, never mind combat ability."

Shino looked thoughtful. "Then how should I get stronger?"

"What kind of strength do you want, and how far do you want to go? Quickly accumulate equipment and stats and move to the very front of the clearing effort? Or... do you want to beat everyone?"

Wang Shui's question suddenly drove into Shino's heart like a seed.

Beat... everyone?! Was that possible in this world?

It seemed it was.

In her dull, aimless school life in reality, Shino had never merely endured everything in silence. She kept trying to overcome her PTSD, kept trying to grow stronger, but reality was reality. It would not treat her any more gently because she was strong.

But this place was different. This was a game, a level-based game, where numbers mattered even more than so-called combat ability. Here, she seemed to have a chance to progress on equal footing with everyone else!

She seemed to have a chance to become a top combatant!

Sensing Shino's presence sharpen, Wang Shui suddenly interrupted with a mean streak:

"Wrong! You've got it wrong again."

Huh? Wang Shui jolted Shino out of her thoughts.

"Stacking stats is indeed the main way players get stronger. You could even say it accounts for eighty percent of their strength. But that eighty percent has a ceiling. Once clearing gets harder and stat growth slows down, players who only stack stats will quickly be caught up with. That isn't true strength."

Wang Shui gazed into Shino's beautiful ice-blue eyes and slowly explained:

"Combat ability only accounts for twenty percent, but that's what truly separates players, and it's the hardest thing to acquire. Like math in a comprehensive exam, it's the subject that does the most to separate students into different tiers."

Shino indicated that she understood, but her eyes seemed distinctly displeased with Wang Shui's mention of math.

"Good, you understand. Then let's not waste time. Let's fight!" Wang Shui tossed his empty stone plate aside, quickly stood, and changed his equipment.

"Huh? What... fight? Here?"

"How do you think you improve your combat ability? By bullying monsters weaker than you? PVP is the most effective method! Out in the field, we don't have the safety guarantees of [inside the area], so a half-health duel could end in death if the final hit deals more than half your health. We'll put on our highest-defense equipment, use our lowest-attack weapons, and set the victory threshold at losing one-third of our health."

Wang Shui's wicked grin looked especially infuriating in the firelight. "Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."

This guy always knew the fastest way to make someone angry!

As a player who had found the courage to face the death game on the very first day and reached the labyrinth through her own genuine ability, Shino might not understand games deeply, but her long stretch of combat had built some confidence. Her teammates looked after her, but she was no burden. On the contrary, Shino had been the most proactive fighter on her former team.

"Fine. Let me see your technique!" Shino said indignantly, like a kitten with its fur standing on end. Even if she could not win, she would make Wang Shui pay!

They changed into heavier armor, then switched to junk weapons dropped by kobolds. These items had low durability even when they first dropped, and their stats were worse than shop-bought goods. Normally, they were melted down into metal ingots.

The half-health duel countdown reached zero. Shino opened by raising her dagger and charging, her sword skill boosting her speed until she left afterimages.

Opposite her, Wang Shui did not rush to charge a sword skill. Only when Shino thrust her green-glowing dagger toward his chest did he shake his head and step back. Then Shino's sword skill viciously struck-empty air.

"I didn't notice while we were grinding, but your technique against people really is zero."

Wang Shui taunted her in an even tone. Shino gritted her teeth and continued attacking.

"Now that's a little more interesting. People really do occasionally pull off brilliant moves when they're furious. Hey, watch your feet. You're about to trip over yourself."

When Shino pushed too far forward, Wang Shui stepped in to cut off her movement. Taking advantage of the moment when she lacked her sword skill's boost, he simply crowded into her and knocked her back, nearly making her fall.

"My turn."

With that, Wang Shui lunged into a straight thrust. Shino's instinctive block deflected his blade, but he immediately followed with another step and a snapping strike, breaking through her defense and piercing her left shoulder.

He should have withdrawn his sword and thrust again, or followed up with punches and kicks, but instead Wang Shui pulled his sword back and retreated, bringing it across into a [Horizontal].

Shino immediately used [Backstep] under the [Reaction Evasion] skill, accelerating out of Wang Shui's attack range. But his sword skill was not simply a stationary slash. His feet kept advancing too, and he deliberately released this [Horizontal] slowly, following Shino for a full seven or eight steps.

Damage numbers burst forth. Their rapidly moving figures stopped, and Wang Shui withdrew his longsword with a sigh.

"It looks like I was too optimistic. You don't even qualify as a blank slate now. You've already started developing deadly habits."

This time, Shino was neither discouraged nor angry. She merely asked calmly:

"You mean I can still be saved? I don't mind spending some time. Teach me how to beat you first."

"I don't want to brag, but at this stage, I should rank among the top hundred players in PVP. Even if I teach you techniques for beating me, you'll have a hard time improving faster than I do."

Wang Shui spread his hands, switched his weapon to a dagger like Shino's, and made a couple of practice motions to get used to its balance.

"Restore your health first. I'll try fighting you with a dagger."

"Huh? You know how to use a dagger? You don't have the [Dagger] skill, do you?" Shino looked puzzled.

"Relax. You're no match for me even without sword skills. I read dagger material in my spare time too."

In fact, it was not just daggers. After discovering that he had no limit on his number of skills, Wang Shui had immediately thought of the material he had hurriedly written down from memory when he first entered the game.

Two hundred and two sheets of manuscript paper, covered in densely packed tiny writing and diagrams, contained the various resources Wang Shui had collected before entering the game.

There were a few game guides, along with a great many armed combat and hand-to-hand fighting techniques-any reasonably complete information he could find online, he had recorded.

When recording this information, Wang Shui had simply wanted to learn more about what fighting actually was, so he would not enter the game completely clueless, unable even to use a sword.

But after discovering that there was no limit on skill numbers, Wang Shui had developed another idea-he could study a bit of everything!

In this world, his physical abilities far exceeded those in reality. Both his strength and speed allowed him to imitate those armed combat and martial techniques with ease.

He also had plenty of opportunities for practical combat, and in many situations, he did not even need to worry about injury or mortal danger.

This place was practically a paradise for honing his fighting skills and combat ability!

Of course, the mission from his infinity boss, the [Dream System], was the most important thing. Failure meant erasure. But as things stood, however hard Wang Shui worked, he still had to wait for Kirito to grow, and for Kirito to earn game developer Akihiko Kayaba's recognition, before Wang Shui could obtain the mission item, [The World Seed].

Other people might enter an infinity world and immediately find themselves in thrilling hunts and desperate escapes, while Wang Shui had to wait out the time. But that suited him perfectly-he did not think he would have the courage to fight for things after entering a resource-rich world.

The world of Sword Art Online was just right for him.

It might be a little small-minded, and he still had to start training from basic swordsmanship, but Wang Shui was already very satisfied. Taking combat training seriously was not some passing whim, either. Back in the forest, when he dueled Kirito, Wang Shui had already resolved to grow stronger here!

Even getting just a little stronger still counted as getting stronger, didn't it?