The Ghost of Aincrad (SAOIF Story)

Silence is deafening

After experiencing the horrors of the 21st floor boss the ascended the stairs towards the next floor. You doubt anyone from the assault team would be following after you anytime soon as they were all reeling from the losses they suffered so you expected to be alone for a while.

What you were not expecting was to be called out to by Kirito after he spotted you walking up the stairs

Kirito: "Hey wait a minute"

He jogged slightly to catch up you

Kirito: "I don't even know your name, but I'd like to say good work with the boss fight, it would've much worse if it wasn't for you"
You: "It's no bother"
Kirito: "I hope what happened today hasn't disheartened you from joining the assault team in the future, you'd be really good help"

You gave him a nod and continued up the stairs

After what had just happened you were bracing for what the next floor had in store for you, after coming face to face with a creature from hell, you thought you'd step out into hell itself. Shocked could not begin to describe your state of mind as you stepped out onto the next floor to see large stretches of forest and grassland as well as beautiful lakes.

You had to do a few double takes to make sure what you were seeing was real, it looked too good to be true.  You wouldn't let your guard down, seeing the disastrous consequences that could have and without the rest the assault team being here, you'd have to work hard enough in there place to make sure this floor was cleared.

To do that, you'd have to start on quests and fight against the monsters to see how they fight so you could then pass on the information to help anyone that would come to this floor. You also had to take care of that mysterious player which you and Kirito discussed on the last floor, but for that you'd have to wait for Kirito to come to this floor and there was no guarantee that the player you're looking for would even make an appearance.

You also had to worry about that group that ambushed you and Koharu would make another appearance now that the assault team was weakened and you wouldn't, you couldn't let that happen.

Venturing into one of the many forests you walked down a long wooden platform hunting for quests or monster and you were surprised when you found neither. The floor was silent, unsettlingly so. Perhaps you would have found this peaceful normally, but you just couldn't let yourself relax as if something terrible could happen anytime soon.

Continuing down the wooden platform, you stepped out into a opening and were greeted with the sight of a vast and glorious lake. You bet Koharu would have loved to see this, reminiscing to how much fun you had on the limited time beach map. The memories are all bittersweet now due to your separation.

Venturing around the lake you came across a secluded log cabin, getting closer to investigate hoping to find the start of a quest you instead discovered it was player housing. It was nice but not what you were looking for, letting out sight, you continued looking for anything really.

*Somewhere in Aincrad, Argo and Kirito*

Argo: " I heard what happened in the boss fight, how're you and Aa-Chan coping?"
Kirito: "We're all right, can't say the same for the others tho, they lost friends after all"
Kirito: "Speaking of which, I ran into the player you were talking about, he joined in on the boss fight."
Argo: "I was not expecting that, what do you think of em?"
Kirito: "He was a big help, silent, broody type though"
Argo: "Oh? So like you then?"
Kirito: "shut up"

He smirked at her as she let out her trademark laugh

Kirito: "Can't trust them just yet, got to find out more about them first, I trust you'll be able to do that?"
Argo: "you're gonna make me blush Kii-bou"

And with that, they parted ways