Sword Art Online - Midnight Assassin - Vol.1

Chapter 4

[Sunday, 13th November 2022 - 01:00 p.m.]

I watched the clock as it hits the 1300 hours and thought, 'It is exactly a week since the game started now,'-for your information, I wasn't waiting for that the whole day. I was hunting the kobolds and wolves mobs in the Quest Plain and just happened to saw the clock on the lower left corner hitting 12:49 p.m. so I figured I'll just wait until it hits exactly when this game server was opened.

Well, it's really nothing to celebrate. It's only a week, and fact is, the longer we took on this game, the more it would affect those weak-willed players waiting to be saved.

I got up from the big boulder I was sitting on-hidden from the mobs, of course-and took out my dagger to continue the hunting.

Or at least I was going to.

I was stopped by a voice coming from behind me.

"May I take some of yer time right now?"

I turned my head to where the voice came from and saw a small hooded figure. And since they're short-can't be more than 150 cm, I doubt-I couldn't catch a glimpse of their face so I'm not sure of the gender. Even the voice doesn't help me find out since it's sounds like typical childish boy or tomboy girl voices.

I pushed aside the gender problem and turned my body to where my face is looking and push my voice out of my throat.

"What's the deal?"

I could've sworn I saw a fishy smirk from under the hood on their face before they say something.

"Ya seemed like the typa hardcore player 'round here so I kinda have a request fer ya."

Not knowing how to respond, I just raised my eyebrow and hoped that they can see my curiosity without speaking it aloud.

"Not much of a socialist, are ya? So here's the request; I want'cha ta head into this one dungeon I'm investigating 'bout. I'll send ya the map data. And 'course, I'll pay ya good col for the dungeon data. How 'bout it?"

"What is this dungeon you're talking about?"

"Oh, ya will find out. So are ya gon' accept this request o' mine or what?"

Ignoring their slang sure didn't help me to ignore the fishy aura coming from this guy. They're probably some kinda info broker just going here and there asking strong-looking players to do some info gathering in exchange for col.

That doesn't change the fact that this one particular info broker is a little fishy as to it. First of all, how long have they been there? Second, if this is a request to help them find some data, couldn't they have do it themselves or ask trustworthy players?

For now, I'll just check this dungeon out and do this request anyway. It might benefits me on some stuff-not the col since I already have a whole lot of them-and if it doesn't proof worthy of my time, I could just ask for some free useful infos.

"Fine. Give me the map data and get this done with."

"An impatient one, aren't ya. Here's the map data. I want'cha ta map out the dungeon and find out types of mobs there. Also some infos on attack patterns too if ya can. Name's Argo by the way."

They held out for a handshake and I take it for a brief moment, considering the deal is made.

"(U/N)," is all I said for an introduction. And that's when I realized that was my first time introducing myself to a player of this game.

[Sunday, 13th November 2022 - 03:20 p.m.]

[Location: Horunka Woods]