Sword Art Online: Forgotten Edition

Fragment 12 - Cinnamon Scented Thief

After much fighting and exhausting their potions, Haru and Asuna managed to defeat the second-floor field boss 'Bulldozer'.

It dropped an extremely rare material but it had no use for Asuna, so Haru retrieved it instead. As time passed in SAO the amount of time to locate the labyrinth boss decreased due to the cooperation of the players.

With the knowledge of info brokers who have recently been in the spotlight, players have gotten stronger. So within the span of one month, the players were able to clear the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors.

Though, of course, the difficulty was increasing but it didn't seem to bother a certain individual who was well-above the others.

|Haru's POV|

Ever since the boss to the 5th floor was defeated, I disbanded the party I made with Asuna and decided to go solo, a decision I made that she didn't agree with that well.

6th Floor - Field

"It's been awhile since I've been alone," I said as I walked out of the teleporter.

Tall grass and pathways of water filled my view. It was a marsh, but I couldn't see much due to the dense fog.

I pulled out my lance and walked around the area and as soon as I entered the fog, I heard a nasty growl next to me.

"Crap!" I yelled as the monster leaped at me with its glowing red eyes.

I dodge its attack but I get my feet tangled by the roots in the water, and I fall to the ground.

"Augh! Dumb things!" I struggle and flail my weapon to prevent the frog looking monster from leaping on me.

Giving up the struggle I decide to get rid of the enemy first. As best as I could I bring my arm back ready to launch my lance at its direction.

"Take this—"

But it exploded before I even attacked it.

"Wha—"

"Are you okay?" A gentle voice asked. The mysterious person helped me to my feet.

"Y-Yeah...thanks..." I couldn't really see their face that well in the fog, but they were a bit taller than I was and their hair was long...a girl? I caught a whiff of what smelled like cinnamon from this person.

"Try to avoid swinging your weapon like that next time. The more you struggle, the more these roots will tighten their grip. A kid like you shouldn't be here in the first place," she told me as she pats my head then leaves.

The person left but what they said to me really bothered me.

"'A kid'...I'm NOT a kid! Hmph, 'I shouldn't be herr," I puffed my cheeks as I mocked her.

Who does she think she is treating me like a newbie? Well, whoever she was she obviously doesn't know who I am.

"Alright, back to farming!"

6th Floor — Town Square

"Now let's see..." I scrolled through my items to see if I could craft anything new but then..."Oh!  'Unknown item', this is the scroll Schmidt gave me maybe I should—"

In that instant, my ears twitched to the sound of loud voices.

"I told you, I didn't take it on purpose!" yelled one of the girls in the group of four. She had a sword hitched to her left hip and wore a skirt that matched the cream-colored blouse she was wearing.

"What's gone is gone now! How are we supposed to work together if we can't trust you?!" another girl yelled back but had a dagger equipped behind her lower back.

I wonder what's all the noise about? I let my curiosity get the best of me. I move a little closer by hiding in a bush nearby them.

"I'm telling you it's not in my inventory! How many times do I have to tell you?!" said the girl with the sword.

Huh...this smell...

"Forget it. It was wrong for us to even include you in our party. I thought you were better than that. Sorry but I'm kicking you out, I'm sure you won't mind," the lady with the dagger seemed really mad.

On the other hand, the one with the sword didn't say anything after they kicked her out and left.

In the end, I didn't understand what just happened. Is that what people call a 'Catfight'? I was going to leave the area but I smelled the scent of cinnamon again.

"Ahh geez. I guess they weren't as dumb as they looked. That party was a bit too much for me anyway, but that rare material I took from under their noses should sell for a bunch!" the pony-tailed, cinnamon-scented person chuckled.

"Ehhhhh," I said aloud, popping out of my bush, startling her, "So...you're just a person who takes stuff from others?"

"H-Huh? W-Who--"

"The name's Haru, you nice-smelling thief!"