The Survival Logs || Sword Art Online Fanfic

Clashing Guilds Arc: Chapter 36 - Edge of the Horizon

16 October 2023

Sanjun, 30th Floor

"Oh, you're finally back, Zenalyth."

That voice was the first thing my ears had focused on as I entered the decent-looking tavern.

There really wasn't much to be said about the place, except that it was owned property. Situated near the northern edge of the city of Sanjun, it was quite obvious as to why the guild that I was part of now had chosen such a location to settle themselves in.

After all, the guild wasn't called Horizon's Edge for nothing. Dang, my jokes really are lame.

All the players leisurely sitting in the tavern were guild members, no exceptions. I could assume that they were all of the members in the guild, since our member list was relatively small in numbers. Last time I heard, the guild didn't even exceed 20 members, so it was a given that we weren't that well-known in Aincrad. I personally liked it that way, though.

As I walked towards the player who called out to me, with Irokei following closely behind, guild members were taking a glance at me, before looking back at their mugs. They either were new members who just joined, or had almost forgotten about the single player who had barely ever stepped into this cozy building for anything other than to wave an occasional "Hi" at the players-in-charge there.

It is how it is. I wasn't just some lone player without a guild to rely on, so I had to at least bear some responsibilities by visiting it. I did choose to join a guild on my own accord, after all.

We stopped in front of a player who was eyeing us and drinking at the same time.

"Narnia." I said, waving.

The female player, who was also apparently one of the vice-commanders, settled her mug on the table roughly.

"Is there really anything I can do to pull you into managing the guild? Or are your errands too important for you to ignore?"

I breathed out a silent sigh as I replied.

"You know, I can really count the times you asked me that same question. And the times that you called my business 'errands'. No wonder Iro misunderstood me, again."

Irokei sheepishly stared down at the floor. I looked back at her for a moment and added, "Not that it matters, though."

"And I can really count the number of times you stepped into this guild base, Zenalyth. You're one of the highest levelled players in my guild, so why can't you stay here and help out?" Narnia complained as she drank from her mug, which was probably filled with beer.

"Didn't we discuss this before?" I refuted. "I'm the scout that gives the guild any important info I hear. In exchange, you let me do what I like to do---or should I say---what I do best."

"Yeah, yeah....If that's how you wanna phrase it, then......" Narnia's voice trailed off as her grip on the mug became unstable.

Sitting by the table that the vice commander was sitting at, I stared at her with narrow eyes.

"I know you're not drunk, Narnia."

Ironically, as if wanting to prove my words wrong, Narnia let her mug drop onto the table, bottom first. Her hand still held the mug, although it was a loose grip.

"I wish I was, Zenalyth! Having to deal with the lower-levelled members is already hard enough, not to mention that they don't have any experience with the enemy mobs!"

I looked back at the other players in the tavern. "You mean those who stuck themselves in the Town of Beginnings on the 1st Floor way back then?"

"......No shit, man." Narnia replied.