The Survival Logs || Sword Art Online Fanfic

Clashing Guilds Arc: Chapter 41 - Recovery Meeting

21 October 2023

Horizon's Edge guild base, 30th Floor

The lounge that I had entered in didn't seem as peaceful as before.

It usually only served a few players in its lifetime, but now it had a little more people, who were scattered all over the furniture in the relatively small room.

It was also the first time the room had a considerably tense atmosphere as well.

I recognized the Company leaders and vice commanders instantly, whose faces easily revealed their distress. Their agitated conversations filled the room in a barrage of buzzes as I stepped in. Irokei followed behind me and closed the door once she was in. She was quite stiff in her steps, trying not to glance at the players who might be looking her way.

On the far end of the room from where I entered sat a female player, with her elbows resting at the table she was sitting at, her hands being put together by interlocked fingers. Her head leaned on her hands in front of it, which seemed like she was sleeping during a class in school. Raising her head, she stood, nodding straight at my presence.

I nodded back at her. The room went silent, upon noticing her actions.

The player stroked her green hair once, before setting her hands on the table. She spoke in a very clear voice, which reverberated in the lounge.

"Alright, let's get this meeting started."

All eyes were on the guild leader, as she prepared to start her speech. She took a large breath, and as she breathed out, leaked out a brief smile while holding her chest with her left hand.

It was her first time organizing a guild meeting as the guild leader of Horizon's Edge. Anyone wouldn't blame her from being a bit nervous about it.

"As most of you should have known by now, my name's Misuko, and I became the guild leader since the 36th Floor was cleared......well, that's not a great way to start, is it?"

The lounge stayed silent. Some of the players lowered their heads a little. Misuko cleared her throat, before starting off her speech proper.

"We'll start off with the clearing of the 40th Floor first, which happened a few days ago. I understand that a few of us have participated in that boss raid....."

The guild leader paused, before continuing on. "....And thankfully, there were no casualties this time. So what did we get from the boss raid?"

A few players stepped forward, including Narnia, who was sitting by the bar area. Narnia brought down her menu, and placed a few items on the table in front of Misuko. They looked metallic, much like those jail bars in the 40th Floor Labyrinth.

"These should have gone to the smithy by now." Narnia said. "But I held on to them for the meeting. I'll send them to our blacksmith afterwards."

"Please do." Misuko nodded. "Glad to see you guys safely back after that boss raid."

The materials disappeared out of sight after Narnia had retrieved them back. The players who had participated in the 40th Floor boss raid went back to their seats, amid the tension in the air.

"And now, " Misuko announced, setting her hands gently on the table. "There's an incident I would like to address. One that happened on the day of the boss raid." She looked straight at me, her eyes never showing any seriousness as she spoke. In fact, she spoke as if she didn't want to single me out in the lounge. The lounge was small enough to echo back sounds, after all, and she probably didn't want that to happen.

"You were there, weren't you? Land Company leader Zenalyth."

".....Yeah."

I could imagine Irokei fidgeting a little behind me, and staying more silent than I ever thought her to be. As I stepped forward, Misuko said something that I might never expect coming.