The days after New Year.

As the progress of the strategy group's BOSS strategy increased, Du Ming and Yasna also moved out of the fifth floor of the rented house.

Originally, Du Ming proposed to buy a permanent house on these floors, but these floors are not very suitable for long-term residence. In addition, the progress of the BOSS strategy continued to improve, so he kept changing the rented house.

The eighth floor of Aincrad is a forest floor, covered with huge forests and the ground is also covered with deep water. Players travel through the branches of giant trees and high-altitude suspension bridges.

Shortly after conquering the seventh floor, the team arrived at the eighth floor. Du Ming and Yasna rented a wooden house surrounded by a forest in the "Nine Woods" area on the eighth floor. After decorating the house according to Yasna's wishes, Du Ming wanted to name the house "Du Ming and Yasna's Lair", but was rejected by Yasna with a scream.

Villages and other residential areas in the SAO world are safe areas.

Not only that, there are also some special buildings and areas in the wild areas of the SAO world that have the effect of safe areas. The area near the detached house that Du Ming rents is such an area.

Du Ming and the other person both like this place very much. It is relatively quiet and suitable for the two of them... oh, and for the three of them, including Ling Yin, to be alone.

The outstretched treetops of the giant trees on the eighth floor can even touch the ninth floor. If players have the ability to dig a tunnel through the solid floor, they can climb to the top of the tree and even avoid the BOSS and reach the ninth floor through the tunnel.

"Asuna, do you want me to help you pierce through the ninth floor?"

While waiting for a guest to arrive, Du Ming asked Yasna that he had this ability, but other players did not.

Other players must defeat the eighth-floor BOSS before going to the ninth floor.

When the announcement was made on New Year's Eve about preparing to capture the BOSS on the tenth floor, Yasuna was worried that after the BOSS was captured, even if she and Du Ming could leave the SAO world, there was a low possibility that the remaining players would be trapped in the SAO world.

Therefore, she hoped that Du Ming would not take any action in the strategy for the BOSS on the sixth to ninth floors, and let her cooperate with other players in the strategy to improve the strategy level of other players.

In this way, even if Du Ming is not around in the future and they are still trapped in this world, they can rely on their own strength.

Du Ming agreed to Yasna's proposal.

but.

During every boss battle and dangerous area, Du Ming would secretly hide and observe, and protect Yasuna at the same time.

Therefore, when Du Ming was in the seventh-level lava mountain area, he saw the performance of the guests who were coming there today.

"No need." Yasuna shook her head. "Nowadays, the bosses on each floor can help everyone improve their strength and combat skills, and increase their experience. If you miss this boss, the next one will be more difficult."

"Well, whatever you like."

Du Ming smiled and nodded.

… …

While waiting, Du Ming closed his eyes and meditated calmly.

Yasna, who had already disarmed herself and was wearing an apron, saw this and walked into the living room to prepare tea and drinks.

The aura of power in space floated around Du Ming. Du Ming was half relaxed, feeling the power of space.

Until there was a sound outside the window.

"I don't think I'm late."

Outside the door, Heathcliff smiled faintly, but his tone lacked intonation, and his true emotions were hard to tell from his brassy pupils.

"You... are finally here. Please sit down."

Du Ming opened his eyes slightly, added Heathcliff's "guest" attribute to the system, and Heathcliff walked in.

Ok?

Heathcliff felt that Du Ming's words were a little strange, but he didn't think much about it. He walked closer to Du Ming and continued:

"Yes, I once promised to fight you. Now that the Raiders Group's affairs are going smoothly, I have time to come to the appointment. I have been looking forward to this battle for a long time."

Heathcliff's smile was a little helpless. As before, if possible, he hoped that this battle could be postponed until he understood the ins and outs of this world.

But time had indeed passed for quite a while, and he couldn't afford to delay any further.

I thought, I might as well finish this fight as soon as possible.

Heathcliff sat down, and said in a decisive voice:

"I hope this battle ends as soon as possible. Our battlefield should be used to capture the boss. PVP battles are not very helpful for capturing the boss."

Du Ming glanced at Heathcliff with a smile.

After taking a few glances, he nodded and smiled:

"That's a very good point. Then... let's call off our fight."

"Uh-huh?"

Heathcliff's eyes suddenly widened: "Duel, what did you say?"

Du Ming shrugged and said with a smile, "I say, let's end our fight now."

"..."

Heathcliff was silent for a moment, then he gently raised one hand, opened his palm and asked, "Duel, are you sure?"

As the developer of SAO, his mind is of course on finding the secrets of this new SAO world, hoping that he doesn't have to fight Du Ming.

But he always felt strange when the words "stop" came out of Du Ming's mouth.

At the beginning, Du Ming looked at him as if he wanted to tear him to pieces. With such a strong desire to fight, now he just said he didn't want to fight?

He felt a little relieved.

but.

strangeness.

too weird!

“Ok.”

Du Ming smiled.

"What's the reason? Can you tell me?" Heathcliff asked with a frown. Only clear logic and reason could make him feel at ease.

"Oh, there's no special reason, I just think you're too weak."

Du Ming narrowed his eyes and said, "When you were fighting the Flame Scorpion in the lava lake area on the seventh floor, your health dropped to a quarter, right? You were too weak and had no skills. You were not focused or careful in the battle. I am not interested in an opponent like you!"

"The Flame Scorpion... It's because of the Flame Scorpion?"

Heathcliff sighed in disbelief, then gave a bitter smile of relief and displeasure, and stood up.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have the talent to satisfy you, Duel."

The fire scorpion in the lava lake area on the seventh floor is a tricky monster in his design that has high defense, strong concealment, and can add double DEBUFFs of burning and poison to the player.

In this new SAO world, the Flame Scorpion is even more difficult to deal with.

Unlike the original SAO game world, its spikes contain a substance that is a mixture of fire and toxin power. After piercing the player's body, it will quickly deduct the player's health as a percentage.

Yes, percentage blood loss!

Heathcliff, who was too familiar with monsters, didn't pay attention to the percentage of blood loss, and his HP dropped a lot at once.

Come to think of it, I was indeed overconfident and careless.

Heathcliff shook his head and said goodbye to Duel: "In that case, I will leave immediately and look forward to meeting Duel next time."

"Wait, now that we're here, how can we go back empty-handed?"

Du Ming laughed happily and shouted into the room, "Yasuna, bring out a can of tea leaves I picked."

Of course he is happy.

What I just said to Heathcliff, that is, Kayaba Akihiko, was half a lie.

In the original plot, when Heathcliff's health drops to half, the system's "blood lock" mechanism will be triggered.

This time his health dropped to a very low level, even to less than a quarter, which meant that Heathcliff no longer had a "blood lock" in this new SAO world. This was the information that Du Ming really cared about and really wanted to spy on through battle.

Now that he had obtained the intelligence, he had no interest in fighting fearlessly with the other party.

"Asuna?"

Heathcliff showed a look of "as expected".

There had long been rumors that Du Ming and Yasna were living together, and this time he had confirmed the fact with his own eyes.

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