24 ⌜Chapter 23⌟

Sorry for disappearing for a while guys, been busy for the past few weeks? anyway, I just got vaccinated a few days ago and my body is hurting and I just recovered from a fever, and kinda got lost from the plot I had in mind but anyway.

do you guys want me to continue this story or not?

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The pond doesn't look special nor it has any treasures around it but Tanaka immediately recognized it when he saw it.

"A carbonated water!"

Know the only reason why Tanaka was able to keep his sanity despite dying again and again in this shitty game is that he still has his purpose, and that was looking for delicacies in the game.

Yes, it's not related to clearing the Aincrad but it greatly helped Tanaka's mindset as he eats delicious foods, and carbonated water is one of the rarest beverage items in the game.

Though he was not sure if it was Kayaba or the Tanaka guy who made it, still, he will take it.

Tanaka immediately took out lots of bottles from his inventory and took a lot of the carbonated drink, while he was at it too.

Tanaka marked where the trap room was located so he could go back here whenever he has to restock his carbonated drink.

Tanaka loved drinking Coke and other drinks, now that he has carbonated water, he can look for the other ingredients to make one.

After filling up exactly 70 bottles, Tanaka left the trap room and met Kirito and the others who were waiting outside, the others seemed anxious while Kirito was assuring them.

"Yo! I'm back!"

Tanaka greeted them, everyone looked at him and surprise could be seen in their faces.

"Ice! thank god you are okay!"

Sachi was the one who first ran towards Tanaka and jumped towards him and hugged him tightly.

'Oh? did she fall for me? easy girl, I know I'm handsome...'

He regretted thinking like that.

*Ahem.

Sachi who was hugging Tanaka heard it and she immediately realized what she did, she blushed and slowly stepped away from Tanaka while looking down on the ground to hide her embarrassment.

"It's good that you are fine Ice! we thought that we would die there if not for you!"

"It's nothing, they are really not that strong, anyway, it's been a crazy day, want to head back?"

"Yeah, we barely escaped today, lets rest"

Tanaka and the others then went back to the guild base.

While on the way, Tanaka could not help but look at the members.

'Should I take them under me?'

Tanaka actually doesn't have anything to do anymore other than clearing boss monsters, he doesn't get that much experience killing monsters at the high floors either, and if there are some hidden places, he won't spend his whole time searching for those places.

Aincrad is large for god's sake, even though it gets smaller as it gets higher, the size was still nothing to scoff at.

Anyway, Tanaka was still thinking about it,.

For the next days, Tanaka just followed the moonlit black cats around and got close with them, they are a fun bunch actually.

But Tanaka has to go and join the Christmas event now, after saying goodbye to the others, he made his way towards where the event monster will appear.

There is no specific time when will it appear but while waiting, Tanaka decided to rest inside an inn for now.

While lying on the bed and looking on the ceiling, Tanaka heard something, the sound of the bells,

They were chaotic at first but slowly, it started changing and turning into a rhythm, then followed by the sound of drums, the voice of a choir, the tempo started rising and when it reached the climax.

"This is the song Carol of The bells"

Tanaka immediately recognized the song, except that this one was remixed? (Carol of the bells by the living tombstone)

There was an earthquake.

Tanaka was about to stand up from his bed when a more powerful earthquake but this time he saw the reason for it, the roof of the inn where he was staying was ripped out by a huge red hand.

Tanaka was a little spook of what happened but he immediately calmed down when he saw the face of the monster that ripped out the roof.

A twisted version of Santa Claus with a pale blue face and yellow-white hair. It has red, strabismic eyes, and has a spiky mustache and beard.

{Nicholas the Renegade}

(Four Health Bars)

"Aren't you supposed to appear at the forest of wandering? to think you came to me to find your death faster"

Tanaka smiled as he looked at the smiling abomination of Santa Clause.

Tanaka then noticed that players started coming to where they are, with no choice, Tanaka took out his mask and wore it immediately, but just as he finished wearing his mask, he immediately jumped away avoiding the ax that was swung towards it.

"A feisty one eh?"

Tanaka took out his scythe from his inventory and charged towards the monster.

"Boom!

The monster was sent backing away from a single attack of Tanaka, the players who were rushing towards the place stopped in their tracks as they saw the monster was blasted away.

"What happened? how was it blasted away? did someone use a powerful item?"

Everyone was confused and curious about what happened, because of the blast earlier, the place was covered in smoke and they could see nothing from it.

But just as they were thinking, the monster was able to regain its balance once again and charged towards the smoke once again as if it was angered.

*Swoosh!

Everyone saw a silver light charge the monster and slashed its chest in a powerful attack that it was blasted away once again.

But because of that attack, the smoke that covered their eyes was also blown away, and when it cleared they finally saw who it was.

"M-Madara!?"

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Hope you guys like it.

Quotes:

Kids were cute until they turn into little devils.