256 -252- Argo's request

As mentioned earlier, in SAO, female players are rarer than rare monsters. Not just in SAO, but in any online game, female players are as rare as giant pandas, aren't they? However, even though they are rare, they do exist.

At least Rozen has encountered quite a few female players, including Argo.

However...

"Although there are female players, if a female player happens to be exceptionally beautiful, then they are even more rarer, like the rarest of rare, the panda among pandas," Argo conveyed this piece of news to Rozen in an oddly metaphorical way.

Argo continued, "That's become quite the topic of discussion among the frontline players lately."

This rumor had only started circulating a few days ago.

A top-level player team entered the labyrinth area for leveling up. To their surprise, they found someone in their usual training spot. The player's marker was green, indicating they were another player. However, this player was completely cloaked, making it's appearance impossible to discern. All they could tell was that this person was an incredibly skilled rapier user.

"A rapier?" Rozen pondered slightly.

A rapier referred to a slender, lightweight weapon designed for maximum thrusting speed. Players wielding rapiers usually prioritize agility and attack speed. They are typically chosen by female players, as male players tend to favor heavy armor and weapons. Light, graceful weapons like rapiers are not used much by male players.

However, Rozen was more intrigued by another adjective Argo mentioned.

"Incredibly skilled?" Rozen became curious, "How skilled?"

In response to Rozen's question, Argo posed one of her own.

"Have you ever seen a shooting star?"

This question caught Rozen off guard.

Because...

"I actually haven't," Rozen muttered, causing Argo to become equally surprised.

"I see," Argo replied sympathetically, looking at Rozen with eyes that resembled someone watching a pitiable child who had no childhood, no leisure, and was confined to studying in their room all day with no room for dreams.

The thing is, she was half right.

Though Rozen did have a childhood, even several of them, he only had gaming as his sole form of entertainment. He mostly stayed in his room, studying or practicing magic. He rarely had the luxury to watch shooting stars.

Nevertheless, Argo's gaze still managed to annoy Rozen.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Even if I haven't seen a real shooting star, so what!?" Rozen's retort showed his annoyance, making Argo shrug her shoulders.

"I'm not making fun of you, you know?" Argo explained, "It's just that the way that girl fights can only be described as such."

In other words...

"People who witnessed that female player in combat have all said her sword is like a shooting star," Argo clarified.

This sparked Rozen's curiosity even more.

"A sword like a shooting star?"

What could that possibly mean?

As Rozen wondered, Argo continued her explanation.

"That player team actually tried to approach her, but she completely ignored them. She didn't say a word and simply walked away. She didn't even spare them a glance."

That player truly has a unique character.

However, Rozen was able to deduce something.

"Is she a solo player?"

Rozen asked.

"That's correct."

Argo nodded in agreement.

That's truly unusual.

In the current state of SAO, which had turned into a death game, apart from closed beta testers who had a clear understanding of how to defeat monsters and monopolize the gains, other players were reluctant to venture into training areas alone, let alone to labyrinth areas inhabited by higher-level monsters.

A female player, and a beautiful one at that, dared to go solo?

"She's really brave. Even if she isn't afraid of monsters, wouldn't she worry about being harassed by other players?"

Rozen first said this, then realized, "Wait, you mentioned she was cloaked and her appearance couldn't be seen, right?" Rozen pointed out the contradiction, "So how do you know she's a very beautiful female player?"

"Well," Argo somewhat nonchalantly replied, "it's said that after being ignored by her, the team of players were angry and decided to secretly send a player with concealment skills to track her. They intended to steal her prey, give her a taste of her own medicine, but they found out later that she didn't continue hunting. Instead, she headed to a safe area to rest."

A safe area refers to an area within the labyrinth where monsters won't spawn within a specific range. Its purpose is to provide players with a brief rest without the worry of sudden monster attacks upon entering.

The mysterious rapier user entered this safe area.

"The player who discreetly followed her found her sleeping against the wall. So, they went ahead and lifted her cloak, only to be left speechless by her appearance," Argo explained, and Rozen suddenly understood.

However, this action was indeed not commendable.

"Sneaking up on someone while they're sleeping and lifting their cloak... that's not something to encourage," Rozen expressed his genuine thoughts.

"Exactly! Exactly! It's because men are all such idiots that women dislike them. But ZenZen, you really know your stuff," Argo playfully praised.

"Then what happened?" Rozen skeptically continued his inquiry.

"Later," Argo chuckled mischievously, "because the movements were too pronounced, the female player woke up. Without a second thought, she delivered a sword skill that took away a third of that player's HP!"

"Hey!" Rozen interjected, "You're not kidding, right?"

Attacking other players outside the duel system?

"That's something that could result in an orange status," Rozen warned, causing Argo's expression to turn serious.

"That's where the problem lies," Argo explained earnestly, "That player seems to be a newbie and has no idea what an orange status signifies. The reason is when that player yelled, 'Do you want to become an orange player?' the female player replied, 'What's an orange player?'"

"A newbie?" Rozen was taken aback.

A newbie female player dared to go solo?

Is she throwing caution to the wind?

"There must be a story behind it, right?" Argo confidently remarked, "At this rate, she might end up visiting a town, and the guards will take her down like a fool."

Argo looked at Rozen.

Seeing this, Rozen understood.

"You want me to approach that female player, don't you?"

Rozen saw through Argo's intention.

Argo didn't deny it.

The reason was simple.

"This is for a significant event a few days from now. Currently, I've been entrusted to gather as many players as possible with top-tier abilities in this world, including that formidable female rapier user, and you too, ZenZen."

Argo gazed directly at Rozen.

Next, Argo shared important information with Rozen, reinvigorating his spirits.

"Finally."

With this thought in mind, after considering it for a moment, Rozen agreed to Argo's request.