Chapter 129

After returning to the Safe Zone, inside the inn, Silica used the Soul Flower on Pina's heart; amidst a brilliant burst of light, a tiny dragon appeared beside Silica—it was none other than Pina.

"Great, Pina is back!" Silica exclaimed joyfully, hugging the little dragon that was fluttering around her.

Lingqi gazed at Pina in Silica's arms, a faint trace of envy flashing through her eyes.

"Sister Lingqi, are you two members of the Clearers?" After laughing and playing with Pina for a while, Silica asked with some curiosity.

Pina, in her arms, looked around at the people present before slipping out of Silica's embrace, flying to the top of Lingyun's head, and settling down. Lingyun looked at Pina on his head in astonishment, reached up, plucked her off, and cradled her in his hands.

Lingyun smiled, and after taking a close look at the little creature, he placed her into Lingqi's hands. Lingqi let out a soft cry and carefully hugged the little creature in her arms.

"Clearers? Kirito could be considered a member of the Clearers, but as for the two of us, we should be considered solo players drifting outside the Clearers!" Lingqi answered with a smile.

"Sister Kirito is a member of the Clearers? No wonder she's so strong!" Silica said, a bit confused. "But what is a solo player drifting outside the Clearers?"

"You really shouldn't underestimate Lingyun and the others," Kirito said with a smile. "The two of them are members of the famous God Squad!"

"God Squad?" Silica said in shock; having lived in SAO for so long, she naturally understood what the God Squad represented.

"It's nothing! We're just a bit stronger than other players!" Lingyun smiled and shook his head.

"Uh, well, whether it's the Clearers or the God Squad, you are all very amazing people. If it were me, I'm afraid even if I worked hard for several more years, I wouldn't reach your level," Silica said, her tone filled with disappointment.

"Don't look down on yourself like that. No one is born strong; if you want to become stronger, there are still ways," Lingyun said, smiling as he ruffled Silica's hair.

"Lingyun, what do you mean?" Kirito looked at Lingyun with some confusion.

"You are a member of the Moonlit Black Cats. Haven't Keita and the others been saying recently that their team lacks combat power and even pulled Suguha in? Why not let Silica join them? That way, their combat power would be more guaranteed, wouldn't it?" Lingyun laughed. "Besides, Suguha's strength is quite good now; wouldn't it be the best of both worlds to have her set aside some time to guide Silica?"

"That is..." Kirito pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. "I don't have any problem with that, but Silica, are you willing?"

"I am!" Silica nodded vigorously. Having gone through this incident, she had grown quite a bit. "I want to improve my strength; I never want to lose Pina again because I'm not strong enough!"

"That's a lot of determination!" Kirito laughed. "Alright, I'll take you to find Keita and the others in a bit. With you, a Dragon Tamer, joining them, they'll probably be so happy they won't be able to sleep!"

After Kirito took Silica to find the other members of the Moonlit Black Cats, Lingyun suddenly said to Lingqi, "You really like Silica's familiar? Or rather, should I say, you really like small animals?"

"Uh, this, this, no I don't!" Lingqi waved her hands rapidly, but looking at her, she lacked conviction regardless, especially since when Silica left, her gaze at the Pina in her arms, filled with reluctance, further undermined his persuasiveness.

"I just think that having a familiar that can provide auxiliary effects in battle is a really convenient thing, isn't it?" Lingqi defended herself, stammering slightly.

"Mm, mm, I know," Lingyun nodded slightly.

Seeing Lingyun's expression, Lingqi couldn't help but get angry: "What exactly do you know!"

"Alright, alright, I have a quest here regarding a familiar; do you want to take a look?" Seeing Lingqi looking a bit frantic, Lingyun changed the subject.

"A quest related to a familiar?" Lingqi asked with curiosity. "What kind of familiar?"

"I don't know either; I just received this quest a while ago. It says that if you successfully complete it, you might obtain a familiar. Since we have time now, shall we go check it out?" Lingyun suggested.

"Mm, then let's go quickly!" Lingqi felt a stir of excitement in her heart.

In SAO, most familiars could provide their masters with quite powerful auxiliary effects, which could greatly enhance their combat capabilities. Moreover, most familiars were quite cute, which made them the favorites of girls in SAO. For various reasons, familiars became hot commodities in SAO; let alone the familiars themselves, even providing information related to one could sell for a significant amount of Col.

Under Lingyun's lead, the two arrived at a Small Village, where they were met by an elderly woman with white hair.

"Are the two warriors here to help us clear out the Devil that has invaded this place, as per my son's request?" the old woman asked tremblingly.

"We are indeed here because of the request from the general store owner!" Lingyun stepped forward to speak with the old woman. "I wonder if you could tell us about the situation here?"

"Well, the matter is like this: not long ago, this was still a peaceful village, and because we had the protection of the Lord God, everyone lived a quiet life. Years ago, our ancestors made a Contract with the Lord God; the Lord God would protect our village for three hundred years. In a while, it will be the last day of those three hundred years, and after this time, the Lord God will be able to depart with merit," the old woman recounted. "But a while ago, a strange Devil appeared, and it led its subordinates to attack this village. To protect our village, the Lord God went out alone to meet it in battle. Unfortunately, because the Lord God had spent too much power protecting our village for these three hundred years, the Lord God was defeated in battle and lost all traces. I implore the two warriors to help us defeat the Devil and find the Lord God."

"Rest assured, we will defeat those Devils that have invaded your village," Lingyun nodded slightly to the old woman. "I just don't know what the Lord God you speak of looks like?"

"This..." the old woman looked a bit embarrassed. "We don't know either. The person who made the Contract with the Lord God back then didn't leave any records, and there has never been a temple for the Lord God in the village. I only know that every time the Lord God appeared, it was a beam of white light!"

"Is that so? Then we'll just have to find it ourselves when the time comes!" Lingyun rubbed his chin.

After accepting the quest, Lingyun and Lingqi left the village and headed outside.

"Lingyun, what kind of monster do you think the Devil that invaded this village is?" Lingqi asked.

"If I'm not mistaken, it's nine times out of ten the work of the Underworld King of the End." Lingyun looked outside the village; in his eyes, there were wisps of grayish-white energy rising from the land outside. "It seems the territorial disputes between them have become even more intense!"

"This thing again?" Lingqi frowned slightly. "Then guess, what kind of familiar will we get after this quest is completed?"

"If the Lord God who guards this village is given to us as a familiar reward, wouldn't that be fun!" Lingyun laughed.

"That, that's impossible, right? Being called the Lord God by the people here, its strength must be at the peak of this floor. If it really became our familiar, that would be a bit unrealistic. But if it really is like that, we would have hit the jackpot!" Lingqi said with a smile.