SAO: I replaced him?

Aincrad, 76th Floor – The Forgotten Ruins

The 76th floor had been cleared ten days ago. Heathcliff, leading the elite Knights of the Blood Alliance and a handful of strategy group players, had cut through the boss like a hot knife through butter. But even though the floor was open, it wasn't exactly bustling with players.

Most of Aincrad's 9,000 remaining players were scattered across the tower's dozens of floors. If you did the math, there were maybe 200 players per floor—at best. Many had given up on fighting altogether, choosing instead to hide in the safety of the Starting City. Others stuck to guild-owned territories, crafting and trading in relative security.

That meant the newly opened 76th floor, with all its unclaimed quests and grinding spots, was largely abandoned. Apart from a handful of elite players looking for loot, this place was a ghost town.

Or, well... maybe more like an undead town.

---

Arrival at the 76th Floor

A swirl of light signaled the arrival of a group of players at the floor's entrance. Among them, a young man with spiky black hair and sharp eyes scanned the area, his gaze filled with curiosity.

"This is the 76th floor, huh…" Morin muttered, narrowing his eyes at the scenery before him.

If Aincrad's previous floors had felt like medieval fantasy towns, this one was giving off serious post-apocalyptic wasteland vibes. The sky was an eerie shade of gray, the sun barely managing to pierce through the thick clouds. The air itself felt colder—almost like the place had its own personal air conditioning set to 'chillingly ominous.'

The town at the entrance was in ruins, its buildings weathered and crumbling. And unlike other NPC settlements, this one had no civilians. No cheerful shopkeepers calling out deals, no gossiping townsfolk—just grim-faced figures wrapped in tattered cloaks, each one armed to the teeth. Even the kids had daggers strapped to their belts.

And the town had defenses to match. A towering wall stood over ten meters high, lined with arrow towers and armored guards on patrol. This wasn't just some forgotten settlement—it was a fortress.

Any experienced player could tell at a glance: this floor had secrets.

And Morin intended to uncover them.

---

"Why Are We Even Here?"

While Morin took in the sights, a familiar voice chimed in beside him.

"Are we seriously doing this?" Asuna asked, raising an eyebrow.

She was dressed in a sleek, starry-blue set of half-plate armor that accentuated her toned figure. Her long chestnut hair, tied in a high ponytail, swayed as she folded her arms. The outfit was complemented by dark cyan boots, leaving her long, athletic legs on full display. She was, without a doubt, one of the most eye-catching players in Aincrad.

Though right now, her expression was somewhere between confused and mildly annoyed.

"Even with a map, tracking down a random field boss is way less rewarding than just pushing forward to the 78th floor," she pointed out. "The first drop rate on floor bosses is always better. Why would we waste time on some side quest?"

It was a fair question. Most of the best gear in Aincrad came from floor bosses. Sure, you could find rare drops from hidden enemies, chests, or quests—but nothing topped the guaranteed loot from clearing a floor.

Yet Morin wasn't fazed. Instead, he pulled up his inventory, materializing several sheets of parchment. With a smirk, he handed them to Asuna.

"Because this isn't just any random boss," he said. "We've got a confirmed location, and according to the intel, this thing is as powerful as a floor boss—plus, there's a unique quest tied to it."

That got everyone's attention.

The surrounding players—members of Star Flame, one of Aincrad's top guilds—exchanged excited glances.

"A boss as strong as a floor master?"

"And it's got a unique quest attached? That's huge!"

"Tch, leave it to the boss to sniff out the good stuff."

Even Asuna had to admit, the information changed things. If they really had solid intel on an enemy that powerful, the potential rewards could be worth the risk.

Then she noticed something on the parchment.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Wait a second… this handwriting… Is this from Argo?"

---

Before Morin could answer, a familiar voice called out from the town entrance.

"Hehehe! Took ya long enough, Morin, Asuna!"

A small figure in a blue-black cloak emerged from the shadows, waving enthusiastically.

Argo the Rat—Aincrad's top information broker.

With her whisker-like markings (courtesy of a vanity item she refused to remove), Argo looked more like a mischievous street cat than a rat. But her reputation was solid—when it came to hidden info, she was the player to go to.

Asuna crossed her arms, smirking. "Well, well. The Rat's out of her hole."

Argo grinned. "And ya still owe me for that last tip, missy."

Morin chuckled. "What do you have for us, Argo?"

"Only the best intel in Aincrad, of course." She twirled a lock of her golden hair before getting to business. "The boss we're after is lurking in the Valley of the Dead—a charming little place crawling with undead nightmares. And guess what? The Blood Knights totally missed it when they cleared this floor."

Asuna frowned. "You're saying Heathcliff and his guild ignored a whole undead army?"

"Not exactly." Argo wagged a finger. "They fought one—took down an undead general and his goons. Buuut they didn't finish the job. Turns out, there's an even bigger bad lurking deeper in the valley."

That got a few whistles from the group.

Morin, however, was focused on something else.

"You said this thing uses spells?"

Argo's grin widened. "Bingo. We're talking about a magic-using boss. A real rare find in this game."

A murmur ran through the group.

Spell-type boss!

This is not uncommon for fantasy games, but SAO is a pure sword-based game.

It can be said that there are basically no magic players in SAO, and even the number of players who use long-range weapons such as bows and crossbows is pitiful. Throwing darts, throwing knives, and throwing spears are considered niche skills. On the contrary, monsters and pets in SAO may have long-range or magic skills. Even Silica, who follows the [Star Flame] elite group, has a young dragon pet with healing skills and is trained intensively.

And if Aincrad's past magical enemies were anything to go by, this thing could be packing some serious loot.

"Well then," Morin said, cracking his knuckles. "Looks like we've got a hunt on our hands."

Argo smirked, pointing toward the horizon.

"Then let's move. Our little necromancer friend is waiting in the valley."

With that, the group set off—toward the Valley of the Dead, where an undead nightmare awaited.

And if Morin had his way, that nightmare was about to become nothing more than another loot drop.

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