The Author's POV

"Huuuuamm..."

Yawning, a white mist escaped from my mouth. Although it was mid-winter, only now that I was awake early in the morning did I fully realize that winter was upon me.

Perhaps it was because I was less sensitive to the cold, it never truly hit me until now that it was already that time of the year.

6:30 A.M.

Checking my watch, I rubbed my hands together as I sat on a bench. Currently, I was at the train station, patiently waiting for the air train to arrive.

Moreover, apart from waiting for the air train, I was also waiting for someone to come...

Kevin.

I had already texted him beforehand that I was waiting for him today at the train station. Although the events with Gilbert had happened not so long ago, he should've already made a full recovery. Therefore he should be able to make it without a problem.

The only thing that I wanted to know was whether he received my message or not...

-tssss

"...It's snowing"

Snapping me out of my thoughts, extending my hand forward, I watched as an ice crystal gently landed on my jacket and melted straight after.

Glancing at the falling snow in the sky, I couldn't help but softly mumble to myself

"...five months huh?"

I've been in this world for five months...

Watching the ice crystals continuously fall from the sky and land on my jacket, I couldn't help but look back at what had happened these past few months.

"Time sure flies..."

Going from a reclused introvert to exploring dungeons, creating companies, finding comrades, meeting a new family...

"...Really, fate is truly strange in many ways."

Who could've ever guessed that my life would change so much in a matter of five months...I really couldn't explain how I felt at this moment.

Everything sort of felt like a blur...

-Voooooooom!

Snapping me out of my thoughts, the sound of an air train gently landing on the platform of the station resounded across the area I was in.

Frowning slightly, I glanced around me. However, noticing that I was the only person in the station, I couldn't help but be slightly disappointed.

"Mhhh...did I perhaps miscalculate?"

...I really thought that Kevin would've without a doubt shown up considering what had happened with Gilbert, but did I perhaps misjudge something?

Shaking my head, I discarded such a notion

how could I have

Like for example, an old

6:34 A.M.

at my watch, and seeing that there was only a minute left before the air train left, my

where in the

"Am I late?"

up and leave the train station and go back to the Lock, I heard a

looking behind me to see who the voice

"Just barely"

...

[Lock station - Departing]

-Clank!

air, it soon smoothly picked up its speed and disappeared into the

the opposite ends to each other in the air train, Kevin and I quietly looked at the

us spoke a

was now dyed in white as the snow coated the rooftops of every building and

...It looked truly beautiful.

empty the train was as apart from me and Kevin, no one was present. Perhaps because it was early in the

while, breaking the silence, Kevin looked at

where are

Kevin, without answering him immediatly, I responded with a question of my

that, can I take your presence

at his feet for a couple of seconds, clenching his fists tightly,

"...yes"

"Great"

a big smile appeared on my face. Resting my

going to

Kevin's brows couldn't help but

"The Clayton Ridge?"

"Yeah..."

same place where I got the [Seed of

I was going on

Clayton ridge was huge...and when I mean huge, I mean

took the [Seed of Limit] and [Keiki style], I was actually headed a lot

three hours journey from the Lock, approximately 1800

confusion, Kevin couldn't help but

where the sword art

my head

to the middle part so you better rest as much as you can as you're going

at me in confusion, Kevin

"Challenge?"

stared at the world outside that was

me to just give you a five-star sword art without

bringing him to the place where the five-star manual

have asked for him

Kevin tried to find words to say, but after a while, he shook

"No..I get it"

and noticing Kevin's crestfallen expression,