Asuna quietly lowered her head, the storm of emotions within herself calmed down with his magical touch.
“Sometimes, I really can’t help but admire you…”
Asuna continued.
“I like how you can live however you want. You also look like someone who really knows how to get the most out of life. You can take down a whole floor on your own so I guess you’re not too worried about that department. I don’t think there’s another player in SAO who is enjoying life inside this game as much as you…”
“Well, I think it’s because you guys can’t enjoy the present…”
Wu Yan sighed.
“Also, if it weren’t for the super-annoying boss room that’s so hard to find, do you think I would actually let you guys take the spotlight?”
Asuna giggled out loud. Then, she sighed again.
“There are players in the raid group who think we should search for the boss and let you finish the boss off in our stead.”
“Oh?”
Wu Yan stopped petting Asuna’s head.
“Then, what? Why didn’t you guys go ahead with that?”
“It’s too risky!”
Asuna and Wu Yan said.
“We can take down floors very quickly but that’s assuming you will always be strong enough to take down the floor boss on your own. In the raid group, nobody had the confidence that you can continue soloing bosses.”
Monsters in SAO become stronger the higher the floor. After the 70th Floor, the danger posed by monsters become so great that even veterans had to prepare themselves for the worst outcome.
The players also know about the absolute nightmare known as Floor bosses on the 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th floor. The 25th Floor boss taught them a lesson. Not just that, the monsters will be completely different after that point.
The raid group wouldn’t want to lose a star player like Wu Yan.
“If we switch up our tactic and go searching for the floor boss, how are the players going to keep up in terms of levels and proficiencies. When push comes to shove, we won’t be able to continue clearing the floors.”
Asuna turned towards Wu Yan. She helplessly complained.
“Moreover, with Divine Dragon Alliance creating problems here and there because they want a bigger share of the profit pie, the plan got shot down before it can even be tabled.”
“Well, that’s too bad…”
Wu Yan pursed his lips. However, he looked like he couldn’t care less. Asuna wavered and she asked him.
“Yan, why don’t you join a guild?”
Asuna tilted her head with a bewildered look.
“If you join a guild, I am sure clearing floors will become much easier with the help of guildmates. Wouldn’t that be safer?”
“Why do you insist on going at it alone?”
“About that…”
Wu Yan rubbed his nose.
“Maybe I just don’t like hanging out in a crowd…”
Asuna locked her brows in a frown. She was worried about this guy.
“Aren’t you worried about what will happen if you get stuck in a situation with no way out? It’s not funny if you got cornered by monsters…”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that…”
He patted her head, she almost rubbed her own head against his hand.
“Do I look like someone who doesn’t know his limits?”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Asuna had a very excited look in her eyes.
“Why don’t you party with me?!”
Wu Yan’s hand stopped.
He wanted to laugh her off but Asuna’s insidious smile meant there was no backing out of this. She had a very persuasive aura about her. Wu Yan’s heart shook as she continued.
“If you teamed up with me, it wouldn’t count as hanging out in a crowd, right?”
She leaned in and she got closer to Wu Yan.
Wu Yan leaned back on reflex. But, she kept creeping closer and closer while Wu Yan backed away. Wu Yan fell back against the back of his sofa while Asuna was basically on top of him. It looked like a reverse-high-impact-proposal-to-hump.
“Erm, Asuna…”
Wu Yan started sweating as he forced a smile onto his face.
“I think I can do it alone…”
“Oh, now that I remember it…”
Asuna raised her voice and she looked down at him with a pair of sharp-eagle-like eyes.
“Somebody told me to join a guild and so I joined the KoBs. Now that I am so unhappy in that guild, don’t you think that person should take responsibility?”
“Responsibility, you say…”
Wu Yan gulped down his saliva.
He averted his gaze.
Wu Yan weakly retorted.
“But, I thought you had to bring your guild members on a raid into the labyrinth?”
“That’s just to test the strength of the monsters on the 74th floor…”
Asuna grinned.
“With you as a team member, I am sure I can complete my objective much faster. The captain will also be very glad to hear that I roped you in…”
“Bu-but…”
Wu Yan had a distorted smile on his face.
“You have your bodyguard, right? I don’t think I can hang out with a guy like that…”
“Then I won’t bring him along!”
Asuna said without hesitation.
“I am sure you’re more than enough to deal with any trouble that comes up. Kuradeel is practically useless when compared to you…”
Wu Yan didn’t feel happiness from Asuna’s high praise. Asuna narrowed her eyes when she noticed Wu Yan’s passive resistance.
“Yan-kun… You told me to enjoy my life…”
Asuna beamed at him.
“Surely, you can grant a small request to make me happy, right?”
Wu Yan finally knew what it meant to shoot himself in the foot.
Asuna’s tone and attitude told him that if he didn’t give in now, he would be spending the whole night going back and forth like this, not the kind of back-and-forth he likes, that’s for sure…”
“Okay, fine…”
Wu Yan helplessly gave in.
“I hope you can keep up with me…”
Wu Yan’s words sparked a wave of excitement in Asuna’s eyes.
She smiled so wide her eyes turned into crescent moons.
She immediately invited Wu Yan into a party. Her tense look was amusing to Wu Yan. He clicked on the “join” button.
“Great!”
Asuna jumped in joy.
“Finally, I got to party with you!”
Asuna always kept Wu Yan’s “I can’t find someone to party with” line in her head. She was fixated on this person ever since then.
When she finally reunited with Wu Yan a year later, she had a nagging thought to someday party up with Wu Yan. Souta, that loudmouth.
Her wish is finally granted. An emotional burden inside her heart was also lowered with this milestone of an achievement.
“I don’t understand why you’re so happy.”
Wu Yan wasn’t sure if he should cry or laugh.
Meanwhile, Asuna giggled like a happy camper.
“That’s because you don’t get it…”
