There are safe areas on every floor and in every dungeon.
Inside these safe areas, monsters won’t appear. If they do spawn outside the area, players who are inside won’t suffer any damage. These rest areas serve as resting spots for players to catch their breaths.
Wu Yan sighed for the nth time. He’s not hiding how upset he is. Finally, Asuna got annoyed.
“Hey, you, are you really that disappointed?”
Asuna said with a pout.
“I know it’s very lucrative to kill the boss but it’s not like you need to Cors or drops, right?”
“The reward is secondary…”
Wu Yan said with a dejected look.
“You don’t understand what it feels like to have your just rewards taken away from you every time because you’re a bit late to the party…”
“You’re making me sound like the villain here…”
Asuna said with arms akimbo.
“We are all a team here, all of us want to clear the floors. Who cares if you don’t kill the boss, the raid group isn’t your enemy!”
“Yes…”
“Stop mopping around!”
Asuna pinched the meat at his waist and she gave them a nice squeeze.
“Yowch!”
Wu Yan howled in pain.
“Are you trying to kill me?! Your move won’t reduce my HP but it still hurts!”
“Stop mopping around then!”
Asuna grumbled.
“I want the Yan who circumvented Post-Motion and smacked the crap out of labyrinth monsters back!”
“I can do that just fine…”
Wu Yan retorted. He glanced at Asuna and he started using a sweet tone.
“Say, Asuna, let me probe the boss, just a bit…”
“Nope.”
Asuna replied without a pause.
“That’s very dangerous!”
“In what way?! You know what I can do…”
Wu Yan forced a smile onto his face, he’s not the one with the most negotiating power right now, he has to be courteous or this deal could go bust.
“Look, I took care of the 72nd floor Boss, didn’t I?!”
“I don’t doubt your abilities…”
Asuna lowered her head, she continued with a heavy tone.
“What if something unexpected happens?”
Asuna is practically the leader of the raid group, it’s not her first rodeo dealing with uncertainties. She knows how the most prepped raid team can suffer casualties due to negligence or small errors.
Asuna knows that Wu Yan is strong, she can only chase in vain after his giant back. Deep in her heart, she’s afraid that all this would be taken away from her in a heartbeat. He’s the one who changed her, calmed her down, made her food, got her to chill, and, most importantly, made her laugh again. She’s terrified at the thought of Wu Yan’s death.
Asuna just couldn’t imagine what she would do if that happens.
Wu Yan’s smile dimmed down when he noticed her low vibe. He sighed and he pulled her hand up.
Asuna flinched and she looked at him only to find Wu Yan’s familiar smile.
“Don’t worry!”
Wu Yan said with a very convincing tone.
“I won’t die!”
Asuna’s eyes wavered. She looked down at the hand grabbing her and she responded with a firm handshake.
“Okay, it’s a promise between us…”
Wu Yan shook his head with a chortle.
“Sure, sure, it’s a promise then…”
“You better not be lying to me…”
“Who am I?!”
Wu Yan puffed out his chest.
“Do I look like someone who can’t keep his promise?”
Asuna giggled. She placed his hands on her chest.
“You’re the Fae Swordsman, the strongest player in the world. Of course, you’re not a fool who can’t keep his promise…”
Wu Yan rubbed his nose with a slightly embarrassed look.
“Then, I can go fight the boss, right?”
“No!”
“Please, let me go. I promise I will run as fast as possible if anything goes wrong, pretty please?”
“No means no! I don’t care what you say, it’s a no from me!”
Wu Yan’s face moistened with tears.
At this moment, a portal opened up, it’s a portal that can transfer multiple players. Both of them immediately let go of each other’s hands.
A bunch of players arrived, they were sporting similar equipment although they had distinctive styles. Judging from how they were complaining, they probably came after marching a long distance.
The leader is a player wearing what appears to be traditional samurai armor. He had a katana at his waist. He looked like a feudal warrior. By his side was a player with a black coat. He looked like he could live off his good looks, although his sword attested otherwise.
“Kirito?…”
Wu Yan gasped.
“Wait, is that…”
Asuna looked at the dude in samurai armor.
“Klein from Fuurinkazan?”
Kirito looked at the two and he also gasped in slight shock.
“Why are the two of you here?”
The other Fuurinkazan members behind Klein looked at the two of them with wide-opened eyes.
“I-isn’t that…”
Klein pointed his finger at Asuna with a flabbergasted look.
“Isn’t that Asuna-san?”
Klein took a look at Wu Yan and he started connecting the dots.
“The Fae Swordsman, Wu Yan? Why is the Fae Swordsman together with the Flash?”
Wu Yan exchanged a look with Asuna and they both bitterly laughed.
They are players too, is it that inconceivable for them to team up?
Somebody asked the question for them.
“Why are the two of you inside the labyrinth together?”
Kirito tilted his head in puzzlement.
“Are you two in a party? That’s highly unusual…”
The other Fuurinkazan members returned to their senses.
“W-wait, hold on, that’s Asuna-san?”
“Yeaaa! Asuna-san!!!”
They instantly surrounded the two of them in a speed exceeding their stats.
The two were taken aback as they retreated in sync.
“Hey! You guys!”
Klein yelled at his subordinates. He also ran over to them.
“Let me talk to Asuna-san too!”
“Klein… you…”
Kirito grabbed his face with his palm. He started questioning if he made the right friend in Klein.
Wu Yan backed away. Asuna is also not used to being surrounded by six stinky men. She awkwardly smiled with a bead of cold sweat flowing down the side of her head.
“C-calm down…”
Asuna said but the other players were too noisy to hear her. She looked at Wu Yan with pleading eyes.
Wu Yan blinked and then he grinned after realizing the situation. He crossed his arms and he watched from the side.
Asuna is so mad that her anger overwhelmed her panic. This bastard, he sold out his own teammate.
Asuna looked at Kirito. This time, she used a threatening gaze instead of a pair of puppy eyes. Kirito shivered and he shrieked.
“Hey, you guys, don’t take it too far!”
Kirito’s voice fell on deaf ears. Kirito’s words failed against the middle-age fanboys.
“You all…”
Kirito fumed.
“Stop right now!”
The 7 men started brawling…
