"Honestly, my joining the Knights of the Blood Oath was pure luck," Nautilus continued.
"After the clearing of the 25th floor, several of the big guilds besides ALS were recruiting new members. I figured I might as well try, and to my surprise, I actually got accepted."
"When I first joined the Knights, I could still barely manage to tag along with the others for leveling. But before long, I just couldn't keep up anymore. After that, the squad leader reassigned me to the logistics division."
After saying this, Nautilus fell silent for a while.
Then he let out a self-deprecating chuckle, glanced at Yuna, and added,
"Maybe I was never really suited for the frontlines to begin with. Lately I've been thinking—maybe I should just quit the Knights altogether. Instead of dragging the clearing group down like this, wouldn't it be better to step back and stay by Yuna's side?"
Seeing the look of growing despair on Nautilus's face, Yuna slowly walked over.
She tugged lightly at his sleeve, then cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her gaze.
In a soft voice, she said,
"But, Eiji… wasn't it always your wish to fight on the frontlines, to help free everyone?"
Her gentle tone eased some of the gloom from his expression.
Still, Nautilus shook his head.
Reaching out, he adjusted Yuna's hat, then bit his lip and whispered,
"No, Yuna. As long as I can stay by your side, I don't need anything else."
Yuna said nothing more—she only hugged him gently, burying her face against his chest.
Their display made Klein and the rest of the bachelors twitch at the corners of their mouths, silently grumbling: Hey, come on, enough already—you're killing us here!
Akimi, however, didn't seem the least bit bothered.
Instead, he watched with great interest and even commented,
"Mm—such pure, innocent feelings."
At that, Asuna rolled her eyes, smacked the back of his head, and muttered, "Honestly, you talk like you actually understand this stuff."
Clutching his head, Akimi looked at her, snorted a little in protest, and thought to himself: Are you kidding? I understand this perfectly well!
Of course, he didn't say it out loud.
"Well, let's head back to town now and prepare for the BOSS raid meeting," Akimi said once he saw Nautilus and Yuna reluctantly separate from their embrace.
"I remember seeing a Knights of the Blood Oath scouting party on the way here. That means the main force can't be too far away. We'll let them know when we head back."
No one had any objections to Akimi's plan.
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When Akimi and the others were preparing to leave the Labyrinth Area, three figures draped in black cloaks were conversing atop a hill near the entrance to the maze, occasionally letting out chilling laughter.
"Hehehe, I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they come out and see this scene, boss."
Among the three, the player with the ID Red-Eyed XaXa tilted his head slightly and spoke to the taller companion on his right.
Before the so-called "boss" could respond, the third man, with the ID Johnny Black, interjected: "It's definitely going to be fun! Hahaha!"
The "boss" didn't seem displeased at being cut off.
Instead, he looked rather satisfied with the state of his companions.
Once the two companions' laughter finally subsided, the "boss" smiled and began speaking:
"Tomioka Akimi, Asuna—the forefront players of the clearing group; the top-ranked guild Knights of the Blood Oath; and the elite guild Fuurinkazan… If they all fall here, it'll surely throw everyone into a panic."
After pausing briefly, the "boss" continued:
"Since this is a death game, killing is only natural. Enjoying the game to the fullest—this is the right granted to every player."
After finishing his words, he turned his gaze toward the entrance of the labyrinth, the corner of his mouth curling into a chilling smile.
Whether it was an omen or mere coincidence, that day the sunset over Aincrad was nearly blood-red, unsettling to behold.
Beneath the crimson sky stood countless monsters—among them elite beasts, special types, and even a dozen Mid-Autumn Rabbits mixed in.
The monsters' eyes, each glowing in different hues, scanned their surroundings ceaselessly, sending chills down one's spine.
A breeze passed by, lifting the edge of the "boss's" hooded cloak, revealing his handsome face—unlike that of an Asian.
"It's show time…"
The strangely accented words slipped from his mouth, half-whisper, half-sneer.
His voice was faint, yet chillingly clear.
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