Onee-sama's Guide: "There exists a type of hidden room within the labyrinth. Inside, there is only a single treasure chest. Opening it yields no treasure—only a swarm of hundreds of monsters. Therefore, if you find an empty room with a lone chest inside, do not let greed blind your eyes. It is a death trap."
"Surrounded by hundreds of monsters..." Sachi's brows furrowed in worry. She seemed to picture the image of being trapped inside a sealed chamber, surrounded by endless creatures. A wave of despair spread quietly through her heart.
"Master... it must be dangerous, fighting on the front lines, isn't it?" Sachi's soft voice trembled with deep concern. Her fear wasn't for herself—she had always remained in town, far from danger. No, what frightened her was the thought of her master's death. If news suddenly came one day that he had fallen... it would be as though the sky itself had collapsed.
"Yeah, it's definitely dangerous," Kirito replied calmly. "But everyone in the Crystal Guild is really strong. As long as we're not fighting a boss, there usually isn't any real danger." His tone was steady, as if unaware of Sachi's concern—or perhaps aware, but helpless to ease it.
Beep, beep! The guild mail notification rang. Kirito opened it casually—and then shot to his feet in surprise.
"The boss on the 41st floor has been found."
"Sorry, Sachi. Please take care of the guild matters for me. I need to head to the 41st floor right away," Kirito said, rising quickly. He forwarded the message to all guild members through the guild announcement system, then turned to leave.
"Master!" Sachi's sudden cry stopped him in his tracks. He turned back and saw her standing as well, looking at him with anxious eyes.
"Please... return safely," Sachi said, bowing deeply as if pleading.
"I will. I promise," Kirito nodded firmly before running off, his figure full of unwavering resolve.
"I'm sorry, Sachi... In this world where we fight with our lives on the line, no one can guarantee survival. But I can't run away. No—I won't run away. Everyone in the Crystal Guild stakes their lives to conquer the labyrinth. We've taken it upon ourselves to clear this game—to ensure everyone can return home. They all shine so brightly... To fight among them is an honor greater than life itself."
Crystal Guild Announcement: "The 41st Floor Boss Room has been discovered. Coordinates: XXXX. All combat members, assemble at the designated location."
Tap, tap, tap... In the crystal corridors of the 41st-floor labyrinth, many players were hurrying toward a single point. Strangely, they wore two distinctly different uniforms.
The smaller group wore blue uniforms—pure and serene as the open sky. They were the Crystal Guild. The larger group, dressed in red and white, were members of one of the game's most powerful guilds—the Knights of the Blood.
Outside the boss chamber, in a wide crystal plaza, hundreds of players had already gathered. The two guilds stood apart. On one side, the hundred-strong Crystal Guild in their unified blue uniforms, exuding an air of calm freedom, like the endless sky. On the other, the much larger Knights of the Blood, clad in their red-and-white attire, their expressions solemn and dignified.
"Oh my~ The Knights of the Blood received news of the boss too?" Kurumi's playful voice rang out as she walked leisurely down the crystal passage, capturing everyone's attention with her bold appearance.
Today, she was dressed even more daring than usual—her signature uniform replaced with a striking short battle skirt that swayed with each elegant step, leaving her shapely thighs almost completely exposed save for the thigh-high white stockings. A large portion of her F-cup chest was openly displayed, her ample cleavage drawing every gaze like a magnet.
As always, the serious-faced Futayo followed closely behind her.
It was a familiar sight—the same pairing since the very first day of the game, unchanged to this day. Futayo still followed silently behind Kurumi, like her shadow.
At the start of the game, all eyes had been drawn to Kurumi's dazzling presence. But now, more and more gazes were fixed upon Futayo.
Futayo Honda—the Second Honda, acknowledged as the strongest player in the entire game. None could dispute it.
"Guildmaster of the Crystal Guild, Kimi-nee! Are you always this fashionably late?" asked Heathcliff, the commander of the Knights of the Blood, after a short pause. Sword in one hand, shield in the other, he gave off an aura of absolute steadiness—like a mountain that would never waver.
"Hmm~ That's because when everyone heard about the boss, they ran here," Kurumi replied, casually twirling a strand of her flaxen hair between her fingers, a proud, self-satisfied smile curving her lips. "But I, on the other hand, walked."
"She's doing it again! Kimi-nee always finds pride in the most unworthy things," came a wave of teasing from the Crystal Guild's ranks.
"My foolish little brothers, are you trying to make your big sister angry? Do you want to be kicked straight into the nearest gutter?" Kurumi's radiant smile turned devilish in an instant. The entire guild fell silent as if petrified, faces paling—they all seemed to recall some terrifying past "lesson."
"Commander Heathcliff of the Knights of the Blood, let's cooperate. Since we both discovered the boss room, we can raid it together," Kurumi said with her usual easy smile, though inwardly she was sounding every possible alarm.
Heathcliff was Kayaba Akihiko—the creator of this game. The only GM. And she herself was something that shouldn't exist here at all—a stowaway entity, a system-breaking anomaly. To the game, she was a hacker, a virus, a walking bug. A GM and a virus crossing paths... she didn't need to think hard to realize this couldn't end well.
"Your Crystal Guild might not have the numbers, but your strength is exceptional. I'll let your guild take point on the boss. We, the Knights of the Blood, will provide support," Heathcliff said calmly, even voluntarily stepping back.
There's a trap. There's definitely a trap! Kurumi's expression remained poised, but her mind reeled. If it were anyone else, such easy cooperation would seem normal. But this was Heathcliff—Kayaba Akihiko. For things to proceed this smoothly meant something was absolutely wrong. There had to be a conspiracy waiting for her.
Did he rig the boss? The thought made her uneasy, though she smiled faintly and replied, "Well, I don't really mind. Since you're offering so kindly, we'll take the lead then."
Folding her arms, Kurumi smiled elegantly. Such was the sorrow of those who led from above—one could not defy the will of the masses. If she refused to raid the boss now, not to mention the others, even her own guild members would protest. The guild's morale would collapse instantly.
"Form up! Line up! Count off from left to right!" Kurumi's beautiful face turned serious, the smile fading. Arms crossed, her alluring figure took on the commanding air of a drill instructor—radiating an almost intoxicating aura of superiority.
"One, two... report, Kimi-nee—one missing!" the last member called out. Kurumi nearly jumped with joy. She didn't know which brat had dared to skip assembly—but good, good! Missing was good!
"Stay in position and wait for thirty minutes. If the missing member doesn't appear by then, we'll cancel the boss raid and search for them together," Kurumi announced sternly, her face showing both anger and concern.
Of course, it was all an act. Inside, her true thoughts were: If that brat dares show up, I swear I'll kill him myself!
"To cancel a boss raid just because one person is late—that's not something a guild leader should say," Heathcliff remarked mildly, his tone showing disapproval.
There it is. Definitely a trap. He's pushing me to start the raid right now. You must've tampered with the boss, haven't you? Trying to take me out when I least expect it.
"Are you saying I'm being reckless, Commander Heathcliff? That's fine—say what you want. But every member of the Crystal Guild is my family, my little brothers and sisters. The boss can wait. Not a single one of my family members will be left behind." Kurumi lifted her chin proudly, her smile soft yet dignified. This time, no one dared to tease her.
"Kimi-nee!" A voice called out apologetically. A young man in a blue uniform came running toward them, his face handsome yet flustered. Kurumi's smile didn't fade, but her body froze instantly.
You brat! Couldn't you just take thirty-one minutes to stroll here slowly?! Why the hell did you have to rush over and dig your big sister's grave so enthusiastically?
"Now that everyone's here, shall we begin the raid?" Heathcliff's tone sharpened slightly. Kurumi had no reason left to stall.
Being a guild leader meant living under countless invisible constraints. But being a god—meant there were even more rules you couldn't escape.
"I'm sorry, Kimi-nee! On the way here—" The young man lowered his head, looking uneasy.
"No need to explain. You're here now—join your team." Kurumi placed a gentle hand atop his head, her smile as warm as sunlight melting winter snow.
"Thank you, Kimi-nee!" The young man's eyes misted as he returned to his position.
"Now, pre-battle checks before the boss raid. Recovery potions and anti-status items—verify your supplies!" Kurumi commanded sharply. Everyone opened their system menus to inspect their inventory.
"Backup equipment—ready?" she asked, fingers moving quickly. Every member responded with practiced precision.
"..." The checklist continued for a full three minutes before Kurumi spoke again. "Confirm food supplies!" That last order made every member of the Knights of the Blood break out in cold sweat.
Finally, Heathcliff spoke the thought in everyone's mind. "Surely food doesn't need to be checked."
Kurumi tilted her head toward him, flashing a proud, knowing smile. "Hmm~ I don't care if you find it tedious. This is about responsibility for our lives. If the boss fight drags on, food becomes essential."
"Since everyone's prepared, let's begin the raid," Kurumi said, once again twirling her flaxen hair between her fingers. With elegant poise, she walked toward the boss chamber door. Though her frame appeared delicate, she radiated an air of divine authority—a pride born from deep within her soul.
"If I can't avoid it, then I'll face it head-on. I, Kurumi Tokisaki, fear no challenge." With one graceful hand, she pushed open the massive doors. In that instant, blinding light flooded out, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.