Part 12 (1/2)

Klein spoke in a worried voice as the Army members disappeared into the pa.s.sageway that led to the higher floor and the rhythmic sound of their footsteps vanished from our ears. He really was a good person.

”They're not really foolish enough to go and challenge the boss are they...?”

Asuna was worried as well. There was definitely something in Cobert's voice that hinted at a sort of recklessness.

”...should we take a quick look at what they're doing...?”

When I said this, not only did Klein and Asuna, but even the other five members of his party agreed.

...and they say that I'm too kind...

I thought this with a bitter smile. However, I had already made a decision. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if we left the Labyrinth now and heard that they never made it back.

As I quickly checked my equipment and started walking, a sound reached my ears- I could tell that Klein was whispering to Asuna behind me. I was wondering if he hadn't received enough jabs when the content of their conversation surprised me.

”Ah-Asuna-san, how should I put this...that guy, Kirito, please treat him well. Even though he's not very good with words, isn't very fun, and is a battle-crazed idiot.”

I dashed back and yanked Klein's bandana as hard as I could.

”Wh-What are you talking about!?”

”B-But.”

The katana-wielder c.o.c.ked his head and scratched his beard.

”It's remarkable that you're partying with someone. Even if it's because you fell for Asuna, it's still an extraordinary amount of progress. That's why I-”

”I-I didn't fall for her!”

I argued back. But for some reason, Klein, his party members, and even Asuna all looked at me with a smile on their face. I couldn't do anything except silently turn back around and keep walking.

Then I heard Asuna declare: ”Please leave him to me!”

I ran to the pa.s.sageway that led up to the next floor while making a loud racket with my boots.

Chapter 11.

Unfortunately for us, we ran into a group of Lizardmen on the way up. By the time the eight of us arrived at the top-floor pa.s.sageway, thirty minutes had already pa.s.sed, and we still hadn't caught up to the army members.

”Maybe they've already used their crystals to escape?”

Klein said jokingly, but none of us believed that they would have done that. As a result, we unconsciously sped up our footsteps as we walked down the long pa.s.sage.

When we were about halfway down, a sound that confirmed our fears echoed off the walls. We all immediately stopped to listen.

”Ahhhh...”

The faded noise that we heard was, without a doubt, a scream.

But it didn't belong to a monster. We all looked at each other and then started sprinting. Because of our high dexterity, Asuna and I ran faster than everyone else, and a gap quickly opened up between us and Klein's group. But this wasn't the time for us to care about that. We dashed like the wind through the s.h.i.+ning blue corridor in the opposite direction as we had gone last time.

Soon, the great double doors came into sight. They were already open, and we could see the blue flames flickering inside and a huge shadow moving slowly within its depth. We also heard the intermittent sounds of screaming and metals clas.h.i.+ng.

”No...!”

Asuna screamed with grief and accelerated her speed. I followed closely behind her. Our feet were barely touching the ground, as if we virtually flew through the air. I figured that we had already reached the limits of the system's support. Meanwhile, the pillars on either side of the pa.s.sage flashed past us.

As we neared the door, Asuna and I quickly reduced our speed. Sparks flew off our boots, and we managed to stop just barely in front of the gateway.

”Hey! Are you guys alright!?”

I shouted and leaned my body forward for a better view.

Inside-it looked like h.e.l.l.

Bluish-white flames were burning all across the floor. A huge figure stood straight in the middle of all this, its body s.h.i.+ning as if it was made out of metal. That was the blue demon: The Gleameyes.

As The Gleameyes flourished its enormous zanbato-like sword around, a huge flaming breath streaked out of its mountain goat head. The damage dealt to it hadn't even reached one-third of its HP. Across the room from it, there were a bunch of silhouettes, their sizes tiny compared to the demon. They were the army group, and their members were busy scrambling for their lives.

They no longer had any order to speak of. I checked the number of people and immediately noticed that two of them were missing. It would be good if they had escaped by using a teleport item, but-.

Even as I thought this, one of them was. .h.i.t by the side of the zanbato and went flying. His HP had gone into the red danger zone. I don't know how it had gotten to this situation, but the demon had managed to get in between the Army members and the exit, and as a result they couldn't even flee. I shouted at the player who had fallen.

”What are you doing!? Use your teleport item!”

The man looked my way. His face reflected the bluish color of the flames and was full of despair. He then shouted: ”That doesn't work...! T-The crystals aren't working!!”

”Wha...”

I couldn't say anything. Did that mean that this room was an ”Anti-Crystal Area”? It was a rare trap that appeared in dungeons once in a while, but it had never appeared in a boss room up till now.

”How can that...!”

Asuna breathed in sharply. This was a case when we couldn't even just rush in and save them. Then, a player on the other side of the demon raised his sword and shouted.

”What are you saying!! The word retreat does not exist for the Liberation Army!! Fight!! Fight I tell you!!”

It was definitely Cobert's voice.

”You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

I screamed. The fact that two people had already disappeared in a no-crystal area-it meant that they were already dead, already gone. Something that should be avoided at all costs had already happened, and this idiot was still saying those things? I felt my blood boil with rage.

Then Klein and his party arrived.

”Hey, what's happening!?”