"Ugh… my head hurts. Definitely not cut out for drinking. And… why does my hand feel like it's holding something soft?"
The thought jolted Ryuto awake. His eyes snapped open—only to find Asuna's face right in front of him. Her delicate sleeping features held an innocent charm that made his heart skip. His gaze drifted downward… and then froze.
Oh, crap.
"...Damn it," Ryuto muttered under his breath, cursing Kayaba Akihiko. Why did you make this game so damn realistic? You're going to get me killed like this!
The warm morning sunlight spilled into the room, and his slight movement caused Asuna to stir. Her eyes slowly opened, and Ryuto's expression stiffened.
"Uh… good morning, Asuna."
Her mind still hazy, Asuna tilted her head—then glanced down. The moment she realized what was going on, her cheeks turned scarlet, the blush spreading to the tips of her ears. But instead of recoiling, she smiled softly and wrapped her arms around him.
Ryuto's eyes darted away. He didn't dare meet her gaze. But Asuna pressed her forehead against his and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Ryuto-kun, we met by chance in a dangerous moment… and we supported each other when it mattered most. Somewhere along the way, that turned into something more. You love me, and I… like you, too. We have a bond. So I don't mind."
Ryuto swallowed. "Still… I feel like this is disrespectful to you."
She giggled. "So shy. You're not even older than me."
"I'm fourteen this year."
"Heh, so you are the younger one."
"Look, you drank too much last night, and I'm the one who initiated sleeping beside you. I was prepared for it. You don't have to blame yourself… because I love you."
The warmth from their foreheads seemed to seep into his chest, and her words wrapped around his mind like a sweet, dangerous poison. Ryuto's self-control wavered. Asuna's eyes fluttered closed, waiting.
He leaned in.
And kissed her.
At that exact moment, a loud knock hit the door.
"Ryuto! Asuna! Get up—we're moving out soon," Kirito's voice called from outside.
They broke apart instantly, sharing a quick, embarrassed smile before getting ready. Soon, they joined Kirito at the inn's entrance.
The three walked along the forest path, the morning air crisp. Kirito broke the silence.
"The first-floor boss requires fighting it and its guards at the same time. Originally, our job was to handle the kobold guards while the main team fought the boss. But Diabel knows your level, so he moved us to the main assault group. If the boss comes at us, I'll block with sword skills. Ryuto, you and Asuna will switch in and out to attack."
Before Ryuto could answer, Asuna smiled mysteriously. "Just watch Ryuto-kun's performance."
Ryuto grinned faintly. Weapon Master isn't just for show. Let's make the strategy team proud.
Soon, the raid party reached the boss room. A massive bronze gate stood before them, covered in intricate patterns. Its sheer presence was enough to make the air feel heavy.
Diabel stepped forward, turning to the group. "One word, everyone—win!"
He shoved the gate open with a deep creak.
Inside, the room was dark. A pair of crimson eyes glowed from the shadows. The moment Diabel stepped in, torches flared to life.
From atop a throne leapt the floor's boss—Kobold Lord Ilfang—landing with a ground-shaking thud. Three flashes of white light appeared beside him, materializing into heavily-armored kobold sentinels wielding warhammers.
Ryuto frowned. Ilfang's in rags, but the guards are wearing full armor? What kind of defense stat logic is that?
No time to dwell on it—Ilfang charged, the three guards close behind.
A shimmer of starlight gathered in Ryuto's palm, forming a gleaming white-gold spear. He glanced at Asuna.
"Asuna, let's go!"
She nodded. The two dashed forward.
"Wait—Ryuto! Don't rush in, stick to the plan!" Kirito shouted. But before he could finish, Ryuto and Asuna were already engaging.
Kirito's face tightened. These two…
He sprinted after them, but what he saw next made him falter.
Ryuto intercepted the three kobold guards head-on. They closed in, swinging their hammers from three angles—front, left, and right.
Ryuto vaulted upward, flipping clean over their heads. His spear swept out mid-air, striking one before he landed behind them. Without pausing, he spun to meet Ilfang's descending greataxe.
Using the force of the clash, Ryuto propelled himself into another backflip, narrowly evading the three guards' synchronized hammer strikes and landing behind them again, ready for the next exchange.
And with Asuna now within reach of the kobold guards, Ryuto suddenly seized her by the waist. Using the momentum from Ilfang's axe swing, combined with his own strength, he spun and threw Asuna straight toward the Kobold Lord.
Ilfang, still locked in a clash with Ryuto, didn't react in time. Asuna's rapier gleamed with a targeting assist light as she spun through the air, unleashing a four-hit sword skill straight into the boss's face.
Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!
Four precise strikes landed in rapid succession, each hitting a pain point. Using Ilfang's head as a foothold, Asuna pushed off, flipping back and landing gracefully beside Ryuto.
Kirito and Diabel arrived moments later, intercepting Ilfang and his guards before they could counterattack.
Kirito stared at Ryuto and Asuna's flashy maneuvering, their seamless coordination turning every move into both high DPS and a visual spectacle. What are these two even playing? Is this still the same game?
Determined not to be left behind, Kirito took a deep breath and called out,
"From here on, I'll take every skill the boss throws at us! You two just keep up the perfect combo—let's go!"
Ryuto couldn't help but smirk at Kirito's competitive tone. Such a classic teenage stubbornness… then again, I'm only fourteen myself. Without breaking stride, he and Asuna charged forward again.
With Kirito drawing Ilfang's attention and eating every sword skill head-on, Ryuto and Asuna attacked without hesitation. Their combined offense shredded a huge chunk of the boss's HP in seconds. But the cost was clear—Kirito's own HP bar had already dipped to half.
Glancing at his status, Ryuto summoned Nova from his Familiar space. The small bird hovered over Kirito, releasing a warm glow that instantly restored 30% of his HP.
Ryuto dismissed Nova right after—she was still only level 2, barely trained for two days, and far too fragile for a boss fight. One stray blow from Ilfang could one-shot her.
Kirito blinked in surprise at the healing, far more effective than a standard recovery crystal.
"Thanks," he said quickly before charging back into the fray.
Ryuto tightened his grip on his spear, exchanged a quick nod with Asuna, and dove back into the assault.