Ryuto once again explained his techniques in detail to the Black Cats before leading them out to hunt.
After all—no amount of theory could replace the experience gained in actual combat.
They soon came upon a huge, mantis-like monster.
Ryuto narrowed his eyes, nodded slightly, and pointed toward it.
"That Berserk Mantis will do. Everyone, get ready. I'll draw its attention."
The members of the Black Cats grew tense.
A Berserk Mantis was no ordinary foe—it was an elite monster.
With their previous methods, fighting it would have been suicide.
But after receiving Ryuto's guidance, they felt more confident.
Keita exchanged a glance with the others, then nodded.
"Alright, Ryuto… I'll leave it to you."
Ryuto bent down, picked up a stone, and tossed it toward the mantis.
The creature snapped its head toward them and lunged forward with frightening speed.
The Black Cats moved in as planned.
As they closed in, the mantis raised one bladed limb and slashed down.
The group split in two, circling to its flanks—just as Ryuto had taught them—keeping the monster's position in sight while striking from its blind spots.
Ryuto observed from a short distance, nodding in approval.
They'd integrated his instructions well, coordinating fluidly as a team.
Their potential was better than he'd expected.
But then—disaster.
Sachi, distracted for a split second, left herself exposed.
The mantis seized the opening, its scythe-like limb slicing down toward her head.
Clang!
The blow slammed into Sachi's shield, nearly knocking it from her grasp.
She staggered, panic flashing in her eyes.
Ryuto darted in, yanking her out of harm's way.
Light coalesced in his hand, forming a small buckler.
When the mantis struck again, Ryuto shifted his stance, turning the shield at an oblique 120-degree angle.
The impact redirected the force, sending the limb rebounding backward and causing the mantis to stumble.
"Tetsuo, switch!" Ryuto barked.
"Oh—right!"
Tetsuo charged in, his war hammer smashing into the mantis's core.
The monster shattered into a cascade of blue light, leaving behind an item chest.
"Whoo…"
Keita and the others exhaled in relief.
"That was close. Ryuto, you saved us again."
"Yeah… thanks to you, no one got hurt."
Ryuto didn't acknowledge the praise.
Instead, he approached Sachi, who was being comforted by Asuna.
She opened her mouth as if to explain her mistake—but no words came.
"It's fine," Ryuto said first.
"For your first time using positional awareness against a monster's perspective, mistakes happen. The important thing is learning from them."
He lifted the buckler in his hand.
"What I used just now was an advanced defensive technique—Parry Rebound.
Most weapons have narrow surfaces, so when they collide, the contact area is small. That makes it easier to redirect force rather than block it directly.
Shields are different. Their wide surface allows you to absorb and control the momentum.
"By angling the shield and adding your own force to the rebound, you can turn the enemy's strength back against them. With enough skill, you can even achieve a similar effect with narrow weapons like swords or spears."
Sachi stared at him, wide-eyed.
"I… I can really do that?"
"You can," Ryuto replied with a smile
"You just have to believe in yourself."
Sachi still looked uncertain, but nodded faintly.
"…I'll try."
Over the following hours, with Ryuto and Asuna guiding them, the Black Cats' coordination improved dramatically.
Their levels hadn't changed, but the grinding pace that had once felt exhausting now flowed smoothly.
By the time the sun began to set, the group was laughing together on their way back to town.
That evening, over dinner, Keita—ever the enthusiastic leader—poured Ryuto a few cups of wine.
He knew Ryuto's tolerance was low, but kept refilling his cup until Ryuto finally gave in.
The alcohol left him lightheaded, and he declined Keita's invitation for more festivities, instead walking Asuna back to their room.
Night fell.
Silver moonlight filtered through the curtains, painting pale streaks across the floor.
Lying together on the bed, Ryuto rested his head against Asuna's chest, his drowsiness from the wine making the quiet room feel even more intimate.
"Hey, Ryuto-kun," Asuna murmured, "have you noticed? That girl—Sachi—she seems… close to breaking."
Ryuto, knowing the events to come from the original SAO timeline, didn't even need to think.
"Of course. She hesitates before battle, panics during, and dwells on it afterward. Her nerves are probably stretched to the limit."
The moment he said it, he realized the air had shifted.
A faint, chilling pressure filled the room.
Ryuto's foggy mind cleared instantly.
Asuna's voice was calm, but dangerous.
"My, Ryuto-kun… you've been watching her very closely."
"…???"
Ryuto blinked.
Wait, wasn't she the one who brought Sachi up?
Weren't they talking about her mental state?
How did the topic suddenly turn into that?
He sighed inwardly.
Women's logic… utterly incomprehensible.
And this was all Keita's fault—if he hadn't pushed him to drink, Ryuto never would have made such a rookie mistake when his survival instincts were usually razor-sharp.
"Keita, you've got it all wrong!!!"
Ryuto, now fully sober, felt his mind clear. His quick wit surged back, reclaiming the high ground in this delicate situation. Without missing a beat, he launched into what he was certain was an irrefutable argument.
"I like strawberries… but strawberry juice? Not good. Strawberry cake? Not good. Even strawberries themselves? Not really my thing.
"I like you—but you can't just look like you, you can't just act like you, and I can't live without you."
Certain that this flawless bit of logic would convince her, Ryuto glanced around the room for dramatic effect. His eyes landed on the moonlight streaming in through the curtains. Tonight, the moon was full and bright—perfect for a vow. He raised a finger toward the glowing light.
"Asuna, don't just take my word for it. Look at the moonlight… look at that bright moon in the sky."
He gently pulled her toward the window. Standing together, they gazed at the luminous disc above Aincrad. With all the seriousness he could muster, Ryuto declared:
"My feelings for you, Asuna, can be witnessed by the sun and moon themselves. If I'm lying, may the moon vanish completely!"
…And then the moon vanished.
"…"
"…"
A dark cloud slid across the night sky, covering the moon completely. Ryuto's face stiffened in horror—his oath now looked like a cosmic punchline.
Asuna watched him, her lips twitching, before breaking into laughter. The awkward silence shattered.
She stepped closer, her arms slipping around him in a gentle embrace.
"As you said… you like me, and only me. I already know your heart. For these past few months, I've kept that trust here"—she tapped her chest—"so you didn't need to swear. But… pfft… even if I know today's 'oath' was just bad timing, I'll still be keeping an eye on you."
Ryuto's expression darkened further. Since arriving in this world, everything had gone almost too smoothly—yet here was proof that fate still enjoyed messing with him.
He let out a long sigh before wrapping his arms around her in return.
"I only like you," he thought wryly, "but that doesn't mean others won't like me. A guy this good is bound to be popular, right?"
With that self-assurance restored, he grinned and pulled Asuna back toward the bed.
Tomorrow morning, they'd resume training the Black Cats—and maybe, just maybe—he'd get to give Keita a proper lesson as payback for all this.