The morning sun filtered through the sparse leaves above, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across the forest floor.
Ryuto stood before the members of the Black Cats, watching them finish off another wave of monsters.
They'd won, but their coordination left much to be desired. Despite Ryuto pointing out mistakes again and again, the group still fell into the same habits.
"This wave should go like this… then that… and finally, this."
After a short explanation, Ryuto turned his gaze toward Keita.
"I told you on the road this morning how to handle situations like this. You've forgotten already? Were you not listening? Use your head."
Keita frowned. Something was definitely off with Ryuto today. Even the smallest misstep was treated like a life-or-death crisis.
Keita was quick on the uptake, but he couldn't shake the thought—had he done something wrong? Or was Ryuto targeting him? Maybe the toasts he offered last night weren't heartfelt enough…
If Ryuto knew Keita was blaming this on "insincere toasting," his pleasant smile would instantly turn pitch black. And then, no doubt, Ryuto would personally see to it that Keita got a few "special training sessions" to teach him how cruel the world could be.
Watching Ryuto's thinly-veiled payback, Asuna chuckled softly, recalling the events of last night.
She could see plainly why Ryuto's excellence would attract the attention of many girls. If she wanted to keep her position as his closest partner, she'd have to get even better—and keep potential rivals far away.
By noon, they arrived at a grassy training field. Keita suggested taking a break before continuing. Ryuto looked over the tired faces in the group and nodded.
The Black Cats collapsed onto the soft lawn without a care for appearances, complaining loudly about their exhaustion. But when Ryuto smiled and warned that more complaining would lead to "extra afternoon training," all protests vanished instantly.
After settling down, Keita suddenly asked:
"Ryuto, what do you think is the biggest difference between us and the clearing guilds?"
Before Ryuto could answer, Ducker jumped in.
"Information. No question. The clearing guilds have the intel to monopolize the easy, high-efficiency hunting grounds."
Keita shook his head. "Not just information. It's willpower—specifically, the will to protect others. No… to protect every player."
Maybe, in the beginning, the clearing groups really had fought to protect all players and clear the game.
But over time, things had changed. The Knights of the Blood Oath and the Aincrad Liberation Force still operated within reason, but the Holy Dragon Alliance—ever since its original leader died—had shifted.
Now, they worked alongside the Army, seizing prime hunting grounds, charging "protection fees," and becoming a menace in their own right.
Seeing the hopeful expressions on his companions' faces, Ryuto smirked.
"What, are you all planning to join a clearing guild?"
"Of course we'd like to someday," Keita said. "But for now, our priority is reaching level 30."
Sasamaru suddenly spoke up.
"Our skills have really improved lately, but the EXP and col from these low-level monsters is barely worth it anymore. With Ryuto and Asuna here, why don't we head to the higher floors for some real hunting?"
The Black Cats exchanged glances. It made sense. All they needed was Ryuto and Asuna's approval. One by one, they turned toward him. Whenever Ryuto decided on something, Asuna would back him up without hesitation.
"Why are you all looking at me? Did I say I disagreed?"
"Ryuto's the best!"
"Yeah, Ryuto's awesome!"
Ryuto gave them a mock glare. "Enough flattery. We move out now—before it gets too late."
In the labyrinth area of the 17th Floor, Ryuto, Asuna, and the Black Cats faced a group of lizardmen.
Of course, Ryuto and Asuna stood back, watching, while the Black Cats attacked.
Ryuto called out instructions as the fight unfolded:
"Keita, roll further to the side—you're still leaving half your body exposed to its line of sight!"
"Tetsuo, your swings are too slow. Wait for a clear opening before attacking. Don't rush in blind."
"Ducker, you're a thief, not a tank. What are you doing up front?"
"Sasamaru, keep your distance. Your spear has reach—use it. Face-to-face isn't your strength."
"Sachi, you can try the counter technique I taught you. Don't be afraid—Asuna and I are watching your back. You won't get hurt."
Sachi hesitated, her movements stiff. Then, at a critical moment, she failed to deflect a machete swing. The lizardman's blade came down toward Keita.
In a flash, Ryuto's hand went to his belt. A dagger appeared, the system assist light glinting along its edge. Silver light flashed as it buried itself in the monster's head. The lizardman's HP plummeted to zero, and with a shattering sound, it dissolved into a stream of data.
"I… I didn't mean to!"
Sachi's eyes welled with tears, guilt written all over her face. Keita quickly shook his head.
"It's fine. Ryuto's here."
The team comforted her until she regained her composure, and they pressed on.
By dusk, the Black Cats had gained plenty of loot and experience.
On the way back, Sasamaru grinned.
"See? We're doing great! Ryuto barely had to step in. If we keep this up, we could stand on the front lines!"
Ducker answered firmly.
"Of course it is."
Suddenly, he noticed a faint rune etched into the wall ahead. Everyone gathered around. When they touched it, a copper door with intricate patterns slowly swung open, revealing a treasure chest at the center of the room.
"It's a treasure chest!"
He stepped forward immediately, eager to open it, but Sachi's quiet voice stopped him.
"It might be a trap…"
"It's fine. We're strong enough now. Besides, we've got our teleport crystals."
Brushing off her concern, Ducker moved to the chest and carefully lifted the lid.
The moment it opened, the room's exit slammed shut. The lighting shifted to a sinister red.
Monsters began materializing in groups, surrounding them on all sides. Worst of all—the teleport crystals failed to activate.
The Black Cats froze in place, cold fear creeping into their limbs. Ducker's face went pale as guilt crashed over him.
"This is all my fault… my fault."
Only Ryuto and Asuna remained calm. Ryuto turned to the group.
"Don't move. Leave the rest to me."
He glanced toward Nova, the brilliant Astral Familiar perched nearby, and shouted:
"Nova!"
At his call, glowing lines along the magnificent bird's body flared to life. A shower of lights burst forth from above, like stars scattering across the ceiling, bathing the room in a shimmering radiance.
Before the Black Cats' astonished eyes, two identical copies of Ryuto appeared beside him.
Each held a pale-gold sword lily in hand. Without hesitation, the three Ryutos charged forward.
The surrounding monsters reacted instantly, swinging their weapons toward one of the figures—
Shff!
A blade cut through the air, only for the "target" to dissolve into shimmering data. The real Ryuto's counter came from another angle, his sword cleaving cleanly through an enemy's HP bar until it hit zero, scattering it into pixels.
The three Ryutos wove through the monster horde as if they owned the battlefield, cutting down enemies one after another.
The Black Cats could only gape.
"W–what kind of skill is that?"
Asuna, still watching from the rear, answered proudly—her tone carrying even more satisfaction than if the praise were for herself.
"That's Nova's special ability. It bends light to create illusions.
Two of those Ryutos are phantoms—if a monster attacks one, it opens a window for the real Ryuto to counter. Even his sword skills are masked.
For example—just now, he used his black-and-red blade, Blood Sun, to unleash a Horizontal Square Slash, but under Nova's distortion, it appeared as a two-hit Diagonal skill. The enemies never see it coming."