- The twenty-second floor of "Ayn Grant", on the north bank of the village of "Gaurald".

On the road to the labyrinth forest, dozens of players are running in a certain direction, and if you look closely, you will see that they are all players wearing various guild uniforms and equipped with rare equipment from the lower levels.

"Miss Argo, is this the direction?"

At the front of the line, Naoba, who had changed from a single sword envoy to a sword envoy, asked the rat merchant who was following the side to check the map with some anxiety.

They had been preparing for the birthday party since the morning, and they didn't expect that the last thing they were waiting for was not Yuki who returned, but the news that she was ambushed on the lower floor.

Ignoring the carefully prepared gifts, everyone hurried through the portal towards the twenty-second floor.

At that time, the members of the strategy team who happened to be invited to the party at the scene also spontaneously formed a team and launched a rescue operation with the girls of "Arcadia".

"Well, that's the direction! Ah, that's enough, I'm about to become your guild's exclusive tipster. ”

"I've already warned her that the information spread this time is very abnormal!"

Scratching at his hair in annoyance, Argo grumbled in annoyance.

Because the source of the intelligence appeared too 'coincidentally' this time, the instinct of being an intelligence merchant told her that there was something unusual in it.

I originally wanted to investigate it and then tell Yuki, but I didn't expect her to be so unbreathable, and when she found out that the source of the information this time was an orange player, plus when the orange guild moved, the girl had already entered the labyrinth forest on the twenty-second floor.

Now I just hope that it will be too late!

Yuki her...... It's going to be fine......

"Sirika!"

"Hmm——!"

Sirika, who was also worried about Yuki, whispered something that everyone had been avoiding, which attracted a reminder from Lizbet.

Everyone's mood is the same, but the most uneasy thing in my heart must be Lanzi, who has been suppressing his feelings.

From the moment he entered the twenty-second floor, Lanzi had been silent.

“…… It's okay, Xiaoyou's words, it will be fine. ”

As if sensing the gaze of everyone, the pale-faced girl with long bunched hair shook her head, but instead comforted Celica and them.

Blue ......

Looking at Lanzi who was reluctant to do so, Asuna couldn't bear to say something, but she didn't know how to speak.

"As Miss Lan said, 'Excellent'...... Yuki's words wouldn't have been defeated so easily. ”

“——！”

To everyone's surprise, it was the black-haired swordsman who ran on the right side who spoke this time, that is, Naoha's brother Kirito.

“…… The head of the regiment once commented that in terms of PK skills alone, the entire strategy group should not be able to find someone stronger than her. ”

"So I'm sure she'll hold out until help arrives!"

In order to reassure everyone, Kirito also deliberately said the news that only he knew.

“……”

"Is that Mr. Heatscliffe......"

Hearing the name, Asuna and the others whispered in amazement.

Seeing that the girls' expressions improved a little, and thinking of a certain conversation with Heathcliff, Kirito recalled the strongest man's evaluation of Yuki.

['If I don't use the 'Divine Sword', maybe I'm not an opponent.'" ’】

['Her sword has surpassed the limits of what human consciousness can imagine. ’】

The last sentence is still incomprehensible to Kirito.

It was only very soon that he understood why Heatscliff would say that.

"Everyone! There's a maze area ahead! Let's get up to speed! ”

"Wow——!!!"

With Argo's words, the players, who had increased their speed and momentum, rushed into the coniferous forest in front of them.

************************************************************************************************************************

Deep in the labyrinth area, where the "Smile Coffin" launched an ambush.

"Why! Why is the gap so big! ”

The Tooth King, who was sitting on the ground and constantly kicking his legs back, couldn't accept the reality in front of him, and shouted out in a somewhat deranged manner.

"Even if you're a player in the Raiders group! Even if you're a lot higher than us! It shouldn't be this result!! ”

In this 'game', if the player character level is very high, it will indeed crush the low-level players.

But the Tooth King can be sure that the people of their guild will never be more than twenty years apart from the members of the strategy group, so why is this happening?

Ignoring the man's roar, the girl, whose hair was already completely dyed with gold, slowly approached.

"What kind ——?!of 'skill' is this?"

Bumped into the tree behind him, and the tooth king, who had no way out, waved his hands in despair.

Is this state where hair changes color also a skill?

What the hell just happened, was there five minutes?

Didn't they come with more than thirty people? What about people??

Countless questions filled his mind.

However, apart from the fragments of weapons scattered all over the ground, there was no one left.

"Don't!! Stop!! I know it's wrong!! Don't do it!! I'm going to go to prison and turn myself in!! Ahh————!!!hhh ”

The flickering sword light constantly stimulated his nerves.

“…… If you apologize, please leave it to the player you killed. ”

"In another world."

With a 'farewell smile', the Tooth King watched in disbelief as his health bar zeroed out and turned into flying shards.

"Hoo ......"

"So what's next......"

With a swing of his sword, Yuki, who maintained a single-handed sword posture, turned around and looked at the forest that had been shrouded in mist for some time.

- Bell!

With a slight footstep, the blade of the sword raised above his head blocked the huge kitchen knife-shaped weapon that came from the surprise attack.

“…… When I saw the battle just now, I thought you had run away. ”

"The leaders of the Coffin of the Smile."

Under the hood, the man named PoH finally lost his calm look.

The battle just now ended too quickly, and in the face of Yuki, whose hair color had changed, his subordinates were killed as if they had encountered the boss of the upper floor.

They have the same doubts as the Tooth King.

But they are also the strongest orange players who are 'well-informed', so they quickly came to their own conclusions.

"Strength, speed, defense, reflexes...... In that state, your values should have increased exponentially, right? ”

PoH, who had no success in his blow, stepped back and said, holding a weapon named "Friends Slash Cooking".

"Like that man, this is your 'unique skill'!"

Continuing to express his 'opinion', the PoH, who thinks he has seen through everything, aims his weapon at Yuki.

"But anyone who has played the game knows that explosive skills like this will never last!"

"And your faded hair color is the best proof of that!!"

That's why they didn't run away.

Looking at the black-haired girl who had turned back into 'prey' in front of him, PoH proudly gave orders to his two remaining cadres.

"It's time to hunt, Sasa! Johnny! ”

"Humph!"

“Hey！”

Behind Yuki, the red-eyed rapier and the hooded man with the short dagger flew from above.

Directly ahead, PoH, who was holding a huge kitchen knife weapon, also burst in, wanting to form a three-sided attack with no way out.

“……？”

It's just that the two people in the back may not see it, but the PoH attacking from the front is definitely not mistaken.

The corners of the girl's mouth raised as she stood silently in place, the expression that PoH herself often made to her prey.

When he was about to combine, from the mocking smile, it seemed that the name of a certain skill quietly came to his ears.

- Mother's Rosario.