"So there's such a troublesome boss waiting. So you're going to fight them while protecting them? “

"Yes. Everyone's life matters. In order not to repeat that kind of thing again...... I'm going to give it my all. “

I turned my gaze to Lilan. When she returns to her original form, she has enough power to shatter the little monster with a single blow. If she can fight with this power to the fullest, then Diabel and everyone in the Holy Dragon Alliance may be able to be protected.

"I'll borrow your strength, Liland. Although the battle will be tough......"

"No problem. Colossi or something, I'll burn it to ashes with my flames"

I looked at Lilan's smiling white dragon face and felt a wonderful sense of relief.

As long as you are with her, even the next boss monster will not be afraid. Fight with the power of Lilan and break through the 50th floor. That's the goal of this battle.

"Please, buddy."

"Leave it to me. You can't die."

I nodded to Lilan. At the same time, Diabel ordered us to leave at 11 o'clock today and disbanded us. I took Lilan to the city, thinking about the next boss I'd be facing in order to get the recovery items.

I took Lilan, united with the Holy Dragon and the other players to form a team and headed towards the boss room on the 50th floor. When we stepped out of range and Lilan returned to her original dragon form, the players around her were scared.

Diabel was equally surprised, looking at Lilan's powerful momentum, he excitedly thought that he could have such a powerful partner. Lilan is already very powerful, and she can destroy the small monsters around her with a single blow of fire breath.

By the way, Lilan's name is "Rerun_The_SwordDragon", which sounds like the name of a boss monster. She also has a completely different appearance from the dragons around her, a bit like a quarter-boss monster. Could it be that Lilan is a quarter-boss-level monster? Am I the "demon" of a quarter of the boss-level monsters?

The "beast" system is a real mystery. To the best of my knowledge, this is the most mysterious system in SAO. To be honest, Lilan can speak, seems to be able to read my mind, and listens to me carefully, like a human.

As I watched Lilan trolling on her feet, she looked at me and conveyed a "voice" to me.

"What's the matter, Kirito. Worried about boss fights? ”

"Ah, no, it's not like that. It's just that this is the first boss fight with you, and the boss can be very powerful. So I'm worried about exposing you to danger. “

Lilan brought her face closer to me, the corners of her mouth raised.

"Don't worry, Kirito. You've seen for yourself how powerful I am. With that kind of power, I wouldn't be so easily defeated. This layer of the strategy should also go well. But I'm glad you're worried about me like this."

"It's true you're strong, but ...... If the boss is stronger than you, I'll be worried."

The smile on Lilan's face vanished and turned into a serious expression.

"Looks like I've made too strong an impression on you? I'm very strong."

"I know you're strong. But I'm going to worry if you're going to die."

Lilan pressed her face close to me.

"Kirito, we can't stop. We must move forward and put an end to this iron city. The only way to move forward is to fight. I'll die if you're scared......"

Lilan gently brushed my cheek. Lilan's hair warmed my face.

"Protect me with your sword. Then, I will protect you with my minions and flames. So, how? ”

Even though she said so, the inner turmoil did not go away. Cooing lingers, not disappearing. Looking at me like this, Lilan left my face and looked at me.

"You've been fighting alone all along. Because of this, you can't trust your own strength and the power of your partner"

"Because I've always been alone......?"

"That's right. You've always been alone. It feels like you're still alone. But don't get me wrong, Kirito. You've got me and my buddies already. And that man named Diabel is also your partner. You're no longer alone...... Or maybe you just think you're a human being."

Lilan showed me a gentle smile.

The top of the form

"Don't worry, Kirito. I'm strong. Although I don't want you to rely too much on me, I am confident that I have enough strength to gain your trust. Moreover, you are surrounded by brave men who have fought many times through this steel castle. Don't worry so much, everything will be okay and we can always solve the problem. ”

Before I knew it, I called out Lilan's name.

Indeed, I've always fought as a lone ranger, always alone. Although there have been times when I have fought with others since joining the guild, I have not been able to fit in well. Perhaps, that's because I've always thought of myself as a man fighting.

Until now, the likes of Lilan and Diabel have been there for me, but I don't feel very deeply about it.

"You're no longer alone. Everyone believes in your strength. Diabel and the rest of the guys, and me. ”

"Do they believe in my strength......?"

"Yes. Everyone believes in your strength and looks forward to you. The next boss battle is to respond to this expectation. You've made a mistake before, but you've managed to overcome it. From this point of view, you should be stronger than the other players. ”

Am I powerful...... Indeed, I have gained the power of Lilan, and I am also of a higher rank compared to others. I know the action patterns of various monsters, and I am also very proficient in weapon skills, and my swordsmanship is multiplied by the use of swordsmanship.

"So don't worry. If you stop, I'll give you encouragement. Keep going, Kirito. Although I said not to be overconfident, but to believe in the people around you and believe in your own strength. So that you will be able to overcome any difficulties. ”

I watched Lilan's calm smile and listened to her voice, and the uneasiness in my heart faded away, replaced by calm, serenity, and self-confidence that I had rarely had before.

Yes, I already have Lilan, as well as Diabel and her guild mates. They are all brave and strong men who have crossed this "Einklad", and they have crossed this Shura field many times. Why can't I realize this simple fact?

"I'm not alone anymore......"

"Finally realized?"

"Yes. It seems to finally get it. Thank you, Lilan. Helped me again. ”

Lilan laughed, scratching my cheek.

"You're such a troublesome host."

"Haha, I'm sorry to cause you trouble as a beast messenger."

It was then that something seemed to pop into Lilan's mind, and she looked at me.

"That's right, Kirito. You seem to have recovered your spirits in the morning, is something happening? Did it happen after I slept? ”

"Yes. Something happened that made me feel better. But if I'm interested, I'll tell you again, okay? ”

"It doesn't matter. Say it whenever you want. But I'm really glad you're refreshed. ”

I left Lilan and walked a little further to Diabel, who was leading the guild members as he watched his surroundings.

"Diabel."

"What's wrong?"

"Lilan and I will protect you. Absolutely no one will be sacrificed. However, only we may have some difficulties, so please trust the power of you and your guild. “

Diabel's eyes widened, but soon returned to a confident smile.

"yes, yes. We've gone through a lot of upgrades, both physically and mentally. In the next boss fight, we will show our strength to become stronger. And, what else? “

"What?"

"I feel really good today. I was probably going to a quarter, but I wasn't scared at all. No matter how strong the opponent is, I feel like I can fight well. More confident than ever, and this time it really is. And it seems that everyone feels the same way. “

Diabel looked into my face.

"You have to be there to feel this way. Because of you, a powerful person who can break through this labyrinth alone, everyone and I can fight with peace of mind. So please believe in our power, and at the same time believe in your own power. Kirito, it's still early, but I want to say to you. “

Diabel turned his head and clenched his fists.

"We're going to win!"

I also hit his fist back with my fist.

"Of course!"

I'm no longer alone. I realized this, and my steps became lighter than usual, and I smoothly crossed the road to the 50th floor, the labyrinth area.

We came to the deepest part of the labyrinth area, in front of the boss room. Diabel stood in the doorway, and Lilan, members of the Holy Dragon Alliance, and the rest of the players stood behind him with weapons raised.

"Everyone, I can only say one thing. Let's win! And then come back to reality alive! “