57 Chapter 57: Need help?

"GRAARRRRRR!!!"

"!! Guildmaster! Did you hear that!?"

"As clear as day."

Despite hearing Asuna's panicked voice, Rein only answers to her curtly and shortly.

Of course, it's not because he hated her.

Then why?

"Kyang!?"

*Pring!*

"Gruh!?"

*Pring!*

*Fwish!!*

"Graah!!" "Goaok!?"

*Pring!* *Pring!* *Pring!*

Because he is currently bulldozing the road without any consideration at all. If there's such thing as animal protection organization in this world, then Rein would be considered as the most branded criminal.

Despite him rushing the field while wielding a huge two-handed sword, he doesn't show any sign of breaking a sweat at all. On the contrary, he's increasing his pace little by little.

Even Asuna, who is constantly chasing behind his back having her breath in irregular pace with legs screaming to stop moving.

Absolutely ridiculous. This huge contrast between both of them makes those words pop out of her head.

This is not a matter of difference in gender anymore. Nay. The 'class' between them is not on the same level.

(...So this is, what Silver Star really means.)

Just like a shooting meteor, the man in front of her never stops moving his legs to obliterate his enemies. No matter how much others try to catch up with him, they could only catch the remnant and nothing else.

No wonder the red players can only bite their thumbs, wishing his demise and do nothing more.

"Asuna, we are almost reaching the peak. Hold on a bit more."

"Hah! Hah...! Got...it!!"

She herself needs to squeeze every ounce of energy she has in her body to just barely keep up with Rein. And that's not even including him wiping out the monsters blocking their path.

*Pring!* *Pring!* *Pring!*

(...This is weird)

While obliterating the monsters like butchering the chickens, Rein let out a small frown and knit his eyebrows. Before both of them decided to hasten their pace, there weren't that many monsters obstructing their path like this.

Of course, monsters' algorithm in the upper floor can be irregular but, this is more to the direction of 'strange'.

Just like...

(Someone, if not something wants to stop us.)

Right.

And Rein can only think of one entity who has enough reason to do so.

"...That bast*rd. Becoming more brazen, huh?"

The 'virus' has become active the more time has passed. In the beginning, it only influences players' emotion on a very small level. However, the more he climbs up, the severity and variety of it jump up to a great deal.

For example, the original quest's level became much more complicated the monsters suddenly ganging up on him, and red players popping up more frequently.

And now, the irregularity of Kirito's feeling.

(It's targeting me.)

No matter who see and understand his situation, they could see the unfairness behind it. Kayaba is a crazy as*hole, but that guy strangely has a strong sense of fairness toward his world.

So it's crystal clear for who or what is behind on Rein's predicament.

(...Heh. So is that how you want to play now?)

But who cares?

To him, this can't be considered a hurdle. Just a small pebble to pass on.

Kirito's situation does make him surprised, but that's all.

It's not enough to make him falter on the road.

GRAAaaahh...

*kling...* *Klang.*

*KLANG!*

"Guildmaster! The sound is getting closer!!"

"Looks like it."

After cleaning up dozens of small fishes in front of him while sprinting, they finally reached to their destination.

When they finally reached the very summit...

"!!"

"NOOO!!"

They are greeted with the worst dilemma they would never want to face.

****

"GRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"Haap!"

*Klang!* *Klang!*

The clashing of a sword and dragon's claw happen again, again, and again like an endless loop. Just like proving own's determination, both of them never step back even one centimeter.

Depending on the monster and player, the battle's flow may differ greatly.

For example, let's take a look at the guild's fighting style. Most of the time, they take the hit-and-run approach that could tackle most kind of scenarios coming to them. Whether it be normal monsters or boss monsters, this tactic is most widely used among players.

On the other hand, what Kirito doing is the hit-and-hit strategy. In a sense, it is the same as Rein's style for Kirito to just rush ahead, ending the fight as quickly as possible.

If anyone asks which tactic would be the most appropriate, that is a million dollar question everyone would want to know.

After all, a fight is not like math or science. Sure, players could plan and form a tactic to increase the probability of winning as high as they could.

However, it WON'T and WILL NEVER be one hundred percent.

In any aspect or circumstance, there's no such thing as certainty.

Therefore, Kirito's battle style may not be wrong. However, players including the front line ones rarely or rather, never want to implement it.

Why?

"GRAAAH!"

*FWish!*

*Klang!*

*Slash!*

"Tch!"

[Your hit point is only half left !]

Because it's too risky. This may be repeated constantly, but you only have one and one life only. Except for some crazy players who have the balls to do it, there won't be anyone who wants to put own life as collateral.

Originally, Kirito is categorized as prior half as he also understands high risk and high return will just make him ending in dog's death.

(Faster.)

*Kling!*

But that changed gradually.

(....Sharper.)

*Klang!*

The more he sees Rein's battle style, the more he got influenced to it unconsciously.

Most importantly,

(Stronger!)

"HAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

*Klang!* *Klang!* *Zap!*

"GRAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"Horizontal square!"

*Fwish!* *Fwish!* *Fwish!* *Fwish!*

"GAAHK!?"

"Rage Spike!"

*BANG!*

"GRaaah!!"

"Vorpal...STRIKE!"

*B-BANG!*

"KYAAAAAHHHHHHHHKKK!!!?"

It's not enough.

If he just jogging while Rein is doing a sprinting marathon all the time, then he will never catch up, no matter how many years passes.

So he puts himself in the same position.

"....Amazing."

Lisbeth, who spectate this spectacular fight on the sideline mutter that one word under her breath. On her entire SAO's experience, she never ever sees this kind of fight anywhere.

Looking at the Boss' HP bar, it is depleting at an alarming rate. Without noticing it deeply, it already reached the last red bar.

(...Finally. I'm on the same view with him now.)

"Haah...hahhh..."

"Grrr..."

This is not the first time he had done this. Although, this is the first time he does this ballsy move with an area boss.

Just how many times he almost lost his life doing this style? Dozens on the bare minimum.

But that's not the important part. The crucial fact is...

(Rein, you always face this kind of feeling, huh?)

The tremendous pressure pressing his every fiber of his body on the entire fight. He couldn't even ignore any kind of attack because of one-hit from the boss can lead him to instant death.

It's tiring him physically and mentally to the limit.

(But with this,)

"It'll be over."

The end?

"GRAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

It could be.

*Fwish!* *Fwish!* *Fwish!*

The dragon is flapping its magnificent wings, flying up to the airborne.

"Tch!? I won't let you run!"

But not in the form he or anyone would expect.

"What are you doing!? Hurry up and finish it immediately!"

Feeling impatient of the prey close to escape, Lisbeth immediately rushes out from her hiding spot and shout out to him.

Which is a critical and terrible mistake.

"!? Idiot, hurry up and hide again!"

"...What are you saying? the fight is--"

It was then.

"GRAAAAHHHHH!!"

Everything goes downhill.

Every. Single. Thing. of. It.

*FWISH!*

A gust of wind, stronger than the initial ones, comes down to Kirito and Lisbeth without discrimination.

"Kuh!"

*Stab!*

Kirito could hold it by stabbing his sword to the ground.

But what about Lisbeth? Her weapon is a mace, not a stabbing one. Most of all, she is unprepared in every form while she is standing near the border of the hill.

Then what will happen if a strong gush of gales coming to her in that kind of situation?

"Kya!----....eh?"

The answer? She will be in airborne state in a short moment.

And then...

"!! NO!"

Freefall from the top of the mountain to the very bottom of it.

Nobody, even Rein could survive from the impact.

But that's not the worst yet. No.

The worst possible situation has just come.

"GRAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

"Tch!?"

Suddenly, the dragon who is just flapping his wing to run, come down in an unimaginable speed toward Kirito. Then, those claws come down to him.

".....Ah."

In an instant, he immediately understood it.

(I'm gonna die.)

If the dragon just takes his sweet time to run, then Kirito could instantly dash to Lisbeth and hold her to his embrace.

But now? That is a wishful hope. Before that, he has to worry about how to save his life first and beforehand.

Which is impossible.

Just like Lisbeth, Kirito was taken surprise when he twisted his head to Lisbeth's direction. And now, that split moment he had wasted is the deciding factor to end his and Lisbeth's life at the same time.

(....Damn it.)

He doesn't blame it on Lisbeth. Rather, even that guildmaster of him never done it, so what right does he have to do so?

The moment Rein took the leader position, he is always responsible for his guild members' life on every occasion. For Kirito who sees Rein as his goal, it is absurd if he whines about this mistake, even if it'll take his own life.

However, what he didn't know is that Rein never leaves his eyes on them.

Although, he just spied on Kirito without him noticing because it could be detrimental to his growth if he found about it.

And now, it becomes his--- No. THEIR saving graces.

"....Geez. You really make other people worry, aren't you?"

*FWISH!*

*KLANG!*

"GRRR!?"

"....Ah."

Suddenly, his view is covered by a player instead of the freaking claws. Even though Kirito didn't see his face, how could he not recognize that familiar figure?

It's the back he always chases.

The man...who he wants to beat at all cost.

And that man, who is still blocking the dragon's attack, turn his head and smiles to him faintly.

"Need help, Kirito?"