“If There’s No One Left Waiting for Me to Return...”

A slash of the sword flashed in an instant...

The monster didn't relent; it immediately swung its Nodachi down once more, right toward the two who were still dazed, powerless against the counterattack.

Slash!!

A burst of light flared in the midst of danger.

"KLANG!!"

The harsh clash of metal echoed through the stone hall as someone's massive scythe managed to block the deathblow just in time. The scythe trembled violently, and the ground beneath their feet cracked under the brutal pressure.

Asuna opened her eyes, stunned.

In front of her, Mito was bracing herself, gripping the scythe's shaft with both hands as if it could be crushed at any moment.

The boss's killing intent surged past her shoulders, but her gaze did not waver.

"Asuna... fall back," Mito gritted through clenched teeth, never looking away from the deadly blade poised near her cheek.

Asuna stood frozen. She whispered a name, "…Mito…"

Both Kirito and Asuna quickly got to their feet. Their breaths were ragged, their bodies aching...but neither took a single step back.

The boss still roared, its Nodachi sweeping a vicious red arc through the air, ready to strike at any moment.

Asuna clenched her empty hands. Her sword had shattered… but her legs carried her forward.

One step. Then another. No weapon. No fear.

At that moment...

"Catch!" Mito's voice rang out like thunder on a cold winter's day.

From behind, Mito spun and hurled a rapier toward Asuna. The hilt glinted silver-white in the chaos, catching the light.

Asuna reached out instinctively, her palm tingling as the hilt touched her skin.

It fit perfectly, familiar… but it wasn't her old weapon.

Mito spoke softly, almost in a whisper, "…Sorry I couldn't give this to you sooner."

Asuna didn't respond right away, but a single nod, and a glimmer at the corner of her eyes… was enough.

Beside her, Kirito was ready. His sword glowed pale blue, trembling as if it could sense the decisive moment.

Ren had arrived, too.

From afar, his figure shot into the battlefield like an arrow loosed from its bow, without hesitation. Debris and dust exploded under each step, his sword skill flashing with every slash.

Now, four of them...Ren, Kirito, Asuna, Mito, stood shoulder to shoulder, as if they were born to fight together in this moment.

Four weapons slashed through the air, clashing against the massive Nodachi, blocking deadly blows, spinning between attack and evasion like a deadly waltz of blood and light.

Around them, the other players nearly forgot to fight, simply watching in awe as the four figures carved across the battlefield.

On the cold marble floor, the final battle had begun.

Ren landed, the tip of his sword carving a shallow groove in the stone with a burst of dust. Without a word, he slipped past Kirito. Their eyes met for just a heartbeat...then they split, each choosing a path of assault.

The boss roared again. Its voice was no longer rage, but a deep tolling echo, like a death knell signaling the end.

The Nodachi swept sideways, forming a crimson arc. Mito slid left, her scythe rising diagonally to catch the blade's edge and deflect the slash off course.

Kirito charged from the right, activating a three-hit Sword Skill, his blue trail slicing across the monster's torso. The blow made it falter, but only for half a beat, not enough.

Just as the boss prepared to counterattack, Asuna emerged from below like a ghost. Her new rapier gleamed, jabbing like falling rain into the gap under its arm.

"Here!" she shouted, a signal.

Ren lunged, sliding past the boss's right flank. His sword drew a brutal diagonal line from its knee to its waist.

The boss staggered back half a step, the wound deep enough to shatter the overwhelming aura on its body. Clusters of red pixels burst from its massive form.

Now!

Mito leapt high, her scythe spinning above like a deathly rotor, then slammed it down toward the top of the monster's head.

A sharp "KLANG!" rang out...it blocked it, but the blow drove it downward with overwhelming force.

An opening appeared!

Kirito slipped in, twisting his sword in hand and roared:

"HAAAAAAAA!"

His sword thrust straight into the monster's throat.

A burst of red pixel blood sprayed out like a crimson geyser. The beast screamed again, this time not in rage, but a piercing cry of agony and desperation that tore through the air.

But it still did not fall.

The massive body staggered back, each step shaking the stone floor. Its left arm rose, dragging the Nodachi glowing blood red, its final skill, now unleashed.

A red circle expanded beneath its feet, strange symbols igniting like ghostly flames, spreading across half the chamber.

"RETREAT!!" someone shouted amidst the explosion.

But Ren didn't back down.

He dashed forward like a living arrow, his blade dragging against the stone floor with a sharp screech, sparks flying from the friction. Just as the boss was about to swing its sword down, Ren twisted his body and pulled with all his strength in a horizontal slash.

The blade cut across the other side of its torso. It didn't deal damage, but it was enough to make the monster roar and swing its arm off target.

The damage circle exploded. The misaligned blast veered to the right like a tidal wave of death, just missing Asuna and Mito, who managed to dive out of the danger zone.

The entire chamber trembled. Part of a distant column crumbled.

The boss staggered.

At that moment, Kirito was already in position. He slid along the monster's back, gripping his sword tightly, then leapt high into the air, his gaze calm as still water, yet sharp as a blade.

"Vertical Arc!"

His sword lit up in a pure cyan hue, tracing a diagonal arc from the monster's left shoulder to its right hip, a single cut, flawless, cold, like a stroke of fate.

The moment the blade left the monster's body, a stream of deep red light burst out like a snapped thread of blood. The boss froze midair. The light in its eyes flickered one last time...

And then shattered.

Its entire body exploded in a storm of red pixels, accompanied by an earth-shaking boom. All of it dissolved into fragments of light that rained down like a bloody snowfall, blanketing the chamber.

Suddenly, a system notification popped up before everyone's eyes like a sharp alarm bell, pulling them out of the nightmare that hadn't even fully ended.

[Congratulations]

[You have successfully defeated the first boss, IllFang The Kobold Lord]

The announcement rang out like a solemn bell, igniting a glimmer of hope in the hearts of all players now gasping and exhausted after the fierce battle.

[All EXP gained from quests or monsters on the first floor will now be increased by 10%]

Joy surged through the air, faces lit up with smiles, even though wounds were still bleeding, even though dark dreams still clung to their minds.

[Access to Floor 2 has been unlocked]

[The dungeon has been unlocked]

A new door had opened, not just a literal path, but a challenge, the beginning of the next journey filled with danger and hope.

Ren gently pressed the button to close the notification, his heart still pounding from the brutal fight.

The amount of experience gained was massive enough to fill 70% of his EXP bar, and the money earned... more than enough to live comfortably for a few weeks, even though he didn't get any rare items.

He exhaled in relief, feeling the fatigue slowly drain from every muscle.

Around him, the atmosphere was completely different. Other players couldn't contain their emotions.

Some collapsed onto the cold stone floor, some hugged each other. Laughter and tears blended into a symphony of victory. Tears of happiness streamed down faces that had endured so many hardships.

Ren looked at them, his heart warmed. This was the moment when every effort, every sacrifice, had been rewarded. Not just a victory over a boss, but proof of trust, the strength of unity, and an unyielding will.

He smiled gently, a smile devoid of clear emotion... at that moment, he felt utterly empty...

The happiness vanished in an instant, like a light blown out by the wind in the night. All the laughter and tears of joy froze in the thick, tense air.

Lind's voice cut through the battlefield like a blade across the heart of everyone enjoying the victory:

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? DAMN IT..."

He stepped forward, eyes cold and burning with fury as they swept over everyone.

"Our commander, the one who should be honored, the one we all pinned our hopes on Diavel... why the hell is it that bastard instead?"

Lind pointed directly at Kirito, his face twisted as if to hurl all his scorn and hatred at him:

"It was him... He's the one who got Diavel killed."

Those words dropped like a bomb onto the battlefield, silencing everything. What followed were confused, suspicious stares...and a surge of anger ready to erupt.

Ren felt the atmosphere shift dramatically. Every joyful moment just now suddenly felt fragile and meaningless.

The already stifling air grew even heavier. Accusations poured down on Kirito like a storm of arrows, every gaze burning into him.

Their voices were sharp, filled with malice and envy:

"Now that I think about it... how come they managed to dodge all the boss's attacks?"

"Yeah... why didn't he warn Diavel from the start?"

"The Last Hit reward... you didn't want Diavel to get it, so you let him die, didn't you?"

"I'm right, aren't I... Mr. Beta Tester?"

"Why aren't you saying anything? You wanted that Last Hit so bad you let him die?"

"You don't have anything to say?"

Those words were like poisoned arrows, digging deep into Kirito's pride and dignity. The crowd formed a ring around him, the circle of accusation tightening with every passing second.

Kirito stood at the center, his eyes quiet but deep. He knew that if he said nothing now, these rumors and resentments would fester into unhealable wounds.