You reap what you sow, and Seiya, despite his jokes about Kirito being a "guild killer," knew that The Moonlit Black Cats were facing a total party wipe because of their recklessness.
"I know words alone won't convince you. You want to prove yourselves on the 28th floor? Fine, let's go. The harsh reality will soon show you how stupid you've been."
After his tirade, a refreshed Seiya walked into the teleportation gate without a word to Kirito or the others.
Kirito was left to face an angry Sasumaru and his group. He had brought Seiya along to be a powerful backup and ensure his friends' safety, but the moment he arrived, Seiya had managed to offend every single one of them. The group was fuming and had lost all motivation to explore the upper floors.
Just as they were about to head back, a hand reached out from the teleportation gate and beckoned them. A voice that made Sasumaru's blood boil said, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and follow me, or are you scared now?"
Sasumaru and the others were young and hot-blooded. They couldn't stand Seiya's taunts, so they walked into the teleportation gate without a second thought. Kirito and Sachi exchanged glances, sighed, and followed them.
The 28th floor was a place called the Hyena Plains, and before reaching the dungeon, they had to cross a huge grassland. The monsters here were around level 35, which was no problem for Seiya and Kirito, who were level 46 and 48, respectively. However, for The Moonlit Black Cats, who were much lower-leveled, fighting these monsters alone was a struggle.
To prove themselves, Sasumaru, Tetsuo, and Ducker formed a small team and walked in front, while Seiya and Kirito walked behind, killing any monsters that came their way. To make the group face reality, Seiya told Kirito not to help them as he had done before. In the beginning, thanks to their teamwork and Sachi's support, they managed to fight the monsters, even though it was a bit difficult.
However, when a pack of hyenas appeared, the exhausted group finally panicked. As their HP bars dropped, their overconfidence vanished, replaced by a strong sense of fear and anxiety. Just as they were about to give up and use their "teleportation crystal" to escape, a figure appeared in front of them.
"Wenren Sword Style First Form—Tempest Fang!"
A powerful slash sliced a hyena in two, instantly emptying its HP bar and turning it into data fragments. Seiya didn't stop. He pushed off the ground, charged forward, and pierced another hyena's stomach with his sword, single-handedly charging into the pack.
"Hey! Are you crazy? That's a hyena pack! Tetsuo, Sachi, get out of here! I can't leave him behind. I'll become a coward and trash, just like he said."
Despite Seiya's taunts, Sasumaru knew Seiya had just saved his life. And just as Seiya had said, they were in this situation because of their arrogance. He couldn't leave the man who had just saved him. Just as he was about to give Sachi his "teleportation crystal" and charge toward the hyenas, Kirito stopped him.
"Don't worry. This is nothing for Seiya."
Sasumaru and his friends didn't understand what Kirito meant until they saw what was happening in the distance. The hyenas that were surrounding Seiya were flying away and turning into data fragments. Seiya, who had been surrounded, reappeared in front of them.
"Wenren Sword Style Third Form—Heavenly Assault!"
Seiya was like a god of war, weaving through the hyenas with his single-handed sword and killing them one by one.
"Shikigami Summon: Azure Dragon—Flaming Tiger!"
Seiya thought it was a waste of time to kill the hyenas one by one, so he decided to test his new ability. He smiled and drew a spell formation in the air with his free hand. A huge jet of fire shot out, and a giant tiger with a flaming tail emerged from the flames.
At the sight of the flaming tiger, not only The Moonlit Black Cats but also Kirito was stunned. He thought a wild boss had appeared, so he pulled out his sword and prepared for battle. It was no longer time to hide his true level. Even Seiya couldn't fight a hyena pack and a wild boss at the same time. His friends might scold him for lying to them, but that was nothing compared to Seiya's life being in danger.
"ROAR!"
However, as Kirito was about to charge, he noticed that the flaming tiger didn't attack Seiya. Instead, it swiped its claws and turned a few hyenas into data fragments.
"Kirito-kun, the flaming tiger isn't a monster. Its HP bar is green," Sachi said, pointing out the obvious. Kirito was shocked. The sudden appearance of the flaming tiger was not an enemy but an ally!