Initially, Seiya could have defeated the hyenas on the 28th floor by himself; it would have just taken some more time. But with the summoning of the Flaming Tiger, the tide of the battle instantly turned.
The hyenas on the 28th floor were slightly bigger and had a more ferocious appearance than regular hyenas. In contrast, the Flaming Tiger was two to three meters tall, its tail and forehead were on fire, and it left flaming footprints on the ground. The difference in appearance alone was enough to tell the gap in strength.
"ROAR!"
After the Flaming Tiger crushed the last hyena into data fragments and let out a triumphant roar, it gradually dissipated into the air as sparks. The Moonlit Black Cats, who had witnessed the entire scene, looked at Seiya with completely different expressions and attitudes. They had heard Kirito say that his friend was reliable and strong, but they had no idea that Seiya's power was on a whole other level.
A single person had taken down a pack of level 35 hyenas without a scratch. He wasn't just reliable; he was a god-tier player. The Flaming Tiger was so strong they thought it was a boss, but it was just a summon. They now understood why Seiya had been so arrogant; he had the power to back it up. If they had really fought him, he wouldn't even have needed to lift a finger; the tiger alone would have been enough to wipe out their entire guild.
"Seiya, what was that tiger?"
Not only The Moonlit Black Cats but also Kirito, who thought he knew Seiya well, looked at him with curiosity. It was the first time he had ever seen Seiya use such a power.
"Kirito, you know that SAO has a 'Unique Skill' mechanism, right? 'Unique Skills' are one-of-a-kind, and the conditions to acquire them are unknown, but I can tell you they do exist."
Some SAO players believed that "Unique Skills" were just a rumor because no one had ever acquired one in beta or the official launch. But Seiya, a transmigrator, knew that they did exist. After all, Kirito and Heathcliff, the alias of Kayaba Akihiko, both possessed a "Unique Skill": Dual Blades and Divine Sword, respectively.
"So, the ability you just used is a 'Unique Skill' in SAO? You really got one! How did you get it? Tell me!"
Kirito got excited when the conversation shifted to games, especially "Unique Skills," which he had only ever heard about.
Seiya sighed and said, "The 'Unique Skill' I have is called Shikigami Blade. As the name suggests, it allows me to summon a shikigami that resides in my blade. I don't know the conditions to get it myself. I just woke up, and the system told me I had a new skill."
Of course, most of what Seiya said was a lie. He could summon shikigami because he had shared the memory and ability of his Tokyo Ravens self. He was surprised that the game had recognized and accepted this skill. Kirito had grown up with him and knew that he only knew swordsmanship, so suddenly having the ability to use onmyoji magic would have been strange. Using a "Unique Skill" was the perfect explanation. Since this was a game, any supernatural phenomenon was acceptable. Seiya wasn't afraid of being exposed. Even Kayaba Akihiko didn't know all the details of the game. It was impossible for one person to design such a huge game, so even Kayaba wouldn't know all the skills and items.
"You must be the world's illegitimate child! That's so unfair! You just slept and got a 'Unique Skill' that only exists in players' legends?"
Kirito was heartbroken. Seiya was already slightly stronger than him because of his swordsmanship. The only way he could close the gap was to level up and rely on stats. But what was so unfair was that he spent every waking hour killing monsters and still didn't get a "Unique Skill," but Seiya, who slept until noon and even had a loli maid, got one in his sleep. Was that even scientific?!
After seeing Seiya's true strength, The Moonlit Black Cats' attitudes changed completely. The hot-blooded teenagers realized their mistakes and were now willing to learn. Seeing them happily calling Seiya "Big Brother Seiya," Sachi, who was walking behind with Kirito, couldn't help but chuckle.
"It seems the people who are friends with you are just as kind. Seiya-kun's insults were intentional, weren't they? They've grown so much in an instant. He's such a great person. He's strong, handsome, and so considerate."
Kirito, who was still thinking about "Unique Skills," instinctively wanted to agree with Sachi. But he quickly realized what was happening. He looked at Seiya's handsome face in front of him and then at Sachi. He panicked. "Sachi, you can't just look at the surface. Seiya might be strong and handsome and have a lot of friends and be loyal... but he also has a lot of flaws. For example, he's a lolicon! And he's close to a lot of girls, like Asuna and my sister, Suguha. So, Sachi, please..."
"Pfft!" Sachi burst out laughing at the panicking Kirito. She then looked at him with a serious expression and said, "Seiya-kun is excellent, but to me, you're just as great."