Chapter 27: Fourth Floor Conquest Complete
With the participation of Viscount Euphilis in the battle, the tide suddenly turned in favor of the Dark Elves.
Up until the enemy forces were about to land, both sides had been locked in a stalemate.
"This is like a pay-to-win player entering the match!"
Hachiman gripped the mast tightly, staring at the sudden appearance of three golden buff icons in his status bar—the most outrageous being the skill "Raging Wave Repeller."
Asuna's rapier began to hum, its tip tracing a faint golden arc through the air.
What had previously required a full-force thrust to repel a single elven warrior now seemed effortless—they were sent flying like pencil marks being erased, landing lightly ten meters away in the sea.
"Hachiman-kun, this feels so weird!" The girl looked at her faintly glowing fingertips. "It's like a water gun fight…"
'So that's it. The theme of this event is "Harmony"…'
"The Viscount is going to take action himself."
A silver-white streak split the sea's surface, and Viscount Euphilis's rapier shot across the battlefield like a comet.
That sword skill was practically cheating.
Three medium-sized warships were sliced through like butter under a laser, and the soldiers on the decks all performed synchronized high-dives.
"The special effects budget is burning up!" Hachiman's eyes went wide. "Asuna, you'll be able to unleash map-wide attacks like that too someday."
"That just now… was a sword skill?"
"That's right. It's a top-tier rapier skill called 'Radiant Pierce.' Asuna will be able to learn it too."
"I'll be able to use something like that...?"
.
.
.
"Viscount-sama!"
At the sound of the shout, Hachiman realized a fatal problem—the Viscount, having just unleashed his finisher, was stuck posing!
That stylish stance—one knee on the ground, sword pointed toward the heavens—was certainly cool, but the glaring [Stunned] status icon above his head was basically a welcome sign to the enemy.
The enemy flagship launched a surprise attack.
Hachiman quickly maneuvered the Sivaly into the fray, using the ship's body to form a defensive wall for the Viscount.
"Don't get in my way, human! First you build ships for the Dark Elves, now you block us directly!"
"Huh? What the hell are you saying?"
"Playing dumb? These ships were clearly built for the Shadow Elves—we just captured them!"
'So that's the Fallen Elves' plan…'
"This is a Fallen Elf conspiracy. We never planned to invade." The Viscount, having recovered, now had a [!] icon above his head—apparently triggering a side quest.
"And you think I'd believe that?"
"Then let's make a bet. If you're defeated by them, I hope you'll at least listen to what we have to say. The battle's outcome is already pretty obvious."
"...Deal."
'Looks like we still have to take this guy down...'
"Asuna, looks like we need to defeat him together."
"Mm! Let's end this war ourselves!"
The sharp clang of blades echoed across the arena. Hachiman's hands went numb from the shock running through his grip.
As he dodged another sweeping strike by backstepping off a rock wall, he glanced at his weapon durability gauge—its crimson warning icon was flashing madly.
'This is bad… At this rate, my weapon will break first.'
Since leaving the Sanctum Labyrinth, he hadn't maintained the weapon at all. Its durability was at the limit.
The two of them kept switching positions, looking for an opening, but found none.
Realizing his weapon's end was near, Hachiman issued instructions to Asuna.
"Asuna!" Using the recoil from kicking off a rock wall, he soared in an arc through the air. "Three seconds later—coordinates D7!"
"Got it!"
A perfect block would destroy the weapon, so Hachiman had been avoiding such moves. But now—
CLANG! With a wailing screech, the weapon that had accompanied him through seventeen days of third-floor conquest finally shattered into data fragments—but that half-second of stun was all he needed.
In exchange for losing his weapon, the enemy was forcefully repelled.
'Blocking and linear attacks alone won't work. Right now… yes, now!'
Hachiman immediately followed up with the martial art skill "Crescent Moon", a backflip kick that launched the enemy into the air.
"Asuna, switch!"
Before the words fully left his mouth, her pale golden hair drew a shining arc through the blue phosphorescent air.
The rapier-user's silver boots landed precisely on a jagged stalactite, and she shot forth like a meteor, driving her blade straight into the Fallen Knight's helm.
Asuna unleashed her full-power "Starlight Tear".
Even the mighty Forest Elf-turned-Fallen Knight, helpless in midair, could do nothing—he plunged into the water, defeated.
"I… have lost…"
Faced with the bitter murmurs of his fallen foe, Hachiman reached out his hand.
"As promised, will you listen to our proposal?"
"...Very well."
As majestic music swelled, the war fog that had blanketed the cavern for three months began to clear.
Seeing the mission prompt pop up—[Truce Agreement Between Dark Elves and Forest Elves - Signed]—Hachiman felt a deep sense of relief.
"Hachiman-kun, I'm going to find Argo and check the progress."
"Alright, I'm not moving for now."
Still seated, he checked the mission results.
In addition to the standard rewards, there was a bonus weapon available.
Just as he noticed this, Asuna came rushing back in a panic.
She reported that the raid group had prematurely started the BOSS fight.
Hachiman and Asuna hurried off to catch up.
Viscount Euphilis and Kizmel also joined, citing a debt of gratitude.
The four of them stormed into the labyrinth zone aboard a medium-sized vessel.
Thanks to the Viscount's overwhelming power, they reached the boss room with little resistance.
From the door's cracks, a stream of water flowed out—prompting Hachiman to warn the others to avoid a frontal approach.
As he pushed open the stone gate, they could faintly hear the distinct Kansai dialect of Commander Kibaou yelling:
"Lind! Can you please aim properly already?!"
"Asuna, get ready to open the door!"
Hachiman clenched his spare short sword between his teeth, pressing both hands against the sea beast relief-carved doors. "On three, we'll—"
BOOM! A sudden rush of water knocked them both down. Soaked from head to toe, Kirito stumbled out like a drowned rat, but the moment he saw them, he grinned.
"Yo! You got here way earlier than expected!"
"You've got the nerve to joke?!" Asuna angrily flicked droplets from her hair. "Didn't we agree to wait for us before fighting the boss?!"
The black-haired swordsman scratched his cheek sheepishly.
"Well, uh... Commander Kibaou said something like, 'By the time those two lovebirds get back, the flowers'll have wilted'…"
Hachiman's temple twitched.
Looking inside, he saw Kibaou standing on a makeshift floating platform, wildly gesturing.
Behind him floated at least thirty reserve floatation devices.
"Wait, that scatterbrained guy is actually this meticulous?" Asuna covered her mouth in surprise.
Hachiman, however, stared up at the dome of the boss chamber, deep in thought.
"So that's it… They're using the rising water levels to trigger mechanisms and overcome the terrain disadvantage."
"You saw right through it, huh, Hachiman." Kirito twirled his sword. "But now, someone has to open the gate and drain the water every two minutes…"
"Leave that to me." Hachiman rolled his shoulders.
The final battle went smoother than expected.
Each time the water level rose above the warning line, Hachiman and Asuna would forcibly break the gate with a combo skill to release it.
Viscount Euphilis casually cast a group-wide blessing, doubling the raid group's output.
"Is this the legendary 'Blessing of the Battlefield War God'?" Klein stared at his suddenly bloated stat panel, gulping. "Mom, I think I'm invincible…"
Thus ended the special battle spanning three floors.
Though what awaited above was still unknown, it no longer mattered to the duo.
Entrusting the ship to Kizmel, the conquest of the fourth floor concluded perfectly—with zero casualties.