Asuna was indeed taken aback when she heard the B+ clearance rating. But what truly surprised her wasn't just the rating itself—after all, a B+ wasn't exactly legendary—it was the sheer confidence behind it.
She thought about that quietly, careful not to show any sign of doubt or hesitation. Revealing even a hint of weakness could tip off the other party that she might hold a higher clearance rating in the novice dungeon. Although Players at this stage seemed unaware that they could gain equipment or items by killing others, caution was always wise.
What Asuna hadn't expected was Asagiri's reaction. Upon hearing the young Suit Man's words, his usually composed face instantly shifted to one of shock. His dark eyes trembled slightly, and the word Unbelievable seemed to etch itself across his handsome features.
"Really?! B+?! No way, I can't believe I met such a powerful Player?"
Seeing Asagiri's shocked expression, Asuna felt a sense of awe.
What is a veteran actor?
This is a true veteran actor.
You, who obtained the highest S+ rating in the novice dungeon, are actually amazed by a mere B+?
Asuna already had a premonition that Asagiri was about to start fishing.
As expected, after hearing Asagiri's exclamation, the young man in the Suit's brows relaxed. He looked very proud but was trying to act calm and like a master.
"Hmph, with my brain, getting a mere B+ clearance rating is nothing to be surprised about."
"I see, so strong, frighteningly strong, truly a high-level Player."
Asagiri first nodded in deep agreement, but before the Suit Man could feel proud, he immediately changed the subject.
"Since you're so amazing, why don't you and your teammate explore this Hotel?"
The Suit Man was stunned when he heard this: "Huh? We explore the Hotel. What about you?"
"Of course, we'll sit and wait."
Asagiri said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"As the saying goes, when Heaven is about to confer a great office on a person, it first exercises his mind with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil. Don't you like to show off? Aren't you a high-level Player with a B+ clearance rating? Then go find the clues to clear the dungeon."
Hearing this, the Suit Man's originally arrogant face became somewhat difficult to look at.
"No... We're all Players. Only letting me and my teammate explore while you do nothing—isn't that a bit too much?"
Before the Suit Man could finish, Asagiri cut in coldly, the smile vanishing from his face.
"We're all Players. What exactly are you showing off for? Expecting us to follow your orders? Why should I indulge you—am I your father or something?"
Hearing such direct words, the Suit Man's face became even more difficult to look at. He was silent for a while before finally speaking.
"Then...then let me rephrase it. Let's discuss how to clear the dungeon together, no one orders anyone. Is that okay?"
"Wouldn't it have been better if you had this realization earlier?"
Asagiri took two steps forward, extended his hand, and patted the Suit Man's shoulder. He looked earnest and sighed slightly.
"Honestly, you just had to come looking for trouble. Why bother? But I'm not a devil with a complete lack of morals. There's no need to kill you directly, that would be too wasteful. Even if you die at the hands of a Banshee after leaving this room, your body might still provide valuable information after death."
Although Asuna appeared calm, seeing the Suit Man's difficult expression, she couldn't help but curl up the corners of her lips.
Who else could you provoke? You just had to provoke him? And order him around?
Do you even know that this guy...
Is the ultimate great devil who even dared to swear at the terrifying blood-covered attendants in the Asylum that most people wouldn't dare to look at directly, and in the novice dungeon, he cleared it by taking one Player, killing them, and finding that hidden rule?
........
After being sprayed by Asagiri, the arrogant and self-important Suit Man was very angry but dared not speak. After all, Asagiri was over 1.8 meters tall, and although he didn't look old, if a conflict really happened, he wasn't sure he could win. And this was a dungeon after all, the Suit Man wouldn't ignore the most important thing, clearing the dungeon, for a moment of satisfaction.
However, after such an embarrassing incident, he didn't plan to act with Asagiri and Asuna, so he proposed the idea of exploring in groups.
He, of course, was in a group with the Woman with Heavy Makeup, and Asagiri and Asuna were definitely in a group.
The girl who entered the dungeon alone, wearing a Western-style dress, with a cane and a masquerade mask, voluntarily offered to act with Asagiri and Asuna.
The exploration time was set for one hour. After an hour, they would return here and share and discuss the clues and information they obtained.
Leaving the Hotel suite and entering the corridor outside, after separating from the Suit Man and the Woman with Heavy Makeup, Asuna bent one knee and gently stroked the carpet on the corridor with her hand. Based on the soft touch from her fingertips, she turned to Asagiri and gave her analysis.
"The carpet is pure wool, expensive, and not easy to clean, but it has excellent sound insulation. It seems the Hotel we are in is a very high-end type."
While saying this, Asuna was also looking at the masked girl in the white Western-style dress, and a hint of vigilance appeared in her eyes. After all, it was too strange that the other party voluntarily offered to act with her and Asagiri.
Is she trying to cling to my leg?
No, if she wanted to cling to someone's leg, she should have gone to that Suit Man who started bragging and demanding leadership as soon as he entered the dungeon.
"Violet."
Hearing Asagiri suddenly call out her codename, Asuna was startled, wondering why he suddenly called her codename?
Could it be...
"Get ready to move."
"Are we making a move? Right now, right here?"
Asuna immediately stood up, staring intently at the masked face of the White dress girl, her right hand already reaching towards her side, fingers slightly spread, forming a gesture of loosely gripping a sword hilt.
Although she didn't know why, since Asagiri, as the Leader, had issued the command, she should execute it.
"Eh, we just separated from those two, and you're already planning to attack me?"
Even though she sensed the tense atmosphere in the air, the White dress girl's voice still carried a smile, as if she wasn't nervous at all, and even stared at Asagiri with interest, asking.
"Why would you attack me?"
"Because you're very suspicious."
Asagiri returned a smile as well, speaking softly.
"Voluntarily asking to team up with me, this kind of illogical behavior makes me suspect that you might be a disguised Banshee, planning to target the two weakest Players among us while we're separated."
However, the White dress girl's next sentence was unexpected for Asuna.
"Are you still acting? You're clearly the strongest among the five Players this time, aren't you? That idiot in the suit couldn't tell, that's because he's stupid, but I'm not stupid at all."
The White dress girl didn't retreat; instead, she took two steps forward and lifted her head to look at Asagiri's face, her eyes filled with a smile.
"That guy didn't realize at all that an ordinary Player wouldn't sign up for a dungeon at this point. Anyway, the one-month deadline is still far off. Those who voluntarily sign up for a dungeon at this time, more or less, are confident in completing it and must have achieved a good evaluation in the novice dungeon."
"Based on this premise, the disbelief you showed when you heard him say he got a B+ evaluation was clearly feigned. And most importantly, you showed no fear at all when facing him just now; instead, it was a condescending attitude, the posture of a strong person looking down on the weak."
Speaking up to this point, the White dress girl paused, looking directly at Asagiri's face, and said softly with a smile.
"However... since I'm assuming you're the strongest Player in this dungeon, you couldn't possibly not have thought of this. The only logical explanation is... you're deliberately fishing, and I'm the fish that took the bait, right?"
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