Striving to Live and Enjoying Life...

"Liz!"

In the distance, Asuna cried out in alarm. Seeing Kirito fall into the deep pit with Liz in his arms, she kicked off the ground and shot forward like a streak. By the time Wu Yan tried to stop her, Asuna had already reached the edge of the pit.

"Liz!" Asuna lay prone at the edge and shouted into the pit, but the only response was the echo of her own voice. Even Liz's earlier scream echoed faintly through the air...

In midair, the Crystal Dragon lowered its head and looked down at Asuna. Its dragon eyes suddenly lit up, and with a beat of its wings, it prepared to dive down and strike her head-on. But a figure had appeared behind Asuna at some unknown point, standing silently with burgundy eyes fixed tightly on it. The Crystal Dragon immediately halted its dive.

"Roar!" After roaring at Wu Yan on the ground, the Crystal Dragon no longer intended to attack. It shook its head a few times as though weighing its options, then turned its massive body and flew toward the horizon without looking back... Wu Yan watched the Crystal Dragon's departing figure without blinking, only looking away after it vanished from sight. He turned to Asuna, who was lying at the edge of the pit, walked over, and pressed a hand to her shoulder.

"Don't worry. Kirito's with her. Liz will be fine..."

"You still have the nerve to say that!" Tears glistened at the corners of Asuna's eyes as she abruptly turned to glare at Wu Yan. "If you'd come help this morning, none of this would have happened! Liz wouldn't have fallen in there! Even if they're all right, how are they supposed to get back out?..."

"Hey, hey, calm down first!" Wu Yan applied a