A Maze Zone Like a Haunted House! Bugs?...

"Rustle..."

"Wooo..."

The instant the iron gate opened, a gust of wind like a raging storm, accompanied by wails like ghosts crying and wolves howling, rushed into the ears of the two standing at the entrance. Asuna's serious expression immediately crumbled, replaced by a somewhat guilty timidity. Even Wu Yan felt a chill run down his spine, goosebumps rising all over his body...

"It seems..." Asuna swallowed, pressed herself tightly against Wu Yan, and hugged one of his arms.

"The maze zone on the ninety-ninth floor doesn't seem very welcoming..."

Wu Yan shot her an exasperated look. "Are there any welcoming maze zones in Aincrad?..."

"Well, not exactly..." Asuna turned her head away sheepishly, yet she could not resist stealing another glance inside. "It's just... this place..."

"Oh?..." Wu Yan blinked, stared fixedly at Asuna for a moment, then smiled. "Asuna, don't tell me you're scared?" "Heh... hehehe..." Asuna forced out an incredibly stiff smile, her gaze beginning to wander.

"H-how could that be? What would I be scared of..."

At that moment, another gust of wind that sounded like ghostly shrieks swept over them. The icy, bone-chilling draft struck the two at the doorway, and Asuna let out a strange cry. Her whole body trembled as she hurriedly hugged Wu Yan's arm even tighter.

Wu Yan was speechless. "How about you go back and keep Yui company..."

"No!" Asuna refused without hesitation, tears glimmering in her eyes as she glared at Wu Yan indignantly.

"It's just a maze zone! Even... even if there's something strange in there, they're only psychic-type monsters, right... right, that's it!"

Wu Yan slapped a hand against his forehead and said with a headache, "But aren't you still scared even if they're psychic-type monsters?..."

Asuna puffed out her cheeks, her chestnut-colored eyes darting uncertainly toward