"Wait. I'll fight in Vice Guild Leader Asuna's place."
If it had been anyone else, that would have been fine. But this person happened to be Feng Chen.
In the Strategy Group, the only people who could truly keep Zahard in check were Kirito and Feng Chen. Even Klein had to give Zahard some leeway at times.
That was because Zahard was simply far too overbearing. Only genuine strength could restrain him.
"President Feng Chen, what do you mean by this? St. Freya and the Holy Dragon Union have always minded their own business. Don't tell me you're trying to provoke a conflict between our two guilds?"
Feng Chen wasn't afraid of provoking a conflict between the two guilds. Most of St. Freya's members were elite soldiers, and their average level was much higher than that of the Holy Dragon Union's players. Zahard was only saying this to stop Feng Chen from interfering.
"Provoking a conflict would be going too far. But the Blood Oath Knights were a guild I brought into the Strategy Group. As a senior, there shouldn't be anything wrong with looking after my juniors, right?"
"Wh...?!"
Zahard had previously assumed that the Blood Oath Knights had been brought in by one of the other Strategy Group guilds. He had never expected that St. Freya had approved it.
"What's wrong, President Zahard? Are you afraid? That doesn't suit your style. In my impression, President Zahard fears neither Heaven nor Earth. Surely you won't back down just because I'm the president of St. Freya."
The sarcasm was becoming increasingly obvious. Feng Chen's goal was to provoke Zahard.
"A... A joke! Why would I be afraid? Come on, choose the duel mode!"
By the time Zahard said those words, Feng Chen had already led him by the nose.
*I've