Deep Sea Forest

After exchanging the materials for Cor, Akasaka returned to Asuna and Usagisawa Misumi's side, only to find the two girls staring off into space, looking utterly at a loss.

Akasaka greeted them, "Yo, what are you two doing?"

The two girls turned to look at Akasaka at the same time as though they had seen a ghost. Asuna blurted out instinctively, "So you didn't run away—mmph!"

Usagisawa Misumi covered Asuna's mouth, telling her not to say another word.

This sucker had finally come back. They couldn't let him get away again!

Akasaka tilted his head. "Why would I leave?"

"Besides, when I was farming boars, didn't you save my life?"

"If this really is a death game like Kayaba Akihiko said, then I still owe you my life, Asuna~"

"So I'm not going anywhere."

Akasaka said with a smile.

Asuna—whose real name was Asuna—instantly blushed.

Who knew what she had thought of, but steam seemed to pour from her head like it was free. She merely lowered her head and fell silent.

Usagisawa Misumi looked back and forth between them, even forgetting to keep her hand over Asuna's mouth.

No way?

He had flirted Asuna into this state with just a few sentences...

This man was dangerous...

Usagisawa Misumi became deeply aware of just how frightening this man was.

She needed to find a way to keep her distance from him too. Otherwise, who knew when she might end up getting flustered by him as well...

Akasaka looked around and noticed quite a few players quietly making their way out.

They were the beta testers, planning to take advantage of the information gap and quickly grind experience to seize the lead.

Akasaka said to the two girls, "Let's head out and farm monsters too! Before those players realize what's happening..."