On the way back to the city, no one mentioned the treasure chest.
Kirito walked at the front, with the Black Cats supporting each other. Lin Yuan had originally planned to separate at the maze exit, but Yuki noticed the injury on his arm.
You can't keep going like this.
"I can walk."
I mean, we can't go looking for monsters anymore.
She handed him the bandage after she finished speaking. Lin Yuan glanced at it and did not refuse.
Keita had been waiting at his residence for a long time. He finished the formalities for the guild headquarters, but when he returned, he didn't see anyone. After the door was pushed open, he counted the people who came in, and only after confirming that everyone was there did the color slowly return to his face.
Then, he saw everyone's health bars and heard what had happened in the trap room.
When the room quieted down, Kirito revealed his true level and admitted that he came from the front line of the conquest and had been called Beater.
"I haven't said anything," he said, lowering his gaze, "Because I was afraid that if you found out, you wouldn't be able to treat me as an ordinary member anymore."
Everyone was indeed taken aback by that level. Keita remained silent for a moment, but did not ask Kirito why he had lied to them. Instead, he looked at his companions who had entered the dungeon with him.
" Kirito didn't lead us in today," he said. "We agreed to the route, and we opened the treasure chest against our advice. Just because he's stronger than us doesn't mean we should entrust him with our judgment."
The person who opened the box lowered their head. "It's my fault. I thought that since nothing had happened before, it wouldn't happen this time either."
"We've all thought that way." Xing put the gun against the wall. "If we only blame one person, they'll do it again next time."
Kirito looked up. "But I did indeed conceal my strength."
"That's another matter," Keita said. "It's good that you're willing to tell us. Even if you can clear this maze by yourself, we can't count your level as our own skill."
The group renegotiated the rules of the operation: they wouldn't enter rooms that hadn't been scouted, treasure chests had to be confirmed, and they wouldn't open them without everyone's consent. Leveling areas would only be chosen based on the strength that the Black Cats could handle. When it came to who should check the treasure chests, several people quickly started arguing. One insisted on giving it to the person with the highest luck stat, another thought that today had proven luck unreliable, and someone else suggested that from now on, Kirito should kick the chests away whenever they saw them.
The sound grew louder and louder, and the previously tense atmosphere gradually dissipated.
Lin Yuan sat in a chair against the wall, letting Xing bandage his wounds. Listening to the arguing voices, he suddenly thought of Fairy Tail.
When Natsu and Gray fight, they argue even more fiercely than this, Erza only needs to stand up to immediately quiet the tables and chairs. Mira is never one to hold back her words, but when she returns from a mission, she always checks on her younger siblings to make sure they're not hurt. The people there will hide things, make mistakes, and smash up the guild hall, but the next day they'll still be sitting at the same long table.
The people in front of them were far less powerful, yet they looked somewhat similar as they argued heatedly over a rule.
When the discussion finally came to an end, Lin Yuan got up to leave.
"Wait a minute," Keita called out to him, "You saved everyone today. At least stay and have a meal."
What happens after you finish eating?
Keita paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "If you don't mind us being noisy, you can stay a few more days. Anyway, we've already bought the new base, and there are more empty rooms than in the old place."
"Guild leader," someone nearby said, "You're trying to lure the person who's saving your life into the guild."
"What do you mean by 'liar'? I clearly extended a formal invitation."
Keita opened the guild interface and reached out his hand to Lin Yuan. But his finger hovered in the air several times, and no target appeared in the invitation list.
What happened?
Kirito looked at Lin Yuan. Lin Yuan didn't ask him to make up an excuse for him.
"The system doesn't recognize me," he said. "I can't use your rosters, team formations, or trades."
The room fell silent for a moment. Someone instinctively looked up at the top of his head, and sure enough, there was no marker indicating a player.
"Who exactly are you?" Keita asked.
People who can't go home for the time being.
This is not a complete answer, but it is not a lie.
Keita didn't press the matter further. He closed the interface and placed the newly purchased key to the hideout on the table. "Then we won't register. The Moonlit Black Cats didn't actually get to know each other based on a roster."
Sachi pulled out the last chair at the table. Kirito looked up, and no one else objected.
Lin Yuan looked at that spot and remembered the long table that was always reserved for him in another world.
"Okay," he said, "I'll join."
Keita pushed the keys to the center of the table and laughed.
"It's not on the roster, but it's on the seat."