As Lin Yuan pushed aside the last clump of bushes, the Long-Armed Drunk Ape's stone axe had already fallen.
In the center of the open space, the girl in the red cloak lost her balance, and her short sword was knocked away by another drunken ape. The pale blue dragon on her shoulder let out a sharp cry, spread its wings, and pounced on the axe blade.
The soil beneath Lin Yuan's feet exploded.
The longsword struck first, piercing the drunken ape's chest. The monster's body froze in mid-air, while the stone axe, still carrying residual momentum, grazed the sword's edge and struck the small dragon blocking the girl's path.
A blue figure fell from the sky.
" Pina!"
The girl reached out and caught it. Kirito darted into the open space from the other side, his one-handed sword flashing with sword skill light, and with a horizontal slash, he simultaneously repelled the two drunken apes that pounced on him. Lin Yuan drew his sword and turned around, his blade landing in the gaps between the monsters' movements.
No second drunken ape could withstand a single sword strike.
In just a few breaths, only the shattered light of the monster remained in the forest. The girl did not look up, but knelt on the ground, her hands tightly protecting the little dragon in her arms.
Pina struggled to open her eyes, and her tiny head nuzzled against her palm.
Then, it turned into pale blue fragments.
The girl clasped her hands together, but couldn't hold onto anything. Until the last glimmer of light faded, a pale blue, feather-like crystal landed in her palm.
"It's all my fault..." Her voice trembled, "If I hadn't argued with them and run away alone..."
Lin Yuan sheathed his sword, without saying "It's not your fault." She had indeed entered the forest alone out of spite, and she had indeed continued forward after getting lost. Denying it for her now would only make Pina's sacrifice seem insignificant.
Kirito crouched down, and after clearly seeing the crystal, suddenly said, "It's not too late."
The girl suddenly looked up.
"On the forty-seventh floor, there is a place called ' Hill of Memories.' When a familiar dies, it leaves behind its heart. If a tamer brings it there within three days, they can obtain the ' Flower of the Soul,' an item used to revive a familiar."
"Can we really bring Pina back?"
"The intelligence is accurate," Kirito, looking at her, "But the forty-seventh floor is not a place where you can act alone right now."
The girl clutched the heart Pina had left behind. Hope had appeared so quickly that she couldn't immediately believe it. "Why did you tell me? What do you want?"
"My name is Kirito, and this is Lin Yuan," Kirito said. "We just happened to be passing by. As for whether we'll help you get up there, that depends on whether you dare to go yourself."
Lin Yuan glanced at the short sword on the ground. "Pick up the weapon first."
The girl paused for a moment, wiped away her tears, and got up to pick up the short sword. She re-examined the scabbard and the last remaining potion, her movements initially a little erratic, but gradually becoming steady.
"My name is Silica." She carefully put Pina's Heart away from her body. "I'm going."
Lin Yuan nodded.
The three returned to the main street. Silica walked in the middle, while Kirito deliberately slowed down. Lin Yuan lagged half a step behind, and as he passed a low shrub, his gaze swept over the thin branch broken by the sole of his boot.
The fracture was very fresh, but its orientation was opposite to when they came.
Someone had passed by before the Drunken Ape appeared, and then turned back. The person didn't approach the open area, but watched the entire battle from a distance.
Lin Yuan didn't stop, but said to Kirito, "There are people behind us."
Kirito's gaze didn't shift. "Since when?"
"Before rescuing people."
The two did not continue their discussion in front of Silica. The stalker had not made a move, and their target might not be them; before confirming the stalker's identity, a hasty pursuit would only leave Silica alone in a dangerous area.
When I returned to the main street on the 35th floor, it was already dark. The central transfer portal kept emitting blue light, and players appeared in groups on the stone platform, only to quickly disappear into the light leading to other floors.
Kirito bought supplies and replenished Silica's antidote crystals and recovery potions. Then, in front of the transfer gate, he announced the name of the main street on the forty-seventh floor.
As the light began to rise, Silica discovered that Lin Yuan was still standing outside the stone platform.
Aren't you coming with me?
"The transfer door won't work on me," Lin Yuan said.
Silica froze. She instinctively wanted to look at Lin Yuan's head, but there was neither a name nor any marker indicating his player status.
Kirito didn't explain, only asking, "The twelfth floor, is that enough time?"
Running from the 35th floor to the 47th floor along the already opened passageway is a route that would make an average player give up, even without having to explore it again.
Lin Yuan turned and walked towards the street leading to the maze area.
"You go first," he said. "I'll catch up."