My SAO adventure is wrong, as expected

Chapter 44: Silica's Special Encounter Training [Floor 22 · Maple Corridor]

When Kirito said, "I want to take you to meet someone interesting," Silica had just stuffed a newly bought rock salt cookie into her backpack.

Her slender fingers paused midair, and her honey-colored eyes trembled slightly — this was the third such invitation she'd received this week.

'But the others always had questionable motives…'

"Um… Won't I be troubling you?" she asked instinctively, tugging at the hem of her reindeer leather skirt.

Since reviving Pina, this black-clad swordsman had been helping her under various pretenses.

The setting sun was filtering through the house's floral curtains, casting soft speckles of light across Kirito's body.

"Not at all," he replied warmly, tapping his finger on the table. A crisp metallic sound rang out as his gauntlet met the oak surface. "Hachiman keeps saying his tower feels as cold as a freezer. You'd make a perfect cheerful guest."

"Ah… I see." She looked at Kirito, her cheeks turning red, gaze darting away.

'I'm so glad I met Kirito…'

Though nervous about visiting a stranger's home, her trust in Kirito ultimately won out.

The place he brought her to was a tower on the outskirts of the empty main district of the 22nd floor.

"Tada~ This is our raid group's secret base! Haha—well, technically it's a house someone else bought." He scratched his cheek a bit awkwardly, then gently brushed aside some hanging wisteria.

Just as Silica was about to speak, a voice from around the corridor corner froze her in place.

"Kirito, you're thirteen minutes late." A young man in a dark gray trench coat leaned against the spiral staircase. His messy black hair hung over his perpetually sleepy-looking eyes.

"Hachiman, I brought her."

"Nice to meet you! I'm Silica!" She bowed deeply at ninety degrees, nearly sending her beret flying off.

She hastily pressed her hat down, only to hear soft laughter from above—Hachiman was holding a fist to his mouth, letting out a chuckle.

Ahem… "I heard about Pina." He leaned down to eye level with the small blue-feathered dragon perched on Silica's shoulder, gently brushing Pina's beak with his fingers. "Reuniting after death… that's no easy feat, huh?"

"Yes!" She felt a lump in her throat.

'He may speak bluntly, but he must be a kind person…' "I also heard you helped with Pina. Thank you so much!" "Ah—most of the credit goes to Kirito. I didn't do much." "Even so, thank you!" "Oh, oh… okay."

After being led inside, Silica happily explored, exclaiming how amazing everything was. Hachiman, seeming pleased with the compliments to his home, took the initiative to start teaching Silica dagger techniques.

After the lesson, Silica took a bath, and the three of them turned in early to rest for tomorrow's hunt.

Tomorrow was apparently a five-member team leveling session. For the first time, Silica looked forward to hunting and fell asleep feeling relaxed.

.

.

.

The next day, when she saw the gathered members, Silica nearly had a heart attack.

"Yo, Heathcliff." He waved casually, as if the man before him weren't the commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, but a street vendor selling roasted chestnuts. "Didn't think you'd actually show."

"Thanks for letting me join," the always composed leader replied with a smile toward Hachiman. His gaze then turned to the girl hiding behind Kirito. "But bringing a newcomer to the front lines… should I say, typical of you, Kirito?"

"Well, more firepower never hurts."

"But how did this happen again?" he asked, confused.

"Um, when I mentioned it while requesting leave, the commander said he'd really like to join too." She looked a little embarrassed.

"Heathcliff joining this kind of activity is rare… maybe a first."

"Even I want to relax outside the guild once in a while."

"Ah, I get that feeling too sometimes."

Gathered here were the top-tier legends of the front-line raid group. Silica only recognized Kirito — she had never even seen the others from a distance.

There was Commander Heathcliff of the Knights of the Blood Oath, Vice Commander "Flash" Asuna, and the black swordsman Kirito.

Though she'd just learned Hachiman's name yesterday, seeing how composed he was among these giants, and recalling his impressive dagger skills from last night, Silica was sure he was incredibly strong too.

"So, what's the plan for today?" He suddenly turned to Kirito, who was sneakily munching on honey bread. Cough! "I was thinking of taking Silica to the 55th floor to farm some crystal scorpions…"

'Wait wait wait, Kirito that's impossible for me!!'

"How about taking this party to the front-line labyrinth instead?" he suggested, making Silica's ears shoot straight up in fear. "There's an unexplored dungeon just outside the nearby town." "Sounds good to me." "I'm fine with that."

Everyone agreed — after all, with a team composed of SAO's strongest, they were virtually unstoppable.

'Wait, wait, wait, wait—!' "Silica, we're heading to a front-line dungeon. Relax, it's okay." "Y-Yes…"

Of course, Silica couldn't say no.

Though she'd seen Kirito fight the Titan's Hand, that wasn't even close to a real battle.

Today was the first time she witnessed top-tier players in true combat.

When the first wave of minotaurs charged from behind, Silica finally understood what "raid group tempo" meant.

Asuna's rapier turned into a white meteor, piercing a monster's throat; Heathcliff's shield locked down the second one's charge path; and Kirito's Elucidator exploded a cross-shaped starburst at the monster's weak point.

"Kirito attacks, immediately switch to Silica. Silica goes all-out, then switches back. Kirito, don't take your eyes off Silica when you retreat." "Got it. Silica, 3 o'clock!" His low shout snapped the dazed girl awake. "R-Right!"

Pina's healing breath washed over Asuna just in time as Silica's dagger pierced a monster's knee joint — the exact angle they had practiced last night.

System chimes rang in her ears as she watched the EXP bar jump — it was more than ten times faster than when she'd soloed venomous spiders on Floor 43.

"I'll draw the next wave."

In a blur of high-speed combat, Silica's level skyrocketed. During battle lulls, Hachiman gave dagger technique pointers, while the others taught movement and exploration strategies.

"Your familiar really is amazing for a first-timer." "It's all thanks to Pina that I can keep fighting!"

She expertly directed Pina to heal with its breath. "Your timing's really good."

"I'm just doing my best to keep up."

Kirito patted her head. "No need to be modest. Pina's strength is your strength too."

"This leveling method is great, but it really needs a team this strong…"

"Heathcliff, I get you. But just for today, forget about work."

"Ah, sorry. It's a habit."

"Let's keep going. Ready?"

"Anytime!"

"Then I'll draw the next group!" said Hachiman.