Chapitre 10: Shadows in the Flower Fields
Kirito was on the 47th floor when he received an urgent message from Keita. They were supposed to meet at the Coral Village on the 35th floor. The message was brief but clear: "We're in trouble. Meet us at the Coral Village Inn. Urgent."
His heart pounded as he ran through the flower fields of the 47th floor, the colorful blooms a stark contrast to the sense of dread he felt. Suddenly, an arrow whizzed past his ear, missing him by inches. Kirito skidded to a halt and scanned his surroundings. Hidden among the long grasses, he spotted an assassin, her face covered with a black cloth, a bow in her hands.
"Who are you?" Kirito demanded, drawing his sword.
The assassin didn't answer. Instead, she nocked another arrow and released it. Kirito barely managed to deflect it with his sword. Another arrow followed, and another. Kirito struggled to dodge and deflect the rapid-fire attacks, but one arrow found its mark, piercing his chest. He fell to the ground, the long grasses hiding him from view. The assassin cautiously approached the spot where he had fallen, confident that she had hit her target.
Kirito gritted his teeth and pulled the arrow from his chest. His healing ability quickly restored his HP. Quietly, he maneuvered through the grass, using the foliage for cover. The assassin was close now, her guard down as she searched for his body. Kirito seized the moment and rushed at her, deflecting her arrows with newfound determination. Closing the distance in an instant, he knocked her bow from her hands and pointed his sword at her neck, holding her close by her waist.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
The assassin's eyes widened with fear. "My name is Shino. I was forced to do this," she stammered.
He cut her face mask into two. He was shocked to see a beautiful girl but the next instant, Kirito with a serious face "Who sent you?"
"Rosalia and her men threatened to kill me if I didn't. They wanted me to eliminate you."
Kirito was shocked and confused "Who is Rosalia? Why does she want me dead?"
"I don't know," Shino confessed. "All I know is that she leads a player-killer guild called Titan's Hand. She sent me after you to kill you."
Kirito's eyes narrowed. "If you ever try anything like this again, I won't hesitate to kill you." With that said he let her go.
Shino nodded, trembling. "I understand. I'm sorry." With that, she turned and fled, disappearing into the flower fields.
Kirito stood there for a moment, processing what he had just learned. He had never met Rosalia or her guild, and he had no quarrel with them. Why were they targeting him? Then he remembered Keita's urgent message and the troubling connection clicked. His guild might be involved.
Kirito hurried back to the 35th floor, his mind racing. When he finally reached the Coral Village, he found his guild members waiting for him at an inn. They were joined by a new member, a girl named Silica, and her pet dragon, Pina.
Keita stepped forward. "Kirito, thank you for coming."
Kirito nodded. "What's going on? And who is she?"
Sachi "She is Silica and her pet dragon, Pina. She just joined us."
Silica "Nice to meet you, I am Silica and this is my friend Pina."
Kirito with a small smile " I am Kirito, Nice to meet you. First time seeing a tamer in this game."
Silica just has a nervous smile.
Sasamaru "He is our tank."
Tetsuo "Hey don't forget that he is our wise captain too."
Kirito let out a sign " Can anyone tell me why you called me out of the blue? I don't think that this is the end of the story."
Keita took a deep breath and began to explain. "A few days ago, Rosalia demanded Silica's pet dragon to make a leather coat. Silica refused to give up on her dear friend Pina. That was the start of the problem. Then after that, we happened to save them from a group of monsters on the 35th floor. Sachi invited Silica to join our guild, but she refused. To thank us, Silica offered us drinks at the tavern. That's when we encountered Titan's Hand."
Sachi chimed in. "Rosalia and her men caused trouble at the tavern. We had a verbal confrontation, but the owner asked us to take it outside. Then they left with wicked smiles, and we learned later that they were part of a player-killer guild. And after that, we forced Silica to stay with us as a temporary member."
Keita continued. "We sent you the urgent message because we needed your help. Titan's Hand is dangerous, and we don't know how to handle them on our own if they are up to any trouble. And we don't know much about their status as well. There are rumors that they have already reached the 61st floor."
Kirito listened intently. "I encountered one of their assassins on the way here. She mentioned Rosalia wants me dead. Luckily I was able to escape death for now."
The guild members exchanged worried glances. Before they could discuss further, a sudden noise interrupted them. Sasamaru, who had been standing near the window, staggered back, a knife protruding from his chest. He fell to the floor, his HP dropping rapidly.
"No!" Sachi screamed, rushing to his side. The rest of the guild gathered around him, but it was too late. Sasamaru's HP hit zero, and he shattered into fragments.
Kirito's heart sank. The room was filled with shock and grief. Keita clenched his fists, his face contorted with anger and sorrow.
Kirito looked outside the window. He saw a figure running away into the shadows. Kirito said, his voice filled with determination. "We need to put an end to Titan's Hand."
Keita nodded, tears in his eyes. "For Sasamaru."
The guild members rallied around Keita, their resolve hardening. They would face this threat together, and they would not rest until Titan's Hand was defeated.
Kirito looked at his friends, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. They had suffered a great loss, but they would fight on. They had to, for Sasamaru, and for the countless others who had fallen victim to Rosalia's tyranny.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone