-371- Can't you do this normally?

As it turned out, Rozen's thoughts were quite accurate.

The players of the Aincrad Liberation Force, once they entered the outer zone and hadn't even reached the labyrinth area, immediately faced attacks from wild monsters, causing them to panic and struggle to cope.

Even though their levels and equipment seemed to be on par with the top players in the clearing group, they should not have been so flustered by the attacks of ordinary field monsters. However, not having experienced frontline combat for so long meant they were unaccustomed to its rhythm.

Moreover, the players from the Aincrad Liberation Force initially didn't pay much attention to mere field monsters, seemingly thinking that these creatures weren't worth their effort. With a sense of contempt and pride, they faced the monsters and were given a surprise.

Unfortunately, as their leader, Kobatz, kept shouting and appeared impatient, the players of the Aincrad Liberation Force were pushed to move forward, even though they were still visibly disarrayed.

"Can you still be considered elites of the Aincrad Liberation Force like this? Hurry up and deal with these minions!"

Kobatz kept yelling, even though as the leader, he should have given instructions to stabilize the team when it was in disarray. Instead, he seemed more interested in scolding the players for wasting so much time on mere field monsters, which was embarrassing.

Fortunately, the players of the Aincrad Liberation Force had high levels, so they eventually managed to overcome their initial struggles amidst the chaos.

However, Kobatz didn't seem satisfied with this. He continued to complain incessantly.

"Our goal this time is to showcase our strength to the world. We must deal with these monsters effortlessly. I won't allow such chaos to happen again next time! Do you all understand me?"

Kobatz's orders left the members of the Aincrad Liberation Force frustrated and with no words to respond. They could only grit their teeth and continue moving forward.

Rozen, who was following them using his "Hiding" skill, frowned deeply as he observed their performance. He couldn't help but feel displeased.

"What is that Kibaou doing?"

Sending someone like him to lead the team to the frontlines was a questionable decision. Had he lost his mind?

"If they continue like this, by the time they reach the labyrinth area, they might have already exhausted their energy."

If these players ended up in such a state, how would they deal with the much more powerful monsters in the labyrinth area compared to the field?

"If the Aincrad Liberation Force behaves like this, they can forget about returning to the clearing group."

As the leader of the clearing group, Rozen silently passed judgment on these players.

However, this judgment was relatively light.

If these players judged themselves with such ignorance and ended up in dire straits, that would be the real problem.

Rozen recalled the situation on the 25th floor when Kibaou, driven by his desire to claim the last hit on the floor boss, had recklessly charged into the boss room against the wishes of the clearing group. They had nearly been wiped out.

Considering the current condition of the Aincrad Liberation Force's players, if they found the boss room on the 74th floor, what would they do? Would they disregard the presence of the clearing group in the name of "showcasing their strength" and enter on their own?

"Are they about to make the same mistake again?"

Rozen silently contemplated these thoughts as he continued to follow behind the Aincrad Liberation Force's group.

It was at this moment...

"Ha... ha... ha..."

Accompanied by hurried panting, a figure rushed in from the direction of the town.

Hiding in the nearby bushes, Rozen, who had been planning to catch up with Kobatz's group ahead, noticed the panting sound. He turned his head to look at the source and was surprised.

He saw Asuna, dressed in a knight's outfit with a mini skirt, rushing hastily from behind, appearing somewhat agitated.

"Asuna?" Rozen exclaimed. "Why is she in such a hurry?"

Her appearance suggested that she was being chased by someone.

"Chased?" Rozen seemed to have figured something out and glanced at the direction in which the Aincrad Liberation Force's group had departed. He sighed and quietly moved towards Asuna's location.

Meanwhile, Asuna, running along a forest path, was constantly checking her map and frequently glancing behind her.

"Is he still chasing me?" Asuna's face twisted with annoyance and frustration as she quickened her pace towards the labyrinth area.

Normally, if Asuna were to enter the frontlines of the labyrinth area, she would bring guild members with her and approach it as a team. However, today was not a guild activity day, so she hadn't planned to bring guild members along. Furthermore, she had no intention of involving the guild members who had been around her recently.

There was just no other way.

The other party had gone too far.

Thinking about this, Asuna couldn't help but feel anger rising within her. Nevertheless, she continued to quicken her pace, trying to distance herself from the situation.

As Asuna rushed through a grove of trees...

"Rustle!"

There was a sudden sound of bushes being pushed aside, and a figure darted out from within.

"What...!?"

Asuna realized that someone might ambush her. Her pretty face slightly changed, and her slender hand immediately reached for the hilt of her rapier, gripping it.

Unfortunately, before Asuna could draw her weapon, the attacker had already closed in behind her. One hand encircled Asuna's waist, while the other covered her mouth. Like a captured prey, Asuna was swiftly pulled into the bushes and disappeared from sight.

The bushes shook violently for a few moments before everything returned to silence.

A short while later, a man with a dark expression appeared and ran to the scene.

It was Kuradeel.

"Please stop being so stubborn, Asuna-sama!"

Kuradeel shouted with a distressed expression.

"Please come back to the guild headquarters immediately!"

As he yelled like this, Kuradeel continued to rush forward in a state of agitation.

Rather than a bodyguard, he appeared more like a frantic individual.

Kuradeel rushed ahead and soon disappeared at the end of the road.

Unbeknownst to him, in the thicket he had just passed, the green player markers of two players were floating.

"It's really him, huh..."

Rozen, who had been hiding behind the thicket, observed Kuradeel's departure and couldn't help but sneer.

"...!"

In his arms, a girl whimpered softly.

The girl had been firmly held by Rozen, and her mouth had been covered by his hand. She blushed and looked angry, making it unclear whether she was feeling embarrassed or furious.

"Oops..."

Rozen finally realized and quickly released Asuna from his grasp.

As soon as she was freed, Asuna turned around and clenched her fist, causing the sword skill effect "Senda(Flash Blow)" to glow around her.

"Can't you do this normally!? You idiot!!!"

With an expression of both anger and embarrassment, Asuna threw a punch at Rozen's face.

Thinking to himself, Rozen, about to receive the impending punch, couldn't help but have a single thought.

"So, she can make this kind of expression too."

With this though, Rozen received the incoming blow to the face.