That night, after Asuna joined the Knights of the Blood Oath, Hachiman returned to his tower to find her already there—unannounced, a first.
"Why are you here?" Hachiman asked.
"Didn't I say I'd be back at the secret base soon?" Asuna replied.
"I didn't say soon," he countered.
"Didn't you? Well, boys shouldn't sweat the details," she teased.
"Fine, Deputy Leader. You just ruined our touching moment from earlier," Hachiman grumbled.
"Oh, I made dinner," Asuna said.
"Cooking skill's gotten pretty good, huh?" he noted.
"Good enough to serve others," she said with a smile.
Their dynamic seemed unchanged despite her new role. I'll never outmatch Asuna, Hachiman thought.
"Also, I'm staying over tonight," she added.
"What?!" Hachiman sputtered. "What's with that out of nowhere?"
"I'm staying over, okay?" she repeated.
"I heard you! Friends should have boundaries—wait, didn't we have this talk before?" he said.
"It's fine, Liz is coming too! We're celebrating!" Asuna said.
"Alright, alright, Deputy Leader," Hachiman sighed.
Lisbeth arrived shortly, and they planned a party for Asuna's KoB entry and deputy leader role.
Why do girls love celebrations? Hachiman wondered, but decided to let Asuna have her moment.
The party kicked off with Asuna showing off her KoB uniform.
"Ta-da! My new uniform!" Asuna beamed.
"So cute, Asuna!" Lisbeth squealed.
Asuna clearly couldn't wait to flaunt it. The armored uniform balanced style and defense.
Solid protection. She'll be safe, Hachiman thought.
"What do you think, Hachiman?" Asuna asked, eyes expectant.
"Looks sturdy, good defense," he said.
Both girls stared, unimpressed.
"Hachiman…" Asuna said.
"Really, Hachiman?" Lisbeth groaned.
"What?" he asked.
"Try again," Lisbeth ordered.
"Fine," he muttered. "Asuna, take two. What do I think?"
"It suits you. Looks good," he said.
"Thanks!" Asuna smiled.
The night wore on, and Hachiman retreated to his room early. Asuna and Lisbeth bathed together and shared a room for the night.
What a day… Hachiman thought, deflated. Was I treating Asuna like she belonged to me? Thinking of a friend like that… I'm such a jerk. Reflecting on his friendless past, he drifted to sleep.
"Hey, Asuna, was that really okay?" Lisbeth asked.
"Hm? What?" Asuna replied.
"You wanted to join a guild Hachiman made, right?" Lisbeth said.
"You saw through me, huh?" Asuna said.
"Obviously," Lisbeth said.
"But if that happened, Hachiman would sacrifice himself for the members," Asuna said.
"Yeah… he would," Lisbeth agreed.
"So this is fine. The KoB felt right when I heard about it," Asuna said.
"As long as you're sure," Lisbeth said.
"Yep," Asuna nodded.
"So… you like Hachiman, don't you?" Lisbeth asked.
"What? He's a friend! Not like that," Asuna protested.
Ugh, these two won't realize it without a miracle, Lisbeth thought, clutching her head.
The trio's first sleepover ended as the night deepened.
Morning arrived.
"Sleep well, you two?" Hachiman asked.
"Yep, fine," Asuna said.
"What's the plan today?" Lisbeth asked.
"I'm arranging a strategy meeting and contacting people," Hachiman said.
"I'm heading to the KoB to practice formations and stuff," Asuna said.
"I'll hit the forge," Lisbeth said.
Hachiman reached out to the Dragon Knights to request a strategy meeting, briefed the KoB on raid rules and formations, and contacted Kirito, Nezha, and Egil. The next day, the long-overdue meeting convened.
"Any progress, Hachiman?" Shivata asked.
"Yeah, we've got a lead," Hachiman replied.
"With enough fighters, we can raid. Good thing we've got intel," Shivata said.
"This floor's been thoroughly scouted," Hachiman added.
Lind joined them. "Sorry for calling this meeting out of nowhere," Hachiman said.
"No problem. We were stuck anyway," Lind said, looking drained.
"I've secured manpower. Now it's about fine-tuning," Hachiman said.
"The KoB, right? How's their strength? Heard their leader's got a unique skill," Lind said.
"Defense is top-notch. For offense… we've got a trump card," Hachiman said.
"Got it," Lind said.
Overall attack power's a wash, though, Hachiman thought.
He greeted Egil, and the meeting began. Hachiman opened with a speech.
"Sorry for the sudden call, everyone. Today's about introducing new firepower. Meet the Knights of the Blood Oath."
The KoB entered, their red-and-white uniforms and synchronized steps commanding attention. Murmurs spread, spiking when Asuna appeared.
"I'm Heathcliff, KoB leader. Beside me is our deputy leader, Flash Asuna," Heathcliff announced.
"Asuna. Pleased to work with you," Asuna said.
Hachiman caught Asuna's eyebrow twitch at "Flash" but pretended not to notice after her glare.
"The KoB's seventeen members wish to join the Raiders," Heathcliff declared.
The room welcomed them enthusiastically. As excitement grew, Kirito approached Hachiman.
"How'd Asuna end up in the KoB?" Kirito asked.
"Her choice, actually," Hachiman said.
"Not forced, then?" Kirito asked.
"Of course not," Hachiman said.
"You okay with it?" Kirito asked.
"What's that mean?" Hachiman said.
"If you're fine, it's fine. Let's do this," Kirito said.
"Countin' on you," Hachiman replied.
With manpower secured, the twenty-fifth floor boss raid was set—a full raid, one month after reaching the floor. The lineup: four Dragon Knights parties (twenty-four players), three KoB parties (seventeen players), Egil's group (four players), and a party with Kirito and Nezha, totaling forty-eight. Hachiman paired with Asuna in a KoB party, as mock battles showed no KoB member could match her speed, making their combo optimal. Their synergy stunned KoB members, cementing Hachiman's reputation among them.
The boss fight began, as fierce as rumored—swift and heavy-hitting. Yet Heathcliff's Holy Sword neutralized most attacks, leaving Raiders in awe. "Incredible," Asuna said.
"How'd he stay under the radar so long?" Hachiman wondered.
"Strange, right?" Asuna said.
"Boss's HP's hitting red. Time to show 'em what we've got," Hachiman said.
"Let's go. Together, we're unstoppable," Asuna said.
The battle raged fiercely but ended without casualties. The KoB's disciplined tactics and Heathcliff's superhuman defense shone, while Asuna's addition offset their prior attack weakness. The KoB's reputation solidified, poised to lead future raids.
With the path cleared, the Raiders' momentum roared back to life.
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