Watching the low-level players show expressions of fear, terror, and apprehension, some high-level players looked on coldly, some even sneering.
Among the crowd, a young man sneered, looking disdainfully at the frightened players.
"You're all so low level. Completely useless, yet you snatched up the spots for the Boss Raid instance."
"Right now, it's all you low-level players raiding the Boss... not a single member of the Capture Group is inside. Do you really think you can defeat the boss?"
"Don't forget, the ones who have always cleared the bosses are the Capture Group, and the Ice Dragon Siblings."
The young man's words were undoubtedly a bucket of cold water poured over these ordinary players, making them realize they couldn't possibly clear the boss themselves.
The only reason they could even reach the 25th floor was by being carried, waiting for the Capture Group to carry them.
Many Capture Group's members... or high-level players now also started jeering:
"Get it now? Understood? Then hurry up and make room!"
"If you still want to give it a try, that's fine too, we don't mind."
"Hahaha!"
Whistles and jeers rose, making the ordinary players squeezed at the very front turn red and pale by turns.
They also wanted to leave SAO quickly, but they understood that without the Capture Group defeating the boss... they couldn't even reach the 26th floor.
"Alright, that's enough. Everyone here is a player of SAO. Let's be a bit more united."
At that moment, a clear, cold voice came from the back of the crowd.
The crowd gradually parted to make way. Asuna, wearing the Knights of the Blood Oath's uniform, walked calmly at the front, quickly arriving at the entrance to the boss room.
She scanned the silent players behind her and spoke.
"Capture Group's members, step forward and report."
The status and authority of the [Flash] within the Capture Group were exceptionally high. Perhaps ordinary players only knew she was strong and beautiful.
But actually, the Capture Group's players understood the contribution Asuna made to the raids.
The Capture Group's players who had been mocking the low-level players immediately shut their mouths upon hearing Asuna's words and quickly lined up at the large entrance to the boss room.
When they reached the front, they were surprised to find two familiar figures already standing at the door of the boss room and had walked inside.
"It's the Ice Dragon Prince and the Ice Dragon Princess!"
"Great! This raid is secured now!"
Many players' faces showed excitement, but then they remembered that the boss on this floor dropped an item that could identify the Dragon Knight.
Their expressions darkened again. Because once Yusei took action, the Last Attack on the boss definitely wouldn't be theirs.
At the very least, they had no confidence in snatching the boss's Last Attack from Yusei.
The Capture Group's players quickly assembled. Seeing that Yusei and Shiro had already entered, they grew impatient.
Asuna checked their levels, confirmed there were no weak links who would just die for nothing, and waved her hand.
"Let's go! Other players, wait outside for our good news!"
As the last Capture Group's player entered the Boss Room, the large door slowly closed.
Inside the Boss Room, the players who had initially entered had long since turned into data fragments and dissipated in the air.
A gigantic spider, with six eyes glowing red, appeared in the dark environment, its several red eyes appearing extremely frightening.
Seeing this, Asuna quickly issued commands.
"Spread Glow Stones throughout the room. Make sure we can see the boss's attacks at all times. Prepare for battle!"
The Capture Group quickly placed Glow Stones in the room. Soon, the entire boss room was brightly lit.
Screech!
The huge and ugly spider, exposed to the bright light, seemed unable to bear it. It became agitated and turned extremely savage.
It let out a strange cry, its eight-legged body moving rapidly, actually arriving in front of the players at the very front in the blink of an eye.
And the players who had entered first, at the very front, were precisely Yusei and Shiro.
Looking at the giant spider right before him, Yusei slowly drew the Ice Dragon Katana. The cloak on his body gradually turned ice-blue and fluttered.
Ice crystal particles drifted around his entire person, emitting an intensely cold aura.
"I'm going in, Shiro. Cover me."
A cold glint flashed in Yusei's obsidian eyes. He flipped the Ice Dragon Katana in his hand and swung it forward.
A cold light flashed ahead. The giant spider, still charging, abruptly halted. Its eight legs were all severed in an instant, causing it to collapse forward.
Yusei sidestepped. The small figure next to him swiftly dashed forward, arriving in front of the toppling spider in the blink of an eye.
Shiro's body leaped into the air, her whole person spinning like a top.
The blade in her hand was sharp. Wherever Shiro slashed, layer upon layer of ice formed.
Quickly, the entire spider was immobilized by Shiro, frozen into a giant pillar of ice.
"Beautiful slashes." Yusei praised. His whole body lowered its stance, the Ice Dragon Katana in his hand sheathed again, assuming an Iaijutsu Posture.
Kaguya watched Yusei's preparatory stance with great interest, murmuring softly,
"Doryusen?"
Doryusen: Slash forward, dealing massive damage to 237 units in a straight line, with a certain chance to blind the enemy.
After training these past days, although she still couldn't use Kuzuryusen, Kaguya had begun mastering some of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu Techniques.
Doryusen was much easier to use in the game than in reality, and it was the sword skill Kaguya mastered first.
Yusei seemed to hear Kaguya's murmur. He glanced at her and revealed a strange smile.
Then, his gaze turned serious, fixed on the spider frozen in ice. The long sword in his hand was drawn, a fierce ice-blue blade light blooming.
"Doryusen: Dragon's Bite!"
An ice-blue sword aura shot forward towards the spider, but the moment it left Yusei's blade, it transformed into a ferocious ice dragon.
The ice dragon seemed to roar and bellow in the ears of the present players, carrying a terrifying pressure.
Seeing this, Kaguya was instantly stunned, 'This is... He summoned a dragon?'
The ice dragon opened its massive maw and bit down on the frozen giant spider's body.
A faint, deep roar echoed within the spacious boss room. Seeing the [Dragon's Bite] had seized the enemy, Yusei sheathed the Ice Dragon Katana.
The others, startled awake by the ice dragon's roar from ahead, one after another drew their swords and prepared to attack the immobilized spider.