"Switch!"
A low shout pierced through the noisy battlefield.
Ye You's figure retreated rapidly. At the moment he backed away, a black shadow dashed out.
It was Kirito.
Although he was only holding an ordinary longsword at this moment, that ruthless streak was already starting to show.
"Hah!"
Using the momentum of his sprint, the sword in Kirito's hand glowed with a deep red light as his system skill [Vertical] slashed hard onto the shoulder of a roaring Ruin Kobold Sentinel.
The massive impact caused the monster's movements to stiffen for a split second.
"Asuna, the right!"
Without any need for Ye You to waste words, that crimson cloak had already turned into a whirlwind.
The rapier in Asuna's hand was so fast it only left behind a silver afterimage.
Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!
Three consecutive thrusts, piercing the exact same spot.
That was the gap in the Kobold Guard's armor joints, and also the weak point detection zone.
Along with the crisp sound of shattering glass, that elite mob, which originally had half a bar of health left, exploded directly into polygonal fragments flying all over the sky.
"Nice teamwork."
Ye You flicked his sword in a flourish, slightly adjusting his breathing.
Although it was their first time teaming up, the chemistry between these three was unexpectedly high. Kirito was responsible for the head-on clash, Asuna for high-frequency output, while Ye You was like the brain of this temporary squad, always able to land a follow-up strike or issue a command during gaps in monster aggro shifts or skill cooldowns.
This is the awareness of a top-tier player.
"Naturally."
Asuna panted slightly, her cheeks under the hood flushed from the intense exertion, "Don't think I'm that weak."
Meanwhile, the main battlefield in the center of the hall had also reached a fever pitch.
Although the main force led by Diabel was a bit ragged, they relied on numerical superiority and the tactic of taking turns tanking to forcefully grind down the boss Illfang's HP to the last bar.
It's in the red.
"Roooaaar—!!!"
Illfang let out a shrill roar, and the giant bone axe in its hand slammed into the ground, triggering a shockwave that knocked back several heavy warriors nearby.
It threw away the giant axe in its hand.
This is the sign of the boss entering its berserk phase.
According to info from the beta test, next it will pull out the Talwar （Talwar） from behind its waist, and its attack pattern will shift from wide heavy strikes to agile consecutive slashes.
"Everyone, get back!"
Diabel suddenly shouted, raising the knight sword in his hand and charging forward alone, "I'll take this strike! Leave the rest to you!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd.
In the eyes of others, this was a heroic display of the leader leading from the front.
But in Ye You's eyes, this was simply seeking death.
"Something's wrong."
Kirito's expression changed as he stared fixedly at the BOSS's hand reaching for its lower back, "That's not a Talwar!"
It certainly wasn't.
It was a Nodachi （Nodachi） with a long, narrow blade, minimal curvature, and a chilling cold glint.
The beta test info was wrong.
Or rather, that insidious guy Akihiko Kayaba modified the BOSS's weapon settings in the public beta version.
A Nodachi's attack range is much longer than a Talwar's, and it comes with a dash skill featuring Iai properties.
"Diabel! Fall back!" Kirito shouted anxiously.
But it was too late.
Diabel had already been blinded by the Last Attack bonus （LA） right in front of him, or perhaps to solidify his authority as a leader, he had no intention of stopping at all.
"For this moment..."
There was only greed and fanaticism in Diabel's eyes, the light of his sword skill was already charged and ready.
However, just at the moment he stepped into the attack range.
Illfang didn't draw his sword on the spot like the guide book said, but instead kicked hard against the stone pillar behind him, his massive frame actually flying into mid-air with the momentum.
This move was completely beyond everyone's expectations.
Looking down from above.
The Nodachi unsheathed, with a shrill sound of cutting through the air, hacking down like a guillotine blade.
Diabel's pupils constricted sharply.
He froze.
At that distance and that speed, there was no time to parry, let alone dodge.
The shadow of death instantly enveloped him.
"It's over."
This was the thought in the minds of everyone present.
Except for one person.
[Ding!]
[S-rank desperate rescue target detected!]
[Target: Diabel （First Floor Clearers Commander）.]
[Current Status: Certain-death situation; greed led to a misjudgment.]
[Desperate Situation Rank: S-rank.]
[System Prompt: Although this guy is an opportunist looking to steal kills, if he dies, the morale of this ragtag bunch will collapse instantly. Host, this is your big chance to make a name for yourself!]
"Tsk, what a pain in the ass."
A cold glint flashed in Ye You's eyes.
At the critical moment when that nodachi was about to slice Diabel in half.
He moved.
[Danger Sense] fully active, red trajectory lines flashing frantically before his eyes.
The stone slab under Ye You's feet instantly shattered.
He didn't use any sword skills, because the system's sword skills have a wind-up, and there wasn't enough time.
Only pure speed and power.
[Flowing Light Movement Technique]!
His entire body turned into an afterimage, and with a terrifying speed that struck second but arrived first, he forcibly cut right between the BOSS and Diabel.
"Clang——!!!"
A metallic clash echoed through the entire hall.
Sparks burst like fireworks.
Time stood still at this moment.
Everyone's eyes widened as they watched that shocking scene.
That massive nodachi stopped just three inches above Diabel's head.
Beneath the blade, a Steel Longsword gleaming with a blue light held it firmly in place.
Ye You held the sword with both hands, his feet plowing two deep furrows into the ground, knees slightly bent as he bore the BOSS's terrifying monstrous strength crashing down from above.
His HP bar instantly dropped by a huge chunk, falling straight into the yellow zone.
"If you're going to try and kill-steal, you'd better see how much you're worth first."
Ye You gritted his teeth, turned his head, and said coldly to the terrified Diabel, "Or do you want to use your own brains to consecrate this blade?"
Diabel slumped onto his ass on the ground, his face deathly pale and his whole body trembling.
In that moment just now, he really saw his life flash before his eyes.
"I... I..."
"Cut the crap!"
Ye You let out a low growl, veins on his arms bulging as he thrust upward violently, "Get lost!"
Taking advantage of the BOSS's opening, he forcibly parried that nodachi.
"Kirito! Asuna! Now's the time!"
No extra explanation was needed.
The instant that nodachi was parried, the BOSS's center swung wide open, revealing a completely defenseless chest and abdomen.
"On it!"
Kirito charged forward with a roar, the longsword in his hand glowing with a dazzling blue light.
[Sonic Leap]!
His entire body turned into a blue meteor, slamming hard into the BOSS's chest.
Asuna followed right after.
She leapt up using Kirito's shoulder, her rapier tracing countless starlight trails in the air.
[Linear]!
Splat splat splat!
The health bar, which was already at rock bottom, finally hit zero under these two bursts of violent damage output.
"Roar..."
Illfang let out an unwilling wail, his massive body freezing in place.
The next second.
Crack.
With a crisp shattering sound, the massive body turned into brilliant fragments filling the sky, like a rain of blue light.
[Congratulations!]
Massive golden characters floated in mid-air.
The entire hall fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone still hadn't come to their senses from that heart-pounding scene just now.
That certain-death situation... was reversed?
That guy named Ye You actually withstood the BOSS's berserk strike head-on?
"We... won?"
Not sure who shouted it first.
Immediately after, a massive cheer erupted like a tsunami.
"Cleared! We cleared it!"
"Great! We don't have to die!"
Some hugged and cried, others knelt and roared, venting the fear and despair accumulated over the past month.
And as the focus of attention, Ye You was currently sheathing his sword, looking at the settlement panel in front of him with a calm face.
[Experience points gained: 3000]
[Col obtained: 5000]
[Last Attack Bonus （LA）: Midnight Coat （Coat of Midnight）.]
"Pretty lucky."
The corners of Ye You's mouth curled up slightly.
Although that block just now cost him quite a bit of HP, this coat is an early-game god-tier item, adding agility and stealth, which is exactly what he needs.
"Um... Ye You."
A trembling voice came from behind.
Diabel had already stood up by now, and although he still looked shaken, the look in his eyes as he watched Ye You was filled with complexity.
"Thank you... if it wasn't for you, I would have already..."
"Good that you know."