The next day, the atmosphere in the Moonlight Black Cats' meeting room was somber. Keita stood at the head of the table, looking at each guild member with a serious expression. "We need to talk about Shino," he began, his voice steady but tinged with sadness.
Kirito, sitting quietly at the far end of the table, sighed deeply. He knew this moment was coming. He rose from his seat, gathering the attention of everyone in the room. "Shino has left the guild. She made that decision herself," Kirito said, his tone firm. "She has her reasons, and we should respect that."
The room fell into a heavy silence as the others processed the news. Sachi, her eyes filled with concern, asked, "But...shouldn't we try to talk to her? Maybe convince her to come back?"
Keita shook his head. "No. If this is what she wants, we shouldn't stand in her way. We need to focus on our guild and the future."
There was a deep silence in the group. It was clear that they all cared deeply for Shino, but they understood that sometimes, people had to walk their own paths.
Keita then cleared his throat, bringing attention back to the table. "We have another matter to discuss," he said, his tone becoming more strategic. "The Moonlight Black Cats have decided to join forces with Fuurinkazan, Klein's guild. This alliance will help us move forward and grow stronger."
The decision was met with a mix of relief and optimism. Kirito, however, felt a pang of isolation. He knew this was the right move for the guild, but it also solidified his growing sense of distance from everyone—especially from Shino.
As the meeting wrapped up, Kirito silently opened his menu and navigated to his friend list. His cursor hovered over Shino's name for a long moment before he steeled himself and selected "Unfriend." A message popped up, asking if he was sure. Without hesitation, Kirito confirmed.
"She made her choice, and now I have to make mine," Kirito muttered to himself. "No more distractions. I have to focus on getting stronger...and getting out of here."
Shino stared at her empty friend list, her heart sinking. She had been feeling uneasy ever since the confrontation with Kirito. "Why did I say those things to him?" she wondered, guilt gnawing at her. She had planned to send him an apology, but when she opened her friend list, she found that Kirito's name was gone.
Her heart clenched with regret. "I...I messed up," she whispered to herself, feeling the sting of isolation. She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts aside. "I have to focus on my duties," she told herself firmly.
As the newly appointed third in command of the Knights of the Blood Guild, Shino found herself quickly consumed by her responsibilities. Kuradeel, her assigned bodyguard, shadowed her every move, his presence both reassuring and unsettling. Asuna, always the voice of reason, encouraged her to leave the past behind and move forward.
But Shino couldn't shake the sense of loss that had settled deep within her.
A week later, Kirito was exhausted after a long day of soloing monsters on the 75th floor. He returned to his inn, his body aching and his mind weary. He prepared a simple lunch, ate quickly, and then decided to take a break.
As he lay on his bed, boredom set in. He opened his menu, scrolling through various options until he stumbled upon the record crystals he had collected. "Might as well," he thought, selecting the crystal that recorded his battle with Gleameyes.
He watched the footage with a critical eye, noting his mistakes—reckless swings, indecisive movements. He winced as he saw himself get knocked unconscious, the screen darkening for a moment. But as the video continued, his eyes widened.
There, on the screen, was Kuradeel, standing over his unconscious body. Kirito's breath caught in his throat as he watched Kuradeel's sinister smirk. The scene unfolded in horror as Kuradeel raised his weapon, preparing to strike. But before he could deliver the fatal blow, Klein and his guild members appeared, interrupting the attempt on Kirito's life.
As Kirito continued to watch, Kuradeel's face twisted in a deranged grin. He whispered something—words that chilled Kirito to the bone. "I will kill you, like I did to that Bastard."
Kirito's heart pounded in his chest. "Kuradeel…he's obsessed with Shino," he realized. "He's dangerous."
Kirito's first instinct was to send the video to Shino, to warn her. But then he hesitated. "What would that do to her?" he wondered, his mind racing. "If she knew the truth, it might destroy her...she might lose her will to fight."
After a long moment, Kirito closed the menu, deciding against sending the video. "She's strong. She can handle herself," he muttered, trying to convince himself. "She doesn't need to know...not yet."
A few days later, Shino and Kuradeel were assigned to clear out a dungeon on the 74th floor. The atmosphere between them was tense but professional. As they walked, Kuradeel pulled out a homemade burger from his inventory and offered it to Shino with a smile.
Shino, unaware of the danger, accepted the food and ate it. Almost immediately, she felt her body go numb. Panic set in as she realized she had been poisoned. Her muscles refused to obey her commands, leaving her completely vulnerable.
Kuradeel's smile twisted into something dark and sinister. "You know, Shino," he said, his voice dripping with malice, "I did everything for you to win your heart. I even killed him…your precious William…so that you would be mine. But you never noticed anything. Why? Why???"
Shino's eyes widened in horror, but she couldn't move, couldn't scream. Kuradeel's confession was like a dagger to her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled in vain against the paralysis. Kuradeel moved closer, his intentions clear. He pinned both of her hands on the ground while sitting on top of her. His face was closer to her face. He sniffed her. He behaved like a psycho. He untied her armor and clothes, very aggressively. Her undergarments were visible now. Shion resisted. With a very psychopathic smile he came closer to her, repeating her name, several times.
But just as he was about to forcefully kiss her, a flash of steel cut through the air. Asuna appeared, her rapier slicing across Kuradeel's arm. He recoiled, clutching his wound, but before he could retaliate, Asuna attacked again, forcing him to retreat. He glared at Asuna with a mix of rage and fear before using a teleport crystal to escape.
Asuna rushed to Shino's side, her face pale with worry. "Shino, are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling. She quickly administered an antidote, and Shino's body slowly began to recover. Asuna had some free time for herself. Fortunately, she thought of assisting Shino so she came to help. But she was shocked when she came to see what Kuradeel was doing to her friend. She couldn't think of anything but to save her from being abused.
Tears streamed down Shino's face, but they weren't just from fear. "He killed William...he killed him," she choked out, her voice breaking.
Asuna's heart broke for her friend. She pulled Shino into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "But you're safe now. You're safe."
Shino, her voice filled with determination, pulled away slightly. "No...I'm not going to let this go. Kuradeel...he has to pay for what he's done."
Asuna nodded, understanding the resolve in Shino's eyes. "We'll make sure of it," she promised. "But for now, let's get you back to the guild."
Meanwhile, Kirito had thrown himself into training with his guild and Fuurinkazan, preparing for the upcoming boss fight on the 75th floor. He pushed his teammates hard, helping them level up and hone their skills. But even as he trained with them, his mind was often elsewhere, replaying the scenes from the record crystal.
One day, while soloing, Kirito discovered a new technique. As he fought, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. Channeling that energy, he unleashed a powerful strike imbued with lightning and fire elements, decimating his opponent.
Breathing heavily, Kirito stared at his sword, realizing he had unlocked a new level of power. "I need to get stronger," he reminded himself. "There's still so much I have to learn."
As he returned to his inn that night, Kirito felt a sense of unease settle over him. The discovery of Kuradeel's true nature weighed heavily on his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was on the horizon.
Shino sat in her room, staring out the window. The events of the past few days had left her shaken, but her resolve was stronger than ever. "I'll get my revenge," she vowed silently. "For William...and for myself."
But even as she made that vow, a part of her couldn't stop thinking about Kirito. She wondered what he was doing, whether he had moved on, and if he even thought about her anymore.
But she shook her head, pushing those thoughts aside. "I have to focus on the fight ahead," she told herself. "There's no room for anything else."