364 -359- Not impossible to enjoy

"Hey, Asuna."

Seeing Rozen charging into the midst of the monster horde, Lis couldn't help but ask Asuna a question.

"Who exactly is that guy?"

This was a natural question to arise.

"Let's not include how he got so many rare materials, but that level of strength clearly isn't something just anyone can possess," Lis wondered aloud.

"Even if he has a sword with the performance expected for the current floor, there's no way anyone can rampage through the training grounds on the front lines alone like this, right?"

Indeed, Lis' observations were spot on.

Where were they, after all?

They were on the 60th floor's frontline, and even top players with safe ratings, while capable of handling multiple monsters at once, had their limits. Here, it was only a training area outside the main labyrinth, not a place with powerful monsters in abundance. Still, there were limits.

Take Asuna, for example. She could handle four or five of those Minotaurs at once, but when it reached seven or eight, it became somewhat challenging. If their numbers reached ten, no matter how you looked at it, retreating was the only option. Engaging head-on, even if victory was possible, would entail an unknown level of danger.

And that's Asuna, one of the strongest players in the clearing group. Other players were even less capable, with three monsters being their maximum simultaneous opponents.

However, Rozen was currently taking on over thirty monsters simultaneously. That was more than three times Asuna's limit.

Faced with this lineup, Rozen was not only effortlessly weaving through the monster horde, but he also seemed to anticipate the movements of every monster. He had evaded the charges, horn thrusts, and stomps of the Minotaurs countless times, yet not a single blow had landed on him. His HP remained at full.

And all of this was without summoning his familiars to assist.

In other words, Rozen hadn't even gone all out yet.

In this situation, Rozen had already proven he could handle monsters three times tougher than Asuna's limit and make it look easy. If Asuna hadn't known already that this man was capable of rivaling even Heathcliff's unique skills, she too would have been shocked.

Given all of this, it was only natural for Lis to have doubts about Rozen's identity.

"...Well," Asuna began, hesitating for a moment, but then she remembered.

Actually, there was no need to conceal Rozen's identity, right?

Sure, if it were lower-level players or middle-level players who were far from the clearing group's circle, it might be different. But Lis, while her strength and level were not as high as the top players in the clearing group, was still a producer-class player worthy of admiration by the clearing group's top players. She regularly received customers like Asuna from the clearing group, so she wasn't far from their circle.

So, revealing Rozen's identity to Lis shouldn't be an issue, right?

With that in mind, Asuna began to explain to Lis.

"Actually..."

While Asuna was explaining to Lis, on the other side, Rozen was having a grand time.

"What an excellent sword..."

His hand, gripping the sword's hilt, transmitted a sensation of weight, comfort, and sharpness. It allowed Rozen to swing it freely, leaving behind beautiful trajectories in the air. With every cut and slash, not only did it create meteor-like paths, swirling around him, but it also easily sliced through the thick Minotaur monsters' hides. This resulted in a significant reduction in their HP. Moreover, there was no resistance when the sword's edge entered the tough hide, making it effortless to pull out. It was as easy as cutting paper.

In the past, Rozen had used various weapons, but he had never felt as comfortable with any of them. Therefore, he almost instantly fell in love with this sword.

"I'm beginning to understand why swordsmen are so devoted to their swords..."

Rozen was ultimately a magus. Even though he had this game's blessing and a body suitable for melee combat thanks to "Mind's Eye," he had never truly comprehended the beauty of battle in the past. Compared to combat, Rozen preferred researching magic, honing his magical skills, and the sensations that came with it.

Therefore, Rozen had spent decades immersed in magical research, like a dedicated scholar. However, in the realm of battle, Rozen was now beginning to grasp that feeling.

"While it's not exactly my preference, it's not impossible to enjoy."

That was Rozen's current sentiment.

The crystal sword named "Azure Abyss" had brought him this kind of experience.

Rozen couldn't help but think to himself.

"Do the Servants feel something similar when they use their Noble Phantasms in battle?"

If that were the case, Rozen thought he might be able to gain a deeper understanding of Servants and even Heroic Spirits. This could help him become better at commanding, controlling, and using them.

"Next time, I should have a good talk with Mash."

Rozen remembered his only contracted Servant as he effortlessly dodged the charge of a Minotaur and, guided by his "Mind's Eye" ability, naturally swung his crystal sword, slicing off the creature's head.

"Bang!"

The Minotaur, now headless, had its HP reduced to zero instantly. Its body turned blue and shattered into polygonal fragments.

The surroundings returned to silence.

Rozen couldn't help but say, "That was quite fast."

Just then...

"He's that 'Magus'!?"

Lis's exclamation echoed from afar, catching Rozen off guard. He looked in her direction, and there he saw Lis, wearing a surprised expression, gazing at Asuna. In response, Asuna could only manage a wry smile.

Rozen shrugged and approached.

"Thanks, I really like this sword," he said to Lis, who was still recovering from her surprise. "I'll pay you for the forging cost now."

With that, Rozen opened the main menu and sent a trade request to Lis. However, Lis didn't seem to pay attention to the trade window that appeared in front of her. She just stared at Rozen with an indecipherable expression.

"Lis?" Asuna was somewhat surprised. "What's wrong?"

Rozen was equally puzzled.

Seeing this, Lis hesitated for a moment and then seemed to make a decision.

"Sorry, Asuna, can you wait for me here for a moment?" Lis first said to Asuna, then turned to Rozen. "Come with me; I have something to discuss with you."

Lis grabbed Rozen and led him aside.