Money Can Buy Everything

047 They Are Traitors

Kirito put down his defensive stance, and his expression changed as he thought about it.

"Well, I didn't plan to make you answer right away. How about giving me your answer after the first-floor strategy meeting ends?"

Kirito let out a sigh and said, "Alright, to be honest, I've rarely teamed up with anyone while playing games, from before to now. But I also understand that the current situation is special, and maybe teaming up is better for us?"

Kirito's tone was uncertain, and Momo didn't immediately initiate a trade.

The reason for this was simply a precaution. Momo also wanted to clear the game as soon as possible, so gathering a group of powerful players was necessary. This would also allow Momo to improve their strength with a targeted approach.

"Hey, Momo, why didn't you tell me?" Asuna pulled Momo aside and whispered in his ear. As she watched the intimacy between Momo and Asuna, Kirito felt a tinge of envy. He had known about Momo and Asuna's couple status for a while. He wasn't envious of Asuna's beauty but rather envious of Momo having several companions.

Although Kirito had never shown it externally, he did wish for reliable companions to fight alongside. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, this desire often remained unfulfilled, reinforcing his lone wolf tendencies.

"Of course, it was a sudden idea. What do you think, Asuna? Isn't this idea good? In the future, we can also select trustworthy players to improve our strength."

"What kind of guild is it?" Asuna asked.

Momo rubbed his chin and said, "Let's call it 'Rose Garden.' We'll only recruit female players... Ouch!"

Asuna narrowed her eyes and ruthlessly kicked Momo's knee with her toe. This move was a direct inheritance from Argo, and it was her go-to method for dealing with playboys.

"If you talk nonsense again, I'll really get angry!"

Momo sighed and said, "I'm not talking nonsense. I've always been honest and virtuous, after all."

"Psh, not even a kid would believe it.” Reimu retorted.

Ignoring Reimu's teasing and Asuna's suspicious gaze, Momo continued, "Actually, I plan to establish two guilds."

"The first one, Rose Garden, will exclusively recruit female players, and Asuna, you will manage it. If there are enough combat players among them, you can form a team. If not, you can organize leveling and sub-profession teams."

"As you've seen, girls are quite disadvantaged in this game right now. Think of kids like Silica; there are at least a few hundred of them. If they don't contribute in some way, they can't survive."

Though Momo's words were subtle, Asuna had become serious. In the original story, even as the sole Beast Tamer, Silica was still in a position of exploitation. Without Kirito's help, she might have died.

Despite having friends to support her, Silica struggled to keep up with the others mentally and in terms of strength. This put immense psychological pressure on her, and even without encountering Kirito, things could have gone south sooner or later.

"...Is it really just about protecting the girls, with no ulterior motives?" Faced with Asuna's skepticism, Momo took Asuna's hand and said, "If you don't believe me, I can swear that in this world, I only love you, and no one else."

Asuna blushed instantly, turned her head away, and said, "Hey, Kirito's still here!"

"Haha... I didn't hear anything; my ears must be malfunctioning!" Kirito hastily waved his hands, trying to distance himself. He had witnessed Asuna's ferocity in combat, despite her gentle appearance and slender rapier.

Asuna's doubt had faded away, but the young Asuna still didn't realize the true meaning behind Momo's words.

"Well, some things can be said. Rose Garden isn't just for protecting the girls. If their combat abilities can't keep up, they'll have to focus on their sub-professions. They can help gather materials, craft equipment, and so on. Of course, the guild will ensure their safety and provide for them, optimizing resource allocation to the fullest."

Kirito nodded in agreement with Momo's words. He believed in both Momo and Asuna's character.

"As for the second guild, I will be the guild leader. I plan to call it the Guardians of Aincrad. We'll primarily recruit male players, and their strength will need approval from both me and Kirito. The goal is to boost our strength as the main force for clearing dungeons."

"Both guilds will cooperate and benefit each other. On one side, we have the beautiful girls, and on the other, we have the sturdy men. With the girls crafting food, weapons, and equipment and using materials they gather, I think everyone will be thrilled."

"What do you think, Kirito-kun?"

Kirito's eyes lit up, and he instinctively wanted to nod, but he saw Asuna's stern gaze and changed it into a forced chuckle.

"Haha... Well, maybe..."

"If you really want to do this, I can support you. But when do you plan to start, after clearing the first floor?"

"Well, who knows? Right now, it's just a plan. Maybe I'll put it into action sooner than expected."

Asuna finally nodded. Apart from her concerns about Momo's flirtatious nature, his plan seemed reasonable. As for Momo's reasons for creating two guilds... well, they probably made sense, right?

Even Kirito nodded, so Asuna could only confirm that a guild consisting solely of girls might indeed be quite appealing to men.

After their discussion, the three of them arrived at the strategy meeting venue. The room was spacious, but the number of participants was relatively low, around twenty or so.

These were currently the top players in terms of strength, and while the number seemed scarce, it was the norm. After all, only a few players had dared to venture out of the Starting Street from the beginning, and those who survived and quickly improved were even scarcer.

However, Kirito explained on the side that theoretically, this number was sufficient for clearing the first floor. During the beta test, a team of just ten players had managed to clear it, but back then, death was allowed.

"Alright, everyone, please be quiet. I'm Diavel, and I believe everyone knows me," Diavel took the stage and spoke, eliciting a few smiles and laughter from below.

"Of course, we know, you're a knight!"

"No training, no knight armor, no knight shield, no knight spear, but a knight in spirit!"

A few jests lightened the mood, and Diavel's smile grew brighter as he continued, "Let's forget about what I said earlier; just remember that I'm a knight!"

Unlike the original story, Diavel's influence was even greater now because everyone remembered his and Momo's names as the first ones to introduce themselves to everyone.

"Today, everyone is here for a clear purpose. We've located the boss room on the first floor."

Diavel's expression turned serious, and he continued, "It's been 24 days, and the number of players who died in the game has reached 500. More and more new players are entering the wilderness penniless, and everyone's morale is low."

A somber silence fell over the crowd as Diavel spoke the truth.

"And at this moment, we've discovered the boss room on the first floor. Undoubtedly, this is our opportunity. If we can clear the first floor at this point, it will greatly boost everyone's morale, letting them know that this game isn't entirely hopeless and can be cleared!"

Diavel's tone became more resolute as he continued, "I understand your concerns. Boss clearing is very dangerous, and a single mistake can result in death. But even so, we must take action!"

"Fortunately, we have a strategy guide, and we know the basic characteristics of the first-floor boss. If we exclude unforeseen circumstances, we can theoretically clear it without any casualties. Therefore, we must try. If we don't dare to attempt a clear even now, what will we do on the higher floors?"

"For the sake of everyone, for ourselves, and for our loved ones waiting for us, we must act! And as the initiator and leader, as someone who considers himself a knight, I will stand on the front lines!"

Diavel undoubtedly had a gift for speeches. His words flowed with a compelling rhythm, emphasizing tone and atmosphere, and instantly stirred everyone's emotions, transforming the previously somber atmosphere into a high-spirited one.

"Wait!" At this moment, a disturbance occurred as Heathcliff, the leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath, entered the meeting hall. "Listening to Diavel is fine, and we're all willing to have him lead us. But before that, we must kick the traitors among us out!"

Heathcliff's words caused everyone's eyes to widen in shock. Traitors? That was a grave accusation.

"Hey, Heathcliff, don't speak nonsense! What do you mean by traitors? We're all on the same front; where could there be traitors?"

"Of course there are!" Heathcliff's voice grew louder, and he pointed in the direction of Momo and Asuna. "Why do some players have large amounts of Col, high-level equipment, and exceptional strength?"

"Everyone is working hard to level up, and Diavel is also a beta tester, but look at Diavel's equipment. It's just a Level 11 plain weapon with Level 2 enhancement. He's already an outstanding player with that. But now, look at these two!"

Heathcliff's finger finally pointed at Momo and Asuna. Amid Asuna's surprise and Momo's gentle smile, Heathcliff roared in anger.

"I suspect that the two of them are insiders of the game, working with Kayaba Akihiko's group!"