Miracle Summoner

"Joining Crimson Wing?"

Upon hearing the Cait Sith girl's words, Rozen suddenly understood.

He had a rough guess as to why the current situation had unfolded.

Rozen turned his gaze towards his companions who were also spectating from midair.

There, Kirito, Lis, and Silica were present, each wearing different expressions.

"No way..."

Silica hugged Pina tightly, her face filled with surprise.

"..... Even Leafa lost?"

Lis was even more stunned.

"That Cait Sith..."

Kirito, arms crossed, was observing the calm-faced Cait Sith girl with a serious expression on his face.

This indicated that even Kirito couldn't underestimate the Cait Sith girl and regarded her as a formidable opponent.

If even Kirito reacted this way, there was no need to mention the rest of the audience.

"Where did this newcomer come from?"

"Is she another transfer from some other game, like Zekken?"

"When did such a skilled player appear?"

"Amazing..."

The onlookers exchanged glances, deeply impressed by the Cait Sith girl's displayed prowess.

Rozen pondered briefly and then flapped his wings, flying towards Kirito and the others.

"You guys are really free, huh? Don't you need to log off for meals? What are you doing here?"

Rozen appeared next to Kirito.

"Guild Leader!"

"Guild Leader!"

Everyone noticed Rozen's arrival and immediately greeted him.

"You're finally here!"

"Rozen-nii!"

Lis and Silica also called out to Rozen.

Even Kirito looked at Rozen and chuckled wryly.

"Don't blame me; this expert just showed up too suddenly."

Clearly, the appearance of the Cait Sith girl had captured everyone's attention, preventing them from logging off for a meal in time.

"What's going on?"

Rozen directly inquired.

The one who answered wasn't Kirito or the others but a small Sylph who had appeared at Rozen's side, riding on Hanachou and accompanied by Saichou.

"I've already gathered intel from the eyewitnesses, Papa," Yui said as she landed on Rozen's shoulder.

"Apparently, this Cait Sith appeared in front of the guild's gate not long ago, saying she wanted to join the guild, but was refused entry by the guards due to her equipment and weapons."

Yui explained in a tone as if she were seeking praise.

And Yui's explanation perfectly confirmed Rozen's suspicions.

Due to the match with Zekken earlier, a variety of players had come to visit the guild today. Rozen had previously issued instructions to the guild members: if someone wanted to join the guild, they were to undergo a standard assessment. If they passed, they would be brought to meet Rozen. If they weren't here to join, they would be dealt with accordingly.

Crimson Wing's reputation was far too prominent, attracting all sorts of trouble. Some came seeking help, others to curry favor, some to propose business deals, and some even resorted to shady schemes. Letting such troublemakers into the guild would lead to endless issues later. Therefore, Crimson Wing had developed a mature system to handle all such matters, ensuring that no one took advantage.

Naturally, the guild didn't treat everyone equally without discretion. If a situation arose that could benefit the guild's development, the guild's merchant group would handle it. Those seeking help or connections were also allowed depending on the circumstances, as the guild wasn't entirely unapproachable.

Because of this, Crimson Wing had an excellent reputation in ALfheim, unlike the Salamanders of the past, who were infamous.

Under such circumstances, the Cait Sith girl—wearing early-stage equipment and an archer no less—claimed she wanted to join the renowned expert-laden Crimson Wing. It was only natural for her to be stopped at the gate.

Unfortunately, this time, Crimson Wing had kicked an iron plate.

The Cait Sith girl's strength was exceptional, putting even Leafa—second only to Rozen, Kirito, and Asuna in the guild—at a disadvantage in their duel.

"Initially, the duelists with her were two guards, whose skills are around mid to lower levels, but they were both defeated within 30 seconds. After that, guild members started challenging her one after another, only to suffer consecutive defeats. By the time she achieved her eighteenth victory, Kirito-san and Leafa-san were finally alerted, and Leafa personally stepped up to challenge her. Yet, Leafa-san has been on the defensive ever since," Yui continued her explanation.

"Word is that even the high-ranking members of the Cait Sith territory have been alerted. They're currently heading here, intending to recruit the Cait Sith girl."

In other words, the Cait Sith girl's prowess had even caught the attention of the Cait Sith leadership, who were now likely on their way to take her away.

"Well, this is..." Rozen rolled his eyes, both impressed by the situation aligning perfectly with his prediction and letting out a snort.

"After all this, why haven't you guys invited her to join yet?"

Rozen inevitably scolded them.

Never mind reaching the point of dueling Leafa, nor achieving eighteen victories. The moment she effortlessly defeated the two guards, she had already proven her capabilities and qualified for guild membership.

For players wanting to join the guild, Rozen had set an assessment: defeat one of the two guards on rotation each day. As long as they could defeat one, proving their strength, they could join.

Yet here, the Cait Sith girl had consecutively defeated two guards and achieved eighteen victories, yet was still dueling Leafa. What sense did this make?

"Ahaha..." Lis and Silica averted their eyes.

"Uh..." Kirito scratched his cheek, looking awkward.

Even the other members of Crimson Wing present showed varying degrees of guilt, avoiding Rozen's gaze.

How could Rozen not know what these rascals were thinking?

"Seeing Asuna and me defeat the legendary Zekken Yuuki and gain fame, you guys must have gotten carried away too. Seeing an unfamiliar expert challenge, you all forgot the guild's rules and couldn't resist challenging her, right?"

Rozen's gaze swept over the guild members one by one, causing them to lower their heads.

Even Kirito avoided looking at Rozen.

This guy must have been excited to meet a rare expert and couldn't resist, right?

Rozen immediately gave a very kind smile and spoke in a sweet tone.

"Tomorrow, all of you will hunt Evil Gods in Jotunheimr for eight hours, and all earnings will be turned in. Any objections?"

Rozen said this.

""""""W-why...!?"""""

Everyone, including Kirito, Lis, and Silica, instinctively cried out.

"What? Too little?" Rozen asked with a fake smile. "How about ten hours? Not enough? I can add more!"

"Enough! Enough!" Kirito and the others hurriedly agreed with bitter expressions.

Only then did Rozen let them off the hook, flying into the battlefield and landing between Leafa and the Cait Sith girl.

"Alright! That's enough!"

Rozen stopped the duel.

"Nii-san.....?"

Leafa, panting heavily, finally noticed Rozen's arrival.

"...So you've finally come?"

The Cait Sith girl also turned her gaze to Rozen, her calm expression finally softening into a smile.