Elucidator, the legendary sword of kirito One of the most epic and iconic weapons from Sword Art Online. Perhaps one of the strongest swords in the world of Sword Art Online, alongside Kirito’s sister blade Dark Repulsor, which he wields synchronously with Elucidator for his unique skill, Dual Blades. SwordsAxe is the best place to buy all kinds of Swords at an amazing price with Secure order processing. We carry Medieval Swords, Japanese Sword, Anime Swords, Ninja Swords, Movie Swords, Daggers, Knives and many more. Kirito Elucidator SAO Sword Art Online Steel Handle & Blade Replica v2.
Chapter 28: Dual Blades
December 12th, 2024
The Gleam Eyes raised its sword and roared again, the sound reverberating through the room and deep in Sachi's bones. 'Run! Everyone get out!' she screamed, instinctively knowing that this monster would destroy them. We can't fight this thing alone! 'We need to get back!'
Kirito and Asuna didn't even question her shout, turning and bolting immediately. With screams of fear, the entire guild turned and ran, fleeing from the massive monster without a second's hesitation. With a booming thud, the carved door slammed shut behind them, and they just kept running, not even looking back. Eventually, the panic wore off and they slowed to a halt, regrouping in the middle of a hallway. 'Hahh.. Hahh..' Silica panted, bent over. 'That was scary!'
'Let's get to a safe room,' Asuna said, breathing heavily herself. 'I think I remember passing one a few turns back..'
Exhaustedly they retraced their steps until they found the safe room; staggering inside, Kirito and Asuna collapsed against the wall, while Sachi and Silica just sank to the floor in front of them. Sinon looked back and forth before taking a seat next to Kirito, leaning slightly against him. Sachi was a little jealous, but she knew there wasn't anything she could do about it. 'What was that?' the blue-haired girl asked when everyone had finally calmed down enough.
'I don't know,' Asuna said, 'but that's gonna be a tough one to beat.'
'You're right,' Kirito sighed. 'At least it only had that one big sword.' He frowned and placed a hand on his chin. 'It kinda looked like a zanbato sword..'
'Zanbato sword?' Sachi asked.
He looked at her. 'It's a fictional sword that's very large and extremely long.' Sachi thought back to the wicked metal of that weapon that The Gleam Eyes had been holding, and shuddered. That does seem to fit.. 'It's also probably gonna have special attacks, since I only really saw the sword.'
'We'll have to put tanks in the front and keep switching them out if we want to keep people safe,' Asuna said absently. She shifted a strand of hair back behind her ear and sighed. 'Things are bad enough already, but facing a monster like that..'
Silica sat up and grinned. 'I'm sure everything will work out just fine. All that we have to do is take our time and we'll win!'
'Wish I could be so optimistic,' Sinon muttered. 'At least we have Kirito and his Dual Blades as a trump card.'
'I don't know.. Is showing off my skill really a good idea?'
Sinon shrugged. 'I dunno. It's your skill.' She stretched. 'But it's not like Argo's here to watch you use it or anything.' Sachi giggled; the inquisitive info broker had just recently resumed coming over for dinners every now and then, and Sinon had already started grumbling about the walls having eyes and ears. Argo had stopped dropping by for a while, citing a 'hit to my impartiality'. Sachi had missed the incorrigible girl, though, so she was glad when Argo started coming by to sleep on their couch again.
Asuna shook her head and sat up straight, swiping open her menu. 'Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, though, I think it's about time we had lunch.'
'It's gotten so late, we might as well have it here,' Sachi added, smiling at the suddenly expectant look on Sinon and Kirito's faces. They look like kids on Christmas.. 'Alright everybody, gloves off before you eat.'
'Yes, mother,' Kirito said with a grin; still, he and Sinon didn't hesitate to take their gloves off, and Sachi hid a smile. Once everyone had removed their gloves, Asuna passed out the sandwiches. Kirito and Sinon accepted theirs with an expression approaching reverence, while Silica took hers with a quick 'thank you!' and started munching away. Kirito took one bite and stared at it. 'Wow.. I shouldn't be surprised, but I am! How do you always make everything taste so good?'
'Practice,' Asuna sighed. 'Lots and lots of practice.'
'This is a whole year of training and study,' Sachi reminded him. 'We've taken so many notes about the combinations of different ingredients and flavors, and it turns out that with the hundred or so seasonings we have available we can make almost any flavor perfectly!'
'Hm..' Sinon hummed happily. 'It's fantastic! What ingredients did you use for this one?'
Sachi took a bite of her own sandwich, looking at Asuna. They locked gazes, then Asuna smiled and looked at Sinon and Kirito. 'Well, we made this using Ebilba Seed, Sag Leaf, and Oola Fish Bone,' she said, pulling out a vial filled with a purple liquid. I think they'll definitely like this.
'What's that?' Silica asked curiously. 'I almost recognize the taste of the sandwich, but..'
'Here.' Asuna offered the vial out to the other three, pouring a small amount into their palms. Cautiously, Kirito sniffed at it before tasting it gingerly; Sinon did the same.
Instantly, their eyes widened. 'No way!' Sinon gasped, sitting back with a start. 'That..tastes exactly like..'
She and Kirito whipped their heads around to stare at Asuna. 'Soy sauce!' they chorused in unison.
Off to the side, Silica offered the small bit of soy sauce to Pina; the tiny dragon lapped at it carefully, but let out a cry of distaste and flew back into the air. Seems she doesn't like it.. Oh well. 'You're right!' Asuna laughed, a small blush on her cheeks. 'We made the sauce for the sandwich out of that.'
'It's amazing!' Kirito searched for words. 'It's perfect! Have you thought about selling this? 'Cause you'd make a fortune?'
'You think it's that good?' Asuna smiled, obviously very pleased, and Kirito nodded eagerly.
'Wait,' Sinon interrupted, reaching out to place her hand on Kirito's shoulder. 'They can't sell it.'
'Eh?' Sachi murmured, staring at her. 'B-but why not?' Did Sinon not like it? But she seemed to..
'If you sell it, there wouldn't be any left for us.' Beside her, Kirito nodded emphatically.
Sachi and Asuna could only stare at the pair, absolutely speechless. Then the chestnut-haired girl sighed. 'My god, you two are so greedy..' She turned away from them, but Sachi could still see the satisfied smile on her face. 'If you like that much, we could always make more.'
Kirito looked like he was going to say something to her, but Silica whipped around. 'Someone's coming!' she exclaimed, whirling around. Quickly, Kirito swiped open his menu and unequipped his second sword. Sachi turned to look at the entrance, and smiled when she recognized the group of six players currently staggering toward the safe zone. 'Yay, it's Klein and the Fuurinkaazan!'
Klein looked up at Silica's cheer and gasped. 'Hey! Kirito! Everyone!' He laughed. 'How's it goin', everybody?' He's just as energetic as I remember.
Swallowing the last bit of her sandwich, Sachi waved to Klein. 'Hello, Klein,' she called out. 'Are you well?'
'Doing just fine, little lady,' he said with a roguish grin. 'Me and the boys -'
'Ahem!'
Klein grinned. 'Sorry, Fuu. Me, the boys, and Lady Fuu here are kicking ass and taking names!'
'Better.' How on EARTH is a woman in their guild? With the way he acts, I would have thought it was nothing but men!
Asuna sighed. 'Do you have to be so crude about it? There are children present.'
Silica pouted and muttered something about not being that young, and Klein rubbed the back of his head uneasily. 'Sorry, Asuna,' he said sheepishly. 'I forgot.. It's been a while since I've seen you guys, you know?'
'You're forgiven.'
Kirito grinned slightly. 'Man, Klein, you've only seen us for what, thirty seconds, and you've already managed to piss off Asuna.. I think that's a new record.'
'Man, gimme a break,' Klein laughed. 'Anyway, nice to see you all again.' The rest of Fuurinkaazan echoed the greeting before sitting down on the floor, exhausted.
'Are you all okay?' Sachi asked, looking over them. They all seemed so tired, but she couldn't see any winces of pain or red scratches under their samurai armor. That's good..
Dynamm smiled. 'Thanks for the concern, but we're just tired.' He flopped backwards, his armor rattling as he hit the floor. 'Man, it feels good to take a break.'
'Whiner,' Klein laughed. 'Hey, Sinon, you're being quiet as usual today. How're you holding up?'
Sinon smiled slightly. 'Fine.' Kirito nudged her, and she gave him a baleful look. 'No.'
'I didn't even -'
The sound of heavy boot steps interrupted him, and Asuna reached over to grab his arm as everyone got to their feet with varying degrees of stiffness. 'Kirito,' she murmured.
'Yeah, I know.' Everyone there recognized the armor of the troop of approaching; they were members of the Aincrad Liberation Force. 'It's the Army..'
'The big guild that runs Floor 1?' Klein mumbled. 'What're they doing up here?' The ALF members continued approaching, some swaying drunkenly while others were breathing heavily. Sachi could see deep gouges in the armor of several players - and they weren't in safe locations, like the upper arm or the shoulders. These scratches were found on the torso, crisscrossing over each other. 'Man, they look like they could use a break..'
'They've been trying to build up their numbers instead of clearing Floors,' Asuna said. 'I think they've been doing okay recently, though, right?'
'Yeah,' Kirito said. 'You were talking with Thinker and Yulier when we were at the guild meeting, right? I wonder if they ever bought information about whatever Argo was talking about..'
The ALF finally made it into the safe zone, and the one with a different uniform - it included a red sash - turned around. 'At ease,' he barked. Immediately, every single member of their raiding force dropped where they stood. They're totally wiped out.. 'I'm with the Aincrad Liberation Force,' the man said to Sachi, Kirito, and the others. 'Lieutenant Colonel Corbatz.'
'Kirito and members of the Shining Blades, and these guys are Fuurinkaazan,' Kirito responded. 'Nice to meet you.'
Corbatz looked the guys and girls over, and his jaw tightened slightly; Sachi got the distinct feeling he was looking down on them. 'You've cleared the area up ahead?' he asked, clearing his throat.
Kirito nodded. 'Yeah. We also got a map with directions to the boss room.' What? Sachi and Silica looked at Sinon and Asuna, but they didn't seem concerned, so they didn't question his decision.
'Hm..' Corbatz hummed thoughtfully. 'Right.' He raised his hand imperiously, palm up. 'Hand over that map and we'll be on our way.'
'What?!' Klein exclaimed. 'You want us to just hand it over? Do you even know how much a pain in the ass mapping is?'
'I worked really hard on that map,' Silica said. 'That's not fair to just take it!'
'We share our information and resources with civilian players all the time!' Corbatz roared. 'And we don't charge a thing for it! We maintain order in the chaos of battle! So that all players can leave this world as quickly as possible!'
'Explains why they're called the Army,' Sinon mumbled quietly.
'It's your duty to cooperate with us, so hand over that map!'
'Listen, you,' Asuna frowned.
Klein placed a hand on his katana. 'You bastard!'
'Easy, everyone,' Kirito said, raising a hand. 'When we got back to town, I was gonna talk to everyone about going public with the map anyway.' He looked at the girls. 'It's cool, right?'
'..I guess..' Silica muttered, hugging Pina tightly. Sachi placed her hand on the young girl's shoulder and squeezed gently, trying to reassure her.
Sinon just shrugged, and Sachi didn't mind in the slightest. 'Oh, it's fine,' Asuna said finally.
Klein dropped his hand from the katana's hilt. 'Hey now, wait. You're all being way too nice to him.'
'Remember, it's not like we need money from the map data,' Kirito reminded Klein as he finished up the trade with Corbatz. Sachi watched as he pressed accept on the trade screen and sighed.
'Hm..' Corbatz turned and started walking. 'Thanks for cooperating.'
Kirito gasped. 'Hey, I just took a look inside that room, pal. And you can't beat that boss if your troops are half-dead!' Sachi's eyes widened. Oh, please tell me he'll listen to Kirito.. 'Look at them! They're exhausted!'
Corbatz whirled angrily, and Silica pressed back against Sachi. 'Nonsense!' he shouted. 'My men are tougher than that. They won't quit until I say so!' He turned back to his troops. 'On your feet! C'mon, move!' Groaning with pain and exhaustion, his men staggered to their feet and Sinon shook her head, not saying a word.
As they walked out, Klein's shoulders slumped. 'Oh, man,' he mumbled. 'Are those guys gonna be okay?'
One of the Fuurinkaazan members shook their head. 'No,' Fuu said bluntly.
Asuna gave her a reproving look. 'I'm sure they know what they're doing.'
'I'm sure they do,' Kirito said soothingly. 'Still, maybe we should keep an eye on them anyway..' He glanced at Klein and Fuurinkaazan; they grinned, and Sachi sighed in relief. They'll keep an eye on Corbatz for us.. How nice of them. Kirito grinned back. 'I don't know who's nicer, you or me.'
After everyone was well rested, the two guilds split up, Fuurinkaazan heading off to grind on one of the offshoots and Shining Blades fighting to finish clearing out the rest of the floor; their exploration had been interrupted a slight bit and Kirito said he wanted to make the most of the trip before they left for town to spread the word that they'd found the boss room. As Sachi watched Kirito and Sinon clashing with a pair of Demonic Servants, Silica poked her. 'Yes?'
'Do you think those Army guys left after seeing the boss?'
Sachi smiled at her. 'I hope so. Nobody should -'
A horrible scream filled the air, cutting her off, and she felt her stomach plummet as she realized what had happened. 'Oh no!' Asuna gasped. 'That came from the direction of the boss room!'
'Go!' Kirito shouted, parrying a blow with his Elucidator before countering with a slash from Dark Repulsor; the slash skidded along the exposed ribs of the skeleton but left only a small red mark. 'We'll finish up here!' Sinon growled something unflattering about the skeleton she was fighting and punched at it with a glowing fist. Her fist collided with the Demonic Servants and shattered two ribs.
'Right!' Asuna called. 'Come on, Sachi, Silica. We need to hurry!'
Nodding, Sachi and Silica followed Asuna as she took off at a dead sprint for the boss room; the two damage dealers were faster than Sachi was, so they were slowly pulling ahead despite her best efforts. Still, she kept up somehow. Another scream rang out, and Asuna snarled, 'Idiots!' The open boss door loomed in their vision, and the three girls came to a halt in front of the entrance.
Sachi looked inside and felt her face pale; The Gleam Eyes had trapped every single one of the Army members on the opposite side of the room, towering over them. To escape, they'd have to face its attacks or use a teleport crystal. 'Hurry!' she screamed as The Gleam Eyes swiped with its massive sword and sent another of the players flying. 'Use your teleport crystals!' The boss was barely injured.
'We can't!' shouted a player from inside, holding up a crystal. 'The - the crystals aren't working!'
A cold tendril of horror wrapped around Sachi's heart. 'No..' she whispered. 'Not again..' Tetsuo, Sasamaru, Ducker.. A horrible blaring siren echoed in her ears and she shuddered, squeezing her eyes shut to try to block out the mental image of Ducker holding the teleport crystal in the air, screaming the name of any town he could think of over and over again. 'Please..'
She felt someone wrap her in a hug. 'It's okay, Sachi,' Kirito's soft voice whispered to her, and she relaxed into his body, desperately seeking some form of comfort. 'We won't let them die, no matter what.'
She took a slow shuddering breath, then opened her eyes to see Kirito looking at her, concern in his eyes. 'I..' She swallowed, trying to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. 'I'm okay, Kirito. Thanks.' I.. I have to focus now.
He smiled, the corner of his eyes crinkling slightly. 'I'm glad. C'mon, let's go join the others.' She looked over his shoulder and realized that Klein and the Fuurinkaazan members had joined them at some point and were talking to Asuna, Silica and Sinon standing by the chestnut-haired girl's side.
As Sachi and Kirito rejoined them, she noticed Sinon glancing at her out of the corner of her eyes; she gave the girl a reassuring smile and got a small grin in return. 'Isn't there something we can do?' Klein asked Asuna, and the girl could only grit her teeth in anger. What's going on?
'Ready? Charge!' shouted Corbatz, and Sachi realized with a gasp of shock that his men spread out, trying to attack The Gleam Eyes.
Kirito stepped forward. 'Don't do it!'
The boss monster reared back and then unleashed a breath attack; with a crackle of electricity and the sharp stench of ozone, lightning lashed out and flattened the entire formation of players. The Gleam Eyes drew back its sword and slammed it into the ground. Dust filled the air and several players went sprawling. Rumbling deep in its chest, The Gleam Eyes whipped around and sliced upwards. With rising horror, Sachi saw a player with a red sash fly through the air limply.
Corbatz crashed into the ground right outside of the boss room. Sachi took a slow shuddering breath, her heart pounding so hard in her ears she couldn't hear anything Kirito said as he raced to Corbatz's side. I.. I promised Kirito and myself that I wouldn't let anyone go through what I have, she thought. I have the strength to protect them from losing what I did! Corbatz's form shimmered and shattered into polygons, and the cold fear in her gave way to burning rage. 'I won't let you..' she whispered, staring at The Gleam Eyes. It had cornered another player, and slowly raised its sword. She firmed her grip on her glaive. 'I won't let you!' she screamed, blowing past the rest of her guild and Fuurinkaazan and into the room. Behind her she heard Kirito and Asuna shout something, but she didn't pay attention. I'm the tank of the Shining Blades! My job is to protect them! With a shout, she slid in front of the prone Army member and brought her glaive up in a sweeping slash, the blade glowing a brilliant green.
A tremendous crash echoed out as their blades clashed and she gasped, digging her feet into the stone to try to brace herself. The Gleam Eyes snorted and she looked behind her. 'Move!' she shouted at the Army player. He whimpered and scrambled away on his hands and knees; but her moment of distraction had cost her. She lost the battle of strength with the boss and her knee buckled; she sank to the floor, fighting to keep the massive sword away from her. 'I.. won't.. give in!' she gasped, twisting her glaive to lock the sword to her glaive and bracing the butt of her weapon against the ground. It won't hold long, but that's enough time for me to dodge! Throwing herself to the side, Sachi rolled and disengaged from the blade lock and the claymore slammed into the ground. Coughing from the dust, she rose with her blade already prepared and struck with «Sweeping Willow», the blade of her weapon cutting out toward the boss's feet to try to cripple it. Her blade cut, but not deeply, and The Gleam Eyes roared.
'Sachi, down!'
Instantly, Sachi threw herself to the side, rolling, and as she came up to one knee two arrows streaked through the air where she'd been standing, embedding themselves in the stomach of The Gleam Eyes. It roared, its snake tail lashing, and Sachi took the chance to jump back, landing back with her guild members. 'You idiot,' Sinon grumbled. 'You couldn't have waited for the rest of us?'
Sachi grinned apologetically. 'Sorry… I don't know what came over me.'
'Honestly,' Asuna sighed, taking up her combat stance next to her, pointing the tip of her rapier at The Gleam Eyes. 'Then again, if Sachi hadn't done something, I would have.' Sachi snuck a glance at the Army members, and to her immense relief she saw the members of Fuurinkaazan helping them out of the boss room and away from danger.
The Gleam Eyes turned and began to swing its massive sword at the retreating fighters, but Kirito had already placed himself in harm's way, carving open a wound on The Gleam Eyes's stomach. He only had the one sword, his Elucidator, but he was doing his best. Behind it, Silica was sneaking up on the boss monster, her dagger in her hands; after Kirito parried a particularly brutal sweep from the monster, Silica pounced, driving the point of her dagger deep into the leg of The Gleam Eyes before ripping it out to the side, leaving a long red mark. It roared again and turned, trying to focus on the tiny girl, but before it could do more than turn in her general direction Silica was jumping away, circling around it again.
By this point Sachi had caught her breath and moved forward into battle alongside Asuna; the chestnut-haired jumped high in the air and struck at the back of The Gleam Eyes with «Quadruple Pain», but her rapier point didn't make it through the thick matted fur. The Gleam Eyes turned, and with a gasp of horror Sachi watched as Asuna was sent flying by a vicious backhand; she hit the ground and rolled, but pushed herself to her feet. Kirito took the chance of unleash another flurry of blows and left scarlet lines blazing on its blue fur, and The Gleam Eyes turned back to him; Sachi moved in and braced herself in front of him before triggering her most powerful Hate skill, «Honor Before Reason». She was surrounded by a faint glow and smiled; until it disappeared or she disengaged, The Gleam Eyes would be forced to attack only her no matter how much damage the others did.
The Gleam Eyes threw back its head and roared, a ball of crackling light appearing there, and Sachi tightened her grip on her glaive. It flinched then, the special attack fading away, and she heard Pina's cry as the little dragon swooped at the eyes of the boss. Smiling, she took another step forward and spun her glaive, preparing to counter The Gleam Eyes's next attack. 'Sachi! Klein!' Kirito shouted, and she glanced back to see him with his menu open. 'Buy me ten seconds!' He's going to use «Dual Blades», she realized.
'You got it!' Klein rushed forward, pausing next to Sachi. 'I can help take the heat!' he called, his katana held firmly.
'It's locked to me,' she told him before spinning her glaive, the wooden shaft a dark blur, and bracing to intercept a massive lumbering swing from the side. It crashed into the wood and she slid backwards, fighting the blow with all her strength. Yelping, Klein dove out of the way as she was driven backwards, sliding.
'Okay, I'm ready!' Kirito shouted behind her. With a shout, Sachi triggered «Rising Thrush» and knocked away the gigantic sword with her blade; the sound of the crash echoed for a second as The Gleam Eyes staggered. 'Switch out!' Sachi didn't need to be told twice, jumping out of the way instantly and landing next to Klein, the soft aura surrounding her fading away. Roaring, the boss thrust forward and Kirito parried the surprisingly quick blow with his Elucidator. But that wasn't all he did; he reached out with his left hand and a blue light formed on his back, resolving into the sword he'd commissioned from Lisbeth.
He drew it from the sheath and slashed The Gleam Eyes with a Sword Skill, leaving twin marks blazing down its chest. 'Two?!' Klein gasped from beside Sachi, but she didn't - couldn't - tear her eyes away from Kirito and The Gleam Eyes. Again, The Gleam Eyes raised its sword over its head and slammed down; this time, Kirito crossed his swords and caught it, using raw brute strength to stop it dead in its tracks despite the shockwave of force that rippled out. With a scream and a surge of strength, he knocked away the sword and lunged forward, leaving more red slashes across the boss's stomach and legs. Silica started to jump forward, but Asuna reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder even as Sachi lowered her glaive to keep her back. There's nothing we can do for him now but pray he survives..
She glanced at Sinon and Asuna; both girls were staring at Kirito. Sinon had bit her lip until it showed red marks, heedless of the pain, while Asuna's free hand was clenched and shaking. Kirito.. Please come back to us.. 'Starburst Stream!' Kirito shouted, and Sachi heard Sinon whimper quietly. The dark-haired boy's Elucidator licked out to slice open the boss's stomach as he led itno a thrust with his other sword, ripping upwards to leave a huge gash. Spinning, he inflicted another two wounds with horizontal slashes before bringing his swords together in a strike that used all of his momentum, cutting deep into its stomach. As The Gleam Eyes roared in pain he swung diagonally in both directions, leaving an X-shaped trail of wounds before slashing upwards again, tracing the lines again.
'What the hell kind of skill is that?' Klein asked, but nobody answered him; when Kirito got cut across the chest by The Gleam Eyes's sword, the girls all gasped in shock in fear, but he didn't stop; he thrust into its chest with both swords before ripping downwards, somehow attacking faster than before. The Gleam Eyes roared again and struck out, hitting him in the stomach with its claws, and Asuna closed her eyes, murmuring something under her breath. It swung again, trying to run him through, but he somehow managed to turn in midair and parry the blade, steel scraping against steel with sparks; he struck The Gleam Eyes hard and fast, boring into the stomach of the monster. He got punched in the face but ignored it, and behind her Sachi heard Sinon swear. His health was dropping fast, and Sachi felt that far-too-familiar fear clutch her heart. As he slashed in every direction with both swords, abandoning all pretense of skill, she worried. What.. what will happen to us if he..dies? It was the thought that every girl was thinking, though none of them would dare breathe a word of it out loud.
Suddenly, The Gleam Eyes grabbed Kirito's Elucidator, and Sinon screamed, 'Kirito!' His health was only a sliver. The boss lunged forward with its sword, and the girls all raced forward, Sinon firing an arrow aimed for the boss. Roblox cat simulator codes. It wouldn't make it in time.
Because Kirito thrust forward with his Dark Repulsor and killed the boss first.
His blade pierced deep into the boss, draining its health to zero; its body glowed with blue light and burst into thousands of tiny polygons. Kirito was motionless for a few heartbeats as the results screen appeared and disappeared, his face ashen. 'Is it.. over?' Sachi heard him whisper. Slowly he lowered his swords, the tips shaking, and collapsed backwards. He never hit the ground; Sinon was already there to catch him and lower him to the ground, resting his head on her lap. His eyes were closed and his body was trembling; hurriedly, Sachi grabbed a healing crystal and used it.
As his health rose and the red marks on his body faded, he stopped trembling, and Sachi breathed a sigh of relief. He's okay. Kirito is okay. He's okay.. 'Kirito!' Asuna shouted, leaning over him. 'Wake up, Kirito!' She and Sinon were right by his side, Sachi and Silica only a step behind her.
Slowly, his eyes opened and he tried to sit up. 'Man..' he groaned. 'My head..' Gently, Sinon kept him on her lap until he looked up; Sachi could see tears in the eyes of every other girl in the guild, and her own were burning rather suspiciously. 'Hey, Sinon..Asuna..' he murmured, reaching up to touch their cheeks gently with one hand each. 'Don't cry.. you shouldn't..'
You start with this spell. Knock 1: Unlocks something and also knocks back enemies and deals 1 damage. Many items are not worth uncursing if your only method is this spell. Drain Life 2: Damages enemies and heals you. Wazhack finger of death.
'Idiot,' Asuna sniffled, wiping at her eyes; Silica and Sachi did the same. 'How could we not, after you did that? We were so worried..'
Sinon blinked rapidly and let Kirito sit up; he struggled to a seated position, but that only let the blue-haired girl hug him tightly, claiming his right shoulder. Asuna claimed the left, with Sachi and Silica sitting as close as they could manage. 'Don't ever scare us like that again,' Sinon mumbled, face pressed into his shoulder. 'Reckless idiot..'
Solemnly, Klein approached, and Kirito, Sachi, and Silica looked at him; Sinon and Asuna were too busy clinging to the man they loved. 'Corbatz and two of his men were the only ones who didn't make it,' the samurai said quietly, and Sachi felt sick to her stomach. Despite everything, three people had been torn from their friends and family.
'We haven't lost anyone in a boss fight since the 67th Floor,' she whispered numbly.
'That wasn't a boss fight, that was suicide,' Klein said. 'Corbatz was a damn fool.. There's no point to any of this if you die!' he snapped suddenly, thrusting his hand towards the other members of the Army, his voice trembling just a tiny bit.
Pina cried softly, and Sachi reached over to give Silica a hug. She wasn't sure who needed it more right then, the younger girl or herself, but the hug made both of them feel a little safer.
Klein looked back over and shook his head. 'You're not off the hook either, Kirito,' he said with his usual smile mostly back. 'What the hell'd you do just now?'
Kirito glanced at the rest of his guild and then turned back to Klein. 'I don't think you wanna know.'
'Oh come on!' he exclaimed, waving his hands wildly. 'I've never seen anything like that before!'
Kirito sighed and looked to the side. 'It's an Extra Skill I picked up. «Dual Wielding»..'
Poor Kirito, Sachi thought with a fond smile as everyone in Fuurinkaazan gasped and started shouting questions. Things like how he'd unlocked it, what the fighting style was like, and other things like that. Klein stepped forward with a grin. 'Dude, are there prerequisites?'
Sachi coughed. 'I think that Kirito is a bit tired,' she said serenely, keeping a soft smile on her face. Still, everyone quieted down, fidgeting under her gaze. 'If you could calm down, that would be wonderful.'
'Be nice, Sachi,' Kirito murmured. 'I'm fine.' I doubt that - you're still pale. 'Sorry, Klein, if I knew the prerequisites, I'd have shared it by now.'
Klein pulled up his menu and started scrolling through it. After a few seconds, he crossed his arms. 'It's not on the info broker's skill list..' He scrolled through it again. 'Yeah, it's not in there.' He grinned. 'Hey, you've got a Unique Skill! Way to stay on the down-low, pal. How can you keep an awesome secret like that from your buddies?' The girls all looked away from him. 'Oh come on, you all knew? Well, guess that makes sense..'
Kirito coughed. 'About six months ago, I was scrolling through my skill menu, and it was just.. there. «Dual Wielding»..'
'After he showed it to us, we decided to keep it a secret,' Sachi said. 'We were worried that if people found out he had a skill like that, especially since he claimed to be one of the original Beaters..'
She trailed off, but Klein nodded and placed a hand on his chin. 'They'd get pissed because you had something they didn't. They might even start blaming beta testers again. Well, some gamers are like that, but not me,' he said defensively. 'You're right, though, people would definitely be jealous you had that.' He leered at Kirito suddenly. 'And that..'
What? Sachi looked at Kirito, only to realize that Sinon and Asuna were still clinging to him desperately, one on each shoulder. Doesn't he seem comfortable, she thought with a small flare of jealousy.
'Well, they say your character is built by life's challenges, so keep soldiering on, young man,' Klein said with a grin, and Kirito just rolled his eyes and muttered something. 'Anyway, we're gonna go trigger the warp gate. You coming? First round in the new bar's on me!'
'Thanks, but I'll take you up on that some other time,' Kirito said with a small laugh.
'Whatever,' Klein said with a wave and a grin over his shoulder, walking away. 'Come on, guys and Fuu, time to get drunk..' Sachi knew that the drinks were non-alcoholic, but that apparently hadn't stopped him from trying his damnedest.
Before long, the Shining Blades were the only people left in the empty boss room; Sinon and Asuna were still clinging to Kirito tightly. 'Um,' the boy said uneasily, 'Sinon? Asuna? Would you mind..'
'Not letting go,' Sinon mumbled. 'Not until you promise never to do something that scary again.'
He sighed before patting her back with a fond smile. 'I promise, Sinon. The next time we fight a boss by ourselves, I won't try to -' Sinon pulled back slightly and glared at him, swiftly joined by Asuna. 'I mean, I won't ever do something to scare you like that again.'
Asuna looked at Sinon and something passed between them for a second, and then the chestnut-haired girl sighed. 'That's about as good as we're going to get out of him, I guess. Let's go home, everyone.' Kirito tried to stand, but his legs trembled and gave out on him; before he could fall, though, both Asuna and Sinon caught him and helped him stand. After a few seconds, he nodded to them gratefully; both girls glanced at each other again but didn't let go, keeping him upright.
They went home, utterly exhausted by the events of the day; Sachi and Asuna made a small dinner for those that were hungry, but nobody ate. Slowly, night fell and people went to bed - and if Sachi saw Sinon sneaking into Kirito's room, Asuna following suit a few minutes later, she didn't say anything to anyone. And if Silica knocked on her door in the middle of the night and asked if she could sleep in her room, Sachi didn't say no; her own nightmares had been waking her up every hour without fail, and the young girl's company was appreciated. That night, everyone just looked for comfort, trying to find safety somewhere, and nobody said anything about it. There'd be time to worry about that in the morning, when the nightmares disappeared and everyone was safe.
Kirito really did give them a scare there, didn't he? Idiot. Everyone knows that if you didn't have plot armor you'd be dead right now. I actually wouldn't have put it past Kayaba to make it so that the Dual Blades user never hit zero health until the fight with him. It would be pretty neat, actually, and explain why Kirito managed to stay alive during that berserk charge when by all rights he should have died.
Sachi being traumatized by what happened there might seem a little bit forced, but I think it makes sense. Her entire team was wiped out by a trap in which they couldn't escape using Warp Crystals, so I think it would remind her of that. Trust me, when something affects you that deeply, even the smallest things can set off a memory. Even ones you'd rather forget.
Also, I know this chapter and last chapter were pretty heavy with the stations of canon, but this was an important event – Sachi displayed her newfound resolve and inner strength, Kirito got to be the big damn hero and have two girls cling to him, the reveal of the existence of soy sauce, etc etc. Also because butterflies.
Many thanks to everyone that favorited, followed, or reviewed.
(Canon) Omake: Stuffed Animals
May 4th, 2024
After dinner had been eaten and everyone had cleaned up their dishes, the five were sitting in the living room, a fire crackling merrily in the fireplace and giving out enough heat to cut through the night chill. The 22nd Floor was always a little bit cold, even though it was the middle of May. Pina was lying on the stone hearth with her stomach facing the fire, snoring gently; Silica giggled every time the little dragon's flanks rose and fell. I didn't even think dragons could snore, the young girl thought. Asuna was chatting with Sinon and Kirito, and Sachi had disappeared somewhere - as for Silica, she had retrieved the book Sinon had lent her a while ago and was trying her best to finish it. Sachi entered the room with a bag in her hand, and she paused, right when the Goblin Queen was about to remember who Blake was. 'Everyone?' Sachi asked, and the other three gave her their attention as well. 'I, um.. I went out to do some window shopping, and I.. might have found something that I got on impulse.'
'Like what?' Asuna asked, clearly baffled. Silica looked at Kirito and Sinon, but neither of them seemed to have any idea either.
'Um..' Sachi - almost sheepishly - reached into the bag and then drew out several adorable stuffed animals. They were so cute neither Silica nor Asuna couldn't stop themselves from squeeing at the sight. 'Someone had sewn a bunch of them and was selling them out in the square, and, well.. I ended up getting one for each of us.'
'Aw,' Asuna said, smiling widely, 'Sachi, that's so sweet. Let's see.. I know who the dragon's for.' She gave Silica a look, and the young girl grinned widely before rushing over and giving Sachi a big hug for thanks, promising that she'd take good care of it. 'That leaves.. a wolf, a tiger, a hawk - that one's easy, it's Sinon - and.. Oh, Sachi..'
The last animal was a stuffed black cat.
Wordlessly, Silica hugged Sachi tighter. 'I-it..' Sachi's voice stumbled, then steadied. 'It still hurts, thinking about them. And I don't want to ever forget them.' Her arms came up to return Silica's hug gently. 'But I think that it's getting a little easier to wake up and keep moving in the mornings.'
Is set in a virtual reality of MMORPG, where thousands of gamers have been locked out of the real world. In order to exit the game and get back, they have to defeat the final boss.
Unlike a typical gaming scenario, players killed within the virtual universe would also die in the real world. Left without a choice, they forget about their previous routines and dive into the world of flashy blades, deadly spears and razor-sharp knives. Below are the most prominent weapons used by Sword Art Online characters!ElucidatorElucidator is a single-handed powerful sword that serves as Kirito’s primary weapon in Sword Art Online. The sword is entirely black except for the a silver outline along the edge. According to the blacksmith Lisbeth who crafted and boosted it to +40 for Kirito, it is one of the best magic swords one can get from a monster drop. Forged out of high-quality obsidian, it has a sharpness and balance few weapons can rival.Dark RepulserDark Repulser is a slender and maneuverable sword used by Kirito. The blade has a unique deep aqua color that has an almost mystical glow when light bounces off it.
When used in darkness, this natural phenomenon can put fear into the hearts of Kirito’s enemies. It was crafted by a blacksmith named Lisbeth from the very high-grade material Crystallite Ingot, which is harvested in the X'rphan, the White Wyrm's nest on the 55th floor on the Western Mountain.
The White or Frosty Dragon that lives there eats crystals and digests them creating a rare mineral that’s formed inside its stomach. In other words, the high-grade Crystallite Ingot is actually the dragon's excrement!Lambent LightLambent Light is a single-handed rapier owned by the female protagonist Asuna. Its round hand guard design bears the mark of blacksmith Lisbeth who is capable of forging this kind of quality craftsmanship only once every three months. Lambent Light is a slim and exceptional thrusting weapon that helped Asuna to earn the nickname ‘The Flash’.
Used in many battles, it had been fully mastered to the maximum level of proficiency and skill.Wind FleuretWind Fleuret is portrayed as a thin sword with a blade’s length of 41’’ and a dark-green hand guard. Obtained by Asuna after defeating the First Floor Boss, it can be used for thrusting, slicing, jabbing and slashing. Though Wind Fleuret increases the accuracy of the holder, it does not deal much damage and is easy to destroy.
Upon activation of a skill, it produces a bright glow that disappears after the execution of a skill. Thanks to Wind Fleuret’s versatility, Asuna managed to take down many beasts and level up at an incredible speed.LiberatorLiberator is a combined weapon consisting of a single-handed straight sword, and a tower shield crafted in a silvery metal, decorated with red crosses. When not in use, the sword is stored in the cross-shaped shield that also functions as a scabbard. This powerful set is possessed by Heathcliff, the leader of the cleaving guild ‘Knights of the Blood’, who can freely switch between impenetrable defense and fierce offense.
The Liberator’s shield is sturdy enough to easily withstand heavy blows from monsters several times bigger than Heathcliff. It is not only used for deflecting incoming attacks, but also for hitting the targets by taking advantage of its pointed end.Anneal BladeAnneal Blade is a single-handed sword initially obtained by Kirito as a reward for the successful completion of the quest 'Secret Medicine of the Forest'. It is a swift and easily manipulated weapon that helps its holder to survive long enough to get a better sword. Upon upgrading it, Kirito was constantly asked to sell it, but refused and used it during the fight with The First Floor Boss.Tyrant DragonTyrant Dragon is a two-handed straight sword that served as a primary weapon for Kuradeel, a member of the cleaving guild ‘Knights of the Blood’. Despite being expensive, it lacks durability and therefore can be easily broken.KarakurenaiKarakurenai is a curved katana owned by Klein, the leader of the cleaving guild ‘Fuurinkazan’. The curvature makes its handling different from most of the other swords the Sword of Art Online characters are likely to encounter. Enhanced by the ‘Curved Sword’ skill, this weapon is perfect for slashing and slicing the enemies into pieces.Guilty ThornGuilty Thorn is a murder weapon forged by Grimlock, the former member of the cleaving guild ‘Golden Apple’.
This brown-colored sword with a serrated blade was used to fake the death of one of the players trapped in the gaming universe.Mate ChopperMate Chopper is a powerful weapon owned by PoH, the founder of the guild ‘Laughing Coffin’ and one the darkest players in Sword Art Online. Although classified as dagger-class weapon, it has a strong resemblance to a large kitchen knife due to its rectangular shape and reddish-black blade. It is rumored to be able to pierce through the full-plate armor without any difficulties and is known by its name ‘Demon sword’.The action is hands down the best part of. If you like to watch epic battle scenes that make your heart pound, you should definitely check this series out!