Virtual World.
The once-lush green meadow, now ravaged as if stampeded by a herd of wild boars, lay in utter disarray.
The culprits behind this pitiful state were two swordsmen clashing from east to west, north to south.
The clang of metal rang out incessantly.
Gales whipped up by their blades raged on.
Sword-skill light effects bloomed everywhere like fireworks, yet beneath those dazzling, beautiful collisions lurked merciless lethal strikes aimed at vital points.
The rapier fell like endless rain.
The broadsword stood immovable as a mountain.
*CLANG—!*
With a firm wrist, Yuu parried yet another sudden thrust—countless by now—from the rapier-wielding man, then abruptly tilted his head, narrowly dodging the blade tip that nearly "tattooed" his cheek. A bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Something's off..."
(This situation is getting weirder!)
As his mind raced, the rapier user, having failed the strike, landed in a gymnast's stance. Light footsteps swiftly crossed the grass; his massive frame floated like a wind fairy, shedding all reaction force mid-air before touching down solidly.
Then, tireless—like a yandere sworn to hunt a scumbag to the ends of the earth—he refused to rest, gripped his rapier, and charged Yuu again.
Yuu was forced to raise his single sword, frowning as he blocked the lightning-fast onslaught, sensing his opponent's movements now several times more agile than at the start. He could no longer afford the earlier nonchalance.
"Something's definitely off!"
As if finally acclimating to the unfamiliar body and gradually unleashing its full potential, the opponent's unlimited stamina in this arena became an advantage—while Yuu served as the whetstone sharpening him back to peak condition.
Initially, Yuu could have ended the fight anytime, but after dragging on this long, he realized his win rate was slowly dropping. Even at 70% power, he still couldn't breach that flashing blade barrier!
Why was this random bearded uncle who challenged him so strong—nearly matching his own cheated self?
Why were the bearded uncle's movements growing more like a young girl's? Like the inward-facing feet (uchimata) stance or the shy flinch when nearly bumping his own chest mid-fight.
Why did the bearded uncle's attacks and running style feel so familiar? As if he'd seen that rapier swung countless times, once deeply moved and praised.
"So yeah, something's seriously off!"
Yuu gritted his teeth and screamed inwardly.
The bearded uncle before him was repelled by a single slash, but since his in-game body wasn't as strong as in reality, his feet left the ground; he tumbled backward uncontrollably.
In this position, no sword skill could cancel the stun. He could only recover via ukemi upon hitting the ground.
And the airborne bearded uncle didn't miss this brief opening.
He narrowed his large eyes, suddenly released the rapier hilt at his waist, and hurled it at Yuu with furious force, as if venting frustration.
No skill light effect. Even without skills, Yuu could deflect it with a casual hand wave.
But as his arm crossed his vision, a crisis like an electric jolt surged up his spine, and one word flashed in his mind.
"Trap!"
Yuu's eyes widened instinctively, black pupils shrinking to pinpricks, staring at the scene blocked by his arm.
Ears replaced eyes, capturing every detail into his brain.
Across the field.
Footsteps crushing grass.
Rustle of fluttering clothes in the wind.
The tear of air being pierced.
And the light yet steady breathing channeling full power into this strike.
Then, a long-suppressed battle cry finally erupted—as if aiming to shatter the entire virtual world with this attack, piercing even invisible barriers.
"Hrooooaaahhhhh—!!"
Full of gallant spirit, yet retaining a girl's softness.
Splitting the sky, yet sounding so melodious.
"So it's true..."
Falling to the grass but unable to adjust posture due to the thrown hilt, Yuu struggled to raise his skill-lightless single sword, desperately using it as a shield.
His swinging arm slowly lowered, finally revealing the blinding light charging him—brighter than the sun, like a falling star crashing to earth.
In his memory, only one person could wield a sword skill this beautiful and deadly.
In his memory, only one person's speed left him no time to react.
She was the light-brown-haired rapier user, his former online partner, former online date...
And former girlfriend.
For him, that voice and light were unforgettable—always the same, never changing.
Narrowing his eyes slowly, Yuu smiled in resignation.
(You've gotten this strong since back then... Truly impressive.)
As his inner sigh ended.
The rapier carried a sharp cone of wind, slamming powerfully into his body.
High-level thrusting eight-strike sword skill, Star Splash!
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
In nearly an instant, Yuu's avatar cracked with eight wounds. Dark-red light effects flashed across his body.
"Hmm?"
Though finally landing a hit, the rapier user had no time to relax.
Frowning, he realized Yuu had used the skill-lightless single-sword blade to deflect every thrust aimed at vital points.
(You're amazing, Tenkuji-kun...)
Asuna couldn't help curling her lips. An inexplicable hot surge erupted from her heart, boiling every cell in her body.
(But I'll win!)
If not for the arena's infinite-durability items, that single sword would have shattered, and the man before her would have exploded and died by her hand.
No matter. Though not a one-hit kill, she'd sent him airborne; his remaining HP was fragile as wind-blown candlelight!
The rapier user gripped the hilt again, pulled back his wrist, and another sword-skill light ignited without pause, blazing as he sharply inhaled.
"Final attack—"
If this hit, victory was hers—
"Thank goodness you sent me airborne."
His baritone laugh rang softly before her.
Momentary shock cost Asuna her chance to react instantly.
"Great attack, but you won't get another shot."
Almost simultaneously with Yuu's words.
Pale-blue light suddenly flared at the feet of the wounded, falling avatar.
The rapier user's pupils shrank sharply, trying to force-cancel the skill to defend.
But Yuu was faster.
The next instant, Yuu's toe traced a crescent arc, kicking hard into the rapier user's lower abdomen, mercilessly driving in.
"Eat this!"
Physical skill, Crescent Moon!
"Ugh!"
In a choked groan, the rapier user flew backward, landing nearly simultaneously with Yuu—rolling several extra times, body covered in grass clippings.
"Hosh, hosh..."
The wind seemed to calm gradually.
On the ruined meadow, two figures lay supine, only a large countdown above their heads slowly ticking forward.