The story traces back to the day before the rumors began to swirl.
"Finally... it's finished."
Inside the workshop of their GGO base, Ikoma muttered the words to himself.
"Heh... hehe... hahahaha! Ah-hahahaha!"
A manic laughter, quite unlike Ikoma's usual reserved self, echoed through the halls of the hideout.
"...What's gotten into you, Ikoma? It's not like you to laugh like a movie villain."
Shana, who happened to be at the base alone, peeked his head into the workshop, drawn by the commotion.
"Shana-san! Please, look at this."
Ikoma held out a metallic cylinder for Shana to inspect.
"This is... a photon sword?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes. Though it would be more accurate to say it both is and isn't," Ikoma replied cryptically.
"Wait, isn't this that joke weapon they sell in the city? It looks cool, but the attack power is basically zero. It gets completely blocked by any optical barrier, and even without a barrier, it can't cut a thing. Plus, they're ridiculously expensive."
Shana was right. In GGO, photon swords were the ultimate "noob trap." Every male player wanted one because they looked like something out of a sci-fi epic, but their abysmal performance meant their actual use was near zero.
"Just try pressing the button for now," Ikoma urged.
"Alright."
Shana pressed the ignition. With a familiar hum, a blade of pure light erupted from the hilt.
"I've always ignored these as gimmick gear, but I have to admit... they look damn good."
"Now, Shana-san, try this."
"Hmm? What's that?"
"This steel beam has been fitted with a standard optical barrier. Give it a swing."
"...You got it."
Shana braced himself, lowering his center of gravity to put his full weight behind a horizontal slash.
"Ah, wait! Just a light swing will do, I promise!"
"Oh? Okay then..."
Following the instruction, Shana flicked the blade across the beam. The weapon was incredibly light—so light that Shana's strike was blindingly fast and precise.
"Wait... the blade just passed right through."
To Shana's disappointment, he felt no resistance. The beam didn't move; it looked completely untouched. He assumed the "blade" had simply failed to interact with the object.
"It's just that your swing was too sharp, Shana-san," Ikoma said with a smirk. He reached out and gave the top of the steel beam a tiny poke.
With a heavy thud, the beam slid apart along a perfect, diagonal cut. The upper half tumbled to the floor.
"Whoa... are you serious? I didn't feel a thing. And it's so light."
"That is the true performance of a photon sword. The ones sold in shops are merely cheap imitations. Toys, really."
"Then what is this?"
"According to the lore, this is an ancient 'Radiant Blade'—a weapon used for close-quarters boarding actions in deep space."
"I see. Wait, was this made from that 'Radiant Unit' we got during the Christmas event?"
"Exactly! Using that as the core and putting it through dozens of refinement processes... it is finally complete! Hehehehe!"
(Ikoma called himself a mad scientist the other day, and he's certainly acting the part now... I guess the blood of the legendary Kunitomo gunsmiths really does run in his veins,) Shana thought.
"Does it have a name?"
"Yes. The Kagemitsu G1, Version 1.0."
"I see. Named after a famous Japanese smith. Does the suffix mean anything?"
"Just my personal taste," Ikoma said, puffing out his chest.
"...R-right." Shana gave a strained smile, looking at Ikoma's proud expression. "So, how many of these can we make?"
"I have five units left."
"Hmm... Me, Shizuka, Benkei... maybe Pito and Rosalia? Nyangoro isn't much for swords, and I doubt Sinon or M have the build for frontline melee."
"I'm not great with blades either," Ikoma admitted. "M-san might be able to learn, but since his role is support, I think this equipment would suit them better."
Ikoma pulled out two shield-like objects—one large, one small.
"And these?"
"Made from an 'Unknown Metal' once used for spaceship hull plating."
"Tell me more."
"They can deflect any bullet in the game."
"Any? Even a round from my M82 or Sinon's Hecate II?"
"Yes."
"That's incredible."
"However," Ikoma cautioned, "the kinetic energy—the impact—still carries through. I wouldn't recommend taking a heavy shot head-on. It's best to angle the shield and parry the bullet away."
Shana looked at the Kagemitsu in his hand and then back at the shields. "You said 'any bullet.' What about this blade?"
"It can cut the shield, but the resistance is immense. It would feel like trying to cut through thick sludge. For all intents and purposes, the shield is impenetrable to anything else."
"I see. So it's almost absolute."
"I'm planning for M-san to take the large one. The smaller one is for Sinon-san—a portable barricade she can deploy to protect herself while sniping."
Shana studied the small shield intently. "Ikoma... make another small one for me. And for the large one, can you make it modular?"
"Modular?"
"Yeah. So the shape can be adapted. Maybe he can set it up vertically to snipe from a standing position, or if they're prone, he can split it into three smaller sections so three people can use it as cover. Something like that."
"I see! I can definitely do that. I'll get to work on the modifications."
"Talk to M about the weight limits."
"Understood!"
Shana paused, thinking. "One more thing. Can we integrate this metal into our chest and head gear?"
"Actually, I've already started on the armor plating," Ikoma said with a grin.
"Damn, you're fast."
"It should prevent any instant-death critical hits."
"It feels a bit like cheating, but in the right situation, it'll be a lifesaver. Though I'll probably ban us from using it in the official BoB tournaments."
"Agreed. That's for the best."
"Now, back to the swords..." Shana looked at the Kagemitsu. "How long to make one?"
"The base parts are ready. I can assemble one in an hour."
"Great. Make three more. And I need a specific modification for mine."
"What kind?"
"Adjustable blade length. And a reversible ignition—a switch that can flip the blade to emerge from the pommel instead of the tip, or vice-versa. And finally..." Shana leaned in and whispered a final request into Ikoma's ear.
"That's easy enough. It'll drain the battery faster, but it's doable."
To Ikoma, "easy" meant something that would take a master crafter weeks.
"And as for the last two units..." Shana whispered something else. Ikoma's eyes lit up with pure, childish excitement.
"S-Shana-san! That's genius! I never even considered that!"
"Right? It's a man's romance, isn't it?"
"Yes!"
Ikoma practically dove back into his workbench. Shana stayed to help, and by the end of the day, six blades were finished: Kagemitsu G1 through G4 (upgraded to Version 1.1) and two special models, X1 and X2. They were locked away in the secure armory.
The following evening, the team gathered at Rosalia's request.
"...And that's the situation," she concluded, finishing her report on the secret meeting.
"Hoh. So that's what's happening," Nyangoro mused.
"An 'Anti-Shana Coalition,' huh?" Shana said, his voice entirely flat.
"The movement lately is definitely strange," Shizuka noted.
"There's clearly an intent behind it," Benkei added.
"It feels a bit too elaborate to be just a simple prank," M observed.
Sinon looked toward the door. "Do you think they'll jump us the second we step outside?"
"We have to assume so," Shana said. "I don't know their total numbers, but if they've been coordinating, they could have a significant force ready to move."
"Well, if they do, we'll just have to kick their asses!" Pitohui chirped, her cheerful violence finally breaking the tension and bringing smiles to the faces of the others.
"Shana-san," Ikoma said, "should we use that equipment?"
"Yeah. It's situational, but we can't afford to hold back now."
The others perked up instantly. "Wait, what? You guys were hiding something?"
"Not hiding, exactly. We finished some new weapons and armor yesterday."
"Shana-san and I worked all night on them!" Ikoma added proudly.
"I mostly just carried stuff and held parts in place," Shana clarified.
"Ooh! Show us, show us!" Pitohui was practically vibrating with excitement.
"Alright. Everyone, head to the firing range."
Shana and Ikoma returned from the armory carrying several metallic cylinders and some heavy-looking plates.
"First, these are for M and Sinon."
"What are they?"
"Shields made from a special alloy," Shana explained. "I've tested them. Neither my rifle nor Sinon's can punch through this."
"Even an anti-materiel rifle?" Sinon asked, eyes wide.
"Yeah. You still have to worry about the kickback, though. Sinon, get into your shooting position so we can calibrate the height."
"Okay." Sinon dropped to the floor, bracing her Hecate II.
"Whoa, Shinonon... that's a very provocative look!" Pitohui teased.
"Hey—?!" Sinon squeaked as Pitohui gave her thigh a playful poke.
"Pito! Stop that!" Sinon snapped, her face flushing.
"Aww, why? Look at these legs! Shana, you agree they're sexy, right?"
"Don't drag me into this," Shana said, looking away. "They aren't... specifically... sexy."
His slight hesitation didn't go unnoticed. Nyangoro glared at him. "You were just on the verge of a lecture from me regarding Pitohui's license. Have you learned nothing?"
"That wasn't my fault!" Shana defended himself.
(Shana had barely escaped "execution" by Nyangoro after explaining that Pitohui had given him her license of her own free will.)
"The license is one thing, but why are you looking away now?" Nyangoro pressed.
"It's called manners! Staring is rude!"
Sinon stepped in to play peacemaker. "It's fine, Sensei. Shana doesn't usually look at me like that."
"...If Sinon says so, I'll let it slide. But you're on thin ice, boy!"
"I'm being framed here..." Shana muttered.
Sinon settled back into her position, only for Pitohui to sneak up and give her rear a playful pat. "Mmm, Shinonon's butt seems to be in a good mood today..."
"Pito! Seriously, cut it out!"
"She's right, Pito. Behave," Shana added.
"Fiiine," Pitohui pouted, looking genuinely regretful.
"Alright, deploying the shields," Ikoma said.
He placed two plates flanking Sinon. Based on Shana's suggestions, they looked like a high-tech mini-bunker.
"I see... a portable foxhole," Sinon remarked. "With this, I don't have to worry about flanking fire at all."
"How is it? Need any adjustments?"
"No, this is perfect."
"These two units are linked," Ikoma added. "You can retract them into your storage instantly."
Sinon tried it, tapping her console. The shields vanished into her inventory with a soft chime. "Smooth. I can relocate in seconds if I'm spotted."
"Next, M. How's the weight on this?" Shana handed him a heavy-duty backpack.
"It's heavy," M admitted, "but manageable. My movement speed will take a hit, but I can work with it."
"Good. It works like this." Shana quickly assembled a series of medium-sized plates into a solid defensive wall.
"Incredible. It's a full-sized barricade," M said, impressed.
"And it's modular. Look." Shana demonstrated various configurations—a tall spire for standing cover, a low wide wall for prone teammates. M began experimenting with the combinations himself.
"What do you think?"
"The freedom is staggering. I'll need to practice with the configurations, but this is a game-changer."
"I'm counting on you, M. You're going to be our lifeline."
M's eyes widened, and he stood a little straighter, looking deeply moved. "Y-yes, sir!"
"Now, for the main event," Shana said, holding up a cylinder. "Though, to be honest, it's a pure melee weapon."
"That cylinder... I've seen something like that before," Sinon noted.
"Wait—!" Pitohui's eyes lit up. "I have one of those!"
She pulled out an identical-looking handle and clicked the switch. With a vwoom, a blade of light hissed out.
"Yeah, that's the one!" Sinon said.
"Whoa, I didn't know those existed," Shizuka added.
"It's just a novelty item," Pitohui explained. "Totally useless."
"Really?"
"Watch." Pitohui looked at M and suddenly swung the blade down at him. Shizuka gasped, but M didn't even flinch. The blade of light simply pressed against his chest, doing absolutely nothing.
"Wait, it doesn't cut?"
"It gets completely negated by standard optical defenses," Pitohui sighed. "It won't even cut a target dummy. It's basically just a glow-stick."
"The ultimate joke weapon!" Nyangoro laughed.
"And they're expensive too," Pitohui added. "Only weirdos like me buy them."
Ignoring the banter, Shana ignited his own cylinder. A similar blade of light appeared.
"See? Same thing!" Pitohui said.
"Is that the secret weapon?" Sinon asked, sounding skeptical.
"Just watch."
Shana stepped up to the steel beam Ikoma had prepared. With a blur of motion, he brought the blade down. The light passed through the metal as if it weren't there.
"...Huh? It didn't stop," Pitohui noted.
"Did it actually pass through?"
"Of course not," Shana said. "Pito, give that beam a poke."
"Okay..." Pitohui reached out and tapped the steel.
A thin, glowing line appeared across the surface, and the top half of the beam slid off, clattering to the floor.
"What?!"
"No way!"
"What Pito has is a 'Photon Sword,'" Shana explained. "What I have is a 'Radiant Blade.' A completely different beast."
"Wait, they're different items?"
"Yeah. This is player-made only, and the skill requirements are insane. I'd bet Ikoma is the only one in GGO who can craft these right now."
"Amazing!"
"Ikoma-kyun! You're a god-tier craftsman!" Pitohui cheered.
Ikoma scratched his head, blushing furiously.
"For the record," Shana continued, "M's shield can resist this, though it will eventually cut through if given enough time. But against any other material? It cuts like butter."
"""""""Whoaaaa!"""""""
The seven of them—excluding Shana and Ikoma—let out a collective roar of excitement.
"I have four of these for the team, plus two special models for myself. These four are for Shizuka, Benkei, Rosalia, and Pito."
"Wait, I get one too?" Pitohui asked, surprised.
"I know you can handle a sword when you want to."
"Hell yeah I can!"
"I'm assuming Sinon, M, and Nyangoro are out?"
"Melee isn't my style," Sinon said.
"I'm not great with swords," M added, "though I should probably practice with my knife."
"I'd just end up swinging it wildly and hitting my own feet," Nyangoro admitted.
"Fair enough."
Shana handed the G1 to Shizuka, the G2 to Benkei, and the G3 to Pitohui. But when he held out the last one to Rosalia, she didn't take it.
"Rosalia? What's wrong?"
"I-I'm sorry, Shana... I can't use swords."
"Oh... wait! Right! You're a whip-user, aren't you?"
"Um... yes." Rosalia looked away, embarrassed.
"That's on me for not checking. Sorry, Rosalia. Don't worry about it—I'll hold onto this one for now."
Shana tucked the Kagemitsu G4 into his inventory. That specific blade would eventually find its way into the hands of a player named Kirito—but that was a story for another day.
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