I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

Author: Seven Nights

Introduction:

Mochizuki Kaede, the second son of the prestigious Mochizuki family in Tokyo, is the head of the Kendo Club and his swordsmanship far surpasses his peers.

When the death game SAO begins, he will write his own legend in Aincrad.

Chapter 1: The Kendo Club President

Tamagawa Junior High School, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.

Kendo Club.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the camphor wood lattice windows of the dojo, turning the floor amber. A calligraphy banner with the words "etiquette, discipline, skill, and heart" hung on the wall, and bamboo swords and protective gear were neatly displayed on a paulownia wood shelf in the corner.

In the center of the arena, two people holding bamboo swords and wearing protective gear stood facing each other.

The figure on the left lowered his center of gravity slightly, the hem of his indigo kendo uniform rising and falling gently with his breath, and a sharp gaze pierced through the mesh of his metal mask.

The swordsman on the right stood with a more composed posture, his fingers, encased in black gauntlets, gently adjusting the angle of his bamboo sword.

"noodle!"

The figure in indigo on the left gave a clear shout, and suddenly exerted force with his right foot. The wooden floorboards groaned briefly, and the sharp sound of a bamboo sword cutting through the air broke the silence of the dojo.

The swordsman on the right drew his sword the instant his opponent raised his arm, raising his bamboo sword to block the fierce attack. Accompanied by extending his right leg outward and leaning his body forward, he delivered a backhand slash towards his opponent's side abdomen.

The swordsman on the left hurriedly returned to defense, and the bamboo swords clashed together with a crisp sound.

"Zanxin!"

The swordsman on the right followed closely behind, his black gauntlet gripping the bamboo sword, striking three vital points—face, hand, and throat—in a precise three-hit combo. Each hit was accompanied by a short, powerful shout that echoed throughout the dojo.

As the bell rang to signal the end of practice, the clash of bamboo swords from the last group finally ceased. The two swordsmen bowed to each other and then walked to the bench at the side of the arena.

The figure in indigo blue was the first to remove her mask, revealing a girl's lovely face. As she removed the mask, the sweat-soaked fabric subtly outlined her shapely and curvaceous figure.

Her short black hair bounced slightly with her movement, the ends still damp with sweat, clinging messily to her slender neck. She exhaled a hot breath, and as she raised her hand to wipe her forehead, her sleeve slipped down, revealing a section of her beautifully shaped forearm.

"call--"

Long hours of practice had caused her gi to open slightly at the front, revealing the delicate skin around her collarbone. Even when exhausted, her straight back and full figure still radiated youthful vitality.

"Today's counterattack was still too slow, Suguha." The swordsman with the black gauntlets removed his mask, revealing a calm young man with silver hair and gray eyes.

Kirigaya Suguha's hair swayed slightly, and she pouted defiantly, "I'll definitely beat you next time, Mochizuki-senpai."

"Then I'll have to look forward to it." Mochizuki Kaede chuckled and casually tossed the water bottle to her. Kirigaya Suguha caught it in a fluster, and the way she almost dropped it made the smile in his eyes deepen.

“However…” he changed the subject, his voice softening, “You did an excellent job in the national competition last week, placing in the top eight and bringing honor to our kendo club.”

Mochizuki Kaede tapped her bamboo sword lightly with her slender fingers. "Especially your match against the Atsugi Middle School representative, Zanshin handled it beautifully."

Kirigaya Suguha's cheeks flushed slightly as she sipped water from her bottle. Water droplets slid down her chin, leaving dark stains on her gi.

Mochizuki Kaede then asked, "Your performance in this national competition was outstanding. Your brother must be very happy, right?"

Upon hearing this, Kirigaya Suguha lowered her head, her gaze falling on the water bottle in her hand, and said softly, "No, my brother hasn't been talking to me lately."

Seeing Kirigaya Suguha's dejected expression, Mochizuki Kaede recalled her mention of practicing kendo with her brother when they were young. However, one day, her brother suddenly lost interest in kendo and became very distant from her, their relationship growing increasingly cold. From then on, Kirigaya Suguha longed to achieve success in kendo, to gain her brother's praise, and to ease the tension between them.

It seems the relationship between the siblings hasn't improved at all. Mochizuki Kaede thought to herself, then reached out and ruffled Kirigaya Suguha's hair, saying, "Let's call it a day for now, go back and get some rest."

Perhaps due to overtraining, Kirigaya Suguha's already flushed cheeks turned even redder. She nodded slightly, her hair swaying gently with the movement: "Thank you, Mochizuki-senpai, for spending so much time with me during extra practice."

Mochizuki Kaede smiled and said, "I am the captain of the Kendo Club, and I will listen to the requests of my members, especially such a reasonable request as improving Kendo. As the captain, I am very pleased to have such motivated members."

Kirigaya Suguha blinked: "Everyone says that Mochizuki-senpai is very strict."

"I'm strict usually because the club members are too lax during training. If you want to achieve something in kendo, you can't just play around." Mochizuki Kaede casually adjusted his protective gear, his handsome face beneath his silver hair exuding the authority of the kendo club president.

Kirigaya Suguha stretched out her arms and recalled, "When Mochizuki-senpai gets serious, his eyes are terrifying. The last time Hikigaya-kun was watching him practice, he was so nervous that he dropped his bamboo sword."

He then imitated the deep tone of Mochizuki Kaede, the instructor: "Raise your wrist three degrees higher."

“That only shows that his foundation is not solid enough.” Mochizuki Kaede suddenly flicked Kirigaya Suguha’s forehead with her finger: “Only you are not nervous in front of me, you don’t act like a junior at all.”

"Ouch." Kirigaya Suguha covered her forehead, but smiled so much that her eyes curved into crescents: "Because Mochizuki-senpai always patiently corrects my movements and never criticizes me. Besides, I am the eighth-ranked genius kendo girl in the country, so senpai wouldn't dare to do anything to me."

Mochizuki Kaede chuckled lightly: "Although you achieved very good results in the national competition, don't be arrogant. When you get back, remember to mentally review today's training, and think about which movements were too fast and which were too slow. I want to see if you've improved in next week's practice."

Kirigaya Suguha raised her bamboo sword, the tip tracing a silver arc. The girl nodded confidently, "Senpai, just wait and see how I defeat you."

……

As dusk settled, the carved iron gate of the Moon Gazing Mansion creaked slightly as it was pushed open, and the stone lanterns in the courtyard were already lit, casting swaying shadows on the path.

The sound of "thump-thump" could still be heard from the courtyard. It was the clear sound of a bamboo tube filled with spring water striking a blue stone, which reminded Mochizuki Kaede of the wooden clapper used by the referee in a kendo competition.

When my mother was still alive, she loved to hear the sound of bamboo tubes being tapped, saying that it made her feel the peace of the world.

"Second Young Master?" Butler Fujizuka called softly from behind him.

Wang Yuefeng nodded and walked into the villa.

In the living room, Mochizuki Muneo was reviewing documents. Hearing footsteps, he asked without looking up, "Why are you so late today?"

"Extra training for the kendo club." Mochizuki Kaede unbuttoned the top button of his uniform, the sweat on his Adam's apple still damp.

Mochizuki Muneo put down the documents and looked up at his son: "Kaede, you're about to go to high school. You need to learn to calculate the cost of your time. I've said before, kendo can be your hobby, but you should always focus on your studies."

He picked up a report card from the coffee table: "I looked at your grades. You're ninth in the whole grade. There's been no improvement compared to your previous grades."

"Next week's mock exam." Mochizuki Muneo's voice suddenly softened, as if he were giving an ultimatum to his opponent at the negotiating table. "If we can't get into the top five in the whole grade, the kendo club's activities will be suspended."

The light from the crystal chandelier shone on Mochizuki Kaede's silver hair, and as he nodded slightly, the ends of his hair cast dappled shadows on his cheeks.

As Mochizuki Kaede turned to walk towards the stairs, she heard her father's last words: "Although your elder brother has been groomed as the heir of the Mochizuki family, the second son of the Mochizuki family should not be a playboy indulging in pleasure."

Mochizuki Kaede's fingers tightened slightly on the stair railing, where the touch of the bamboo sword still lingered.

Chapter Two: Sword Art Online

When Mochizuki Kaede went upstairs, she found her older brother, Mochizuki Yuuki, leaning against the bedroom doorframe.

"Brother?" Wang Yuefeng walked over, his bamboo sword pouch swaying gently on his shoulder.

Mochizuki Yuuki smiled brightly and naturally put his arm around his younger brother's shoulder: "Let's go inside and talk."

The bedroom door closed softly. Wang Yuefeng placed his backpack and bamboo sword pouch on the desk, the bamboo sword making a dull thud as it struck the surface. He turned to look at his older brother, who was a head taller than him. Both of them had inherited their father's deep features and their mother's gentle eyes.

However, in stark contrast to Mochizuki Kaede's calm demeanor, Mochizuki Yuuki is like the sun.

“This is no light thing.” Mochizuki Yuuki suddenly smiled as he weighed the bamboo sword in his hand, his fingertips tracing the patterns formed over the years on the hilt. “Kaze’s wrist strength has indeed improved again.”

Looking at his brother's smiling profile, Mochizuki Kaede sighed helplessly, "Brother doesn't practice swordsmanship, of course he'll find it too heavy."

"Haha, don't be so serious. Tell me, have you been dating anyone at school?" Mochizuki Yuuki put the bamboo sword back into the bamboo sword pouch.

Mochizuki Kaede looked helpless: "I don't have time for dating."

Yuuki Mochizuki patted his younger brother on the shoulder: "It's good to have a girlfriend once in a while to relax."

"I'm not like my brother, who can date five or six girlfriends from different countries." Looking at his brother's sunny smile, Mochizuki Kaede seemed annoyed.

"Haha, it was just an academic exchange between me and them." Mochizuki Yuuki continued, "By the way, I'm going abroad tomorrow. I'll leave the new game console and game cartridges with you for safekeeping. You can take them out and play them when you have free time. You can't always be on edge; you need to know how to relax in between studying."

Mochizuki Kaede knew that the new game console her brother mentioned was a full-dive device called "NERvGear".

The game card is for the virtual reality online game Sword Art Online (SAO), which is very popular online and has sold out, even making the news.

"SAO officially launches tomorrow, but unfortunately I'm going abroad tomorrow and won't have time to play," Mochizuki Yuuki said regretfully, then looked at Mochizuki Kaede: "So when the time comes, you can try it out and tell me about your experience."

……

The next day at noon, a long mahogany dining table was set in the Mochizuki family's dining room, laden with exquisite dishes. Mochizuki Muneo sat quietly in the main seat, with the upright Fujizuka butler standing behind him.

Across the table, Mochizuki Kaede and Mochizuki Yuuki sat side by side. The air between the three seemed to freeze, with only the occasional clinking of cutlery breaking the silence.

“Yuki.” Mochizuki Muneo put down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, and his deep gaze fell on his eldest son: “You must not slack off in your studies even when you go abroad. If you encounter any difficult situations, the family will always stand behind you. Even over there, you must remember that you are the heir of the Mochizuki family.”

Mochizuki Yuuki nodded and said, "Understood, Father."

"As for Kaede," Mochizuki Muneo's gaze shifted to his second son, "he needs to get into the top five in the entire grade for next week's mock exam."

Mochizuki Kaede's chopsticks left a few fine marks on the rice. He was all too familiar with his father's tone; every syllable was like a samurai sword drawn from its sheath, leaving no room for doubt.

After giving his instructions, Mochizuki Muneo stood up and said to the butler Fujizuka, "Prepare the car. I'm going to the Koizumi residence later."

"Yes, sir," Butler Fujizuka bowed.

……

In the afternoon, the sunlight slanted across the steps of the entrance hall, and Wang Yuefeng watched his brother's black car disappear into the distance.

Back in his bedroom, his gaze fell on the new game console his brother had brought over earlier—the NERvGear.

This is a device resembling a motorcycle helmet, with an overall blue-gray exterior and a black "NERvGear" logo printed on the forehead. Near the left edge of the helmet are PWR, WAN, and BLK indicator lights; wearing it allows you to enter the virtual world.

Compared to traditional VR devices, NERvGear can completely cut off the brain's commands to the body, so the player's actions in the virtual world will not affect the real body.

NERvGear can also simulate extremely realistic visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory sensations, allowing players to immerse themselves in the virtual world.

"Why don't we give it a try?" It's Saturday, and the kendo club doesn't have any activities today. Remembering what his older brother said about trying it out and telling him about his experience, Mochizuki Kaede picked up the NERvGear.

He put the NERvGear on his head, adjusted it to be secure, pressed the power button on the side of the helmet, and then inserted the SAO game cartridge. He then lay down on the bed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, and recited the instruction from the manual towards the ceiling – “Link Start.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding light gradually blurred, and his consciousness was swept into an endless stream of data.

A soft, female system voice suddenly sounded:

[Initiating neural connectivity calibration.]

Please perform baseline motion measurement.

Suddenly, glowing text appeared in his field of vision, guiding him:

Please try touching your left shoulder with your right hand.

Mochizuki Kaede subconsciously raised his hand, only to find that his movements were much slower than in reality. The moment his fingertips finally touched the virtual body, hundreds of blue dots lit up at his joints, forming a complete human silhouette.

Motion capture complete.

[Personal exercise database is being built.]

Next came more precise calibration—blink frequency, breathing rhythm, and even subtle changes in facial expressions were all recorded by the system. Most remarkably, when he followed the prompts to make a sword-swinging motion, NERvGear accurately captured his muscle memory unique to kendo players, even perfectly replicating the habitual tightening of his little finger when gripping the bamboo sword hilt.

[Personal profile complete.]

Please enter your character name.

Mochizuki Kaede habitually typed her name on the virtual keyboard.

Please create your game character.

A full-length mirror condensed from the data stream, and Mochizuki Kaede gazed at himself reflected in the mirror, outlined by blue light spots.

He reached out and touched the control panel that was floating in the air. The moment his fingertip swept across the "facial fine-tuning" option, the image in the mirror was immediately segmented by a precise three-dimensional grid.

Mochizuki Kaede tentatively slid the hair color adjustment bar, and the silver hair in the mirror gradually turned dark brown. But looking at this unfamiliar version of himself, he felt a sense of unease. His finger hovered over the confirmation button for a moment, then he finally pulled the slider back to its original position.

"Forget it, character customization is too much trouble." Mochizuki Kaede clicked confirm directly.

[Character creation finalized.]

[Next, after the game begins, you will be teleported to the starting town.]

Enjoy your adventure in the floating city of Aincrad.

As streams of data passed by, a light flashed before Mochizuki Kaede's eyes, and the medieval-style square slowly came into focus in his field of vision.

The first thing he felt was the solid texture under his feet; every crack in the bluestone paving stones was clearly visible. He subconsciously rubbed the ground lightly with his toes, and the tiny pebbles between the stones made a realistic friction sound.

Looking around, Wangyuefeng saw that the lush green roadside trees were neatly arranged along the outline of the square, their leaves rustling in the wind, and sunlight filtering through the leaves and falling on the ground.

Behind me is the central fountain, and the spray from it refracts into a rainbow-like halo under the sunlight.

In the distance, you can also see a Gothic-style black metal palace with its spires pointing straight to the sky and its surface covered with reliefs.

Players of all kinds thronged the plaza. Some wore armor and dragged greatswords, their metal boots clicking crisply on the cobblestones. Others huddled together in light leather armor, the silver ornaments gleaming in the sunlight.