I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

Fortunately, she remained huddled in a corner, fighting back fiercely, but with the death of the red-named player, all the monsters' hatred immediately turned towards her.

"No... I want to live..."

Her health was steadily declining, and each block left her arm aching and numb. In a daze, she seemed to be back in that damp sewer, with Mochizuki Kaede's warm palm enveloping her icy fingertips.

"Let our encounter become a part of your life..."

Mochizuki Kaede's voice echoed clearly in my ears, just as gentle and firm as it had been that day.

Suddenly, she felt a faint warmth in her palm, a warmth from her memories, the courage that Mochizuki Kaede had given her.

"Because from the moment we met, you were no longer alone."

These words kept echoing in Xing's mind. She didn't want this warmth to dissipate, she didn't want to give up like this, and she was unwilling to die in this cold world.

Even the usually timid girl now had a final fighting spirit burning in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and continued to wield her spear, fighting the monsters in a final desperate battle.

But the reality is cruel.

With a crisp cracking sound, her spear broke in two. The broken spear shaft, like her shattered hope, crashed heavily to the ground.

The monsters' claws and fangs were almost within reach...

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Thank you to 【随风~飘扬】 for the razor blade and to 【耀梓】 for the monthly pass!

Chapter 122: Unique Skill

With a deafening roar, the heavy stone door suddenly rose up.

All the monsters turned their heads in unison, their scarlet eyes fixed on the intruder.

Fortunately, her gaze pierced through the gaps in the monster's clothing. When she clearly saw that familiar and reassuring figure, the fear that had just overwhelmed her vanished instantly, like the receding tide. What followed was an indescribable sense of peace, like a child lost in darkness finally seeing a guiding light.

"Mr. Wang... Mr. Wangyue..."

Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, but when she saw the reassuring smile on the other person's lips, her heart skipped a beat.

The one who entered the trap room was Mochizuki Kaede. At this moment, the [Thunder Punisher] was already unsheathed, and blue and white lightning danced wildly on the blade.

It turned out that as early as when the Black Cat Gang decided to come to the maze area on the 27th floor, Sachi, feeling uneasy, secretly sent a message to Mochizuki Kaede. Upon receiving the message, Mochizuki Kaede immediately set off, as he knew this maze, which he had already explored, like the back of his hand.

Deep within the labyrinth, he first found the anxious Dakar and his group. After learning from them that Sachi was trapped on the other side, Mochizuki Kaede decisively told them to evacuate first, while he continued deeper into the maze following the footprints discovered by his [Tracking] skill.

Finally, he arrived at a tightly closed stone door.

Mochizuki Kaede's fingers traced the patterns on the stone wall; he knew perfectly well that this was a trap room. After locating the hidden mechanism, he pressed it without hesitation.

With the roar of the mechanism starting, a petite figure surrounded by monsters came into view.

Without a moment's hesitation—

Mochizuki Kaede's figure flashed into the stone chamber like lightning.

With a clanging sound as the Thunder Blade was drawn, blue and white lightning illuminated Xing's tear-streaked face, which suddenly radiated a glow.

A flash of lightning, and the monsters at the front line instantly turned into data fragments under the blade. The remaining monsters immediately turned their attention to the more threatening intruder, their crimson eyes locking onto it.

Mochizuki Kaede's swordsmanship was clean and swift, each strike precisely hitting vital points. At this moment, his proficiency with his one-handed straight sword skill was 950, a high level that allowed him to skillfully utilize the single-hit thrust technique, "Fatal Strike." But deep within his skill bar lay an even more unique sword technique—

This sword technique suddenly appeared in his skill bar one day after he learned "Fatal Strike." He asked Argo about it, and Argo reviewed all the information and confirmed that it was a unique skill that had never been recorded in the entire SAO. Just like the "Holy Sword" wielded by Heathcliff, the leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath, this was probably an exclusive ability granted to a specific player by the system.

"One-sword Shura!"

Mochizuki Kaede uttered the name of the unique skill, her whisper echoing in the stone chamber.

In that instant, the whole world seemed to have been paused—

His pupils contracted to pinpoints, and the movements of every monster in his field of vision were broken down into clear trajectories: the stone goblin's raised giant fist, the goblin's thrusting short spear, the werewolf's pouncing fangs... all the attack routes intertwined into a transparent net in his eyes.

The lightning on the [Thunder Punisher] suddenly surged, every nerve in his body vibrated at a high frequency, and his five senses were heightened to limits impossible for humans. At this moment, the sword and the man were no longer indistinguishable.

"Shh-"

His figure transformed into a streak of blue lightning, tracing a perfect arc through the stillness of space and time. Wherever the blade passed, the air was ionized, sparking tiny bursts of light.

When time begins to flow again—

"Boom boom boom!"

All the monsters froze simultaneously, then exploded one after another like toppled dominoes. Blue data fragments intertwined in the air to form a magnificent galaxy, then drifted down slowly like snowflakes.

The soft metallic clang of Mochizuki Kaede sheathing her sword echoed crisply in the stone chamber.

He turned and walked to the corner, the hem of his black coat brushing against the glittering data fragments scattered on the ground. The scattered points of light, like fireflies on a summer night, left a fleeting star trail behind him.

Xing stood frozen by the wall, the broken spear still clutched tightly in her hand. Her pupils reflected the figure emerging from the rain of light.

Mochizuki Kaede knelt on one knee, level with her gaze.

A warm hand gently stroked her messy black short hair.

"You did very well." Mochizuki Kaede's voice was soft, like a gentle breeze brushing past your ear, yet every word was clear, carrying an undeniable affirmation. "Even at the very last moment, you did not give up your weapon."

Suddenly, tears welled up in Sachi's eyes: "Mr. Mochizuki... I thought... I would never see you again..."

This timid girl trembled until the very last moment, yet she gripped the broken gun tightly. What gave her courage was the warmth from her palm on that night in her memory. That warmth was too precious for her to bear; she would rather face her fear than disappear into this cold world.

At that moment, as the crisis subsided, the courage she had been holding onto receded like the tide. Only then did she realize that her whole body was trembling uncontrollably, until Mochizuki Kaede's hand touched the end of her hair, and that familiar warmth finally made her fear gradually dissipate.

She suddenly grabbed Mochizuki Kaede's clothes and burst into tears like a lost child who had finally found her way home.

Mochizuki Kaede stood silently in place, the hem of her black coat soaked with a dark patch of Yuki's tears. As the girl's sobs gradually subsided, she blushed and lifted her head from Mochizuki Kaede's embrace.

"Let's go." Wang Yuefeng handed her a bottle of high-grade healing potion. "Dakar and the others must be getting impatient."

Xing sipped the potion, watching her health bar slowly fill up.

They left the trap room and proceeded along the labyrinthine passages.

Throughout the journey, Xing's gaze frequently fell upon Wang Yuefeng. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Wang Yue, just how strong are you?"

Although Sachi had always known that Mochizuki Kaede was strong, the scene she had just witnessed still exceeded her expectations. Those monsters that had driven her to the brink of despair were like paper in front of Mochizuki Kaede. This gap in strength was beyond what effort could bridge.

Mochizuki Kaede smiled, but did not answer Sachi's question. He simply quickened his pace, leading Sachi toward the exit.

Led by Mochizuki Kaede, the two successfully left the maze area.

Dakar and his group had been anxiously waiting outside the maze area. When they saw Mochizuki Kaede and Sachi approaching, Dakar, Sasamaru, and Tetsuo surrounded them, their faces full of self-reproach.

Dakar said, "Thank goodness! Are you alright?"

Mochizuki Kaede gently patted Sachi's shoulder, signaling her to tell the truth about what had happened. The girl took a deep breath and recounted her harrowing experience, from encountering the red-named player to being trapped in the trap room. As she spoke, her companions' expressions grew increasingly grave.

Dakar lowered his head: "Mr. Mochizuki, it's all our fault. We shouldn't have put Sachi in danger."

Sasamaru and Tetsuo nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with remorse.

Mochizuki Kaede looked at them, her expression turning serious: "Don't recklessly challenge the upper levels of the maze before you're absolutely certain. This isn't a game; every rash decision could lead to the permanent loss of someone important. Can you afford the consequences? Don't let a moment of impulsiveness plunge you and your companions into a desperate situation."

Dakar and the others nodded silently as they listened to Mochizuki Kaede's words.

Chapter 123: Multiple Choice Questions

In the dimly lit corner, a musty, rotten smell permeated the damp air.

This clearing in the thirtieth layer of the forest is surrounded by towering ancient trees. Sunlight can hardly penetrate the dense canopy, and only scattered spots of light fall on the moss-covered ground.

Sato's throat tightened; he could hear his heart pounding against his chest, so violently it felt like it would explode at any moment. His back pressed against the cold tree trunk, his right hand gripping the hilt of his longsword tightly.

Beside him, Takahashi was in no better shape. This college student, who was usually all smiles in the real world, was now ashen-faced, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, and his lips trembling uncontrollably.

"What...what should we do?" Takahashi's voice was clearly choked with sobs.

Sato did not answer.

His gaze was fixed on the two figures in front of him.

The man who called himself Blake wore a black cloak, and a twisted smile clung to half his face beneath the hood. His companion, Sasha, stood silently to the side like a ghost, his crimson eyes gleaming ominously above his mask.

“I’ll say it,” Blake tapped his hand lightly with the dagger, the metal striking the leather with a chilling rhythm, “that you two, whoever kills the other first lives. It’s a fair proposition, isn’t it?”

Sato felt a sharp pain in his stomach.

Three days ago, he and Takahashi celebrated surviving the game in the safe zone on the 27th floor. They even happily declared that once they beat this death game, they would definitely go to a real-life izakaya (Japanese pub) and have a good drink. And now…

"Don't joke around!" Takahashi suddenly shouted, his voice distorted with fear. "We won't do as you say! You red-named players! You'll be punished sooner or later!"

Blake and Sasa laughed at the same time, their laughter as harsh as fingernails scraping glass.

“Adorable rookie.” Sasa spoke for the first time, his voice low. “In this world, we are the rules.”

Blake took a step forward, the dagger gleaming with an eerie green light. There was no doubt that it was a weapon coated with deadly poison.

"I'll give you ten seconds to think about it."

He licked his lips: "Ten...nine..."

Sato's mind went blank.

"Six...five..."

Takahashi grabbed Sato's arm with such force that he almost crushed his bones: "Sato, what... what should we do?"

"three two……"

Blake's smile widened.

At that moment, Sato suddenly understood that this madman didn't care about their choices at all; he just wanted to see them struggle in pain.

"One! Time's up!" Blake suddenly spread his arms wide. "Looks like I need a little encouragement."

Sasa moved behind Sato like a ghost, grabbed his hair, and forced him to tilt his head back.

Blake's dagger pierced Sato's left shoulder with pinpoint accuracy the next second.

"what--!"

Sato's scream startled the birds in the forest.

The [Paralyzed] status instantly appeared on his health bar, and his legs uncontrollably caused him to kneel down on the ground.

"Sato!" Takahashi hurriedly helped his swaying companion.

Blake looked at Takahashi: "If you don't choose quickly, the next blow will be to your heart~ Or... would you rather die together?"

Takahashi looked down at the sword in his hand, the "Forest Guardian," which they had bought with half a month's savings. It was a weapon meant to fight monsters and protect their companions.

His hands began to tremble.

Countless images flashed through his mind: Sato's patient guidance when he first taught him swordsmanship, and the laughter of the two sharing grilled fish by the lake on the twenty-fifth floor.

“I…I can’t do it…” Takahashi said painfully.

Blake's expression suddenly darkened.

"boring."

He snorted coldly, and immediately pressed the dagger against Gaoqiao's throat, the sharp blade instantly leaving a cut.

"Wait!" Takahashi suddenly shouted, "I...I'll do it!"

Sato's pupils contracted sharply: "Takahashi? No, you wouldn't..."

Takahashi raised his longsword with trembling hands.

He recalled the new skill he had learned—the Horizontal Slash, the most basic sword technique, which was enough to cause fatal damage.

"I'm sorry... Sato... I'm sorry..." Takahashi choked back tears, the tip of his sword pointed at his former friend's chest.

Blake laughed, "Finally, a good show is about to begin!"

Sato's eyes were filled with disbelief: "Takahashi, wake up! They won't keep their promise! If you kill me, you'll die too!"

Takahashi's sword trembled even more violently.

He knew Sato might be right, but the instinct for survival overwhelmed all his reason. A voice kept repeating in his mind: Live on, you must live no matter what…