I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

"Aaaaah!" Takahashi let out a howl that was not human as he activated his sword technique.

Silver light flashed.

Sato, who was already paralyzed, had no chance of stopping the attack. The blade struck his body, and Sato groaned as his health bar instantly decreased by a third.

"Yes! That's it!" Blake clapped his hands and laughed. "Continue!"

Takahashi felt as if he had split into two people—one mechanically swinging his sword, the other floating in the air, watching in horror as it all unfolded. The second blow struck Sato's thigh, and he barely dodged the third, leaving only a scar on his cheek.

“Why…” Sato said weakly, “Didn’t we promise… to… live together…?”

Takahashi's sword froze in mid-air.

Sato's eyes, those eyes that were always full of hope, were now filled with deep despair and incomprehension.

In that instant of hesitation, Blake suddenly appeared behind Takahashi.

"Don't stop, you piece of trash!" he roared in Takahashi's ear. "Do you want to die in his place?"

"Ah—!" Takahashi let out a painful howl and raised his longsword once more.

The final flash of sword light pierced through Sato's chest, penetrating his heart. Sato's body convulsed violently, his pupils dilated sharply, and his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but his life points reached zero, and his body began to disintegrate into countless blue polygonal fragments.

Takahashi's world collapsed at that moment.

He knelt on the ground, numbly watching Sato's last wisp of data dissipate into the air, the echo of his friend's final call still lingering in his ears. Something more terrifying than death seized his heart, and he pointed his sword at the person who trusted him most.

“Now,” Blake crouched down, patting Takahashi’s cheek with his dagger, “it’s your turn.”

“You…didn’t you say…” Takahashi squeezed out a sound like a broken bellows from his throat.

"What did I say?" Blake asked, feigning innocence.

Then he suddenly burst out laughing: "Just kidding!"

Sasa had somehow appeared on the other side of Takahashi, and the two of them sandwiched him between them. Takahashi finally understood that from the beginning, this wasn't a choice. No matter what he chose, the ending was already predetermined.

Chapter 124: The Blacksmith's Trial

Takahashi stared intently at Blake and Sasa, the two red-named players, his eyes wide with anger and fear, his breathing growing heavier and heavier, each breath sounding like a broken bellows being pulled.

Someone has to stop them!

There must be someone in this world... who can end this atrocity!

“You know what?” Blake’s voice was casual, like a friend’s chat, “I love watching the expressions on people like you. First hope, then hesitation, and finally…”

His dagger pressed against Takahashi's throat: "To turn into utter despair."

Takahashi abruptly raised his hand to resist, but a sudden, sharp pain in his throat brought him to an abrupt halt, followed by a feeling of numbness throughout his body—the poison had taken effect. Takahashi's health points rapidly depleted, and his vision gradually darkened.

Black's twisted laughter faded into the distance. In his last moments before losing consciousness, Takahashi seemed to see Sato's figure flickering in the distant light. His friend, who always walked ahead of him, was now smiling and reaching out to him...

"Sa...Fuji..."

His lips moved silently, and finally, like Sato, his body transformed into countless blue specks of light, drifting away into the damp air of the forest.

The forest returned to silence. Blake stretched and grinned at Shasa, "Not bad for today. The wails of those two players are enough to keep me entertained for days."

Shasa was checking the messages on the system interface and said, "The guild leader just sent a message that both Molt and Lulai are dead."

Upon hearing this, Blake shrugged, his face showing no trace of grief for his companion's death, but rather a hint of disdain: "That idiot Molt was too arrogant, always bragging about how great he was, and what was the result? But it's a bit of a pity about Lulai, his swordsmanship was not bad."

After a moment's thought, Sasa asked, "Do you think they were killed by monsters in the wild?"

Blake stroked his chin, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes: "Although Mort is arrogant, he is still quite strong, and Lulai's level is not low either. With their abilities, they shouldn't have been easily killed by monsters. There might be some hidden story here."

Shasa nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Blake's eyes flashed with excitement, and the corners of his mouth turned up: "You think... it might be that [Silver Asura]?"

When Shasa heard the name, his body jolted.

He had certainly heard of the "Silver Asura"—probably every red-named player in SAO knew that name by heart. It was a being who specialized in hunting red-named players, like a sword hanging over their heads, keeping them constantly on edge.

Blake continued, his tone laced with provocation and anticipation: "Shasa, don't you think the name Silver Shura is cool? Tsk tsk tsk, but I still really want to meet him. After all, what I love most is the clash between people, the thrill of swords drawn, life and death hanging in the balance—just thinking about it gets me excited. Then, I'll use my best neurotoxin to slowly torture him..."

His voice grew softer and softer, as if he were already lost in a fantasy.

Upon hearing Blake's comment, Sasa laughed, his crimson eyes beneath the mask flashing with an eerie light.

As members of the "Smiling Coffin," their purpose in the death- and fear-filled world of SAO is to kill for pleasure. They act recklessly in this virtual world, enjoying the thrill of manipulating the lives of others.

……

Forging workshop.

"By the way, have you seen Asuna and the others?"

Lisbeth put down her forging hammer and wiped the sweat from her brow. Sunlight streamed through the workshop window, casting dappled light on her short pink hair and making even the freckles on her cheeks shimmer.

"Hmm." Mochizuki Kaede responded softly, casually browsing the display cases of mass-produced weapons, his gaze sweeping over the weapons. "We get together occasionally, but most of the time we act alone."

Lisbeth sighed, picked up the fully repaired [Thunder Punisher] and handed it to him: "Although I know you're here to track down those red-named bastards... every time Asuna comes to me, she nags for ages about how reckless you are. She knows better than anyone that she can't keep you, so she never complains to you, she just worries about you silently."

As she spoke, Lisbeth suddenly mimicked Asuna's tone: "That idiot always goes to the most dangerous places!"

Mochizuki Kaede accepted the Thunder Punisher, a faint smile appearing on her face: "Thanks, it's good that you can spend more time talking to Asuna."

“Of course!” Lisbeth put her hands on her hips, her skirt swaying gently with the movement. “Asuna and I are best friends, do you need to tell me that?”

Recently, Mochizuki Kaede has been entrusting the maintenance of her equipment to Lisbeth. Firstly, because she's an acquaintance, and secondly, because her forging skills are truly superb.

Lisbeth paused, then suddenly seemed to remember something important: "By the way, I was wondering if you have any free time..."

Mochizuki looked up at her, a hint of doubt flashing in his gray eyes.

"I've received a special quest!" Lisbeth exclaimed eagerly. "It's called 'The Blacksmith's Trial.' Completing this quest will grant me a new blacksmithing skill and unlock new weapon blueprints!"

“But this mission is too difficult. I have to go to the thirtieth level of the wilderness area to challenge the dragon there, the King of Earth and Mountains. As a blacksmith, I definitely can’t defeat it alone, so I would like to ask for your help.” As she spoke, she blinked and looked at Mochizuki Maple with a hint of expectation.

“Of course, I won’t let you help for nothing; there will be compensation,” Lisbeth added.

Mochizuki Kaede nodded: "It's too dangerous. I can go by myself."

Lisbeth shook her head firmly, put her hands on her hips again, and said in an unquestionable tone: "The mission rules clearly state that you must bring a blacksmith. Besides, we are cooperating, how can I let you go into danger alone? If you want to take risks, then go together. I, Lisbeth, am not the kind of person who hides behind my friends."

The workshop fell silent for a moment.

Looking into Lisbeth's stubborn eyes, Mochizuki Kaede had no choice but to compromise: "Alright. But you must promise me that you will follow my instructions throughout the entire process and never act on your own."

"Okay, okay~" Lisbeth smiled and gave an OK sign.

"Make sure you have the transfer crystal ready, and escape quickly if you encounter an emergency," Mochizuki Kaede continued.

"Oh my, I didn't expect you to be so long-winded~" Lisbeth winked mischievously, but her smile faded when she saw the other person's serious expression.

Mochizuki Kaede said seriously, "This is our first time working as partners. If an unexpected situation arises, it will be difficult to respond in time. Every detail could be related to our life or death, so we cannot be careless in the slightest."

“I understand,” Lisbeth replied softly, her voice now more serious. “I will act according to your instructions.”

. . . .

Thank you to [fghjkop] for the donation and to [光炎的御刃者] for the monthly ticket!

Chapter 125: Feelings

The desolate area of ​​the thirtieth level was filled with a suffocating sense of oppression. The gray-brown sky hung low, like a heavy lead plate, ready to collapse at any moment and bury this land completely. On the cracked earth, countless jagged rocks, like ferocious monsters, were scattered, exuding an aura of desolation and danger.

Mochizuki Maple's boots crushed a weathered rock, and fine gravel rolled down the slope.

He reached out to support the staggering Lisbeth, his black coat fluttering in the dry, howling wind. The two were standing on a ridge made of dark red rock, surrounded by boulders and even larger rocks—at least that's how it appeared on the surface.

"This place is so hot it's burning your tongue," Lisbeth said, sticking out her lips, which were dry from the hot wind.

Mochizuki Kaede's gray eyes swept around, a hint of wariness in them.

“The mission coordinates are definitely here…” Lisbeth wiped the sweat from her brow, her short pink hair ruffled by the hot wind. “But where’s the dragon? There’s not even a lizard. Could the intelligence be wrong…”

Before she could finish speaking, Mochizuki Kaede suddenly grabbed her shoulder. His gray eyes narrowed slightly; the vibrations coming from beneath his feet were too regular, almost like... the rhythm of breathing.

He whispered, "Don't move, something's wrong, this vibration..."

Lisbeth stood frozen in place.

Only then did she notice that the seemingly random arrangement of the rocks vaguely formed the shape of some kind of creature's ribs. The dark red "rock layers" beneath her feet were undulating at an extremely slow pace, and the moss covering the surface changed its luster with each rise and fall.

“We…” Her Adam’s apple bobbed, “…could we be standing on a dragon…”

As if in response to her conjecture, the entire "mountain range" suddenly trembled violently. In the distance, a huge rock slowly rose up, revealing a vertical pupil as red as lava below. It was not the mountain at all, but the eyelid of a dragon! The "ground" dozens of meters wide beneath their feet began to bulge, and countless tons of rubble poured down like a waterfall.

Fenrir, the King of the Earth and Mountains, has awakened.

Mochizuki Kaede's arm tightened instantly, and the clanging sound of the Thunder Blade being drawn was drowned out by the deafening sound of the collapse.

Lisbeth felt a sudden tightening around her waist, and she was pulled away from the collapsing "ground." She instinctively grabbed Mochizuki Kaede's collar, her pupils reflecting the countless falling pebbles behind her. The rocks they had just stepped on were now slipping and sliding from between the dragon's scales.

"pay close attention!"

Mochizuki Kaede's command was torn to pieces by the gale.

Lisbeth didn't have time to think; she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, her fingertips digging into the fabric of his black coat. She had never been so close to a man before, close enough to feel the taut muscles beneath the fabric. The two slid rapidly down the angle of the dragon's back, the roar like an avalanche filling their ears.

"boom--"

The moment the dragon fully rose, its wings, blotting out the sky, unleashed a massive sandstorm. Lisbeth looked up, her pupils contracting sharply; even mountains dwarfed this colossus. When it roared for the first time, the sound shattered all the rocks within a kilometer radius, and the shockwave slammed the two of them against its scales.

"This...this is too outrageous!" Lisbeth's voice trembled, yet it carried a strange excitement. "Its scales...look at the texture! It's definitely top-grade forging material!"

Mochizuki Kaede did not answer.

His lightning blade pierced precisely into the gaps in the dragon scales, and lightning exploded into dazzling blue-white sparks at the point of contact.

The dragon suddenly swerved to the side, turning the world upside down. The two were instantly tossed into the air like falling leaves. The weightlessness caused Lisbeth's stomach to spasm; she felt as if her internal organs were about to be flung out of her body, and her scream caught in her throat, unable to make a sound.

But the expected fall did not happen. Mochizuki Kaede twisted his body in mid-air and shielded her completely in his arms.

"boom!"

The dull thud of her back hitting the dragon scales sent a shiver down Lisbeth's spine.

"Well……"

Lisbeth heard his suppressed groan, his warm breath brushing against her ear. This boy was now using his body to create a barrier for her. She suddenly remembered Asuna's words—"That stubborn fool, always putting others behind danger."

At the time, she didn't take it seriously, but now, the scene before her eyes made her truly understand the meaning of those words.

"Are you... alright?!" she shouted amidst the howling wind.

Mochizuki Kaede didn't answer, but simply tightened her arms around her. This subtle protective gesture made Lisbeth's heart skip a beat. She suddenly noticed that even in such a critical moment, Mochizuki Kaede's breathing remained steady, and the calmness in her gray eyes hadn't diminished in the slightest. This composed strength inexplicably reminded her of the feeling she had when she first successfully forged a weapon—that sense of certainty in control of the entire situation.

"Roar--!"

The dragon's roar made the air tremble.

Lisbeth instinctively hugged Mochizuki Kaede's neck, practically hanging on him.

With one hand wielding his sword, Mochizuki Kaede carried her as they weaved and leaped across the dragon's back. Each daring jump, each precise landing, gave Lisbeth a new appreciation for the boy's strength.

"Hurry up," Mochizuki Kaede suddenly whispered, her voice so close it felt like it was hitting her eardrums directly.

The next second, he suddenly leaped into the air, and the [Thunder Punisher] drew a dazzling blue-white streak of lightning in the air.

Lisbeth felt dizzy, with the sound of howling wind and the dragon's painful roar filling her ears. She kept her eyes tightly closed, but she could clearly feel the exertion of every muscle in Mochizuki Kaede's body and the rhythm of each breath.

Seizing the opportunity, Mochizuki Kaede precisely pierced the dragon's neck with her lightning blade, and violent currents spread wildly along the patterns on the dragon's scales. The dragon let out a deafening howl, and its massive body began to convulse violently.

"We're going to fall!"

Mochizuki Kaede pulled Lisbeth even tighter into her arms, her other hand gripping the thunder blade embedded in the dragon's neck. The two traced dangerous arcs through the air as the dragon struggled. Lisbeth could feel Mochizuki Kaede's arm trembling slightly from the excessive force, yet it remained as steady as a rock protecting her.

When the dragon finally crashed to the ground, the dust it kicked up was like a small sandstorm.

Mochizuki Kaede carried Lisbeth and landed lightly on a protruding rock.

"Is...it over?" Lisbeth's voice trembled slightly, but she didn't loosen her arms around Mochizuki Kaede's neck. The warmth emanating from him made her completely relax, and her mind went blank.

Mochizuki looked down at her and smiled, "Yes, thanks to your cooperation."

Lisbeth then realized how intimate their position was. She hurriedly jumped off Mochizuki Kaede's arms, blushing as she tidied her messy pink short hair.