I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

at this time--

"Liz."

The voice came from behind, like a ray of sunlight piercing through the dark clouds. Soft and gentle, with the tender tone unique to a young girl, this familiar call sent a shiver down Lisbeth's spine.

It must be a hallucination. She should still be at the coffee shop right now, or with Mochizuki Kaede. She couldn't possibly be here.

Lisbeth didn't even wipe away her tears before turning away in a panic.

Asuna stood quietly in the sunlight, her chestnut hair gently swaying in the breeze, her amber eyes filled with tender light.

They stared at each other for a long time, until Lisbeth spoke, her voice trembling:

"...Asuna...you shouldn't have come..."

Tears blurred my vision, but I could still see the concern in my friend's eyes.

"Give me just a little more time... and I can become... the energetic Lisbeth again..."

She tried to force a smile, but only more tears welled up in her eyes. The wind from the city wall swept between them, swirling up a few early-fallen leaves.

"..."

Asuna didn't speak, but simply took a step forward and gently knelt down beside Lisbeth. Their shoulders almost touched, and they could feel each other's body heat. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled light on them.

"Liz..." Asuna's voice was as soft as a breeze, "You like Kaede, right?"

Lisbeth's body trembled slightly; she hadn't expected Asuna to be so direct. Her emotions, which had been gradually calming down, were now stirred up again, like a pebble thrown in, creating ripples. She lowered her head, clutching the hem of her clothes, her lips moved, but she didn't know how to refute her.

Asuna turned her head, her eyes filled with concern: "Liz, tell me, what happened between you and Xiaofeng today?"

Lisbeth was silent for a moment, but finally nodded. Under Asuna's gentle gaze, she recounted her experiences of the day in fits and starts: going to the thirtieth floor to complete the blacksmith's quest, the moment when Mochizuki Kaede shielded her in his arms during the dragon attack, and the thrilling encounter with the red-named player.

Asuna listened quietly the whole time, a faint smile playing on her lips. Only after Lisbeth finished speaking did she sigh softly, "That's why I said Kaede is an idiot... but even such an idiot has fallen for Lisbeth."

After revealing her true feelings, the usually cheerful and outgoing Lisbeth showed a rare girlish shyness, completely unable to look her friend in the eye.

Seeing her like this, Asuna suddenly blinked and pretended to be serious, saying, "In that case, we'll have to settle this with swords. The loser has to withdraw."

Lisbeth suddenly looked up, her wide eyes still brimming with tears, but she froze when she saw the sly smile in Asuna's eyes.

"Just kidding~" Asuna chuckled, gently wiping away Lisbeth's tears. "We're best friends, how could we fight over boys? Besides..."

She deliberately dragged out her words: "I can't beat our strongest blacksmith."

"What are you saying!" Lisbeth burst into laughter through her tears. "It's clearly me who can't beat Asuna."

The two laughed, their laughter echoing in the afternoon air like a cheerful melody. Only after they calmed down did Lisbeth slightly suppress her laughter, her eyes turning serious as she said, "Asuna, since you like him, why...why don't you confess to him?"

Asuna thought for a moment, tilting her head slightly, a hint of confusion and contemplation in her eyes. She looked up at the sky, where a few white clouds floated in the azure expanse, as soft as cotton candy.

"Well, although I have feelings for Xiaofeng, I'm not sure if these feelings count as liking someone." She seemed to be talking to herself, or perhaps sharing her inner confusion with Lisbeth.

She turned to look at Lisbeth, a gentle smile in her eyes: "Sometimes I feel like I see Xiaofeng more as a younger brother. He's such a strong-willed little adult, yet I can't help but want to take care of him..."

At this point, Asuna's eyes suddenly lit up: "Ah, speaking of which, I've always wanted to hear him call me 'older sister'!"

Lisbeth imagined the always calm and reliable Mochizuki Kaede blushing and awkwardly calling Asuna "older sister," and couldn't help but laugh out loud, saying, "That scene is so cute to think about. If Mochizuki Kaede really called you 'older sister,' it might melt your heart."

Asuna laughed at Lisbeth's words, gently patted Lisbeth's shoulder, and said, "Yes, I think it would be cute too. But that's also what's troubling me. I can't tell if my feelings for him are just a sister's concern for her brother, or if it's real love."

"And..." Asuna gently swung her legs, her voice gradually lowering, "I'm not sure how Xiaofeng feels about me either. When we're together, I always feel like we're more like perfectly compatible partners..."

She gave Lisbeth a slightly helpless smile: "If I confess my feelings rashly and get rejected, how awkward would it be if we met again?"

Lisbeth gazed at her friend's profile, the sunlight casting a soft golden glow on Asuna's delicate features. She thought to herself: How could Mochizuki Kaede possibly refuse a girl as outstanding as Asuna?

Thinking of this, Lisbeth's gaze unconsciously fell on her palm. She suddenly realized that compared to Asuna, with whom she spent every day, she and Mochizuki Kaede had far less interaction. Even Asuna was hesitant, so what about herself…?

“However,” Asuna suddenly changed the subject, interrupting Lisbeth’s thoughts, “if Lisbeth were to confess, maybe Maple would say yes, since he might prefer someone like you.”

"Huh?!" Lisbeth's face instantly turned bright red. "Asuna, what nonsense are you talking about?!"

“I’m serious,” Asuna chuckled. “A lively and lovely girl like Liz might just be right up his alley.”

"No way!" Lisbeth waved her hands frantically. "Asuna, you are the one with such fair skin, such soft hair, and such beautiful eyes..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" Asuna interrupted, blushing. "I'm getting embarrassed if you keep going..."

Then, she lowered her head, a hint of melancholy flashing in her eyes: "If he really liked me, he should have made a move long ago, why wait until now... Maybe in Xiaofeng's heart, I have always just been a partner who fights alongside him, not a girl who can make his heart flutter."

Lisbeth suddenly realized—what Asuna had been waiting for all along was for Mochizuki Kaede to take the initiative.

Asuna stood up and extended her hand to Lisbeth: "Let's go, Kaede is still waiting for us. As for matters of the heart... let's just let nature take its course."

Chapter 132: The Pain of the Heart and Soul

When the two girls returned to the workshop, Mochizuki Kaede was leaning against the forging table, his fingers lightly tapping the metal surface. Hearing the door open, he looked up, keenly sensing a subtle change in the atmosphere.

Lisbeth's eyes were slightly red, as if she had just been crying, but she wore a brighter smile than usual. Asuna was holding Lisbeth's arm, and the intimacy between the two seemed even greater than before. What puzzled Mochizuki Kaede the most was that there seemed to be some emotions in their eyes that he couldn't understand.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Asuna said first, her voice gentle.

Mochizuki Kaede's gaze shifted back and forth between the two, finally settling on Lisbeth: "Are you... alright?"

“Of course it’s nothing!” Lisbeth’s voice rose an octave as she exaggeratedly waved her arms. “It’s just… Asuna helped me solve a forging problem! Right, Asuna?”

Asuna smiled slightly, but didn't expose her friend's clumsy lie. She gently squeezed Lisbeth's arm and continued, "Xiaofeng, let's go eat."

Mochizuki Kaede sensed something was off, but seeing the unspoken understanding between the two, he decided not to press the matter. He noticed Lisbeth glancing at him from time to time, and when he looked back, she would hurriedly look away. Asuna, on the other hand, maintained a gentle smile, but her eyes held a thoughtful expression.

The three of them walked out of the workshop together and headed towards the restaurant. Lisbeth walked in the middle, with Asuna on her left arm in arm, and Mochizuki Kaede on her right.

"Speaking of which," Mochizuki Kaede suddenly spoke, "what exactly happened between you guys just now...?"

"I already said it's nothing!" Lisbeth hurriedly interrupted him, but accidentally tripped over her own foot.

"careful!"

Two hands reached out at the same time to support her.

Mochizuki Kaede grabbed her right arm, while Asuna steadily supported her left shoulder. Lisbeth's face instantly flushed red; she could clearly feel the warmth emanating from both sides.

"Thank you..." she mumbled softly, not daring to look anyone in the eye.

Asuna chuckled softly, "Liz is unusually shy today."

"No way!" Lisbeth retorted reflexively, but wilted when she saw Asuna's sly look.

Watching the two girls interact, Mochizuki Kaede's lips curled into a slight smile. Although he didn't know what had happened between them, the warm atmosphere made him feel inexplicably at ease.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the restaurant.

"I'm going to have a big meal today!" Lisbeth exclaimed, regaining her usual energy as soon as she sat down, eagerly flipping through the menu. "To celebrate the completion of the new sword, I'm going to treat myself!"

Asuna rested her chin on her hand, smiling as she looked at her: "You were looking so listless just now, but now you're all energetic again."

“Of course! Blacksmiths are very strong!” Lisbeth puffed out her chest, but shrank back when she caught sight of Mochizuki Kaede’s gaze.

Mochizuki Kaede ordered a glass of mead for each of the three of them. When the waiter brought the golden liquid to the table, he raised his glass and said, "First of all, thank you Lisbeth for forging such a fine sword for me."

"Cheers!" Asuna and Lisbeth raised their glasses, their eyes sparkling with warmth.

The meal proceeded in a pleasant atmosphere.

The restaurant lights cast a warm glow on the three of them. Lisbeth secretly observed Mochizuki Kaede's profile: the slight upturn of the boy's lips when he spoke, the focused look in his eyes when he listened, and the smile that he inadvertently revealed... every subtle expression made her heart skip a beat.

She longed to tell the boy how she felt right now.

But when her gaze shifted to Asuna, and she saw the same undisguised emotion in her friend's eyes, Lisbeth hesitated again. Asuna undoubtedly loved Mochizuki Kaede as well, and had loved her earlier and more deeply than she had…

"Let nature take its course..." Lisbeth silently repeated Asuna's words to herself, taking a small sip of mead. The sweet yet slightly bitter taste spread across her tongue, much like the complex emotions she felt at that moment.

Perhaps some feelings don't need to be rushed into expression, nor do they need to be deliberately avoided. In this world that is both illusory and real, let everything settle slowly with time. One day, when the bond between the three is strong enough, true feelings will naturally blossom at the most opportune moment.

……

November 5th.

The conquest of Aincrad has progressed rapidly to the forty-sixth floor.

This rapid advance is largely attributed to the overwhelming performance of the Knights of the Blood Oath. Their leader, Heathcliff, possesses unparalleled strength, making him a benchmark for players on the front lines.

The only guild that can rival it is the Holy Dragon Alliance led by Rindo, a guild that aims to be the "strongest guild in SAO." Its members even compete with other players for rare items to improve their combat power.

Among these two major guilds, the most eye-catching is undoubtedly the [Golden Rule] guild, with only three members. Among them, [Shining] Asuna shines the brightest, not only possessing exceptional strength but also widely recognized for her beauty, placing her among the top three in SAO. Recently, this small guild welcomed a new member. This girl, wielding a scythe and known as the [Grim Reaper], is just as active on the front lines as Asuna, similarly becoming the focus of attention with her outstanding appearance and strength.

The once-powerful Aincrad Liberation Army was almost completely wiped out in the fierce battle on the 25th floor. The surviving members, led by the King of Fang, retreated to the starting town and merged with the largest player guild in the area, MMOToday, to reorganize into the Aincrad Army—which players prefer to call the Army.

The leader of this "army" is Xinka, the former leader of "MMOToday", while Ya Wang serves as the vice leader.

The merged guild expanded rapidly, growing to 3000 players in no time. However, within this massive force, only a handful of elites possessed true frontline combat capabilities. The vast majority of these members remained at the lower to mid-levels, with only a handful truly capable of participating in frontline raids.

……

In the dim cave, the firelight flickered, as if it might be swallowed by the darkness at any moment. Wang Yuefeng stood in this weak, flickering light, panting. An hour of intense fighting had left him somewhat exhausted. Even against these giant ants that only bit and sprayed acid, his reactions were becoming sluggish. These monsters inhabiting the fortieth floor were no ordinary minions; although their levels were still within a safe range, if they were swarmed, their health would quickly plummet into the danger zone.

The reason he ventured into this area alone was because it was the most efficient leveling spot in Argonautical intelligence, where he could gain a large amount of experience points.

"call out!"

He hurled his dagger to distract the giant ant on his right, while simultaneously unleashing a three-hit combo with his Earth Sword in his left hand to eliminate the enemy on his left. In a flash, his right hand unleashed a "Deadly Strike" with his Thunder Blade, precisely cleaving between the giant ant's open mandibles, and the giant ant crashed to the ground.

The last two giant ants shattered into countless pieces like glass under Wang Yuefeng's fierce six-hit combo.

Mochizuki Kaede sprinted out before the next wave of monsters surged out, leaving the thirty-meter anthill tunnel behind in five seconds.

When he finally burst out of the cave, the warm sunlight shone on his head, and his tense nerves relaxed slightly, allowing him to let out a long sigh of relief.

Just as Mochizuki Kaede was about to pull up the map to plan her next destination.

Suddenly, a violent feeling of suffocation struck.

"Cough...cough..."

He suddenly knelt down, his virtual stomach cramping as he felt like vomiting. But even more terrifying was the inexplicable, sharp pain that surged in his chest—

It felt as if something deep within my soul was shattering.

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Thank you [An Zhe] for the razor blade and monthly pass! Thank you [Ren2099] for the monthly pass!

Chapter 133: Mutation

The sharp pain in my chest felt like something important was crumbling deep within my soul.

Mochizuki Kaede's fingers gripped the fabric of her clothes, causing it to crumple between her fingers.

His gaze unconsciously drifted to the health bar in the upper left corner of his field of vision. Everything there was normal; there were no abnormal status icons, and his health had not decreased at all.

But why is he feeling so unwell? Is it a rare malfunction in the system?

The sun still shone brightly on the earth, but Wangyuefeng felt no warmth at all.

A kind of indescribable sadness suddenly burst forth from the depths of consciousness; it was not an emotion simulated by the system, but a more primal and real pain.

"Let's... leave this place first..."

Wang Yuefeng clutched his chest tightly with both hands, his face ashen, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He took out a teleportation crystal and shouted, "Teleport!" As a beam of light enveloped him, his figure vanished from his spot and was teleported to the teleportation gate in the main city.

When his vision cleared again, the cacophony of voices from the main city rushed towards him. He staggered through the crowd, rented a room at the nearest hotel, and practically collapsed onto the bed.

"Uh……"

His curled-up body left messy wrinkles on the sheets. He still clutched his chest with both hands, his brow furrowed, and painfully closed his eyes to rest, trying to let the discomfort dissipate quickly. Time passed second by second, until half an hour later, the feeling of physical discomfort gradually disappeared like the receding tide.

"What...what's going on?" Mochizuki Kaede slowly opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling. This strange feeling, which he had never experienced before, filled him with unease. He didn't know what was causing it; his first thought was that the system had encountered a bug.

He pondered for a long time in bed, but still had no clue. In desperation, he opened his communications and contacted the information broker Argo, hoping to get some leads from her.

The two agreed to meet at a dessert shop.

When Mochizuki Kaede arrived at the dessert shop, Argo was already sitting at a table in the corner, still wearing her hood and sporting her signature mustache.

Mochizuki Kaede specially treated her to a delicate little cake.

Argo scooped a small bite of cake with a spoon, savored it carefully, and then put the spoon down. Looking at Mochizuki Kaede through the hood, his voice carried a hint of concern: "Kaede, you look terrible. What happened?"