I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

His longsword drew a graceful arc through the air, the skill effect of [Arc Slash] standing out starkly in the dim forest. The blade struck precisely where Asuna had just attacked, deepening the wound.

"Switch!"

As soon as Mochizuki Kaede finished speaking, Asuna had already closed in again. This time, she chose the [Diagonal Slash], her broken sword slashing diagonally from the upper right to the lower left, leaving a deep wound on the monster's forelimb. The two coordinated perfectly, like a meticulously choreographed dance—the moment one's sword technique's recovery effect began, the other's attack followed immediately.

Whenever one person's swordsmanship ends, the other person's attack will arrive precisely on time, giving the monster no chance to breathe.

The monster writhed wildly, but its blindness prevented it from locking onto its target. Its attacks grew increasingly chaotic and feeble. Meanwhile, the two's coordination became ever more refined, their attacks moving with the perfect, synchronized rhythm of precise gears.

"Asuna! The final blow! Let's all attack together!"

The two of them jumped up at the same time.

Mochizuki Kaede's longsword led the way, its silver arc piercing the air. Asuna's broken sword followed closely behind, its blue light relentlessly pursuing. Their figures clashed in mid-air, their swordplay weaving a web of death.

The monster seemed to sense the danger, frantically shaking its head and flailing its claws. But it was too late—

"Pfft!"

Mochizuki Kaede's sword pierced the monster's throat first, the tip emerging from the back of its neck. At the same instant, Asuna's broken sword precisely pierced the same wound, the two swords crossing inside the monster's body, producing a clear metallic clang.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

The monster froze for a second, then two seconds… before letting out a final, piercing wail. Its body convulsed violently, its muscles undulating like waves, before finally crashing to the ground, transforming into countless blue data fragments that rose into the air.

Mochizuki Kaede and Asuna landed at the same time, staggering as they steadied themselves. Their swords remained in the thrusting position, tips touching, gleaming faintly in the sunlight.

"Won……"

Asuna's lips trembled, but no sound came out. Mochizuki Kaede slowly sheathed his longsword, a weary yet relieved smile on his face.

Both of them were breathing rapidly, but their eyes shone with the same light.

That is the unique understanding and trust between partners after going through life and death trials.

Chapter Thirteen: Partners

Asuna took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as the emotions surging in her chest rose and fell.

"Xiaofeng, we survived..."

She spoke softly, each word seemingly squeezed from the depths of her heart, the last syllable tinged with a barely perceptible sob, as if she had finally awakened from a long nightmare. Strands of chestnut hair clung to her sweat-dampened forehead, making her pale face appear even more striking.

Mochizuki Maple's gaze swept across the silent battlefield. The surrounding trees were leaning and crooked, bearing witness to the ferocity of the life-or-death struggle that had just taken hold. The man-eating plants that had been entrenched there had all fled when the giant beast appeared.

After confirming there was no threat, he breathed a long sigh of relief and turned to look at the girl beside him: "This time, we owe it all to Asuna."

"It's clearly Xiaofeng's doing."

Asuna shook her head and said, "I was so scared that my legs went weak. I thought, how could I possibly win against such a huge monster? My mind was filled with thoughts of 'I'm doomed' and 'I can't win at all'... I couldn't even hold my sword."

She gazed into the distance, where the mud kicked up by the struggling monsters still lingered: "I was so scared then. I remembered the despair we saw in the maze last time, surrounded by monsters. They were surrounded, then turned to pieces, never to return to the real world. I was afraid I would disappear like that... afraid I would never... return to the real world... never see my mom, dad, and brother again..."

The broken sword slipped from her trembling fingers and hit the ground with a dull thud.

Mochizuki bent down to pick up the sword, but did not immediately hand it back. He listened quietly without interrupting.

“But…” Asuna looked up, her gaze fixed intently on him, “When I was most confused and terrified, when Xiaofeng shouted ‘Switch,’ that voice…”

She paused, as if searching for the right words: "...like a lighthouse in the dark."

Mochizuki Kaede was slightly taken aback.

“I couldn’t have done it alone.” His voice was deep but firm. “If Asuna hadn’t understood my intentions immediately, and if you hadn’t reacted so perfectly when I called out ‘Switch’… to be honest, I was quite surprised.”

"that is because……"

“There is no reason.” Mochizuki Kaede suddenly interrupted her, gently handing the broken sword back to Asuna. “This is the answer. Everyone has fear, but you overcame it, and that is why we survived.”

Asuna froze, tears suddenly welling up and streaming down her dust-covered cheeks. But this time, her hand holding the broken sword didn't tremble; instead, she tightened her grip, as if to forever remember this power.

Mochizuki Kaede suddenly chuckled and looked up at his almost depleted health: "Speaking of which... I probably only have a little HP left now."

His tone was so relaxed that it didn't sound like he was discussing life and death: "I wonder if our reliable Miss Asuna has any extra healing potions?"

"Idiot! Joking at a time like this." Asuna laughed through her tears and hurriedly opened her inventory. A virtual interface unfolded before her, with several bottles of potions glowing with a pale green light neatly arranged inside.

She took out a bottle and handed it over, her movements gentle yet firm: "But don't do this again next time."

Mochizuki Kaede took the potion, the glass bottle gleaming faintly in his palm. He tilted his head back and drank it, feeling the virtual coolness flow through his body. The health points in the status bar began to slowly recover, and the orange glowing marks representing the wounds gradually faded.

He stretched his shoulders and looked down the mountain: "Time to go down and find Mitt. What if she knew we took on such a big guy all by ourselves..."

“They’ll definitely scold us for messing around,” Asuna chimed in, a smile unconsciously creeping onto her lips. She sheathed her broken sword, suddenly realizing that her movements were smoother than ever before.

Sunlight slanted through the branches and leaves, casting dappled light spots onto the muddy mountain path.

Mochizuki Kaede and Asuna made their way down the steep hillside, occasionally kicking up loose pebbles that tumbled down with a clear, distinct sound in the silent forest.

At that moment, the two saw that not far away, Mitt was holding up a giant scythe that was taller than herself, her purple high ponytail was messily spread out, and a few strands of hair stuck to her sweaty cheeks.

Her breathing was terribly rapid, her chest heaving violently, orange particles of light seeping from the virtual wound on her left arm, her knees trembling slightly, and her armor covered in dirt and grass clippings, clearly indicating that she had also been through a fierce battle.

When she looked up and saw Asuna standing unharmed in front of her, her pupils suddenly contracted.

"A...Asuna..."

Mitt's lips trembled, and his usually confident eyes were now brimming with tears.

The scythe slammed to the ground with a clang, and Mito almost stumbled as she lunged forward, her arms wrapped tightly around Asuna's shoulders. Her embrace was so tight it hurt, as if letting go would cause Asuna to disappear.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Mito's voice was choked with sobs, making his words almost inaudible, and warm tears soaked Asuna's shoulder armor: "I should have protected you..."

Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a deep sense of self-reproach.

Asuna paused for a moment, then gently hugged her back. She could feel Mito's body trembling violently, like a string stretched to its limit finally snapping.

"It's alright, Mitt."

She gently patted her friend's messy purple ponytail, her voice soft: "Xiaofeng and I both survived safely."

……

The three returned to the town where they started.

The afternoon sun slanted across the stone pavement as the three walked slowly along the central avenue, their shadows shrinking to short segments beneath their feet.

Mito walked on the outermost edge, her high purple ponytail swaying gently with each step. Her giant scythe was tucked behind her back, its blade reflecting a blinding white light. Asuna walked in the middle, her long chestnut hair fluttering in the wind. Her voice was clear and lively, vividly describing the thrilling battle in detail.

"The monster suddenly burst out of the red mist, standing a full three meters tall, with eyes as red as blood..."

Asuna unconsciously gestured with her fingers: "Xiao Feng immediately judged that he should attack the monster's eyes, and with his first sword strike, he blinded one of its eyes..."

Mit listened in silence, glancing occasionally at Mochizuki Kaede on the other side.

As a closed beta tester, she understood better than anyone the courage and judgment required for this tactic. Surviving in dire straits requires the courage to face adversity head-on.

A sudden wave of bitterness welled up in her throat, and she quickly looked away. Her expression would become complicated whenever Asuna mentioned how Mochizuki Kaede had risked getting close to her.

"...Then Xiaofeng shouted 'Switch,' and we started attacking in turns." Asuna's voice suddenly softened. "Actually, I was so scared my legs went weak, but Xiaofeng's voice gave me courage, and then I remembered the combat techniques you taught me, Mito..."

Mitt pursed his lips, his fingertips tracing the engravings on the sickle handle.

Even in the face of death, Mochizuki Kaede and Asuna did not give up. It was she who, out of fear, considered abandoning her companions…

This realization stirred up a complex mix of emotions within Mitt.

She was supposed to be Asuna's most reliable partner, but at the most crucial moment...

"In the end, we delivered the final blow together!" Asuna's amber eyes gleamed in the sunlight. "Mitsu, we really survived!"

Seeing Asuna's smile, Mito's fingers tightened suddenly, her nails digging deep into her palms. But in the end, she could only manage a weak smile: "Yes."

Chapter Fourteen: Night Talk

late at night.

Wang Yuefeng sat on the edge of the bed, his fingertips lightly tracing the air to bring up the system menu. A pale blue light screen appeared in the darkness, illuminating his slightly tired face.

He carefully tallied the rewards he'd gained from slaying the behemoth that day: the rare material [Behemoth's Claw], a large amount of Cor, and an unidentified accessory. Just as he was about to check the detailed attributes, a soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

“Who would it be at this time?”

He closed the menu, got up and walked to the door, his fingers pausing on the doorknob for a moment before pulling it open.

Moonlight streamed obliquely through the corridor windows, outlining a tall figure. Mitt stood quietly outside the door; her high purple ponytail, unlike during the day, was no longer as vibrant, with a few stray hairs falling across her forehead.

She changed out of her light armor and into a deep purple, form-fitting outfit that made her skin appear as white as snow. Her violet eyes, which always held a sharp, piercing look, were now veiled in a dark shadow.

“...Mite?”

Mochizuki Kaede's voice was clearly filled with surprise.

He stepped aside to make way, but Mitt did not respond immediately.

She slightly raised her purple hair, the moonlight casting a faint ray of light on her delicate nose, her thin lips pressed into a straight line. After three seconds of silence, she stepped into the room, bringing with her the cool scent of the night breeze.

Mochizuki Kaede gently closed the door and turned around to see Mito already sitting on the edge of the bed. Her long legs were crossed, and her fingers rested lightly on her knees.

There were no lights in the room, only the moonlight outlining the beautiful profile of her face.

A high, straight nose, slightly upturned eyes, and a jawline that always carries a hint of arrogance.

Silence spread through the room.

Mochizuki Kaede walked to the window, his silver hair gently ruffled by the night breeze. He waited patiently, watching the moonlight slowly trace its path across the floor.

Why weren't you scared then?

Mitt finally spoke, her clear, cool voice trembling almost imperceptibly. She looked up, the ends of her high purple ponytail brushing lightly against the sheets.

The moonlight became exceptionally bright at that moment, clearly illuminating the complex emotions in her eyes.

Confusion, resentment, and deep-seated self-blame.

Her clasped fingers tightened slightly, her knuckles turning white.

Looking at Mito's expression, Mochizuki Kaede thought to herself, "So she can make this kind of face too..."

This realization caused Mochizuki Kaede's silver-gray eyes to flicker slightly.

He understood what Mitt was asking: about the giant beast that had suddenly appeared earlier that day, and the life-or-death battle.

"I was scared," he said honestly, "but being scared is useless."

Mitt looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Mochizuki Kaede's voice was soft, yet every word was clear: "I have a respected kendo master who once told me, 'A swordsman is someone who swallows fear and his guts along with him.'"

Mitt's purple pupils suddenly contracted.

Looking at the moonlight outside the window, Wang Yuefeng smiled nostalgically: "When I was twelve, my master took me to the mountains for the first time to practice [Han Ji Gu]. It was four o'clock in the morning in the dead of winter, and it was snowing heavily in the mountains."

"The temple was built on the mountainside, and we had to climb the mountain path for half an hour through the snow. The master walked in front, and his wooden clogs left deep footprints in the snow. I followed his footprints, but I still slipped from time to time."

He chuckled softly: "When I arrived at the temple, my socks and trouser legs were frozen solid. But the master said, 'Very good, now your body has remembered the feeling of cold.'"

“The dojo had no heating, and the wooden floor was covered with a thin layer of ice.” Mochizuki Kaede made a sword-holding gesture. “My hands, which were holding the bamboo sword, were so cold they turned purple, and my teeth were chattering uncontrollably. But my master made me practice barefoot on the icy floor. The first time I stepped on it, the stinging pain shot straight from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.”

“We practiced the most basic 'Suzhen' (a type of bamboo sword). For the first hundred times, my hands trembled so much that I couldn’t even hold the bamboo sword properly. On the hundred and first time, my master suddenly grabbed my wrist from behind.”

“My master’s hands were very rough, covered with calluses from swords. After he guided me through the entire movement, he said, ‘Feng, swordsmanship is not something you see with your eyes, but something you memorize with your bones. Once your bones have memorized it, you will no longer tremble.’”

“I practiced until sunrise that day,” he continued. “The windows of the dojo gradually turned golden, and the ice on the floor began to melt. My feet were already numb from the cold, but strangely, my sword-wielding became more and more steady. Later I realized that what he was making me fight was not the cold, but the instinctive urge to back down.”

"When I was cleaning up the dojo, I found that my master's wooden clogs were full of blood." Wang Yuefeng's voice suddenly became very soft. "It turned out that he had cut his foot on a rock when he went up the mountain, but he didn't say a word and practiced with me all morning."

"After that day, I understood two things. First, a true strong person is not someone who doesn't feel pain, but someone who can endure the pain and keep moving forward. Second, when someone is willing to bleed for you, you can learn how to swallow your own fear."

Mitt lowered her eyes, moonlight condensing into tiny specks of light on her eyelashes. Her fingertips lightly traced the edge of her clothes, as if she had touched some long-lost courage.

“My master passed away last year.” Mochizuki Kaede’s voice suddenly turned low. “But whenever I hold my sword, I always feel that he is still watching me from the other end of the dojo.”

He raised his right hand, moonlight filtering through his fingers: "In this deadly game, this gaze is all the clearer."

There was a brief silence in the room.

“Your master…” Mite’s voice was a little hoarse, “must be a very gentle person.”

Mochizuki Kaede nodded, looking directly into Mito's eyes: "So you see, it's not that I'm not afraid. It's just that someone taught me how to make fear a sword in my hand."

The night breeze ruffled his silver hair.