I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

PoH stared at his severed left arm, orange particles of light emanating from the wound: "Heh, you really are infuriating!"

His eyes gleamed menacingly as he looked at Mochizuki Kaede: "Well, Silver Asura, I've always longed to fight you. Ever since I came to this world and killed my other self, this longing has only intensified. I keep killing and killing here, all for the sake of killing! That's the joy of this game!"

He charged forward suddenly, the mist from the demonic sword condensing into countless wailing faces: "Slaughter! Only slaughter is the true essence of this game!"

"Qiang——!"

The black sword light and blue lightning collided with a deafening roar. PoH's offensive was even more frenzied than during the battle for the Dark Elf capital. Each sword strike carried a twisted killing intent, and the gruesome images of players slain by the demonic sword constantly surfaced within the black mist it stirred up.

"Come on!" PoH's pupils shrank to pinpoints. "Let's begin the best... killing spree!"

Chapter 199: Going Back

PoH's demonic sword, [Friend-Slaying Butcher], gleamed with an eerie light. His arched body resembled a venomous snake poised to strike. His right leg muscles tensed suddenly, and he charged towards Mochizuki Kaede like a cannonball. The demonic sword whistled sharply through the air, aiming straight for Mochizuki Kaede's chest.

"Die, Silver Asura!"

Mochizuki Maple's silver hair danced wildly amidst the sword energy. He gripped his twin swords tightly; the Earth Sword shimmered with light, while the Thunder Blade crackled with blinding lightning. Just as the demonic sword was about to strike, he dodged perfectly, avoiding a fatal blow. At the same time, his right hand wielded the Thunder Blade with the force of a thunderbolt, sweeping out horizontally.

"clang--!"

PoH reacted with lightning speed, withdrawing his demonic sword to parry. The two blades clashed, sparking dazzling flames. Using the recoil, PoH leaped back to create distance, only to see Mochizuki Maple's Earth Sword cleaving down like a mountain.

"Tsk!"

PoH slid to the side, his demonic sword slashing diagonally in an attempt to deflect the attack. However, the earth-sword, with its immense power, was only slightly deflected before crashing down heavily. In the nick of time, PoH rolled on the spot, narrowly avoiding the blow. As he rose, the demonic sword swept menacingly towards Mochizuki Maple's lower body.

Mochizuki Kaede took a half step back, leaned back slightly, and slashed down with her thunder blade. PoH hastily raised her sword to block, but was forced back several steps by the impact.

"Drink!"

Mochizuki Kaede seized the opportunity and charged forward. The Earth Sword swept horizontally, and the Thunder Blade slashed vertically, forming a perfect cross strike. PoH leaned back and retreated, his Demon Sword rising to barely block the Thunder Blade. But unexpectedly, the Earth Sword suddenly changed its attack, its tip stabbing towards his abdomen.

"hiss--"

Despite his best efforts to dodge, PoH's right arm was still slashed open, and data particles gushed out like blood.

"Is that all you've got?" PoH grinned maliciously as he wiped his wound, his eyes gleaming with even greater ferocity. The demonic sword in his hand transformed into a venomous snake's tongue, unleashing a storm of attacks.

Mochizuki Kaede remained calm and composed, wielding her twin swords with effortless skill. Her defense was impenetrable, her offense thunderous. As the battle continued, her advantage gradually became apparent.

"ended."

Seizing the opening, Wang Yuefeng unleashed both swords simultaneously. The Earth Sword crashed down with the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, while the Thunder Blade pierced straight for PoH's heart like lightning. PoH's pupils constricted, but it was too late to dodge.

"Pfft!"

The lightning blade pierced his chest with pinpoint accuracy, while the Earth Sword slammed heavily into his shoulder at the same time. PoH's body trembled violently, and the light in his eyes dimmed rapidly. The demonic sword clattered to the ground, and he opened his mouth, but only managed a weak murmur:

"Ah...whatever..."

Before he could finish speaking, his body had already turned into countless data fragments, drifting through the air.

The afterglow of the battle slowly dissipated in the air. Mochizuki Kaede turned to look behind him. Philia was still kneeling on the ground, her icy blue eyes staring blankly at him, or rather, at the player icon above his head that had turned from green to red.

“Philya.” Mochizuki Kaede walked up to her and extended her hand. “She’s alright now.”

The girl's tears suddenly burst forth. She desperately wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, but couldn't stop sobbing: "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Mochizuki Kaede quietly squatted down. He didn't urge her, but waited patiently until Felia's breathing gradually became steady.

“I’ve always wanted to thank you…” Felia’s voice was still choked with emotion. “After coming into this world, I always felt like there was a void in my heart, and every day I doubted whether I was real or not. Just when I was deeply mired in this confusion, I met you… Attacking you the first time we met must have scared you, right?”

She smiled shyly: "The anxiety gradually disappeared with each day we went on the adventure together."

Her voice grew softer and softer: "I'm really happy."

“I’m also very happy to be able to go on an adventure with Felia.” Mochizuki Kaede replied softly with gentle eyes.

A blush suddenly rose on Philia's cheeks: "Because of you, I feel alive again. I feel...warmth."

Mochizuki Kaede gently ruffled her short, apricot-yellow hair: "Do you still remember my promise?"

"Eh?"

“I told you I would take you away from here.” Mochizuki Kaede looked at her. “Now I’ve found a way.”

Philia's pupils trembled slightly, her lips parted and closed again, finally turning into a sob: "I...can I go back?"

"Okay." Mochizuki Kaede extended her hand again, palm up. "Let's go together."

Felia nodded vigorously and placed her hand in his without hesitation. Their hands clasped tightly as they stood up together.

Mochizuki Kaede led her through a series of dark corridors, finally arriving at the room that Stoleya had mentioned, located in the central control and manipulation device.

Stoleya had been waiting by the control panel for a long time. When she saw them, her eyes crinkled into a smile: "I've been waiting for you for so long."

Mochizuki Kaede introduced Felia, "This is my friend; she can help you leave here."

Philia opened her icy blue eyes in surprise.

Stoleya winked playfully: "You must be the treasure hunter, right? I'm Stoleya~"

"I...I am Philia..." the girl replied somewhat awkwardly.

“Yes, I understand the situation.” Stoleya turned to the console, her fingers idly tapping on the holographic keyboard. “Simply put, Philia, the version of yourself you encountered after mistakenly entering the Void Zone was actually a Void version generated by the system based on your data. Because you killed the other party first, the system mistakenly identified you as the Void version, which is why you can’t leave the Void Zone.”

Upon being told the truth, Philia's eyes widened instantly: "The Void Version?"

Stoleya nodded: "That's right. But don't worry, I can use this central control device to remove your system error and red name tag, allowing you to return to your original world."

Upon hearing this, Felia looked at Stoleya with excitement, momentarily at a loss for words.

Stoleya then looked at Mochizuki Kaede and continued, "Also, the [Smiling Coffin] you encountered was also the [Void Version]."

"What?" Mochizuki Kaede frowned, recalling PoH's words, "But he clearly said he was teleported here..."

“That’s because his obsession transcended his true self,” Stoleya explained. “After he killed his true self, he became obsessed with believing that he was the real one.”

"Alright, everything is now clear." Stoleya skillfully operated the central control device.

As the last button was pressed, a soft blue light suddenly illuminated the control room. Mochizuki Kaede saw the red indicator above Felia's head gradually turn green, while Felia stared in surprise at the same indicator changing above his head.

"Now both our red names are gone," Wang Yuefeng said with a smile.

“Mochizuki Kaede, thank you…” Philia’s voice choked with emotion, and then she bowed deeply to Stoleya with sincerity: “Thank you as well, Miss Stoleya!”

Stoleya returned the smile.

Mochizuki Kaede said, "Then we should go back, back to Aincrad."

“Aincrad…” Philia repeated the familiar yet unfamiliar name softly, her eyes somewhat dazed. “Yes, I was originally a player of Aincrad as well.”

She wore a melancholy expression. Mochizuki Kaede could understand her feelings, after all, Philia had spent more time in the Void Zone than he had.

“It feels strange.” Philia rubbed her eyes. “It’s like going back to my old home that I haven’t lived in for a long time…”

Mochizuki Kaede's eyes, hidden beneath her silver hair, smiled: "When we get there, I'll introduce you to my friends. They're all very easy to get along with, and you'll get to know them quickly—if you don't mind the trouble."

"Hmm... no problem, we'll definitely get along well."

A faint blush rose on Felia's cheeks, softening her sharp features. She lowered her head, her voice almost inaudible: "And...I also want to continue...being by your side..."

"Huh? What did you say?"

"N-nothing!" Philia suddenly raised her voice, her icy blue eyes gleaming. "Let's go on another adventure together when we get back there!"

Chapter 200: Fate

Upon returning to Aincrad, Mochizuki Kaede introduced Philia to the members of the Golden Rule guild. Surprisingly, this once solitary treasure hunter quickly integrated into the group. At Philia's request, Mochizuki Kaede agreed to let her officially join the guild.

Regarding the [Void Zone], Mochizuki Kaede and Felia can still enter at any time. Whenever they have free time, the two of them will arrange to go and explore it together.

That day, Philia secretly accepted a special task—"to plant trees with someone important." She didn't tell Mochizuki Kaede the specific requirements of the task, only that she needed help planting trees, so she took him to a corner in the [Void Zone] where birds sang and flowers bloomed.

“Let’s choose this spot.” Philia crouched down, her fingertips sinking into the soft soil. Patches of sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing on the tips of her apricot-yellow hair. A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of earth and flowers.

Mochizuki Kaede helped dig the hole and watched as Felia carefully placed the seed in: "It's okay if we don't need to take special care of it, right? The system will automatically adjust the plant's growth."

“But I want to take care of it myself.” Philia’s fingertips were still covered in dirt. “I’ll come to see it often.”

"Remember to call me." Mochizuki Kaede smiled and patted the dirt off her hands. "I'm also very curious about what it will grow into."

……

When the two returned to the Void Zone, the sky was eerily overcast. A fierce wind whipped up dark clouds, and Filia worried that the tree she and Mochizuki Kaede had painstakingly planted would be destroyed by the heavy rain.

They ran through the increasingly heavy rain, and Mochizuki Kaede's silver hair was quickly soaked through. This was perhaps the most violent downpour in SAO, and the raindrops stung their skin.

“We can’t let it be washed away…” Philia’s voice was almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.

Mochizuki Kaede quickly retrieved several spare clothes from her inventory, while Felia gathered large leaves and branches. The two hurriedly built a makeshift protective shelter for the sapling. Rain dripped continuously from Felia's bangs, but she stubbornly refused to leave: "I want to stay with it..."

"Then I'll stay with you." Wang Yuefeng wiped the rain off his face and squatted down next to her.

"Go find shelter from the rain..."

How could I possibly leave you alone?

Felia turned her head and looked at Mochizuki Kaede's silver hair, soaked by the rain and clinging to her cheeks, her appearance disheveled yet still resolute. She suddenly chuckled softly. This reminded her of her childhood, when she had also insisted on playing in the rain despite the adults' advice.

When the downpour finally stopped, the two were soaked to the bone. Looking at Mochizuki Kaede's dripping silver hair, Felia suddenly burst out laughing: "You look so disheveled."

"Likewise." Mochizuki Kaede twisted the hem of her clothes, and water droplets splashed onto the ground.

While inspecting the saplings, Philia suddenly exclaimed softly, "They've sprouted!"

Two tender green buds looked especially bright after the rain.

Her eyes were slightly red, and Wang Yuefeng asked, puzzled, "What's there to cry about?"

“Because I’m happy…” Philia gently touched the sprout with her finger. “The fact that it sprouted means… my feelings have been conveyed, right?”

She turned to look at Mochizuki Kaede, her voice as soft as a feather: "Would you like to come again next time?"

“Of course.” Mochizuki Kaede’s answer made her eyes light up instantly.

As she left, Philia waved to the sapling: "Bye-bye, I'll be back."

A few days later, Felia excitedly found Mochizuki Maple: "The tree has borne fruit! It's huge!"

When they returned to that corner, the sapling had grown into a towering tree, its branches laden with golden fruit. Each fruit had red veins in the center, like a beating heart.

"You secretly came to take care of it, didn't you?" Mochizuki Kaede looked up at the tree canopy.

Felia twisted her fingers shyly: "I just... come to visit occasionally..."

dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, shimmering across her spirited features. Before Mochizuki Kaede could respond, Philia had already nimbly climbed the trunk: "Wait for me to pick the two best ones!"

Her nimble figure darted among the branches and leaves, and in no time she jumped down, holding two of the plumpest fruits. She handed one to Wangyue Feng and held the other tightly to her chest.

Mochizuki Kaede clicked on the item's attributes: [Fruit of Emotion].

“That’s a very unique name.” He had barely finished speaking when he noticed that Felia’s face had turned red to the tips of her ears.

The moment the fruit touched her tongue, its sweet and sour juice burst forth. The instant she swallowed, a torrent of emotions swept over her—Philya's feelings: gratitude, kindness, and…love. All these emotions carried Philya's unique warmth, so vivid they seemed almost tangible.

“This is…” Mochizuki Kaede looked up and met the girl’s sparkling eyes.

“Mochizuki Kaede, thank you,” the girl said, sunlight dancing on her eyelashes. “Actually, this is a special mission to cultivate the [Fruit of Feelings]. As long as two people work together to plant a tree, their feelings will reside in the fruit. If you eat it, you can feel the other person's feelings…”

“I see…” Mochizuki Kaede said softly, “That’s truly amazing. So, can Philia also sense my thoughts?”

Philia nodded: "Yes, I felt it all. You... really forgave me."

Mochizuki Kaede then realized that she was still harboring resentment over their past betrayal. He reached out and ruffled the girl's short, apricot-yellow hair: "Isn't this only natural? Haven't we been adventuring side by side like this all this time?"

“But…” Philia lowered her head, her hair falling to cover her reddened eyes, “I’ve been thinking… do I, who deceived you, really deserve forgiveness…”

"Hey, hey." Mochizuki Kaede smiled helplessly, "Am I that untrustworthy? If I hadn't forgiven you, why would I have stood with you in the downpour to protect the saplings?"

Felia finally raised her head, sunlight reflecting off her tearful eyes and making them glisten: "Thank you..."

The two stood side by side, gazing up at the towering tree. Mochizuki Kaede's voice was gentle yet firm: "The fact that this tree can grow so well and bear such fruit is the best proof of our mutual trust."

“Yes!” Philia nodded vigorously. “I will always believe in you.”

"It's time to go back." Mochizuki Kaede turned to her. "Let's come see it together another day."

"it is good."

On the way back, Philia suddenly stopped: "Actually... there's something I want to tell you."