I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.
Duel
Kirito sprinted forward, slashing with his Dark Repulser but the creature blocked the blade with its right arm, swinging its left horizontally at Kirito. Kirito bent backward under it as he got beside the creature and suddenly its tail flipped up over Kirito and drove itself downward. Kirito got his Elucidator into the way, the edge of his blade catching between the prongs on the tail and delaying it long Enough for Kirito to spin, getting out from under it and standing before Kirito continued his spin, slashing his Dark Repulser at the creature's back.
It leapt into the air over the blade and spun, right foot slamming into his head and launching him away. As he crashed down, he dropped his Dark Repulser, bouncing and rolling to a stop as the creature strode forward, kicking the Dark Repulser and sending it spinning into a tree where it embedded itself, staying. Kirito opened his inventory as the creature blurred forward, driving a sword at him. He blocked the stab with his Elucidator as his Anneal Blade appeared on his shoulder and he drew it. He slashed at the shadow and it leapt back, barely clearing the slash. Kirito sprinted forward and began slashing at the shadow rapidly, the shadow expertly blocking every slash before driving its tail at Kirito. He dove aside, the tail scratching his arm before he stood, spinning and blocking the tail again with his Anneal Blade before removing it with his Elucidator. The Shadow shrieked in rage as its tail disintegrated and both of the shadow's blades descended at Kirito. He blocked the attack with his Elucidator then slashed with his other sword, the shadow jumping back but not before Kirito managed to carve a red gash into its stomach.
"Its endurance is low," Kirito noted. "Except its weapons. Interesting. Alright then. Let's go!"
He sprinted forward, spinning and slashed at the shadow with both sword, knocking its blocking blade aside before stepping forward and slashing with his Elucidator. It blocked it then brought a foot up, kicking at Kirito and blasting him away. Kirito landed on his feet and glanced at his health bar, seeing that the kick, along with the last one, had dropped his health to red already.
"Shit he's strong," Kirito growled. "Alright. Then it's time to end this."
He sprinted forward, blocking a slash with his Anneal Blade before both his blades began to glow blue and he stepped forward, sword slashing around in the usual flurry of Starburst Stream. Finally Kirito slashed at the shadow's right with his Elucidator and it moved to block it, as it had fifty percent of the slashes before, but this time its arm was cut in half and the Elucidator carved through it before Kirito moved to drive his Anneal Blade through the shadow's chest. As he moved, the shadow's other arm blurred toward Kirito.
At the last second, Asuna's blade redirected the blade into the ground and Kirito impaled the shadow. Everyone froze, the shadow's last health bar dropping quickly. Finally it stopped, just short of death and the shadow's sword flashed into the air just before Kirito's sword tore its way upward out of the shadow, killing it. The shadow exploded into data and the word "Congratulations" appeared over them. Kirito sighed and put his Anneal Blade away and retrieved his Dark Repulser. Just as he got it, he also received a message. He opened it and smiled.
"Kirito, thank you for letting us know. As it happens, our family was chosen to test a prototype stasis method. It succeeded. Sachi's body is in the same condition as it was when she died. We have charged her NerveGear and are ready to bring her back when you say."
Kirito smiled and went to her inventory, searching through it and quickly finding the Yggdrassil's Favor. He selected it and read through the description. If used, the NerveGear of the target would send a second pulse, restarting their brain and reviving their avatar, allowing them to possibly survive after all. The two downsides, aside from having to time the use with a defibrillator shock, was that whether the item succeeded or failed, it would be destroyed permanently and the player who used it would be instantly stripped of all items and level, being set back to level one with default weapons but with all unlocked skills, as would the character that was revived.
"So that's the downside," Kirito sighed opening a message but noticing a video button.
He pushed it and a video box opened. A moment later, a woman appeared and had clearly been crying.
"Hello?" the woman asked. "Wait, are you Kirito?"
"Yes," Kirito nodded. "You're Sachi's mother."
She nodded even though it wasn't a question. She looked just like Sachi except older.
"I have the item," Kirito stated. "Unfortunately the character has to be selected from the casualties list. It may take me a while to find her."
"Alright," she nodded. "We'll wait. Please hurry."
"I'll try," Kirito promised and the video ended, the menu closing as Kirito turned back to Asuna. "We need to get back to a hotel. It'll take at least a day to find her name if I'm lucky."
Asuna and Klein nodded and they all left, heading back to the town and then the hotel.
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