Chapter 7- Training

October 5th, 2056

Frank and Kuroba were in the middle of the city park, with the former of which training with his swords. Kazuto, Asuna and Shino were busy with claiming a territory in the Accelerated World for Nega Nebulus. Kuroba was watching while sitting in the shade of a tree as Frank switched to Marth (ALO form) and practiced several one-handed sword skills before concluding with Starburst Stream. Kuroba was wearing a black jacket, shirt, a black skirt and leggings and shoes.

"Very impressive," Kuroba said while clapping. "Now when will I be able to use that skill?"

Marth returned Solaris to its sheath before facing his guardian. "When you're ready for it," Marth explained. "But before you can learn any dual-wielding skills, you need to learn the one-handed sword skills. That's how I started out."

Kuroba sighed in exasperation. "I should've guessed it wouldn't be that easy," she said before standing up and wiping the dirt from her skirt. She then made her way over to the Spriggan.

"Here," Marth said while holding Lunara to her.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Since you're my Driver, it only makes sense if you train with my swords."

Kuroba slowly took Lunara from him, and nearly dropped it on the ground because of how heavy it was.

"Jeez! How can you swing this monster around like it's nothing?!" Kuroba exclaimed as she gripped Lunara's handle with both hands while struggling just to hold it up. It felt like her joints were creaking under the black sword's weight while sweat started to slide down her forehead.

Marth chuckled in amusement. "I've got a high strength parameter. That's how I can swing this 'monster' around like a paperweight." He then placed his right hand on the blade, causing it to glow purple. When Marth removed his hand, Lunara immediately felt lighter in Kuroba's hands; enough for her to wield it with just her right hand. The light also went out.

"That better?" Marth asked curiously.

Kuroba nodded in confirmation. "Yes, thanks. There's no way I would have be able to swing this thing around if its weight didn't change. It took everything I had just to hold it."

"As your sword skills improve, Lunara's weight will gradually increase. Once its weight returns to normal, that will signify that you're ready to dual-wield."

"Okay. I'm ready."

Marth summoned a copy of Light Repulser in his right hand and moved a few feet away from his guardian. He instructed her to follow his movements, which she did perfectly, probably because she was used to swinging her bladed arms in the Accelerated World. After a few hours of practice swings, they decided to take a break, which Kuroba appreciated since her arms were getting sore and a little numb from all the swinging.

"Lunara and Solaris are not ordinary weapons," Marth explained as the duo sat on a picnic blanket under the same tree. "Not only are they tied to me, but they contain an ancient power within them. One look and you'll think they're made of metal, but if you look closer…"

Kuroba held Lunara's blade in her hands and stared at her reflection in it. The black sword felt very unusual in her hands, as if there was a deep secret sealed within it.

"You're right," Kuroba agreed. "It's not like any metal I've ever seen. What is it made out of?"

"Beats me," Marth said casually before taking a sip from a water bottle. "Hey Kuroba, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"The other day you mentioned that you can become a guardian only once. Do you think you could elaborate a little more?"

"Sure. You see, with the current license of Brain Burst, only the first Burst Linkers, or linkers with the Originator skill, can recruit multiple players at once. So, when you try recruiting someone you don't know will be compatible for the program, it's a huge gamble. One example would be you, because I didn't know if the download would work or not, but I guess it did because you're an Aegis."

"Maybe," Marth said. "But Asuna was able to download it too and she's human. Maybe something else helped out?"

"Possibly," Kuroba replied. "Because of this limit, there's always a strong bond between a guardian and their protégé. You've seen that with Kazuto and Asuna."

"Yeah, but they've always been like that," Marth answered. "If anything, Brain Burst just brought them closer." A thought then came to the Spriggan's head. "Hold on, what about you? Do you have a guardian?"

Kuroba lowered her head, refusing to look her protégé in the eye. "Yes, I have one," she said grimly. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you about them. I don't want you to come in contact with this person, no matter how slim that chance might be. It's because I'm your legion master and a girl who cares for you."

Marth noticed the fury in her eyes as Kuroba balled her hands into fists.

"It may be nothing but petty jealousy, but there was a time when I was incredibly close with my guardian," Kuroba continued. "She was the very center of my world. I believed she would brighten my future and keep the dark and cold forever at bay. That's what I truly believed." She slammed her fist on the ground in anger.

"But that was just an illusion!" she exclaimed, catching Marth off-guard. "Now you could say that this person is my greatest and most despised enemy! I'd like nothing more than to fight this person and sever her limbs clean off her body. I'd smile as she begged for her life and then I'd ruthlessly cut off her head."

Kuroba then took a deep breath and calmed down. "But that dream will never come true. Look, Marth, you must understand how these relationships are. There's a clear distinction between a guardian and their protégé than that of your typical Burst Linker. Take a guess what it is?"

Marth thought a moment before answering, "It's because you know each other's real identities, which means you know who your guardian really is."

"Exactly, and it can be difficult," Kuroba explained. "You see, events in the Accelerated World can affect and magnify emotions elsewhere, like in the real world. And I don't just mean love and affection, but feelings of anger and hatred too. So while the alliance between a guardian and their protégé is the strongest bond in all of the Accelerated World, it can also turn into an enormous curse."

"What do you mean?"

"Even if you wanted to, you couldn't fight them. The real-world implications are too great to ignore. If that's not a curse, then what is? Burst Linkers exist for the sole purpose of fighting each other and then you have this in spite of that fact."

Marth took a deep breath as he processed everything he heard. "This person must have done something really bad to make you feel this way," he said. "I know better than to press a girl to answer something she doesn't want to want to talk about. It seems like we both have dark pasts." Marth then took Kuroba's hand into his own, causing her to slightly blush from the contact. "But know this. I will never turn my swords against you, Kuroba. I'd rather kill myself than turn against you."

"Don't be stupid!" Kuroba argued, finding herself getting worked up. "If things come to that then…!"

"I mean it!" Marth interrupted in a serious tone. "I'd send you my remaining half of my core and then kill myself if it came to that. We promised each other that we'd look out for each other and I'll do whatever it takes to keep it. No exceptions!"

Kuroba was speechless for a few moments before smiling. "Thank you, Marth," she said softly before hugging his arm. "No matter what the future has in store for us, I'll never regret choosing you."

Marth was trying not to look like an idiot as he tried to form a reply. "Y-yeah, and I'll never regret sharing my Core Crystal to save you," he struggled to say with a straight face.

"Just promise me that you won't kill yourself. I don't know what I'd do if you were gone."

The Spriggan cracked a light smile. "Yes ma'am."

The duo then decided to eat the lunch that Asuna had prepared for them, which were a few sandwiches and some fruit and chips.

"Wow," Kuroba said after taking a bite of her sandwich. "Asuna sure knows how to cook."

"She's way better than me," Marth added. "I pretty much burn everything I make."

Kuroba giggled at the thought. "Hey, if I learn sword skills, will it carry over to my Duel Avatar in Brain Burst?"

"Yeah, since our Duel Avatars are manifestations of us, anything I teach you in the real world should carry over to Brain Burst. Anyway, you ready to keep going?"

"You bet."

Meanwhile

Graphite Edge, Argent Flash and Aqua Sniper were in a territory battle in the Shibuya District, which was the Midnight Forest stage in the Accelerated World, which was a forest that was permanently dark. Graphite Edge and Argent Flash were busy holding back other Burst Linkers while Aqua Sniper was picking off stragglers with her Hecate rifle.

"Asuna, behind you!" Aqua Sniper suddenly exclaimed.

Argent Flash turned around and saw a green player charging at her. The rapier-user easily evaded the player's attack before killing him with Star Splash.

"Thanks, Sinon," Argent Flash replied. "They're starting to slow down. If we keep this up, then Shibuya will be ours."

"Yeah," Graphite Edge added. "I thought this would be harder since Marth and Kuroba aren't here, but they've got their own things to worry about. Let's show these guys what Nega Nebulus is capable of."

"Yeah!" the girls agreed.

Three players then tried attacking Graphite Edge, only for them to be cut down by his swords as he chained one-handed sword skills through Skill Connect. Eventually the battle ended in the Black Legion's victory.

"Yeah!" the trio exclaimed in triumph.

"That was pretty impressive," one player told the group. "It seems that even though the Black Legion is small, everyone in it is super powerful."

"Thanks," Graphite Edge replied. "I hope we'll fight again soon."

"As do I," the player said before pausing. "Since you guys fought so well, I think it's only fair I tell you this. I want you to pass this on to your other members too."

Aqua Sniper eyed the player in suspicion. "That's a little ominous. What is it?"

"A few months ago, there's been rumors of a powerful player named Dark Cerberus spreading throughout the Accelerated World. While I haven't seen the guy personally, the stories I've heard aren't pleasant. This Dark Cerberus guy hasn't lost a single match since he first showed up and that he's crushed every opponent who challenges him. It's almost like the guy's a demon or something."

The trio gasped in shock. "Wait, what?" Argent Flash questioned.

The player simply nodded. "Yeah, I found it hard to believe myself when I first heard about him. Apparently, this guy is level 8, but some think he's just as powerful as the Kings of Pure Color. There's even a rumor going around that he's searching for Black Lotus so he can challenge her for the title of 'Black King'."

"That's…unnerving," Graphite Edge said grimly. "Thanks for bringing this to our attention."

"You're welcome," the player replied. "I hope that if you guys do cross paths with this guy, that your Legion Master is with you. Anyway, I'll see you guys around." The player then logged off, leaving the Nega Nebulus members alone in their new territory.

There was silence for a moment before Aqua Sniper broke it by saying, "What should we do?"

Graphite Edge was quiet before facing his comrades. "We need to tell the others about this, especially Kuroba. If this guy's anything like Cyan Demon, she might be in danger again."

Argent Flash nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Marth and Kuroba should be at the park right now. Let's go."

The trio then logged out of Brain Burst so they could warn their friends.

Meanwhile

"Seii!" Kuroba shouted as she successfully executed a Slant attack with Lunara.

The Black Lotus player could hear her "teacher?" applauding her.

"Great job," Marth said with a small smile. "You catch on fast. I honestly thought it would take you longer to be able to use sword skills."

Kuroba simply smirked. "I'm a fast learner," she answered confidently. The Black King then eyed Lunara and noticed that it felt a little heavier in her hand, but the weight was still manageable.

"If you keep this up, you'll be able to pull off the more advanced sword skills," Marth continued. "Like this…" The Silver Aegis summoned Light Repulser and promptly used Horizontal Square.

"Cool," Kuroba commented.

Marth then found himself staring at the crystalline sword and seemed to be lost in thought.

"Is something wrong?" Kuroba questioned in concern.

The Spriggan let out a deep breath. "Nothing, I was just remembering the launch day of Sword Art Online," he explained. "Kirito and I were gonna do some hunting outside the Town of Beginnings when a new player named Klein approached us and asked us to teach him how to play SAO. The three of us ended up hunting boars until it was sunset. Then we found out that SAO was a death game. Kirito and I…" Marth paused for a moment as guilt filled his eyes. "We ended up ditching Klein so we could survive."

Marth tightened his grip on Light Repulser's pommel. "It's something I've always regretted. No matter what I do, I'll never be able to amend that. That guilt will never go away."

Suddenly the Spriggan felt someone grab his other hand. He looked up and saw that it was Kuroba while Lunara's blade was stuck in the ground. "Don't say that, Marth," she said reassuringly. "You did what you had to so you could survive. Besides, I'm sure that Klein forgives you, wherever he is."

Marth couldn't help but stare at his guardian in disbelief. "Kuroba…"

The Black Lotus player smiled. "I may not know everything that happened in your past and I won't force you to tell me… I just hope that you'll be able to forgive yourself over what happened." Kuroba lowered her head. "I'm going through the same thing myself."

Marth raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What do you mean?"

Kuroba shook her head dismissively and gave her protégé a forced smile. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." She then pulled Lunara out and stared at her reflection in its blade. "Anyway, let's get back to training."

Kuroba turned around and got into a fighting stance. She briefly closed her eyes to concentrate. Suddenly Lunara began glowing blue as she activated Vertical Arc. Kuroba opened her eyes and let out a shout as she performed a diagonal slash from top-left to bottom-middle. As soon as Lunara's blade neared the ground, Kuroba adjusted her wrist and concluded the skill with another diagonal slash from bottom-middle to top-right.

Kuroba let out a pant before smiling in triumph.

"Nice," Marth said, impressed.

"There you guys are!"

The duo turned and saw Kazuto, Shino and Asuna running towards them.

"Hey guys," Marth said casually. "How are things in Brain Burst?"

The newly arrived trio slouched over and tried to catch their breath when they approached their friends.

"We managed to claim the Midnight Forest zone, but we found out something pretty serious," Kazuto explained after a few moments. "Apparently there's a level 8 player named Dark Cerberus that's looking for you, Kuroba."

"What?" Kuroba questioned intently. "Why's he looking for me? If he wants to fight me, that's not a good idea for him."

"That's the thing," Asuna took over. "Apparently Dark Cerberus is as strong as the Six Kings of Pure Color and he's crushed every opponent he's faced."

"What?!" Marth and Kuroba exclaimed in shock.

"We were shocked too," Shino said. "From what we've been told, the reason Dark Cerberus is looking for you is to claim the 'Black King' title."

Kuroba held her chin with interest. "I see. He sounds like a demon. I wonder…"

"Maybe he's a monster like Cyan Demon," Marth suggested. "Either way, we can't ignore this."

"No, we can't," Kuroba agreed. "Unfortunately, whoever this guy is, he won't reveal himself until he wants to. Whenever that is, we'll need to be ready. That includes raising your level, Marth."

The Spriggan nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Got it. And if this guy's as strong as they say, then we'll also need to keep up with our training. I've got a feeling that sword skills will come in handy in the fights ahead."

"I agree," Kuroba replied. "I wonder, will I be able to use Lunara and Solaris in the Accelerated World?"

Marth simply shrugged. "Probably, but let's wait until your training in the real world is done. You've still got a long way to go before you're ready to dual-wield."

"Mind if we watch you guys train?" Asuna asked curiously. "I mean, we might be able to offer a few pointers if needed."

The duo locked eyes with each other and slowly nodded. "I guess it's okay," Kuroba spoke up. "Besides, you all have more experience with sword skills than me."

"All right!" Kazuto replied with a smirk. "Then let's get started. Marth, can I borrow Light Repulser for a bit?"

"Sure."

Marth handed his sword to the Graphite Edge player before they proceeded to coach their Legion Master on different sword techniques while Asuna and Shino watched from under a tree.

"I really hope that we'll be able to find the other Alfheim Warriors," Asuna said.

"I'm sure we will," Shino agreed. "We just have to keep looking. Who knows, maybe they're looking for us too?"

"Maybe," Asuna mused.

To be continued

Sorry if this chapter seemed a little short, especially when compared with my other chapters in this story. Anyway, Marth and Kuroba have learned about a Burst Linker named Dark Cerberus. He's an OC that ScytheMasterX gave me and he will be a reoccurring character. Another thing I'd like to add, I know I said in the beginning and in Dark Swordsman 2 that this story will be following the anime, unfortunately the anime doesn't cover a whole lot because there's only ONE season. So I'm planning on getting the Accel World light novels (which range to 21 volumes, granted not all of them have been translated to english yet) so I'll have more material to work with while still having some original plot points, especially with Marth. With that out of the way, I'll see you guys in the next chapter!