WARNING: This story contains mature elements such as manipulation, Non-Con, humiliation.

Chapter 23: Fighting Helps Sometimes

Underworld, Central Cathedral, Floor 96—5th October, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

The cathedral felt incredibly empty, and the long corridors didn't help whatsoever. So few were the nuns that showed up every now and then that it made him wonder if it was deserted. Perhaps it was, but the thought was pushed from his mind once he reminded himself that people do live here.

It's just… really hard to find where they are.

His boots pressed into the carpet, and by the time he had stopped in front of the door, nothing but absolute dread was pumping through his veins.

Let it be known that Kirito had done a lot of things in his life, but this was one that he absolutely was not looking forward to. And one he absolutely wanted to get over with. Hell, he'd prefer not coming here at all!

Alas, he was technically the boss of this place, so he had to treat everyone equally… even if one in particular didn't technically like him too.

"Chudelkin, are you in there? I need to speak to you," the words came out through gritted teeth, his face set in stone as he kept both hands on the hilts of his sword. "It's important, I swear."

No response. As expected.

He seriously doesn't know why he tried. After all, the clown-like weirdo would take orders from only one person, and Quinella was currently out with Cardinal, for whatever reason there is. He doubted Chudelkin would listen to anyone else. Him? Hah. Even less likely. The clown hated him with a burning passion.

Feeling's mutual then. But damn it, he kind fof needed his help right now…

He sucked in a deep breath and, with more force, spoke up again. "Chudelkin, I'm serious here. I need to talk to you. Just for a moment, and you won't have to see my face or hear my voice again."

Again, no response.

A tic mark formed itself as he lets out a sigh. "Alright, then. You made me do this."

With one firm grip on the door handle, he pushed it inside, greeted by the same childish room that belonged to the strange abomination of a man. The bright colours that frankly didn't mix well, and with the creepy aura of some possessed kid's room. Toys scattered about, a few notebooks that were filled to the brim with Quinella's name, and a… picture of him? On the wall.

With a dagger—no, scratch that. Those are many knives there, cutting through the picture in many places, like his throat and face.

'…Better not tell anyone. Not like I can blame him,' ignoring that honest-to-goodness creepy sight, he looked around the room. "Weird. Where the hell is he..?"

He's not here. Okay! That's his cue to leave.

The sigh of relief is practically genuine as the room is far behind him now, his next destination in mind being the fiftieth floor.

Honestly, he just left behind some documents that Quinella requested he check on, and thought that Chudelkin might have picked them up—if only because it originally belonged to Quinella, of course. And yet, try as he might, he hasn't been able to find that white motherfu—

"Where is he?" He lets out a second sigh yet again. "Haven't seen him for a week already…"

Probably busy scheming his 'accidental death'. Wouldn't be surprising if that was the case, to be honest.

Nonetheless, Kirito knew there were other important things to do instead of playing hide-n'-seek with the jester, so he'd been prepared to get to the Great Hall, hope that his documents were still there and get back to his room to start working on them. Nothing so unusual there.

So it was to his surprise that he was greeted by one of the most socially awkward person that he's ever met in his life, himself included, with three girls that he was also not expecting to see—faces he hadn't exactly seen for quite some time, guilty and surprised all the same.

"Ronye? Frenica, and Tiese too?"

"Kirito-senpai, hello!"

"Kirito," Cardinal greeted, and the boy nodded his head a little, walking over to where he sat, straightening out the papers and cradling them in his arms. "You seem busy."

"Not exactly. Just came back to take some stuff, as you can see—no girls, you don't have to help. It's fine," the second part of his sentence came with a small chuckle as the girls attempted to take everything from his hands, to which they simply pouted back or looked on in concern. "No, really, it's fine. So, to what do I owe the pleasure of the visit?"

Not like he didn't enjoy their visit. Far from it, really, though he would have preferred they gave him a heads-up first. He would've prepared something. Preferably honey pies.

"Ah, right! Ahem, Kirito-senpai, we have a surprise for you! Right now, you're looking at Lady Quinella's team for the mission tomorrow!" With a fist against her chest and all the girls imitating the action, he almost thought that Ronye and the others were actual soldiers.

Until he reminded himself that they were just students who haven't even graduated from school yet. Not like he was in the right to judge, since he and Eugeo technically got arrested before they could graduate themselves.

"Oh? These three?" He regarded each student with a surprised expression, one that quickly melted into a simple smile. "Well, you've definitely made a good choice. But why them in particular? Not like there's anything wrong with them whatsoever, but there are still others, aren't there?"

Not like he didn't believe that the girls were up to the task. Far from it, really. If Ronye and Tiese had the hearts of steel to march into a dastardly lion's den and his equally cunning partner, all for the sake of their abused friend, then they were certainly more appropriate for such a dangerous mission than anyone else he knew of.

Still, these three are just students with barely any experience out on the fields. Not like himself and Eugeo, both of whom had fought their way through wild monsters on their way to Zakkaria, or even Alice and the Integrity Knights, who make it their duty to find any problem in the Human Realm and deal with it regularly. And he has a good feeling most of them include fighting.

Again, the girls are more than capable, but it just makes him curious.

"Personal reasons," quickly answered the silverette, her gaze fixed on the ground. It wasn't long before she (and he could tell that she forced herself) raised her head to look at him. She looked hesitant, mouth opening every few seconds to say something, yet the word refused to form.

He pitied her, really, he did. This shaky relationship… damn it, things are so damned complicated. She can't even talk to him normally, and he wasn't calm himself.

Nonetheless, he simply nodded, keeping his smile up. "Well, whatever they are, that's fine too. I'm certain that the girls will do well, although…"

"Mm? Is there a problem, Kirito-senpai?" Asked his valet, her bright blue eyes short of nothing but curiosity.

"No, nothing of the sort. Just that, if the four of you are to travel to Laurelei Village, it would be in your best interest to properly suit up first," a shaky arm almost lost purchase over his papers, but the stacks were suddenly floating in the air. He blinked, then smiled at the youngest-looking girl present. "Thanks."

She simply nodded back, smiling.

"Anyways, while I would love to take the three of you to the equipment vault, bad news is that there's barely anything that you can use in there. Most of the things in there have already been distributed to the knights, and even some others are sent for repairs and the like. Not much that we can work with," his words were enough to draw frowns from the girls, until he spoke up again. "But I know a guy who can help."

Curiosity lit up in them like a flip of the switch, Tiese the first to speak. "You do?"

"Sadore, blacksmith and trusted acquaintance," his valet perked up upon hearing the name, which put a grin on his face.

"Ah, I know of the shop!" She yelped, a happy look on her face. "Kirito-senpai brought me there once to introduce me to the blacksmith. At the time, he wanted to get me a sword, but we didn't because of… problems."

"Problems?" Repeated Tiese with a raised brow. "Actually, how come this is the first I've heard of this?"

"He was planning to bring you and Eugeo-senpai too, but the both of you were doing some training, so he ended up bringing me along," if she even sounded half as guilty as she was trying to make herself seem to be, the dreamy smile on her face betrayed her intentions completely.

Not like her dumb and oblivious mentor had seen it, of course. He was just too focused on keeping his face as stone-like as possible, remembering just how chaotic the day had been.

It was comfortable shopping one moment, and then weapon traders, merchants and the occasional knights were suddenly rushing in like a stampede. Enough so that both he and Ronye were forced out of the shop if they wanted to avoid being turned into human pancakes.

And then, to make matters worse, it started raining. Heavily. As in, a quiet and peaceful day suddenly wrecked by thunder and a downpour and—everything was so bad.

It was a miracle that he returned to the academy with soaked clothes and an equally soaked valet, and nothing worse.

It was either sheer randomness, or his own bad luck. Black seems to do that a lot, for some reason… He'd expected lightning to hit him, and that would have been enough.

"Then… how about we go now?" Frenica's timid voice brought all conversation and thoughts to an end, her own anxiety spiking as all attention fell onto her. "I-I mean..! W-We have Kirito-senpai here. He seems to know a lot about weapons, sooo…"

"Well… I won't say that it's my expertise, but I know enough to tell what weapon would be suitable for someone else," he crosses his arms, mind already reeling through his countless experiences with a myriad of opponents. All as diverse as the weapons they weld. "I admit, I've never used anything outside of swords, both one-handed, two-handed, and dual-wielding. The rapier that Quinella gave me is a new experience, and even then, I technically treat it as a sword…"

Everyone sweat-dropped together, realizing that he truly is a swordsman through and through. Literally.

"Well, alright! Fortunately for me, all of you are going to use swords. Or you're not, at which point I can't promise you anything, but I'll do my best to help either way," casual and smooth, just the way he is. Put on a smile afterwards and you've got it right. "Okay then, let's get moving! Clock's ticking, after all."

Underworld, Centoria, In the Streets—5th October, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

In the beginning, there was absolutely nothing. Only empty space to be used by their human overlords for whatever they sought to do.

With knowledge came thirst; a thirst to know more and push the limits. The empty space soon become filled with things that they themselves possessed in their own world—light, air, water, earth. Every single element that made up the biotic and abiotic ecosystem was replicated perfectly to occupy the empty space.

Life, or whatever felt similar to it, began with the first humans that tilled the lands, watching over young children that were the true residents of this created world.

Many years later, there would come a time that a human girl would transcend the boundaries that had kept her trapped within this world as what she was born as. From a simple human, to a being that was now beyond the control of anything; even the ones that exist outside of this virtual space, able to simply watch, and not much more.

It wasn't much later before a young girl, a daughter of a furniture shop owner, would then be brought into the clutches of the powerful being, used in her schemes to further her own strengths.

That was when Lycoris's story had begun.

Now going by the name Cardinal, her only duty then was to bring an end to Quinella. They were two sides of the same coin that sought to protect their world, though with different means, and Cardinal found nothing but ruin in her 'sister's' path. That was all that mattered in the end. Kill Quinella.

If someone had told her that she'd be here, out in the middle of Centoria with her nemesis to help her new teammates shop for swords with the famed Black Swordsman in tow, she might have actually broken into a nonstop laughter for how absurd it sounded.

As fate would have it, it seems that that was what was happening right now.

"Are you sure about this, Lady Quinella? We wouldn't want to—"

"It's fine! I-I mean, really. We've much funds to spare, so getting you girls new swords won't be a concern on our part."

She supposed it's true, considering how rich the Axiom Church is. Plus, when has she ever spent even a single coin? Not once. Well, until now that is.

"This is all for a good cause. Not like we use em' much anyways," how Kirito could be so relaxed about something still baffled her to this day. Eugeo had long given up on trying to understand it either.

It would do her well to do the same. "So where are we headed to?"

All eyes moved towards the sole ravenette in the group, but he was busy thinking about something. Until he felt the weight behind their gazes or something, because he literally snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at them, blinking.

It took a solid twenty seconds before he did one of his trademark gestures.

Shrugging.

Ronye, having learnt a bit too much from him, did the same, though with a guilty smile on her face.

As such, the group of six travelled the streets of Centoria, four sixths of them staring at the remaining two with mostly deadpanning looks as they wandered aimlessly, hoping to stumble upon their location by sheer luck, what have you. Although, Quinella seemed more at ease than anything else, thanks to the locals here. A few waves, some happy calls from children and a few invitations for fresh bread from the local baker—and she looked happy.

Good. As long as she never goes back to the way she was before, if it means that she becomes even more human than she had ever been before, she had absolutely no complaints.

Fortunately, what would have been hours of pointless searching was ultimately avoided, thanks to a few pointers from a townsfolk or two. They finally arrived in district seven of northern Centoria, the building looking rather similar to its neighbours in terms of brick colour and shape. What made it stand out was the sign that read 'Sadore's Blacksmith', the large axe and sword hung up on display, and the dinghy wooden door that was of a slightly darker shade compared to the other buildings.

They walked into the store a moment later, the man in question behind his counter going through some orders. The floor was a dark oak, the wall a bland grey, with an assortment of weapons on display to the left—either hung up on the wall or arranged on the red-surfaced desk. A multitude of boxes and parcels were situated at the wall behind the counter.

"Waah!" A sudden scream from behind had the lithe girl turning around faster than a sword swing, body tense until she saw what had scared Frenica, only for her to let out a sigh.

"That is not a real person," muttered Tiese in silent amusement, looking up at the ancient-looking helmet. "It's an armour set."

"I-I'm sorry…" Her response got her friends to comfort her immediately, even Quinella to give her a soft look.

Kirito? He just snorted. Well, good to know that there at least some people being supportive.

"Hmm? Is there something that I can he—Huh?" Grey-haired, big-muscled and gruff beard and moustache. The blacksmith that created Kirito's Night Sky Sword looked visibly surprised, which made sense. The two pontifex's, three students and his old customer with his hand-carved sword walked into his shop, and that was not the punchline to a joke. "Well, isn't this a surprise?"

"Good afternoon," bowing, the other two girls follow their tea-haired friend.

"Yeah, afternoon," he nodded, looking to the pontifex's before focusing his gaze once more on Kirito, crossing his arms with an amused grunt. "Well I'll be. Didn't expect this many folks in one go. You too, eh, kid?"

"Good afternoon, sir. It's been some time," chuckled the ravenette as he rested one hand over the hilt of his black blade. "You seem to be good. Business doing alright?"

"Better than alright. I've secured a trade for some materials I need, and there're lots of peeps in need of my weapons after finding out I made that sword of yours," a gruff tone as he rubbed his beard, it lacked any bite. "But 'nough of me. What can I get ya'?"

"Not me this time, Sadore," shaking his head, he gestured to the girls lines up in a row behind him. "These three."

"He's right," replied Tiese before putting on a serious look. "Sir, we came here because we wanted to get ourselves a sword of our own. And we were hoping you could help with that."

"That so, eh? Well, I'm fine with that, I'spose. Not like I'm gonna' lose my business or anything helping you young'uns," shrugging, he set a parcel back down on the counter before staring back at them. "So, what'cha looking for?"

"Oh, err…" The girl lost her earlier bravado, stumbling over her words. Her friends didn't look like they had any ideas either, all turning to each other with indecision.

Cardinal sighed. To choose one's own sword is no less of a responsibility than it is emotionally important. It would be the tool to stay with you no matter how far you go, a part of you—just as the Night Sky Sword has become an equivalent of a third arm for Kirito, and the Blue Rose Sword could be considered a reflection of Eugeo's soul.

But even with that aside, they would need a sword that could perform optimally to their own sword styles. Thankfully, being a headmistress was another way to say 'teacher with administrative duties', so it was also part of her responsibilities to observe and understand her students better than they understand themselves.

"Ronye will need a broadsword and Tiese a falchion, both preferably one-handed. Frenica will need a two-handed longsword," her words elicit looks of surprise from the girls, to which she simply shrugged back. "Admittedly, I have been watching the three of you during your spars, giving me a vague idea of your fighting styles."

"You do?" Tiese asked, receiving a nod.

"The two of you, Ronye, Tiese, seem to have developed a unique one-handed sword style of your own that relies more on movement, akin to what the Aincrad-style entails," she hums. "However, one thing that sets the both of you apart is that you, Tiese, are more prone to using your wrist. You flick your hand, twist it, in order to deflect attacks more, instead of parrying like Ronye does."

By the open-mouthed look the redhead had, she definitely didn't know that about herself. "Wow, really? I didn't even know that."

"It does help a lot. The enemy's momentum keeps them moving all the same, so they're essentially left open to attack," gasped Ronye, clapping her hands together. "That's so smart!"

"Indeed. You, on the other hand, seem to follow your mentor more than you realise. You will power into your sword to parry attacks, and you've proven yourself especially skilled in that regard," and then, her expression turns amused. "Although, the both of you haven't exactly kept your little trick a secret from me. Do forgive me for that, of course."

"Eh-Ehehe… Well, we'll be using it soon enough, so it won't remain a secret for so long," giggled the redhead, her friend in agreement. The others looked on confusingly, clearly out of the loop.

"Well, I think I've got just the things for these two lasses," smirking, his gaze moved towards a doubtful Frenica. "And you mentioned this young'un using a longsword. Any reason why?"

"Because she's too used with the High Norkia-style," a two-handed sword style. It needn't be said, but it was a palpable distinction between all styles with the Aincrad-style, the latter of which is thus far the only unique sword style that made use of one-handed swords.

There are, of course, a few exceptions to that. «Azure Wind Slash» belonged to Zakkarite-style, and yet, it seemed to also be «Slant» from the Aincrad-style. The Norlangarth-style «Lightning Slash» is also a part of the Aincrad-style, by which it would be called «Vertical».

All of those aside, Frenica was a… slow-er student who didn't catch up in the Aincrad-style as her friends did, as she still seems more used to the High Norkia-style than anything else.

Not exactly a bad thing, not at all. It just means that they would have to take into account just what sort of weapon she should use to go well with her preferred choice of sword style.

"Awright, I've already got yer' weapons right here," two weapons landed with a heavy thump o the counter, gathering everyone's attention. When did he get back there? "For you two missies, I think you'll like these ones very well."

Cardinal watched with interest as he lifted them so that they stood vertically on the counter, the tip pointing down. He proceeded to undo the bindings around the cloth that cloaked the swords from sight, revealing the blades in their sheathes that were covered by the white. And the two girls that had, unconsciously, stepped closer to the counters gasped at what they saw.

"This is for you," he hands one sword to Ronye, and the other to Tiese. "Next one's yers'."

In all her hundreds of years of life, Cardinal was by no means an expert in the weapons field. She couldn't even begin to understand the intricate differences between a single-edged weapon and a double-edged blade, knowing that such a topic would be more of Kirito's thing than anyone else.

But she was, in a way, still a teacher. It was up to her to make the right decision for her students, and seeing them wield their new swords, she felt content.

In Ronye's hands, a sword with a handle as black as the night sky, carved from a distinct wood from the western regions, fitted with a silver pommel that was emptied out in the centre to form a ring of sorts. The blade itself is a snowy white, reflecting her gentle features perfectly, accompanied by the crescent-shaped guard.

In Tiese's hands, a sword that almost leans towards the rapier, saved only by the fact that it was single-edged instead. Lean, thin and curved slightly at the tip, the white handle slowly bleeds into red as it goes up, connecting with the blood-red blade, which possesses floral patterns. The guard is either absent or small enough to be dismissed, but it's curved shape gives off a curious look.

The girls seemed lost in their own worlds as they inspected their swords—up to down, one side to the next, they certainly looked impressed with their brand new weapons.

"Monochrome and Crimson Witch," muttering those words didn't make it impossible to hear, as all eyes immediately shifted towards him. In turn, he rubbed the back of his neck, an embarrassed smile on his face. "I, uhh… got really good at naming things? I guess?"

Quinella barely managed to stop herself from giggling, which was already telling. Probably got that ever since naming Ivory Apostle.

"That's… I love it! That's a wonderful name, Kirito-senpai!"

"Yes, me too! Crimson Witch really fits my sword!"

"Haha, well, if it makes you happy I suppose…"

Of course it does. They're literally smiling from ear to ear. If that isn't happiness, it's either a sign of imminent insanity or faked pleasantry.

"And what about you, miss?" Sadore, once he was done watching the girls with that smirk of his, looked to Frenica next.

"Oh, I… I'm still not sure, to be honest," she deflated slightly, looking around. "Even with what Lady Cardinal said, I'm still not sure about what sword to use. I've never given it any thought, but… I don't know, sir. I really don't."

"Well, that's a problem. Not knowin' whatcha' want to use isn't good," sighing, he rubbed his beard. "Your headmistress already has a vague idea of how you should fight, so why don't you just listen to her?"

"Come now, Sadore-san. You're not actually asking her to do that, right?" The ravenette rose a brow, looking particularly unimpressed.

"No, I guess I won't," he sighed again. "Then what would you recommend?"

"Can't recommend anything," his simple answer gets everyone to sweat-drop. "After all, she's still not certain on what sort of style to properly use. Even if she does use the High Norkia-style, you can't exactly convince me that it's smooth. There are times when she'll switch to using other sword styles like Zakkarite-style, and even once, she used the Serlut-style."

How observant. "I-I did?"

"I'd recognize it from a mile. I studied under the Sortiliena Serlut, and what sort of valet would I be if I didn't see it? She wouldn't live it down!" Snickering, he opted to shake his head, before pumping his fist in the air. "I've one simple solution to all of this, however. And that is to do battle!"

"Whoa now, I'd like it if you don't start destroying the things in here. I have a business, ya' know," despite the look of intimidation that he put on, there was no hiding the silent fear in his tone.

Fortunately for him, Kirito wasn't so reckless as to go for that option. " 'Course not in here. Too limited of a space, and obviously wouldn't want to wreck your place. No, the plaza should be fine."

"T-The plaza?!" In just those two words, Frenica's face was completely devoid of colour. "S-So many people will be watching…"

"K-Kirito-senpai! Are you trying to publicly humiliate our friend?!" Aghast, both his old valet and her best friend stepped in front of their friend. The swords in their arms were still sheathed, but Cardinal could tell that whatever they could possibly do with those things still sheathed might just be worse. "We won't let you!"

"What? No! Get that mind out of your head, I'm not that cruel!" Which means that he could, if he wanted to, be cruel. "It's just that it's wide enough for all of us. In fact, let's call it a… 'simulation', if you will. A replication of a battle scenario for when you're about to go out into battle. Plus, I'm actually curious to see how far you've improved."

"E-Eh? Is that fine though?" Red eyes shared a concerned look with a pair of blue irises and brown orbs. "In the public…"

"Pssh, don't worry about it. Not like you'll get into trouble. I'm there, after all, so people will understand," to sound so casual as he just waved his hand like that would be reason enough for Cardinal to face palm, but it's not like it would be illegal. Not if he's allowing it—he has the power to do so, as annoying as it is. "Sadore-san, get Frenica here a simple two-handed iron sword. High quality, got it? Get ready, girls. This may not be an assignment, but I'll grade your performances all the same time."

Hanging up a 'Closed' sign, the blacksmith joined the group to bear witness to what would undoubtedly be an epic clash.

Quinella wasn't exactly certain just what her lover was thinking, but she knew that practical experience will certainly help more than mere theories and words. It's why, even with her slight hesitation, she simply chose to follow the boy's lead as all of them—three rulers of the Human Realm, three students, and a blacksmith—strutted on to the plaza.

It's so him. Getting to the root problem and finding the solution in a practical form, essentially tackling it straight-on and devising a way to rectify it on the spot. It was incredibly efficient, smart, though a little reckless on his part.

Even so, she wasn't about to back out now. Not if the girls themselves were willing to go with his plan, no matter how absurd it seemed.

"Alright, this should be a good spot."

"H-Huh? H-Here?!"

If Ronye was terrified, Quinella was practically baffled by how he could think this was a good idea.

His quote unquote 'good spot' referred to the one of the plazas that any local passes through every now and then. When the time's right, this place would practically be flooded with people. Even now, a lot of bystanders have started to form a crowd in the area, all curious as to the goings-on.

In just a few moments, they'd certainly be blown aback, both figuratively and literally.

The woman gulped. She might not be in the fight, but she could feel the tension from the upcoming match. A sparring match, for sure, but it was more than scary enough.

"Okay, this will be simple," nodding, the boy faced the three girls, all of them tensing in attention. "All four of you will work together against me. Each one of you must land at least one blow on me, and that's it. You must still remain in the fight even after you've hit me and help one another. Any questions?"

"You said four of us?" Asked Frenica.

"Well, yeah. There's four of you in the team," when he pointed that out, the silverette practically went rigid. "You… are fighting, right, Lady Quinella?"

Of course she'll be fighting. Stupid Quinella! It's not like she could just sit back and laze about while her teammates would be putting themselves in danger and fight! That would mean she'd be like her old self, and that was utterly unacceptable!

"N-No, of course I am. I was… simply surprised," she cleared her throat, shaking her head. Truth be told, she was surprised, but that didn't mean she would be backing out. "I will fight with the girls. Four against one, then?"

"Four against one," Goddesses, even with such numbers against him, he looks hardly terrified. He's fought worse, of course, so that at least calms her nerves somewhat. "Any other questions?"

"Do you permit the use of «Sacred Arts»?" Asked Ronye, and the woman caught the glint in her eyes.

"You can," and that glint translated into wide grins on both her and her best friend's faces. Looks like they have something planned. "Remember, one hit from each of you, and we'll call it a day. I suppose you can hit me more than once, but be reasonable. Use whatever tactics you can think of, I won't penalize you for anything. Even dirty tactics. But try to avoid my, uhh… dignity?"

Mentioning that gets the three to blush, herself included. Well, at least he was being subtle about it…

"A-Anyways! Is that it?" Silence was all he got, giving him the green lights. "Good. Okay then! Uh, draw your weapons and get ready, I suppose. Cardinal, Sadore, the two of you shall act as our referees. That good with you?"

"That is fine with me," nodded Cardinal, the blacksmith nodding in agreement.

He said nothing else, simply unsheathing Night Sky Sword and Ivory Apostle as he took a few steps away from the girls, all four of whom gulped at the sight of two swords in his hands. Everyone in the crowd were picking up in chatter, excitement being the most prominent emotion. Suddenly, things had just become even scarier than they thought, didn't it?

'No, that's not it at all,' she shook her head, dispelling such thoughts. 'He will not hold back, but I know we can win this. Kirito taught the girls, after all… They can overcome this.'

Her eyes darted from one girl to the next—from tea to red to brown, all of them tense but determined.

Right… Of course. The girls that had studied under him, the ones whom were victim to the faulty system that she had been so careless with. They have grown stronger, and are willing to join her in this dangerous mission. Their very first mission that would likely be very dangerous.

She respected that about them. 'We can overcome this.'

That's what her heart told her anyways. And, if there was one thing that she's learnt, the heart was never wrong.

"On three," he shouted out, his gaze never breaking from the team before him. "Cardinal, if you would."

"Of course," she didn't bother with any other action, only beginning to count down. "One. Two."

The moment 'Three' came loose, his swords were hissing against hers.

If there was one thing he's learnt from a game—chess, VRMMORPG's, your typical cards and what have you—it's that making the first move puts you at an advantage over your opponent.

It was a very minor thing to take note of, but it often granted you the one-up in terms of predictability and anticipation. Being the quicker one often sparks anxiety in the opponent, and perhaps it could be too exaggerated if it came to a game of cards, but it undoubtedly brings a boon to the table that could serve one well in a game or a fight.

In his case, moving before all four of his opponents could even hope to plan for his sudden lunge was practically enough to split them up and send them flying everywhere.

«Vorpal Strike», undoubtedly the strongest one-hit «Sword Skills» that exists. With its incredible reach and destructive power, it had brought the end to countless monsters, and certainly tore the girls apart.

Not killed them, per se, but it broke them apart all too easily.

"Well, that's my first move for the day, I suppose," he flicks his swords and places himself into a defensive position. "Come get me."

Not the worst of taunts, but it works, he supposed.

All of them weren't exactly quick to get back on their feet, but one by one, all of them were now poised to strike. They didn't look exactly in sync just yet, but he could forgive them for that. Now, if only he could—

"«System Call!»" Shouted Ronye, her free hand aimed right at him. "«Generate luminous element, discharge!»"

Three orbs of light the shape of marbles formed on her ring, middle and index finger before they swelled up and shot out towards him, the projectiles reaching him much faster than he felt himself prepared for.

Even so, it was a one-directional attack, so it wasn't with much difficulty that he simply side-stepped the attack, allowing it to brush past his face—

"Hrah!"

'Huh?'

His rapier came up faster than his mind could keep up, already parrying an overhead attack from the redhead. His eyes blinked but the fire were quick to return, more force willed into his left arm as he shoved her backwards, only to then backpedal as Frenica came in with a clumsy «Avalanche».

Quinella was upon him soon enough, her battle cry announcing her presence as she finished the second transition of «Aero Penetrator» and came down at him like an arrow. Only quick reflexes and smart thinking allowed him to simply duck out of the attack and slide out of an incoming horizontal swipe, initiating a «Final Revolution» to keep Ronye and Frenica off of him.

Well, looks like they're doing way better than he sought to give them credit for.

"«Discharge!»" This time, arrows of fire came at him in waves, forcing him to spin Night Sky Sword to repel the attack before lunging at Quinella with a «Rage Spike», Ivory Apostle singing a hissy tune as she clashed against her sister blade.

The woman gritted her teeth in turn, unable to match him in terms of power as she simply chose to back away, blocking his next attack with Silvery Eternity, before she spun on the balls of her feet and tried for a slash from the side, to which he had to evade her next attack by ducking.

Swords clashed as he, having somehow sheathed Ivory Apostle in what could have only been a fraction of a second and also managing to will «Incarnation» into his black blade to quickly extend, spun to meet Ronye's «Rage Spike» with his own «Back Rush».

The girl's eyes were wide, and his own lips peeled back to reveal a wide grin.

"Gotta' thank Eugeo for this one!" With a grunt, he pushed her back, only to then ram his shoulder into her gut and knock her into an unprepared Tiese. Night Sky Sword shrunk and Ivory Apostle was drawn, the silver rapier unleashing a swift «Slant» towards Frenica, who barely managed to block it before falling back onto her bum. "Alright, I can see a faint sense of coordination. No commands, yet all of you are able to somehow make it work. You've picked yourself a good team, Quinella, I'll give you that."

The woman in question looked at him warily, eyeing his swords before turning towards the girls, giving the briefest of nods.

That was the first sign that something was up. They had something planned, and foolish or not, he was eager to know what it was. Even if it meant he'd be on the receiving end of such tactics.

Slowly, everyone began to form a circle around the boy, his eyes darting back and forth between each person as he tightened his grip over his weapons. The crowd were all cheering for the girls, and he had to agree with them. His victory could be considered absolute, which was why cheering for the underdogs would be even sweeter when they win.

Even still, he wasn't going to hand it to them on a silver platter. If they won their victory through effort, then he would be proud to acknowledge it, but never anything less.

Night Sky Sword was parallel to the ground, settled a little low to his side as it glowed a soft blue, while Ivory Apostle was nestled on his left shoulder, uncharged. Perhaps it gave away his intentions, but he knew what he was doing.

Sort of.

"Alright then, Senpai. Watch us. We're about to show you the fruits of our hard work!" Shouted Ronye, Tiese nodding in agreement.

Even with the faint sense of trepidation that built up within him, the smile slipped onto his face all too easily. "Fire away!"

In a few minutes later, he didn't think that they'd take his words literally.

"Ronye, Tiese, we'll buy you time!" Shouted Quinella, receiving shouts of affirmation from the girls. "Frenica, are you prepared?"

"I… yes, ma'am!" She was still nervous, but putting on a brave air helped alleviate her nerves.

Good. There was no place for hesitation and fear on the battlefield. It would serve her well to learn that now before she learns it out there and lose her life.

Quinella didn't so much as thrust forwards as she did warp right in front him, his «Horizontal» smashing right through her «Linear», the cancellation giving him ample time to stab her with his other weapon. Frenica opted for support fire, releasing a barrage of ice spears at him that had him quickly sidestepping to avoid getting stabbed.

The silverette continued her barrage of assaults, but his eyes weren't on her. It was on the two other girls not engaging him in the fight.

'«Sacred Arts»…' He didn't miss the way they were chanting stuff and had their hands outstretched towards him, and the need to go over there and stop them was snuffed out in favour of seeing what happens. 'I'll focus on Quinella and Frenica for now. Let them have their chance.'

No sooner had that thought end did Frenica come in with an «Avalanche», her glowing blade crashing clumsily into his rapier. Even with how lightweight his secondary weapon was, he simply needed to flick his wrist to tip her sword in another direction. Frenica stumbled forwards, wide-eyed as his hand releases his weapon for just a moment—

"Ah-ghu..!"

"Frenica!"

«Senda» hardly struck hard enough to greatly damage her, but her stomach will bruise, sent flying a few feet into the air before plummeting back to the concrete thanks to gravity. The crowd gasped at the spectacle while Ivory Apostle returned to his grip a moment later, watching the four with wary gazes.

And just in time to see that the girls had finished chanting.

And yet, no projectiles came.

"«Adhere!»"

"Ad—What?"

But instead, their swords suddenly gleamed to life. Not the tell-tale signs of a «Secret Technique» ready for use, as their postures gave nothing away—instead, Crimson Witch burst into a swirl of cackling fire while Monochrome was giving off light instead of reflecting it.

His breath hitched in his throat, the sheer amount of questions he had buried deep in his throat as the two girls suddenly charged at him with a «Rage Spike» and «Sonic Leap» respectively, and by how fast they were, he had no opportunity to dodge. His only chance was to meet them head on.

Grinning despite the incoming human missiles, Night Sky Sword was hoisted onto his shoulder, glowing a soft blue.

"Hrah!" He swung down quickly, the first motion of «Vertical Arc» tore into Ronye's blade, knocking her off-balance as she fell to the floor, before he swung back up to divert Tiese's attack away from him. And yet, the flames that burnt from its edge managed to get a few licks on him, blazing hot.

"Hrah!"

"Kh..!"

Ivory Apostle moved in with a swift «Slant», only enough to redirect Quinella's «Linear» a scant few inches away from his face. A small distance, but more than enough.

"Gah..!" She barely managed to bring up her rapier to block his kick that came to the side of her face, a trail of pale light following the trajectory of his kick. «Suigetsu» hadn't been enough to catch her off-guard, but he quickly corrected himself by unleashing a second roundhouse kick with his other leg, this time taking her down as he too fell to the ground.

He promptly rolled away as a «Vertical» clashed at the spot where his head was mere seconds ago.

Any slower and the burning sword might have slashed right into him. It would be fatal, for sure, but he had worse. He could probably take a scorching before having a quick healing spell from Quinella.

"Nngh..! You're good!" Panting, Tiese simply pushed against his sword and slid back, allowing Frenica to lunge at him with a «Horizontal». He blocked that attack, then quickly sidestepped the backstab from Ronye's now-frozen blade.

Years of practicing on simply dodging allowed him to move between each swing of their weapons, relying more on deflection and parrying to exhaust them further. But the girls were growing smarter, Ronye switching out with Quinella as she rushed in with a swipe. Had Frenica not been rushing in with an «Avalanche», he might have retaliated.

As their attacks are getting more coordinated, though? He had to go on the defensive.

'Okay, they're getting faster now. More desperate,' silver in the corner of his vision. And then, silver against silver as he struggled to keep up with Quinella's sudden barrage of attacks, choosing to rely on footwork as he swerved, leaned and ducked away from her stabs and slashes. 'Yep, this is bad!'

He may be one of the best fighters there is (not the ego talking), but he was still human. And he'd be running on fumes if they kept dragging this battle out longer.

A flash of light temporarily blinds him, courtesy of Ronye initiating a burst of light an arm's length away from him. The world erupted into whiteness before stabilizing, yet spots danced in his vision as he struggled to keep himself steady, falling onto his back and into a roll before unleashing a «Slant» to match Frenica's and Tiese's «Vertical»'s. The former slipped away from him while Tiese's flames were extinguished more, and the blow behind his attack sent them back, only to then be replaced by Quinella's sword and Ronye's next wave of wind blades.

Talk about relentless!

But he was stubborn. Incredibly so. It was why, despite being outnumbered and overwhelmed, he refused to cave in.

A cornered mouse, for as small as it is, would eventually fight back once it's pushed against the wall.

He had given up trying to outmanoeuvre them earlier, but that didn't mean he was going to let them have their win like this. His breaths came out in short, slow breaths, but the girls had effectively boxed him in, with each girls having put a distance around him.

The people around them were all waiting for the climax. The final nail to the coffin for this showcase of wit, steel and spells. And even he had to admit that he was more than ready to finish things, once and for all.

They moved in altogether, screaming at the top of their lungs.

Quinella had her weapon poised for a «Quadruple Pain», her knuckles incredibly white. Ronye's sword was now blanketed in a mad swirl of darkness, hissing as she readied herself for a «Rage Spike», while Tiese was halfway nearing him with her burning «Sharp Nail». Frenica was on his six o' clock, at a safe distance to avoid getting hit, having shot a combination of «Aerial» and «Thermal» elements arrows.

He certainly taught them well. And Quinella was proving to be one hell of a fight.

'I haven't gotten this figured out all that well, but that's no reason for me to not test it out anyways!' Leaving his fate to one final gamble, he allows one sharp breath to be expelled as he felt… something. His willpower, his spirit, his aura—whatever it was, it coursed out of him and flooded Ivory Apostle with energy, blessing it with augmented strength as it glowed an iridescent white.

Even back then, during the academy days, Kirito had only managed up to a four-hit «Secret Technique» with Night Sky Sword. Any more than that had backfired against him, resulting in a loss of energy and complete loss of control.

But everyone's come a long way since then, him no less.

Besides, Ivory Apostle was a gift from the fake goddess of this world. It'll definitely prove itself worthy.

"«Aincrad Style Secret Technique»," he muttered, rapier rested on his shoulder. And then, a burst of wind from his feet that carries throughout the entire plaza, people screaming as their clothes and hair are tussled by the storm. The blackness of his eyes are swallowed by a sheen of pure gold. "«Deadly Sins»!"

A diagonal slash from the top to his bottom, striking Quinella's weapon. His spin allows him to divert her to the side, in preparation for his weightier hit that cancels out two of Tiese's three-hit combo, yet still landing one nick on his pants. A power-packed slash from his left to his right does its work to land a clean cut across her body, tearing the material of her uniform. A backwards somersault, for as impressive as it was, was only exemplified as he deflects Ronye's attack, dodges Frenica's «Sacred Arts» and spins to meet Quinella's rapier, though failing to protect himself as she slashed against his chest. His sword spins a full circle, and the sheer willpower behind that single attack blows away any remaining attacker.

«Deadly Sins». Seven whole hits that was all acrobatics and incredibly difficult. That was hard… but he managed it. He did it!

"Hrhaaa!"

"Wha—Huh?!"

He's never allowed himself to relax in a fight. Not until the fight was over. But even then, complacency was never his thing.

To think that he had dropped his guard down too much now!

He raised his swords to protect himself, but he was still unable to stop the incoming assaults from the two remaining girls.

The battle cries came in sync, Ronye's sword slashing against his arm, its frozen edge inflicting immediate frostbite to his limb. Frenica, right in his blind spot, landed a perfect blow to the back with a «Cyclone», wind added to the effect to provide a shockwave.

The pressure behind the girl's attack wasn't hard, but it managed to draw a firm hack from the boy as he was launched forwards, too surprised to regain himself until he tripped on a loose piece of concrete and was falling backwards—

"Now!"

"Right!"

Right into the oncoming double-attack of Tiese and Quinella, both landing a «Slant» and «Linear» on his person that knocks him in an opposite direction, skidding across the concrete as his swords are scattered around him.

All around them, silence reigned supreme as everyone watched with shock at what had just transpired. The four girls looked bewildered, Frenica in particular staring at the sword she had just used and then at the boy who was still on the ground, who was still lying on the ground, face-up.

When nothing was said for a long time, the three friends looked amongst one another with worry, Quinella approaching the downed boy…

"Snrk…"

"H-Huh?"

It was barely audible to everyone else, but the woman had clearly heard it. His eyes screwed shut, shoulders trembling as his lips fought a battle between straight-lipped and smiling.

Whatever fears the girls had of potentially humiliating him in public—Kirito, their teacher and the Human Realm's ruler—was quickly erased when he all but burst out laughing.

He laughed, and laughed, and laughed until everyone else too suddenly began to join in the noise, though in the form of cheering this time. And Quinella found herself smiling so wide, the girls all but joined in.

He's had a lot of fights in his life, and that was fun as hell.