Chapter 5: Promise with the blacksmith.
I do not own anything from Rurouni Kenshin or SAO.
Jin was with Kirito and Asuna. They recently went to Floor 48 in a town called Lindus. Their weapons were starting to lose their durability.
"We should pay a visit to a friend of mine. She's a blacksmith and knows how to fix or make weapons." Asuna suggested.
Jin had a look at his blade, noticing nothing wrong with it. He decided to go with them, since his curiosity of a blacksmith caught his attention.
"Alright, I'm in. Lead the way, Asuna." Jin replied.
Kirito was also curious for a different reason. He had his own intention to see the blacksmith.
######
Asuna, Kirito and Jin went to what appeared to be a small house. A small canal was being provided with water from a local river nearby. A giant waterwheel was shown.
"Perfect place to find a blacksmith." Jin commented.
"How so?" Asuna asked.
"Blacksmiths need this waterwheel for refinement purposes. A true blacksmith needs to refine any ore to remove any impurities before crafting a weapon in a furnace. However, for the refinement to be complete, water is needed to cool off the metal before it has become the weapon of choice. That's why the waterwheel is there." Jin explained.
"Oh…? You're quite astute there, Jin." Kirito said.
"There are few places in Japan where the practice of blacksmithing still exists to this day and age. However, the swords created are for decorative reasons." Jin said.
"Whoa… So you have been to those blacksmith sites?" Kirito asked.
"I did, but I rather not reveal where they are. They prefer making swords in peace instead of outside influence." Jin said.
"Well said then… Anyway, let's go meet the blacksmith here so we can fix our weapons. I'm sure your weapon need some repair work." Asuna said.
"I'm good. My sword's dura is still okay." Jin said.
"Okay, I'll head first." Asuna said.
######
Inside the house, there was a young girl working in the blacksmith shop. She had fluffy pink hair with a white hairpin to keep her bangs out of her eyes. Her eyes are dark pink. Her blacksmith uniform looks more like the uniform of a waitress: a dark red top with puffed sleeves and a flared skirt of the same color as well as a pure white apron over that and a red ribbon atop her chest.
"Asuna, it has been a while!" The girl said to Asuna.
"It has been, Lisbeth." Asuna replied.
"So, what can I help you with?" Lisbeth asked.
"I just need to request some repairs for my sword." Asuna said.
Lisbeth acknowledged her request and began repairing Asuna's sword. It took only a few seconds till the swords durability was good as new.
"I'm surprised that you're not on the frontlines today." Lisbeth commented, handing the repaired sword to Asuna.
"I decided to take a day off. I have a couple of friends whom I'm with. Both are curious to see and may have a request for you to make." Asuna replied.
"Okay… You can let them in." Lisbeth said.
Asuna left and in a few seconds, Jin and Kirito went inside the house. Lisbeth recognized Jin as the Blaze Swordsman, but didn't recognize Kirito as a Beater.
"No way… The Fiery Battosai…" Lisbeth said in shock.
"Calm your fears… I don't attack anyone indiscriminately." Jin said.
"But you have slaughtered an entire guild…" Lisbeth said with fear.
"An orange guild called Titan's Hand… They were a PK guild so I cleaned them out." Jin corrected.
Lisbeth realized he didn't show any form of hostility and remained calm. However, her guard was not lowered, keeping a sharp eye on Jin.
"So… What are you two requesting me?" Lisbeth asked.
Kirito decided to step up.
"Well, I was wondering if you can craft a sword." Kirito requested.
"How strong?" Lisbeth questioned.
"How about Jin's sword?" Kirito suggested.
"Hey!" Jin refuted.
Lisbeth demanded to inspect Jin's sword and was surprised to see one of the legendary weapons on his hand.
"The Amaterasu… You certainly have been pushing yourself… I heard of your exploits in Floor 63, but seeing you with the Coat of the Fire Dragon and the Amaterasu is proof enough for me." Lisbeth commented.
"The sword belonged to my late master, whom taught me everything in Aincrad." Jin said with a somber tone.
Lisbeth made a quiet gasp, seeing him look solemn, albeit hidden from view.
"In any case, the prices for metals have been increasing since resources are starting to become scarce." Lisbeth said.
"We don't need to worry about finance. Are you able to craft a sword or have one that's equal to Amaterasu?" Kirito asked.
"I recently crafted one earlier so let's try that out." Lisbeth said.
Lisbeth provided a thin looking sword, almost appearing like a rapier. Kirito made a couple of practice swings, noting how light it was.
"You used a speed attribute metal for this sword?" Jin asked.
"Y-yes… How did you know?" Lisbeth asked in surprise.
"Easy to notice the weight and speed of the sword. However, its stats are greatly inferior to that of Amaterasu. I fear that one good blow in a duel will cause it to shatter." Jin said.
"Are you saying this sword will not be able to nick your katana?" Lisbeth questioned.
"I'm not just saying… It will happen." Jin confirmed.
"Let's give a test then." Kirito said.
"Are you nuts!? You'll shatter your friend's sword!" Lisbeth said in disbelief.
Kirito raised the sword up and was about to strike Amaterasu with the light weight sword. Before doing so, Jin quickly stopped Kirito from doing so. This surprised everyone of his speed.
"What are you doing, Jin?" Kirito asked.
"Look at the weapon's stats before doing that… You nearly costed the blacksmith a sword for good." Jin lectured with a sigh.
Kirito did so and looked at the weapon's stats. Much to his surprise, he could see that the weapon would have a no chance of enduring a single blow from Amaterasu.
"Jin's right… The sword will shatter." Kirito said, providing the sword back to Lisbeth.
"You have a critical eye to notice the quality of swords… Thanks for making sure it didn't shatter." Lisbeth said with appreciation.
"Is there a metal ore that you need that can potentially craft a sword needed to match mine?" Jin asked.
"Yes, but it is located at Floor 55. A dragon lives in the West Mountain, reported that it eats the crystals out there." Lisbeth explained.
"Great… As if the Fire Dragon from Floor 63 was not enough for me…" Jin mumbled in complaint.
"You managed to survive battling the Fire Dragon… So why are you complaining?" Lisbeth asked.
"I survived that battle on a whim. If I didn't had any stroke of luck, then I wouldn't be here in the first place." Jin said.
"In any case, you'll need me to fine the ore. I'm not called an expert blacksmith for nothing." Lisbeth said with pride.
"Don't let your own pride be your own downfall… Many players who state they're the best often had karma strike back at them in the most painful way possible." Jin lectured.
"Speak for yourself, Battosai…" Lisbeth said.
"Please stop giving me that title… I didn't become a battosai based on people's rumors. I trained myself to fight with the skills that people have seen. Plus, I detest doing what I've done." Jin said.
"So why are you killing other players?" Lisbeth questioned Jin's philosophy.
"I only kill orange players and red guilds. Titan's Hand was just a message to those who take pleasure in killing others." Jin said.
"So you're a PK hunter… I can see that your cursor is green though." Lisbeth commented.
"Enough about me… We should get going to finding the ore needed to craft a new sword for Kirito." Jin said.
"I'll let this slide, but don't try to dodge my questions." Lisbeth said, puffing her face.
'What an obstreperous girl…' Jin thought.
"In any case, I should request your actual name since you don't want to be known as 'battosai' all the time." Lisbeth said.
Jin clicked his tongue when he heard the title. Lisbeth heard the action and made a deadpan expression.
"My name is Jin." Jin said calmly, but sounded forced.
"I'm Lisbeth." Lisbeth followed.
######
Jin and Lisbeth were in Floor 55. The path to the peak of West Mountain was cold. Ice and snow surrounded their site as they made their way to the top. Lisbeth's clothing was not providing adequate warmth for her.
"Achoo! It's freezing here…" She said in a sneeze.
Jin sighed in response, knowing she'll complain and get a status effect from the freezing weather. He opened his inventory and provided the Coat of the Fire Dragon to her.
"This coat will keep you warm. Its effect will last for a long time, even if we finish getting the material needed." Jin said.
"What about you?" Lisbeth asked.
"I have hyperthermia so I'll be fine. In case if it wears off, I have a different coat to use." Jin said.
Lisbeth took note of Jin, constantly emitting pockets of steam. Upon being close to him, she could feel the air getting warmer. It's as though he was acting like a radiator. She then felt the coat's warmth.
'It's so warm… I always thought the Fiery Battosai would be cold-blooded, but he's different. He only had the misfortune to be called such a title due to his actions on an orange guild. Maybe he was trying to protect everyone, despite what he does.' Lisbeth thought.
Jin noticed that Lisbeth was moving and looked back.
"Everything alright? We're almost at the top." Jin said.
"I'm coming." Lisbeth said, catching up to Jin.
######
Near the peak, snow started to fall. The wind was blowing harshly, providing Jin and Lisbeth a quiet, scenic view of the icy wilderness. They noticed several crystals nearby.
"We're almost there. The peak is just a short walk from here." Jin said.
Lisbeth was amazed to see the crystals. They were a navy blue, appearing similar in shape of a quartz crystal. Upon looking at the peak, a large field of crystals was shown.
"How beautiful…!" She said in amazement.
"Hold on a minute, Lisbeth…" Jin said.
"What is it?" She asked abruptly.
"Be sure to prepare your warp crystal… I don't want you to lose your life when I'm fighting the field boss out here." Jin said.
"All right then…" Lisbeth complained.
"Just stay hidden in view. Use the crystals to hide so the dragon will focus its attention on me. Don't come out of the crystals, no matter what." Jin said.
"I'm no amateur in fighting. I can help-"
Lisbeth's mouth suddenly stopped when Jin placed his index finger on her lips. This made her pause.
"Don't suddenly think you can take the field boss on…" Jin said, showing a hollow stare.
Lisbeth was surprised on what she saw. His eyes showed experience to what happens to people who are cocky in battle. Reluctant, she wisely kept herself quiet.
"Trust me on what I'm about to do." Jin said, gently poking her forehead with his index and middle fingers.
Lisbeth felt the heat from his touch. She made a small blush, feeling reassured. By then, a loud roar echoed on the mountain peak. Jin and Lisbeth looked to where the sound came from.
"Start hiding, quick!" Jin said.
Lisbeth quickly hid herself in the field of crystals. Jin took notice of the field boss and was surprised to see what it was. It was a pale gray draconic creature with several protrusions made out of crystals on most of its body. An icy aura was being exuded from the beast.
"That's not a dragon… That's an ice wyvern!" Jin said in surprise.
The wyvern began to charge its attack. Lisbeth quickly deduced what it was about to do.
"Watch out! It's using its ice breath!" She said.
Jin shifted his sword stance into Iaido and held his concentration. He scraped his sword on the scabbard, creating a miniature cyclone.
"Hiken: Kagutsuchi!"
Fire and ice clashed into a stalemate, causing steam to obscure everyone's sight. Jin kept his focus on the wyvern. Lisbeth watched in fascination of the battle.
'He's amazing… He countered ice with fire and fought it in a stalemate… That sword style… What did he trained himself to earn such skills?' She thought in awe.
Jin quickly leaped up to the air, facing the dragon in the air. It was attempting to swipe him with its claws, but Jin quickly responded.
"Hiken: Shukuchi San!"
Jin performed three quick steps, maiming the wyvern. This made the beast roar violently in the clash.
"Watch out!" Lisbeth called out.
Jin noticed the wyvern intending to ram on him. He then decided to use another skill.
"Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"
The kanji created was written as wyvern (ワイバーン). During the sequence, Jin managed to hack off one of its arms.
"What are you waiting for? Let's get this dealt with!" Lisbeth called, going out of her hiding spot.
"YOU FOOL! THE WYVERN WILL NOTICE YOU!" Jin shouted.
The beast noticed Lisbeth's presence, seeing her as a potential danger.
"What are you saying? The battle is over-"
Lisbeth didn't had a chance to finish her sentence. The wyvern created a powerful gust, sending Lisbeth flying.
"Lisbeth!" Jin said, using Shukuchi to keep up with her.
Lisbeth was heading to a large, open pit. She then panicked as she was falling in the middle of it. Jin quickly grabbed hold of her and was able to maneuver himself with Lisbeth to a nearby wall. He stabbed his sword on the wall to try and slow their descent. However, it was proven fruitless as the pair continued falling.
"Hang on!" Jin shouted.
######
The fall was long, almost like an abyss. Both awaited for the ground, till they saw a field of snow at the bottom.
'This is gonna hurt…' Jin thought with a sweat drop.
They crashed on to the snowy ground. Jin took the full brunt of the fall, shielding Lisbeth. Both were unconscious for a few minutes.
"Grhh… That is one fall I'll NEVER attempt on skydiving…" Jin commented.
Lisbeth heard Jin and noticed his HP was down to 2/5 left.
"I'll agree with you on that." Lisbeth agreed.
"We managed to survive the fall, but now we don't know how we can get out of here. For now, let's recover from the damage." Jin said, providing Lisbeth a healing potion.
Both drank their potions, restoring their HP. Jin had a brief, disgusted look on his face after drinking the potion.
"Bitter… But at least it healed us." Jin said.
Lisbeth giggled seeing Jin with a comical look.
"Thanks for protecting me." She said.
"Too early for gratitude… We need to find a way to get out of here. The warp crystals won't work unfortunately. That must mean there's a method of escape." Jin said.
"How sure are you about this? Wouldn't this be a trap?" Lisbeth asked.
"Not quite. If this was a trap, the depth would be much shorter than this. I don't think this is a trap at all. Otherwise, we would be dead by now from other hidden parts. I don't sense anything like that here." Jin said.
"Well, that's reassuring. Now how do you plan on getting us out?" Lisbeth questioned.
Jin looked carefully at the walls, trying to create a plan.
"I'll need to do a running start…" Jin said.
Lisbeth made a deadpan expression upon hearing Jin's response.
"Are you crazy…?" She asked comically.
"This is only to determine if there's a way out." Jin said.
Jin quickly dashed forward, running on the wall with amazing speed. Lisbeth, watching the action, was surprised on what he was doing.
"No way…" She said in disbelief.
However, Jin made a step too long and slipped.
"Oh no… WHOAAAAAAA!" Jin yelled.
He plunged back first into the snow, leaving a crater in his shape.
"Ouch… Well, that determines how far I can go, but that is enough. Wish I could run a little longer though." Jin said, climbing out of the crater he made.
"It's impossible to do that. But what do you mean that it was enough?" Lisbeth asked.
"We'll find out in the morning." Jin said.
######
Jin had a lantern to use for Lisbeth and himself to stay warm for the night. He had two sleeping bags with him, providing one to Lisbeth.
"This feels unreal… Sleeping with a random stranger at a place I haven't been to." Lisbeth said in wonder.
"There are experiences in life that often make adventures wondrous. Today's event was no exception." Jin said.
"You even ran up the wall… No normal man would do that." Lisbeth commented.
Jin snorted in response. This made Lisbeth giggle in response.
"You'll find out why I ran up the wall in the first place." Jin remarked.
The pair remained silent, watching the cold, starry sky. Lisbeth decided to ask Jin some questions.
"Ne Jin… Mind if I ask you a question?" Lisbeth asked.
"Feel free." Jin responded.
"Why did you save my life?" Lisbeth asked.
Jin hesitated for a moment. Lisbeth waited with slight anxiety, wanting to hear his response.
"Letting someone die alone is one of the worst outcomes anyone would want to experience. I'd rather die with someone than be alone. I'm sure you understand that." Jin said.
"No one would think like that… There's probably something wrong with you." Lisbeth said with a smile.
Jin remained quiet, showing an impassive expression.
"Hold my hand, Jin…" Lisbeth requested.
He had a surprised expression. Jin didn't expect a request like that from her. Lisbeth continued to stare at Jin's eyes, noting his natural color. He then moved his hand to Lisbeth's warming her.
"Your hand is so warm… Despite this, we're both data in a virtual world. Yet…" Lisbeth said.
Jin knew what she was about to say. He remained quiet for a few minutes before falling asleep.
######
The next day, Lisbeth woke up to see Jin digging in the snow. She briefly recalled holding his hand before sorting her thoughts out.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"I think I found the ore you need." Jin said, showing a light blue ingot.
Lisbeth opened the menu screen to see the name of the item. It was labeled 'Crystalline Ingot'.
"So this is the material we need?" Jin asked.
"Yes, this is the one I need to craft a new weapon for Kirito. How is this ingot here?" Lisbeth asked.
"The wyvern that lives here eats the crystals and digests them over time. This whole area is essentially its nest." Jin said.
"That would explain why no one would find the ore so easily… But what do you mean by your explanation?" Lisbeth questioned.
"This ingot happens to be the crystals digested in the beast's stomach. It's essentially excrement." Jin said with mild discomfort.
Lisbeth noticed his expression as he held the ingot. She then laughed out loud.
'Thank goodness I'm not holding that…' Lisbeth thought, laughing.
"We got what we came for. Now for the way out… The wyvern, like any dragon, seems to be a nocturnal monster, feeding on the crystals at night. Since it is morning, it'll come here any minute." Jin said.
"You're right about that… Is this what you're planning?" Lisbeth asked, slowly realizing something.
"Looks like you figured it out." Jin said with a smirk.
He crouched down on the ground.
"Get on my back! We're going for a peel out!" Jin said.
"Peel out!? Are you craZZYYY!?" Lisbeth yelled as Jin dashed to the wall.
She was amazed to see how fast he was going. Eventually, he made it high enough to reach the wyvern's back. Jin back flipped in the air, landing on the wyvern. He stabbed Amaterasu to get a hold on it.
"Hang on!" Jin called out.
The wyvern roared and flew out of its nest. The velocity of the flight caused Jin's sword to loosen itself, causing Jin and Lisbeth to skydive away from the nest.
"This is insane!" Jin yelled out.
Lisbeth noticed the sun in the horizon. She couldn't believe the view she saw.
"Wow…! That's a nice view!" She said.
Jin outstretched his hand to catch Lisbeth in the air. She held on to him as they both fell from the sky.
"Jin! You know what!?" Lisbeth asked.
"What!?" Jin asked.
"You're an amazing person!" Lisbeth shouted.
"I can't hear you!" Jin said, his hearing muffled from the wind.
"It's okay!" Lisbeth said, hugging Jin close.
######
Back in Floor 48, Lindus, Lisbeth was preparing the ingot. She managed to refine it and prepared to hammer the ingot.
"A one handed sword for Kirito, huh?" Lisbeth asked.
"Yeah. Kirito said he needed one for his purpose. I don't know why, but I got a hunch it is something he plans to do later on." Jin said.
Lisbeth began hammering the ingot. She was concentrating very carefully to crafting the sword.
'Jin's warmth from his hand… My feelings… They were all real.' She thought.
'Once I crafted this sword, I'll tell him my own feelings.' She thought, finishing her crafting.
The ingot changed into a sword shaped object. It was glowing a bright, pink color. The shape then formed an aqua colored sword. The grip is a darker color than the rest of the blade and is completely straight. It leads up to a crossguard that is exactly perpendicular to the grip and is designed to look like a pair of conjoined dagger blades. At the center of the guard is a large aquamarine gem. The blade itself is a deep aqua color, the base of the blade has a light-aqua attachment that causes the blade to have a natural indentation when one traces its length due to the angle that the attachment bends at. Lisbeth inspected the sword she created.
"The Dark Repulser. This is a first for me to see such a sword like this so there's no info on what it is." Lisbeth said.
Jin noted the sword's excellent craftsmanship. Kirito came into the shop and noticed the sword already forged.
"Your sword's ready, Kirito." Jin said, giving the weapon to him.
Kirito made a couple of practice swings.
"How is it?" Lisbeth asked.
"It's a well-crafted sword. It feels as though it was made through someone's emotions and passion." Kirito said.
Lisbeth smiled in response. She looked at Jin with her heart racing.
"How much is the request?" Kirito asked.
"Oh, it's free. Consider it on the house thanks to your friend. Mind if I talk with Jin for a minute?" Lisbeth asked to Kirito.
"Sure, I'll wait outside." Kirito said.
Lisbeth moved to Jin, making him nervous.
"Jin… I wanted to say this to you… I wanted to become your private blacksmith and…"
Lisbeth's speech was stopped by Jin placing an index finger on her lips. This made her look at him with slight surprise.
"I know you wanted to confess your feelings to me… However, you need to know that I'm doing two suicide quests. Both have a risk of getting you killed if you get involved." Jin said.
"W-what quests are talking about?" Lisbeth asked.
"The end of all PK guilds and clearing this game… I've seen a lot of things in a game… However, I'll never forget the sight of the people losing their lives here as they had their last moments. I understand your feelings, but I'm not ready for a relation." Jin said.
Lisbeth felt heartbroken… She was about to yell at him, but noticed his far out expression. Seeing his face like that, she couldn't help but stay near him.
"What will you do once you finish the game…?" Lisbeth asked.
"I'll be back to my normal, everyday life. Going back to school, finding my purpose in life… Although I doubt I'll be the same person." Jin said.
Lisbeth could feel the regret in his words. She boldly went to him and hugged him close.
"No one should go through so much pain… I understand why you were called the Blaze Swordsman for a reason. But why would you kill off your own heart for the sake of others?" Lisbeth asked.
"I'm not a god or anything in that belief… Don't mistake the meaning as being atheistic. I'm a Christian… The point is, I'm trying to help alleviate the concerns for the players so they can clear this game and set everyone free. If it costs me my life, then I will fight to the death till I can no longer stand." Jin said.
Lisbeth held Jin tight, refusing to let go. This made him sigh.
"Knowing this, are you willing to risk your friends for being close to me?" Jin asked.
"No. I don't want to lose my friends, but I don't want to lose you." Lisbeth said.
Jin merely sighed in response.
"How about a promise?" Jin suggested.
"A promise?" Lisbeth questioned.
"A promise where we will meet in the real world once this game is cleared. I may reconsider being in a relation by then." Jin said.
Lisbeth smiled in response. She moved up close and kissed his cheek. Jin blushed, causing his sword to emit red-pink flames. By then, Asuna came in.
"Lisbeth! Thank goodness you're okay!" She said.
"I'm alright, Asuna. Jin protected me when I went out collecting materials for sword smithing." Lisbeth said.
"Did he do something to you? You're smiling." Asuna said.
"He made a promise that he will fulfill for me. I'll be waiting for him till then." Lisbeth said.
Before Asuna could ask Jin, the girls noticed he swiftly left the place. There was a note left behind on the desk.
-To Lisbeth,
-I know we didn't had much of a chance to get along, but you were able to unchain a part of my own soul. I'm grateful for that, Lisbeth. Please, continue making the best swords for everyone. I'm not really good with love or relationships since I don't know much about them. All I do know is that I have to fight to push forward. Only then, we will meet in the real world.-
-From Jin-
Lisbeth started to shed a few tears. Asuna read the note. She understood why her friend was crying.
'Jin… I hope you know what you're doing.' She thought.
######
Outside, Jin and Kirito were resting near a tree in the town. They were discussing what they plan to do.
"Are you sure about this, Jin? You know it's a very hard road for you once go through this route." Kirito asked with concern.
"I'm sure. If I were to face Kayaba himself at the end, I would most likely die. However, he will also die as well. I know for a fact that I may not survive the battle, but I'm willing to give it my all." Jin said.
'He's willing to sacrifice his life for everyone… Jin knows that he will die if this continues, yet it doesn't faze him.' Kirito thought.
Asuna eventually arrived, noticing Jin with Kirito. Before she could demand an explanation from him, she saw his serious expression.
"I know what I have to do, Asuna. Don't make me repeat myself." Jin said.
Asuna remained silent as Jin walked to the teleport gate.