Time really flies by. It's been two years since my imprisonment in the "Underworld" project ended. Life has become peaceful, with my days divided between two realities - ALO and that other world. I still struggle to determine which one is real. Perhaps it's the improved Amusphere technology, which now transmits images to the brain even more clearly, or even it's the real world. I stopped being able to tell them apart a long time ago. It became even more difficult when I completely turned off my character interface. The tunnel vision was removed a few months ago, and my female acquaintances can't stop talking about how bright and interesting virtual reality has become. And... it has become much more tangible.
I was one of the testers for the new update for Amusphere. Of course they would call on the "Black Swordsman," who had fallen into the depths of virtual worlds so many times before. But this time, I wasn't alone. It happened a few months ago. I only remembered the soft padding of the Amusphere and two words: "Link Start". Then the real world completely disappeared - only to reappear. But in a completely different dimension. That's when I appeared in a world similar to Alfheim, but it was indistinguishable from reality. Emotions, feelings, the sensation of texture on my fingertips - everything was different
That's when I fully felt the approaching future. At the same time, I felt a little uneasy about the fact that people could permanently give up reality in this way. It did worry me, but only until I logged back into reality from the released device.
"Big Bro, I called you five minutes ago to come eat breakfast, are you still stuck?" I heard my younger sister Suguha's voice. Oh, right... breakfast. I got lost in thought after I logged out of that world.
"Yeah, yeah, Sugu, I'm coming," I answered absentmindedly. I should probably go downstairs, or she'll come get me again.
The walk didn't take long and within a minute, I was sitting at the table. My sister had already prepared everything, so all I had to do was use my chopsticks to eat. Rice, miso soup, vegetables, meat, and tea. A healthy breakfast, according to Kirigaya Suguha's standards. Well then, bon appétit to me.
Not forgetting to say the same out loud, for the sake of politeness, I started eating. We ate in silence, as usual, because there was usually nothing to talk about in the mornings. Suguha was reading the already published news on the web. I, on the other hand, didn't want to fill my head with facts and news from the game universe, which was much more interesting to me than anything else.
"Two Blades Tournament in ALO?" the girl across from me read thoughtfully. "And what does that mean?" It didn't immediately click for her the significance of the article's headline. Same for me.
"Two Bla... Huh?!" The chopsticks fell from my hands, causing Suguha to startle and drop her tablet, which I quickly caught, reading the lines intently. "Damn it, this means that ALO is planning to hold a tournament between players from different worlds!" I exclaimed, not believing my eyes.
"Just yesterday, the Game Masters team, famous throughout Japan for the game Alfheim Online, decided to hold a tournament for swordsmen, with the prize for victory being access to the recently unlocked skill 'Dual Blades' for any character wielding cold weapons. Details can be found at the link...
The tablet slipped from my hands now. This is... My thoughts were interrupted by the faint ringing of bells. It meant that someone was calling the house. Tapping the screen on the table, I turned on the loudspeaker, already knowing who was calling me in the morning.
"K... Ki... Kirito-kun!"
"Asuna?"
"TROUBLE!"
Absolutely. And a big one at that.
*
"Kirito-kun, such news, what should we do?" Asuna was speaking excitedly into the phone when I came out of the kitchen and returned to my room.
"Well, what can we do here? I'll participate in this competition and regain my Dual Blades," I replied, flopping onto the bed and leisurely closing my eyes.
An interesting idea with a hint of those old times. It's amazing; it was almost three years ago. So long ago that the details are no longer remembered. Of course, when I hear some facts or see familiar screenshots, something comes back to me, but not as vividly as it was, let's say, a year later. And now, I have to forcibly pick at the scab of this old wound to unlock this stream of memories, abilities, and skills that should help me win and regain that part I've been missing all this time. My skill, 'Dual Blades.'"
"Kirito-kun, are you sure?" Asuna asked anxiously on the other end of the phone. "After all, you'll have to defeat such a large number of people. You're not like... Yuuki..."
The girl fell silent, apparently recalling her dear friend, from whom, probably, the whole of Alfheim had the warmest and fondest memories. Zekken, Konno Yuuki, was undoubtedly the strongest swordswoman. But...
"Of course not. I can never replicate her combo and her magical speed," I sincerely and warmly replied. "Only you possess the 11-hit combo 'Mother's Rosario' now. I wish you could show it to me at least once..."
Asuna remained silent for a while. It seemed that it was still difficult for her to remember that cheerful girl who smiled until the very end, before finally leaving both worlds.
"It seems like I'll have a chance..." she whispered barely audibly.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm telling you, it looks like I'll be able to show you my skill," Asuna said, her tone growing louder and somewhat satisfied. Something about this tone didn't sit right with me. It was too suspicious for Asuna. Way too suspicious. "After all, I'll also be participating in the tournament. And first, you'll have to defeat me, Liz, Sinon, Leafa, Silica, and Klein. And then everyone else."
Well, she couldn't resist trying something like this. I knew it!
"Ar-Are you serious, Asuna?" I asked with a trembling voice. Asuna and I hadn't fought with swords since the moment I defeated her in SAO at the initial levels. I had to use a bit of trickery, but it worked. I'm sure she remembers that. Otherwise, there's just no way.
"Absolutely serious!" Asuna confirmed my suspicions.
A voice from below, Sugu's voice, shattered my confidence.
"That's right, big bro!"
"Eh, conference call?!"
*
A whole day passed, filled with anticipation for one of the most significant events of my life. Without exaggeration, the tournament for swordsmen, with the prize being the skill "Dual Blades," was something new. After all, in SAO, I only stumbled upon it once in the skill list. But here, I would have to seriously fight to obtain it again in my virtual collection. However, it wouldn't be accurate to say that I didn't fight in SAO to acquire it. Who else besides me swayed so swiftly, exerted such effort that it impressed the system itself and even Kayaba?
Various thoughts crossed my mind as I rode my motorcycle home to Asuna. We had agreed to log into ALO from the same location and decided to meet at her house. In the bag on my back, I carried my personal Amusphere and my favorite pillow, which I couldn't bear to part with otherwise it would be dangerous end.
After some time, I finally arrived at her house. The Yuuki family maid greeted me at the door, whom I had seen several times before. She politely greeted me, bowed, and led me upstairs to a room I had been in before. But protocol demanded it, so I was personally escorted.
"Asuna-sama, you have a guest," the maid announced. When she heard permission to enter from behind the door, she left, leaving me alone outside the closed door. Well, there was no point in lingering by the door. It was time to go in.
"Sorry for intruding," I muttered the standard phrase and opened the door. Asuna was sitting in front of her vanity, looking into the mirror and styling her hair into that incredibly familiar hairstyle. It was the first time I saw her create it from scratch.
"Kirito-kun, come in, I'll be done in a moment," the girl said, still sitting with her back to me, skillfully weaving a strand of hair into a braid, the end of which would then need to be tied to another one that was already braided. I closed the door behind me. Someone, by the way, seemed to have not remembered my real name. So, I hastened to remind her out loud.
"In this world, they call me something a little different, Asuna," I said.
"Oh, sorry, Kirito-k... Oh, come on! That's not fair!" my girlfriend protested.
"Whose fault is it that you used your real name?" I rhetorically asked. She already knew the answer to that question, but I made it a point to remind her of this embarrassing incident almost every time.
"You're at fault!" Well, there you go. "It's all your bad influence!" Oh, right, right. "Because of whom did I decide to log into the game in the same room as a boy, and even lie down with him on the same bed?"
"I won't remind you that this isn't the most shameful thing you've ever done," I replied.
"Be quiet!" Asuna suddenly flustered, letting go of the strand of hair which immediately unraveled. Annoyed, she sighed and began silently braiding her hair again, this time in the familiar style as I had indicated earlier. Meanwhile, I simply sat down on the bed, preparing my Amusphere for logging into the game while also checking Asuna's Amusphere.
When she finally finished her hairstyle and turned towards me, I was all set. We were about to dive in for at least four hours. ALO had a large player base, and many would want to see other players and show off themselves. And there were still quite a few people who thought I was just a show-off and the favorite of fortune... In short, they wanted to give me a hard time. They had not calmed down since I obtained Excalibur.
Asuna lay down on the bed, settling on one side and invitingly patted the spot next to her, holding her Amusphere in her hand. No more delay. It was time to start the battle, with the reward being a fragment of memories that I had to remember and keep within myself.
Together, we put on our immersive devices, lay down on the bed, splitting it in half, and closed our eyes, our hands firmly yet gently intertwined. And so...
"Link Start!"
Let's go!