The people around them held their breath nervously as they watched.
At this moment, no one spoke.
The classroom fell into a deathly silence. Even the noise coming from the sports field outside seemed to be crushed by the invisible pressure filling the room, and the world suddenly became soundless...
Sato tightened his grip on the bamboo sword, then released his left hand, switching to the one-handed sword stance uncommon in Japan.
The moment he raised his eyes toward Yuuki Asuna, an indescribable pressure descended upon her, as though a terrifying abyssal hell had enveloped her body, instantly shaking her mind!
Suddenly, Sato moved.
Bang!
A short and explosive sound abruptly rang through the silent classroom, followed immediately by the howl of surging wind.
In that instant, several afterimages of Sato seemed to appear across the field!
Clack!
Sato's bamboo sword struck Yuuki Asuna in the lower abdomen, producing a nearly imperceptible sound as bamboo hit armor.
"You lost."
By the time Sato's faint voice echoed through the classroom, Yuuki Asuna still hadn't reacted.
The sensation of the bamboo sword striking her abdomen was barely noticeable, but she could clearly tell that if this had been a duel with real swords, she would probably have already been cut in half at the waist!
"Hiss..."
In the corner of the classroom, Kirito sharply sucked in a breath of cold air. His eyes filled with disbelief as even his voice began trembling slightly.
"That just now... was that an afterimage?!"
His words were like a pebble dropped into still water, instantly causing ripples to spread.
"Afterimages?! T-That's terrifying!!"
"Were those really afterimages?! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me!!"
"For a second there, I seriously felt a sharp sword aura. My whole body broke out in goosebumps!"
"Can humans even reach this level?!"
"Unbelievable!!"
In an instant, both inside and outside the classroom erupted into noisy chaos once again. Countless shocked and disbelieving gazes turned toward Sato.
No one had expected what they thought would be an intense battle to end so quickly.
Compared to before, this brief clash had happened even faster, but the pressure it released was even stronger and even more overwhelming!
Though the spectators lacked the insight to understand the details, the sheer visual impact alone was enough to overwhelm them.
The two had been fighting practical kendo.
With the terrifying power Sato had just displayed, if those had been real swords, Yuuki Asuna would already have been bisected at the waist.
The victor had already been decided!
Nohara Sato, complete victory!
Amid the heated discussions around them that seemed loud enough to blow the roof off the building, Yuuki Asuna gradually recovered her senses.
Compared to the surrounding spectators, she, who had devoted all her concentration to the battle itself, was actually the most shocked person there and the one who had felt the greatest pressure.
Sato's attack had given her only one impression.
Sharpness!
A completely exposed sharpness.
Even though it had only been an ordinary bamboo sword, it carried an indescribable edge. In that instant, it felt as though a peerlessly sharp real blade had descended, intending to sever both her body and spirit at once!
And those afterimages just now...
Yuuki Asuna tightly pressed her lips together and stared fixedly at Sato.
"Is this really a power ordinary people can possess?!"
Sato's heart stirred slightly upon hearing that, and he looked at Yuuki Asuna somewhat unexpectedly.
She hadn't said "human." She had specifically said "ordinary people."
That meant she had probably noticed something.
What a sharp girl.
"So you've already discovered it."
Sato looked at Yuuki Asuna with a faint smile, watching her expression suddenly become stunned.
"So it's true?!"
Suppressing the disbelief surging within her, she asked excitedly.
"I can't give you a definite answer as to whether it's true or not. If you want to know the final truth, then work hard and challenge all the way to the hundredth floor."
"So it really is because of that game?"
"No. The game was only a catalyst. Everything comes from yourself."
As he spoke, Sato removed the protective mask from his head.
But honestly, saying that was practically the same as admitting it outright.
After taking off the mask, Sato shook his head, allowing his previously flattened hair to become fluffy again.
"Nohara-kun! Let me help you take it off!"
"Me too, me too!"
"Nohara-kun was seriously so cool just now!"
Suddenly, the girls in the class swarmed over with excited and thrilled expressions, crowding around Sato as they helped remove his kendo armor.
"Huh? W-Wait?!"
Sato was completely startled by the sudden scene.
Had these girls gone crazy all of a sudden?!
"No need, it doesn't take this many people!"
Sato hurriedly refused. Although kendo armor was indeed difficult to remove alone because of its design, there was no need for this many people to help!
"It's fine!"
"Mhm! Mhm!"
"Ahhh!!! I touched Nohara-kun's chest muscles!"
"His arms are really firm too!"
Sato: "..."
Holy crap... stop touching me randomly! Are you people female hooligans or what?!
"Hey! What are you all doing?! This is supposed to be my responsibility, so all of you get lost already!"
At that moment, Isshiki Iroha dragged Nishimiya Shouko into the battlefield.
"Hmph! I let you have him before, Isshiki, but not this time!"
"Exactly! Exactly! Isn't Isshiki being way too selfish trying to monopolize him?!"
"Seriously! What's wrong with sharing a little?!"
Sato couldn't help twitching at the corners of his mouth.
Why did everything these girls said sound so terrifying?
What do you mean "sharing a little"? Are you trying to get me chopped into pieces like Makoto?!
With his own resistance and Isshiki Iroha's assistance, Sato finally managed to break free from the siege of girls in his class.
"Haa..."
Sato let out a long sigh of relief and thanked Isshiki Iroha beside him.
"Thanks for the help this time, little Iroha."
"Hmph!"
Unexpectedly, Isshiki Iroha merely snorted and glanced at him.
"You're always trying to show off. Now you know how scary it is, right?"
Running around attracting bees and butterflies all day long, serves you right!