(His attacks feel almost like Asuna's...)
The thought flickered through Kirito's mind as he parried the unrelenting assault. Sterben's blade swung in a non-stop, tempestuous fury—a literal storm of steel.
(Which makes it... such a waste.)
If a swordsman of this caliber had been around back in SAO, clearing the game would have been so much easier. Kirito held onto that random thought, biding his time and waiting for a breach in his opponent's combo. Yet no gap appeared. Instead, shallow cuts steadily multiplied across Kirito's avatar. Hoping to throw Sterben off-balance for even a fraction of a second, Kirito cast a quick glance toward the adjacent skyscraper.
"Kirito isn't going on the offensive at all, is he?"
"Y...eah."
Achiman offered a noncommittal response to Sinon's observation. A moment ago, Kirito and Sterben had been exchanging words, causing the attack to halt briefly before resuming with increased ferocity. Watching Kirito now was like watching a baseball player winding up for a full-power swing, only to check his bat at the last split second over and over again.
(And that technique of Sterben's...)
"...It's just like Shizuka's," Sinon muttered softly under her breath beside him.
She was right. That relentless, terrifying barrage of thrusts was an exact mirror of the swordswoman Shizuka—the player whose battle footage Achiman had studied when preparing for GGO.
"So that's it..."
"What is it?"
Achiman realized what was happening: Sterben's offensive was far more fierce than anticipated. Kirito knew he'd be ground down in a war of attrition if he didn't attack, but he simply couldn't catch the right opening to transition into an assault.
The deduction was spot on. Kirito typically favored broadswords, utilizing the full geometry of the blade to deflect heavy attacks before launching a counter. But the current conditions were abysmal. While the Kagemitsu G4 could slice through almost anything, its hit-box was thin and narrow—more like an oversized rapier—a weapon type Kirito wasn't accustomed to wielding. Coupled with the constant risk of draining the energy blade, dragging out the fight was a massive gamble.
Had Sinon taught Kirito how to unleash ranged energy slashes with the lightsaber, things might have been different. But she hadn't mentioned it to him—or rather, since she didn't own a genuine Kagemitsu series herself, the idea simply hadn't crossed her mind.
"...Sinon-san, let's lay down some suppressive fire."
"Did you figure something out?"
"He wants to counter, but he physically can't. The opponent's skill level exceeded our initial expectations."
"Got it..."
Sinon narrowed her eyes, sharpening her focus on Kirito's movements. Just then, she caught Kirito darting his eyes toward their location.
At that exact moment, Achiman shouted:
"Now!"
"On it!"
Sinon smoothly rested her finger against the trigger of her Hecate II.
"!?..."
Sterben gasped in sudden hesitation. His relentless tempo faltered for a fraction of a second, and Kirito didn't miss the opening. He instantly shifted to the offensive.
(Sinon did something—she must have painted him with the Bullet Line... Anyone used to this game will reflexively dodge when that red line hits them.)
Firing an actual shot in that tight space carried too high a risk of friendly fire; both swordsmen were moving at blinding speeds. Knowing this, Sinon had turned her position to her advantage, using purely the threat of the Bullet Line to freeze Sterben in his tracks.
And thanks to that phantom bullet, the tide of battle turned completely.
"Guh...!"
"I'm not giving up the momentum now!" Kirito declared, unleashing a dizzying, relentless flurry of strikes upon Sterben.
As their blades clashed, a realization struck Kirito.
(This guy... he's actually terrible at defending, isn't he?)
Members of Valhalla constantly honed both offense and defense through internal duels. To master defensive swordplay, having strong sparring partners was essential. But Sterben had no such allies. One could practice offensive routines alone, but learning to defend required comrades.
"You couldn't practice defending because you didn't have any friends, could you? How pathetic."
"Tch...!"
The taunt hit a raw nerve. Sterben spat a curse and leaped backward to reset the distance. While jumping back exposed him to sniper fire, he could still monitor Sinon's Bullet Lines.
Or so he thought.
CLANG! A high-caliber round slammed into the ground right at Sterben's feet.
"What!?"
Sterben had completely forgotten about the other player. Though the person inside was different now, the avatar belonged to the same man who had thwarted their plans in the past. Looking up at the adjacent roof, Sterben caught sight of the figure standing there.
"HACHIMANNNNNNNN!!"
Sterben screamed a venomous curse across the rooftop. Unbothered, Achiman painted him with another Bullet Line to set up the next strike. Sinon followed suit, projecting her own phantom bullet line beside it.
Realizing he was trapped, Sterben hardened his resolve. To dodge the snipers, he lunged forward, channeling every ounce of his remaining strength into one final, desperate slash at Kirito.
"If it weren't for you bastards...!"
"It doesn't matter where or when—Hachiman and I will always stand in your way. As many times as it takes... right!"
Stepping in with a burst of footwork that mirrored Hachiman's signature style, Kirito unleashed a full-power counter. The blow left Sterben paralyzed before Kirito's blade cleaved straight through his torso.
Bisected by the attack, Sterben's avatar collapsed onto the pavement. Even as he fell, his glare remained locked on Kirito—and Kirito met his gaze without flinching.
"...You're a murderer, just like us."
"You don't need to remind me. Neither Hachiman nor I will ever forget what we've done. But we aren't going to let it consume us. We'll carry that guilt and keep living normal lives."
"...It's not over. Someday, he will..."
"You mean PoH? Sure. And when he shows up, we'll crush him just like we crushed you."
"...Tch. You utter bastards..."
"I'll take that as a compliment. Goodbye, Zaza."
Sterben offered no reply to his true name. The red DEAD banner flashed across his vision, turning the avatar into an inanimate corpse.
"Yes!"
Kirito pumped his fist in a small victory pose, glancing up at the roof of the adjacent building. Up there, Achiman and Sinon were hugging in celebration. Watching Achiman's distinctly feminine, energetic fidgeting, Kirito felt an incredibly complex emotion wash over him.
(Wait... after this tournament ends, are rumors going to start spreading that Hachiman's an okama...?)
That stray thought would soon become reality. Whispers would circulate across ALO regarding Hachiman's supposedly eccentric demeanor. The origin of the rumor was traced back to the remnants of the Anti-Valhalla Guild Alliance—a faction that would later be utterly dismantled by a furious Hachiman and his guild.
"We did it! Kirito won!"
"Well, of course he did," Achiman replied, though she couldn't hide her joy as the two embraced to celebrate the victory.
Halfway through the hug, however, Sinon snapped back to reality. Her current avatar was famous—having been spotted with Musketeer X, with countless streams and videos archived online.
"Ah... wait. This is bad."
"What's wrong?"
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