Timeless [Yuuki Konno X OC]

Chp. 55 - Kagachi, the Samurai Lord

[IRL, Somewhere in Tokyo]

[Kazuki's POV]

Kagachi was much bigger than what I read in the guidebook back in SAO. Argo may've skimmed that section. Already players rushed the boss, completely unprepared for what this samurai was capable of. Given the Katana skill was still out of reach of players in the early days of the death game, this boss unleashed some of the most destructive skills to date.

The first man was struck down with a slant, followed by another to Kagachi's right, the impact tearing up the pavement as their bodies were thrown away. A third was struck with a horizontal cleave, knocking them down instantly as Kagachi slammed his nodachi into the earth, carving a deep scar through the frontlines, tearing through another player into a winding, horizontal stroke to slice another.

It turned within the dust cloud, hissing viciously at the rest that tried to surround it, causing a distraction for myself and the others. "What do you say, Kirito?" Klein spoke up, but I could see it in Blackie's eyes as he stared down at his sword. This wasn't the same to him...

Meanwhile gunfire riddled Kagachi from the walkway of a building, forcing the boss to unleash its unique ability to counter. Formed around its left arm coiled a radiant, white serpent as it was threshed, extending across the plaza to burrow into the building as Kagachi wrenched and carved it through every other building, the serpent's body crashing into the ground between my group and Klein's.

"You guys had to fight this thing in SAO, what the hell!?" Riku exclaimed, sweating nervously beside Klein who just grinned away like an idiot.

"Don't worry, it only gets worse from here!" I hollered back.

"HaAH!?" The sight of Riku's jaw dropping was priceless to say the least.

"Hey, at Zero HP, there's a penalty!" Klein warned the newcomers.

"I know!" Kirito yelled as we were forced to evade from the cyclone that made up the serpent's body. Kagachi coiled it backward, whipping through the players as it threshed in tandem with its powerful sword swings.

"It really is the perfect long and close range fighter!" Yuuki, who had read up on the old SAO guidebook by Argo herself, was still pretty astounded by the strength and versatility of the floor boss. I was too.

"Nothing we can't handle, Cupcake. Ready?" I quipped, kicking my foot out to slide as I drew back my bow.

"Gotcha covered, let's go!" She cheered, brandishing her sword to rush ahead of me, followed by a series of vibrant red arrows whizzing by her face. 

My arrows pinged against its thick armour while I adjusted to no aim-assist, but three of my arrows caught its neck and shoulder, forcing it to turn mid-swing as its blade tossed up rubble in Yuuki's path. She kept her body low to the ground, increasing her speed as she danced around the debris, flourishing her blade with two wide slashes through Kagachi's left hip.

It plunged the ground but missed the raven-brunette by a hair as two more of my arrows pinged against its face, causing it to brandish that serpent once more, its jaws wide with a venomous hiss. However, Yuuki closed in, completing her impromptu sword skill, Horizontal Arc with a final two cleaves through its back, Kagachi stumbling as it twisted and flung the serpent wide, forcing me to roll as I felt it blow past my head, Yuuki performing a backflip over its body in time, slashing in twin vertical strokes up its back whilst sprinting between the legs to evade the low-bearing slashes at the ground, nicking her heels.

Rallying ahead, Klein's war cry drew Kagachi's attention away from Yuuki and the others as it clutched its sword overhead, bringing it down hard against the sword and shield user of Klein's guild, Dynamm, his footing was sturdy, absorbing the impact that rippled outward from the nodachi.