I log into SAO around three in the afternoon. I went to Shylock's to meet up with Asugaya there. Our training with Rogue was about to begin. As I was about to ask him how he was doing, a huge line was forming inside. He was not in the counter but he appears with boxes full of supplies.
"Hey, Raito. Um kinda busy at the moment but anything I can do for you?" Shylock hurriedly inquired as I see him attending people all at once, exchanging weapons and armor for money.
"This is a first." I declared, "Your shop never had that much customers. What's the sudden customers?"
"You haven't read this month's paper haven't you?"
SAO had this news outlet called Aincrad Post. A newspaper outlet for all the events and news on SAO. Whether it's a new update or event, or even promoting famous podcasts on SAO. They'll report it. Just like a newspaper in the real world, you gotta buy them. The only difference is that it's not clumps of paper, it's one sheet that you could scroll through to read. I usually read the Japanese version to practice my Japanese skills, it barely helps as I knew only how to read Hiragana and some Katakana, but Kanji was a pain.
"No, I haven't read it yet."
"He opens his menu and presses some buttons and I get a notification that I received the November issue of Aincrad Post. I open the notification and enlarge the paper. The news was encircled in a black marker by my friend, a frontline issue.
SWORD ART ONLINE EVENT: SWORDSMAN FESTIVAL SHALL START IN HALLOWEEN OF 2042!
"And why are people going nuts about it?"
"Well for one the prize will be a super rare item. Remember how the creator of this SAO is a survivor of the original game?"
"Uh yeah."
"They decided whoever wins the event gets to keep their sword and a special skill that they themselves created."
"But it's only late September, what's everyone hyped up about?" I noticed the line getting smaller and smaller.
"To participate in the event. It's not by level, it's mostly skill. You have to take part of the preliminaries next month. If you pass, you have a seat in the event. The interesting catch of this event is that players could either go duo or solo."
To me, I wasn't interested in these game events. Never have, never will. Events were most battle for people who don't have lives other than SAO. I bet me and Asugaya have lives other than SAO. Rogue is a high ranked guild member, so she's automatically out. I knew well I couldn't do it alone, I could be diced up even before beginning that prelims.
I shrug at Shylock, "Eh, I don't feel like doing it."
"Knew you were gonna say that." He chuckled as we sat upstairs on his chabudai with tea mugs set, "What if I told you there's someone you know who entered."
"Who on earth could it be?" I sipped my tea, looking suspiciously at him. He slides some paper towards me and I grabbed it. It was like a screenshot from the game. It was a person, they had a long black and purple robe covering their body. The good was off and their sea green hue was visible, the light was just reflecting it too harshly.
Sea green hair?
I slammed my hand on the table, Shylock jumped. It was Akari, the brainwashed girl who was assisting an ex murder guild. It still gave me chills how she believed killing people in here could make it better. Sweat was pour and my hands felt almost numb.
"When was this taken?"
"She came by a few hours, Aincrad time, before you came by. So I could assume about fifteen minutes ago."
"She works for Laughing Coffin now. Back in the real world, she said wanted to kill me, then Rogue and Asugaya. I don't know why but she thinks PKing is a must."
"Well she left me something to say to you." Shylock sighed, rubbing his head with one hand, as if he thought meticulously on how to word her message.
"What was it?"
"'Raito, you must join the Swordsman's Festival. I shall see your skills there. You reject my request, then the request becomes a requirement.'" He recited, "I still can't believe someone like her is capable of saying this kind of stuff. I know Akari as well as I know you and she would be scared of even the slightest breeze."
"She means I have to join the event if don't she'll kill them. I've got no choice. Shylock, you said you could access player database, right?"
"I do not like where you're going with this." He murmured.
"Can you try looking up Akari's and track her down, if anything suspicious happens message me."
"Alright. Raito, you know this can kill you
right." Shylock warns me and puts a hand on my shoulder. I could see in his eyes full of terror and worry.
"I'll be fine." I assured him, "Rogue's training me. By the time I'm in the event, I'll be strong enough to take her on. And at this point, I've got nothing to lose but them."
The door opens and a bell chimes. We hear footsteps up the ladder and I see Asugaya coming up all prepared.
"We should head out now. She's probably waiting." Asugaya told me.
I finished my tea and me and him teleport to Coral.
The sun was high up. Asugaya stood there, watching the lake. His black and brown eyes were reflecting the water. I stood beside him.
"Do you ever wonder why I have two colored eyes?" He wondered, I shook my head.
"I don't tend to really care about it." I quickly add, "N-not that I'm ignorant. I mean that it doesn't bother me at all."
He laughed and looks away, like he tried to stare farther into the lake.
"It was just a genetic mutation." He answered his own question, "My mom was surprised that a person could even have this. The doctors said it was rare to see but it won't affect my eyesight or anything."
"Were you made fun of?"
He nodded, "I actually was taking kendo before. My dad's sister taught me before moved away far from her. Her and mom were pretty close. I won a few medals in some tournaments. But one time, one of the kids were making fun of me so they tried to hit my eye with the bamboo sword. Every official match I'm in, they always target my eyes first before even hitting my body. It frightened me to the point I couldn't do Kendo anymore.
"Do you want to do Kendo again?"
"Of course!" He exclaimed, "I just haven't really mustered up everything to fight in Kendo. I can pick up the sword and all but it's really just the fear of people hitting me in the eyes that hits me the most." He looks down weirdly, "Hey, quit grabbing me."
I held Asugaya's black coat and pulled it hard. His entire body moved away in time for a huge bolt of lightning charred the ground. By instinct, I take my sword out.
"I'm impressed that you could notice that." A familiar voice complemented me. "However, this whole training we're about to do will tire you out until you'll be able to feel the pain outside the NerveGear.
I whip my sword and open up the sword skill, slicing feather. It clashes against an unfamiliar sword and puffs of smoke appear. I couldn't see where Asugaya or our mentor were but I could hear it, Asugaya still was right beside me. Rogue was in front.
The smoke clears out and I see our tutor, sword pointing at us. My sword was a one handed weapon but somehow I was using both hands.
Rogue was wearing her normal KoB uniform. Her sword shined by the lake. She wore a blank hard stare.
"A person that could hear me charging with Lambient Light must have a high hearing skill. I'm amazed. But it won't obviously be enough."
I assumed her sword's name was Lambent Light. It was one handed, and seemed light. It had to be either a rapier from the looks of it.
"Both of you, take off your coats. Leave the shirt and pants." She ordered.
We did as we were told. I go to my menu and remove my Haori, leaving me with a cream shirt. Asugaya was wearing black pants and shirt.
"Alright," Rogue posed out with her pointing straight at us, "Try hitting me, both of you. Any damage done won't hurt me as we are in a safe zone."
Asugaya unsheathes his black and white sword and pounces towards Rogue. As he was about to strike, she dissolves, leaving Asuagaya to slice air.
"Shit." He cursed.
I carefully turned around but I had heard no sound or trekking.
"Raito!" Asugaya screams.
I feel a hard stab on my back and let out wailing cry. It hurt. I was in shock on how I couldn't hear Rogue's footsteps or sword's movements.
She kicks me to the ground, I saw red markings on my stomach. The feeling or getting stabbed was excruciatingly painful. It felt real. Too real for a game. I knelt with my sword to get my stance up but it wasn't fast enough to have Rogue slash my face. I stumble to the ground again. I see my HP, has not depleted but it felt like I was going to die.
"Raito. Japanese for Light." She said, "It's ironic how you have such a name when you aren't as fast as the sword you share names with. I used to be called The Lighting Flash for a reason."
"Stop it!" Asugaya growled as he sprinted with his sword, unleashing a sword skill.
Rogue disarms Asugaya by knocking his sword out of his hand. She gives a calm reminder, "I can't kill her. This is a safe zone."
I could barely breath now. Rogue offers a hand and helps me get up. I stand with sword as a support.
Asugaya asks if I was okay. I nod and slump, sword sticking to the ground. Rogue shakes her head, almost in disappointment.
"For one, I admire the spirit both of you have. You decide to keep pushing it. However, both of you lack ability in thinking straight when under pressure. Asugaya, you are in a long period of shock when your comrades attack. You can get your entire party killed in a matter of seconds. Rushing as well into the enemy as well can get you killed in a blink of an eye. Raito, you depend on hearing too much. You have to use all five senses to be able to catch up with my speed at least." She criticizes as she sheathes her sword, "At least I know your abilities."
"The real training starts tomorrow." She walks slowly away from the lake, "Both of you can sleep at my place while in training. Follow me."
Rogue allowed us to occupy one of the room of her cabin. I changed into joggers and a new shirt. My Haori hung on A hanger by a cupboard and Asugaya's black coat was neatly folded by a table. Sea Phoenix was in my inventory. Asugaya came in with shorts and the same black shirt.
The room had no bed so we used a futon. We shared one mat but we're pretty far from each other. We vowed to ourselves as party members and friends there wasn't going to be anything between us. Only friends and that was that.
"I could barely see her movements." He whispered as he crawled under a blanket, "How can we be as fast as her."
"Your guess is as good as mine. The weird thing was I couldn't hear her footsteps, breathing or the sword beating."
"She wasn't kidding when she said her name was Lightning Flash." He enthusiastically says. I turn of the gas lamp and got into the futon.
"It reminds of this anime. You remember this show or manga with like this crazy electric swordsman that killed demons for a living?"
"Oh, Zenitsu. His ability was Breath of Thunder Style."
"Yep that guy, imagine both of them dueling."
"All of Aincrad would probably charred." He joked.
"Mhmm." I nodded, "We should sleep now."
"Right, night, Yuuki."
"Wait, Yuuki?" I looked at him with confusion.
He ignores what I said and turns to lie down away. He covers himself with the blanket, "It's nothin'. Sorry."
I looked at him the entire night until I slept, wondering who was the Yuuki he was referring to.