Chapter 15: Training Together with Asuna
A bright morning sun cast its light on what promised to be a perfect day.
After leaving Lisbeth's smithy, Kamikawa Hikaru and Asuna walked side by side through the cobblestone streets of Lindarth.
"You went to Liz's place and didn't tell me?" Asuna asked, her tone calm, but with a faint glimmer of something in her eyes.
"Huh?" Hikaru tilted his head, clearly not following.
"I mean… Liz is a close friend of mine. If you told me in advance, I might've gotten you a discount," she said with a composed expression, even though she let out a quiet sigh of relief in her heart. Why was I so nervous just now…?
"Discount, huh? Well, I haven't paid yet. I'll be picking up the sword in two days, so how about I call you to come with me then?" Hikaru replied with a light smile.
Noticing that the morning was still young, he glanced at the sky and asked, "Do you have any plans today? How about climbing a mountain? Or just relaxing under the sun with some fishing? You're off today, right?"
"All of that sounds... pretty lazy," Asuna raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "If we're together, we might as well level up instead."
"Huh?!" Hikaru's eyes widened. "Leveling? But today's your day off! This is the perfect chance to relax, and you want to grind instead?"
"Well, because you're here," Asuna said with a soft grin. "If you're around, it won't feel so bad."
Hikaru blinked slowly. So that's it… She just wants me to do all the fighting while she spectates.
"Wait, wait… You're not thinking I'm going to just sit there and watch you fight, right?"
"Eh? N-No way! I'd never think that," Hikaru quickly denied, hands raised in mock innocence. Even if it were true, there was no way he'd admit it.
"Really?" She narrowed her eyes. "Because I've got a very strong feeling that's exactly what you were thinking."
Tch. Female intuition is terrifying…
"It's not like that, I swear!" Hikaru insisted, beads of cold sweat trailing down his temple.
"I'm just messing with you," she laughed, sending him a party invite through the friend list. A soft chime echoed.
This would be their first official party together since their encounter back on the First Floor.
"So, which floor should we go to? How about Floor 57? Isn't that where your raid group is currently pushing through?"
"Floor 57?" Asuna hesitated. "Isn't that a bit too much? Maybe we could hit Floor 50 or 51 instead."
"We'll be fine. Let's go to Floor 57. The two of us can handle it."
"…Alright." She paused, then nodded. She knew just how strong Hikaru was. If he said they could do it, she believed him.
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In the Labyrinth Area of Floor 57, the two of them moved through the maze-like dungeon with ease. The monsters were strong, but their coordinated strikes cut them down one by one. Every ten seconds, at least one creature fell to their blades.
Before long, they stood before the massive door leading to the boss chamber.
As they stared at the towering structure, Hikaru reached out to push it open—but Asuna gently pulled on his sleeve.
"What is it?" he asked, glancing back at her.
"Let's stop here…"
She bit her lower lip. Something about her expression made it clear—she didn't want to continue.
"We've already made it this far. Don't you want to finish it?"
"I'm just worried…" Her voice trailed off.
"Worried about what?"
"If we enter with just the two of us, what if something goes wrong…"
Hikaru paused for a second, then smiled gently. "You worry too much. You saw how easily we handled the dungeon mobs. I haven't even used any Sword Skills yet. Just a few swings were enough."
"But… bosses are on a whole different level…"
"I know," he cut her off calmly. "But Asuna, trust me. The two of us can beat this one."
His voice was full of certainty. He wasn't being reckless—he genuinely believed in their strength. To him, bosses past Floor 70 might be troublesome, but Floor 57? He could solo it if he really wanted.
"Alright then…" Asuna finally nodded, reminded of the time Hikaru had stood alone on the First Floor and took down the boss.
"Let's go."
With that, Hikaru pushed open the heavy iron doors. Asuna tightened her grip on her rapier and followed closely behind.
As they stepped into the dimly lit chamber, torches along the walls flared to life.
A massive silhouette emerged.
It was the Horned Alderman, the boss of Floor 57.
With thunderous footsteps, the beast charged forward, swinging a black iron spear that cleaved through the air like a gale. The ground beneath their feet trembled.
"He's coming! Stay sharp, Asuna!" Hikaru called out as he drew his sword—Bloodlust—and dashed forward. A flurry of rapid strikes landed on the boss before he called out, "Switch!"
"Got it!" Asuna replied, slipping in effortlessly. Her rapier gleamed as she danced around the boss, thrusting with surgical precision and leaving deep cuts across its thick hide.
Hikaru circled around, both hands gripping his blade tightly. Bloodlust began to glow a faint blue. With two heavy slashes, the boss's HP bar dipped sharply.
Another powerful technique landed. Hikaru launched himself backward mid-strike, then surged forward again.
"This... How is this even possible?" Asuna murmured in disbelief.
In SAO, using a heavy Sword Skill typically leaves the body stunned for a moment—a vulnerability window. No matter your stats or gear, it couldn't be completely negated.
As one of SAO's top players, Asuna knew this all too well.
But Hikaru… he had just finished a heavy skill and instantly repositioned himself.
"Asuna!" Hikaru snapped her back to reality.
"R-Right!" She moved without hesitation, getting behind the boss and launching a rapid flurry of thrusts with her rapier.
"Flash Sword Slash!" Hikaru shouted, activating a custom combo of brilliant techniques that exploded in streaks of light. His blade became a whirlwind of energy, overwhelming the boss with unrelenting force.
Moments later, Hikaru leapt high and brought his sword down in a clean arc. The final hit landed with precision, slicing through the boss's core.
The massive creature burst into data particles, fading away in a shower of digital light.
"Did… we win?" Asuna blinked in shock. It had taken full raid parties over an hour to beat this boss—but they had done it in under fifteen minutes.
"Any drops worth keeping?" Hikaru asked casually as he sifted through his loot window, frowning at the junk he received.
"Let me check…" Asuna opened her inventory and gasped. "Oh! A navy-blue crystal necklace! It boosts agility!"
"Wow, lucky you." Hikaru smiled. That necklace was perfect for someone like Asuna, who relied on speed and quick strikes.
She equipped it, and the delicate gem rested just below her collarbone. It glimmered under the soft dungeon light.
"You look stunning," Hikaru said sincerely.
"Why, thank you," Asuna replied with a bashful laugh, lightly patting his shoulder. Then her expression turned curious. "Hikaru-kun… how were you able to move right after using that heavy Sword Skill earlier? Shouldn't you have been stunned?"
"So that's what had you so stunned during the fight," Hikaru chuckled. "Technically, I was stunned—but just for a moment."
"Huh?"
"You already know stun can't be completely removed. But I trained myself to react the moment it ends—rolling or dashing out instinctively. It shortens the vulnerable period."
"That's... insane!"
"If your stats and gear are high enough, and your body's trained to react without thinking—anything's possible."
Asuna stood silent for a moment.
Only now did she realize—Hikaru wasn't just strong in terms of numbers.
His reflexes, instincts, and combat awareness…
They were in a league of their own.
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