Am I the only one streaming Sword Art Online on the entire internet?

Underworld, March 15, 378th year of the Human Calendar

"Using a powerful attack beyond my level really caused a disaster... Did I just go into shock?" Sorin opened his eyes, recalling the last thing he saw while he was still conscious, then looked around. "Why am I on a different map again...?"

He could tell that he was definitely not in the virtual world that was like another world before, and this place could not be reality—no matter where reality is, it would not be a scene full of white light like paradise.

"Wait, did I die right after unleashing my ultimate skill and end up in heaven? No, it shouldn't be that bad." Solin instantly came up with the worst-case scenario, and then, compared to that, all other possibilities seemed much better. This might be a kind of mental victory.

Suddenly, it seemed as if someone placed a hand on Solin's shoulder. The hand was warm and as slender as a bird's.

It must be some girl. He thought to himself, and hurriedly turned around, but there was nothing behind him.

"Who are you? Where is this?" Solin asked in confusion.

"I sense a familiar aura about you. You should know Kirito, right?"

The voice sounded unusually gentle, filled with endless longing, which made him feel even stranger.

"Kirito? That's my friend, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing... seeing you just suddenly reminded me of him. I'll be waiting for you at the top of Saint Toral Casseldoral. You'll understand then..."

As she finished speaking, her voice abruptly stopped. At that moment, countless golden lights suddenly appeared around Sorin, twinkling like stars and filling his heart. Overwhelming energy surged through his body, eventually overflowing from his left hand in search of an outlet.

"Who exactly are you?" Sorin sensed something was about to happen, so his voice became urgent. "Why do you know Kirito? Where is this place?"

"Sorry, but... see you next time."

The scene before him crumbled rapidly in Sorin's eyes, turning into complete darkness. Before plunging into this darkness, Sorin had only heard one incomprehensible sentence. After an unknown amount of time, when he regained consciousness and tried to open his eyes, he found himself lying on his bed in his temporary residence at the church, with Eugeo and Seruka standing beside him.

"Why is it that even if you suddenly said something like 'You're the most well-mannered person here,' I wouldn't be surprised, Eugeo?" Sorin felt a sudden calm as he saw the familiar scene and people, and said softly, "Did you bring me back?"

“It’s Eugeo, I don’t have the strength to bring you back.”

Seruka responded from the side. Sorin turned to look at Seruka, but the latter immediately turned his head away, his cheeks turning slightly red.

"And... I'm sorry for putting you in such a dangerous situation... I'm very sorry."

"No need for apologies yet. It's perfectly understandable for a kid to occasionally have a moment of madness and try to be a pretty girl. Just remember next time." Sorin smiled and shook his head, then turned his gaze back to Eugeo. "I remember I killed all those monsters blocking my way. What happened after that?"

"That's all... I originally wanted to leave the Blue Rose Sword there because I couldn't lift it, but then I found out I could lift it, so I brought you and the sword back together."

To Sorin's astonishment, when he stared at Eugeo, Eugeo immediately turned his head away, his cheeks flushed slightly.

“It’s a princess carry~” Seruka chimed in, not wanting to miss out on the fun. “And back then, Sorin-nii-san… although he looked scary, he was very cute.”

“I refuse to accept that you use such an inappropriate adjective as ‘cute’ to describe me, wdnmd blyat…” Sorin said irritably, then stared intently at Eugeo and continued to press, “That’s not what I’m concerned about… Did you tell the villagers about the invaders from the Dark Kingdom later?”

“Yes. It was quite late when we got back, and the sun had already set by the time we reached the village. The adults were in the square discussing whether to send out a search party or something.” Eugeo carefully recalled the last scene from yesterday, sat down beside Sorin’s bed, and continued, “The village chief and the nun wanted to give us a stern lecture because we had violated the village rules, but they stopped when I showed them the goblin leader’s head. Instead, they started discussing the threat from the other side of the End Mountains, and then Seruka and I took you back to the church.”

"Is that so...? That makes sense. Such a sudden intrusion should have caught their attention by now." Solin nodded knowingly, then, as if remembering something else, quickly asked, "Have they suspected me...?"

“Eugeo didn’t reveal that you’re a swordsman,” Selka suddenly said. “Or even if he had… those adults probably wouldn’t have believed it. Although you clearly look like the one who’s the most seriously injured.”

"The most seriously injured? But until the very end, my clothes should have been stained with the blood of those goblins. They didn't even touch me, so how could I be injured?" Sorin was puzzled when she heard this, so she interrupted Seruka and asked, "I did pass out when the battle ended, but that was because I was exhausted, not seriously injured."

"So, you mean, looking like that, covered in blood and stuff...it's really scary, okay?" Eugeo explained from the side. "So, how are you doing now, Sorin?"

“Quite good. It seems even stronger than before, and it shouldn’t be my imagination. You just said it yourself, Eugeo, that you couldn’t lift the Blue Rose Sword before, but you can now lift it. If I’m not mistaken, it’s because we killed those monsters from the Dark Kingdom.”

As Suolin said this, she lifted the blanket covering her and was about to get out of bed when she realized that something was wrong with her clothes.

"Wait, I can understand you changing my clothes, or rather, I should thank you or something... but what's with this super cute-looking dress?"

Underworld, March 16, 378th year of the Human Calendar

"Wait, I can understand you changing my clothes, or rather, I should thank you or something... but what's with this super cute-looking dress?"

Sorin threw off the blanket, looking at the pure white dress she was wearing with a dark expression, then looked at Eugeo with a heart-wrenching gaze.

"Don't look at me... I didn't change your clothes." Eugeo quickly waved his hand, trying to distance himself from the matter. "Ask Selka, Selka prepared all your clothes."

"I...I just couldn't find any other clothes right now." Seruka panicked when she saw Sorin's fierce gaze shift to her, and quickly explained, "It's...it's not because I think Sorin looks cute dressed like this or anything..."

"Cyka blyat," Sorin muttered under his breath, then shook his head and looked at Eugeo again. "Alright, stop fooling around. Let's get going. Eugeo, you still have work to do today, right?"

“That’s right… but Sorin, the way you look…” Eugeo looked at Sorin hesitantly, whose outfit made her look like a weak little sister, and asked with some concern, “Are you really okay?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to waste any more time. The sooner we finish cutting down that damn tree, the sooner we can leave. You don’t want to be delayed too long either, right?” Sorin blushed, then subtly avoided the topic, before turning back to Seruka. “Don’t run around on your own anymore, okay? This time it was just a group of ghosts, which is relatively easy to deal with. But if something like a lich or a death knight really appears, I won’t be able to handle it.”

“I…I understand.” Seruka lowered his head and replied in a voice barely audible, “Come back soon…be careful, Brother Solin.”

Sorin didn't reply; he was busy dealing with his strappy sandals, but he freed one hand to give Seruka a thumbs-up. After a moment, he stood up again and grabbed Eugeo's wrist.

"Come on, take me to see where your tailor shop is. I don't want to wear clothes like this again... no, I mean that coarse cloth coat from before. We're important people heading to the capital, how can we wear such cheap and poorly made clothes? I'll get you a new one then."

------

"So... you saw a phantom that resembled Alice while you were unconscious?"

Eugeo sat on the grass, looking at Solin with curiosity, and asked this question.

"I'd say it's more of a suspicion, but I think it's pretty much the case. After all, it's impossible for anyone else in this world to know me." Sorin guessed, carefully choosing his words. "By the way, 'Alice' mentioned a guy named Kirito. Do you remember him?"

"Kiri...to...?" Eugeo hesitated for a moment, perhaps thinking about who this person was, or perhaps wondering if he should tell Sorin about these things, but in the end he said it, "I remember this name, or rather, I remember this person, although it's impossible for such a thing to happen..."

"Kirito, Alice, and I were born and raised in this village together, and he should have been there when Alice was taken away... But then he disappeared too, just like he was taken away to another place by the Dark God Vector..."

“That’s my friend. My former comrade-in-arms, the guy who fought alongside me for a long time.” Sorin said, then suddenly lay down on the grass next to Eugeo. “We used to live in a place far away from here. If what you’re saying is true, then he must have lost his memory before he came to us.”

He didn't consider Eugeo's acquaintance with Kirito as a major piece of information, because he knew for certain that Kirito lived in the real world, not this game world. So he simply assumed that Kirito might have played a role in the game's beta test, or that the game's designers were paying homage to SAO in this way.

As for the possibility that Kirito actually traveled from here to the real world... that's too strange. Even if he knows that there are many things in this world like Brotherhood Tempura or other things that seem to have superpowers, crossing the dimensional barrier is another matter, and he doesn't want to think about it too much in this place.

“Let’s get to today’s main topic. Actually, saying that I’m a swordsman isn’t entirely accurate. I am a swordsman, that’s true, but I’m not just a swordsman.” Sorin shook his head, stood up from the grass, and deftly picked up the Blue Rose Sword. He then explained to Eugeo, “My calling is Weapon Master. This calling grants me the ability to instantly master the use of any weapon I pick up. So I can handle any weapon with ease, as long as it meets the concept of a ‘weapon’.”

"That sounds incredibly powerful. So, that [Extreme Sword Technique: Storm Style] you used the other day..."

"It's just one of my many skills. Of course, given your current situation, you've been using an axe for a long time, so theoretically I should teach you how to use a long-handled axe. However, we only have one sword at hand right now, so let's teach you how to use a sword first. Some of the theories and techniques between the two are quite similar."

As Sorin explained, he gently swung the Blue Rose Sword in his hand to feel its grip before aiming at the traces of Gigas Sida beside him.

"Watch closely, it's a similar movement to when you chop down trees, a one-handed sword technique called 'Cleave Slash'..."

He lowered his waist, stepped back with his right foot, and faced only half of Kijasceda with his body. Then, he turned his right hand and pulled the sword horizontally backward with great force. A blue light flashed on the blade, and then it swept horizontally like lightning, hitting Kijasceda and producing a deafening impact.

This sword strike deeply shocked Eugeo. Perhaps it was due to the different point of reference; the previous monsters were far too weak for Thorin to fully demonstrate the power of his swordsmanship, but this Demon Tree was different. Eugeo stared in disbelief as more than half of the Blue Rose Sword was embedded in the trunk of the Gigas Cedar tree, then looked at Thorin with astonishment.

"This is just a very basic part. Next, I will explain the key points of exerting force to you, and then you can come up and try it."

Underworld, March 1-7, 378th year of the Human Calendar

It must be said that Eugeo is a very talented apprentice when it comes to swordsmanship. Although so far, the only sword technique he has mastered is the easy-to-use slash for cutting down trees, he has practiced this move to the point that it is as natural as instinct.

As he repeatedly used the "Cleave" sword technique on Gigas Cida, the cut in the tree grew deeper and deeper. When it reached about 80% of its diameter, it emitted a strange sound that had never been heard before.

At first, Sorin thought the ground they were standing on was tilting forward, but after hearing this strange sound, he realized a problem—the demon tree "Gijas Sida" that had plagued the villagers for a hundred years had been cut in half by them, and this was only the fourth day since the two of them started practicing.

"It's fallen already? The Demon Tree... is that all it is?" Sorin looked disdainfully at the fallen tree, walked over, and stroked the metal-like branches with his slender right hand. "Speaking of which, something this hard would be a great material for making weapons. I don't have any weapons to use right now."

"Sorin, now that the Demon Tree has been cut down, what about this sword..."

As Eugeo spoke, he handed the Blue Rose Sword to Sorin, but Sorin pushed Eugeo's hand back.

“I told you, I’m not a swordsman, or rather, I’m more than just a swordsman. For a weapon master, the balance of power between the various weapons he carries is far more important than any single weapon.” Sorin shook his head and explained, “At least for now, it seems unlikely that I can see another weapon as powerful as the Blue Rose. That would disrupt the balance of power between all my weapons and prevent me from using my full skills.”

"Is that how it is?" Eugeo looked at Sorin curiously and asked, "Speaking of which... I haven't seen you demonstrate the fighting style of a weapon master yet."

"That's because we only have this one sword, so we can't demonstrate it for you. Let's talk about it when I have at least three or four different weapons." After saying this, Solin looked into the distance and then pointed in the direction of the village. "Tell the villagers about this. The problem that has plagued the village for hundreds of years has been solved. There will definitely be a celebration in a while."

"Yes, I can't wait to try it out."

------

"Wow, there are so many people in this village... It looks really lively."

Solin gracefully downed his glass of fruit wine in one gulp and spoke softly. They were currently at a celebration to commemorate the felling of Kijas Cida; several bonfires blazed brightly in the square, their light illuminating the area almost as if it were daytime. Beside the fountain, an impromptu band of people with bagpipes, flutes, and drums played instruments similar to those used in a waltz, their dancing and clapping echoing through the night.

"This might be the first time I've ever seen so many villagers gathered here. The number of people now... is probably even greater than the number of people praying for the Great Sacred Heart Festival at the end of the year."

Eugeo laughed after speaking, and Sorin, for what seemed like the umpteenth time, toasted with Eugeo and drank the glass he had just filled. He treated this stuff like juice, after all, it was completely different from vodka.

(Here's a dark story about a senior student: he once ordered sake at a Japanese restaurant, and for a week afterward he kept complaining about why he spent so much money on a small bottle of water. That happened several years before this story.)

"Anyway, for me, it would be better to have some normal food, instead of the vegetable soup we usually drink at church or the big loaf of bread we eat when we go out to cut down trees." Sorin casually picked up a chicken leg with his fork and sat there eating heartily. "For a true gourmet, eating that kind of stuff that can't even be called pig swill every day is a disaster."

“No way, I ate at church before when I went to see Alice, and the vegetable soup there was pretty good,” Eugeo said doubtfully. “And that bread… although it tasted terrible, it wasn’t as bad as you described.”

“I’ll cook you a meal sometime, then you’ll see. Those who haven’t experienced heaven will never understand the cruelty of hell,” Sorin said jokingly, then suddenly asked, “Speaking of which… you’re going to choose your calling soon, right? What are your plans for the future…”

Eugeo was stunned for a moment, but before he could reply, he was interrupted by a voice that seemed to come from the sky.

"Ah, so this is where you are! You two are the main characters of the festival, what are you standing here for?" Seruka suddenly appeared and pointed at Sorin and asked, "And Sorin-nii, didn't you say you were going to wear the dress I specially prepared for you today? I was waiting to see you and Eugeo dance."

Selka's appearance was completely different from her previous serious little nun image. Her hair, which was usually tied in braids, was now completely undone and adorned with a hair clip. Her black monastic robes had been replaced with a red vest and a grass-green long skirt. Incidentally, Thorin and Eugeo had already received his custom-made clothes from the tailor shop—a pristine white cloak and a white and blue swordsman's uniform, looking elegant and charming.

“Let me make this clear beforehand, I never agreed to wear a little skirt. And… I don’t plan to dance with anyone other than her.” Solin spoke the first part of his sentence in a joking tone, but when he got to the second part, his expression suddenly darkened, and an inescapable sadness filled his eyes. “You guys go.”

Just then, the music grew louder and faster, then abruptly stopped. Looking towards the orchestra, a burly man with a beard walked onto the stage. He clapped his hands twice, then spoke loudly in a clear baritone voice:

"Everyone! The long-cherished wish of our ancestors who founded Lulit Village has finally been fulfilled! The Demon Tree has finally been felled! We will have more wheat fields, bean fields, and pastures for cattle and sheep!"

The cheers that erupted again drowned out the village chief's elegant voice. The village chief raised his hands to signal the crowd to quiet down, and then said, "Young man who has accomplished this great feat—Eugeo, son of Oriku, come here!"

Underworld, March 18, 378th year of the Human Calendar

"Go, this is your moment of glory. Stand tall before them and proclaim your heart's desire."

Sorin patted Eugeo on the shoulder and gave him a slight push forward. After taking two steps forward, Eugeo turned around and saw Sorin giving him a thumbs-up, so he continued walking towards the village chief.

The moment he reached the village chief and turned towards the square, the villagers erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers once again. Of course, Solin was also clapping vigorously.

"According to the specifications—"