After the last Chat Group mission ended, most members are doing their own stuff. Some are back to their normal routine, some are working hard to improve themselves.
For Kirito, he finds the death game that is SAO is still a game. He can't gain any enlightenment from his battle which is a virtual reality, a false reality that is filled with limitations.
Hence, the moment he completed the Chat Group mission. He immediately bought a World Travel Ticket and without hesitation moved to find his next opponent.
"Yo! I heard you were the fastest swordsman in the world. I'm not convinced. So prove it to me." Kirito unsheathed his Night Sky sword and pointed it at the S-Class Hero.
"Who is this kid?" The challenged swordsman asked as Kirito didn't look like a monster or villain either. Just a challenge. A nameless one at that.
"Who I am didn't matter. What matters is if you dare take on my challenge or will you be a coward and run." Kirito taunted the hero and it worked.
"Me? A coward? That's the funniest joke I ever heard. Fine then, this Atomic Samurai will accept your challenge." Atomic Samurai were fuming as he accepted the challenge and immediately reached for his swords.
"Hoh! You actually dare accept. Here I thought you were just another coward. But it seems I was mistaken."
"Quit! Yapping kid and prepare yourself because I will not be holding back!"
"Heh! So am I. [Absolute Counter]" Kirito fell into his stance when Atomic Samurai's lightning fast slashes reached Kirito.
Something bizarre happened as Kirito suddenly turned into a blur in the spectator's eyes. But for Atomic Samurai, he saw the smirking Kirito blocking each and every slashes he made, saying that Kirito is also at his speed when it's actually not and it's just his skill's effect.
"[Disarming Strike]!" Kirito shouted before he dashed forward towards Atomic and drew Blue Rose to block an incoming slash before Night Sky knocked the other sword out of Atomic Samurai's hand, leaving the Hero with only one sword.
"Im-Impossible!" Atomic Samurai was dumbfounded by the situation but he isn't idiotic enough to be distracted in battle because Kirito isn't pulling punches either as his follow up attack is coming.
"Wait! I know you! You are the infamous Sword Hunter, Kirito, that goes around and fights anyone that uses a sword without restraint." Atomic Samurai finally realized as he briefly read about the topic of today's assembly which is about this crazy guy causing disruption to public order but isn't a criminal either because he paid for the damages he caused and never caused harm to civilians either.
"Hmn. I am glad that my fame is finally being recognised. But…" Kirito suddenly vanishes from his spot which Atomic Samurai can see in his peripheral vision that Kirito is trying to enter his blind spot before he attacks.
"—our battle is far from ending yet. Show me more of what you could achieve, S-Class Hero, Atomic Samurai!"
Just as Atomic Samurai turned around to counter Kirito's sneak attack, Kirito was nowhere to be found. Instead, there's only the Blue Rose stabbed to the ground and spreading frost.
"Huh?!" He is confused because he could sense the air disturbance behind him now which is impossible for Kirito to suddenly move to his back again unless he can swap his location instantly
"Surprise! Bitch!" Atomic Samurai felt the kick and moved away so it hit his sturdier spine instead of kidney which threw him up to the air.
"Tch! Fancy tricks! Let me show you the true might of an S-Class He—" Atomic Samurai paused when he felt his body was assaulted by sudden icy air and he felt his legs turn numb.
"Yeah. Yeah. S-Class Hero. Cool. That Flash Ninja guy said the same but still got defeated by me. So, entertain me properly. Get serious or heads will start dropping." Kirito points Night Sky at the nearby spectators which instantly disperses away but a ring of ice wall from Blue Rose stops him from leaving.
Of course, Kirito is just taunting his opponent. He isn't going to kill an innocent person. But his intimidation work and Atomic Samurai furrowed his brow before he made a sudden slash that none could see the trajectories because it was too fast before the ice wall fell apart allowing the trapped people to escape.
"Come then, Sword Hunter, Kirito. I will present to you my serious state." Atomic Samurai picked up his fallen blade before he got into stance.
"Come then, Earth's strongest swordmaster!" Kirito opens his free palm before Blue Rose flies into his hand as he also gets into stance.
Then Kirito made the opening, dash forward and performed [Sonic Leap]. But Atomic Samurai didn't even spare it a glance as he easily parried the jumping vertical slash and stab towards his opponent's shoulder but Kirito blocked and deflected the stab with Blue Rose.
Once they get into close quarter, both exchange strikes after strikes at speed impossible for normal eyes to catch up but when looked closely, Atomic Samurai noticed that Kirito himself is a novice in swordsmanship when compared to himself. His skill is a mix of stances for both human and non-human opponents without much clear distinction which tells that his techniques are mostly self taught. But while Kirito is novice, his strength, physique, experience and skill is definitely not novice which ascertained him that Kirito is a self-taught swordsman.
But even with such strength and skill, Kirito still didn't have what it takes to defeat the S-Class Hero, Flash. Which means Kirito is still hiding something under his sleeve.
"You have a good potential kid. Do you want to be my student?" Atomic Samurai asked when they suddenly broke off from the sword lock.
"Be your student?" Kirito huffed and exhaled everything in his lungs before breathing in fresh air. "I'll consider it after you defeat me, old man. I don't need a weakling as a teacher after all."
Meanwhile Atomic Samurai twitches his brow violently. Old man? Weakling? Those are his taboo words!
"Fine then, kid. Don't blame me for being ruthless." Atomic Samurai gives his warning.
"Ruthless? Don't be. I don't like to beat old men unfairly. If you need a handicap just tell me. I am happy to oblige. Maybe a walking stick or wheelchair for you after I'm done, gramps!"
"G-Gramps?! I am still 37, you punk!"
"Atomic Slash!"
"Jokes on you! Your speed is useless if I stop time! ZA WARUDO!!!" The golden stand appeared behind Kirito as he burst into a maniacal laugh. "Unfortunately, your opponent is me."
Kirito attackedAtomic Samurai, aiming to temporarily disable the man by dislocating his arms. When the time resumed, Atomic Samurai felt a little disoriented because his arms suddenly felt odd and then he realized a blade was pointed at his neck before he could muster a blade to his defense.
"Well, I cheated a little because you are too strong. But it's your loss, gramps. Had you been a durable type of swordsman, I'd probably have a harder time winning." Kirito returns the blades before he leaves to find his next opponent.
Kirito is happy as he walks away because he managed to test his new power he just obtained from the Lottery Wheel against a strong opponent.
"Should I go to Nasuverse next and find a famous Swordsman?" Kirito mumbles and considers the suggestion from Ray as he open the System Shop and buy a World Travel Ticket.
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