The sensation of falling was disorienting—like being trapped in a maelstrom of light and shadow, endlessly spiraling into oblivion. Fragments of my life flickered before me—distorted, incomprehensible memories, all blurring together. It felt as though I were being torn apart and stitched back together, drifting between worlds.
Then, without warning, the fall ceased.
I crashed to the ground with a brutal impact, the shock of it stealing the breath from my lungs. Pain shot through every bone in my body, and I groaned, struggling to push myself up. My limbs felt like they had been pulverized. Blinking away the dizziness, I forced myself to look around.
The sky above me was an unsettling shade of blood-red, swirling clouds forming patterns that seemed to writhe in agony. The earth beneath me was dry and cracked, stripped of life. The air was thick with a strange, oppressive energy that made every breath feel labored. Ruins dotted the landscape—broken structures that hinted at a once-thriving civilization, now reduced to skeletal remains.
I didn't need anyone to confirm it for me. I was no longer in my world.
"What... where am I?" My voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper.
Before I could gather my thoughts, I heard a rustling noise to my left. My head whipped around, and from the haze and smoke, a figure emerged—a towering, grotesque goblin.
It was humanoid, but grotesquely twisted. Its gray skin was cracked and pockmarked, jagged spikes protruded from its back, and dark veins pulsed beneath its flesh. Its eyes, blood-red and full of malice, locked onto me, sending a chill down my spine. Its claws, long and razor-sharp, flexed as it let out a guttural growl.
I should have been terrified. Anyone would have been. But instead, something strange stirred within me—a sense of exhilaration, not fear. My pulse quickened, but it wasn't from dread. It was the thrill of finally stepping into the very world I had dreamed of.
A voice, cool and commanding, echoed in my mind—distinctly feminine but resolute.
"Skill Unlocked: Kirito – Dual Blades. Combat instincts synchronized."
"Skill unlocked? Mission?" My voice cracked, my heart pounding in my chest. "Protect the village?"
Before I could process it further, two sleek black swords materialized in my hands. The blades shimmered faintly with a blue aura, and I instinctively gripped the hilts. It felt... right. Natural. As if I had held these weapons countless times before.
The goblin roared and lunged at me, its claws aimed for my chest. My body moved before my mind could catch up. I sidestepped with speed I hadn't known I possessed, slashing both swords across the goblin's thick hide. The blades cut through its flesh effortlessly, dark ichor splattering onto the ground.
[Skill Activated: Kirito – Dual Blades.]
[Skill Level: Basic. Mastery: 0%.]
It was as though my body had learned the movements of a master swordsman. Fluid. Precise. Every strike and parry came instinctively, as if I had practiced them for years. Years of watching battle scenes in anime flooded my mind, and somehow, my body replicated them perfectly. I wasn't just fighting—I was fighting like Kirito.
The goblin swiped again, but I ducked, dodging its claws with ease, then followed with a series of rapid strikes to its legs. It stumbled, roaring in fury, but I pressed on. With each swing, I grew more confident, more attuned to the rhythm of the fight.
Suddenly, the voice echoed once more.
[Skill Activated: Kirito – Dual Blades: Infinite Sword Skills.]
Energy surged through me, and the swords blurred in my hands. The goblin's defenses crumbled under the relentless flurry of strikes, my blades cutting through its armor as if it were paper. With a final, powerful slash, I cleaved through its chest, and the creature collapsed to the ground with a blood-curdling scream.
I stood over its fallen body, panting, my arms trembling from the exertion. A glowing message materialized in the air before me.
[Mission Complete. You have defeated the Goblin Horde. Village Protected.]
[Kirito – Dual Blades. Mastery: 3%. Skill Level: Basic.]
The relief was short-lived. The urgency in the System's voice was unmistakable.
"New Mission: Defend the Village. Objective: Goblins are still attacking. Protect the remaining villagers."
I turned toward the horizon, where plumes of smoke rose from a distant cluster of buildings. The village.
I broke into a sprint, swords in hand, the weight of them a constant reminder of my responsibility. As I neared the village, chaos unfolded before me. Goblins rampaged through the streets, tearing down homes and slaughtering anything in their path. Villagers screamed as they ran, terror written on their faces.
"Not on my watch," I growled, charging into the fray.
One of the goblins spotted me and lunged, its claws aimed at my head. I ducked beneath the strike, then spun, slashing with both swords. The creature disintegrated into ash, but there was no time to savor the victory. More goblins were closing in.
"Keep moving," I muttered to myself, breath coming in ragged gasps. "Just fight. Don't stop. Don't think."
I darted through the chaos, cutting down every goblin in my path. Each swing of my blades felt sharper, faster, and more precise. My body seemed to move of its own accord, a blur of motion as I cleaved through the enemy. The villagers, watching from the sidelines, looked on in awe. For the first time, their fear was replaced with hope.
But then, a deafening roar tore through the air, shaking the ground beneath me. From the smoke emerged a colossal goblin, its eyes glowing with a blood-red malice. It was far larger than any of the others. Its body was armored in jagged black plates, and in its hand, it wielded a massive greatsword that pulsed with dark energy.
The goblin general locked eyes with me and sneered. "So, you're the one who has been causing trouble for my horde."
The general's deep voice echoed over the battlefield, sending a chill through the air. "You are no mere human. I don't know how, but you have abilities far beyond your kind. You should have been eliminated immediately."
I gritted my teeth, the adrenaline pumping through my veins. "Then come and try."
The goblin general raised its massive sword high, the dark energy crackling along its length. It brought the sword down with devastating force, and I barely managed to block the blow with both swords. The sheer force of the strike rattled my bones, and I staggered back. But my instincts kicked in, and I regained my footing, narrowly avoiding a second swing that could've cleaved me in two.
The battle became a blur of motion. I parried the general's strikes with swift, practiced movements, my blades flashing like lightning. With every swing, I pushed back against its overwhelming power, my body reacting almost instinctively to the general's every move. I danced around the massive sword, slipping past its brutal strikes, and struck at weak points in its armor.
[Skill Activated: Kirito – Dual Blades: Full Sync.]
A burst of energy flooded my body, and the swords became an extension of my will. Each strike was faster, sharper, more precise. The goblin general roared in frustration, swinging its greatsword wildly, but I was already there, moving faster than it could react.
I twisted, rolling beneath the massive blade, and surged forward. My blades cut through the air like an unstoppable force, each strike finding its mark. The general's armor cracked with each blow. It let out a guttural scream, but I didn't stop. I was Kirito in this moment—swift, relentless, and unstoppable.
Then, with one final, blindingly fast slash, I cut through the goblin general's dark armor, piercing its heart. The creature let out one last deafening roar before crumpling to the ground, lifeless.
I stood over its body, panting, the world around me quiet except for the crackling of fire and the sounds of villagers cheering from the sidelines.
[Mission Complete. The Village is Safe.]
[Kirito – Dual Blades. Mastery: 5%. Skill Level: Basic.]
Exhausted but victorious, I glanced at the villagers, who were now cheering from the sidelines, their faces filled with relief.
This wasn't a dream. This was my reality.
And as I looked out at the burning horizon, one thought consumed me:
This was just the beginning.