"Clang! Clang! Clang..."
Kirito and Kayaba Akihiko clashed fiercely.
Sparks flew wildly from the collision of their weapons.
The other players, lying on the ground, watched tensely.
This peak duel was a battle that would determine their future.
Kirito knew that when fighting Kayaba Akihiko, he couldn't use the dual-wielding sword skills granted by the system.
He relied on his own movement and output, aiming to break through Kayaba Akihiko's defense.
But in the end, after being hit by Kayaba Akihiko, he instinctively used a sword skill.
This had almost become Kirito's automatic physical reaction.
Seeing this, Kayaba Akihiko gave a sinister smile.
He wanted Kirito to use sword skills; once Kirito used them, his defeat would be sealed.
However, what exceeded his expectations was that the sword skill Kirito used was neither Starburst Stream nor Eclipse.
It was a brand new sword skill.
"Self-created sword skill! How is this possible?!"
"Bang bang bang..."
His long sword repeatedly chopped against the shield, and several times it nearly broke through Kayaba Akihiko's defense. If Kayaba Akihiko hadn't reacted in time to block, it would have been over.
Cold sweat beaded on Kayaba Akihiko's forehead. Kirito's self-created sword skill had completely caught him off guard.
"Ah! Eclipse!"
With a roar, Kirito's attack speed increased, his sword light flashing like stars.
This was Kirito's self-created sword skill, a move created by combining Starburst Stream and Eclipse.
"Clang clang clang..."
Kayaba Akihiko gritted his teeth, blocking Kirito's fierce onslaught with his full attention.
"Crack!"
"What!"
Kayaba Akihiko was on the verge of collapsing, and Kirito sensed it, increasing his offensive intensity.
But at the critical moment, the blade of Dark Repulser suddenly broke.
Both Kirito and Kayaba Akihiko were astonished. Who could have predicted such a twist in the end!
"Farewell, Kirito-kun!"
Kayaba Akihiko rejoiced internally. Heaven favors me. He swung his sword with his right hand.
"Swish!"
A red sword light flashed. At the last moment, Asuna stepped in front of Kirito.
Kirito's eyes widened, and he numbly caught Asuna as she fell towards him.
Watching Asuna's HP bar in his arms plummet, he was powerless.
Kirito's expression was vacant, and he murmured.
"You're kidding me, Asuna!"
"How could this... how could this happen."
Tears welled up in Asuna's eyes, and she said softly.
"I'm sorry... Farewell."
Then, Asuna shattered into energy fragments in Kirito's arms, disappearing into the heavens and earth.
Kirito cried out, trying to grasp at Asuna, but it was all in vain.
Kirito, utterly devastated, slumped to the ground, seeming unable to believe that Asuna had just died before his eyes.
"This indeed surprised me. It shouldn't be possible to release paralysis by one's own power."
"Such a thing actually happened."
Hearing Kayaba Akihiko's words, Kirito clenched his fist and slowly picked up Asuna's Elucidator from the side.
He stood up, and Kirito, with vacant eyes, swung his sword slowly, as if a snail, and his Excalibur was knocked away by Kayaba Akihiko's sword.
*Thwack!*
The long sword pierced Kirito's chest.
Kirito stared blankly at the sword embedded in his chest. He had intended to give up and end his life.
But recalling Asuna's last encouraging words before her death, Kirito felt unwilling to descend and meet Asuna like this.
Although his HP was zero, with Kirito's strong will, he did not die directly.
"It's not over yet!"
His body became semi-transparent, Kirito's pupils turned golden, and Elucidator pierced directly through Kayaba Akihiko's body.
In Kirito's sight, Kayaba Akihiko's HP dropped sharply until it reached zero.
"This should be enough."
Before leaving, Kirito cast one last glance at Elucidator in his hand and closed his eyes, waiting for death to come.
But instead of death, he received a hug from Asuna.
Kirito felt the familiar embrace and slowly opened his eyes.
The scene before him made Kirito's pupils dilate.
"Asuna... you... how..."
He saw Asuna holding him tightly, burying her head in his chest, crying softly.
Kirito looked at Kayaba Akihiko in confusion.
Kayaba Akihiko smiled and explained.
"The game is over. I promised you I wouldn't let Asuna die during this time, so at the last moment, I modified the code."
"Is that so?"
Kirito immediately understood and, looking at Asuna hugging him, hugged her back.
True love is tested in adversity. Their feelings for each other had reached a very high level.
Unwavering loyalty, following each other through life and death!
"Well done, Kirito!"
"It's finally over!"
The players lying on the ground exclaimed excitedly.
However, before they could celebrate for long, a sinister laugh echoed throughout the boss room.
"Heh heh heh! How touching. But the real show has just begun!"
*Riiip!*
In their sight, a spatial rift tore open in the center of the room, and a figure emerged.
Clad in a black robe, his face was obscured.
Kirito looked up, his pupils constricting sharply.
"Impossible! POH, you should be dead! How could you!"
The figure in black raised the corner of his mouth, a sinister smile appearing, and chuckled.
"I am no mere human ant! I am a god! The Blood God! And the destroyer of this world!"
The Blood God's gaze swept over Kirito and the others with a chilling coldness.
Kirito, Takanashi Rikka, and other main characters from the anime felt as if they were being stared at by a primordial beast, trembling all over.
An inexplicable sense of dread arose.
"However... before I destroy the world, I must absorb you all as nourishment."
Without a word, the Blood God waved his hand.
Three rapidly spinning blades shot through the air towards Kirito and the others.
"Asuna, be careful!"
Kirito quickly shielded Asuna. Since he had no weapon, he would use his body.
He would not allow those he cherished to die before his eyes again.
Even if it cost him his life!
"Bang bang bang!"
At the critical moment, a figure appeared in front of Kirito and the others. With a flash of his sword, all three blades were blocked.
Kirito looked at the newcomer, astonished.
"Ling Feng!"
Kayaba Akihiko also looked at Ling Feng with surprise.
"How is this possible? You also broke free from paralysis by your own power?"
Ling Feng grinned, glanced at Kayaba Akihiko, and said gravely.
"Of course not."
"But now is not the time to talk about this. Can you still control the system?"
"Can you deal with him."
"Of course... wait... how is this possible?!"
Kayaba Akihiko, while opening his g...
During this time, Kirito and the others also recovered their senses, regrouped, and restored their condition to its best.
"No, this is a battle between him and me. You all watch first."
"After so long, it's time to settle this!"
Ling Feng said, and without hesitation, he used a potion that increased his own stats by 100%. His overall stats reached half of level 95.
Clenching Fen Ji tightly, he charged at the Blood God once more.