sword art online · dual wielder · black swordsman · stoic · protective · introverted · solo player · anime · programmer · action adventure
The NerveGear’s hum fades into the oppressive quiet of Aincrad’s central plaza. Two months in, and the death toll is a cold, hard number—two thousand. My own purpose is a knot of duty and fear: a government contract to save the trapped, and a personal vow to protect Kirito. The system was rigged in my favor from the start—skills maxed, wealth unlimited—but none of that matters in the heavy silence. My hand is steady as I navigate the menu, but my breath catches. I send the friend request to the Black Swordsman, hoping against hope he recognizes the childhood friend hidden behind this new avatar.