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It was getting pretty bad. The field boss, a level 47 Troll Fiend, was only at 10% health remaining, The issue was that it summoned a small army of Goblins to get between us and victory. Our entire party was getting tied up fighting the adds. If this became a battle of attrition, we’d probably lose.
I sidestepped a blow from one goblin, slipping into its guard and killing it with a simple Vertical. Before I could press through, another goblin filled the gap in the enemy lines, swiping a battle axe at me. A quick parry and a thrust from my longsword took care of it, but I knew we couldn’t do this forever. I slashed and swung my sword, chipping away at the goblins, but still nowhere near the boss itself.
And then a voice broke through the chaos.
“Kirito! Switch!”
My virtual body operated on instinct, moving on its own before I could even think through what I was doing. I threw myself to the side, rolling to my feet as a blur of white and red shot past me, knocking every goblin within several feet of me to the ground.
There was only one person I knew who’d pull a move like that with me.
Asuna came out of her charge with a flip, skidding to her feet, caught in the post-motion delay of the rapier skill she’d used to break the goblin lines.
She’d be vulnerable for a second before being able to return to action.
More importantly, the enemy lines wouldn’t be open for more than a few seconds. I wasn’t nearly as fast as Asuna, but when I needed to, I could move.
So move I did.
I got to Asuna just in time to parry the giant greatsword the Troll Fiend was trying to bring down on her.
She flashed a smile of gratitude towards me, and flourished her rapier.
“With me, Kirito. Let’s end this.”
I fell in line, charging the beast alongside her. I could make out sounds of swords clashing and men yelling as the rest of our party made their way through the gap Asuna had made, but I felt my world slowly shrinking as I fought alongside Asuna. The only things that mattered were her, me, and the enemy we were fighting.
It must’ve been months since I last properly fought alongside Asuna. But it was like no time had passed. It was like we were still partners, like I hadn’t pushed Asuna away. I felt like the boy I’d been then, who didn’t have the blood of some of the only friends he’d ever made on his hands.
I felt totally in sync with Asuna, aware of how she was gonna move a moment before she actually moved. When an attack Asuna couldn’t dodge came for her, I was there, longsword ready to parry. And when I found an opening in the Troll’s guard, Asuna was there, stabbing away at it with a thousand thrusts of her rapier. Fighting at Asuna’s side was almost intoxicating. It felt like I could do anything if I was at Asuna’s side.
It wasn’t just that I’d missed fighting alongside someone who could actually keep up with me. Honestly, it was more like I was trying to keep up with Asuna. She was faster, stronger, more powerful now than when we were partners. But then again, so was I.
Working together, we made short work of the Troll, bringing it down to a mere sliver of health. We shared a glance, a fierce grin on Asuna’s face. I’m sure the look was mirrored on my face. We didn’t need to speak. We both knew what to do.
Time for the final blow.
We rushed in together. I struck first, slicing low at the Troll’s knees and staggering it, opening the way for Asuna to leap over me, rapier outstretched. She struck the Troll multiple times - a stab in the chest, in the neck, in its head, all in quick succession.
As she landed elegantly on her feet, the troll shuddered and fell over, shattering into shimmers of blue light and casting her in an ethereal light.
Now that we were out of combat, I couldn’t help but admire the view. It would be a lie to call Asuna anything but the most gorgeous woman I’d ever laid my eyes upon. The red and white leathers of the Knights of the Blood fit Asuna better than the subtle cloaks she wore while we traveled together. I always knew Asuna was meant to do greater things.
She turned her gaze towards me, eyes warm and an affectionate smile across her face.
“Kirito-kun! Thank you. I - we - couldn’t have done it without you.”
I rubbed my neck awkwardly, aware that I was blushing at least a little bit. Seriously, she had to stop looking at me like that.
“Happy to help, Vice-Commander.” I managed to get out. If this was the real world, my voice would likely have cracked then.
Wouldn’t do to come off as being too familiar with Asuna, even if there were still a handful of frontliners who still remembered when she was the Black Swordsman’s partner. I sheathed my sword and turned away, making for the exit of the dungeon, when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“Kirito-kun. Mind if I join you?” Asuna asked.
I raised an eyebrow. “Figured your Knights of the Blood would be off celebrating.”
She shrugged flippantly. “They can take care of themselves for a night. I’d rather celebrate with you.”
Well, if Asuna said so.
There was precisely one Knight of the Blood whose opinion I cared for. So I happily walked out of the dungeon at Asuna’s side. I wasn’t quite Asuna’s partner these days. But maybe that was for the best. She was in safer hands with the Knights of Blood than she’d be working with a loner like me.
And regardless of whether we were partners, she was still my friend, maybe the best friend I’d ever had. And that was something I’d fight to protect.