They Missed Each Other, Never Meeting Face to Face

Agil folded his arms and nodded decisively. "You're right, kid. That girl's username really is Lisbeth."

Note: No one used their real names in the game. Everyone used usernames.

Lisbeth's real name was Shinozaki Rika.

Even Akasaka was wearing a tiger mask right now, precisely to keep people from recognizing him.

"So it was her?" Akasaka had guessed her identity and planned to meet her to have her forge a weapon for him.

After all, in the original story, this girl had forged Dark Repulser for Kirito.

It was the other weapon of the Dual Blades.

A sword no less impressive than the black sword, Elucidator.

Lisbeth's smithing skills truly had nothing to criticize.

But before that, Akasaka planned to go back and ask Asuna for some money... After all, Asuna controlled the household finances, and normally only gave him a little spending money...

The spending money he had saved up had just gone toward buying a pair of purple saber-toothed weapons, completely draining the family fortune...

He could only go back and ask Asuna for more...

Akasaka lifted the curtain and left Agil's general goods store.

However, not long after Akasaka left, a young man in a black coat walked in.

It was none other than Kirito, the Black Swordsman.

He and Akasaka had perfectly missed each other, neither seeing the other. Otherwise, the moment they met, Kirito would definitely have turned and run. Even now, he could not forget the terror of Akasaka cutting off his limbs...

When Akasaka had dealt with Diavel's raid party, he had spared no one. Kirito included—he had cut him down as well.

The moment Agil saw Kirito, he raised a hand in greeting.

"Yo, Kirito. Here to buy something from my shop?"

Agil rested both hands on the counter. The two were