The first real-world test of " Nameless " was held deep within the fifty-ninth level of the maze.
After leaving Lindarth Lin Yuan and Kirito did not return to the lower levels, but instead moved forward along the opened path. Lisbeth demanded that they return in three days to inspect the swords, especially the Nameless, and not just look at the durability displayed by the system.
The two agreed quickly.
As for whether they would return on time, Lisbeth clearly didn't believe a single one.
At the end of the maze passage, two sword-wielding stone statues simultaneously opened their eyes.
They use the same two-handed swords, but their swordsmanship is completely opposite. One is responsible for frontal heavy slashes, while the other always rushes in from blind spots. If an ordinary squad cannot separate them immediately, they will soon be dragged into a stalemate by the alternating attacks.
Lin Yuan drew out the " Nameless ".
The dark gray sword did not glow with any skill light. The stone statue's heavy sword crashed down from above, but instead of dodging, he swung his sword to meet it from the side.
The two sword blades clashed.
A heavy sonic boom spread along the passage, and the blue lines on the spine of the Nameless Sword flashed by. Lin Yuan's wrist did not feel the sluggishness he had felt before; the sword did not bend or swing excessively, and the power was completely transmitted back to the hilt.
He took advantage of the situation to change the angle and pressed the stone statue's heavy sword down to the ground.
Another stone statue has already rushed in from behind.
A light blue sword flashed past first.
Kirito blocked the thrust with " Dark Repulser," while " Elucidator " slashed across the stone statue's waist from the right. This was the first time he had brought both swords into a real battle simultaneously, but he did not activate the still-unrevealed unique skill.
"Not used to Dual Blades yet?" Lin Yuan asked.
"Much better than any other off-hand sword I've tried before." Kirito stretched his wrists. "But I still need to get used to the weight."
There was no need for your right hand to be at that angle just now.
Kirito paused for a moment.
Lin Yuan did not press the matter further. The sword-wielding stone statue in front of him had already drawn its heavy sword. He stepped closer along the side of the blade, and " Nameless " struck the same joint three times in a row.
The first sword sliced through the stone armor, the second sword widened the crack, and the third sword pierced through the inner core.
The stone statue shattered with a crash.
On the other side, Kirito's twin swords clashed and slashed. The second statue didn't even have time to turn around before its health bar was emptied by the barrage of attacks.
After the battle, Lin Yuan first examined the " Nameless ".
The blade didn't chip, and the sword remained straight. All the experience left by the monster went into Kirito's panel, while Lin Yuan only received the sensation from the collision.
Lisbeth did not exaggerate the sword's strength.
"There's no one else here." Lin Yuan sheathed his sword at his waist. "Now I can try out the complete ' Dual Blades '."
Kirito knew what he was talking about.
The two ventured a little further and found a circular hall where other players wouldn't pass by. Kirito paused for a moment, then equipped " The Dark Repulser " to his left hand.
The system message indicates that only he can see it.
Both " The Elucidator " and " The Dark Repulser " gleamed with the light of swordsmanship.
Kirito's figure suddenly vanished from the spot.
The two swords sliced through the air, one after the other. Before the first strike was even finished, the second was already approaching from the opposite direction. The left and right hands did not each use a separate set of sword techniques, but rather, with the system's assistance, they formed a continuous attack trajectory.
After sixteen strikes, Kirito stopped on the other side of the hall.
The test statue on the wall slowly cracked, shattering into countless pieces of blue light.
Lin Yuan did not look away from the entire time.
"Faster than you said before," he said.
"This is also the first time I've ever used two suitable swords to complete the entire fight." Kirito relaxed his stance. "My previous off-hand swords couldn't hold up, and they couldn't keep up with ' The Elucidator '."
"Still not planning to go public?"
"It's too complicated to explain, and it'll attract attention." Kirito looked at the two swords. "Besides, I don't want to rely on them unless absolutely necessary."
Lin Yuan understood these concerns. After the first battle, Kirito had already faced player hostility because of his status as a beta tester. His unique skills would bring not only envy, but also guild competition, suspicion, and targeting.
I won't tell anyone.
"I know, that's why I showed it to you."
Lin Yuan drew out the Nameless and replicated Kirito's first step.
He had no second sword, nor any system to pull his body into the next trajectory. After the first strike, he could only rely on his waist and legs to readjust his center of gravity and then strike the second sword from the opposite direction.
It's much slower than a sixteen-hit combo, but it doesn't have the stun effect that comes after a sword technique ends.
Kirito watched it a few times, and suddenly realized. "You're not learning Dual Blades."
I only have one sword.
So what are you studying?
How does it cancel the pause between the previous and next sword strikes?
Lin Yuan swung his sword again. This time, the second strike came half a step earlier.
Players acquire complete skills through the system, while Lin Yuan can only dissect what he sees inch by inch. Neither path is easier, nor will they yield the same result.
For the next three days, the two remained in the maze, engaging in repeated battles.
" The Dark Repulser " gradually adapted to Kirito's left hand, and " Nameless " withstood continuous high-intensity impacts. When they returned to Lindarth, Lisbeth examined the blade for a long time and only found a few normal wear marks on the dark gray blade.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Time continued to move forward, and the front line of Aincrad crossed the sixtieth floor and approached the seventieth floor.
The fact that " the Black Swordsman possesses a second sword" remains a secret known only to Lin Yuan and Lisbeth.