Inside Elgar's general store on the 56th Floor.
Morning light streamed through the windowpanes, cutting a chessboard of light and shadow on the floor.
The air was filled with the wheaty aroma of toasted bread and the rich scent of coffee beans.
Chen Mo meticulously cut his fried egg with a knife and fork, his movements as elegant as if he were performing a ritual.
Opposite him, Argo sipped warm milk in small mouthfuls, a faint ring of milk staining her lips.
Her gaze constantly drifted, uncontrollably, towards Chen Mo's fingers.
There, a ring identical in style to the one on her own finger reflected a soft glow in the morning light.
The corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, but she quickly lowered her head, pretending to concentrate on her milk, her earlobes quietly flushing red.
This tranquility felt a world away from the clash of swords on the front lines.
"Cough."
A soft cough broke the exclusive peace.
Kirito stood at the doorway, his expression very complex.
His gaze flickered between Chen Mo and Argo, finally settling on the rings on their hands, his eyes dimming slightly.
For the past two days, the biggest news in the upper circles of Aincrad was the report of these two dating in the flower fields.
"Oh, if it isn't our Black Swordsman, sir."
Argo extended her tongue, licking away the milk stain from her lips, revealing her usual sly smile.
"So early in the morning, looking to buy exclusive first-hand information about our date?"
"Don't joke."
Kirito walked in with a bitter smile, pulled out a chair, and sat down, an undisguised weariness etched on his face.
He looked at Chen Mo.
The man didn't even lift an eyelid, remaining focused on his breakfast, as if Kirito's arrival was nothing more than a gentle breeze across the water.
This feeling of being utterly ignored was more suffocating than facing his sword.
"I have something I'd like to ask you about."
Kirito finally decided to get straight to the point.
He opened his menu, projecting only one window in front of Chen Mo and Argo, blocking other views.
[Unique Skill: Dual Blades]
Argo's cat-like eyes instantly widened.
Unique Skill!
As an Information Broker, she knew better than anyone the immense value hidden behind those four words.
Chen Mo's reaction, however, was as calm as if he were looking at a regular menu.
He put the last bite of fried egg into his mouth, slowly wiped his lips with a napkin, and then finally lifted his eyelids.
"A reward for extreme reaction speed."
His tone was like critiquing a dish that was slightly undercooked.
"The system judged you to be the fastest reacting player among all current players, so it gave you a toy."
A toy?
A muscle in Kirito's face twitched violently.
This legendary skill, capable of driving any player mad and changing the entire clear strategy, was just a toy in his mouth.
"I need a sword that can match 'elucidator'."
Kirito forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his voice dry.
"Otherwise, this skill is meaningless. Any ordinary weapon won't last through a high-intensity battle with me."
"So?"
Chen Mo finally looked at him directly, a hint of pure curiosity in his eyes, as if observing an interesting creature.
"You want me to help you forge it? I don't know how to forge."
"No." Kirito shook his head, "I heard that Asuna's friend is a top-tier blacksmith. But Asuna and I… had some disagreements at the strategy meeting."
"You want me to be a go-between?"
Chen Mo smiled.
The smile held no mockery, yet it was more hurtful than any mockery.
It was the gaze of a god looking down at children squabbling over candy.
"Kirito, you've got one thing wrong."
"My time is very expensive."
The implication was that their childish squabbles weren't worth a second of his time.
Kirito's face flushed crimson.
"I can pay, or exchange information."
"Regarding information on a top-tier blacksmith, I happen to have some." Argo habitually rubbed her fingers, stepping in to mediate, "Lisbeth, a very capable girl, her forging skill just reached level nine. Her shop is on the 48th Floor."
No sooner had she spoken.
"Ding-a-ling—"
The general store's door was pushed open, and the wind chimes gave a crisp sound.
A figure in red and white walked in, bringing with her the chill of the morning.
It was Asuna.
Behind her, followed the deep-eyed purple-haired girl, Mito.
The air in the store instantly became subtle.
Argo subconsciously tried to hide her ring-wearing hand under the table, but the movement only made it more obvious.
Kirito, on the other hand, froze completely, caught red-handed talking about someone behind their back.
"What a lively gathering."
Mito smiled, breaking the silence, her gaze sweeping over everyone's faces in the store, finally lingering on Chen Mo for half a second longer.
"I didn't expect everyone to be gathered here."
Asuna's expression was a bit unnatural.
She was no longer angry about Chen Mo's way of doing things; she even began to understand.
But what made her feel awkward was the widely spread news of their date.
As a young girl, she couldn't completely ignore it.
"Asuna, vice-commander, Miss Mito." Argo resumed her professional smile, "For the strategy meeting on the 56th Floor?"
"Yes." Asuna nodded, sitting down at the table furthest from Chen Mo, "The commander asked us to come early to gather information."
Kirito looked at Asuna, then at Chen Mo, and spoke with a tingling scalp: "Asuna, there's something I'd like to ask of you."
"What is it?" Asuna was a bit surprised.
"I need a good sword. I heard your friend Lisbeth is a top-tier blacksmith?" Kirito said, again displaying his skill panel.
Asuna's pupils also widened a few points when she saw the icon.
"Unique Skill!"
"It just triggered recently." Kirito gave a bitter smile, "But without a suitable weapon, it's useless."
Mito listened quietly nearby, her gaze subtly drifting towards Chen Mo, as if observing his reaction.
"Lisbeth is very capable." Asuna nodded, "But she's been very busy lately, and top-tier materials are extremely expensive."
"Money is not an issue." Kirito said immediately.
Just then, Chen Mo, who had been silent, finally spoke again.
"On the 55th Floor, deep within the Valley of Mist, hides a 'King of Iron'."
One sentence made everyone's attention focus on him.
"The materials it drops are perfect for forging your other sword."
Kirito's eyes instantly lit up.
"You mean—"
"I can take you there."
Chen Mo stood up.
"But you have to prove that you are worthy of that sword."
"What do you mean?" Kirito didn't react.
Chen Mo didn't answer, walking straight out of the store.
"Follow me."
The group arrived at the open space behind the general store.
"Draw your sword."
Chen Mo turned, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Use your Dual Blades to attack me."
Kirito was stunned.
"This is a safe zone…"
"I have a way."
Chen Mo took out a crystal from his ITEM inventory and crushed it casually.
[Duel Crystal]
A translucent barrier instantly enveloped the two of them.
"The rules are simple."
Chen Mo's sword slowly unsheathed, only an inch out.
"One minute. If you can last one minute under my sword, I'll get the materials for you. If you can't, you'll have to figure it out yourself."
Kirito took a deep breath and gripped his swords with both hands.
"I understand."
He adopted the starting stance for Dual Blades, his entire body tensed.
Outside the barrier, Asuna and Mito looked tense.
Only Argo leisurely pulled out a slice of cheesecake from her ITEM inventory and slowly ate it.
"Begin."
The moment Chen Mo's words fell, Kirito moved!
Two streaks of sword light intertwined into a net, moving with extreme speed, aiming directly at Chen Mo's vital points!
The next second, Kirito saw a sight he would never forget.
Chen Mo didn't even move.
He merely used the inch of unsheathed blade to casually parry, deflect, flick, and guide.
Kirito's storm-like attacks were like waves crashing against a reef, easily broken down and neutralized.
Each time their swords met, Kirito felt an incredibly subtle force, precisely interrupting the point of power for his next movement, causing his subsequent combos to die stillborn.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Sweat began to bead on Kirito's forehead.
Thirty seconds.
Chen Mo remained calm and composed, even having time to wink at Argo outside the barrier.
"Hey! Be serious!" Argo waved her small fist at him, annoyed.
Forty seconds.
Kirito's movements began to deform, his stamina rapidly depleting, and the speed and power of his Dual Blades plummeted.
Fifty seconds.
Just as Kirito felt his arms were as heavy as lead and he was on the verge of collapsing.
Chen Mo moved.
He took a step forward, and the sword in his hand returned to its sheath.
Instead, the closed scabbard lightly tapped against Kirito's crossing swords.
Clang!
A crisp sound.
Kirito felt an irresistible surge of immense force from his swords, his arms shook violently, his tiger's mouth went numb, and both swords simultaneously flew out of his grasp, embedding themselves in the ground some distance away.
The barrier dissolved with a sound.
Kirito collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, looking blankly at the calm and composed man.
Is this… his world?
"You passed."
Chen Mo's voice was as calm as ever.
"Tomorrow morning, meet at the teleportation plaza."
With that, he took Argo's hand and turned to leave.
"Wait!"
Mito's voice suddenly rang out, stopping him.
"Mr. Chen Mo, I have an impudent request."