Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

Predatory Prey

Spriggan, Black Swordsman, Experienced: Kirito.

I landed in the Spriggan city town square, hoping I could find some kind of information about this mysterious player. I looked around to just see a bunch of crowds hanging around and talking, but nothing I could really use to help me. I walked around until I stumbled across the towns rundown bar. Maybe I could get something from the bartender there, I thought. I walked in and made an entrance to those that resided inside but once they saw that I was also a Spriggan, they continued on as if nothing even happened. I walked over to the counter where the bartender was positioned and sat down as I readied for any amount of small talk to get me to the obvious questions.

"Ghoul Potion, with ice please." I ordered.

The bartender nodded, left and came back to make the drink in front of me, most likely because he wanted to have a chat.

"Any word on the street today?" I asked innocently.

"Nothing as far as in-party drama. You lookin' to find somethin' out?" The bartender did most of the talking work for me.

"I'm actually looking for a certain player known as the Crystal Swordsman." I finally asked.

"You heard of him?" The bartender obviously knew something.

"Should I?" I waited for him to tell me.

He looked left and right at the people in the bar then leaned in to talk quieter to me.

"Common knowledge is that he's a survivor from SAO, but others believe he's some kind of in-game legend. He has never shown his face to the general public but when he is seen, the only way you'd know it was him is because of his sword. Hence the name-" The bartender explained.

"The Crystal Swordsman." I finished.

"Some have even witnessed him fight. They say it's... unnaturally brutal." The bartender continued.

"And he's common knowledge?" I asked hoping he could point me in the right direction.

"I'm sure you could ask almost anyone in this game and they'd know something about him." The bartender explained.

"Thanks for the help." I chugged my drink and flipped him a coin as I left.

I thought I'd take this chance to use some of my high up ties to investigate further on the subject. I opened my menu and started a call with Sakuya, the Queen of the Sylph race.

"Kirito? I didn't expect a call from you so soon. Are you reconsidering that date offer?" Sakuya opened.

"Not exactly. I'm trying to track someone down. I was hoping you could keep me posted if you hear anything." I quickly got to the point.

"I see. Who is it you're trying to track?" Sakuya asked the obvious question.

"They call him: The Crystal Swordsman." I answered.

Sakuya was silent for a moment before she responded.

"Looking to test your luck against a legend, eh? I'm intrigued. I'll keep an ear open for you." Sakuya perked up at the sound of it before she quickly hung up.

That was a bit odd. I then called up the next best player I could to keep eyes open for me: Alicia Rue, leader of the Cat Sith.

"Hiya Kirito! What's up? I haven't heard from you in awhile." Alicia assumed this was a more social call.

"I've been good. I was actually hoping you could do something for me." I once again got right to the point.

"And by something, do you mean you? Heh! Naughty, Kirito!" Alicia was more playful than any player I had met.

"Well no, I was hoping you could help me look for a certain player." I tried to keep the topic relevant.

"Oh? Who're you lookin' for?" Alicia asked curiously.

"Someone called: The Crystal Swordsman." I answered.

"Huh? Isn't he just an old myth?" Alicia clearly heard a different side of the story.

"Unfortunately for us, he is very much real." I assumed she had also heard of his abilities.

"That's crazy! I didn't know a player like that really existed! I'll keep an eye out for you, Kirito!" Alicia ended the call.

Alicia sure took the news a lot better than Sakuya did. Now comes the hard part: Eugene, General of the Salamanders.

"Hey, Eugene. I need a favor." I got straight to the point.

"What is it?" Eugene wasn't going to have any small talk.

"I need you to help me locate a player. Someone under the alias: the Crystal Swordsman." I brought up bluntly.

"Where did you hear that name?" Eugene immediately demanded to know.

"My sister said she met him." I admitted.

"You better hope she doesn't need therapy after fighting that monster." Eugene responded.

"Monster?" I thought I'd let him speak.

"He slaughtered countless Salamander soldiers in a pure hellbent rage, laughing proudly while he did it. All of my men were nothing more than fodder to him and even tho he spared me from death, he knew that was the worst thing he could have done. To leave the commander alive among the corpses of all his fallen soldiers. He avoided my Gram and broke me down. He treated it like a damn blood sport." Eugene revealed.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Eugene." I gave him some sympathy.

"Why do you want to find him anyway?" Eugene asked.

"I want to talk to him." I told.

"Talk? Ha. Good luck with that." Eugene was about to end the call but I stopped him.

"Eugene, wait! I know you think that he's evil but he saved my sister from a high level area boss." I explained.

"Saved?" Eugene was confused.

"I don't know either, but I swear it's the truth." I finished.

Eugene was silent for a moment.

"Fine. But if I find out he kills even one of my men, I'll come back to finish what I started." Eugene referred to our past duel before he hung up the call.

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of defeat.

"Drama got ya down?" A friendly whiskered face met mine as I looked down to meet them.

It was Argo, my info broker since the old beta days of SAO. She was also a beta tester for the game just like me.

"Hey, Argo. I need to get some info from you. I'd like to keep it off the books this time, if that's okay." I greeted.

"Sure thing. What's up, Kii-boy?" Argo put her fists on her hips waited.

"What can you tell me about the Crystal Swordsman?" I asked.

"He's an old myth that only fearful players tell their friends about to scare them. Why?" Argo told what she knew, which was no help to me at all.

"Never mind. I was just wondering." I answered.

"If you want some serious info about him, I know someone who owns a book that some guy wrote about in-game legends." Argo told me.

"I guess so. Send it to me. I gotta be off for now." I waved goodbye to her and flew up into the air to return home.

I hope Asuna was having better luck than me.