02x19 - Zekken (Absolute Sword)

[bunniefuu]

So Zekken appears at PM

on that island on Floor , right?

Right.

Let's meet there tomorrow at :...

--Roger!

--Okay!

Got it! This will be fun!

It sure will!

You think she'll make her name

as the Berserk Healer again?

Daddy, there's something on your face!

Huh? Seriously?

Your face is covered in ink!

What did you say?

Okay, see you tomorrow!

See you tomorrow!

"Are you sure you want to log out?"

I've been walking in the light all this time

I've been following footprints

that didn't exist until yesterday

Although I've been in a maze with no goal,

with a map drenched in rain

I have no regrets at all

If I cry out

I'm sure my voice will reach you

The sound of the bell in the beginning of the story

Will connect us during our journey

The future world that you envisioned

Will lead you to a sky of that day

And will make our dream come true

and even go beyond miracles

The future world that you envisioned

Exists somewhere even now

Let's add layers of our dream

and reach the true pure light

Ah on give for my way

"Zekken"

Good night, Ms. Sada.

Thank you for coming in everyday.

I'm sorry you have to work so late.

Please don't give it another thought, Miss.

After all, it's my job.

Are my mother and elder brother home now?

Master Koichiro will be arriving home late.

Madam is already in the dining room.

I see. Thank you.

Sorry to keep you.

You're late.

See to it that you arrive at the table

five minutes early.

I'm sorry.

Let's eat.

Were you using that device again?

Yes. We were meeting up

to do our homework together.

It's not going to do you any good

unless you use your own two hands.

We all live far away from each other.

Over there, we can easily meet up.

It hardly qualifies as "meeting up"

if you're using such devices.

And homework is something

to be done individually.

If you're with your friends,

you'll just fool around.

Listen. You don't have time to play.

You're two years

behind the other children,

so you should be studying extra hard

to make up for that.

But I am studying hard.

I printed out my report card for the second semester

and left it on your desk, didn't I?

I did see that, but grades awarded

at a school like that cannot be relied on.

A school like... that?

Listen, Asuna. Next semester,

I'm going to hire a tutor, aside from school.

Not one of those popular virtual tutors,

but someone who'll come to the house.

W-Wait a minute! That's too sudden...

Take a look at this.

What's this? Transfer exam... Overview...?

A friend of mine is on the board

of that school,

and they're allowing you to take an exam

to transfer into the third year class.

Unlike that jerry-rigged school you're at now,

this is a proper high school.

Since it's credit-based, I'm sure you'll meet

their graduation criteria after just the first semester.

Do that, and you'll be

on your way to college.

W-Wait! That won't do.

Making decisions like that without me...

I happen to like my current school.

There are a lot of great teachers,

and I can study there just as well!

There's no need

for me to change schools!

I've checked it out thoroughly, you know.

The place you're attending at the moment

is a far cry from a school.

The curriculum's ill-conceived,

and the classes are substandard.

Even the faculty's a ragtag lot...

hardly any of them have decent credentials!

Y-You don't have to

say things like that...

For all they said about hosting the students

who were behind due to the accident,

the truth is, they've rounded up these children

who'd been k*lling each other in a crazy world,

to surveil them in one place...

It's like an internment camp.

Mother, I was one of those children

who was constantly k*lling, too...

Your friends from junior high

are all studying to get into college this year.

Don't you feel the least bit panicked?

Advancing to college... Even if I'm a year or two behind,

it's not going to make much difference.

And besides...

College isn't the only career path I can pursue...

I won't have it. You are very gifted.

Your father and I have gone to great lengths

in order to draw that out...

I'm sure you're aware of that!

Shouldn't I be the one to choose

how I'm going to live?

I still haven't come up with an answer yet,

but I'm close to finding out what I really want to do.

I want to go to my current school for another year,

and find out what it is.

No matter how many years you spend at such a place,

it won't expand your options.

Look here, Asuna.

I don't want you to lead a pitiful life.

I want you to build a career that

you can be proud of in front of anyone.

My career?

Then what about that person you forced me to meet

at the main house on New Year's Day?

He was speaking as though

we were already engaged!

Mother, you're the one who's limiting the choices

I can make about my life!

Marriage is one aspect

of a career, as well.

You'll regret it if you marry someone

with no resources.

You won't be able to pursue

what it is you say you want to do.

In that sense, Yuuya leaves nothing to be desired.

A regional bank run by a single family is far more stable

than a mega-bank fraught with constant in-fighting.

You haven't learned a thing, have you?

Causing an incident like that...

making me and untold others suffer...

RCT was nearly run into the ground

by the man you chose--Nobuyuki Sugou!

That's enough!

I don't want to even hear about that man.

After all, it was your father who took a liking to him

and suggested that he marry into this family.

He's never been

a good judge of people.

Don't worry, Yuuya may be

lacking initiative,

but that should give you

more security, shouldn't it?

At any rate, I have no intention to date that man.

I'll choose who I marry myself.

Fine. As long as he's an elite young man,

worthy of you, anyone will do. But let me add that...

A boy like that... A student from

an institution like that--won't be considered!

Don't tell me... you investigated him?

Try to understand.

Both your father and I want you to be happy.

You're able to build yourself

the most brilliant of careers.

Give me some time to think about

transferring schools.

Keep in mind, the deadline is next week.

Be sure to fill out all the required information,

print out three copies,

and leave them on my desk in the library.

Mother...

What is it?

You're embarrassed by my late grandfather

and grandmother, aren't you?

You're frustrated that you weren't born

into a prestigious family, right?

Asuna! You come back here this instant!

Asuna!

Kirito...

Hey, what do you have in mind

for your future, Kirito?

I'm thinking of becoming

a creator, not a player.

A creator? What kind of game?

Not a game, but a man-machine interface

to replace the current full-dive technology.

I've been studying by going to

all these tech forums,

but they're mostly based in English,

so it's been pretty tough...

I want to stay by Kirito's side,

and pursue the same dream. But...

Asuna... you sure are strong.

Way stronger than me...

I'm not strong at all...

I was only able to be a swordswoman

in that world...

"Lightning Flash Asuna" of the Knights of the Blood

no longer exists...

The "me" in the real world

has no power whatsoever.

Hey.

It's so unusual for you to be here first.

It happens sometimes.

Hey, do you remember?

The first time you came

to my apartment in Selmburg?

Not to brag, but nobody

has a shoddier memory than me.

What?

But I do remember that day vividly.

Really?

Of course. That day... right?

I got my hands on a super-rare food item,

and you cooked us a stew.

That was some tasty meat...

I think about it sometimes, even now.

Seriously! You don't remember

anything but the dinner, do you?

It's almost time.

I've got to get going.

Asuna, if you're going to battle Zekken...

Huh?

Oh, uh... Well...

Zekken's powerful. I'm not kidding.

Liz and the others have already given me

an earful about how strong he is.

Still, it's so hard to believe.

That you could lose, Kirito!

Come to think of it, Leafa mentioned that

you were talking to Zekken in the middle of your duel.

What were you talking about?

Well... Something was bugging me, see...

What kind of thing?

I asked Zekken...

"You're fully a resident of this world, aren't you?"

The reply I got was a wordless smile

and a blistering charge att*ck.

That speed... It broke all the limits...

"Fully a resident of this world"?

Do you mean a hardcore heavy user?

No, not that. I wasn't talking about

any one VRMMO world,

but rather that Zekken was, in a sense,

a child of the full-dive environment itself.

That's the vibe I got.

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, I don't want you to be biased.

If you want to know more,

I'd like you to sense it yourself.

We look away for one second,

and this is how you always end up!

Sorry to interrupt when you're in the middle

of something, but it's time to go!

--Time to go!

--Time to go!

I-I know!

Uncle! I surrender! Resign!

Unbelievable!

That makes in a row!

Isn't there anyone

who can stop Zekken?

V!

Hold up, Liz.

What?

This Zekken is a girl!

Huh? Didn't I mention that?

No, you didn't!

Wait! Could it be...

Is the reason you lost to her...

Stare!

N-No, it's not! I didn't go easy on her

because she was a girl, I swear!

I was dead serious! It's true!

At least, starting from

the middle of the match.

I don't know about that!

Um... Anybody want

to take me on next?

All right! Go on, now!

No... I've got to regroup

and get myself psyched for this...

Oh, come on, once you cross swords with that one,

believe me, you'll get psyched!

Now, go on! Go on!

Oh, Big Sister, wanna fight?

Uh... um... Well, maybe I will.

Okay!

Um... So about the rules...

anything goes, I guess?

Of course. Magic, items...

feel free to use whatever!

Although I'm only going to use this.

Oh, almost forgot. Do you prefer battling

on the ground or in the air?

Either one is okay?

Yup.

Then a ground battle.

Okay! Jumping's allowed.

But no using your wings, all right?

"Will you accept duel request?"

"Opponent: Yuuki" "Type: vs. "



"Will you accept duel request?"

"Opponent: Yuuki" "Type: vs. "

Yuuki...

"Full Depletion Mode"

She's powerful...

But it would ruin my reputation as a swordswoman

if I gave up after just one strike.

I was only able to be a swordswoman

in that world...

I can do this!

She can see my Quadruple Pain?!

No way...

...am I gonna go down like this!

So this is...

...Zekken's -hit combo!

An Original Skill Sword...

If I'm going to beaten by a sword skill of this caliber,

then I have no regrets!

You're really awesome!

Big Sister, I'm choosing you!

What... Huh?

Uh... um... Aren't we going

to finish the duel?

I've done enough fighting to be satisfied.

Do you want to fight to the end, Big Sister?

I've been searching for someone

who had that "it" factor.

And at last, I've found her!

M-Mommy!

Hey! Asuna!

--Asuna!

--Asuna!

Um...

I'm asking you...

to please lend us a hand!

Lend you... a hand?

The street lights cast a glow on cheerful

laughter and footprints in the back-alley

I wonder how much you understood of the

feelings I've always wanted to convey to you

I always turn around to you and make sure

Because no matter how I am, I believe you'd

always chase after me without any hesitation

When I gazed at your eyes,

I saw the proof that I've lived

Whenever my heartbeat was about to stop,

you made it ring out very, very loudly

I want to go far beyond today

Next time: "Sleeping Knights."