Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-25908228-20141222101442/@comment-73.212.253.156-20151204171641

I'll add my $.02 to the debate here. There are differences between each of them. Asuna's speed is incredible and Kirito admits that he can't see the attacks. That doesn't mean that he can't block them. Due to his incredible reaction speed, he has a very good chance of doing so, as he proved to her during a duel. He is also shown to react to attacks even before he sees them which is another indicator of his reaction speed.

As for him fighting Yuuki, I don't think he was taking it as seriously as he could have. This is not the SAO Kirito, but a Kirito who has left, or at least keeps trying to leave if Kikuoka would actually let him, that part of his past behind. Even with his rolled back stats, he still has all of the skill and experience he gained there, even if it isn't reflected in something as ephemeral as stats. There's essentially three kinds of Kirito here. There's the more laid back Kirito who is doing it to have fun. There's the serious Kirito who is still having fun, but having to take the fight seriously. And then there's the Kirito who is no longer playing around because it is no longer a game. The latter Kirito is a whole different animal from the other two, as that means he's bringing out his SAO persona. That Kirito would have eaten Yuuki for lunch, as he would not be playing around and would have gone straight for the proverbial kill, as to him, it wouldn't be a game.

At the same time, someone who knows how that persona fights can counter it, especially if they have a weapon tailored to counter the weapon being used. I don't know how many of you have wielded a sword or sparred with one, but the weight of the weapons clashing make a major difference, and that difference actually bit Kirito in the ass when he fought XaXa more than his skills being rusty. XaXa was wielding a custom made Estoc made of high grade materials, and using it against Kirito's lightsaber. A much heavier, not to mention dense, weapon versus a light one like that? Kirito's own muscle memory and reflexes bit him in the ass hard as he was actually trying to block more often, rather than parry or dodge.

As for Heathcliff, I need to remind you that yes, it was due to a mistake. Again, his own muscle memory worked against him, but he was also tired from an already exhausting fight. Compare it to when he first fought the man in a duel. He was rested, and keep in mind that he forced Heathcliff to use Over Assist after he broke through his guard.

Now, we get to another important point. Most of Kirito's victories were due to him having help. This is actually a good point to make, as it doesn't detract from his strength. Kirito can be the best out there. He could be the strongest. He could even be the fastest. But most of the major fights he ended up in weren't ones he could win on his own. He had even made a point in the series after he lost to Heathcliff and was made to join the Knights of Blood. He had reached the limit of what a solo player can do on his own, and he is an exceptional and rare case.