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Sword Art Online - Volume 11 - Chapter 6.2




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Part 2
The spiral staircase felt rather long when we descended, but it took mere minutes before we could sense the exit's presence when we keenly raced our way up. The putrid stench gradually disappeared from the air, while the damp, moist walls and the stone under our feet were replaced by glossy marble without our notice.
We could soon see a faint light in our path, and when it turned into the rectangular exit, Eugeo and I found no further need for caution and rushed forth, skipping over the steps, two at a time. Both of us sucked in the fresh air as though satisfying our cravings, the moment we reached aboveground at last.
"......Whew..."
When our breaths finally settled down, we took another look at our surroundings. The skies which were still pitch-black granted us vision even without artificial lighting, through their indistinct starlight.
The Axiom Church that ruled over the Human World existed within a vast square plot of ground in the center of Central Centoria. From what I had seen around the place through the opportunity of dangling off the flying dragon yesterday morning, the main gate was in the east (I suppose that was probably due to Solus rising from that direction), with a wide road that extended to the actual church.
And that church was veritably the lofty white tower, the «Central Cathedral». Its cross-sectional view would reveal that it, too, was a square, while its upright walls were smoothly polished to a mirror-like finish, with the upper portion always within the clouds, making it impossible to see its peak unobstructed.
I believed that there would be someone managing this world at the highest part of the cathedral, as well as a system console for communication with the outside—or in other words, with Rath. If I could reach that far, I could return to the real world after these two years and two months I personally experienced...
Reflecting on those strong emotions, I slowly turned around and faced the opening to the underground jail I had just escaped from.
The doorless rectangular hole was opening its mouth in slight surprise, towards the pure white surface of the wall. Shifting my sight to the smoothly polished marble wall, I first gazed right, then left, and lastly, up, but factoring the dense shroud of night fog in as well, I wasn't able to see to the end of any direction.
No, even if it wasn't for the fog, I shouldn't have been able to see the top of the wall. After all, the glossy marble a mere meter away was undeniably the outer wall of our final destination, the Central Cathedral.
Probably having thought of the same thing, Eugeo took several steps forward with me, and then raising our left hands, we gently touched the white wall. Rubbing left and right, affirming its sheer hard and cold sensation.
"...It's too late saying this after having came this far, but... I can't quite believe it. We're touching that cathedral. The tower with walls that people are denied from, no matter how distinguished they may be, as nobles... no, even if they were the emperors of the four empires, they wouldn't be able to do anything but look at it."
"Well, we're not integrity knights as planned, but escaped prisoners, though."
Eugeo gave a light, strained laugh at my spiritless response, but immediately spoke with a stern face.
"But looking back at it, this might have been the right choice instead. After all, if we became integrity knights, we might, just like Alice..."
"The possibility of our memories being controlled, huh. That's certainly true... however, if all of the integrity knights were that way, who exactly would they believe themselves to be...?"
When I muttered so, Eugeo removed his hand from the marble and tilted his head. I smacked the left hand, that I lowered as well, onto my waist, attempting to explain my vague question.
"That is to say, well, even if the memories of the knights were sealed away... who are my parents; where was I born; they should have knowledge of such things, right? After all, that's the fundamental basics of being a human and all. That's exactly why I think it'd be difficult to fabricate that knowledge."
"I see... knights are just a flight away from anywhere in the Human World with their flying dragons. Even if the true memories about their birth were sealed, with false memories planted in, it would be easily revealed as a lie if they actually pay a visit to their birthplace..."
Suddenly, Eugeo sharply took in a breath of air and stared in my direction with his eyes open wide, which made me blink my eyes multiple times in confusion. After exchanging stares with my frozen partner for several seconds, I finally thought of the reason for his strange response.
"I see... you thought that we might find out a method to restore my memories at this tower, huh."
"Ah... n-no, I..."
Eugeo's face distorted into wrinkles and he soon turned it steeply downwards, so I took a step forward and forcefully tussled my partner's flaxen hair with my left hand.
"You're a worrywart as always. I said it, didn't I; whether my memories return or not, I'll accompany you until the end of your journey."
Eugeo brought his face up with that, slightly red now, and said "Don't treat me like a child" in a child-like manner. But without even attempting to escape from my hand, he continued in a soft voice.
"......It's not like I doubt that. You did say it countless times after all, Kirito. But... when I think about how our journey's coming to a close, I just..."
Upon hearing that stifled whisper, strong feelings thoroughly filled up even my chest, and I raised up Eugeo's face with my hand still placed on his head.
The majesty of the Central Cathedral, towering up high right beside us, truly deserved to be called the core of the world. It would not be easy to climb up to the highest floor of this tower even if there aren't any obstacles in the way, but on the flip side, that was all that's left. No matter how many thousand flights of stairs there might be, our journey would come to an end once we climb our way through all of them, over a year ahead of schedule.
However, that was definitely not a farewell for all of eternity. I would log out to the real world for the time being, but I will return without fail. To meet with Eugeo, Liena-senpai, Ronye, Tiezé and the many other people.
"If it's going to end, we might as well end it on a happ... no, good note. You will get Alice's memories back and return to Rulid together. ...But will you have no choice but to choose a sacred task once again? It would be better to think about it starting from now, the next will likely be the last for the rest of your life, after all."
Eugeo finally lifted his head at my nonchalant words and showed his usual smile, as though to express the thought "my, my".
"It's too early for that no matter how you look at it. But, well, I'm already sick of woodcutting one way or another."
"Haha, that's right."
It was when I took my hand off Eugeo's head and strongly pat his right shoulder that the bell of time telling, far above us at the cathedral, rang out in an exceptionally beautiful and dignified timbre. It was the 4 A.M. melody. Another hour until dawn—
"...Looks like we should get going soon."
"Yeah. Let's."
As if to confirm our mutual decision, we lightly knocked our left fists against each other. The force used, the timing, and even the firmness of our fists were exactly the same. To insist that there was no need for any further words, both of us checked out the surroundings once again.
I knew nothing but that our current location was the back (in other words, the west) of the Central Cathedral. Naturally, we were obstructed by the marble outer wall in the east.
Our present goal was to infiltrate the cathedral, so things would be easy if there were an entrance to the first floor nearby, but there wasn't a single window even at rather great heights on this western side, with its slippery finish making it look impossible to climb.
In that case, the next plan would, of course, be to move towards the north or south along the outer wall. However, after a mere five meters or so down either direction, a metal fence was connected perpendicularly to the wall. It seemed of a height that could be climbed over if we tried hard enough, but there was one problem. I had already confirmed the fact that there were similar fences stretching out over and over again beyond that fence, yesterday.
The bronze fence, vines densely twining around it, appeared sturdier than the bars of the underground jail, judging from its shine. There was no end to these fences stretching around this area on the west of this cathedral. In other words, this place was both a garden and a maze at the same time. Probably for the sake of troubling prisoners from fleeing, in the one-in-a-million chance they escape aboveground from the underground jail.
The east, south, and north were obstructed by the wall and fences, but there was a single gate in the west. A single, short, straight passage stretched out from there, a small plaza still within the maze at its end. It was where the flying dragon we dangled off landed yesterday morning.
I tried to commit a route for escape to memory right before we touched down, but memorization in that short period of time was totally impossible due to the complexity of the maze's structure. However, it appeared that there was no other alternative.
"...Let's break through that maze and get out towards the north or south of the cathedral."
When I said so, Eugeo nodded as well.
"I'm expecting great things from your intuition, Kirito."
"Leave it to me, I've always been good with labyrinths since long ago."
My partner made a contemplative expression when I replied with those words without thinking, so I started walking before he had a chance to ask.
Reaching the west gate after a mere few steps, we first checked the priority of the bronze gate. The priority stated on the window was 35; as expected, it wasn't made from some normal kind of bronze. It might be possible to destroy it after countless strikes with the chain wrapped around my right hand, but it seemed like that would take more time than climbing it, not to mention how it felt like that would cause the imperial guards (or perhaps integrity knights) to gather here in a flurry.
It happened when I was about to resume walking, resigning myself to challenge the maze as per my initial plan. Eugeo spoke as though he squeezed the words through his throat.
"Wh-What is it!? Did something happen to the fence!?"
"I-It's not the fence... th-these leaves..."
With his eyes wide open, Eugeo whispered while pointing at the completely ordinary leaves of the vines densely coiled around the bronze fence.
"It's my first time seeing them, but there's no mistaking it. These are... «roses», Kirito."
"Roses... Oh... wait, eh, seriously!? All of those growing in this maze, the whole lot of them!?"
I gave a half-hearted response at first, but the roses of this Underworld were not merely pretty flowers. They ranked higher than the «four great sacred flowers» bearing fruits that stored sacred power of high purity: anemones, marigolds, dahlias, and cattleyas. Cultivation of these was prohibited for even nobles and those from the imperial family, let alone commoners, and the few wild ones that grew sparsely in the hills and fields were said to fetch an outrageous price in Centoria's marketplace when found.
There were thousands, no, even tens of thousands of that ludicrously rare plant in this maze alone... The instant that came to mind, I was driven by the urge to pull out and bring along every single one of them, but unfortunately, this world did not have a convenient function known as the item storage.
In contrast to me giving life to my exceedingly realistic conflicts, Eugeo's reaction was calm indeed. Pushing apart the leaves with thorny edges with his fingertips, speaking while peeking inside.
"It doesn't look like the flowers bloomed yet, but the buds are swelling out. With this many around, there should be quite an amount of sacred power released into the air."
Now that he mentioned it, the air within the maze certainly was sweet and pure, with my body feeling as though it was purified with each breath taken. When I took in a greedy, deep breath, Eugeo continued, seemingly annoyed.
"That's not what I'm talking about; we might be able to use fairly high ranking sacred arts right now."
"...Even if you say that, we aren't hurt right now..."
"But we're still lacking something important, aren't we? Our..."
"Ah, aah, that's right... our swords!"
I finally understood what Eugeo was getting at and quietly snapped my fingers.
The class 38 iron chain wrapped around my right arm might be a heartening weapon too, but Eugeo was not versed in the usage of the whip, and quicker repossession of the «Blue Rose Sword» and the «black one» would be far more reassuring. Or rather, recovery of the swords was at the highest order of importance.
The two swords were still somewhere else, carried away by Integrity Knight Alice, but we could get an estimate on their whereabouts through the use of sacred arts at least. I put up my right hand, and then took in a deep breath of air.
"System call!"
I shouted out the words, considered as the opening line for sacred arts by Eugeo and as an activation command for the system manipulation authority by me, in a subdued voice. The five digits on my right hand were covered in a faint violet light, signaling the booted up manipulation authority entering its standby state. Stretching my index finger straight, loosely grasping the remaining four, I started the next command.
"Generate umbra element."
Upon chanting so while imaging a black matte gem, a miniscule sphere of jet-black encircling a bluish-purple phosphorescence appeared at the end of my rigid finger. It was one of the eight «elements» existing in this world, the «umbra element». The degree of difficulty for this art was a little higher, but those boring sacred arts lectures and tests finally served their purpose after coming this far.
The umbra element was the opposite of the «luminous element» Dormitory Supervisor Azurika created to treat Eugeo's right eye yesterday morning, tinged with a negative attribute. It was a dangerous item that would scrape off the entire surrounding space in one go if discharged as it was, but by utilizing its suction property, it could be used in this manner as well.
"Adhere possession. Object ID, WLSS102382. Discharge."
Finishing the chant for the art, the umbra element that floated at my fingertip started to move as though it was sucked in by something. It soared up towards the east as it swayed about, using up all of its energy and vanishing right before it made contact with the cathedral's wall. However, a faint bluish-purple trace remained in the air for a duration of several seconds.
I quickly shifted my sight and stared intensely at where the line drawn by the umbra element led to. Having done the same, Eugeo spoke with slight disappointment.
"Looks like the swords really are inside the cathedral. I was hoping they were stored away somewhere like an outdoor storage shed, though..."
"Still, they don't seem too high up, even if they're inside. The second floor... no, it might be around the third floor? I'm glad they weren't carried to a higher floor than that."
"You're right... I guess. Then, let's make our first objective to sneak into the cathedral from somewhere aside from the main entrance and take back our swords from the third floor."
Although I was secretly worried if it was fine to think of Eugeo, calmly voicing out phrases like 'sneak in' or 'take back' that were used solely by me back at the academy, as dependable, I nodded.
Even if we knew the whereabouts of the swords, our need to clear the maze of roses did not change. I wondered whether there was a sacred art that could show us the route towards the exit, but unfortunately, a command that convenient did not exist—probably.
Upon passing through the bronze gate once again, Eugeo and I first set off towards the plaza in front. It would have been a beautiful sight if the roses coiling about the fences to the left and right were in bloom and the day broke, but the current darkness was our only ally. We killed our footsteps and advanced in a half run under the starlight.
The next gate immediately showed itself. The plaza that served as the flying dragon's landing zone was ahead. I do recall having seen that bench and small fountain, but I couldn't be sure if there was a map of the entire rose garden. No, it's a plaza, so it's definitely there; let it be there.
The moment I was about to pass through another gate slightly smaller than the first while praying thus, a familiar, weak, prickling pain ran through the roots of my bangs. At roughly the same time, Eugeo pulled on my coat from behind.
"Wh-What is it?"
"...Someone's there."
"Wha..."
I immediately prepared myself and focused my eyes in front.
The plaza was in the shape of a rectangle, longer towards the east and west, with the gate we were in at its eastern end. A bronze statue of the god, Terraria, stood on the fountain constructed in the middle, and around it were four benches made from the same bronze as the fences, separated at uniform distances.
And as Eugeo said, there was a person's form on the bench to our right—the northern side.
Although the face couldn't be seen with that long hair in loose waves hiding it, the somewhat thin stature was covered in polished silver armor, with a partially curved long sword on the left of the waist. And from the ends of those two shoulders hung a mantle of a deep shade. I could clearly see that crest with a cross going through a circle embroidered upon the mantle, even from this angle.
Eugeo and I distinctly swallowed our breaths, and then whispered as though we were squeezing the words out.
"In... integrity knight...!"
There was no mistake. Judging from that physique, that hairstyle, and the color of that equipment as well, it wasn't Alice, but I could easily believe that integrity knight was roughly as strong as her. I didn't have a sword either... no, even if I had one, I doubted I could achieve victory unhurt.
Should I escape into the maze from the gates to the north or south right this instant? Or perhaps I should retreat straight behind; I was momentarily at a loss. However, before I could decide on a course of action, a male voice with a refreshing ring to it flowed through the plaza.
"There is no need to stand at such a place; enter, and come forth, prisoners."
The glimmer held aloft in his right hand was, surprisingly enough, a wine glass. Upon looking at it, there was a bottle left on the bench as well.
Having felt the awfully provocative vibes in the knight's tone and gestures, my bad habit kicked in, and I ended up responding rather than escaping.
"Oh now, how about treating us to some of that wine too?"
Without an immediate reply, the integrity knight slowly turned this way, then presented the wine glass for a short moment for us to see.
"Regrettably, I would have to say that this would not suit the mouths of children... and not to mention, criminals, like the two of you. Made in the west empire, it is a hundred and fifty years old. I suppose I could spare you a whiff of its fragrance, however."
That face that smiled pleasantly while the glass swirled was stunningly beautiful, even under the starlight.
An exquisite balance produced by that high nose bridge and those eyebrows with a rugged charm to them, along with a crisp gleam from that pair of long-slitted eyes.
When Eugeo and I were unconsciously awed into silence, the knight uncrossed his legs and nimbly stood up, causing some noise with his armor. He was rather tall—probably a head taller than us both. His deep purple mantle and pale purple hair both swayed in the night wind.
Having emptied the wine in one gulp, the knight then spoke several unexpected words.
"As expected of Alice-sama, my master; such keen insight. Able to foresee even this one-in-a-million situation of the prisoners escaping."
?
"A... Alice-sama? M-My master...?"
I repeated in a daze.
The integrity knight gave a serene nod and continued his pompous words.
"To be honest, I never thought it conceivable myself, despite her orders to spend a night here in anticipation of your escape. I planned to admire the rosebuds with a bottle of wine as an accompaniment for this all-night vigil, but to think you would actually appear. —Those, wrapped around your arms, are chains made from spirit-iron forged from the volcanos of the south empire. I do not know how you've cut them, but I believe there is no further room for doubt that you were imprisoned for high treason."
The knight set the wine glass onto the bench while keeping his smile on. Combing up his long hair with his now-emptied right hand, he heightened the emphasis on his words by a mere bit.
"Certainly, I will have you return to the underground jail straight away, but I do believe a slightly severe punishment is in order before that. Of course, the both of you are prepared?"
That thin smile remained there, but an overwhelming hostility flowed out from the lean silhouette of his tall frame, and I restrained myself from backing off a step with all my might. Returning the strength into my stomach, I somehow managed to reply in an ordinary tone.
"If you're saying that, there's no way you believe that we would take that punishment without a fight, right?"
"Hahaha, what liveliness. I heard you were merely chicks, yet to graduate from the academy, but what a sight you've shown me. In light of that bravado, allow me to state my name before I reduce your Lives to a drop. —I am Integrity Knight Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-one. I may be inexperienced, «summoned» a mere one month ago with no territories under my supervision, but I beg your forgiveness on that matter."
A light breath escaped Eugeo the moment he heard the knight's long-winded speech, but I didn't shift my focus towards my partner's reaction. After all, that speech articulated in that seemingly provocative, beautiful voice contained several crucial points of information.
Firstly, the fact that there was a convention in the names of integrity knights was made clear. Considering how the full name of Integrity Knight Alice was Alice Synthesis Thirty as well, the initial «Alice» or «Eldrie» would be their personal names. The following «Synthesis» would be a name they have in common. Next, the last name was not a name, but a number. It was in English, so Eugeo wouldn't understand, but Alice was likely the thirtieth integrity knight. And Eldrie here was the thirty-first—
Furthermore, he said 'summoned a mere one month ago'. The implications of the word, summon, were unclear, but if Eldrie was the latest human to be appointed as a knight, that would mean there was a total of merely thirty-one integrity knights. Not to mention how those numerous knights were away from the cathedral to guard the various areas of the Human World, so there might only be ten knights or so left in the tower, even on the more side.
But those calculations would turn out to be counting your chickens before whatever it was happened, if we weren't able to break through this novice knight in front of our eyes.
I turned towards Eugeo, standing diagonally left behind me, and whispered.
"Let's fight. I'll face off against him first, so wait for my signal, Eugeo."
"Y-Yeah. But... Kirito, I..."
"I said it, didn't I, that we can't hesitate any more. Without defeating that guy, there's no way we could get up the cathedral."
"No, I'm not hesitating, I just, his name... —No, let's leave this for later. Understood, but don't overdo it, Kirito."
Eugeo's reaction made me wonder if the plan got through to him, but we couldn't take our own sweet time to discuss. It felt like the unidentified guardian spirit atop my hair breathed a sigh as always, but there would be enough time to escape even after ascertaining the enemy's true ability, probably.
Taking two steps forward and passing through the gate to the plaza, I unwrapped the iron chain from my right hand and gently gripped it. Having seen that, the knight lightly moved his eyebrows.
"I see, although I was wondering what you would do without even a sword, I suppose you intend to make that chain a weapon. In that case, it appears that I would be able to look forward to a battle slightly more befitting of the word, perhaps?"
That voice and that expression were still full of composure even now. Cursing for it to be covered in cold sweat soon enough, I slowly shortened our distance.
This chain had the handicap of not being able to activate secret moves—swords skills, but it could strike from a distance much farther than a sword. If I were to accumulate low damage attacks through hit and run without stopping my feet, there should be a chance of victory.
That was my scheme, but it was smashed into small fragments in the next moment. Knight Eldrie moved his right hand not towards the sword on the left of his waist, but towards his back hidden by that mantle as he continued speaking.
"Well then, I will use not a sword, but this instead."
Quickly drawing out his right hand, the object grasped tightly within it seemed to have been stored at the back of his sword belt; a second weapon—tinged in a pure silver radiance, a slender whip.
I was astonished as the whip loosened itself from Eldrie's right hand before my sight and coiled up above the stone pavement like a snake. Contrasting my unrefined chain, it was gorgeously made from interwoven silver threads. But upon closer examination, sharp thorns sprouted along it in spirals as though it was the stem of a rose, giving off a dangerous gleam as it bore the light of the stars. Getting struck with such a thing wouldn't result in a mere tear in skin.
In addition, the total length of the whip appeared to be four meters at the very least. My chain was 1.2 meter, a difference in reach of over three times. Something like hit and run tactics would not be possible with this.
When I stood still while perspiring cold sweat, Eldrie appeared to have seen through my thoughts as he sharply swung his right hand. The whip winded as though it was alive, striking the stone pavement with a snap.
"Now then... in respect for your resolution in disregarding the Axiom Church and Taboo Index, and even breaking out from the jail, allow me to serve as your opponent with all of my might from the very beginning."
Without even giving me the time to react, Eldrie held his left hand over the whip in his right, and then loudly cried out in a frigid, tense voice.
"System call!"
I could not discern most of the extremely complex ceremony for that art after that.
Like magic in the nostalgic «Alfheim Online», high speed chants—in other words, rapidly speaking out commands continuously—were possible for sacred arts of the Underworld. However, as the speed of the chanting increased, so did the probability of making a mistake in the ceremony.
Within the extents of my knowledge, the person second-most capable in high speed chants was Sortiliena-senpai, while the best was Azurika-sensei. However, Eldrie's chanting was faster than even sensei's. Speaking out a long command not less than thirty words in merely seven or eight seconds, he finished off with a phrase unfamiliar to my ears.
"——Enhance armament!"
Enhance was... to strengthen? Armament was, erm...
However, I wasn't given the time to flip through the English-Japanese dictionary within my brain. That was as Eldrie casually held aloft his right hand, then swung it down in my direction without a pause.
The distance between us was approximately fifteen meters. Even if that guy's whip was long, it should not reach. However.
Eldrie's whip streaked a silver trace in the air and stretched its length to several times of what it was, as though it was made from an elastic material. Even through my shock, I instinctively lifted the chain above my head with both hands. Immediately following that, a violent impact assailed me, raining down large amounts of bluish-white sparks.
"Kuh...!"
If I were to take this while standing still like this, the chain would be sliced apart. Intuitively knowing that, I bent my knees and warded off the whip by twisting my body towards the right. Jangle! When that intense scraping noise rang out and the whip left the chain, striking the stone pavement, it carved a deep groove there before returning back to the knight's hand.
While feeling cold sweat gush out from my entire body, I let out a deep groan upon seeing the chain.
"Geh..."
It just shaved away an entire portion of this class 38 object, a chain made from that spirit-iron thingy, and nearly sliced through one of its links, didn't it?
Facing the frozen me, the integrity knight offered a faint smile as he spoke.
"My... I thought to slice off one of your ears, but it appears you staved off the attack from my sacred tool, «Frost Scale Whip», despite seeing it for the first time. Perhaps this calls for an apology on making light of you for being a mere student."
Even if I wanted to say something in reply to those words overflowing with tranquility, my mouth stiffened up and couldn't move.
A formidable opponent. And exceedingly so. The one that unconsciously made light of the other was me.
Integrity Knight Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-one was a type of enemy I'd never ever had as an opponent before; I understood that now, though belatedly.
The virtual world, Underworld, was an experimental field for Rath at most and strictly speaking, in this battle, my life—not that of Kirito as a swordsman, but of Kirigaya Kazuto as a high school student, was not on the line. Even if my neck was blown away by Eldrie's whip and my Life turned to zero, my actual flesh and blood should not suffer a single injury.
As such, it could not be considered to compare to the death game, SAO, on the fear of battle. The fear when facing off gigantic floor bosses, monsters, or perhaps red players descended into madness; a sensation like a bottomless hole opened up under your feet, walking on a tight rope, was one that I will probably never get the chance to experience again, neither do I have the desire to do so.
However, even if that were to be called a death game, the majority of the players of that world were net gamers without any connection to actual swordsmanship, me included. Those people used the numerical stats and motion assist granted by the system, as well as the meager reaction speed trained over merely one, two years of time as the set of cards in their playing hand for mortal combat.
But Eldrie was different. He accumulated sword practice and arts study over tens of years in this world, training himself to the utmost limits. He was a true swordsman, physically and mentally. Different from both the players of SAO and the monsters operated by the system; if I had to put it into words, he was like the true embodiment of a «rune knight» that appeared in fantasy fiction books.
Possessing skill and sacred arts far more refined than the goblin soldiers at the mountain range at the edge and exuding more willpower than even the head elite swordsmen-in-training, Raios Antinous and Uolo Levanteinn, Eldrie likely surpassed me in each and every aspect of the current me. If I were to continue fighting with a single chain as my weapon, I would unfortunately have a hundred percent chance of losing.
If I were to state a feasible method to struggle out of this situation, it would be...
——That you are not alone.
It felt like someone spoke on my behalf, but I turned to my partner behind as though I was guided there and softly whispered.
"Eugeo. The only point for a chance of victory is the fact that we have two people. I'll stop his whip somehow, so you'll be the one to deal the blow."
However, I couldn't quite hear a reply. When I shifted my sight over my shoulders in doubt, Eugeo's face showed a shade of admiration rather than fear. His mouth finally began moving, but the words he uttered were dyed in nothing but praise.
"...Did you see that art just now, Kirito? Amazing... I've only read it in the ancient books in the library, but there's no mistaking it. That's the «armament full control art»... a super high ranking sacred art to link with the true essence of the weapon through an art ceremony, making its offensive power representative of a miracle from God. That's only to be expected of an integrity knight, huh!"
"Like we're in any situation to appreciate that. ...If that can extend the reach, couldn't that full control thing be used on our chains as well?"
"Impossible, impossible! It is designated as a secret art of the highest grade in the church, after all. Besides, it seems only weapons of sacred tool grade can be targeted by that art."
"Then let's forget about that. We have to do something with the weapons we have on hand. Look, when I manage to hold back that whip somehow, you'll end it. Even if you're not used to using the chain, you can probably swing it straight down at least."
I double-confirmed with Eugeo who finally showed a tense expression.
"Prepare yourself. We'll defeat the strongest force of the church, the integrity knight."
"...I know. I said it, didn't I, that I won't hesitate anymore."
Nodding, Eugeo held the tip of the chain wrapped around his right hand as well and slowly loosened it.
The moment we exchanged glances, the integrity knight showed his usual refreshing smile as he gently rattled the silver whip.
"Are you done with your discussion, prisoners? Now then, how about sparing me a little enjoyment?"
"...Should you really be that laidback as an integrity knight?"
"Naturally, all who oppose the Axiom Church deserve a stern and potent divine punishment... that is the will of the Holiness that is the highest minister. However, I, too, am a knight with pride and it pains me to lash at the unresisting weak. Therefore, I shall hope that the both of you could display some dignity by landing even a single graze upon my armor at the very least."
"...Rather than a graze on your armor, we'll blast off half of your Life and wipe that broad grin off your face."
Concealing the unease spreading through my heart, I boasted. The name, «highest minister», mentioned by Eldrie bothered me, but this was no situation to be pondering over other affairs. Swinging the chain in my right hand once, I quickly thrust my left hand towards Eldrie.
"System call! Generate thermal element!"
Imaging a deep crimson ruby as I shouted the command, flaming points of light sprang to life on my thumb, index finger and middle finger, one on each of them. It was the «thermal element» that served as the source for flame-type offensive arts. I was about to continue and deploy the art ceremony, but Eldrie calmly raised his left hand as well, fifteen meters ahead.
"System call. Generate cryogenic element."
A total of five blue «cryogenic elements» to counter my art were created on all of his fingertips. It was a sudden loss in terms of numbers, but I ignored that and bridged the ceremony.
"Form element, arrow shape!"
Three flame arrows were completed as I pulled my left hand back while chanting, stretching the points of light long and narrow. A shape focused on flight speed and piercing ability. I chanted the final line as fast as I could to deny the enemy time to react.
"Fly straight! Discharge!"
Creating a swirl of flames, the three arrows were aimed at Eldrie and released.

In this world where sword battles were the norm, the reason for the existence of offensive sacred arts was battling military forces from the land of darkness—or so, that old teacher at the academy said. He would probably faint if he knew the magic he taught was used on an integrity knight of all people; with such thoughts in a corner of my mind, I rushed out as well, chasing the flame arrows.
In my path, Eldrie chanted the opposing art ceremony in a single breath.
"Form element, bird shape. Counter thermal object, discharge!"
The five blue points of light became small birds—a shape suitable for homing in on targets—and took off simultaneously. In terms of projectile speed, my arrows were higher, but the ice birds won in numbers. Although they slipped past two of them, the remaining three intercepted the flame arrows one after another, scattering both explosive flames and ice crystals, offsetting and extinguishing each other. The wine glass on the bench was blown away by the explosion's impact, smashing into fragments onto the stone pavement.
Under the cover of the flashy light effects, I closed in towards Eldrie in a single spurt. With another two steps... another one step, he'll be within the chain's reach—
The knight's right hand suddenly moved and the snake-like silver whip sprang up from the ground. The range advantage from that armament full control thing wouldn't matter at this distance. I tried my best to predict the trajectory of the whip as it attacked from my right in an arc, bending my body to dodge while taking that final step. —But.
"—!?"
I swallowed my breath the moment I saw it. Didn't Eldrie's whip just split into two, with the newly born silver snake tracing out an even sharper angle as it hunted me down?
I was unable to cope with that attack, having seen it at a distance of several centimeters, and the whip dealt a heavy blow to my chest. Tossed onto the stone pavement, a raspy scream escaped from me.
"Guh...!"
I thought I was prepared, but a blow from the metal whip with countless thorns growing over it hurt enough to make my eyes spin. Looking with my teeth clenched, the chest portion of my black uniform was completely torn off along with my undershirt and a straight, deep red scar ran over the exposed skin. A great number of blood drops welled up all at once, drawing parallel lines as they flowed down.
Eldrie laughed gaily, looking down at me miserably fallen onto my rear.
"Hahaha, a little trick like that has no effect on this Frost Scale Whip. In its full control state, its reach can extend up to fifty mel while splitting into a maximum of seven. You might achieve something if you had eight throwing themselves upon me, however."
I had absolutely no composure left to get irritated at his calm and composed mannerisms. It was my first time tasting this much pain ever since my shoulder was cut by that goblin leader two years ago.
I always knew that this low pain resistance of mine was one of my major weaknesses, but in the Master Swords Academy, where the usage of the stopping-before-contact rule was the norm, I rarely ever had the opportunity to get used to pain. There's a limit to how worthless I could get, having said that I would do something grand like stopping the whip at the risk of my life.
"Fm, could it have been an overestimation on my part after all? Then I shall grant you some pity at least, and sever your consciousness in one smooth stroke."
Proclaiming so, Eldrie lightly rustled the silver whip and took a step forward.
In that instant, Eugeo, who advanced close by unnoticed, leapt out from the shadow of the fountain with a frantic expression.
"Uryaaa!"
Letting out a rare loud yell, he swung down the chain in his right hand. It was a blow that I had no qualms with, considering it was the first time he was using that weapon, and a surprise attack as well—but still, it was not enough to penetrate the knight's guard. Eldrie's right hand flashed so fast it became a blur, splitting the pure silver whip into two once again while airborne. One repelled the chain while the other assailed Eugeo. He was struck away soundly on the chest and before Eugeo could even scream out, he fell into the fountain, spouting out a large spray.
The sharp pain tormenting me showed no sign of subsiding, but I couldn't waste the chance created by the attack Eugeo risked his life for. The instant I felt more than half of Eldrie's attention leave me, I roused my upper body and let loose the object I gripped within my right hand several seconds ago towards the knight's face.
Unlike Aincrad and Alfheim, most of the objects in this world would not vanish immediately after being broken. They started up a new count of Life as shards, fragments, or perhaps carcasses.
The broken part had its Life, or in another word, durability, reduced at a speed far quicker than before, and it disappeared for good without a trace upon that reaching zero. But still, there was a delay of several minutes at the very least, before utter annihilation.
Even if that was something insignificant, like a shard from a broken wine glass.
The glass fragment I threw pierced through the pre-daybreak darkness and flew towards Eldrie's left eye. In addition, it should barely reflect any of the starlight as I rubbed it against the blood that flowed from my chest injury right before throwing it.
It probably wouldn't even take a tenth of a second for the fragment to hit him after entering his sight. And yet, the knight turned his face to the right with his monstrous reaction speed, avoiding a direct hit at his eyeball. After making a scratch near his left cheekbone, the glass shard left behind only a shallow injury as it flew off into the darkness.
"Uoh!!"
Before Eldrie turned back to me, I jumped up with all my strength from a crouch.
Kicking off the ground twice, I entered the range required by the chain in my right hand. With the chain raised high as though it was carried upon my left shoulder. Having recovered from his moment of agitation, Eldrie pulled back his right hand and the whip that twisted in midair after hitting Eugeo moved out to intercept me.
Even if I were to continue swinging down the chain simplemindedly, it would probably clash against the whip at best or fail to break through the splitting whip's guard, making me the only one to receive a hard blow again at worst. However, I shook off my fear and shifted the focus of my widely opened eyes from the glittering end of the whip to Eldrie's background—the fountain Eugeo fell into.
Shifting your sight away from an opponent during combat was a major prohibition in each and every style taught by the Master Swords Academy. Yes, it could be said to be a sort of «taboo». Hence, the swordsmen of this world will never ever do it. Even integrity knights shouldn't be an exception to this rule.
"Nuh...!"
And so, Eldrie let out a low growl as he averted his focus from me, even if it was for a mere instant. He felt that Eugeo who was just knocked down into the fountain had immediately gotten up and started a counterattack. However, that was, of course, an act of deceit through the movement of my eyes with the current circumstances. No matter how sturdy Eugeo was, even he couldn't get up that easily after a blow from a sacred tool.
The pure silver whip jolted slightly from its trajectory in midair, reflecting Eldrie's bewilderment. It passed by several millimeters above my chain without colliding. The reason why I attacked from this somewhat difficult posture of swinging the chain overhead while slanting to the left was for it to go parallel to the whip's trajectory, in a bid to reduce the odds of interception. A method I grasped after having my wooden sword utterly entangled by Liena-senpai's whip.
However, this will not work again. This was the unequivocal final chance.
"Zeiaaaaa——!!"
I used my entire body to swing down the spirit-iron chain with all the fervor in my mind and body.
My aim was a single place out of the knight's whole body: his head, unprotected by the solid silver armor. I do not know whether it was for the sake of drinking wine or if he looked down on us students, but I wasn't nice enough to ignore this opening of not having a helmet equipped. If the heavy and solid chain were to make a direct hit on his unarmored head, he should lose his consciousness, even if he was an integrity knight—
But. Yet again, Eldrie displayed ability and resolution exceeding that of my expectations.
Stretching his left hand out like lightning, he received the chain at a part near its tip, not with the back of his hand that was protected by a gauntlet, but with what peeked out from it: his palm covered by a thin leather glove.
If he used the back of his hand, the chain would rotate with that as a fulcrum and its tip should seize the knight's head, even if it lost a little power. Hence, Eldrie's choice was the right one—but the offensive power of a class 38 iron chain wasn't something a single piece of thin leather could soak up.
"Gu......!"
A restrained moan escaped from the knight the moment he caught the chain. My ears could clearly perceive the sound of several of the bones in his left hand breaking all at once. He would not be able to use that left hand for a while and neither would he throw the sacred tool called «Frost Scale Whip» or something in his right hand onto the ground.
Jumping at him and bringing this into a scuffle. I was initiated in the Serlut-style of «martial arts» by Liena-senpai. Although those gentle techniques focused on locking and choking instead of attacking, that could be considered more effective on my heavily armored enemy.
"Not yet!"
Crying out, I grabbed Eldrie's injured left arm with my empty left hand and stepped in.
"What!"
However. Even if he was the newest integrity knight at number thirty-one, his actions exceeded my predictions yet again.
The left hand that ought to have been broken gripped the chain with intensity and he pulled with all the might he could muster. The start of the chain was connected to the iron ring on my right hand, so my sense of balance was destroyed as I staggered, being forced to spin towards the other direction. I desperately tried to regain my footing, but a vehement yell surged out from Eldrie once again—
"Nuuh!!"
My entire body seemed like it was about to spin about. If I left the situation as it was, I would be placed out of the chain's range while within the whip's. And that guy would never permit me to approach ever again.
I instinctively changed the target of my left hand and grasped the whip held in Eldrie's right hand, instead of his left arm. The «Frost Scale Whip» possessed a countless number of sharp thorns, but there weren't any until about one and a half meter from the grip. I wrapped that part around my arm, making it hard to remove.
With this, as long as Eldrie didn't let go of both the whip in his right hand and the chain in his left, he wouldn't gain any distance from me. Rather, if he were to release only the chain in his left hand, that would only serve to allow me to attack as much as I wanted. The other party probably realized that as well, holding the chain tight once again with his broken left hand.
Eldrie and I were fixed at a short distance of one meter due to those two: the silver whip and the iron chain.
It must be outrageously painful to hold on to the chain with his left hand, but the knight showed practically none of it on his face, whispering in a composed tone even now.
"...It appears that I would have to retract that opinion about overestimating you. I certainly did not think you could inflict this amount of damage upon myself."
"...Well, thanks."
I was actually about to say more in rebuttal, but I didn't want to turn the topic towards the state of our wounds. After all, when comparing Eldrie's fractured left hand and the gash on my chest, the one with a higher rate of Life reduction was mine, with my blood still flowing out. If that guy were to notice, he would probably come up with the strategy of continuing with this deadlock and waiting for my strength to fade.
...No, perhaps he had already noticed. The knight moved his mouth once again with a faint smile.
But the subject spoken of in his words was somewhat unusual for the sake of stalling for time.
"But still, I certainly do draw a curious feeling of déjà vu from that technique... that style of combat."
"Oh now... But that wouldn't be strange or anything. Couldn't you have fought with a swordsman using the Serlut-style like me before?"
"Fm, that would be inconceivable, prisoner. As I have mentioned, I was summoned into this Human World as an integrity knight a mere one month ago."
"......By summon, you mean..."
Just as the conversation was about to proceed, I finally noticed that sound. Or to be accurate, the change in rhythm of a sound I had always been listening to, even now.
A stone statue of Terraria, the god of the land, stood in the middle of the fountain behind Eldrie. The small stream that flowed from the bottle held by the statue had always made a graceful sound as it cascaded into the pond below, but that now sounded like a murmur. This—was a signal. One from my partner, for me.
Eldrie would definitely notice straight away. I would have to take immediate action even while continuing this conversation.
"...You make it sound as though someone called you out into this Human World."
Don't hear it; I took action, rather than speaking it out. That said, I couldn't exactly release the «Frost Scale Whip» entwined around my left hand. There was but one thing I could do; to grip the chain in my right hand—
And pull it back with all my strength!
In response to my sudden movement, Eldrie pulled the chain back in turn. Cling! The chain strained and immediately following that, was torn into two near its middle. The portion deeply whittled away by the whip earlier finally broke under the strain.
"Wha..."
A surprised voice escaped from Eldrie as expected and it occurred next, the instant his posture was crippled.
The one who leapt out from the fountain behind him with a splash was, of course, Eugeo. Getting back on his feet after the pain from the heavy blow to his chest, he was waiting for the chance for an ambush below the small stream that fell into the fountain. The change in the sound of the stream was due to him receiving the water current onto his back.
"Ryaaa!!"
Eugeo swung the chain in his right hand down towards Eldrie's unarmored head while sprinkling drops of water from his entire body.
It was half a second before, when that short verse... no, command, escaped from the knight's mouth.
"Release recollection."
I truly couldn't understand it at all, this time round. But what happened seemed highly impossible considering the shortness of the command, a phenomenon that greatly exceeded the boundaries of sacred arts.
The pure silver whip held tightly in my left hand that Eldrie should neither be able to push nor pull suddenly glowed with a dazzling sheen. Its body was trembling violently in that state as though it turned alive—it stretched out with impetuous vigor.
The «Frost Scale Whip» that became a glittering snake drew a beautiful arc as it flew above Eldrie's and my heads and swooped down at the chain held by Eugeo. No, calling it a snake wasn't done metaphorically any longer. I clearly saw those eyes, red like rubies, and that jaw opened wide at the end of the whip.
Biting the end of the chain, the snake pulled Eugeo into the air with it, throwing him onto the stone pavement right beside me. Falling onto his back, Eugeo gave a short groan. Although the damage done on him was probably higher than what was dealt on me, along with that chest injury he received earlier, my partner still tried to get up, determined.
However, the sharp point of a sword grazed his wet, flaxen forelocks a moment before he could.
Recovered from his staggering, Eldrie threw the torn chain aside and drew the sword on the left of his waist with his freed left hand, thrusting it at Eugeo. The sword was slender yet glazed in a dignified radiance characteristic of sharp swords and despite how it should have been maddeningly painful just holding onto the sword with that broken hand, the knight merely showed a bit of severity near his brow.
The silver snake that protected its master of its own will—I couldn't see any other possibilities—contracted as it slithered and returned to being a mute whip once again at the end of my left hand. Apparently, the miracle brought about by that mysterious «release recollection» command had a rather short effect duration.
And so, it was a stalemate once again.
Eldrie sealed my left hand away with the whip. I had half of the chain broken off. And Eugeo had his movement sealed with a sword thrust before him. The initiative seemed to lie with Eldrie who succeeded in drawing his sword, but I dare say that he wouldn't be able to do a strong slash with that hand.
A brief period of silence descended upon a section of the piercing cold rose garden right before the break of dawn.
The first to speak this time was Eldrie yet again.
"...Alice-sama was justified in her request for vigilance. Those attacks had no style or anything of that sort... and that was how you surpassed my predictions. I certainly did not think that I would even have to resort to the secret move of «unlocking those memories»."
"Memories...?"
After repeating that in a soft voice, I finally realized those words were the meaning of the mysterious command earlier.
Release was to unlock and recollection was the word for memories. In other words, a ceremony to unlock the memories of a weapon... I suppose?
A weapon's memories. I felt like I had heard that phrase somewhere recently and thought to search through my own memories. However, Eugeo verbalized several unexpected words with a voice and face filled with admiration for some reason before I could.
"You, too... You're just as I expected, integrity knight-dono."
"Th-This isn't any time or place to get all choked up. ...What did you mean by expected?"
I unintentionally replied with a question even though I meant to retort at those words that made it seem as though he knew this knight from the past.
"I thought I heard that name somewhere ever since the start. I finally recalled a moment ago. You see, Kirito, this person is—the number one representative swordsman of the Norlangarth North Empire this year. And the champion of the Four Empires Unity Tournament, Eldrie Woolsburg!"
"Wha......"
What did you say; I stared at the face of the integrity knight a meter and a half in front of me once again.
Number one representative of the North Empire. So, in other words, he was the champion of the Empire Swordsmanship Tournament held in the last third of the third month this year. The representative from the Imperial Knight Order who defeated Sortiliena-senpai, a representative from the Master Swords Academy, in the first match and Uolo Levanteinn in the second. He was the one who won through the Four Empires Unity Tournament held in the first third of the fourth month with overwhelming sword strength, obtaining the honor of being the strongest swordsman in the Human World this year and invited to the Central Cathedral—or so I heard.
Come to think of it, I didn't even know the name of that hero. Neither television nor radio existed in this world and the internet was completely out of the question, with the only thing that could be labeled as news media being the primeval weekly wall newspaper, so I inadvertently found going to the bulletin board at the main academy building to be troublesome, but it seems Eugeo made it a point to check it out each week.
"Diligent, aren't you..."
I stopped my thoughts, flustered, after whispering that sort of thought out loud unintentionally. If it was as Eugeo said, that the integrity knight before my eyes, Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-one, was the Unity Tournament champion, Eldrie Woolsburg, wouldn't that highlight some peculiarities in his behavior?
I'm sure Eldrie said this a mere few minutes ago. That he was 'summoned into this Human World as an integrity knight a mere one month ago'. I would understand if he said that he was appointed as an integrity knight, but... the way he said it was as though......
"......What, did you say?"
Hearing that sudden, hoarse voice, I returned my vision from my partner on my right, towards the knight in front.
Eldrie—had even more color fade away from his already-pale skin, his purple eyes now ashen and opened extremely wide, as though he received some sort of incredible shock without our notice. The shade of blood in his quivering lips drained out and words were forced out from them.
"I am... the North Empire, representative swordsman...? Eldrie... Woolsburg...?"
Eugeo was surprised with his mouth agape at that unexpected reaction as well, but immediately nodded and continued.
"Ye... yes, that's right. I'm sure that was written in the newspaper last month. A handsome man with purple hair... winning every match in a single round with an extraordinarily elegant swordsmanship style..."
"No... I am... I am, the integrity knight, Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-one! I... don't know anyone of the name, Woolsburg...!"
"B-But..."
Forgetting that we were still in the midst of battle as well, I went for it.
"Still, it's not like you've been an integrity knight ever since you were born. Wasn't that your name before you were appointed as a knight...?"
"I don't know! I... I don't know!!"
Messing up his hair as he shouted, Eldrie's face became increasingly pale, a bizarre light visible in his eyes.
"I... I'd... taken up the invitation from the highest minister, Administrator-sama... summoned to this land from the Celestial World as an integrity knight and..."
His speech stopped thus—
A phenomenon that bewildered Eugeo and me even further had occurred.
A beam of purple light suddenly welled out from the exact center of Eldrie's smooth forehead.
"Gu... uh..."
Strength left Eldrie's right hand as he moaned and I stared at the knight's forehead, even forgetting about snatching away the whip. The shiny object was a small, inverted triangular mark. No, it wasn't simply a symbol. It was gradually rising out from the knight's forehead. The crystal-like, transparent, triangular prism scattered dazzling light as it protruded out centimeter by centimeter.
Fine lines of light ran freely within the triangular prism. When the wedge outside reached as far as five centimeters, the whip and sword finally slipped off Eldrie's two hands onto the stone pavement.
The knight took a step or two back with blank eyes, without even an attempt to look at us, and then kneeled down onto the stone pavement like a puppet with its strings cut. The brilliance of the crystal prism from his forehead heightened further and I could even hear a mysterious chiming sound.
It was time to take action. —That's what I thought, but I couldn't make an immediate decision on what exactly it was that I should be doing.
It would be easy to attack. If I were to pick the knight's sword from the ground and slash at his unarmored neck, not only could I render him powerless, I could take his life away.
It was also possible to flee as fast as we could. In the worst case scenario, if it were to serve as an impetus for the knight's consciousness to return, I expect he would go on the offensive for real this time round. Surprise attacks wouldn't work anymore in that situation and we might be the ones to lose all of our Lives.
Lastly, there was also the choice to watch over the outcome as we were doing now, though that would be the most risky.
This phenomenon happening before our very eyes was unmistakably related to the core of the secrets to integrity knights... and thus, the Axiom Church. Why did Alice lose her memories and obtain a different personality? The meaning behind the word, summon, that Eldrie used? If we were to watch this phenomenon to the end with our own eyes, we might find out the explanations behind those riddles.
At any rate, Eugeo wouldn't agree with slashing at Eldrie while he couldn't resist. And even if we were to run, it was no simple matter to escape this rose garden maze.
In that case, let's continue watching while maintaining our vigilance. Concluding so, I crept up to the kneeling knight, before that happened.
Just when I thought the light from the shining triangular prism that protruded a whole five centimeters from his forehead would fade away as it flickered, it reversed and started to sink back into his forehead.
"Ugh..."
I instinctively bit my lips. After all, I was anticipating that something would definitely happen when the triangular prism was entirely drawn out.
"Eldrie! Eldrie Woolsburg!"
When I shouted out, the crystal paused for a single moment, but immediately began moving once more. His previous name was not enough to bring this phenomenon to its conclusion. A more decisive «memory» was necessary.
I turned towards my partner with his eyes open wide at my side and shouted in a subdued voice with that hunch in mind.
"Eugeo, don't you have anything else on Eldrie!? Anything's fine, make this guy recall more of his memories!"
"E-Erm..."
He made a rigid frown for a moment, but Eugeo immediately nodded.
"Eldrie! You're the son of the Imperial Knight Order's general, Eschdol Woolsburg! Your mother's name was... let's see... Almera, yes, her name was Almera!"
"......"
The blank-faced integrity knight's lips slightly quivered in that instant.
"Al... me... ra......"
A frail voice escaped from him while the light from the triangular prism grew in intensity. However, what shocked me further were the large drops of tears, silently overflowing from the knight's widely opened eyes. And that exceedingly weak voice came once again.
"......Mo... the...... er......"
"That's right... remember, all of it!"
I tried to take another step closer as I shouted.
However, I could not. Don! That heavy impact made the ground tremble and I pitched forward.
I was only conscious of the pain, intense enough to blind my eyes, after I looked down and noticed a single arrow pierced deeply into my right foot.
"Guah!"
Unable to withstand it, I blurted out a short scream. Grabbing hold of the bronze-colored arrow with both hands while gasping and pulling with all my might, I almost lost consciousness while assailed by a pain several times that of earlier, but held it down with my teeth clenched.
"Kirito! A-Are you..."
I grasped the chain that hung from Eugeo's right arm without hearing those words to the end and then pulled it with all my strength.
Whoosh, don! Those noises rang out and two arrows pierced through the place Eugeo was a moment ago. I looked up at the sky while jumping aside even further with the chain still in my hand.
I saw a single flying dragon slowly circling about against the backdrop of the starry sky, with signs of the dawn approaching without us having noticed. I could somehow discern a human figure sitting atop the saddle on its back if I were to concentrate. There was no mistake that it was an integrity knight—but that was astoundingly precise shooting, seeing as the other party was targeting us with a bow while riding a flying dragon, not to mention the distance.
Without even allowing me the time to consider that, the saddled knight drew a gigantic bow. I frantically kicked off the ground with my injured right foot. Two arrows pierced into the stone pavement in front of my eyes without a moment's delay.
"Th-This is bad."
I spluttered while grasping Eugeo's chain. It was the first time I was under attack by bow and arrow in this world. Even the Walking Tactics Manual, Sortiliena-senpai, only went to the extent of using throwing knives as a projectile weapon, so I figured that long range attacks didn't suit the nature of swordsmen in the Underworld, but it appeared that anything goes for integrity knights.
I couldn't quite take my eyes off the flying dragon, so I sketched out the surroundings in my mind, but there wasn't a single place that could shelter both of our bodies. Even if we were to dive into the rose thicket twining about the bronze fences, we probably wouldn't be able to hide ourselves entirely. Aside from that, there was only—
"No choice but to run! Run if you can dodge the next arrow!"
Whispering so after turning to Eugeo, my entire body tensed up in preparation for the arrow.
However, the new integrity knight ceased fire for the time being and the flying dragon began to circle as it descended. A booming voice ran through the fountain plaza several seconds later.
"Criminals, keep your distance from Integrity Knight Thirty-one!"
Upon taking a glimpse at Eldrie instinctively, the triangular prism that almost fell out from him after all our trouble was returning into his forehead.
"I can spare you forgiveness no longer, for your deplorable attempts at soliciting a venerable integrity knight into depravity! I will shoot through your four limbs and send you back into jail!"
A faint beam of dawn light shone in from the east at that time, illuminating the flying dragon in the sky. The straddling integrity knight was entirely covered in silver, heavy armor, much like Eldrie's, and carrying a gigantic longbow of red steel in the left hand. That was likely a sacred tool just like the «Frost Scale Whip». We would only know whether that formidable precise shooting was due to the «full control art» or a display of the knight's true ability from now on.
The hulking knight spoke no more and nocked four arrows onto the red bow at the same time.
"Ru... run!"
It was no longer possible to dodge the shots after confirming them via sight with only this much distance. I dashed with all my might while holding onto Eugeo's chain. I could feel an intense pain from the injuries on my chest and right foot with each step, but I couldn't simply stop there. Eugeo followed behind with his audible, frantic breathing.
I did think about fleeing back to the underground jail we were first in, but even if we could avoid the shots that way, it was no solution to the problem at hand. I ran towards the gate south of the plaza, knowing it would be the end if we collided into a dead-end within the maze.
Before we could take much more than a few steps, multiple loud thuds repeatedly rang out from behind.
"Uowaah!"
Without being sure whether my howl was a scream or a war cry, I placed my entire focus into running. Although the fences that stood at both sides of the passage hid us depending on the angle, we couldn't help but show ourselves at crossroads and such and several arrows would immediately flood into our surroundings.
"How many arrows does that knight have!"
Shouting out in irritation and confusion, Eugeo who ran behind dependably answered.
"It went over thirty after the one earlier, that's amazing!"
"This isn't some half-baked MMO... sorry, ignore that!"
It seemed I had lost my sense of direction. But I could feel a pull near my forelocks whenever we approached a junction for some reason, so I turned right or left according to that while continuing sprinting with all I got. It looked like we had somehow maintained a constant distance from the flying dragon for now, but there was nothing more we could do if we ran into a dead-end even once—
It had nothing to do with the negative thoughts and such that ran through my mind, but as I turned to the left at the nth fork, the effect of the mysterious divine protection finally wore out. The road ended as a heartless dead-end ten meters ahead.
Now that it came to this, there was no other way than to break through the metal fence with the chain on my right hand, reduced to half of its length after it broke, but its priority was close to that of the chain as I had checked earlier. The chance of it breaking with a single hit was exceedingly low.
However, there was already no other choice. Gathering my resolve, I was about to leave it all to fate and swing my right hand when it happened.

"Oi, scoot hither!"

Hearing that voice that came from nowhere, I collapsed as my stream of thoughts ceased in that instant. After all, in contrast to the manner of speech characteristic of the elderly in using 'scoot hither', the voice was clearly that of a young girl.
When I ran my sight through my surroundings while decelerating, I saw an unnoticed door in the right side of the fence in front. The one who beckoned with her hand from there while her face peeked through was someone who could be described as nothing but a girl of around ten years old as expected, wearing a large black hat.
The small, round spectacles on her nose glittered in the light and the girl vanished through other side of the door. I was momentarily at a loss whether it was a trap or not. But a whole bunch of my forelocks were pulled forward with much strength at that time. As if it was scolding me, 'What are you doing, hurry up and get in!'.
Eugeo and I plunged into the darkness beyond the door in a feverish daze.



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