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Sword Art Online - Volume 16 - Chapter 19.6




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Chapter 19.6
— Have you ever had a premonition of death?
Suddenly, a distinctive sound penetrated the ears of Bercouli Synthesis One, and his eyes snapped open.
The rays of dawn, tinged an unknown color, began to slowly permeate the dark tent. The air was cold as ice, and his exhaled breath held traces of white.
He knew that it was currently 4:20 AM. Bercouli, whose consciousness was one with the Divine Instrument «Time Piercing Sword», which had once been the hour hand of a giant clock face, was exceptionally keen at determining the time. In ten minutes, he would need to relay an order to the messenger guards to blow the horns and wake everyone up.
Reaching behind his head with thick fingers, the aged Knight could hear the words that had broken into his dreams.
Have you ever had a premonition of death?
The one who had asked him was his only superior, the Highest Minister Administrator.
He had already forgotten the nature of this memory. One hundred years ago? Or was it one hundred and fifty years ago? In the past, to prevent his soul from breaking down, memories deemed unnecessary had been deleted from his mind. Bercouli could not properly chronologically organize memories long past.
Yet that scene still remains so clear.
Maybe she was growing tired of those infinitely repeating days — although they were of her own desire to begin with — Administrator would occasionally call the man whose age was second only to her, Bercouli, to her bedroom for drinks together.
The silver-haired ruler reclined on a deep red couch, wearing only a thin silk scarf. She had asked that particular question as she lazily played with her wineglass.
He sat straight on the floor and crossed his legs. After taking a bite of cheese that accompanied the wine, Bercouli moved his chin and twisted his neck.
He was accustomed to the ruler’s repetitive antics; Bercouli was not looking to please her, but only saying what he wanted to say.
— A premonition of death. When I was still a young brat and was defeated by a Dark Knight from the previous generation or the generation before that, it felt pretty bad.
So the Highest Minister giggled with her hand over her mouth, gently swirling her crystal chalice.
— But didn’t you take his head off anyway? I recall that you seemed to transform it into a gemstone and placed it over there. You shouldn’t have premonitions any longer.
— Yeah, I couldn’t remember. But why do you think that way? Your Excellency shouldn’t be associated with this type of feeling.
At this question, the ancient young girl shifted her body and crossed her long legs, smiling coyly.
— Oh dear, you don’t understand it at all, Bercouli. Every day… I have this feeling every day. Whenever I wake up… No, in my dreams as well. Because I have not ruled over everything yet. There are still enemies alive. And, maybe at a certain time in the future, new enemies will be created.
— Really, being the Highest Minister is a pretty stressful job.
One hundred years after that conversation, far away from the Human Empire in the corner of a Dark Territory forest, Bercouli grinned fearlessly.
— Now, I finally understand your words.
The so-called premonition of death was just another side of one’s lethal pursuits of danger.
A strong enemy that realizes the end of everything, searching for a proper death, unable to resist no matter how much it kicks or screams… You’ve been seeking it out, after all.
Just like me right now.
Just like me, who can clearly feel death knocking on my door right now…
After Administrator’s death, Knight Commander Bercouli, who had become the longest-living human in the world, threw back his covers and donned a white shirt on his muscular body. He tied on his belt, laced his shoes, and stowed his beloved sword on his waist.
Walking out into the cool morning air, Bercouli started towards the messenger guards’ tent to relay the wake-up call.
***
Almost exactly at the same moment.
Near the Dark Territory military camp two kilol to the north, against the slowly arriving dawn peeking up from the horizon, ten dragons took off into the air.
In the fists of the Dark Knights on their backs were grasped bundles of thick straw rope. One end of each was tied to wooden stakes driven into the ground on the edge of the great canyon.
As the stretched ropes whistled in the wind, the dragons flew across the nearly hundred-mel wide valley and arrived at the southern edge. The Knights that dismounted were not wielding swords, but hefting great hammers. They began to pound new stakes into the ground with some unfamiliarity.
Emperor Vector’s new orders were —
The Fist Fighters’ Guild and Dark Knight Order were to cross the the valley on those ten ropes.
The enemy would naturally interfere by attacking, but they must cross regardless.
Those who fall should not be saved.
Food and other supplies need not be transferred over.
In other words, they were to sacrifice a great many people in a ruthless fight to the death, with no provisions. Fist Fighter Guild Chief Iskahn and ex-Dark Knight Commander Shasta’s young successor both clenched their teeth in fury.
But they had not the option to disobey the Emperor, their ultimate ruler.
They had hoped at least to cross the valley before the enemy noticed them — yet the generals’ wishes were dashed when Human Empire cavalry scouts on night watch sighted the Dark Territory army from a faraway hill, then turned their horses towards the knoll one kilol south.
***
With her mouth closed, Asuna chewed the stiff roasted bread with cheese, smoked meat and dried fruit, thinking while still bleary-eyed from sleep.
… Since the time’s been accelerated by a thousand, I can eat a thousand meals in the time that the people in the real world take to eat their meal. That won’t make me fat, will it…
Stealing a glance ahead of her, she saw Integrity Knight Alice and Guard Chief Sortiliena nibbling on their sandwiches, their eyes also clouded with sleep. Although it was through the fabric of their gowns, she could make out their even bodies, without a trace of flabbiness.
Was there anything like lifestyle-related diseases in this world? Or were body types decided by parameters granted and set at birth? Or — were appearances merely reflections of one’s mentality?
Beside them, Ronye was tearing the sandwiches into bite-sized pieces and feeding them to a half-awake Kirito. According to Alice, his life had been preserved through feeding, but it always seemed to her that Kirito’s body was getting thinner every day.
Just as if he wanted to disappear from this world himself.
“… Kirito-senpai looks a little better this morning.”
Ronye suddenly murmured, as though she had read Asuna’s thoughts.
“And he’s eating, too.”
“Could it be the effect of four pretty girls sleeping beside him?”
Asuna could not help but smile complicatedly at Alice’s quip.
Last night had eventually become a situation in which all four of them had lay down beside Kirito and chatted deep into the night. The four of them each shared their memories together with Kirito, but they had far too little time, and eventually surrendered to the demon of sleep.
What felt like an instant later, the call of the horn awoke them. Then, they dug into breakfast that Ronye brought over like they were now, as Asuna thought about her lover.
— Kirito-kun doesn’t change wherever he is. He’s that kind to everyone, which causes him too much of a burden, hurting himself in the process.
— But this has to be one step too far. Actually putting a whole world on his shoulders alone. You needed to rely more on me and other people. Because everyone likes you very much.
— Of course, I like you the most.
Asuna felt her heart fill with determination once more. When Kirito awoke, she would tell him with a smile: Don’t worry, everything’s been taken care of. What you wanted to protect, I and everyone else have protected.
Asuna’s will seemed to infect the other three around her. Alice, Ronye and Sortiliena looked towards her with gazes now fully awake, and nodded forcefully.
Then, the horn that announced an enemy attack rang throughout the camp with an urgent rhythm.
With bread dangling from her mouth, Alice raced to her tent, slipped into her armor, grabbed the Fragrant Olive Sword and sprinted back out.
After meeting up with Asuna, who was also prepared for battle, she said to Ronye and Tiese, “Please take care of Kirito”, and left for the north side of the camp.
At the boundary of the dark forest, she saw the silhouette of Bercouli with his sword. After receiving the cavalry scouts’ report, the Knight Commander watched as Alice, Asuna, and, after a few seconds, Renri and Sheyta arrived, then grunted with a serious expression:
“So it seems that the enemy — the Real World guys really have tricks up their sleeve. Seems like Emperor Vector is pretty merciless.”
What he said next even made Alice bite her lip.
A forceful cross of a hundred-mel valley merely by thick ropes. If you fall, you die. A task impossible without steely physical and mental fortitude. To be able to use such a strategy, Vector must not care for the details — or rather, he views the lives of his soldiers as mere wastepaper.
In that case, even if one third of the enemy perished at the bridge, their main forces were still nearly seven thousand strong. One thousand Human Empire troops taking them head-on had no hope of victory.
Their original strategy of attacking with arts while concealed in the forest was now impossible in the light of day.
Should they retreat further south and wait for another opportunity to ambush?
Knight Commander Bercouli’s words interrupted Alice’s confusion.
“This is war.”
The ancient hero muttered softly. Bulges of muscle visible on his thick neck, he continued:
“Putting aside the outsider Asuna-san, this isn’t the time to sympathize with the Dark Territory. If we wanna live we have to take this opportunity.”
“Opportunity… you said?”
At Alice’s surprised, parroted question, Bercouli replied with a glint in his eye.
“Yes. … Knight Renri.”
His name suddenly being called, the young Integrity Knight immediately straightened his back.
“Y… Yes.”
“What’s the furthest range of your Divine Instruments the «Twin Winged Blades»?”
“Yes. Normally thirty mel, but under Recollection Release, about seventy, no, a hundred mel.”
“Very good. Then… now we four Knights will storm the main enemy force in the valley. Alice and I will lead, with Sheyta focusing on protecting Renri. Renri will use his Divine Instruments to sever the enemy’s ropes at one end.”
Alice quietly gasped.
So — the enemy would definitely protect their crossing ropes with their lives.
Even if they blocked the opening with a human shield, the throwing knives would curve in their flight, sail above their heads and directly attack the ropes. As Bercouli said, this was a merciless strategy.
But the young Knight only fifteen years of age slammed his right hand to the left side of his chest, face filled with firm resolve.
“Yes, sir!”
Then, The Silent Sheyta said in a low voice:
“Leave it to me. I will… protect him.”
Afterwards, Asuna, who had been purposefully left out by Bercouli, stepped forward.

“I’m coming too. The more defenders, the better.”
Alice closed her eyes for a moment, then said to herself softly:
As the situation stands now — I, who burned ten thousand Demihuman troops to death with a gigantic art and murdered two thousand Dark Sorceresses with the Armament Full Control Art, am no longer qualified to seek an honorable fight.
Now, I can only draw my sword, and kill the enemy.
“— Let’s hurry.”
Nodding to all four, Alice looked towards the knoll to the north. The black ridgeline was already tinged with the deep red glow of dawn.
***
Hurry up!
Hurry, hurry!
Clenching both his fists, Fist Fighters’ Guild Chief Iskahn shouted silently for the umpteenth time.
On top of the ten thick ropes stretched across the yawning valley, the Fist Fighters and Dark Knights divided themselves up and began to cross, one by one.
They had attempted to curl their hands and feet around the ropes and inch across while hanging upside down, but the soldiers, having never experienced any kind of training in that area, moved extremely clumsily. If they had been allocated time to make and distribute safety harnesses for everyone, that would have been beneficial, but the Emperor had given no such quarter.
Furthermore, Iskahn’s request to be the first to cross had been instantly rejected. It appeared to be an explanation for last night’s expansion of orders, punishment for taking only a small number of his subordinates to engage the enemy. You all must follow my orders alone. The Emperor’s ice-cold voice resounded in his ears.
Before Iskahn, who was gritting his teeth and staring straight ahead, the frontmost subordinate finally reached the middle of the rope bridge.
He could see from this distance the copper red skin radiating heat in the cold morning air, droplets of sweat reflecting light. What an arduous task.
Just then.
A strong gust of wind blew through the valley.
Pyoooo! The ropes creaked in protest and began to shake left and right.
“AH…!”
Iskahn yelled, in spite of himself. A handful of tribal soldiers, their palms dripping with sweat, slipped off the rope and plunged downwards.
Beastlike roars shook the valley. The young Chief clenched his teeth. Those were not screams of terror. Those were bellows of remorseful deaths, unable to be afforded an honorable end on the battlefield, forced to play acrobatics.
After the wind passed by, a two-figure number of Fist Fighters and Dark Knights had fallen into the unending darkness of the valley.
But the soldiers behind bravely continued crossing. Every three mel a new soldier would grasp the rope.
More gusts of wind occasionally, unforgivingly taking lives with them every time. Without him noticing, Iskahn’s clenched fists began flaring red.
— Deaths in vain.
No, not even that. They didn’t even leave bodies to bury.
And the goal this time was not the wish of the five races of the Land of Darkness; it was merely the Emperor’s desire for a woman called the «Radiant Medium». He didn’t know how to apologize to the tribesmen like this.
— Faster, faster. Everyone get across, before someone gets in the way again.
Whether the young Chief’s wishes had reached him, or whether they had merely grown accustomed to his actions, the one in front increased his speed and finally arrived at the other side. After about five seconds, a second one stepped onto firm ground.
At this rate, it would optimistically take more than an hour for ten thousand soldiers to cross the valley on ten rope bridges. In this long period of time, the enemy had no way of not discovering them here.
But now he could only pray for their lucky one-in-ten-thousand chance.
The sun rose in the eastern sky at a frightening speed, throwing reddish light onto the black ground.
In contrast, the number of soldiers who had gotten across only increased at an infuriatingly slow pace. More and more fell into the valley, increasing from fifty to a hundred, two hundred, and just as that number hit three hundred.
At the black horizon line in the red sky, five silhouettes on horseback appeared.
At this distance, even Iskahn with his superhuman vision was unable to discern the features of the horseback enemies.
— Only five of them… Scouts? Then there’s still time before the enemy adjusts their movements.
That judgment, or rather, hope, was instantly shattered.
The five Knights suddenly charged straight towards the valley with alarming speed. Billowing white cloaks, multi-colored shining armor, and what stood out the most to Iskahn, who was unable to deny what he saw radiating from all five of them, thick, powerful fighting intent rising from them like steam.
— Integrity Knights! And five of them!!
“Enemy attack!! Defend!! Protect the ropes at all costs!!”
Iskahn yelled, not knowing whether his voice could even reach the other side at this distance.
Seemingly hearing the order, half of the three hundred or so soldiers who had successfully crossed the valley surrounded the wooden stakes bound with rope, forming a circular arrangement. The rest prepared to repel the attack.
The enemy Knights that flew across nearly a thousand mel of wilderness from the hills to the valley leapt off their horses simultaneously, grouped together, and lunged towards the ropes on the right side.
Leading them was a hulking man in loose white clothing. To his right was a female Knight with shining golden hair and armor. To his left was a female Knight with whom Iskahn had fought against last night, named Sheyta.
Surrounded by the three of them was a shortish Knight, and behind him seemed to be another, but he could not see exactly.
Sweat flying from their naked bodies, tens of Fist Fighters sprinted towards them.
“URAAAA — !!”
With powerful screams, fists and feet flew towards the Knights.
Flash, flash flash. Numerous, instantaneous flashes of light.
Showers of blood plunged into the sky like a reverse waterfall. The hands, feet and heads of the warriors were easily sliced from their bodies.
Then.
Silver light that shined in its path flew high into the air from behind the three Knights.
It drew a curved path above the Fist Fighters’ heads in the red sunrise — flying straight towards the rightmost thick rope with a great number of soldiers still fallen on top of it —
“NOOOOO — !!”
Iskahn’s keen ears, undisturbed by his own scream of despair, detected the bzzp of a soft cutting sound.
The rope snapped back, dancing in the air like a great snake.
Tens of warriors were instantly thrown off and plunged below.
As this scene burned into his wide eyes, Iskahn felt words tumble from his numb mouth:
“Is this… war? Can you call this war?”
Behind him, his aide Dampe was at a complete loss for words.
Forced to play acrobatics, his fellow tribesmen who were unable to even stand in front of the enemy, devoured by a crack in the ground, had definitely not endured their grueling training to meet such an end.
How were they to explain this to their aged parents and sons and daughters back in their homeland?
They had not died honorably in battle — but disappeared into the ground without a wound on their bodies. How was he to say such a thing?
Frozen to the spot, Iskahn’s ears rang with the regretful shrieks of his fighters.
I will avenge you all. So please forgive me. Forgive me.
Even as he murmured in his heart, Iskahn was unable to immediately point the finger at who he should accuse.
Facing an enemy several times more than them, the enemy Integrity Knights were already giving it their all. Pleading with them to stop until the last person crossed the valley was impossible. On the contrary, their boldness to seize the opportunity and send only five people to attack was impressive.
Then who?
Who should pay for the senseless deaths of the warriors?
Their commander, who can only clench his fists and stand still like a fool?
Or —
Suddenly, excruciating pain that shot across his right eye made Iskahn grit his teeth. Blood-red light wobbled his vision. Yet before him, two more ropes split apart, dancing in the air.
***
In an instant, three of the ten rope bridges were severed. Gabriel Miller watched from behind his own troops, his cheek propped on his hand.
As expected, in terms of AI, the Human Empire Units excelled a bit more. No, just from situation control, he could see a great disparity between them. Including last night’s first battle, the Dark Territory army had the tables turned on them in an instant, and suffered painful counterattacks.
No matter how he thought about it, it did not seem like a simulation game in which he fought against the CPU.
The results of this game involved Gabriel losing more than 70 percent of his own Units. But he did not feel a sliver of impatience.
Even as he watched hundreds of main force Units get eliminated, he was merely waiting. Waiting for «that moment».
At this time, Critter, in control of the Ocean Turtle main control room, had successfully decreased the FLA rate to 1:1, an action that synchronized their time with that of the real world. They had spent that much time doing so in order to minimize the impact of decreasing the rate and to prevent the RATH worker who had logged into the Underworld from noticing.
At the same time, via satellite network, he had released a URL onto a large-scale video game social media website in the United States. The link pointed to a certain publicity website that Critter had quickly set up.
On the website, a sensational font accompanied with blood splatter special effects declared the following:
An all new VRMMO is now open for a limited-time closed beta.
The world’s first killing-only PvP game is born.
Fully human avatars. No levels, no ethical limits.
Users who saw these fiery words marveled at the sheer audacity of the development company, yet rejoiced beyond belief.
As of now — July 2026, as part of a counterterrorism initiative, American VRMMOs had suffered legal limitations. Even for independent games developed through use of The Seed software package, if it had not been reviewed by industry rating boards and had a Code of Ethics applied to it, running its servers would be prohibitively difficult.
Therefore, activities of cruelty were strictly limited; if one insisted on adding «dismemberment» content, the characters must be set to insectoid figures, like «Insect Site» 3 . These restrictions, worse than that of Japan, the birthplace of VRMMOs, frustrated players all over the US. Yet now, a mysterious closed beta announcement has suddenly appeared.
The URL was distributed all over through SNS, and people downloaded, copied, and reuploaded the connection client with frightening speed. In a mere four hours, the number of AmuSpheres connected to the client that Critter had created broke thirty thousand connections.
Gabriel’s greatest plan that he was unwilling to sacrifice valuable real world time for.
That is, handing over the Dark Knight accounts in the Dark Territory to the entire American VRMMO player base, letting them connect to the Underworld to display their own fighting strength.
Not even Kikuoka Seijirou, leader of RATH, or the designer of Underworld Higa Takeru could even dream of such an absurd situation.
But the underlying architecture of Underworld merely utilized The Seed’s standard VRMMO software package. If it were a game world merely expressed through polygons, anyone could log in as long as they possessed an AmuSphere, and could touch Objects — or kill other characters.
And it made no difference whatsoever whether the killed characters were real world people or Underworld people.



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