No one's POV

As Cardinal had warned, the hallway from the doorway was surprisingly short. Before long they arrived at a spacious rectangular room. In the center of the right-hand wall was a surprisingly large staircase leading upward. The ceiling was about eight mels above, so there were a good twenty steps before the stairs stopped at a landing. On the left-hand wall was a set of large double doors surrounded by sculptures of winged beasts.

Zora flung out his hand and pressed against the wall, so Eugeo followed his lead and backed against a nearby pillar. They held their breath and listened intently for any presence in the dim chamber. If the former pontifex was correct, those doors on the left would lead to the armory. For being so important, however, the chamber was silent and appeared empty. Even the light of Solus coming down from the stairs on the right seemed chilly and gray.

Eugeo: Looks like there's no one here...

Zora: It's an armory, so you'd figure there would at least be a soldier or two on guard...but I guess nobody's going to sneak into the Axiom Church to steal weapons, anyway...

Eugeo: Still, they know we're here, right? They don't seem too concerned.

Zora: They probably aren't. They figure they don't need to bother searching around for us. So the next time we run across an Integrity Knight, it'll either be a whole bunch of them or a really tough individual. Let's make the most of our leeway, then...

Zora darted out from the shadow of the wall, and Eugeo followed him across the empty room. The doors of the armory, carved with reliefs of the goddesses Solus and Terraria, were so imposing and stately that even without a keyhole, it almost seemed to suggest that they would not open to anyone who wasn't pure of faith. Zora put an ear to one of the doors and yanked on the handles. They opened with almost disappointing ease—there wasn't even the squeak of a hinge.

The dark space beyond the fifty-cen opening exuded the chill of centuries of silence. Eugeo shivered, then had to hurry to squeeze through after Zora entered without a care. The doors swung heavily shut behind them, leaving them in perfect darkness.

Zora: System Call... Generate Luminous Element.

A source of pure white light appeared above his palm, driving away the thick darkness and Eugeo's wistful recollection along with it.

Zora: Whoa...

Eugeo: Amazing... these are all weapons?

The word armory had called to mind a space like the supply closet at the academy, but nothing could be further from the truth here. It was at least as big as the great training hall where Zora had sparred with Volo Levantein. The light element danced upward from Eugeo's palm, reflecting off all the polished stone walls—and more importantly, off shining metal of every variety and color.

The floor was packed with wooden stands for full sets of armor. Black armor, white armor, bronze, silver, gold—a blinding array of shades, as well as shapes, from light chain and boiled leather to seamless slabs of heavy plate. There had to be at least five hundred sets in the room.

And hanging all over the high walls was an assortment of what appeared to be every conceivable weapon. Even with swords alone, there were long and short ones, thick and slender, straight and curved. There were single-and double-bladed axes, spears, lances, war hammers, whips, bludgeons, and bows—every possible variation of weaponry in uncountable numbers, stretching from floor to ceiling. Eugeo's mouth dropped open and hung there.

Zora: If Sortiliena-senpai ever saw this place, she might just pass out.

Eugeo: Yeah...I think Golgorosso-senpai would have leaped onto that greatsword there and never let go.

Eugeo muttered, letting out his breath at last. He looked around the room again and shook his head a few times.

Zora: Let's go. We have to find our swords.

Both Zora and Eugeo started searching around for their sword until they found it near the backside of the room.

Eugeo: There they are.

Indeed, there was a white and black pair of swords in that direction, undeniably the ones belonging to them. Then Eugeo exhaled, relaxed, and walked over to grab the black leather scabbard. He paused for the briefest of moments, then lifted it off the display holder. He grabbed the Blue Rose Sword with his other hand and tossed it over. Eugeo hastily reached out to catch it and felt a familiar weight on his wrists.

He'd been separated from his blade for less than two days, but even he was surprised at the sudden surge of sentiment and relief as he clutched the sheath in both hands.

Ever since they felled the Gigas Cedar in his hometown, the Blue Rose Sword had been at his side. It had helped him through several great challenges, from the tournament in Zakkaria to the entrance duel at Swordcraft Academy, and even when he broke the Taboo Index to cut off Humbert's arm.

If the Axiom Church had been stockpiling powerful weapons for years and years, then it was nothing short of miraculous good luck that the Blue Rose Sword had been sleeping undisturbed in that cave for centuries. It was fate—proof that their route to taking Alice back was correct...

Zora:  How long are you going to stand there in awe?

Eugeo: Sorry. I couldn't help it.

Zora chided him. Eugeo came back to his senses and saw that his partner had already fastened his sheath to his sword belt. He smiled awkwardly and did the same, then patted the hilt with satisfaction.

Eugeo: Hey Zora. Do you think the Church is planning to build its own army someday? The Integrity Knights alone should be enough.

Zora: Hmm...To fight the forces of darkness? No, not quite. It's the opposite. They're not creating an army...they've collected all these weapons to keep one from being created. I bet all these things are Divine Objects, or the next best thing to them. Administrator must have been worried about any other group getting these powerful weapons, so she gathered them all here to keep that strength out of the hands of others...

Eugeo: Huh...? What does that mean? No group would ever fight back against the Axiom Church, even if they did have powerful weapons.

Zora: Maybe it means that the one with the least faith in the Church's power is the pontifex herself.

Zora said drily. Eugeo didn't understand that at first, and his partner patted him on the back before he could figure it out.

Zora: Come on, we don't have time. Let's get out of here.

Eugeo: Uh, yeah. You're right. What do you think, Zora? Should we borrow some armor, too?

Zora: No, we've never worn armor before. It's better not to try something you're not used to. Let's just take some clothes from over there.

Zora pointed to the end of the line of armor, where a variety of colorful outfits waited. Eugeo looked down at his own school uniform, which was dirty and torn from two days' use, the battle against Eldrie, and the frantic escape afterward.

Eugeo: You're right. Pretty soon these will be more tatters than clothes.

The two light elements overhead were starting to dim. Eugeo abandoned his hope for armor and pored through the expensive-looking fabrics until he found shirts and pants that seemed the right size for them. They turned their backs for privacy and got to changing.

Eugeo ran his arms through the ultramarine shirt, which was very similar in tone to his school uniform, and marveled at the smoothness of its texture. He turned around and found that Zora was reacting in a similar way, running his hands over the dark blue and white fabric.

Zora: I bet these clothes have some kind of special origin, too. Let's hope they can help stop the Integrity Knights' attacks.

Eugeo: Don't get your hopes up too high.

Eugeo chuckled, then got serious.

Eugeo: So...shall we go?

Zora: Yeah...let's do it.

They returned to the entrance. Everything so far had been going so easily, it almost felt wrong—but that wouldn't last long. They shared a moment of knowing determination—ready for anything that might come—as they each took a door handle, Eugeo on the right and Zora on the left. They pulled gently, just barely opening it a crack, when— A number of metal arrows thudded into the outer surface of the thick doors.

Eugeo: Whoa!

Zora: What the—?

The force of the impact knocked the doors farther inward, sending both Eugeo and Zora tumbling to the floor. Standing on the landing at the top of the great staircase on the other side of that rectangular entrance hall was a knight wearing familiar red armor, notching fresh arrows—four at once, in fact—to a longbow as tall as he was. It was the Integrity Knight who had chased them around the rose garden on the dragon.

The range between both was about thirty mels. It was way too far for a sword to reach but close enough for a master archer to strike with perfect accuracy. They wouldn't have time to pull their swords free, much less recover from their fall and scramble to safety behind the walls.

Eugeo(mind): This is why I wanted the armor! We could have had shields!

Eugeo protested to no one but himself, right as the knight began to draw back the string. Forget about escaping harm. They had to focus on avoiding a fatal blow, or at least a debilitating one. Eugeo stared hard at the line of four arrows. The dull silver tips seemed trained not on their hearts but their legs. As Cardinal suggested, the knights appeared to be ordered to take them alive, not dead.

But from their perspective, the two things might as well have been the same. The Integrity Knight's bowstring creaked. A moment of silence, in which everything short of time itself stopped. Then Zora's voice ripped through it.

Zora: Burst Element!

It was so quick that Eugeo didn't actually pick up what his partner said at the time. It only clicked for him once he saw the result.

Instantly, his entire vision went white. Powerful light, like the descent of Solus itself, filled the room. It was a simple spell that released light, one of the elements that made up the building blocks of elemental sacred arts, but Zora had never actually made the chant to produce the element in the first place. So where did it...?

Oh. It had been there all along—the light elements they created to illuminate the armory many minutes ago. Ever since, they had been floating around, waiting for the command input that would utilize them. Zora simply gave that command to the elements overhead, producing a sudden burst of light.

Eugeo(mind): Between this and the way he threw the shattered piece of glass in the fight against Eldrie, he's always had a knack for making use of whatever's nearby.

Eugeo willed strength into his legs and leaped to the right. Half a second later, he heard the unpleasant sound of metal arrows gouging stone coming from the spot where he'd just been. He was going to continue moving to the safety of the wall, but then he heard Zora shouted.

Zora: Forward!

Instantly, he understood the intention and launched himself: not diagonal, but directly forward. The light elements had burst behind their heads, meaning that they hadn't seen the actual source of light directly, but the Integrity Knight most certainly had. They would have a few seconds with an opponent who couldn't see.

As the pinnacle of sword and sacred arts ability, an Integrity Knight would naturally be aware of this basic knowledge, so they couldn't count on the light-based blindness trick to work twice. This was their first and only chance to close the distance on the ranged fighter.

Over and over, Zora had told Eugeo that quick adaptation and smart action formed the core of the Aincrad style. It was the opposite way of thinking from the High-Norkia style, which emphasized grace and stylistic movement. And in order to keep your head about you and apply the teachings of the Aincrad style, it was essential to keep its secret motto in mind: "Stay cool."

Eugeo pelted after his partner as best he could, drawing the Blue Rose Sword from his left side as he went. Immediately afterward, the light element was spent, and proper color returned to the world. They were out of the armory and into the antechamber. Twenty steps up the staircase on the other side of the room, they saw the Integrity Knight still standing in place.

As expected, he continued to appear partially blinded. He had his hand up to the visor of his dark-red helm, his upper half swaying. Fortunately for them, unlike Eldrie, this knight did not have a sword at his side. Going into battle indoors with only a longbow was a bold, confident move. He seemed to believe that he could still hit their legs with perfect accuracy as they approached but Zora immediately deflect the arrow with one horizontal swing.

???: Such absurd antics.

Even with his mind cold and clear, Eugeo couldn't deny that there was a little flicker of anger in his head.

Eugeo(mind): Sir Knight, you're just like Raios—proud, haughty, and perfectly assured of your own righteousness. You believe it makes you impervious. But that will be your undoing. I'm going to make sure you realize that!!

He charged up the great staircase, propelled by this rather unfamiliar emotion. One step, two steps, and on the third— The knight removed his hand from his helmet visor and swung it behind his back, then pulled out more metal bolts from his quiver. All of them at once, in fact.

When he brought it back around, there were at least thirty arrows clutched in his hand. Before Eugeo could even wonder what he was going to do with that many, the knight arrayed the entire bundle along the length of the horizontal bowstring.

Eugeo: Wha...?!

Eugeo gasped and halted, right at the third step of the stairs. It couldn't be possible to shoot thirty arrows from a single bowstring at once and have them fly accurately. He heard the sound of creaking metal. A shiver ran down his spine when he realized it was the sound of the arrows steadily giving way under an immense grip. Zora had stopped to the right of him, unsure of the knight's true intention. Was it a desperate bluff, or was he really going to—? The longbow yanked back all at once, with a louder creaking sound than before.

Zora: Back and to the left!

Zora bellowed. The air twanged and then snapped as the string finally gave out. But the thirty arrows flew in a radial pattern, a fatal silver sheet raining down on their heads from above.

Eugeo pushed so hard he thought his leg would break, hurtling himself to the left and holding his sword along the length of his body like a shield. If the knight's vision had been perfect, they would have easily been pumped full of holes. One arrow struck the Blue Rose Sword and clanged away. Another caught the right hem of Eugeo's trousers, another ripped the skin of his left flank, and yet another grazed his left cheek, taking a few hairs with it.

Once his shoulder slammed onto the floor, Eugeo looked down, gritting his teeth in preparation for what he would see. After he realized he wasn't hurt too badly, he glanced over at Zora, who had gone in the opposite direction.

Eugeo: Zora! You okay?

His black-haired partner looked a little shaken.

Zora: Y-yeah, somehow. I think it actually went between my toes.

Eugeo saw that there was an arrow in the toe of Zora's left shoe, the tip poking through the sole. He exhaled, thankful for his partner's quick reflexes and fantastic luck.

Eugeo: That was a close one...

Eugeo gasped, forcing himself to his feet. Up on the landing, the Integrity Knight seemed at a loss. His quiver was empty, and the string of his bow hung limp and broken. There could be no greater loss for an archer. But this was an Integrity Knight, not someone to underestimate and certainly not one to pity.

Eugeo: Let's go.

Eugeo murmured, taking a step up. But Zora thrust out a hand to stop him, still holding the arrow he'd pulled from his shoe.

Zora: Wait...The knight is casting a sacred art...

Eugeo: Huh?

Eugeo paused to listen. Since they were outside of attack range, they needed to respond to any spell with one of the opposite element. He focused on the voice coming through the knight's metal helmet. The chanting pace was speedy, but thanks to the study they'd done in the library, he could make out the words.

???: System Call.

Yet the art itself was unfamiliar to him. Without hearing the Generate command that would identify the type of element being summoned, there was no way to counteract it effectively.

Zora: Uh-oh, this is bad. It's not an elemental art, it's Perfect Weapon Control!

???: Enhance Armament.

The two ends of the snapped string suddenly lit up with orange flame, accompanied by the soft sound of their ignition. The fire burned through the string in an instant, and when it reached the ends of the longbow, the copper- colored weapon burst into roiling red flame.

Even at the bottom of the staircase, Eugeo had to turn his face away from the skin-searing heat. The fire shooting from the bow wreathed the Integrity Knight himself, making it seem like he was aflame.

This development caught Eugeo by such surprise that he was unsure how to react. Should he assume that even with Perfect Weapon Control, the lack of any arrows was a major loss of power and charge in? Or was using up all his arrows at once a sign that the knight knew he didn't need any more arrows with his bow in this state? Eugeo glanced briefly at his partner to see how he was reacting. Zora was neither pulling back nor charging forward, but staring wide-eyed with a childlike grin on his lips.

Zora: This is amazing...I wonder what that bow was made of originally.

Eugeo: This is no time to be impressed!

Eugeo said, resisting the urge to punch his friend's shoulder. They could choose to use their newly learned Perfect Control to fight back, but their opponent would not wait for them—he would certainly attack before they could complete the long chant. If they were going to use that, they needed to have started it at the same time as he.

Eugeo prepared himself to react when the enemy struck, but the knight decided to pause, transferring his blazing bow to one hand so he could lift his helmet visor with the other. His face was hidden in the shadows cast by the flames, but Eugeo could sense a steely gaze just as sharp as those arrows. The knight's voice was so hard it scarcely seemed human.

???: It's been two years since I was last engulfed by the Conflagration Bow. I see. You criminals do indeed have the skill to contend with with Sir Eldrie Thirty One. But that makes it all the more unforgivable. That instead of fighting as a proper knight should, you resorted to the vile dark arts to lead Thirty one astray!

Zora: D-Dark Art?

Eugeo was equally taken aback, and he shook his head in denial.

Eugeo: Y-You're wrong! We just talked about his life before he became an Integrity Knight!

???: Before he became a Knight? None of us have a past. From the moment we were summoned here from the heavens, we have always been glorious Integrity Knights!

The Crimson Knight belted, voice echoing like steel off the staircase. Eugeo held his breath. Cardinal had told them that the Integrity Knights couldn't access their preknighthood memories. So this red knight had been led to believe that he, too, was summoned from the heavenly realm.

If they could stimulate the memories being blocked by his Piety Module, they could shake this man, too, but that was impossible given that they didn't even know his name. They couldn't stop him in his tracks the same way they did with Eldrie.

Standing amid a sea of airborne sparks from his bow, the knight barked like a bolt of lightning.

???: I've been ordered to capture you alive, so I won't reduce you to cinders. But now that I've unleashed the Conflagration Bow, prepare for at least one of your arms to be burned off. Let us see if you can evade the flames of condemnation and reach me with your flimsy blades!

He held his bow aloft and placed his right hand in the spot where the drawstring should have been. His fingers pinched shut, but there was nothing there. It couldn't mean— Fierce flames ran out in front of the bow, shifting into the shape of an arrow. The burning red projectile gleamed with tremendous power. Eugeo felt his spine stiffen.

Zora: No string, no ammo, no problem.

Eugeo: Any ideas?

Zora: I have to believe that he can't shoot consecutively. I'll find some way to stop that first shot, and then you hack away at him.

Eugeo: Have to believe?

Eugeo(mind): Meaning that if he can shoot those flame arrows one after the other, we're done for. But even if it's just the one, wouldn't that mean it's enough to finish us off without a follow-up? How does Zora plan to defend against it?

Eugeo wondered, but there was no time left for that now.

Eugeo: Got it!

If Zora said he could stop it, he would. This was still far more realistic than when he said he'd chop down the Gigas Cedar. The two readied their swords and showed signs of determination, prompting the Integrity Knight to pull back on his invisible string. The heat licking at Eugeo's cheeks strengthened. The flames from the Conflagration Bow were soaring up to the ceiling over the landing, painting the marble surface black.

Zora's movement was sudden. He charged without a yell, without a grand launching leap, like a leaf caught in a rapid river. One breath later, Eugeo hurried after him. As they climbed, he noticed a faint blue light leaking from his partner's left hand where it loosely held the sword. Eugeo would never mistake the tint of a frost element, which he must have generated while the knight was giving his speech.

Zora: System Call! Generate Cryogenic Element!

By the time they were halfway up the twenty-step staircase, the knight had the bow drawn to its full length. That was when a high-speed stream of commands burst from Zora's mouth.

Zora: Form Element, Shield Shape! Discharge!

He thrust out his left hand, hurling a line of five elements, the maximum that one hand could generate at a time. The blue points formed a line of large round shields, one after the other, that filled the space between Zora and the Integrity Knight. The knight barked yet again.

???: Ludicrous!!

With a roar like the breath from a fire dragon, the arrow—more like a spear—of flame launched itself forward. It took only an instant for the flaming spear to intersect with Zora's ice shield line. The first shield burst easily, the shards instantly evaporating into steam. The second and third erupted before the sound even reached their ears. The fourth shield softened and warped in the middle where the arrow landed, but it still burst. Through the final shield, the flaming lance bore down, filling the entire scene with red.

Throughout it all, Eugeo kept his pace going up the stairs. He couldn't slow down now while his partner maintained that mad dash. As Eugeo watched, teeth gritted, the fiery spear made contact with the fifth shield and finally slowed its ferocious pace just a bit. Sparks shot through the air as the projectile sought to shatter its obstacle of the opposing element.

Eugeo: ?!

Eugeo's eyes bulged. For an instant, it looked like the fiery spear changed shape on the other side of the translucent ice wall. It sprouted a large beak and spread wings, like some great bird of prey... But before he could so much as blink, the final shield cracked and burst.

Blazing heat washed over him, drying the breath from his lungs. The spear of fire, the phoenix, hurtled down on Zora, free of all the barriers at last.

Zora: Yaaaah!!

At last, a fierce shout burst from Zora's throat. He thrust his black sword forward.

Eugeo(mind): Surely he isn't going to try to cut that bird.

Instead, Zora's extended blade traced an unexpected path. Faster than the eye could follow, it spun like a windmill around the axle of his glowing fingers. But the speed of rotation was abnormal. However he was managing to spin his fingers, the blade was moving fast enough to be a blur, as if it, too, was now a translucent shield blocking the way.

The head of the phoenix made contact with the sixth shield. There was a fierce blasting sound, perhaps a roar of fury from the bird—and then the flaming projectile that had pierced five shields of ice was torn into scattering shreds by the spinning blade. More than a little of it landed on Zora, and the pieces caused small explosions where they hit. Eugeo saw his partner's body fly through the air as though struck, and he screamed.

Eugeo: Zoraaaa!!

Even through the shower of sparks and flames, Zora managed to shout back.

Zora: Don't stop, Eugeo!!

His momentary hesitation gone, Eugeo stared ahead. Zora would never halt and give up that one sliver of hope in this situation. He did what he said he would. Now it was Eugeo's turn. He practically flew up the steps, passing the airborne body of his partner to the right. Once he was through the last remnants of floating fire, the landing and the Integrity Knight standing on it were right before him.

Surely the knight wouldn't expect that one could escape his mighty Perfect Weapon Control attack unscathed. His face was still hidden in the helmet, even at this range, but Eugeo thought he sensed surprise. There wasn't enough time for a second projectile. He had no sword, and he had allowed his foe to reach close quarters.

Eugeo(mind): Now you've lost!

Eugeo thought triumphantly, raising the Blue Rose Sword high.

???: Don't insult me, boy!!

Whatever momentary surprise he felt was gone, and pure fighting fury enveloped the heavy reddish armor. He held his left hand high overhead, still clutching the burning longbow, and flame burst around his fist again.

Eugeo: Daaah!!

Eugeo screamed, hurtling his fist forward through the burning air.

Eugeo(mind): What now?!

Eugeo was already in slicing range, but a series of calculations spun through his head at the speed of light. It was fist versus sword, so in terms of range and power, he had the advantage. But his opponent had the advantage of terrain. He was already very tall, and his fist was coming from an added height advantage of three extra steps. Could the slender Blue Rose Sword withstand that kind of power? Should he dodge sideways, take the landing, and then attack again? No. Eugeo's friend and master in the Aincrad style had once told him.

Zora: In this world, what you put into your sword is crucial. And it's up to you to find what you infuse into your blade.

Eugeo's tutor, Golgorosso; Zora's tutor, Sortiliena; and even the arrogant and cowardly nobles Raios and Humbert had something that gave their swords added power. But Eugeo could sense that he was still in the process of finding that thing for himself. He had trained as much as anyone and learned a number of advanced techniques, but he still hadn't found what he could put into his sword to make it stand apart. He wasn't born to be a swordsman; perhaps he would never find it.

But at this moment, he couldn't submit to the Integrity Knight's intensity and allow his weapon to shrink back. The time for training and building his skill was gone. Now was the time to achieve his goal. Now was the time to take back the old Alice from her new Integrity Knight form.

Euge0(mind): Alice. Right. That's all that matters. I'm definitely going to rescue Alice this time. So...Please, Blue Rose Sword! Lend me your strength! I have to move forward!

With the Blue Rose Sword high, Eugeo twisted himself even farther backward. The slightly translucent blade took on a brilliant blue glow, denoting the Aincrad style's Vertical attack.

Eugeo: Aaaah!

Eugeo bellowed, and then he swung. The sword sizzled forward with that special sound unique to ultimate techniques and collided with the burning fist of the Integrity Knight.

The shock wave of blue and red light fanned out, tearing the red carpet on the steps and the woven tapestries on the walls. Fist and sword came to a stop, connected in midair.

The gauntlet and the flat of the blade creaked. Eugeo summoned all his strength in the hopes of finishing the technique, but the knight's arm was as immobile as a boulder—although he did not seem to be overpowering the sword, either. A low growl emerged from the helmet, and more weight was added to his fist.

But the stalemate lasted only a few seconds. The flame coming from the Conflagration Bow in the knight's hand started to lick at the Blue Rose Sword. The light along the blade began to flicker, as if wilting under the heat. If his Vertical faltered, his sword would be knocked aside to give him a face full of burning fist.

Eugeo: Grr...uuaagh...!

Eugeo summoned all the strength and willpower he had in an attempt to swing through. But the flames only grew in strength. The blade began to heat up, turning red. Though he'd never been conscious of it before, the memories of the sword that he saw in the Great Library said that the Blue Rose Sword had ice properties.

That meant it should be weak to powerful flames, as its opposing element. If this continued for much longer, it could sap a dangerous amount of life from the weapon. But on the flip side, the element of the sword meant it could possibly overcome the enemy's flames, as well.

Eugeo(mind): You've been forged in the freezing storms at the peak of the End Mountains since the days of the world's creation.

Eugeo: Don't let these pathetic flames... defeat you!!

The sword responded. Instantly, both his main hand on the grip and his left supporting the pommel felt a stinging chill. It wasn't just his imagination —the little roses carved into the guard were shrouded in white frost. The frost advanced, growing into little vines that crawled up the blade and scattered the flames licking at it.

The phenomenon didn't stop there. The white vines of ice grew onto the knight's fist where it touched the sword, banishing the flames that covered the red gauntlet and spreading more frost...

???: Hrrng...

The knight grunted, surprised at the sudden chill. The moment that Eugeo sensed his opponent's stance was faltering, he unleashed all the strength he'd been building.

With an ear-ripping squeal, the sword plunged forward and pushed the knight's left gauntlet back. Unfortunately, the tip just missed the enemy's body. As the sword descended through air, the knight threw his empty right fist at Eugeo. It wasn't flaming like the other one, but a solid blow from that rock-hard fist would easily knock him back to the base of the stairs.

But Eugeo let out a fierce cry, and his sword leaped upward.

Eugeo: Iyaaaah!

Even the burliest of men couldn't perform an instantaneous reversal of momentum with strength alone—not when the Blue Rose Sword was heavier than a steel sword of the same size. Only a swordfighting technique could achieve such an effect: the Aincrad style's two-part attack, Vertical Arc. The blade traced a figure like the sacred arts rune V, slicing into the Integrity Knight's breastplate at an angle. A small amount of red liquid sprayed from the gash in the dark-red metal. The tip of his sword had tasted flesh—but only a bit.

The knight swayed backward, but he tensed his legs to leap away. If Eugeo let the enemy gain any distance, it would give him a chance to repeat his flame attack. But all of the Aincrad style's ultimate techniques left the user immobilized for several seconds after finishing.

Zora told him that if he was going to use them, he always had to consider how he would make up for that massive period of weakness. If the attack landed effectively, it wasn't an issue, but if it was blocked or deflected—or, as in this case, it landed but didn't fully stop the opponent—he would be open to the risk of a fatal counterattack.

The immobilization of a technique was absolute; no amount of mental fortitude could lessen it. The only ways to minimize the risk were tricks like having an ally step in afterward or unleashing prepared wind elements to blow the enemy farther away, and so on. But Zora had fallen back down into the antechamber, and there hadn't been time to chant any sacred arts. There was only one way left.

Eugeo: You're not getting away!

Eugeo summoned all the muscle and willpower he had to control the movement of the Blue Rose Sword along the route of the second half of its Vertical Arc. Normally it would end up high to the left, but instead he brought it back so that it practically rested on his left shoulder. Forcing the blade aside caused the blue light surrounding it to diminish rapidly, but the attack was essentially over anyway.

Just as the Blue Rose Sword came to a stop over his shoulder, the enemy knight leaped into motion. The landing of the staircase was spacious, and if he retreated toward the back wall, he could likely prepare another flaming lance while Eugeo was paralyzed. If Eugeo let that happen, he could not defend against it.

The final way to overcome the momentary paralysis was to stitch one ultimate technique into another. If the posture at the end of one attack matched the initiation of another, it could segue smoothly without causing any delay. This ultimate art of technique combination was so difficult, even Zora could only pull it off half the time.

Eugeo: Hah!!

Eugeo belted hot breath and focused as hard as he could on activating the new technique. The sword shone brightly, his body bolted forward as if struck, and the sword roared forward from the upper left toward the Integrity Knight. It was the singular attack move Slant.

At last, the knight's eyes bulged. The pain in Eugeo's right eye and the rotating red sacred letters from when he tried to attack Raios were gone. There was no feeling of doubt, no hesitation whatsoever. Eugeo's entire being was driven by one thought only: to slice the foe before him.

The Blue Rose Sword struck the knight directly on the right shoulder. The shoulder guard split, followed by a dull, heavy impact that traveled up to Eugeo's hand. It was the sensation of the sword in his hand splitting muscle and flesh to crush bone.

The Integrity Knight was slammed directly to the floor on his back, wounded deeply from shoulder to breast.

???: Gakh!

The Crimson Knight gasped, voice muffled by the helmet, and then a spray of blood redder than his armor burst from the neck of his suit. This was the second time Eugeo had slashed a man, and he still felt his breath catch in his throat for a moment. The sensation in his right hand caused something to clutch at the pit of his stomach, but he did his best to suppress it.

In a kind of coordination with Eugeo's emotions, the Blue Rose Sword exuded frost again, turning all the blood on it into ice that vanished, leaving it clean. In fact, the wound on the knight's shoulder was also white with frost now, the captured drops of blood hardening into little icicles.

???: Rrgh....

The knight grunted, lifting his left hand with the bow toward his wound. Eugeo clenched his sword harder again—if the Integrity Knight started some kind of sacred art, he would have to strike him again. An experienced caster could heal himself with all the available resources in the vicinity, and the only ways to stop him were to attack his throat, cut off his arm—or perhaps end his life altogether.

But the knight's left fist was totally frozen, and when he realized that he could not even let go of the bow, he gave up on healing himself. Element- based sacred arts required fine finger movement to execute. Instead, he exhaled in chagrin and dropped his arm heavily to the floor.

Eugeo wasn't sure what to do next. The Blue Rose Sword's ice effect stopped the enemy's flame in its tracks, but it also sealed the wound and stopped the bleeding. The knight couldn't fight back for now, but he wouldn't die, either. If left here, his hand would eventually thaw, and then he could heal himself and possibly continue pursuing them.

All Eugeo could do was stand in place and grit his teeth in indecision. It was the knight who spoke first.

???: Boy...

Even in a rasp, his voice lost none of its commanding presence. Eugeo tensed at first, until he heard what came next.

???: What's the name of that first skill you used?

Eugeo: The Aincrad-style two-hit strike sword skill, Vertical Arc.

???: A two-hit strike attack... And you? What skill did you use?

His helmet creaked, and for an instant Eugeo looked behind him. There was Zora, black clothes singed here and there, holding his left arm and dragging his right foot as he slowly ascended the stairs.

Eugeo: Zora...are you hurt?!

His partner grinned weakly.

Zora: I'm fine. I already took care of the worst burns. Sir Knight, what I performed was the Aincrad-style defensive maneuver Spinning Shield.

???:...

The knight looked up at the ceiling, helmet clanking, and fell silent. When he spoke again after several seconds, it seemed to be directed at himself rather than Eugeo or Zora.

???: From one end of the realm of humanity to the other...I was sure that'd I'd seen past that. But in this world, there are still swords I've never seen, skills I've never encountered, eh? Your skills were suffused with the weight of years of earnest training. I accused you of using vile arts to lead Sir Eldrie astray, but I was mistaken.

His helmet creaked again as he turned to stare at Eugeo from within the helmet.

???: Please tell me your names.

Eugeo: Eugeo the Swordsman. No family name.

Zora: I'm Zora the Swordsman.

The knight nodded, savoring the sound, and then, to both Zora and Eugeo's surprise, the knight shared an info.

???: On the 50th floor of the cathedral, in the great Hall of Ghostly Light, there are several Integrity Knights awaiting you. They've been ordered not to take you alive, but to extinguish your lives. If you charge them head on like you just did, your lives will be snuffed out in an instant.

Zora: Is it okay for you to tell us that?

???: As I've failed to carry out the Administrator's order, I will be stripped of my armor and Divine Object, the proof of my knighthood, and will be frozen indefinitely. So before I submit to such shame, I want you two...to take my life...

Zora and Eugeo:...

Eugeo and Zora could not respond. The knight continued.

???: There is no reason to hesitate...You defeated me through skill and boldness, in fair combat...

But any surprise Eugeo had felt was soon washed away by his formal introduction.

Deusolbert: My name...is Deusolbert Synthesis Seven.

It was more than just familiar. That was a name that had been etched deep into Eugeo's soul for the past eight years, a name he could never forget for an instant. A name that conjured up regret, despair, and anger.

Eugeo: Deusol...bert? You...you were the knight who...?

To his own ears, Eugeo's hoarse voice sounded like it belonged to someone else. The color of the armor was different, and the metallic muffling of the voice through the helmet had given away nothing. But now he understood that the knight on the floor before him was the very one who... Eugeo staggered forward, compelled.

Zora: Eugeo...?

The brown-haired boy hardly even heard it. He leaned over to look at the face through the helmet visor. There was some kind of enchantment on the helmet, because from just a few dozen cens away, the knight's face was still hidden in darkness. But even after the loss of so much of his life value, his two eyes were clearly visible, having lost none of their force. They were sharp and bold and could have belonged to either a young man or an experienced one. Eugeo's voice creaked out of his parched throat.

Eugeo: You're telling me to take your life? You said it was a splendid battle?

His right hand spasmed violently, and the sword clutched in it began to radiate cold once again. The armor right under the tip began to freeze over in white. A ball of furious hot rage swelled up inside him, and he forced it out with one throat-ripping accusation.

Eugeo: She was just...She was just an 11 year old girl, and you bound her in chains!!! You suspended her from your dragon and took her away...so don't say that, after everything you've done!

He held up the Blue Rose Sword in reverse, the blade pointed down. He would ram it through that knight's mouth and his unforgivable words, right down to the floor, and be done with it. But a heavy, wincing pain stayed his hand. The pain didn't come from his right eye but somewhere deep in his chest. It was the pain of someone, somewhere, desperately trying to stop him. He stood there, sword raised, entire body trembling with emotion—until Zora reached over to put his hand on Eugeo's arm.

Eugeo: Why are you stopping me, Zora?

Eugeo ground out to his partner, the person he trusted more than anyone in the world, as he grappled with a maelstrom of emotion that threatened to consume his entire sense of reason. Zora stared back at him with eyes full of pain and slowly shook his head.

Zora: This man doesn't intend to fight anymore. You shouldn't use your sword on someone who won't fight...

Eugeo: He...he's the one who took Alice away!

Eugeo protested, like a sulking child, but a part of him knew that Zora was right. The Integrity Knights were beings who acted entirely on the commands of the Axiom Church—the pontifex herself. It was the Church, the twisted law and order that ruled over the world, that took Alice away.

But even taking a step back did not rid him of the impulse to forget all about the truth and simply slice the prone knight to pieces. Learning the way the world really worked didn't simply wipe clean the years of anger, powerlessness, and guilt that had built up since that fateful summer day. A woven basket at his feet. Bread and cheese lying in the sand. Ice melting in the sun. The dull shine of the chains that bound Alice's blue dress. And his two feet, as immobile as if they'd grown roots on the spot.

Eugeo (mind): Zora...Zora. If you had been there, you would have attacked the knight to save Alice, if that's what it took. You would have done it, even knowing that you'd be arrested and subjected to interrogation, too. But I couldn't do it. Alice was my one true friend, the girl I cared about more than anyone else, and all I could do was watch. All I could do was watch as this knight on the ground here tied her up and took her away.

His mind was a storm, fragments of emotions and thoughts coming and going. His arm trembled in Zora's grasp and lifted the sword even higher. But what Zora said next was stunning enough that it succeeded at stopping Eugeo.

Zora: And you are the one who's gonna bring her back. And besides, I don't think he remembers that. He doesn't remember taking your Alice away from Rulid...and not because he forgot but because the memory was erased.

Eugeo: Huh?

Stunned, Eugeo looked down at the knight's helmet. The Integrity Knight, who hadn't budged once, even with the sword held over his head, finally moved. His left fist, thawed at last, pried itself open and let go of the longbow in a spray of little ice shards. He reached up to undo the fasteners of his helmet.

The menacing metal structure split in the front and back, then clattered free from the knight's head. It revealed the fierce, stern face of a man who appeared to be around forty.

He had close-cropped hair and thick brows, both a burnished red color like rust. The bridge of his nose and the line of his mouth were straight and proud, and his eyes were as sharp as steel arrowheads.

But those dark eyes were wavering, betraying an internal struggle. His thin lips parted to produce a deep, rich voice that sounded nothing like what had come through the helmet.

Deusolbert: It's as the black haired boy says. I apprehended a young girl and took her away with my dragon? I don't remember such a thing.

Eugeo: You don't remember? It was only 8 years ago.

Eugeo murmured, stunned. The tension drained from his arm. Zora removed his hand from Eugeo and put it to his chin, thinking hard.

Zora: That's why it was erased...along with everything before and after. Sir Deusolbert, were you the Integrity Knight in charge of protecting the north border of Norlangarth?

Deusolbert: Indeed. I oversaw Norlangarth's northern boarder in District Seven. Yes....until 8 years ago...at that time, due to a great feat, I was awarded the duty of guarding the Central Cathedral, as well as this armor.

Zora: Do you remember what feat it was?

Zora asked. The knight did not answer immediately. He pursed his lips, and his eyes wandered. After a short silence, Zora continued.

Zora: I'll tell you why. Your feat was finding the Integrity Knight Alice Synthesis Thirty—from a tiny little frontier hamlet in the far north that no one in Centoria would have known about. Administrator gave you credit for bringing Alice to this tower but also had to remove your memories of the event...and you just explained the reason why.

At some point, Zora had stopped talking to Eugeo and the knight and seemed to be laying out his argument for himself as his speech accelerated.

Zora: You said that the Integrity Knights have no past, because you were summoned from Heaven. I'm sure that's what the pontifex told you just after you awoke as a knight, in order to convince you that you had no memories before then. But in order to maintain that story, there had to be no memories, not just of your humanity but of the birth of any other knights. After all, there would be chaos if the sinner you brought to justice showed up as an Integrity Knight the next day. I suppose that might actually be the pontifex's biggest weakness...

Zora looked down, pacing left and right, pondering at a rapid pace. This outburst by his partner sapped the momentum of Eugeo's fury. He looked down at the man at his feet again. Deusolbert's face was similarly vacant as he considered these ramifications.

His anger and hatred weren't gone, but if Zora was correct that all of the man's memories of Alice had been erased, then perhaps Eugeo just had to accept the state of things: that all the Integrity Knights were merely pawns of this Administrator at the center of the Axiom Church. The true enemy who stole Alice from him, and turned her into a knight and erased her memories, was none other than the Administrator.

Deusolbert, sensing Eugeo's gaze upon him, stopped glancing around. It was impossible to tell what exact emotions were swirling within the older man, but when his voice emerged at last, it wavered with a weakness that would be unthinkable from the imposing figure they'd faced in battle.

Deusolbert: That...cannot be...We Integrity Knights cannot have been human beings like you...before our knighting...

Eugeo:...

Eugeo was at a loss for words. Instead, Zora spoke for him.

Zora: The blood from your wound is the same red as ours. And Eldrie wasn't acting strange because we cast some dark art on him. It was because we were trying to make him remember the memories that were taken from him... And you're no different from him. You are a human just like us. I don't know whether you won the Four- Empire Unification Tournament or committed some sin according to the Taboo Index, but in either case, Administrator took important memories of yours, forced absolute loyalty to the Church into your soul, and turned you into an Integrity Knight. Whatever this freezing punishment is, I'm certain that Administrator will just tinker with your memories again and erase this conversation. I'd bet on it.

His phrasing was cold, but there was a kind of helpless frustration in Zora's voice, too. Picking up on that, the knight closed his eyes and then eventually shook his head.

Deusolbert: Me? A resident of the realm of humanity like yourself? My memories, manipulated? I cannot believe. I cannot believe that the holy pontifex... would do such a thing to me...

Zora: But it's the truth. There must be something still left in you. A precious memory from before you became a knight that no sacred arts can wipe from your mind...

Deusolbert lifted his left hand, stared at the thick, strong fingers, and exhaled.

Deusolbert: Ever since I descended to the realm of humanity, I keep having the same dream...A small hand shacking me awake, and a silver ring on its finger. But when I wake up, no one's there...

His brows furrowed, and he pressed hard against his forehead. Zora watched him solemnly.

Zora: I don't think you can remember any more than that. Administrator stole your memory of whoever owned that ring...

He paused, then returned the black sword in his hand to the sheath at his left side.

Zora: What you do next is up to you. You can return to Administrator and receive your punishment, heal up, and chase after us... or...

Zora left the final option unsaid and took a few steps toward the next flight of stairs on the right end of the landing. He paused there and looked over his shoulder, straight at Eugeo. His blue eyes were saying, "Isn't that better?" Eugeo glanced down at the prone Integrity Knight, whose eyes were closed. He lifted the Blue Rose Sword, then pointed the tip at his sheath and slid it home.

Eugeo: Let's go.

Eugeo said, pulling even with Zora, and they began to climb together. Whatever choice Deusolbert Synthesis Seven made, it seemed unlikely that he would pursue them after this.

(Timeskip)

For quite a while after that, the only sound was of boot soles striking marble stairs. Everything else was ear-splitting silence. As far as Eugeo knew, there were many monks and understudies living in the Axiom Church's central building, but no matter how they looked and listened, there was no sign of life anywhere around them.

On top of that, the sight that confronted them on each new floor—a rectangular chamber with hallways extending forward and to the sides, with equally spaced doors along them—was so uniform that it began to feel like they were under some kind of bewitching spell that was making them pass the same exact floor, over and over again.

Eugeo wanted to stop and check a nearby door on one of the floors, just to confirm that this wasn't the case, but Zora's upward progress was so steady that it seemed like a bad idea to disrupt him. If Deusolbert was telling them the truth, the fiftieth floor not too much farther up would feature many more foes to deal with.

He ran his fingertips along the hilt of the sword at his side to calm his mind and focus on the task at hand. Just then, Zora came to a sudden stop on the staircase landing just ahead. He turned back, face dead serious.

Zora: Hey, Eugeo.........What floor are we on now...?

Eugeo: Um...well... Next one's the twenty-ninth floor. I'm going to assume you were at least counting at the start.

Zora: Well, you'd think they would have floor number displays along the way. I mean, it's just common sense.

Eugeo: I agree, but you should have noticed before this!

Eugeo scolded, but Zora merely brushed it off and rested his back against the landing wall.

Zora: So we're still only that far up...I was sure we were way farther. Man, I'm getting hungry...

Eugeo: I agree with you there.

It had been nearly five hours since their fancy breakfast with Cardinal in the library. Through the long, narrow windows, Solus appeared to be near its peak. And after a fierce battle, followed by twenty-five flights of stairs a thousand steps in total, it was natural that their bodies were asking for replenishment. Eugeo thrust out his hand and demanded.

Eugeo: So hand over one of the ones you've got in your pockets.

Zora: Uh...but...I was saving them for emergencies... Man, you're greedier than I thought.

Eugeo: You thought I wouldn't notice how much you stuffed in there?

Zora gave up and slipped his right hand into his pants pocket, then pulled out two steamed buns and handed one to Eugeo. The smell of it was still strong enough to stimulate his appetite, even though they'd left the library long ago.

Zora: That flame attack kinda charred it a bit.

Eugeo: Ha-ha...I see. Thanks, man.

Cardinal had generated the steamed bun out of some precious old tome's pages using her high-level sacred arts, a fact that Eugeo had to ignore as he bit into the treat. The crispy, burned outside gave way to juicy meat on the inside, which he savored rapturously. In less than a minute, their little lunch was over, and Eugeo licked his fingers in satisfaction. Zora's other pocket was still bulging suspiciously, but Eugeo was happy enough to let it go for now.

Eugeo: Thanks for the meal. So, what now? We should reach the fiftieth floor in another thirty minutes or so. Do we just charge straight up there?

Zora: Hmm... Good question...I think we've seen firsthand how deadly a fight against the Integrity Knights can be, but on the other hand, if we're taking the fight between you and him as an example, they don't seem to have much experience facing combination attacks, if any. I want to believe we stand a chance in a close-range, one-on- one battle. But if there are multiple knights ready and waiting, that becomes much more difficult.

Eugeo: So...we give up on charging straight through and find another way instead?

Zora: I'm not sure about that, either. Cardinal said this staircase was the only way up, and even if we find some kind of shortcut, it still leaves the possibility that we'll get ambushed. I really think we need to beat those Integrity Knights on the fiftieth floor while we're there. We're going to be forced to use the ace up our sleeve, but thanks to the warning he gave us, we know we'll have time to prepare those long commands before we get there.

Eugeo: Oh, right...the Perfect Weapon Control.

Zora: I'm worried about using it for the first time in an actual battle,but it doesn't make sense to test it here and waste our swords' durability, either. We should use our Perfect Control right as we're reaching the fiftieth floor and neutralize as many knights as we can...

Eugeo: Uh, about that... My Perfect Weapon Control isn't a direct attack like that Integrity Knight's.

Zora: Huh?...It's not?

Eugeo: Well. Cardinal wrote the command for me, so... I mean, I was the one who imagined what kind of technique it should be...

Zora: Well, let me take a look at the command.

Eugeo: O-Okay.

Eugeo comply to his partner request and hand over his slip of paper containing the recite for his Perfect Weapon Control.

Zora: I see. You're right; it's not exactly offensive in nature, but it can be plenty helpful if we use it properly. And it seems like it should complement my own pretty well.

Eugeo: Really? What kind of skill is yours?

Zora: Why ruin the surprise now?

Zora teased, earning himself a glare from Eugeo. He swept his bangs aside with a smug smile and leaned against the wall again.

Zora: Okay, I think I know what we'll do, not that it's much of a plan. First, before we exit onto the fiftieth floor, we chant our Perfect Weapon Control and keep it on standby. Once we're in there and know where our enemies are, you unleash first, and I'll go after. If we manage to successfully cluster the knights in one spot, we might be able to neutralize them all at once.

Eugeo: 😒 Might... huh?

Eugeo repeated with plenty of skepticism. But in truth, he had no countersuggestion. Admittedly, his partner was the better one when it came to planning with all possible variables in mind, and given Eugeo's trouble with high-speed chanting, the chance to take care of it beforehand was greatly appreciated.

Eugeo: Okay, should we...

Eugeo turned to his left and glanced at the staircase leading up to the twenty-ninth floor of the cathedral. Then his eyes bulged. In the shadows beneath the handrail were two small heads and two pairs of eyes watching them intently.

The instant Eugeo's gaze passed over them, the heads darted back behind cover. But even as he watched, momentarily stunned, they eventually came back into view, innocent eyes blinking with interest. Zora sensed the anomaly and followed Eugeo's line of sight.

Zora: You two... Who are you?

The two heads shared a look, then a little bob, and then the bodies attached came into view.

Eugeo: They're...kids?

Eugeo couldn't help but mutter. Standing on the stairs were two girls, dressed in identical black outfits.