Renly was uncontrollably shaking in the dark tent he decided to take refuge in.

Renly: Get up. you have to go back to your position.

He argued with himself before shaking his head.

Renly: No. Even if I were there, I'd only be in the way.

he closed his eyes thinking back to an old memory.

It was when the Administrator called him broken and put him in Deep Freeze, all because he couldn't draw upon the memory release of his divine weapons. The Double winged Blades, the story is that the blades were forged from two one-winged birds that combined to be able to fly helping each other.

Renly's eyes shot open when the memory of being deep freezed again.

Renly: It doesn't matter whether I exist or not.

He lowered his head even more accepting the fate he would also be a failure.

????: I thought I saw someone enter this tent, Tiese.

A voice startled the young knight and he feared they came looking for him.

????: Okay, let's check it really quick. We need to head back to our assigned posts.

Another voice responded to the voice. The flaps opened revealing two girls, one with bright red hair with red eyes, the other with short brown hair with bright blue eyes. They began looking around the tent starting near the front entrance and working toward the back of the tent. Renly, who was peeking around a corner pulled back creating some noise and putting the girls on guard.

????: Is someone there?

The first voice asked with the sound of putting her hand on a hilt of a weapon following her voice.

Before they could draw their weapons on him, Renly rasped,

Renly: I'm not an enemy. I apologize for startling you.

The two girls' attention was drawn to the symbol on his chest, the one that label him as an Integrity Knight.

????: S-Sir Knight!

The red-haired one quickly exclaimed, they took their hands off their weapons.

Them: Forgive our rudeness!

They bowed to the knight.

Renly: No, it's my fault for scaring you. And besides, I'm not...

His fingers covered the symbol on his chest.

Renly: an Integrity Knight anymore. I ran away. The unit that I was supposed to command must be in a panic now. I'm sure there have been some deaths, too. And yet, I can't bring myself to leave this place, so how can I can myself a knight?"

He bit his lip and finally looked up. He saw his own face reflected in the large red eyes of the red-haired girl.

The brown-haired girl stepped from behind the red-haired girl, her hand over her breastplate.

Ronie: We haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm primary Trainnee Ronie Arabel with the Supply Corps, and this is Primary Trainees Tiese Schtrinen.

She motioned toward the red-haired girl.

Just before Renly could return to his hiding spot, a crash was heard outside of the tent along with the smell of smoke.

Tiese: No way! They're here!"

Tiese exclaimed, dashing to the flap of the tent and peeking outside.

Tiese: There's smoke!!

Ronie Arabel stiffened.

Ronie: Wha...? You can see fire, Tiese?!

Tiese shook her head,

Tiese: No, it's just some kind of strange smoke wafting in.

She peeked out again.

Tiese: No, wait. There are a lot of people coming out of the smoke!

Tiese quickly closed the flaps and stepped back. Heavy footsteps came from the other side of the thin cloth, Tiese went to draw her sword in preparation. Then the hanging door was sliced in hang before she could even pull her sword out of its sheath, the figure that appeared was green, large and had greedy yellow eyes.

Them: A goblin?!

Everyone gasped. The intruder spoke, its voice hissing and raspy.

Intruder: I found some white lum girls. What a haul for me.

Tiese gripped her sword, the strength to actually pull it out seemed to disappear.

Ronie: T...Tiese...

Ronie whimpered. behind her best friend, with her hands now on her sword hilt, but her legs were shivering, too.

Renly went for his own weapon on his back, but his body was unresponsive and froze for some reason. In truth, long ago when before he became a knight, Renly had a best friend who he accidentally killed in the Unification Tournament. Even though the memory itself was gone, his soul remembered the whole thing and caused his entire body to freeze.

Tiese: S-Stay back! Or else!

Tiese warned, summoning all her courage.

Goblin: Gffh... How tasty you look.

The goblin crowed, licking its lips, only to drool a large, sticky glob of saliva.

Tiese finally drew her sword and held it in front of her, pointing at the goblin.

Tiese: I'll slash you!

The goblin didn't stop and got closer and closer to the girls. Renly was still frozen unable to do anything, but that's when a hand drove itself through the goblin's face. This caused everyone to step back in fear for just a moment before the body fell off to the side reveal its attacker.

He wore a fox mask and a knife was dripping with blood. He puts up his mask to reveal his face.

Ronie: Sir Yami!!

Ronie exclaimed with relief at the appearance of her mentor/crush.

Kitsune: no I'm not Yami, I'm Kitsune.

Tiese: Kitsune?

Yami: I'm my master's hollow, his inner self if you say that.

He waved two of his fingers at the three inside of the tent.

Kitsune: I was looking for Renly so we could talk but I was surprised to find goblins back here.

Renly flinched at his words, expecting the newer knight to scold him. Kitsune before he could say anything else snapped backward and released a multitude of sacred elements without a verbal command backward. The sounds of flesh being cut came from outside of the tent while he turned back to Renly.

Kitsune: Renly, I'm not here to scold you or anything. FIghting is something that not everyone can do, but when you think of yourself as a knight what are your thought?

He asked ushering the girls to the side while they talked.

Renly glanced down at the ground ashamed.

Renly: A failure...

His answer shocked the two girls on the side of the tent.

Kitsune: That's so?

Renly couldn't even face the younger knight, turning around to hide in the spot he was in before so he could handle his regiment.

Kitsune: Have you ever thought about the reason why you became an Integrity Knight?

Kitsune's voice stopped Renly in his tracks.

Renly: The reason? I was a failure who couldn't even use Perfect Weapon Control for the divine weapons I was given.

Renly brushed over the Double Winged Blades on his back.

Renly: The Pontifex said so herself.

Kitsune: Renly it doesn't matter if you can use Perfect Weapon Control or not. You're an Integrity Knight no matter what you think of yourself.

Kitsune: you must be thinking how Yami can even fight with something like this. And no it's not because of how gifted or great he is with using Incarnation.

Ringo: well making mistakes does make you a failure by default.

Soundwave: you can improve yourself and not making the same mistake. Once you improve then you're ready to test it in battle.

The bandage in his right hand began flapping softly against the breeze like his coat flaps. Tiese and Ronie, who were watching from the side, also were wondering how he was fighting with a wound like that.

Kitsune: I fight because I know the people of this world need me, and the moment I fall the next knight would take my place and continue fighting. That's not to say fear doesn't exist inside of me, it does, but one other thing we all possess keeps it at bay. And it's up to us if we allow it to keep these negative emotions at bay.

Kitsune said with one of his fingers pointed upward. Just then a goblin appeared behind Kitsune swinging down their crude hatchet at his back. Tiese and Ronie tried warning him before he could be fatally wounded by the goblin but in fact, Kitsune knew about the goblin behind him.

Renly slowly pieced it together and understood what gave the white-haired male in front of him, strength. He was right when he said that everyone possessed no matter what and it was...

Bravery.

Renly's right hand began to move, ever so slowly. His numb fingers brushed the Double-Winged Blades at his waist. All of a sudden, the feeling returned to them. The Divine Objects were saying something to him.

All at once, there was a swift swishing of air being split, and a pale shine flashed briefly, reflecting throughout the tent. The light curved from Renly's hand on upward, brushing the roof of the tent before plunging.

It swept through the Goblin's head, changed angles, and snapped back right between the index and middle fingers of Renly's outstretched right hand.

Goblin: Gr...hg...?

The goblin's growl sounded more confused than anything. A pale red line appeared, running through the middle of its face. Then the top half of the goblin's head slid wetly off the bottom and plopped onto the ground.

The Double-Winged Blades were very thin steel throwing blades that curved at the center. There was no hilt or handle to hold the forty-cen blades. Both ends had sharp tips, which he gripped between his fingers to throw the blades. They then flew, rotating rapidly, changing angles on the fly, before returning to their master.

In other words, even in ordinary use, they required far more concentration than a simple sword did. If he lost any bit of focus, he would fail to catch the returning blade and could easily lose a finger or two.

The fact he could capably use such a weapon was proof enough of Renly's Considerable skill- but he was completely unaware of this. The lack of Perfect Weapon Control was a huge weight on his shoulders, an inadequacy that softened his resolve.

Kitsune: started clapping with a smile on his face.

Kitsune: I do hope you can handle things from here, Renly, rise up and fight. My master well might see you in the future or in the battlefield.

He turned toward the two frozen pages.

Kitsune: C'mon, Tiese, Ronie, We'll go make sure everyone is safe. Ringo and Soundwave, return to Raikou's group as backup.

Ringo: sure boss.

Soundwave: Soundwave Superior, Dark Territory Inferior.

They shook away their shock, stood up straight, placed their hands against their breastplate.

Them: Y-Yes Sir!

They ran out of the tent and back toward their assigned posts before they saw Renly.

Renly had no words for Kitsune and he could merely nod toward the younger knight. The younger knight smiled and took off following right behind Tiese and Ronie to make sure nobody else in the Supply Corps dies.

——

Renly ran, he was heading back to his post that he long abandoned, in his path were many goblins. He halted as they surrounded him, he pulled out his Double Winged Blades and announced to the ground.

Renly: My name is Renly! Integrity Knight Synthesis Twenty Seven! If you want my head, you have to give your life to take it!

Goblin: It's the captain's head!

One of the goblins shouted another took off at Renly, their cleaver above their head about to bring it down at Renly.

Renly pulled back his weapons and threw them at the countless goblins charging at him from all directions. Half a second went by and the countless goblins instantly died from the wounds that looked as though they suddenly appeared on their bodies.

One of the Double-Winged Blades returned and he immediately threw it at the group.

Renly: I can do this. if I can hold out just a little longer reinforcements should arrive from the front lines, where the smokescreen's thinned out.

He continued to throw each blade the moment it returned to his grasp, the group of goblins slowly died from the powerful blades.

He threw them again, but this time, he did not hear that familiar sound, like a machete slicing through a small branch. Instead, it was a high-pitched clash: Kshiiing!

He turned toward the source to see one of his blades speeding toward him, he was able to grasp the fast-approaching blade but was spun around from the sheer speed of the blade. He was able to catch the other a lot easier than the first and glanced toward the thinning smokescreen.

He saw a single goblin appear through the hazy smoke. It was large. In height, it was not far off from Renly, whose physical frame was that of a fifteen-year-old. But the rippling muscles that covered its body and the malevolent look pouring like fire from its yellow eyes were not at all like the other goblins. It wore light armour of studded leather, perhaps for better mobility, and a thick cleaver hung from its right hand.

Renly: Are you the captain?

Renly asked, his voice low.

Kosogi: Yeah. I'm the chief of the mountain goblins, Kosogi.

The creature replied and made a show of looking around.

Kosogi: You've killed quite a number of them, haven't you? Who would've thought there'd be an Integrity Knight this far back? Really, my guess was wrong!

Renly: This is where your war ends!!

Renly threw his blades as hard and fast as he could.

Kosogi merely smirked at the approaching blades from the top downward, their aim was his neck. With speed that reduced his weapon to a gray blur. Kosogi had swung it and blocked the attacks from coming from both sides in one capable motion. The deflected blades barely made it back to Renly's grasp.

Renly could only stare at the goblin in shock with a multitude of questions going through his head.

Renly: Why?! The blades should be able to slice through any goblin weapon!!

The goblin could sense Renly's shock.

Kosogi: The look on your face says, 'but you're just a goblin!' boy."

Kosogi quipped.

Kosogi: But this is what I have to say about it. 'You call yourself an esteemed knight?' A single Integrity Knight is a match for a thousand. That's what I was told. But it looks like that's not the case for you, huh? That's why you've been hiding all the way back here. Am I right?

Kosogi asked, his cleaver resting on his shoulders. Renly's eyes bulged, the memory of being called a failure rippled through his mind.

Renly: Am I a failure, after all? His eyes then filled with fierce determination. Even if I am...

He thought about Kitsunewho made him realize he could fight. Deciding to Abandon all his pride and admit the truth.

Renly: Yeah, that's right. As a knight, I'm a failure. Even so, don't get the wrong idea. I'm the one who's effective, not these!!

He held up the silver blades near his face.

The boy, Renly grew up with, were like the birds in the story that came from the Double-Winged blades. Then his mind wandered to the boy he had met, he was more damaged than Renly was. The faint light that one of those swords emitted seemed to speak to Renly, silently telling him that there was one thing in this world that was never lost, even after death.

It was a memory.

Life was passed on from one soul to the next, through personal bonds and connections, in perpetuity, for as long as the world itself existed.

Renly suddenly released a burst of energy like a searing wind. He crossed his arms in front with the steel blades, hiding the bottom half of his face from view.

Renly: Double Wings, take flight!!

He flung his arms sideways. Two strips of light leaped upward, arcing, and plunged toward Kosogi from the sides.

Kosogi: You can try as many times as you like, but it's futile!!

The goblin chief readied his cleaver and forcefully knocked the blades aside.

Red Sparks flew along with the metallic screeches. The two flying blades were easily deflected, but they rose into the air again, rather than falling to the ground. Like a pair of birds soaring together, they swept into a spiral formation, growing closer and closer.

The moment that the blades touched, Renly shouted.

Renly: Release... Recollection!!

The command that was not simply Perfect Weapon Control, but the ultimate secret technique beyond it, the command to unless the weapon's memories.

Pure, blinding brilliance lit the ravine.

The steel blades drew into the center of that light, where they connected and fused. It was the unleashed true form of the Double-Winged blades: A cross-shaped construction that gleamed blue, like the stars of the distant night sky, as it slowly rotated.

Renly: So beautiful...

Renly whispered. He then clenched his raised hand.

The cross-shaped blade began to spin with tremendous force. The wind whistling sound that it normally made rose in pitch until it passed out of the range of hearing and became silent. With a soft easy motion, Renly swung his hand downward. The Double-Winged blades, now just a disc of light, sliced silently toward the Goblin.

The cross-shaped blade began to spin with tremendous force. The wind whistling sound that it normally made rose in pitch until it passed out of the range of hearing and became silent. With a soft easy motion, Renly swung his hand downward. The Double-Winged blades, now just a disc of light, sliced silently toward the Goblin.

Kosogi: This is a waste of time!!

Roared Kosogi, swinging his cleaver at the weapon as it descended upon him. But right when the thick steel was about to hit the ultrathin blade, the divine weapon abruptly changed course, bouncing vertically to cause the cleaver to miss, then accelerating straight down once again.

There was a faint, dry sound: Kahk.

Then a pale shine ripped through the median line of Kosogi's well-muscled body.

Kosogi: Gaaaah!!

The goblin bellowed, trying to leap onto Renly. But his left half seemed unable to keep up with his right. After a step or two, the two halves separated entirely and fell heavily to the ground.

When Renly caught the returning Double-Winged Blades, they silently separated into two parts and assumed their former shapes. He stared at the twin blades, which were utterly spotless.

He glanced back to see all of the goblins he didn't kill were dead and a figure running through the air.

Renly: Thank you, Kitsune.

He said to the white-haired fox wearing male.

Renly Synthesis Twenty Seven, Elite Knight, began running east to rejoin the left-wing of the Second Regiment, where he belonged.

——

The very back of the secondary formation of the Dark Territory troops sat about five hundred mels from the ravine, where the fighting was pitched. On the second level of a deluxe four-wheeled carriage (If still inferior to Emperor Vecta's tank) stood a tall woman, arms crossed, with plenty of bare skin showing. It was one of the dark lords, the chancellor of the dark mages guild, Dee Eye Ell.

A messenger dressed in black looked up at her master from the side and reported,

Messenger: Lord Sigurosig, Lord Shibori, and Lord Kosogi have all been killed in battle.

Dee: Damn, so useless! Just a bunch of dim-witted demi-humans, after all!

Dee: Were you able to pinpoint the Integrity Knights' position?

She asked, tapping her arm with her leg fingers.

Messenger: We've located the three we spotted on the front lines. We found two more in the rear, but it'll take some time to get a fix on them.

Dee: Still only five? Or are there only a few of them to start with?

Dee: Still, whatever it takes, we must slaughter those five without fail.

She turned to the messenger.

Dee: Okay, release the minions! My command is...

She narrowed her eyes, judging the distance to the crumbled gate and the battlefield near it.

Dee: Fly for 700 mels, descend to the ground, and then, unlimited annihilation.

Messenger: The Demi-human unit on the front lines would get caught in the fray at that distance.

Dee: I don't care.

She replied, unbothered. The messenger nodded her head, then asked,"

Messenger: How many do you wish? Currently, we have all 800 of the hatched minions on site.

Dee: Let's see...

She gave it some thought before a cruel smile grew on her face.

Dee: All 800 of them.

——-
Elsewhere, the place where the minions were being kept slowly turned to flesh from stone and took off into the air. On the Human Empire side, an older knight sensed this and snapped open his eyes, holding their weapon above their head.

Bercouli: Here they come.

Commander Bercouli's lips, which had been closed tightly as a statue's since the battle began, finally split into a wide grin. He sensed that a large number of flying enemy troops were entering the boundaries of his Perfect Weapon Control power, which he was maintaining in the air over the gate.

He waited a bit before drawing the Time Splitting sword from its sheath on his side, he raised it above his head. Also, Alter Saber was behind him watching the whole thing since Eugeo went off to make sure Alice was safe. Kirito was still stationed where Alter Saber had left him since he knows he would be scolded if he didn't. Bercouli gripped the handle with both of his hands, his incarnation emitted off of his body, Saber could literally feel it on his skin.

Bercouli: Time Splitting Sword!

Bercouli bellowed, tightly gripping the handle of his sword.

Bercouli: Air Slash!

He swung downward activating the Perfect Weapon Control power of his sword. The countless air slices that Bercouli had prepared the night before, suddenly activated killing all of the minions within its range.

Bercouli sheathed his weapon, Eugeo stood there in awe at the man's power, he understood more that this power came from his 300 years of being alive. Alter Saber wondered who would actually win if Yami and Bercouli did battle with no special abilities. She chuckles as she remembered about the Yamato.

Alter Saber: once there's the Original version there's the copiers.

———

Above the sky was Alice hovering over the battlefield, the countless airstrikes appeared in front of her.

Alice: That was the Time-Splitting Sword under the Perfect Weapon Control art. Uncle made his move, I see.

Alice mumbled to nobody but herself. Her gaze drifted to just behind her left, sensing a great amount of Incarnation.

Alice: It seems someone is helping the supply corp.

She lifted her hands and a metallic round object appeared, slowly shrinking from its massive size, and floated into Alice's hands. She closed her eyes and started uttering the final commands of the sacred art she has been preparing all this time.

———
Back with the Dark Territory, Dee has just been told that all the minions were wiped out causing her to drop the glass of wine she was drinking. She stood up from her seat and turned toward the messenger, a scowl on her face.

Dee: How can that be?! No one told me that the enemy had a mage unit of that power!!

Messenger: I-I'm not sure... what happened.

Dee was fuming with anger, she took a second and soon calmed down, turning toward the messenger.

Dee: The enemy's flying dragons haven't appeared yet, correct?"

Dee asked. The messenger hung her head.

Messenger: Correct. Not a single dragon has been confirmed in the air over the battlefield from the start until now.

Dee: Which means...

Dee walked to the edge of the carriage. "That must be it.

Dee: That was the Integrity Knights' Secret weapon, Perfect Weapon Control Art. Still...

She swallowed the final word of the sentence and let her bared fangs gnash with frustration.

Dee: Who knew it was this... But using their weapons in that manner should consume a massive amount of life. They couldn't keep up a barrage..

Messenger: Chancellor, we're pinpointed the position of the two Integrity Knights in the rear. We now have all five in our sights.

The messenger said, her voice slightly more composed.

Dee. Good.

Dee made her way to the throne, where she was sitting earlier and picked up another glass of wine.

Dee: I am calm. Now is the time to size my first glory.

Dee told herself. She drank all of the wine before turning around, and held out one of her arms outstretched.

Dee: Ogre archers brigade and dark mages brigade! All hands, advance! Once you've entered the ravine, begin the wide range incineration projectiles incarnation!

Both brigades immediately began marching into the ravine. A messenger that was in front of the whole group, held a palm to her ear as she got an order from Dee. She briefly nodded then turned around ordering all of the troops of what the chancellor wanted to be done.

Dee: Mage unit, prepare to recite the wide range incineration projectiles incantation!

The mages raised their hands into the air.

Dee: Spotters, begin the incarnation for homing in on the enemy Integrity Knights' coordinates! Ogre unit, prepare to fire your bows!

The ogres drew their bows and aimed them into the air.

Alice opened her eyes as the sacred power entered the sphere in front of her. The screams of dying troops from below caught her attention but she did not tear her gaze from the sphere. Her gaze was a sad one, the power that came up to her was confusing her.

Alice: Why? Why is it that not only the humans of the Human Empire, but also the souls of the Demi-Humans, are generating a sacred power that's so warm and pure? If the people of the Human Empire and the monsters of the land of darkness have essentially the same souls... If the only difference is whether you were born on one side of the mountains or the other... Then why are they... are we fighting?

Alice: Eugeo as long as you are safe...

Alice then shook her head.

Alice: No, this is my duty. My responsibility as the one who turned her sword on the pontifex, and undermined the authority of the Axiom Church.

Alice steeled her resolve as Amayori gave out a soft growl, signalling the enemy was approaching. They're here! On my own, I'm no match for that capacity of thousands of dark mages to maintain the elements. Not only that, but merely converting sacred power into Thermal or Cryogenic Elements wouldn't be a potent enough sacred art to deplete the spatial resources in the ravine. But... Alice looked down at the sphere in front of her. If I were to trap Luminous Elements inside a mirror and reflect them infinitely...

——-
Down below the dark mages were getting their sacred art ready, they all shouted together.

Dark Mages: System Call!! Generate Thermal Element!!

Long slender fingers blinked with faint red points- but the colour promptly dimmed and snuffed out with tiny puffs of smoke.

The archmage in command of the brigade could not tell what had just happened at first, and she issued the same command again. But the results were the same, to her bafflement.

Then her mages, taken aback, began to shout,

Dark Mage: I can't generate the flame elements!

Dark Mage 2: It's not going to be possible to execute the wide range incineration projectile art like this!"

She looked around for the source of the phenomenon and heard the aide murmur into her ear.

Dark Mage: Ar-Archmage... I think that the spatial dark power might be entirely spent..."

Command Officer: Th-That cannot be true!!

The commanding officer shouted. Her left hand, knotted with rings, pointed to the front line far in the distance.

Dde: Don't you hear the screams?! Everyone is dying there- Humans and nonhumans alike! Where could all those lives be going, then?!"

Nobody could answer her question. The ogres were irritated that the order to shoot their arrows was not forthcoming, but they held their strings regardless.

——-
The time had come.

Alice closed her eyes briefly and prayed.

She would accept upon her own shoulders the sin of taking countless lives for the sake of just two.

The silver sphere mels across resting on Amayori's powerful back was as packed and pressured as it could be on the inside. She pulled her hands off the surface and drew her sword.

Alice: Bloom, my flowers! Enhanced Armament!

She called, splitting the Osmanthus Blade into countless tiny pieces, a golden swarm that she could control.

Alice: Lower your head, Amayori!

The dragon obeyed, inclining its body forward. The silver ball rolled silently forth, and by the time it had rotated one full time, it passed the dragon's head and plunged into the void. The little swarm formed by Alice's weapon carefully caught it, cradling the ball and adjusting it so that a particular spot on its surface pointed forward and down.

Aim... steady.

She inhaled until her lungs were full, and she whispered.

Alice: Burst Element.

It was such a short and simple activation for a sacred art that contained such tremendous power.

The silver sphere was fashioned to be thinner in just one spot. The searing luminosity and heat of unlimited light elements focused on that point, melting the layers of silver and glass until they were brought red...

Pow! It burst forth into the outer world.

A pillar of light five mels across descended from the sky to the earth at ultra high speed, plunging into the midst of the demi-human soldiers. Then it changed directions, caressing the ground as it continued farther through the ravine. With the roar of thousands of bells ringing all at once, waves of heat and light billowed throughout the entire breadth of the ravine. Then the space erupted into a pillar of fire nearly as tall as the End Mountains themselves, lighting the entire sky red.

Alice's sword stayed uplifted as she registered what she had just done to the countless lives below her. Her face was illuminated by the red ground, her face was dar orange as she looked down below.

Her eyelids slowly fell.

(End of Volume)