Possessing exquisite swordsmanship and sacred arts of the highest order, they were the mightiest masters capable of utilizing the «armament full control art» as they wished.

Despite having protected the Human World’s law and order, and with such, the Axiom Church’s rule, for three hundred long years, the entire size of the knight brigade was astonishingly small. As the name of Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-one, appointed to the position barely a month ago, indicates, they numbered merely thirty one in total.

However, that fact only served to underline the integrity knights’ strength and the fright they inspire, not undermining it in the slightest. Even in numbers that pale when compared to even a full raid group in SAO or ALO, they continued repelling intruders from the vast Dark Territory encircling the Human World.

I—Kirito, once called names like the «Beater» or the «Black Swordsman», now an elite swordsman-in-training studying at the North Centoria Sword Mastery Academy, stood up in challenge against these integrity knights, the strength of each rivalling many men, with just a single long sword at my waist and my bosom friend as my partner. The battle broke out through unexpected developments involving being arrested, imprisoned, and breaking out, rather than having initiated it on my own, but now that I’d turned my sword on the Axiom Church, the organization unequivocally accepted as the rulers, the only path left was simply to advance.

The «Frost Scale Whip», Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-one.

The «Conflagrant Flame Bow», Deusolbert Synthesis Seven.

The «Heaven Piercing Sword», Fanatio Synthesis Two, and her subordinates, the «Four Oscillation Blades».

The «Fragrant Olive», Alice Synthesis Thirty.

Driving away the integrity knights with their mighty weapons, known as divine instruments, by the breadth of a hair, I had single-mindedly continued climbing up the grand staircases of the Axiom Church Central Cathedral, but naturally, that path would have been impossible with my own strength alone.

The black sword carved out of a branch of the «demonic tree», the Gigas Cedar, over an entire year by Sadore, a craftsman in Central Centoria.

Cardinal, the sage who granted me respite with a place to rest, food, as well as extensive information regarding this world and the armament full control art in order to oppose the knights.

And of course, Eugeo, my bosom friend who had always stayed beside me throughout these two years or so since we set out on a journey from Rulid Village—

I had taught him various sword skills for one-handed straight swords, what was now known as the «Aincrad-style Swordsmanship», but that pales in comparison to what I had received. After thrown into the Underworld from the real world without warning, I had only managed to survive in this alternate world where I couldn’t make head or tails of anything, thanks to his assistance, encouragement, and guidance.

I was torn away from this peerless partner on the eightieth floor of the Central Cathedral. Only Integrity Knight Alice and I were hurled out from the tower through a large hole that opened up in the wall in the midst of our fierce battle.

Earnestly persuading Alice to sheath her sword and spending a night to climb that vertical outer wall, we somehow returned into the tower at the ninety-fifth floor. Climbing the stairs in pursuit of Eugeo who should have arrived first, we chased after a peculiar man who called himself the Chief Elder Chudelkin and reached the ninety-ninth floor—a floor away from the room of the highest minister, Administrator.

In that space occupied by nothing aside from the stairs proceeding onto the Chamber of Elders and the elevating disk rising towards the hundredth floor, I finally reunited with my partner.

But he was no longer the unassuming youth born in the outskirts who I knew.

He was the newest integrity knight, covered in armor of silvery blue, Eugeo Synthesis Thirty-two.

That was my bosom friend’s new name.