Part 1

"Underworld».

That is the name of this world. It was not in the Common Tongue, but in the Sacred Tongue, so most of its inhabitants live on without realizing the connotations that came with the name.

The «Human World» draws a perfect circle with a diameter of one and a half thousand kilolu right in the middle of the Underworld. Its circumference was surrounded by the «Mountain Range at the Edge» and beyond that, the country of darkness where demi-humans such as goblins and orcs live, «Dark Territory», reaches out—that was the common belief, but practically no human can claim to have seen that with their own eyes.

The Human World was split into four empires and the one that ruled over the north was the «Norlangarth North Empire», with its fertile grasslands, deep forests and many lakes. On the southern" "tip of the empire's exactly fan-shaped domain, at the part close to its would-be pivot, was the capital of the empire, «North Centoria». The other three empires were structured in the exact same manner, so the four capitals were joined into a single, small circle at the heart of the Human World, collectively called, «Central Centoria».

Once again, at the heart of Centoria, was the lofty white tower of the «Worldwide Central Axiom Church» that held authority over all four empires, ruling over the Human World with the absolute law, the «Taboo Index», and the absolute military might, the «Integrity Knights». The structure that boasts of a splendor almost reaching Solus in the sky could be said to be the heart of the Human World, in every sense of the word. In other words, it was likely that it could be said to be the heart of the Underworld itself.

This was the form of the world, as understood by Eugeo." It had already been two years since he set out on that journey towards the south with his partner, Kirito, from the small village of Rulid at the northern tip of the northern empire until the spring of this present year.

And they were given appointments in the guard squadron of the largest city in the north region, then advanced to the central capital with letters of recommendation personally written by their commanding officer early in the spring of the previous year. Overcoming the entrance examination for the most prominent swordsman training institution in the empire, «North Centoria Master Swords Academy», and diligently tempering themselves in the one year they served as novice trainees, they were even among the ranks of the top twelve in the promotion examination at the end of the year.

Those twelve would be appointed not as advanced trainees, but as honors students known as «elite swordsmen-in-training». They were provided with a dormitory with a connected spacious practice arena for their exclusive use, and were freed from much of the minor academy regulations, spending that single year immersed in training for the right to participate in the «Empire Swordsmanship Tournament», the ultimate goal of all of the academy students.

Going through specialized lessons and swordsmanship guidance, with self-practice afterwards each day was difficult, but those days were like a dream to Eugeo. If he didn't meet that strange young man named Kirito two years ago, he would be living each day swinging an axe to chop wood from day to night, continuing that «sacred task» until he retired from old age. He was able to proceed towards his goal, associating with the young nobles in the central capital, learning swordsmanship and sacred arts, even if it's a little at a time.

Unlike his fellow students, Eugeo's goal was not merely to emerge as the champion of the «Four Empires Unity Tournament» and be commissioned as an honorable integrity knight.

It was to become a knight and pass through the door to the Axiom Church's Central Cathedral that even a first class aristocrat could not step into... to

meet once again, Alice Schuberg, a female childhood friend of his who was taken away to the Cathedral long ago.

He had once given up; the one who showed him the path towards that wish of his, far, far away, was his partner, Kirito. They had overcome every obstacle that stood in their way with their combined might over these two years. With Eugeo teaching the various rules to Kirito who had lost his memory, starting from the Empire Fundamental Law, and Kirito teaching Eugeo his unique swordsmanship, the «Aincrad-style», they survived to this day with their pace in sync, as though they were brothers... no, twins.

Even now, as elite swordsmen-in-training, Eugeo and Kirito still live in the same room in the dormitory. That said, they share only the living room with their bedrooms separated. Eugeo still held feelings of guilt over the wide and soft beds that those from his home in Rulid could not hold a candle to, the extravagant baths where he could use as much hot water as he liked and the plentiful meals served at the dining hall reserved for those like them, but it seems Kirito got used to it in no time.

But there was one matter that he suffered as much as Eugeo at.

The privileges granted to the mere twelve elite swordsmen-in-training of the academy were not limited to the exclusive dormitory. A single, exemplary novice trainee would take care of them as their «valet». Eugeo was assigned as well, to a broadminded senior swordsman the previous year, and that was no bother at all... or rather, he even thought it as enjoyable, but it became a different story when the roles were reversed.

For the trainee assigned as his valet this year was Tiezé Shtolienen, born in a sixth class noble family, not to mention a girl who had just reached the age of sixteen. As for Kirito, the one who became his valet was Ronye Arabel, a sixteen years old girl born in a sixth class noble family as well; those two were a cause of much distress for the two from the countryside.

He had absolutely no complaints about Tiezé herself. The girl, with hair red like flames and eyes slightly tinged red, both which were somewhat rare in the north, was always full of energy, possessing much enthusiasm and diligence and causing many situations where the mentor, Eugeo, ended up

learning from the apprentice instead. However—being waited on by someone three years younger, not to mention of noble birth and a female as well, does not seem to be something he could get used to at this point in time. Each day was spent with his thoughtful "I'll take care of that, don't worry about it" retorted by Tiezé's "No, this should be handled by the valet!".

Kirito's situation was mostly the same, making up some arbitrary excuse to disappear whenever Ronye came to tidy up the room; that happened many times in this one month—however.

Today—the 17th day of the 5th month of the Human World Calendar 380, Kirito finally returned without any particular reason just as Tiezé and Ronye finished cleaning the room, holding onto a large paper bag in his arms. Inside was a heap of honey pies from a well-established restaurant in the 3rd Eastern Street of the 6th District in North Centoria, «The Deer Leap», which was famous for them, and Kirito took two out for Eugeo and himself before handing the rest to Tiezé and Ronye with a "Go have them with everyone in your room".

Novice trainees were restricted from going out on non-rest days, and of course, unable to buy sweets at the market then. The two girls were exceedingly happy at the unexpected refreshments, leading to Eugeo seeing them run back to the novice trainees' dormitory for the first time.

Forming bonds with the valet trainees and giving them general advice on how to make progress on their swordsmanship were part of the swordsmen-in-training's duties as well, so those honey pies might be a part of Kirito's efforts—but even so, Eugeo thought while staring at his black-haired partner by his side, who ate up the pie with a composed expression before he spoke.

"Well now. Eugeo-kun, how about some light practice before dinner?"

"I have no objection to that at all. But tomorrow's the advanced sacred arts exam. And aside from the written segment, there's that «cryogenic element» forming practical that you're bad at."

"Ugh..."

Kirito's arm, about to grab the wooden sword used for practice, froze after Eugeo pointed that out. It seems he was conflicted for several seconds, unwilling to yield, but Kirito soon lowered his hand with a sigh, before voicing out in a usually deep pitch.

"Geez, why do I have to study for exams after coming this far..."

What Kirito said was true, he certainly couldn't even imagine that he would be learning sacred arts in the central capital back when he was swinging an axe to chop wood at Rulid Village. He completely agreed that sword practice was more fun than memorizing complicated spells, but with continuous failures in the academic tests, the qualifications to get a recommendation for the tournament will be out of reach regardless of how good their swordsmanship were.

—And Eugeo's partner, who should have understood all of that to be fact without him explaining it, combed his hair, as jet-black as his uniform, upwards before speaking in a flat tone.

"Eugeo-kun. I will now cram with all my might for this entire night until lights-out, so would you be ever so kind and bring my portion of food from the dining hall?"

"Understood. ...You should've simply done it bit by bit normally."

"I couldn't agree more on that matter. However, there are people who are unable to do that, you know..."

Leaving that oddly philosophical remark behind, Kirito trudged through the living room and vanished into his own room through the door in the north.

Unlike the novice trainees' dormitory that they have been living in until one and a half months ago, the elite swordsmen-in-training's dormitory was in the shape of a perfect circle. It was a three-story building with an atrium in the middle, a corridor forming a ring around it indoors, and the rooms

where the twelve swordsmen-in-training stayed were lined up on the outer edge in the south.

The first floor had the dining hall and a large bath, while the second and third floors had six residences each for the students. It was set up to have one living room shared by every two rooms and the residence for Eugeo and Kirito was on the third floor.

The rooms were automatically arranged based on the placing in the combined examinations of the first school year, with the first place in room 301, on the eastern-most side of the third floor, second in room 302... and continuing that allocation, the twelfth in room 206, on the second floor. As Eugeo's room was 305 and Kirito's was 306, it meant Eugeo was 5th among the 120 novice trainees, while Kirito attained 6th with his scores.

The two were successful in being granted connecting rooms half through intention, but the other half was mere good luck. Of course, they first attempted to dominate the 1st and 2nd place for themselves—but they had no choice but to settle for that, even when they tried their hardest—Kirito placed 4th place in the official match with the instructors, while Eugeo could only get 5th, which ended up making them fret over getting separated rooms, but Kirito lost more points in the style performance and sacred arts examination, getting 6th place.

As a result, the objective of getting connected rooms was achieved, but worries of a different kind were left behind.

After all, in one year... no, there were only ten months left until they have to graduate the academy ranked 1st and 2nd, so as to receive the rights to participate in the Empire Swordsmanship Tournament. Kirito was 7th and Eugeo, 8th, when they entered, so they did improve, but considering how there were still four others to go, it certainly was no time to be optimistic.

But on the other hand, Kirito was calm, acting as though becoming an elite swordsman-in-training was as good as having won already. It wasn't like there was no basis for that confidence; what determined the ranks for swordsmen-in-training would not be the usual examinations that used combined scores, but the «official matches» that occurred four times a year.

These matches would not be against instructors but among students instead, so grading criteria and such would be ignored, making victory over the opponent the main goal.

And that abnormal-in-various-aspects partner of his had obtained a magnificent victory in a first strike match, when they were still novice trainees a mere two months ago, against the head elite swordsman-in-training back then. In actual fact, it was ruled as a draw by the umpire, but that was unmistakably Kirito's win. Not to mention the opponent he crossed swords with was the heir of a second class noble family that served as swordsmanship instructors for the Imperial Knight Order for generations, an unbelievable Mighty Sword user.

He was taught the Aincrad-style swordsmanship known only by that Kirito for over two years now, so it wasn't like Eugeo had no faith in his own sword. However, it was another story if you were to ask him if he could be as assured as his partner. Even on the day before a written examination, he had no intention of skipping out on his daily training.

His usual practice partner had retired to his own room to cram for the entire night, so Eugeo exited the room with nothing but his own wooden sword in hand.

On the other side of the inner corridor stretching out into a large circle was the atrium that extended from the first floor to this third floor, with the deep red sunset skies visible through the round skylight above. There wasn't such an indulgent building in the town of Zakkaria, let alone Rulid Village where he was from. Even the floorboards were made from polished, high quality wood and numerous pieces of art were hung along the curved walls, the empire's history as their theme.

—No matter how I tell them that I'm living in such a majestic building, even having someone exclusively assigned to aid me, none of my elder brothers back home will believe me, huh.

Eugeo's thoughts drifted as he went through the long corridor.

We may be elite swordsmen-in-training, but this level of hospitality was already being shown to mere students. If I was a veteran swordsman, frequently displaying good results at the Unity Tournament—or beyond that, one of the integrity knights of the Axiom Church, holding onto more authority than even those from the households of the four emperors, just what sort of luxurious lifestyle would I lead?

"...Oof, not good."

Eugeo rapped himself on the head with the wooden sword he rested on his shoulder.

A year had passed since he enrolled and perhaps due to getting a little used to the life at the academy, there were times when he was about to lose sight of the feelings he held when he set out on his journey from the village. He was not here to gain fame or honor as a swordsman.

"...Alice..."

As if he was advising himself, he muttered the name precious to him.

Living here, winning in the official matches, and even his aim to become an integrity knight, none of those were the end results, but the process. To take back that blonde childhood friend of his, who should be confined somewhere within the Axiom Church's Central Cathedral—

After descending to the first floor through the stairs constructed on the northern side of the building, Eugeo headed towards the exclusive practice arena beside the dormitory. This too, was one of the privileges of the elite swordsmen-in-training. He swung his wooden sword in either a large, crowded practice hall or an open-air outdoor training field back when he was a novice trainee, but he was now able to practice indoors in a bright and spacious area, for as long as he liked.

Opening the door at the end of a short passage, the refreshing scent of the annually refurbished floors welcomed Eugeo. Standing still, he was about to inhale it in before he stopped his breath. He could sense a faint, sticky smell mixed into the air.

When he got out of the small changing room, into the practice arena, those foreboding feelings turned to reality.

The two male students positioned right in the middle of the vast wooden floor noticed Eugeo and turned to look at him with blunt scowls. Perhaps in the midst of style practice, one of them stayed still with his wooden sword held aloft, while the other was adjusting his stance, but then both of them dropped their arms in an unnatural motion.

You don't have to be that cautious, I won't be stealing your techniques; muttering that thought in his mind, Eugeo simply gave a light nod and started walking towards a corner of the practice arena. He figured they would ignore him as usual, but for some reason, the ones who came earlier took a step forward and opened their mouths to speak tonight.

"My, Swordsman-in-training Eugeo... you're alone tonight?"

The one who called out was the man with his sword raised overhead. A garish red uniform covered his burly and tall body while his long and wavy blonde hair hung down. A delighted smile settled on his well-ordered face lacking any flaws, but that intentional pause after «Eugeo»[1] was to call attention to Eugeo's origins as a peasant with no family name.

Responding to harassment of this level would only serve to reduce the time for practice, so Eugeo returned the greeting with a fabricated expression.

"Good evening, Swordsman-in-training Antinous. Yes, unfortunately, my roommate is..."

However, those words were interrupted by the other male student's shrill scream.

"How rude! When addressing Raios-dono by name, be sure to add in the «Head Swordsman-in-training»!"

Turning to the man wearing a pale yellow uniform with his grey hair plastered in oil, he did a slight bow despite being fed up as one would expect.

"My humble apologies, Swordsman-in-training Zizek."

At that moment, the man immediately lost his temper and shouted after a step forward.

"And you dare repeat that insolence! When calling me, you must add in the «second-ranked» as well! Or do you have no regard for the history and traditions of this honorable swordsmanship academy..."

"Come now, no need to speak any further, Humbert."

His shoulder was then patted from behind, making him quickly close his mouth and back off.

As indicated by those words earlier, this grey-haired Humbert Zizek was the second-ranked elite swordsman-in-training among the twelve students living in this dormitory. And the blonde male, Raios Antinous, was the head elite swordsman-in-training, ranked first. In other words, the month before last, Raios took over the position of the previous head who fought a fierce battle with Kirito, Uolo Levanteinn.

Despite how unlike Uolo who had the air of a stoic military man Raios was, as a man who could not be said to be any closer to the very image of one from the higher ranks of nobility with the vanity he exhibits, their command over swords were remarkably similar. That might be only natural, considering how they use the same, «High Norkia Style»; though it wasn't pleasant knowing that the sophisticated, if speaking of him in a positive light, or devious, for negative, Raios was trained in the Mighty Sword designed to down in one hit, just like Uolo.

Kirito mentioned previously during a discussion over the matter. That half of that might behind the swords of students born in the higher ranks of nobility was from the huge pride they nurtured since childhood. Raios's dedication towards swordsmanship and intensity of training could not even reach Uolo's heels, but his pride surpassed the latter's by far. Thus, there was that abominable and almost viscous weight behind Raios's sword.

—However, could the word, pride, be interpreted to mean self-esteem? If they have that much self-esteem, why would they persist in such shallow harassment?

When Eugeo rebutted so, unconvinced, Kirito replied after pondering for a short moment.

—Self-esteem is the continuous judgement of oneself. But pride is not limited to merely that. Raios and the rest must have cultivated that pride through comparing themselves with others. Hence, they show contempt for us who weren't born as nobles or even born in the central capital. Or approaching it from the opposite angle, they are unable to maintain that precious pride of theirs without doing so.

Those words from Kirito were rather complex to Eugeo, but he interpreted it as the more he fed Raios's and Humbert's pride by being meek, the stronger their swords would get.

The thought that he might as well answer in a provocative and arrogant manner did come to mind, but unlike his partner, Eugeo had neither the knack of determining where the limits for violating the academy's regulations lie, nor the inclination to pick unnecessary fights in the first place.

Thus, although Eugeo was slightly ashamed of his obedient nature, he still gave a quick bow to show gratitude before he headed towards the corner of the practice arena once again.

Upon stepping across the plain wooden floorboards which were newly cut from the forest near the central capital with plenty of Life remaining, those nasty feelings gradually faded away. In the central capital where nearly all buildings were made from stone, a place to enjoy the aroma of fresh wood was precious.

—Raios and Humbert probably did learn swordsmanship from a private tutor since they were young, but even I've hit that Gigas Cedar two thousand times daily for seven years back in Rulid Forest. I might not have

enough pride, but I definitely have self-esteem. ...Well, I wasn't waving a sword but an axe around, though.

With those thoughts in mind, he stopped in front of the logs meant for self-practice, standing beside the wall on the west side. These were replaced as well, at the same time as the floor, with barely any dents on their surfaces.

Holding the wooden sword made from platinum oak in his two hands, he took up the basic middle stance and regulated his breathing.

"Tsh!"

He swung down the wooden sword from overhead with a short yell. The thud of a heavy impact rang out and the log with a diameter of thirty cen quivered to its very core after being hit on its right.

Feeling the pleasant feedback from his hands, he took a step back and swung the sword down from the left side this time. Next, the right side, then the left again. After striking it for as many as ten times, everything vanished from his cognizance aside from his own body and sword, and the log as well.

The practice Eugeo goes through each night was to execute these downward swings from left and right for a total of four hundred times. He does not carry out any revision for the complex styles taught during the day exercises, like what Raios and company were doing earlier. That was because his partner, and mentor as well, Kirito, said that there was no need for it.

—In this world, what's important is to put something into your sword.

When teaching Eugeo swordsmanship, he tended to voice that out.

—The «secret moves» of the Norkia-style, the Valtio-style, and our Aincrad-style are powerful. After all, you just have to understand the activation method and the sword will partially move all by itself. However, the problem lies before that. The number of matches where secret moves will go against secret moves, like when I fought against Uolo, will likely

increase from now on. In that case, the rest will be determined by the weight behind the sword.

Weight.

Even Eugeo understood that it was not a word that referred simply to the weight of the sword itself.

The one who Kirito fought against, Uolo Levanteinn, put the self-esteem and heavy responsibility from being born in a family that instructed the Knight Order in swordsmanship into his sword. The senior that Eugeo served for a year as his valet, Gorgolosso Baltoh, used the confidence from the body of steel he trained up. The student that guided Kirito, Sortiliena Serlut, used her expertise in the techniques she honed. And lastly, Raios and Humbert converted their pride as upper class nobles into the weight of their swords.

Then, what should I put in my sword?

Eugeo asked without thinking and Kirito replied with his usual smirk. You would have to find that out yourself, he said. But perhaps thinking that saying that alone was too irresponsible, he continued on; you won't be finding it even if you do style practice the whole time.

That was the reason behind the earnest striking practice Eugeo repeated day after day while on the journey towards Centoria, and even after gaining admission to the Master Swords Academy. Because all Eugeo had, being neither a noble nor a swordsman, was the years of experience sincerely swinging an axe in that forest south of Rulid.

No, there was actually one other thing.

The desire to recover Alice who was taken away by the Axiom Church. Even while swinging this wooden sword right now, the vestige of his blonde-haired childhood friend alone would not disappear from his mind. He believed it must have been the same back when he was chopping down the Gigas Cedar in his hometown's forest.

It would be eight years soon, since that day in the summer.

When the integrity knight who gave his name as Deusolbert Synthesis Seven took away Alice, all Eugeo did was to look on. Although he held onto the «Dragon Bone Axe» that could even sever iron at that time, he wasn't even able to brandish it. Despite how someone right beside him... a boy around the same age was screaming in desperation. Asking if he could really accept that.

That's right... who exactly was that? There shouldn't have been any other friends of his that called his name in that manner aside from Alice. Even so, he could still recall those youthful shouts reverberating faintly, deep within his ears.

Automatically counting the number of strikes in a corner of his mind, Eugeo dived deep, deep in his memory; it happened then.

"Oh my, Eugeo-dono's practice is as mysterious as always, is it not?"

That amused voice echoed off his back and threw Eugeo's concentration into disarray. The sword's trajectory deviated slightly and an unpleasant recoil numbed his hands like when he made a blunder swinging the axe during his woodcutting days.

Despite how there should have been quite a distance between Eugeo in the corner of the vast practice arena and Raios's group in the exact middle, the fact that the sound was that clear would be because they were intentionally raising their voices to make him listen. He should have been fed up of listening to their sarcasm by now, but he could only consider it shameful of himself for his emotions to be swayed, even now. Ignore them, ignore them; Eugeo tried to convince himself and was about to continue swinging his sword—

"Are you not curious about what meaning is there for Eugeo-dono to do that night after night, swinging that stick without style or finesse, Humbert?"

"I concur, Raios-dono."

Their exchange reached his ears again as they intended and they went as far as to start snickering; even though he couldn't resort to physical means, he still gave a reply within his mind.

—And you're as spirited as always, though only when Kirito isn't around, Raios-kun.

Since the month before last, they have stopped with the direct provocations whenever Eugeo and Kirito were together for some reason. In exchange, the scorn Eugeo received when alone increased accordingly, but it didn't seem to be because they found Eugeo easy to deal with, but because they were spooked by Kirito.

Apparently, something occurred between Kirito and them around the end of their novice trainee period, but his partner would only claim that it was merely "a slight quarrel" when he asked and of course, he couldn't ask Raios directly either. What seemed related though, was how Raios and Humbert had strangely pale faces on when they saw Kirito give an unusual potted blue flower to Sortiliena-senpai after the graduation ceremony last month, but he had absolutely no idea about the significance behind it.

Anyway, he could get by without being hassled by them when together with Kirito, which was something he had no qualms with. However, he couldn't very well hide in the shadow of his partner forever, having become an elite swordsman-in-training now.

The year's first official match was only a month away, in the middle of the sixth month. The final rankings may be decided based on just the one right before graduation, but a complete loss to Raios and his ally would only create unease in his future. A major reversal like how the Swordswoman-in-training Sortiliena who was always ranked second overthrew the unmovable head, Uolo Levanteinn, in the final match was not common at all—or so, Gorgolosso said in high spirits, as though it concerned him personally.

The head this year, Raios, and the second-ranked, Humbert, were warriors who received special training in the High Norkia-style since they were young, just like Uolo. Their characters were utterly unworthy of respect, but their swordsmanship would probably be a head above that of the other

noble students. To be honest, even with only a month to go until the match, he could still not find that something he should put in his sword that would be capable of competing against their Mighty Sword.

—But at the very least, I definitely won't lose to you guys in terms of number of sword swings.

Ending his pensive thoughts and the four hundredth strike at the same time, Eugeo slowly straightened his body.

He removed a towel from his belt and first wiped clean his wooden sword. Next, he wiped off the sweat that soaked in from his forehead to his nape while taking fleeting glances behind. Raios and his cohort were practicing in the middle of the practice arena as always, apparently reviewing the forms of each other's styles.

The moment he turned back and took a breath of air, the «Bell of Time Telling» hung at the academy's main auditorium tower rang out the melody for 6 P.M., the same way the bell at the church back home did. The swordsmen-in-training's dormitory left much to the students' discretion, unlike the trainees' dormitory that was full of regulations, so dinner could be taken anytime from six to eight. Hence, a little more practice was perfectly possible, but he had to bring food back to the room for his partner who was hard at work studying for the tests today.

—Come to think of it, that Kirito didn't tell me what he wanted to eat. If there are those pickled tsubu gourds he's bad with, I'll get him an extra-large serving.

When he tucked the towel and wooden sword into his belt with those thoughts in mind and started walking towards the entryway, Raios spoke with his sword aloft, at a volume he could hear.

"My, it seems that Swordsman-in-training Eugeo plans to only hit that log, without conducting any style practice."

Without missing a beat, Humbert followed up.

"Raios-dono, from what I hear, it seems that Eugeo-dono was a woodcutter somewhere in the boondocks. Perhaps he doesn't know how to deal with anything except a log for an opponent?"

"I would have never known. If those are his circumstances, might it be best of us to offer our guidance for a single form at least, as fellow disciples of the same dormitory?"

"Oh, such magnanimity from you, Raios-dono, you're truly a model of the aristocrats!"

Eugeo restrained himself from sighing at the seemingly premeditated exchange that played out and tried to continue on his way. However, Humbert then addressed him directly, so he had no choice but to reluctantly stop his steps.

"How about it, Eugeo-dono. As Raios-dono mentioned, how about some guidance? You won't be given such a rare chance ever again."

With the matter having progressed this far, he couldn't feign ignorance and walk away any longer. Intentionally ignoring a conversation targeted at him would be the same as an act of disrespect. In the first place, the authority to punish held by elite swordsmen-in-training could be used only on novice and advanced trainees, so Humbert couldn't order any sort of punishment onto Eugeo, but there was still the possibility of submitting a complaint to the academy's management.

As such, Eugeo thought to take his leave with the single phrase, "Don't mind me" but another idea came to mind.

This might possibly be a good opportunity.

Raios and Humbert were the head and second-ranked elite swordsmen-in-training—in other words, they were the strongest and second strongest swordsmen among the students in the academy. Even Kirito said, "Don't make light of those guys" every now and then, so he had absolutely no intention of looking down on the pair's true strength.

But at the present moment, Eugeo found Raios and his comrade's usage of «pride as a source of strength» to be incomprehensible. Boasting about their high social status, looking down on students born in noble families below theirs or those of commoners, ridiculing them... should that nature of theirs really grant power to their swords? If he were to accept that, wouldn't it bemire the «feelings of respect and affection towards others» taught to him by his parents, Sister Azariya from the church, Gasupht the village chief, and lastly, his childhood friend, Alice, when he was young?

Even now, when Eugeo was openly shown looks of scorn, he did not think to neglect the minimum amount of respect—affection was a little impossible though—for Raios and Humbert. However, if that attitude were to feed their pride, if it were to increase the force behind their swords even further, it would be really wasted on them.

That said, he didn't even have the slightest intention to choose a way of life similar to those two and scorn others... this was what he wished to find out before the official match next month. What exactly was the strength born from pride? Having them offer guidance on their own accord like right now could be a chance.

Eugeo quickly considered it in his head and added on an "It seems like what that Kirito would think up of, huh" to his thoughts, before he opened his once-closed mouth.

"...This certainly might be the only chance to do so. Then could you allow me to accept your offer and receive your guidance, please?"

At that moment, Raios and Humbert both raised their eyebrows. It seems Eugeo's reaction was unexpected, but they soon curled their lips up into a faint grin.

First, Humbert spread his arms wide open and declared in a shrill voice.

"Haha, of course it is of no trouble! Now then, hurry and show us your form over there. That's right, let's start with the basics, try something like «Fierce Blaze Style, Third Form»..."

"No, Second-ranked Swordsman-in-training Zizek-dono."

Slightly sticking up his right hand, Eugeo spoke, cautiously picking his words.

"Given the rare opportunity, I wish to experience the Second-ranked Zizek-dono's esteemed sword with my own body, rather than have a review on forms."

"...What did you say?"

The sneer immediately left Humbert's face. In exchange, suspicion of Eugeo's intentions and the cruelty a wild beast displays as it torments its prey with its claws, showed themselves.

"Experience, with your body... you say? In other words... do you have the desire to be struck by my sword, Swordsman-in-training Eugeo?"

"Of course, I would like to ask for you to stop immediately before you do so, but I am the one who requested for guidance, after all. Asking for any more on your part would be impertinent of me."

"Oh now, I see, I see. So, you're suggesting that you do not object to ending it only after the first strike?"

The neatly combed down grey hair looked as though they slightly bristled. Those eyes, thin even under normal circumstances, narrowed even further to nearly lines, with a brutal leer focusing deep within them. It seems Eugeo's overly respectful manner of speaking had aroused his sadistic anticipation.

"True, it is only my duty as the second-ranked swordsman-in-training as well as one born in a fourth class noble family, to respond to a plea for instruction. Very well, I shall show you my sword techniques, Eugeo-dono."

The minute he said so, he unsheathed the wooden sword at his side, in his belt, in an exaggerated motion. It was made of the same platinum oak as Eugeo's, but elaborate patterns were engraved onto the side of its blade.

With Humbert by his side acting in that manner, Raios first thought to say something to him, but perhaps thinking better of it, immediately shut his mouth. Taking slow steps backwards until he was three mel away, he nodded with a vague smile when Humbert turned to look at him.

Getting more into it with the acknowledgement of his superior, Humbert hung his hands loose, pointed his sword tip straight at Eugeo who was standing upright and shouted.

"Now, here I come! This is the essence of the High Norkia-style... learn it through your body!"

Spreading his feet out front and back, he held his sword up as though he was resting it atop his shoulder. This stance was the secret move of the Norkia-style, «Lightning Flash Slash». Contradictory to his words earlier, he did not try to use the powerful High Norkia-style «Heavenly Mountain Rending Wave» out of concern for Eugeo's body—no, he probably just didn't want to use it.

That said, Lightning Flash Slash wasn't a technique that could be looked down upon. Even with the edgeless wooden sword, it would reduce a person's Life by half if struck directly on the head and cause that person to lose consciousness for a while. Of course, «reducing someone else's Life» was a major violation of the Taboo Index, but in a bout agreed on by both parties, the maximum of a single hit could be forgiven. And there was no doubt that Humbert was aiming not to stop before contact, but to deal a full hit.

The craftwork that was the wooden sword brandished by the second-rank swordsman-in-training let out a blue glow. The speed he activated the secret move with, after entering the stance was as expected of him. However, Eugeo could distinctively predict the path the sword would draw. After all, Lightning Flash Slash was utterly identical to one of the many secret moves of the Aincrad-style swordsmanship, «Vertical».

"...Shrya!!"

With a high-pitched bellow, Humbert's sword charged in.

Right before that, Eugeo moved his right hand as well. Pulling his wooden sword from his left waist, he activated a secret move after an instant of concentration. He went against the opponent's sword that shot down from straight above with a slanted upward slash from below. Aincrad-style, «Slant».

The many secret moves taught by Kirito were all named not in the Common Tongue, but the Sacred Tongue instead, for some reason. It seems that even Kirito himself didn't know why. He likely forgot it due to the memory loss he had when he appeared at Rulid as a «Lost Child of Vector», but in that case, it was a true stroke of luck that he did not forget his sword techniques as well.

Slant was a single-hit technique just like Lightning Flash Slash, but the ability to attack in two directions, from top-right to bottom-left, or from bottom-left to top-right, was its best feature. Especially the latter, with its stance being the same as the action of drawing a sword from the waist, thus allowing a major reduction in the time required to activate it.

Normally, if the opponent in a duel was spotted using a secret move, there wouldn't be enough time to receive it with another one, so one had no choice but to jump backwards or to the sides with all of one's strength to dodge—though that was rarely successful. But the Slant that Eugeo let out late drew a pale blue streak as it violently collided with Humbert's Lightning Flash Slash in the air, causing noise and light unthinkable for a couple of wooden swords.

"Nuoo...!"

Humbert let out a short cry, but the surprise that showed itself on his face instantly converted to wrath and he applied pressure to his sword with all his might. The blue and light blue radiance enveloping the clashing swords had yet to vanish. If either of those swords were to be pushed back a few cen, the secret move will end in that moment and that person would likely be sent flying. Eugeo put his spirit in bracing his feet, pushing the sword in his right hand to the very end.

With a dull grating noise, Humbert's sword drew back by two cen. The blue gleam of the Lightning Flash Slash flickered, implying the stop of the skill.

—As I thought, I'm better in terms of pure strength!

It might have been within expectations, but receiving this opportunity to prove it for real gave true meaning to

Eugeo. He could not hope to match the motions of nobles, refined to the extent of even paying attention to the angles their fingertips were at, but in just this one thing, the physical strength tempered by waving a heavy axe two thousand times day after day in the forest back home, was not something he would lose at. Even Gorgolosso, who boasted about his steel-like body, praised Eugeo's body for being "slender, but masterly trained".

There were some among the noble students trained in the High Norkia-style who ridiculed the Valtio-style of Gorgolosso, who was born to common folk, as «rural swordsmanship», but putting aside performance art which was a competition of beauty, brute strength served as a splendid weapon for duels. And along with the adaptive Aincrad-style passed on from Kirito, he could bring any situation into a simple clash of swords.

—Even if he have not found «something to put into his sword», with the techniques and strength polished by those two, he wouldn't lose no matter who the high ranked noble was!

Embracing that conviction in his chest, Eugeo put all he had into the swing of his sword.

However, it happened then. Humbert's face, visible beyond the crossed swords, became an eerie countenance that could be described as evil.

"Don't get... ahead of yourself!"

His eyes and eyebrows could be raised no further; a metallic roar of anger gushed out from between his bared teeth. At the same time, the blue light that was nearly gone restored, tinged with shades of dusky black.

Creak. This time, the violent grating was from Eugeo's wooden sword. The pressure on his right arm multiplied with a sharp pain running through his wrist and shoulder. The two cen it was pushed back by was instantly taken back and the two wooden swords clashed back where they started.

—What is this power!?

Barely stopping it, Eugeo opened his eyes wide. Humbert, who doesn't work up a sweat much typically and spends all his time inspecting the forms of styles, even when he comes to the practice arena, should not possess this much strength. If this wasn't physical strength... is this the «pride as a source of strength» that Kirito was talking about? Prizing himself and looking down on others; was the power granted to his sword with that disposition, incompatible with Eugeo's values, enough to overturn days after days of training?

I can't believe it. I definitely don't want to believe that the God of Creation Stacia could forgive such a way of life.

The moment he tried to deny the phenomenon happening before his own eyes, Humbert bristled his hair with a wicked expression on and murmured.

"Did you think you could beat my sword with a cowardly sneak attack?"

"Co... wardly...?"

"Indeed. What could you call pretending to get beaten before coming out with that skill without a style or anything else, but cowardly?"

"Th... That's wrong! This is my school... this is how the «Aincrad-style» is!"

Eugeo instinctively shouted back. If the High Norkia-style was a school that focused on the force and form of techniques, the Aincrad-style was a practical school that focused on the basic point of landing a hit with the sword beyond anything else. As such, it strives for speed in the activation of secret moves, even possessing «consecutive hits skills» that other schools do not have.

In other words, the idea behind the Aincrad-style was the way of life of its one and only disciple, Kirito, itself. Unglamorous, unpretentious, a straight push on towards the goal. Not giving up even after running into a wall, challenging it again for the second time, the third time. If he wasn't together with him, Eugeo wouldn't have reached the town of Zakkaria, let alone Centoria.

That was why Eugeo vehemently objected to Humbert who concluded that the Aincrad-style was cowardly.

However, the tremors in his heart influenced his sword as well, getting pushed back further. It was Eugeo's turn for the pale blue light surrounding his wooden sword to flash unsteadily. He spread his feet and arched his upper body, desperately trying to hold his position.

Humbert gave a smug smirk and whispered in a voice like that of nails scratching glass.

"The vileness of that school is oozing out from your unsightly appearance. You must be thinking of usurping either Raios-dono or me in the next official match... but that is impossible. I'll crush your right shoulder and make you unable to wave a sword for a while right here."

"Kuh...!"

He clenched his teeth to endure, but the pressure from Humbert's sword continued to intensify. A secret move for swords could continue on for quite some time even if it's forced back, as long as it returns on the same trajectory, but Eugeo's sword was being attacked by Humbert's Lightning Flash Slash from straight above and had already left its original trajectory. If it was pushed back one cen, no, even five millice more, the Slant will be interrupted and as declared, his right shoulder will suffer a painful blow.

Of course, there was a superb medical office in the Master Swords Academy, with various medicines stored there and healers trained in specialized Sacred Arts stationed there as well. However, there was a limit to the effects of medicine and arts and a wound as heavy as a broken bone might not be able to recover instantly, even if a hazardous Sacred Art like

directly transferring Life from another was used. If he were to receive such a wound now, there was no way he could show up at the official match the coming month—...

—What am I, stupid?! How can a swordsman be afraid of injury!!

Eugeo shook off the fear creeping into his heart in an instant and concentrated all of his consciousness into his sword.

Despite having the chance to leave, the one who responded to Humbert's provocation and picked a duel was himself. He felt it was too shameful of himself, getting shaken by his opponent's words and being afraid of failure despite that. If he were to draw his sword, he would have to be determined to use up all of his skill and strength and let things fall into place. That's the spirit behind the Aincrad-style.

—And, I have still yet to use up all that I have.

Focusing not on Humbert, a sadistic smile forming on his face, but purely on the existence of the wooden sword held in his right hand instead. The toughness and weight, the warped and sore parts of the evergreen oak that created it made themselves known to his arm and he even felt the power behind the Slant, on the verge of vanishing, as subtle vibrations.

Make yourself one with the sword. That was what his close friend and teacher, Kirito, had always said.

He was not quite at that stage yet, but perhaps thanks to the daily practice swings, he felt like he could sense something similar to the voice of the sword every now and then. Not there, this is how you should move, that was how it spoke.

And now too, Eugeo heard the whispers of the sword—or so, he thought.

It would only be natural to be cut down if all he did was to receive a skill coming from above. He should change the skill.

"——Uooh!"

In that moment, Eugeo moved while letting out a rare yell. Turning over his right wrist, he received Humbert's sword with the right side of the blade. Slant was interrupted in that instant with the opponent's Lightning Flash Slash approaching his shoulder while surging with a blue-black light.

Eugeo did not go against that force, guiding his wooden sword to rest atop his shoulder. Without a moment's delay, he activated the Aincrad-style secret move, «Vertical»—

Humbert's sword touched the right sleeve of his training clothes and tore off several cen of the indigo blue fabric.

But then, Eugeo's sword fiercely forced his opponent's sword back while covered in a vivid blue light.

"Nuah!"

Humbert stared wide at the unexpected counterattack. Both Humbert and his partner were aware of the «consecutive hits skills» unique to the Aincrad-style, but linking one secret move to another certainly was beyond their expectations. Even Eugeo had no idea it was possible. He simply let his body move itself in the midst of battle.

Humbert's wooden sword was instantly pushed back over five cen and the light from Lightning Flash Slash quickly vanished. His posture was also very much broken, with his two feet leaving the floorboards.

However, that may have been for the best— His left shoulder would have been hit by Eugeo's sword had he stood firm; the force from the secret move, Vertical, rendered his entire body afloat, blowing him over three mel behind.

If he fell onto the floor like that, the bout would be irrefutably Eugeo's victory, but he obstinately refused to fall down as expected of him and took tottering steps. He bent his body as much as he could, preserving an insecure balance.

I'll definitely get the win here if I give chase, Eugeo thought, but before he could regain his mobility from the posture of having swung his sword straight down, a loud voice rang through the practice arena.

"That's enough. This duel shall be a draw."

The owner of those pompous words was of course, Raios Antinous, with his red lips formed into a faint smile. Having finally regained his stance, Humbert shouted while looking unsatisfied.

"Ra-Raios-dono! For me to draw with this barbari-no, this rural swordsman is...!"

"Humbert."

The head swordsman-in-training merely called his name out calmly, but the second-ranked quickly lowered his head. Switching the sword to his left hand and pressing it against his waist, he sloppily knocked his right fist against his chest in an gesture to show gratitude as a knight and turned his back against Eugeo without waiting for him to return the expression.

With Humbert accompanying behind him on the left, Raios smiled as he took a glance at Eugeo and brought his hands together in mock-applause as he spoke.

"I have greatly enjoyed that curious trick of yours, Swordsman-in-training, Sir Eugeo. What are your opinions on gaining employment in the Imperial Acrobatics Troupe after graduation?"

"...I am very much in your debt for the concern you have granted me, Swordsman-in-training Antinous."

He tried omitting the «Head» and «-dono» as a rebuff at the very least, but Raios showed no indication of minding it and returned a composed nod before he started on the walk towards the entryway. Humbert who followed

after him glared at Eugeo with the corners of his eyes lifted as high as he could manage.

With his soft leather shoes used for practice squeaking as he walked, Raios stopped when he passed by Eugeo who was still standing in the middle of the practice arena and murmured in a deep voice.

"I'll show you the true power of a noble next time."

"...I don't mind it even now, though."

He was frankly totally exhausted after four hundred practice swings and the unexpected duel, but Eugeo still replied so, half through stubbornness. However, Raios gave a snickering grin before starting on his way once again and spoke in an even more faint voice.

"Merely swinging swords around isn't much of a fight, peon without a surname."

Behind the head swordsman-in-training, who left a hoarse snicker, followed Humbert with a menacing expression. But he passed by without saying a word and the sound of the door opening and shutting soon echoed from behind.

In the midst of the silence that finally arrived, Eugeo let out a deep breath of air and brooded.

Strength originating from the «pride of the nobles». That, which he had experienced sword-to-sword for the first time, possessed a pressure beyond his expectations. If he had continued on with that Slant, he would have likely been forced back and gotten his right shoulder broken. Like what his sword had taught him, there were disadvantages in receiving a sword slashing downwards from below, but that wasn't all to it. Humbert's nature of showing contempt and looking down on Eugeo as a lower class person bound his sword and body like a curse.

He was saved by the flexibility of the Aincrad-style for being able to send out secret moves from various stances this time, but in the duels during the

official matches that will continue on for another year, he could not rely solely on surprise attacks. There would likely be situations where he would have to overpower the other party from the front with strength.

Until then, Eugeo would definitely have to find it. «Something to put in his sword» that could oppose Humbert's and Raios's bottomless pride.

While raising the wooden sword still held in his right hand and gently stroking the abused blade with his left, Eugeo muttered.

"...Thank you. Please help me out next time too."

Slotting the sword into the belt on his waist, the short chime of a bell announced the arrival of six-thirty just as he started walking. It was finally about time for Kirito, cramming seriously in his room, to get hungry. Crossing the plain white wooden floor in haste, Eugeo gave a bow to the empty practice arena when he reached the door and rushed towards the exclusive dining hall.

Going through the short passage, he entered the elite swordsmen-in-training's dormitory. There were no residential rooms on the first floor and in their stead, a large bath, dining hall and lounge lined up.

Mealtime at the novice trainees' dormitory was fixed and the daily menu decided, but quite some flexibility were given to both in the swordsmen-in-training's dormitory. It opened from six to eight and one could get the somewhat old male cook there who worked full-time to serve up any dish desired among a variety of menus that changed daily. Not to mention one could either eat at the dining hall or bring it back to their rooms.

Raios and Humbert had luckily made their way to the bath first and there were no signs of other swordsmen-in-training in the dining hall. As he approached the kitchen's counter, he checked the menus for the day posted on the bulletin board. It appears that roast mutton, deep-fried white-fleshed fish or chicken meatball stew could be chosen for the main dish.

...Let's see, if it's him, he'll get the stew, along with fresh vegetables in cheese and pickled oli, but I'm not too sure if he wants chilled siral water

for drinks.

He quickly thought that and while feeling a little dejected that he had already became familiar with his partner's tastes in food before he knew it, Eugeo leaned over the counter and shouted.

"Good evening! Take-out for two please, erm, as for the main dish..."

Excerpt From

Sword Art Online - Volume 11 - Alicization Turning

Reki Kawahara

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