The Night Sky Swordsman (Sword Art Online X OC)

Chapter 62 Sage of the Library

No one's POV

Currently, Zora and Eugeo were facing an Integrity Knight that pronounced himself Eldrie Synthesis Thirty One. Zora narrow his eyes when he heard the name. Because there had been several crucial bits of information contained in that annoyingly smooth introduction.

First of all, this established a clear rule to the naming of the Integrity Knights. Alice's full name was Alice Synthesis Thirty, so it was clear that Alice and Eldrie were their personal names. The Synthesis in the middle was commonly shared. And the last name was just a number. Eugeo wouldn't have understood, because they were English numbers, but it would suggest that Alice was the thirtieth of the knights, while Eldrie was the thirty-first.

He also said that he was "summoned just a month ago." Zora wasn't sure what Eldrie meant by summoned, exactly, but if he was indeed the newest of the knights, that meant there were only thirty-one of them in total. And given that many of them had to leave Central Cathedral to protect the various regions of the human empire, that meant there couldn't be more than twenty in the tower itself.

But all that calculation was putting the cart before the horse if Zora and Eugeo couldn't defeat the newest and greenest of the knights.

Eugeo: Eldrie? I've heard that name...

Zora: Eugeo. We're going to fight. I'll go first. You wait for my signal.

Eugeo: O-okay. But...Zora, I...

Zora: I told you, there's no time to hesitate anymore. If we can't beat him, there's no way we'll get up to the cathedral.

Eugeo: Um, I'm not hesitating, I'm saying that his name is— Oh, never mind. It can wait. But don't be too reckless, Zora.

Based on his reaction, Zora wasn't sure if Eugeo had understood the full plan, but neither of them didn't have time to hold a strategy meeting. Zora got the feeling that his invisible guardian spirit above his head sighed, but they could still flee for safety after ascertaining the enemy's strength.

Zora took two steps forward through the gate, then unraveled the chain and held it in his fingers. The knight noticed this and raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

Eldrie: You're going to use those chains as your weapons? I suppose it might end up being a proper battle after all.

Eldrie's voice and expression were still overflowing with confidence. Zora inched closer, swearing under his breath that he'd wipe the smugness off Eldrie's features soon enough. The chain had a handicap: Zora couldn't use his Aincrad sword skills with it. But it had much longer reach than a sword. If Zora kept moving, striking and disengaging, it should eventually build up enough damage to give both of them a chance.

It took one moment for that ray of hope to be smashed to pieces. Eldrie reached not for his sword but behind his back.

Eldrie: Then let me not fight with a sword, but instead with this.

When Eldrie's right hand emerged, it held a second weapon he had concealed under his cape—a thin whip that shone silver. As Zora watched in disbelief, Eldrie let the whip hang so that it coiled on the stones like a snake. Unlike Zora's crude chain, the weapon was of finely woven silver cords. And upon closer look, there were fine spiraling spikes running down its length like rose thorns, glinting wickedly in the starlight. It would do more than tear the skin if it hit him.

On top of that, it was at least a dozen feet long, at least three times the length of Zora's chain. His plan to strike and keep his distance was ruined. Zora froze, feeling a cold sweat break out. Eldrie noted the change and snapped his hand. The whip leaped like a living thing, cracking on the stone ground.