Sword Art Online Volume 16 – Alicization Exploding Chapter 18 – War of the Underworld 38 By sneaking in beyond the front lines, they would avoid the combined attack from the dark arts users and orc archers that would eventually rain down from behind. They would return about and finish off the integrity knights and guards after the flames and arrows deal them a devastating blow, or simply flee off into the endless Human Empire otherwise. Thus, among the three openings of hostilities in the hundred mel wide valley, the north side alone advanced without bloodshed. Just about as the second unit of guards in the Human Empire Defense Army stationed behind Eldrie finally noticed the disappearance of the high ranking integrity knight commanding them, Renri Synthesis Twenty-seven. * * * The first casualty from the Defense Army was the elderly guard struggling by Deusolbert’s immediate side at the right flank of where the first unit held down the front line. He did not manage to stop the hand axes thrown by the goblins with his shield. He was a lower noble that had long commanded a platoon in the Wesdarath West Empire’s imperial guards. Though he certainly had skill with the sword, he could not help but to approach the undisputable descent of his Life and the axe that dug deep into his wrinkled neck dealt him a completely fatal wound. Not even the healing arts hurriedly recited by the ascetics party on standby behind could make up for that damage. Deusolbert had paused his random firing immediately and performed a high ranking healing art on the fallen old guard. However, the guard shook his head and shouted out while vehemently vomiting blood.