Sword Art Online Volume 16 – Alicization Exploding Chapter 18 – War of the Underworld 16 Commander Bercouli Synthesis One who commanded the second unit in the rear. To top things off, the ruler of the Human Empire, the highest minister of the Axiom Church, Administrator, was no more. The absolute justice that served as the symbol of the church, too, had long gone missing. The knights stood on this battleground, trusting in their one last belief. Ironically enough, it was one particular emotion that should have been destroyed through the «Synthesis Ritual» once performed on them. Deusolbert Synthesis Seven awaited the enemy army with his chest boldly puffed up while gently stroking the aged ring fitted on the ring finger of his left hand, holding onto the Conflagrant Flame Bow, with his right-hand fingers. Ranking among the oldest integrity knights, he had protected the order in the Human Empire’s northern region for over a hundred years. He drove away invaders from the Dark Territory in their attempts to cross the mountain range at the edge, exterminated large magical beasts within his base of operations, and occasionally took in criminals who committed taboos. He had ceased thinking about the reasons for his responsibilities since long ago. Believing without doubt that he was a knight summoned from the Celestial World, he held not even a drop of interest in the activities of the humans living on the surface. What confused Deusolbert at times were those mysterious dreams that would pay him a visit at daybreak without fail. A small hand so pale it seemed see-through. The light shining from a simple silver ring on its ring finger. That hand would stroke his hair, touch his cheeks, and softly shake his shoulders.