Sword Art Online Volume 16 – Alicization Exploding Chapter 18 – War of the Underworld 21 That battle cry resounded throughout the five thousand soldiers. Deusolbert took on the imposing anger and bloodthirst without a word as he let loose his third volley of fire arrows. The number of goblins charred to cinders exceeded fifty yet again, but the enemy forces charged on. He stored away the Conflagrant Flame Bow’s flames as the distance between them reached fifty mel and switched over to normal shooting. Taking steel arrows out from the quiver at a ferocious pace, he fired blindly without any particular target. Each arrow pierced through three goblins, or two at the very minimum. Guards ran forward from Deusolbert’s sides with their swords drawn. “Protect Master Knight! Don’t let their blades reach him!!” The one who yelled that was a young guard commander still at the age of twenty or so. He put the large, two-handed sword, with which he had went through intensive training, before himself. However, its edge trembled, just a little. Deusolbert thought to ask them to retreat and to not over-extend. He held no confidence that the young guards could endure a real battle awash with blood yet, in sprit, in technique, and in body, despite experiencing the knights’ strict guidance. However, he sucked his breath in before giving a deep shout instead. “My apologies. I’ll leave the left and right to you.” “Leave it to us!!” The guard commander showed a distinct grin. Seconds passed. And the shrill noise made when the plains goblin soldiers’ machetes collided with the longswords of the intercepting guards rang out for the first time.