Sword Art Online Volume 16 – Alicization Exploding Chapter 18 – War of the Underworld 56 Shibori instructed those forming a barricade around himself, his close aides who were both brawny and boorish, and slowly stepped forward. “…I slipped up…” Deusolbert let out a deep groan. He had finally realized those enemies erratically moving through the darkness and those scarecrows improvised from raised corpses. After bringing down those manipulating the scarecrows by aiming at the feet rather than the heart, the right hand searched through the large quiver behind and grasped only a fruitless emptiness. Without arrows, the Conflagrant Flame Bow, a divine instrument, was no different from a plain longbow. Though it was possible to produce arrows from metallic elements with sacred arts, that technique could only be used in a one-versus-one where he had the chance to recite the art. In the first place, almost all of the space sacred energy should have been absorbed by the integrity knight standing by in the sky, leaving the atmosphere dry. Grinding his teeth as he hung the Conflagrant Flame Bow on his left shoulder by its string, Deusolbert drew the longsword from his waist once more. It was in that precise moment that he spotted a party rapidly approaching through the darkness from in front, with sizes rather large for goblins. Their outfits differed from the small fry he faced off until now. Their chest to around their hips was covered in plate armor and riveted leather belts wrapped about their brawny arms. They held thick, large hatchets that seemed fit to sever even cows in their right hands. Deusolbert confirmed another goblin approaching from behind those seven—with a frame that exceeded even orcs in terms of height.