Kirito unleashes his Perfect Weapon Control Art. His sword fires a dark blast to counter Fanatio's Heaven-Piercing Blade art. Kirito's art gets more and more stronger, and just as it was about to hit Fanatio, she takes a deep breath.

Fanatio: I'm sorry...

It hits her, sending her flying up into the air, and back down on the floor. Then, Kirito lies down unconscious.

Eugeo: Kirito!

Sonic: Oh no!

Everyone runs up to Kirito.

Eugeo: System Call! Generate Luminous Element!

Eugeo tries to use a healing sacred art on Kirito, but it wasn't enough.

Mighty: It's not working.

Eugeo: Let's try the other one.

He puts his left hand on Kirito's.

Eugeo: System Call. Transfer Human Unit Durability, Self to Left hand.

He uses a life transfer spell, and then Kirito grabs Eugeo's arm.

Kirito: I'm fine Eugeo. Thanks.

Kirito sits up.

Eugeo: Hey. Don't overdo it. You probably have internal wounds after all that fighting.

Kirito: Hey. It's not as bad as what the goblins did.

Sonic: But what about Fanatio?

Fanatio was able to sit up, but couldn't battle anymore.

Ray: Looks like she'll be alright.

Kirito: That's good news.

Fanatio: You're relieved that I am not dead?

Sonic: Heroes don't just kill people you know, even if it's their enemies. That's what it's like in my home world.

Fanatio: You're from another world?

Mighty: Whoever told you that we're from the Dark Territory must be real good at bluffing or something.

Kirito: Listen. We're trying to stop Administrator, and set you and all the other knights free.

Fanatio: Stop Administrator, and set us free?

Kirito tells her the story about what Administrator has been doing.

Fanatio: I see. Even Number 1 thinks just us alone won't be enough to stop the forces of darkness.

Sonic: Gotta need all the help you can get, right?

Fanatio: Sure.

Suddenly, a giant ring appears in the middle of the room.

Kirito: Huh? What's that?

Eugeo: A giant ring?

Everybody looks at it.

Sonic: A special stage ring? Here?

Sonic jumps in, and the ring disappears.

Kirito: Where did he go?

Mighty: Oh. He's in a special stage right now. He should be back soon.

Cardinal's Voice: Everyone. As far as I can tell, Administrator is still in her unawakened state. If you can make it to the top floor before she awakens, you can still eliminate her without using the daggers.

Ray: We better hurry then.

Five potions appear on the floor, Kirito, Mighty, Ray, and Eugeo grab them and drink four. Then, the giant ring appears again, and Sonic appears with the Chaos Emerald.

Sonic: That's five. Two left.

Kirito: Sonic. Here.

Sonic takes the potion given from Kirito, and drinks it.

Sonic: Thanks.

Fanatio stands up and begins to walk away.

Mighty: Hey. You coming?

Fanatio: I must head down to the lower floors to heal my wounds.

Mighty: Ok then.

Sonic: Oh. And while you're at it, keep an eye on those two troublemakers over there.

He points at Fizel and Linel, sitting down against the wall on the other side of the room.

Fanatio: I will.

Fanatio leaves with the two girls.

Kirito: Hmm. Cardinal said something strange, about Administrator's unawakened state.

Eugeo: Could she be asleep?

Kirito: She said that Administrator and the Integrity Knights have to strain their resources in various ways in order to live for centuries.

Sonic: Hmm. Guess this Administrator lady spends most of the time sleeping.

Mighty: Better keep moving up and find out.

The five heroes continue moving forward. As they walk down the hall after leaving the room, they see some sort of green clear thing going up.

Kirito: What's that?

Sonic: Something's coming down.

A floating platform heads down to them, with a girl inside it the door opens.

Sonic: Is that an elevator?

Eugeo: Elevator?

Mighty: That's what it's called in our world. Something we use to go to other floors of a building.

Eugeo: Oh. That sounds better than using just stairs.

Kirito: Looks like that girl is operating it with sacred arts.

Elevator Girl: Thank you for your patience. Which floor would you like to visit?

Kirito: Well, we're fugitives who broke inside the cathedral. You sure it's ok to let us ride inside that?

Elevator Girl: My job is to operate this floating platform. I have been given no other orders.

Sonic: Alright. We'll go then.

Eugeo: Hey! Are you sure about this?

Mighty: Well, doesn't look like there's another way up.

They all go onto the floating platform.

Sonic: Take us to the highest floor you can go.

Elevator Girl: Very well.

She puts her hands over a glass object at the center of the platform.

Elevator Girl: System Call. Generate Aerial Element.

The door closes.

Elevator Girl: Burst Element.

The elevator starts moving upward.

Kirito: So, how long have you been doing this?

Elevator Girl: This year marks the 107th year since I received this Calling.

Ray: 107?!

Eugeo: And you've been operating this platform ever since?!

Elevator Girl: Not the whole time. I am granted a lunch break at noon, and I sleep at night.

Eugeo: That's not what we meant.

Mighty: What's your name?

Elevator Girl: I've forgotten my name. But everyone calls me the Operator.

Eugeo: Well, we're on our way to defeat a very important person of the Axiom Church. The one who assigned you this Calling.

Operator: Is that so?

Sonic: What are you gonna do if we defeat the church, and your free from your Calling?

Operator: Free? I do not know anything about this world, other than this shaft. Therefore, I cannot say what new Calling I should choose.

Mighty: You should explore the world. Maybe go adventuring. We actually love going on adventures.

Ray: Yeah. It's really fun too.

Operator: There is one thing I would like to try. I would like to fly freely through the sky on this floating platform.

Sonic: You would have a perfect view of the world.

Meanwhile, IRL...

Kikuoka: Hey Tails. Knuckles.

Tails: What do you want? We're preparing a livestream called Sonic beats up Kikuoka.

Kikuoka: Well, I believe you both want to see him again. Right?

Knuckles: Uh, yeah.

Kikuoka: There are two STL's ready for you guys.

Tails: Really?! Cool! We can use them?!

Kikuoka: Sure.

Tails: Great. But what about Asuna, Ruby, and the others?

Kikuoka: We're still working on theirs. They should be ready in a few days.

Knuckles: Ok. Let's log in.

Kikuoka: We won't block your memories of the real world when you dive in. Right now, they are at the big tower in Centoria.

Tails: Ok then. Centoria it is.

Tails and Knuckles get into their STL's and dive into the Underworld. They arrive in a forest outside of Centoria.

Knuckles: Woah. Everything feels so realistic.

Tails: I know. For a virtual world, this all feels too real. Huh?

They look and see a big wall.

Tails: Centoria must be behind that wall.

Knuckles: Ok. Let's climb up it then.

Tails: Right.

Tails flies over, while Knuckles climbs up.

Tails: Ok. Now let's head to the central tower and look for Sonic, Mighty, Ray, and Kirito.

Knuckles: Right.

Meanwhile, the five heroes arrive at the 80th floor of the cathedral.

Operator: This is the highest I can take you. It is the 80th floor, the Cloudtop Gardens.

Sonic: Thanks again, Operator.

Eugeo: I used to think that nothing would be more endless than my previous Calling with that demon tree. But it was a gift to be able to retire when I got older. Compared to that girls Calling.

Kirito: Cardinal said that even if you freeze a natural degradation of life with a spell, you can't stop the soul from aging. The memory is affected bit by bit, until it's destroyed in the end.

Mighty: What the Axiom Church is doing is completely wrong.

Sonic: And that's why we're here, to stop Administrator.

Ray: But that doesn't mean things will end here. The real challenge is still ahead.

Kirito: But as long as we defeat Administrator, can't we let Cardinal handle the rest? Actually, no. I'll explain after we get Alice back.

They arrive at a doorway, and push it open. When they do, they see a big indoor garden, with a small stream, and trees and bushes.

Sonic: Wow!

Mighty: This looks like the perfect place to relax.

Kirito: And also have a picnic.

Ray: I bet if Asuna was here, she would have us all relax here, and she would unpack a basket of sandwiches.

Kirito starts drooling a little bit.

Sonic: What's up?

Kirito: You had to remind me.

The others start laughing.

Eugeo: Guess your wife makes really good food, huh?

Kirito: Her cooking is legendary. You have no idea.

Mighty: It's just that good.

Eugeo: I can see that. Come on. Let's keep going.

They walk up the hill to the tree at the center of the garden. When they do, they see Alice kneeled down underneath with her eyes closed. Eugeo gasps.

Eugeo: Alice?

He takes a step forward, but Alice raises her hand to them.

Alice: Please wait a little longer. The weather is so nice, and I would like to give it ample time to bask in the sunlight.

Eugeo: I...

Kirito: Eugeo, don't fight. Focus on piercing Alice with Cardinal's dagger, no matter what. I'll block her attacks, even if it means risking my life.

Mighty: I'll restrain her, while you guys try to stab her with your dagger. You gotta be quick.

Sonic: And hey, it doesn't look like she has her sword. So if we go now, she won't have time to recite her Perfect Weapon Control art. And it's probably best if we didn't use that.

Eugeo: Guess your right. Even though I think I can use mine about two more times without restoring its life using the scabbard.

Ray: We still gotta deal with the knight's commander after Alice.

Kirito: Ok. Let's go.

They walk ahead to Alice. She stands up.

Alice: I see you have climbed all the way to these heights. Even if you did manage to escape the underground prison. I expected Eldrie to be able to deal with you on his own. Yet you five overcame him, Sir Deusolbert, and Lady Fanatio before setting foot in the Cloudtop Garden. What imbues you with such power? Why are you disrupting the order of the Human Empire?

No answer.

Alice: Looks like I can only ask you with my sword.

Alice touches the tree.

Kirito: Wait a minute.

The tree turns into a golden sword inside a scabbard.

Kirito: That sword is already under the Perfect Weapon Control Art?!

Sonic runs ahead and uses his spin attack, but it was blocked. Then, as she unsheathes her sword, the blade turns into a storm of flowers, hitting Sonic, and the other four running toward her.

Alice: That was just a warning. My next attack will erase your lives. Show me the full extent of your power, for the sake of the knights you have defeated as well.

Kirito stands up.

Kirito: We apologize for showing such disrespect to an honorable knight. I, Kirito the Black Swordsman, formally challenge you, Knight Alice, to a fair duel.

Alice: Very well. I will test your limits of your evil designs through your swordsmanship.

The flowers flying around Alice turn back into a blade.

Kirito: Tell me one thing. I assume that tree on top of the hill earlier was your Divine Object in ancient form. How can such a small tree wield such power?

Alice: In ancient times, the spot where the Cathedral now stands was the Place of Beginning bestowed upon humans by Stacia, the Goddess of Creation. A beautiful spring gushed in the center of a tiny village, and on its banks grew a single Osmanthus tree. That tree was the original form of my Divine Object, the Osmanthus Blade. The reincarnated form of a tree created by God. It is the oldest existence in creation. Its attribute is everlasting eternity. Even a single fluttering petal can break a rock, or pierce the ground it touches.

Kirito: So it's the first indestructible object created by God, huh? Not that I can afford to be amazed.

Kirito gets into his fighting stance with his sword.

Kirito: Ok then. Once again, Integrity Knight Alice, I challenge you!

Kirito charges ahead, and strikes, but Alice's block staggers him a little bit. Kirito continues to struggle until they appear at a wall.

Alice: You are the second person to have withstood my attacks for this long. You must have climbed this tower with such resolve and conviction. But it's not entirely enough to sway the Church. I cannot allow you five to disrupt the peace of the Human Empire. Prepare yourself!

As Alice strikes again, Kirito blocks, and puts his sword down, grabbing Alice.

Kirito: Now!

Eugeo: Enhance Armament!

Eugeo uses his Perfect Weapon Control art to freeze both Kirito and Alice.

Sonic: Ok. Now's our chance to get her.

Unfortunately, her sword didn't freeze, and she uses her Perfect Weapon Control art to break the ice. She pushes Kirito out of the way.

Alice: That was rather entertaining. But you have no hope in stopping my flowers with ice. I will fight you all next, so wait your turn.

Sonic uses his spin dash at her, but the flowers knock him to the wall.

Kirito: Enhance Armament!

Both of them use their weapon control arts, and a small explosion makes a bunch of cracks on the floor and wall. Sonic grabs Kirito's knife and attempts to stab Alice with it, but then, the walls break, sending Kirito, Alice, and Sonic flying out of the tower.

Ray: Woah!

Eugeo: Kirito? Alice? Sonic?

Then, a bunch of stones fly at the hole in the wall, fixing it.

Mighty: Oh no!

Eugeo: Kirito! Sonic! Alice!