Ocean Turtle, almost two hours after Sinon and Leafa entered the Underworld

"Seriously, I can't believe I was so careless. Who knew that they'd have American VRMMO players dive into the Underworld? Not only that, but it was an existing AI connected to Asuna's cell that detected it."

"Even if there was no other way," Rinko says, "letting those players in has made some information on the Project Alicization public."

Higa shrugs. "Compared to Alice falling into enemy hands, and being used as a passive AI on an unmanned weapon, this is way better." After stretching his arms, Higa looks down to the console at his fingertips. "That's right. Alice isn't just a control AI for UAVs anymore. She's a new form of humanity born in a true alternate world. You realized that long ago. Isn't that right, Kirito. And that's why you didn't secure her despite the chances you had, right, Jaymes… Huh? Huuuuh?" Higa clicks on a window behind Kirito's dormant fluctlight, an ECG of sorts from his STL. On it shows a single spike in activity. "Eh?" Higa expands the display, seeing three stances the spikes appear. "H-Hey, Rinko! Could you take a look at this?"

Rinko looks at the display as it appears in front of her. "What are these fluctuations?"

"It means his lost consciousness showed activity for just a moment. But there's no way that could happen."

"...Wait a moment. Aren't two of these times when the girls used the STL to dive? And this one...this is almost an hour after Jaymes entered, but just moments after we talked to him."

"What does this mean? Is it just he had a strong reaction because someone close to him showed up? If so, why did nothing work with Jaymes prior? No, the damage Kirito sustained isn't something that could be repaired for such a poetic reason. Something has to be causing this… The self. The subject. The image that defines you as you. Could there be a backup of that quantum pattern somewhere? No, that's impossible. We never once duplicated Kirito's Fluctlight."

"Hey."

"Even if there was a backup, it would be impossible to extract the self-image and copy it over."

"Hey, Higa."

"Is there an active quantum pattern that can be connected to his Fluctlight? Where? Where is it?"

"Higa, listen!"

Higa faces Rinko, wondering why she's shouting at him. "What is it?"

"Higa, you keep mentioning the subject and the object, but can you really separate them that easily? Aren't the subject and the object just philosophical concepts for expressing relationships? But humans are social creatures. It's not as if we exist as solitary beings. The others who exist in you. The you that exists in others. Up to a point, they're all connected, like a network. Wouldn't you agree?"

"The you...who exists...in others. A backup self-image. We have it. We have it! We have data we can use to restore Kirito's shattered subject! We can do as we did with Koharu! It's inside the Fluctlights of the people closest to him! But… With Koharu, Itsuki simply copied the clone that appear in GGO's data, and it so happened to contain Jaymes' recollection of her. But to extract that data for Kirito, we'll need an STL. And we couldn't reproduce it effectively with just one person. We'd need at least two… no, three people. Heck, five definitely will do it! Mr. Kiku, the two girls diving with Koharu from Roppongi are connected to Kirito, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. Sinon teamed up with Kirito to resolve the Death Gun incident six months ago. And Leafa is Kirito's younger sister."

"We can do it! We might be able to restore it, then! Kirito's self-image, that is! If we can extract the image of Kirito saved onto their Fluctlights, and connect it to the areas he's lost… That should do it... Ah, you're kidding me! The only place we can do all that is the Main Control Room!"

"Don't be so disappointed, Higa," Kikuoka says. "It's good knowing that there's hope for Kirito. We can launch the actual operation after this is resolved, and those people have been driven off the Ocean Turtle."

"But by then it'll be too late! If the commando unit from the naval escort Asahi storms in, and a huge battle ensues in the Main Shaft, the sub-power would probably get knocked out, too. If that were to happen, Kirito would be forcibly logged out of the Underworld while still unconscious. And then most likely Kirito wouldn't make it past the initialization stage to log in and he'll never be able to connect to the STL again. That's why, no matter what, we have to three him while he and his five friends are still diving in the Underworld… I'm going, okay, Mr. Kiku?"

"Going...where?"

"STL Room Two, where Kirito is now, and Maincon below the pressure bulkhead are connected by a cable duct on the stern side of the Main Shaft. There should be a maintenance connector in there. I should be able to control Kirito's STL from there."

"But the maintenance connector is on the other sice of the pressure bulkhead. If they notice you, you could get attacked from below."

"So let's go with a decoy operation."

"Decoy, did you say?"

"Of course, we wouldn't send valuable human resources. Once we unlock the pressure bulkhead door, we'll have it charge down the stairs for humans on the other side of the duct. That."

"I see. You mean Ichiemon."

"Hold on," Rinko interrupts. "All that one can do now is slowly go up and down stairs. It can't possibly rush back up here if the enemy spots it!"

"I do feel bad for Ichiemon, but he's just going to have to do his best. But given the way he looks, the enemy might not open fire on him."

"Well, that's true, he's sure to stick out like a sore thumb, so we can probably convince them that we have an epic plan up our sleeves."

"At the very least, they won't be able to ignore him. So while the enemy is dealing with Ichiemon, I'll infiltrate the cable duct and operate Kirito's STL through the maintenance connector."

"While we're at it, do you think we could deploy Niemon, too?"

"Unfortunately, that's not possible. Like I said before, without a balancer, Niemon will only fall over as soon as he starts descending the stairs."

"I see."

"But Higa, even if you did fool them long enough to unlock the bulkhead, there'll still be some risk of you being spotted. Should you at least take a bodyguard?"

"No. As it stands now, we can't spare any of the JSDF staff. Besides, the only one who can easily move through that cramped duct...is scrawny little me! I'm going to zip over, and zip right back, okay? If it weren't for Kirito, Alice's Fluctlight wouldn't have become what it is now. That alone is such a great achievement. but while trying to protect Alice… That's why, if there's a chance we can treat him, we have to take any risk, or we won't be able to look him in the eye, am I right?"

"Um," a guy with dark hair speaks up, "I'll go with you, Chief Higa. As you can see, I'm scrawny, too, but I think I can at least take a bullet for you. And besides, I'm the one who's been maintaining those cables till now."

"Oh… To be honest, I don't really remember where that maintenance connector is. So thanks for coming along, Mr.Yanai."

Bercouli

Despite Bercouli's disadvantage, troubles, and worst judgement to not have Jaymes join him, the fight rages on between him and Vecta. But no matter how much the first Integrity Knight fights, Vecta finds a way to draw blood and push him away. But this time, Vecta strikes and knocks Bercouli on his back. "I've grown tired of this. Your soul is heavy. It's too thick. And tedious, as well. The only thing on your mind is killing me… Begone."

Dark power surges on Vecta's blade, but Bercouli doesn't allow it to dissuade him from fighting. If anything, it keeps him going. He knows the other male wants to jump in, but he knows the boy respects the fight as Bercouli's. Jaymes stubbornly won't intervene unless his stubbornness to intervene eventually wins out, but the Knight Commander needs him to stay with Alice. "Don't be like that… I've still got enough left to enjoy this!" Bercouli gets up and dodges the attack. As he charges towards Vecta, he takes a hit from the emperor's power, but he's still not out. He just needs a moment longer.

"Where are you..." Bercouli spots Vecta standing to the side, and walks up and strikes him...or so he thought. No, that's just a bloodstain… Ah, there it is. Bercouli found Vecta, but not the one he's fighting. The Vecta he's looking for is the Vecta ten minutes in the past. "579… 580… 581… 582…"

"Bercouli!"

"You're up to something, aren't you?" Vecta punches Bercouli in the gut so hard it breaks though his skin and organ, sending the knight flying and landing on his back.

"So I missed, huh? Forgive me, little Asuna… Jaymes… Alice." Bercouli blinks and sees a red cape flutter in front of him. "Hey, now… Didn't I tell you to stand and watch over Alice?"

"I promised to protect Alice, but I am not going to tell her I stood by doing nothing. Her, Eydis, and Fanatio would have my head… Besides, after seeing his cold face, I recognize him… 588." Jaymes holds up Falchion, letting it glow gold. "Empowered Falchion! Secret Sword Skill: Great Aether!" As Jaymes takes the fight to Vecta, he soon takes flight and whistles. As he watches, Bercouli smirks as his dragon Hoshigami joins Jaymes and releases fiery breath on the dark god. Vecta blocks their attack and, as the dragon lands, swiftly deals with the beast. Jaymes lands between Vecta and a standing Bercouli, smirking at the dark god. "594."

Bercouli doesn't waste the opportunity Jaymes and Hoshigami has given him, Bercouli powers up his blade. Out the corner of his eye, he sees Vecta trying to come for him, but he's blocked by a golden wall projecting from his shield. So that's what his did with the piece of the Central Cathedral… Bercouli turns his attention to the outline and with a great yell, slashes Vecta's past.

"Huh?"

"The Time-Piercing Sword Uragiri is 'the sword that slashes time.' I just slashed your past."

Jaymes chuckles as Vecta starts to break apart. "I don't know who you truly are, but I feel like you've crossed me once. So, for some reason, this is payback." Vecta explodes in dark energy, leaving not a single trace of him behind.

Alice

"What is your plan with the little one?"

"To keep this world safe, she has to go to my allies in my world."

"I see... Is Vecta defeated?"

"Not likely...but no matter what, I'll keep her separate from Alice and save the Underworld."

"Then..., as an old man who probably grew up hearing of the Lord of Knights, inspired by him to become a warrior of my own… I ask this of your, Jaymes. However it must come, find a way to peace with the Empire and the Dark Territory…"

"...You can leave it to me, Bercouli Synthesis One, Knight Commander of the Order of Integrity Knights."

Alice finally wakes, finding herself underneath the sitting, closed eyed form of Bercouli. "Uncle?" Wonder what she was doing on the ground, why Bercouli is here, her memories start to rush in. "That's right, I was captured by the emperor's flying dragon, and… Jaymes?" The boy stands a few meters away by the edge of the high elevation she finds themselves located, and he slowly faces her. She can't really see much of his, but his hands are shaped into tight fists.

"Alice… I'm… I'm sorry…"

"Sorry for…" She looks at Bercouli, seeing his severed arm and his gaping wound in his torso. "U-Uncle? Lord Bercouli?" She shakes his body, but it is stiff, his face, cold and lifeless. "Uncle… It can't be…"

Jaymes steps over, and for the first time in the six months she's known him, she's seeing him cry. "If we fought Vecta together...if I hadn't listened to him… I'm so sorry, Alice."

"Noooo!" Alice hugs Bercouli tighter, coming to the realization that her commander, her mentor, her father figure is gone.

"Hey, now. Don't sob like that, little one. My time was always going to come, and now it has, that's all. Right? You'll be fine, little one. You can make it on your own now. After all, you're my only apprentice, and well as my daughter." Bercouli looks up and scratches Hoshigama underneath the dragon's chin. "Hey, not a bad way to go, huh?"

"That's right. You have so many people who will cry for you. Consider yourself blessed."

Bercouli turns around, seeing a beautiful woman floating with him in the air. One so familiar he could say it would be wrong if he didn't see her after so many centuries together as her first sword. "What, you were alive all along after two defeats?"

"Of course not," Quinella says defensively. "This is the me that exists in your memory. The memories of Administrator you've kept inside your soul."

"Hmm. So what that troublesome boy was after. Still, I'm glad that in my memories, you're able to smile like that." Bercouli floats to Hoshigami's back and extends his hand out to Quinella. She takes it and settles down in his lap.

"Don't you resent me at all? When I'm the one who locked you in a prison of never-ending time and robbed you of your memories over and over?"

"I admit it went on so long it got old, but it was a hell of an interesting life. I mean it."

Quinella is surprised by that response. "Is that so?"

"Forgive me, Fanatio. It looks like we won't be seeing each other again. I'll leave the rest to you...to give our child a happy life."

Eydis looks at Fanatio as the woman stands up along the border of the Dark Territory and Human Empire. Golden light swirls around the vice commander of the order, She briefly touches her stomach, and starts to shed tears. "Fanatio? Lady Fanatio?"

"Eydis… Watch over everyone in my stead. And as for the boy...don't let words and feelings linger. Just like I, he will be gone soon…"

Eydis gasps and drops her jaw as the words fly into her ear. That was the Knight Commander… That was Bercouli. She looks down to Fanatio, the woman who loves him as greatly as Alice kneeling down in her own sorrow. "Have no fear, Lord Bercouli… I will raise this child to be proper. To become a gallant, proud human like you."

A child? Fanatio and Bercouli? Eydis looks to the red sky of the Dark Territory, hoping she's locking eyes with her commander. So they finally did something… "I'll do as you ask of me, Lord Bercouli."

When this war is over, she will heed his advice,

"Well done, Captain. Well, you got your butt kicked though, huh?"

Gabriel rises up and faces Critter. "What's the status?"

"Like your ordered, I sent in those 50,000 players we scraped up from all over America. That bastard Vassago died and came back once, but then he got super excited, converted his personal account, and dove back in."

"Oh? I see… I see." Gabriel reaches into his pockets and pulls out a pen and notebook, quickly jotting down some letters and numbers. Ripping the paper, he hands it to Critter. "All right, I'm diving in again. Convert this account to the Underworld."

Critter eyes the account information with interest. "Oh? The Subtilizer account? Getting serious?"

"I don't know who you truly are, but I feel like you've crossed me once. So, for some reason, this is payback." "Crimson Squad's leader is one of Rath's divers against us. So it is time I end this fight between me and him once and for all. Once I dispose of him, Alice is mine…"

Explanation time: Vindica, Jaymes' shield, comes from a debris from the Central Cathedral when he put a hole in the cathedral's wall in Alicazation: Steel and Lycoris. The PWC shown above is Enhance Armament, based on a possibly familiar skill to vets of my series, Trojan Walls. That skill I made for Jaymes in Blacksmith and Warrior and I think appears again in Courage and Realization is a defensive shield skill that negates a high amount of damage. Here, it blocks all damage, symbolizing the (normally) indestructible nature of the cathedral.

The Release Recollection may or may not be shown, I'm still working on incorporating it, but it'll represent the regenerative capabilities of the cathedral.