Chapter 36

[ Incarnation ]

13th day of the 10th Month – HEC, 375
Centoria – Central Cathedral, Floor 95

"Ooh, this is a nice blend. I don't think I've tried this one before."

"This was one I had ordered from Southacroith, made from a plant that grows in the desert. It has a slightly warm taste to it, if it makes sense, but it'll be obvious over time."

"Mmmm… Nah, I don't—Oh, never mind, I can feel it now. Whoa!"

The pontifex held back a laugh at the look on his face, caught between surprise and bafflement. It was relatable. The first time she'd sampled this blend, she'd found herself initially taken aback by how it just warmed her entire body up. As time went on, though, she found herself particularly appreciating it, especially now that the air was much colder.

That had to do with the autumn breeze finally beginning to greet the lands, the days becoming cooler and the nights even more so. Greenery was exchanged for browns and reds, the lands beyond Centoria's walls a sea of amber, dictating the shift in seasons.

It was a nice change from the heatwaves and the like. While her job didn't necessitate her leave the church whatsoever, the risen temperatures and lack of rain were often painful to deal with. At least that would be changing soon enough, though winter would bring its own fair share of troubles.

'Well, that's for the us of the future to deal with,' she thought to herself, pausing at how… Kirito-like that thought sounded. 'Boy's rubbed off on me even more than I thought.'

And it seemed strange that she'd be here, sitting with him in the Morning Star Lookout once more, enjoying teatime with someone that, by all accounts, should have had no reason to be here with her, and yet here he was, seated opposite of her and sampling all the little cakes served on a platter.

Truth be told, she'd needed a break from her work, if only because she couldn't tolerate the boredom. And while she would have sought out someone like Bercouli, the man wasn't available, having been deployed in Westadarth to settle a dispute between some high-ranking nobles over yonder. A shame, that was, and she'd been prepared to have a quiet tea session all on her own.

That was until she crossed paths with the boy, who had, at the moment, been taking a stroll around the rose garden outside of the cathedral, his companions having been occupied with their own business. And then, cutting the story short, she'd ended up inviting him here.

Some might have thought it off, but they'd already had plenty of teatimes together. After the first one, he'd been willing to join her on future sessions if he wasn't busy, and she would count this as being the sixth time they'd met together to drink. And admittedly, she found them enjoyable.

Partly because she was free to be herself, not needing to uphold any 'posh mannerisms' in front of him. Partly because she didn't need to worry about being taken advantaged of or be wary of any ulterior motives on her companion's part. And partly because he made for good company.

"This is definitely a good blend for autumn and winter nights," he grinned, biting into his cake. "Mm. Like, people would love having something to warm them up when it gets cold. Do the plants grow around this time of the year?"

"Unfortunately, no, but that isn't much of a concern. The plant grows best during the summer, when the deserts are hottest, and the leaves can simply be dried and stored for later use. But with it being in a different kingdom, access to these leaves can be a little difficult, and the high demand for them has put a relatively high price on them."

"Bummer. We would have loved to drink this back in our village."

The woman hummed, noting his happy yet longing expression. "You miss them?" She asked. "Your home, I mean."

"Of course I do! Everyone back home… they're all family. And yes, that includes Jink, mean as he may be, but hopefully he'll grow out of that," he shook his head. "When you've spent every single day seeing their faces to then not, it's a bit of a shocker. I miss the kids back in the church and Sister Azalia. I hope they're doing okay."

"Ah, yes. You mentioned that you were an orphan, didn't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Sister Azalia found me in the woods, from what she told me. Took me in ever since," he sighed. "Meant that I had parents before, but they couldn't raise me themselves. I think I asked Sister Azalia, but she wasn't fully certain. Probably couldn't some reason or another, but what do I know? For all that it's possible, they might be dead, and I wouldn't even know. Not like it matters anymore, though," he shrugged. "Sister Azalia has been nothing but a godsend, and the kids are my siblings in all but blood. I wouldn't have given them up for the world."

"I see… Do you wish it were any different? Having your parents back, I mean."

"No," the immediate answer surprised her, more so how certain in himself he sounded. "Again, I was a baby when they left me behind. I've no memories of them, no longing to see them again. I'm happy where I'm at. Nothing could change that."

"But would you want to see them again, if given the opportunity?"

He didn't answer right away, pondering on that for a moment before shrugging. "I guess? I dunno'. I feel like I can live even if I never did. And I am. That's enough for me."

Once again, the boy left her somewhat stumped, unsure of what to make of him. More than once, she had to remind herself that he was just fourteen; an age that, while certainly beyond the age of mere children, was still far too young to be considered an adult and given responsibilities of one.

And yet, at times, he oft surprised her with his mature way of seeing the world. Brief flashes of wisdom that belies his age, even when he's acted his age plenty of times before.

Just another point to the fact that everyone were just a collection of multiple facets, and that they would show when the situation was right. Humans were diverse in that way.

"I suppose we can leave it at that, then," she hummed. He didn't seem to mind talking about that part of his life, though it was more that he didn't have anything to say about it. "How fares your training? As far as I'm concerned, you have only a few months left to complete Scheta's test, correct?"

Kirito groaned, slacking in his chair. "Urgh. Don't remind me. I've had enough of a headache dreading over that test since we got here, and I really don't want us to lose our positions here just because we can't cut a steel pillar in two."

"Well, that's the test she settled for. Not much else can be done about it."

"I know, I know… I mean, our training's been going well, but that's gonna' help more in fighting than freaking metal cutting."

"You were tree cutters before you were swordsmen," she teased, grinning his way. "Certainly a beam of metal, with a toughness almost similar to the Gigas Cedar, is no match for you now, is it?"

He groaned out loud. The mere act had her giggling, amused, and she had to wonder if she was ever this relaxed around anyone else within the church. Probably not. He seemed to have that effect on people. After all, not anyone could boast for having made Fanatio turn out the way she is now.

"Still, maybe we're getting there. I've a feeling deep down that Eugeo and I can manage it. And so can Medina."

"Hmm. It truly is a surprise that you brought along some random girl to join you, when you'd never met her prior to your travels."

"True. But we don't regret it. She's a good friend now. And if she succeeds and becoming an Integrity Knight helps her and her family a lot, then I'll be happy knowing that she's gotten that opportunity."

And it still seemed like he didn't know the truth behind her family. He'd told her once that there'd been some trouble from back when they revisited Zakkaria for the mock tournament, mentioning how a noble girl had tried to belittle the redhead. And he rose to protect her.

An honourable thing of him, though it likely meant that he knew nothing about her family. Perhaps the Orthinanos child hadn't found any opportunity to tell her story. Or maybe he did know, and simply didn't care.

Either way, her family mattered little to her now. It was a time long past, and though a part of her should have felt guilt for the fate that befell the Orthinanos, she found herself unable to dredge forth a shred of feeling. Yet another sign of how far she has fallen.

Shaking aside that sombre thought, she looked to the boy once more. "Well, besides that, I'm rather pleased to see the progress you've been making with the Aincrad style. It almost seems natural to you."

"It sure does. Having so many one-handed sword techniques feels so liberating. And the more I've looked into the matter, it seems like it's true that your mentor's technique got inherited into all sorts of sword styles across the Human Empire."

And just the thought of that was a little upsetting, though she managed to do away with her feelings before she allowed it to show. She had her own reasons to keep her mentor's style a secret, though knowing that the techniques had still found their way into other families' sword styles was frustrating.

Oh well. So long as the truth could be kept under lock and key for a little longer, then she didn't have any qualms. That was all she wanted. And that would be enough.

"Well, work hard towards completing Scheta's little test. If there's anyone that can do so, I'd expect it to be you."

A glint in his eye, coupled with a level of certainty, was enough to pique her interest. "Well, maybe that day's coming a lot sooner than the both of us realize…"

The cool air in the corridor was a nice thing, and though the building was relatively closed entirely, the ventilation was built adequately to keep the interior's climate at a reasonable level. It was the only reason why his walk back to his room was a pleasant one, and with the change in the seasons, things were only made better.

Nothing else mattered beyond his bed at the moment, however, because the moment he pushed through the door, his legs carried him straight for the bed. He threw himself on the mattress, groaning in relief, wanting nothing more but to fall asleep there and then.

'Come now, Kirito. You haven't even taken a bath the whole day. You and Eugeo should make a quick visit to the baths after this.'

"Aww… Can't I skip it for the night?"

'Now, now. None of that. A good bath will give you a good night's sleep.'

He sighed again, but knowing the truth behind her words, he pushed himself to roll onto his front, staring up at the ceiling. After a while, he managed to push himself off the bed to go join his brother at the couch, the flaxen-haired boy already poring through the journal the pontifex had given them.

While he did that, Kirito went to procure two cups and filled them with water. He took a deep gulp of his drink before refilling it, then handing the other cup to his friend, who took it with a silent 'thanks' before drinking from it.

"Nothing beats a cold drink, huh?"

"Well, we'll be needing more warm drinks as the nights get colder, but yeah, it's always nice," he hummed, looking away from the book to meet his gaze. "So, how was your time with the pontifex?"

"Ehh, it was fine. We just talked a bit, caught up on stuff, the pontifex asked us on how our progress with Lady Scheta's test is going."

"And, at the rate we're going, I think we might be getting there—well, only if we can master this «Incarnation» thing. It feels like this is our one and only chance of actually making it work," his brother paused to sigh. "It's just feasibly impossible to complete her test without being able to use the Blue Rose Sword. We needed it to cut down the Gigas Cedar. Relying on cheap weapons just wouldn't cut it."

"That's a good pun."

"…That was completely unintentional."

Kirito snorted, then moved closer to peer over his shoulder to look at the entry he was currently reading. While it was a pretty thick volume, he pretty much had every page memorized after so much time reading through this thing, and it was all nothing short of a godsend for him and Eugeo.

Honestly, he would have never known the existence of some of these techniques because they belonged to families from different empires. For example, «Rage Spike» and «Vorpal Strike» apparently hailed from Southacroith, though he hadn't been able to ascertain the noble family's identity. That was pretty cool, though. Guess her mentor's techniques gained popularity in all the empires.

He was still unsure as to why she kept the Aincrad style out of the public's knowledge, but again, she had her reasons. He'll have to trust her to have done it all for a good one.

But beyond the numerous weapons techniques (and wondering how it was that he seemed to know so much about lances and bows, when he had openly admitted to favouring swords in his first entry), it was the final portion that was now the focus of their thorough studying, and this was beyond anything that he could have imagined.

The first time they came upon this was sometime after Zakkaria's official tournament—a whole month after the mock battles—concluded. He'd already finished reading through the entire tome, and he came upon this entry, wondering why it was so much more different than all the diagrams and directions for «Secret Techniques».

And then he realized why; because whatever he wrote now couldn't even be categorized as material, but more of an abstract technique than anything else.

That was a strange way to describe it, but that was just what «Incarnation» was, as they came to learn. An art that had gone forgotten, but with the power to 'alter the state of the world through imagination and will'.

And it was a terrifying power to imagine. After all, what did alter the state of the world even mean? Was it actually changing the physical state of the realm? And if that was the case, to what extent did it involve?

"The author says how he's only able to project his will in the form of offensive and defensive means, but he keeps going on about how it should be theoretically possible to apply even greater forms of manipulation upon the world, whatever that means."

"Yeah… I mean, what use would that be for us? In our situation, that is."

"To exert a force capable of cutting through anything, therefore cutting through a metal beam?"

"That would be pretty cool if that works."

'As far as I'm concerned, there was something akin to this long ago…' Selena began, gaining the boys' attention.'A way to impart one's willpower upon the world to bring forth a feasible change. The way the author words it seems close enough to the truth.'

"Mm. Were you capable of doing that?"

'To an extent, yes. I believe anyone can do it, but as expected, it relies on intense focus and a strong willpower. In fact, from my observations, I believe certain people have been capable of tapping into it, albeit subconsciously.'

"Wait, really?" He perked up at that, trying very quickly to recall such a moment. Unfortunately, no such memory reared itself in his head, and he quickly prodded Selena for further explanation.

'Well, it was very subtle, but I've noticed that it's often demonstrated by nobles in a fight. In fact, recognize the fact that many of the noble families adhere to the concept of 'beauty of a single strike'. And for some reason, whenever a person often uses such a technique like «Heavens and Mountains Break», they seem almost capable of overpowering their opponent with ease,' the dragoness nodded. 'In that essence, they are utilizing «Incarnation» by believing wholeheartedly in that belief, and fuelling their weapon when unleashing a technique.'

That was… a whole lot of info dumping to wrap his head around, and he wasn't sure if a single lick of it all made any amount of sense. So it all just came down to feeling and thought, rather than actual physics.

That was much harder than if it was an actual, observable thing. After all, if there was a need to hit a target, then he just needed to move his body to strike it with a sword. How could he hope to make something imaginary to do that instead of him? It seemed more fantasy than anything else.

But with the example of nobles utilizing «Incarnation», as Selena had told him… he supposed it wasn't a skill locked to godly beings and whatever. Anyone could do it.

The more he thought about it, the more it started to make sense. Nobles had this pride to them. The firm belief that they stood above the rest, and therefore their power was more than enough to best anyone. Perhaps that was why they could simply rely on a single swing like that; because if they truly believed that victory was theirs, then it would be.

Kirito leant back in his seat, humming. So far, they'd done a lot of meditating, yet it hadn't really gotten them anywhere. Perhaps, then, they needed to tackle this issue from a different angle. And he had just the idea…

14th day of the 10th Month – HEC, 375
Centoria

Their rest days were often spent remaining in the cathedral and doing whatever they wanted, given as much freedom as they were reasonably permitted to either explore or train. Today was going to be no different, and he thought that a change of pace would be nice.

And that was lead them to downtown Centoria, out on the streets and without a care in the world.

"Kirito, stop glaring at the pie shops. We agreed that we'll only have lunch, and then we'll go back."

"But… But it looks so good!"

"It really does. The honey pies here are some of the best I've ever tasted."

Eugeo sighed. "Well, if you two want, we can get honey pies for lunch. Beyond that, no early snacking."

Party pooper. Still, he supposed that was fair enough. It wasn't like they'd been given a lot of money—by Fanatio, no less, who had been initially concerned to leave them on their own, but opted to trust them in the end (more like trust Eugeo to be the sensible one, which he agreed with)—to eat outside. Just enough for a single purchase each and then no more.

Nevertheless, they weren't out here just for sightseeing. For the rest of the day, Kirito intended to figure out ways to understand how «Incarnation» worked. And what better way than to visit several establishments and ask them?

Okay, that sounded a little farfetched. Trying to compare a swordsman exerting a projection of his will to hurt a person couldn't really be applied in the everyday job. But even so, there had to be some extent of «Incarnation» playing a part in even the tiniest of things.

So, that was what they were gonna' do. They were going to do a little walking around and maybe learn a little bit about everyone's professions. That could hopefully shine some light on things for them, and make it easier for them to understand «Incarnation».

With that goal in mind, the group of three teenagers began exploring the bustling city of Centoria, more than a little taken aback by how massive it was and all the sights to be seen. They were only in the southern part of Centoria, and already it felt so different from the other three parts of the city, of which he'd only visited the northern side a few times. It was the difference in colours, the general vibe and the shops that made it an experience altogether.

Their first trip was to a blacksmith in the sixth district. An odd choice, but they'd already settled for a list of occupations they could try and ask, though they weren't going to directly bring up «Incarnation» as a topic. While he was sure it wasn't too big of a deal, he supposed it would be better to keep a tight lid over that just in case.

The place they ended up visiting was spewing hot air into the busy street, and the three teenagers could feel their skin actively drying up from the heatwave. The man in question was working the anvil with a protective helmet over his head, sparks flying off the sword he was fashioning.

"Uhh…" Kirito looked to his friends, who shrugged back. "Okay then, let me try something."

Raising his hands over himself, he quietly chanted a 'Cryogenic' spell to ward off the heat, which worked wonders almost immediately when he felt his skin become a little cooler. He then activated a 'Thermal' spell to protect himself—from what, he really didn't want to know, but he'd rather be prepared than regret it later.

Approaching the blacksmith as loudly as he could to alert him of his presence, Kirito then spoke as loudly as he could over the banging metal. "Excuse me! Sir, are you busy? We want to ask you a question!"

The man paused upon noticing him, angling his head to stare at him through his helmet. He grunted afterwards, relaxing himself as he took off his helmet to reveal a sweat-matted, middle-aged face, complete with a scruffy black beard and little blurred scars. "Yeah? I'm busy. Make it quick."

"We were hoping to ask you about your job. Have you ever gotten a difficult commission that you felt like you couldn't possibly finish, but you somehow managed to in the end?"

It was an odd question to ask, and the man felt the same way, staring at him for a moment before humming, leaning away from his anvil. "Well… it was a couple years ago. I received an order to make a Zweihänder—it's a large, double-handed sword—by some nobleman. Sufficed to say, it was a brand of weapon that I wasn't particularly used to, as I'd mostly been forging short swords up to that point. It was a challenge of its own, and I had to get some help from some folks back home."

"I see… And how was it?"

"Well, I had up to two weeks to finish it. I couldn't get it done in the first week, and just when I was thinking I was going to fail in the end, I got a visit from my father. I ended up spilling all my worries to him, and the only advice he gave was to just… believe in myself," he nodded, firm. "Trust in these hands that have forged many a weapon and armour over the years. Trust in the skills I have picked up from all the practice, all the teaching I got, all the people I've watched…" A short chuckle escaped him. "So I tried it, and it worked. I managed to forge the Zweihänder on the very final day, thus completing my order."

It wasn't anything as impressive as an invisible projectile, but this was his application of «Incarnation»; his belief in himself allowed him to complete a weapon he had initially thought that he wouldn't have been able to complete.

If someone was held back by their own doubts, then nothing could be accomplished. And this man had overcome it.

"Well, that's all that I can really say. Is there anything else you wanted to know?"

"Yeah, it was. That helped a lot, sir," he bowed. "Thank you. I hope your business goes well."

Those eyes eased up a little. "Aye, thank you as well. Hope you kids figure out whatever you needed to."

Their next few trips went more or less the same way as the first one. They visited a florist who talked about her hardships trying to raise flowers from her hometown in a foreign city, a swordsman who spoke of carrying the faith of his family, a chef who believed that pouring her feelings into her cooking truly made a change, a teacher who took to preaching of the power of self-esteem.

All in all, it was a lot of talking and a whole lot of listening to people, but it was an interesting experience regardless. Some of the older people had that tendency to go on rambles, if only to hear themselves talk, but he listened to them regardless because he'd be lying if he said he'd never enjoyed it. He supposed that part of him had carried over since Rulid.

They'd even got to approach a nobleman regarding the beauty of a single swing, and while he would have usually rolled his eyes at the thought, it was still enlightening to get a more thorough explanation of the concept from a guy who firmly believed in the idea.

"A single swing of the sword to defeat one's opponent… Is it not such a beautiful thing to see? In that one instance, a man's beauty, poise and power is displayed for the world to see—and that alone gives the wielder untold amounts of confidence, and no fiend and foe will best him."

The posh talk and all the gratifying of nobility painted him as both an intelligent and dumb guy. But at least he hadn't been outright hostile to either of them, Medina more so considering that there was something that the nobles seemed to dislike about her family.

Once they were done, the group convened at a little café in western Centoria, enjoying a bout of tea and some breads. Thankfully, it wasn't too hot, so even sitting outside like this was a pleasant little thing.

"Guess there's some extent of «Incarnation» use, even amongst non-swordsmen. People just don't notice."

"It's all about feeling, huh?" Eugeo hummed. "That's interesting. So I guess if we want to pull it off, we just need to focus really hard on making it happen, huh?"

"But who knows… It might be a while longer before we could even get there."

And while Medina and Eugeo seemed content with that, Kirito had another idea planned. And it was certainly stupid, but hey, when has he never been anything less than that? Guess he'll just have to see how it'll go soon enough.

18th day of the 10th Month – HEC, 375
Centoria – Central Cathedral, Floor 51

"You… want me to unleash my deadliest attack on you? Directly?"

"Yeah! Please, it would help a lot!"

Judging from the very worried looks he was getting, not just from Scheta but also his friends, it seemed like they must have thought that he'd become suicidal. Fitting, considering that, if Scheta decided to go all-out and attack him, he would likely come out of it unable to walk.

…Okay, that sort of sounds possible. But that wasn't the point!

As the days had gone by, with the three still practising per usual, Kirito had finally decided it was high time to give his little hypothesis a try. And sure, it wasn't the best suggestion to go about things, but it was really important.

After going over the journal regarding «Incarnation» a few more times, then trying to put to practice some of the things that they'd learnt from the many people in the city, he felt like it would have been quicker to just get a direct feel for it in a state of battle. And that was what lead to their current situation.

Granted, maybe he should have run his idea with Eugeo and Medina first, so he'll take them being upset with him later. Right now, this was more important.

"I don't follow. Why would you ask for something like that?"

"I just feel like we're about to come upon a realization, or discovery—or whatever it is. But we need a demonstration first, and I feel like this is the best way to go about it."

"I… see?" She really didn't, if the confused expression was any indication. "I suppose if you're certain."

"I am. And I want to take your attack head-on," saying that had everyone quickly trying to convince him not to. "Sorry, y'all, but I really think this is the best way to go about it. And that means I'll have to borrow the Blue Rose Sword for a bit, Eugeo, to block her attack."

His immediate reaction was to hug the sword closer to himself, leaning away as if to keep it out of his reach. "You sure you can't just dodge? You're scaring me, Kirito…"

"Bah, you all need to have a little faith in the process."

"I will if I understand what you're trying to achieve here! At the very least, Lady Scheta, could you maybe hold back—"

"She can't. It won't work otherwise," he looked to their mentor, his serious words freezing her to the spot. "You need to come at me as if you're intending to kill me, Lady Scheta. There's… something I need to understand, and we really need your help. Please."

Kill him. The words were of a terrifying implication, and not a single person there looked comfortable. He understood them, but there was no other way to it.

If a person's «Incarnation» was truly the manifestation of their willpower and their belief, then it made sense that it would be affected by a person's feelings and bloodlust. If those could augment the strength of her «Incarnation», then it might just help him understand how to make use of it himself.

The hesitation lingered for as long as they held eye contact, though when she broke her gaze, she nodded. "Very well," she said, much to the others' concern. "But please, if you feel you'd like me to stop right away, then immediately give me the signal. I will be sure to divert my attack at the very last second, at the very least, if I am incapable of halting my movements completely."

"Yeah, well… hopefully it won't come to that."

With sword in hand, Kirito took to his position, watching the grey-haired swordswoman draw her own weapon. She was steeling herself to see to his request, and even he was beginning to have second doubts.

Still, there was little to lose from doing this… beyond some level of damage irreparable. But no pain, no gain. And the worst that could likely come from this would be an injury so unbelievably painful, it would take so long to heal.

He shook his head. 'Again with the catastrophizing,' he thought to himself, almost groaning. 'Just go through with this, and things'll be fine.'

'Kirito, I've said this already, but I've more than a few doubts as to the effectiveness of your method…'

'Same here. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. Gotta' give it a try before we start criticizing it and calling it a failure when we haven't tried it yet, right?'

'I was on-board with it at first, but this was not what I thought you were thinking of.'

'Don't worry, I'll be fine.'

After all, if there was anyone more suitable to make use of «Incarnation», it would have to be the pontifex and the Integrity Knights, who have more than enough combat experience to understand the intricacies behind such a mystical art. Lady Scheta seemed just as similar.

And if no other methods had worked thus far, he simply needed to experience it firsthand, even if it meant he'd have to be on the receiving end.

After all, that was just the way his prior training with Charlotte and Fanatio had ever been; to repeatedly protect himself against their overwhelming power to then understand just what was truly dangerous, and what he himself could hope to match and beat.

Now was the time for action. Nothing less.

"Ready whenever you are."

Lady Scheta didn't bother with a reply beyond a simple nod, fixing her stance for a simple thrust. At this distance, which was barely enough to cover the entire sparring area, she would likely go for a «Linear» over a «Flashing Penetrator», likely banking on him understanding her trajectory and jumping out of the way at the very last second.

But he didn't plan to. Not at all.

Raising his weapon before him, he filled it with willpower, readying himself for a «Vertical». It wouldn't perfectly tank her attack, but it was stronger than a «Slant», and he was hoping it would be enough to counter her attack just enough to truly feel the weight of her «Incarnation».

Eventually, as time continued to tick away, the woman let out a sigh as she relaxed her body. Her rapier glimmered as she aimed it at him, her body poised like a winded bowstring. Her eyes suddenly hardened, and she pushed a single foot forward.

And all of a sudden, he felt it.

He watched as the Integrity Knight raised his gauntleted arm at him, fingers outspread. The world came to a crawling slow, and he could only watch as the world caved to his demand, forming a blade of air that tore forwards to slash into him.

He knew what it was. As if a person had demanded something be made, and it came to be just like that. Like water, or threads, or clay—shaped according to his will.

He felt the impact against his chest, driving all the air out of his lungs as he flew back against gravel and stone. He remembered that single day, and the humiliation burned him ever since.

The world came to life once more, and every single one of his senses was on fire. He had half a second to realize just how much closer Fanatio's eyes are now, boring down upon him like a falcon glaring at its prey. He felt smaller now, his body locking up as his sword hand twitched, his heart hammering in his chest as the world began to lose form around him, his mind only capable of focusing on the knight coming down upon him.

He was going to die.

He was actually going to die.

Fire burnt in his vision. Through it, he stared at her rapier. It was alive, brimming with lilac energy that wafted around it like a scorching flame, sucking him in. It was so beautiful, so immaculate, and it told him the story of a black lily; the only thing that remained after a great war in the Dark Territory, the lands soaked with blood and the skies a harrowing rain, men and beasts of the beyond having ripped themselves apart in a battle of both iron and blood.

Kirito looked back to her, eyes wide and mouth ajar, heartbeat in his ears.

'«Vertical».'

Without even thinking, he slashed down—and his arm bucked at the power of her single attack, feeling his whole body cave for an instant before he forced himself to hold on, gripping the hilt with both hands now. He could feel the «Secret Technique» forcing itself to maintain its energy; for each technique was designed with a set of movements, and to alter it substantially (even going so far as to switch from holding the sword with one hand to two hands) seemed to weaken it.

But any thought of even matching her strength one-to-one was thrown out the window. His only goal now was to outlast, or at the very least, resist her attack for as long as possible. Attrition. His boots pressed down onto the concrete, and even then, he could feel himself being pushed back. Howling winds whipped against his clothes and his face, the floor cracking from the impact and the devastating power demanding he surrendered.

He was going to die.

Kirito held his ground, but knew that he was delaying his defeat. Or worse, her weapon would cut through his flimsy defense and stab into his chest. Scheta fulfilled her promise and was pouring all of her will into this single attack, running his stamina and will into the ground as everything around them rumbled.

His teeth bit down hard, and he glared through the tears building in his eyes as he forced himself to look his death in the eyes, hands gripping the weapon tightly.

This was «Incarnation». Just as Deusolbert had used on him on that day.

The rose watched with bated breath as the ice screamed his name.

The black lily, commanded by her master to strike him down, begged him to sidestep her attack.

The dragon within his soul called out his name.

He was going to… to…

No. She wouldn't kill him. He knew that. Lady Scheta wasn't Deusolbert.

Would she? She'd stick to her promise to not hold back in the slightest, right? But she'd still try and pull back at the very last second to protect him, right?

Knowing that didn't help him. The end was fast approaching. Something had to break, and he knew he would—

Something shifted. Just as quickly as her «Incarnation» was imposed upon him, so too did it suddenly dissipate. It was so palpable that he almost couldn't believe just how obvious it was in its absence.

Air came to him once more, a deep gulping breath that rushed into his lungs as his sword slipped from his hands, Kirito falling to his hands and knees as he fought for control. He was ashamed as the tears came free and spittle dribbled down his lips, but he couldn't do anything. His body refused to listen to him. Not a single inch of control was within his grasp.

"Kirito," Scheta dropped her own weapon and fell to her knees to hold him, hesitant for a second before pulling her to her breastplate, her hands secure on his back. Cold as his cheek was against the metal, the sound of her heartbeat was lulling. "Calm down. It is over," she whispered, far gentler than she had ever been. "You did well. You held on."

"I-I…"

"Shh. It's okay now. Just breathe."

He tried so hard to listen to her words, but he was struggling now, his nightmare resurfacing in his mind and leaving him sick all over. The recoil and the feel of it all was too familiar to his own doing, and it felt like it had triggered his fear system all over again.

But with her comforting embrace and Eugeo and Medina having moved to their side, his two friends providing their own consoling words with care he didn't deserve, he simply let his eyes shut and allowed his breathing to fall under control once more.

It took far too long, but by the end of it all, he was sweaty, nauseous, and quite frankly ready to pass out—but alive, and he wondered if that was a good thing at all.

"Goodness. I really didn't think you were planning to block my attack the entire time, but you really weren't trying to run away."

"What… do you mean? That didn't last long at all—"

"You two were locked in a stalemate for almost an entire minute," Eugeo told him, shuffling his feet anxiously. "That was a little too long, if you ask me. You almost passed out from the pressure, didn't you?"

He did. He gulped, almost ashamed. "Sorry."

"That's… It's alright. You don't need to apologize. Sorry if I made it sound bad."

"I…"

With much trouble, Kirito pushed himself away from his mentor's hold, slowly rising back to his feet. Her worried expression disappeared as he looked away. The world swayed around him, his vision blurry in the edges, and he had to wonder if he looked like a dead man before them. He definitely felt that way, the air in his chest feeling like lead.

But as he took in a deep breath, he could feel the world refocus around him, his senses returning to life. His body, in a warring state of breaking down and feeling more refreshed than ever, left him in an everlasting confusion that was sickening.

But he focused on that singular feeling. On that memory of him—of the knight in snow white armour, who had exerted his own will upon him to stop him. And now, of his mentor, who tried to overwhelm him through sheer temperance.

Gently laying the Blue Rose Sword on the floor, mutely aware that they were asking him to rest, he slowly drew forth his practice iron sword and moved towards the steel beam nearby, his vision unbearably focused on it. Practically everything else was drowned out in a blur, and all he could do was march to his target, still able to feel Scheta's «Incarnation» on his skin.

"Kirito? What are you doing?"

"Don't worry… You know how I'm pretty much the hands-on kind of guy. And I'm stupid like that; can't make it work unless I see it or feel it for myself. Dangerous as hell, but I can't help it."

His feet stopped. His breath thinned out, and his black orbs focused on a scratch mark on the surface of the beam. It was the same spot where every single day of their training, he would slash his sword at, hoping to cleave it someday.

He gritted his teeth, grinning through the throbbing headache. His feet spread apart, one foot planted in front of the other as he positioned his sword for a «Horizontal».

Rather than simply will power into it, he infused his feelings—his awe at Scheta's power, his frustration borne out of years' worth of his weakness, his desire to overcome every challenge in his way, his trust in his skills and prowess—into his weapon.

It was so refreshing. So powerful, as his sword seemed to recognize his will and responded in kind, the breath of emotions and thoughts turning it into a magnificent shine, its blue hue growing even brighter.

"Sorry for worrying you… and thank you. This helped."

And without hesitation, Kirito slashed forwards.

Clang! Metal cut against metal, practically skidding off its surface as it left not even a dent mark in place. Sparks danced into the sky at the impact, the «Secret Technique» dying quickly as it had come. The impact reverberated across his arm and down to his shoulder.

And then, the world shifted, and a second slash tore through the beam.

It wasn't even quiet. Not like an arrow whistling through the air, or a pin drop in a silent room. It was loud—an ear-splitting, imploding roar within the training floor that barked so loudly that it couldn't have been mistaken for anything else. He heard screams in the background as air rushed outwards and around him, whipping against him without a care as his body reset, exhaustion seeping into his bones as the moment passed and the calm had fallen over them once more.

But as his eyes lingered on the spot where he slashed through, he found himself laughing. There, he thought to himself, looks like I've made even more progress.

Where the beam once stood proud and erect, it had been completely blown away. Even the floor was ripped apart like a storm had torn through it, leaving nothing but scattered stone, debris and marble behind.

Author's Notes:

Oookay, this was quite a jump ahead. But it works regardless.

«Incarnation» was a very interesting concept that, unfortunately, the anime had to gloss over quite a bit to make room for everything. But the light novels did a decent job trying to set it up and make it known just how impressive it was, and it goes without saying that I'll be including it in this story as well.

I even found a reddit post by u/LuckyPed, where they explained what «Incarnation». It was made four years ago, and I quite like how detailed yet easy to understand it was, so full props to them. Anyone interested in lore and the like should definitely give that one a read.

And once more, we shall move forwards.

«Alicization I: Of Crowns and Swords»

Arc I: Rulid

Arc II: Centoria

► Arc III: Treitis Pass

Arc IV: ?