Am I the only one streaming Sword Art Online on the entire internet?

Bloody Harvest, February 1, 2025

{This is Ivysin. Ivysin received a message from Skadi and has deployed appropriate defenses. Please verify the identities of friendly forces immediately, otherwise we may suffer friendly fire. Over.}

Shino nodded almost imperceptibly, and then she heard the leader of her group suddenly stop, and a short man in black ran up to him from behind.

“Captain, we’ve intercepted radio communications. The other side is using a cipher.” He said, placing an electronic board in front of the leader. “They may already be aware of our intrusion.”

"That's normal. They're from the IT research department. I didn't expect our half-baked hackers to blind them anyway," the leader replied calmly. "But don't worry, secret research departments like this don't usually have strong security measures. The only threat has already been moved away."

"Then now..."

"keep going."

The man gave the order and then fell silent, walking in the middle of the column. Shino stood at the back, nervously following them. She gripped an FN-57 pistol in both hands, her right hand covering the back of her left—a miniature telegraph machine was attached to it, the same method she had used to communicate with Ivychin. However, knowing that her side had radio technicians, she hesitated to act.

They had just emerged from the mini-submarine, using a small ram on the bow to create an opening and landing on the lowest level of Ocean Turtle. The leader's first action upon entering was to determine their landing location using a structural diagram of Ocean Turtle obtained from an unknown source. He then ordered the two men on the outermost edge to use drones for reconnaissance, rapidly advancing towards the Light Cube cluster containing all the artificial AI in the Underworld.

"Didn't we agree to set up corresponding defenses...? Where are your corresponding defenses...?"

Shino silently recited this in her heart, but the moment this thought entered her mind, a very loud explosion suddenly came from the front of the group.

"What's going on?" the captain hurriedly whispered.

"...It's EDD, installed in a blind spot..." the drone operator on the right, who seemed to be in charge of scouting the area, replied nervously. "The other side is definitely an expert; this position is too tricky..."

Upon hearing this, the captain immediately ignored the others' attempts to stop him and went over. He crouched down to check on the condition of the first team member. The unfortunate fellow's upper body and throat were mangled and bloody from shattered bulletproof ceramic and countless shrapnel. He was breathing heavily, and each breath was even accompanied by bloody foam.

Although there hadn't been any particularly precise medical diagnosis, his years of battlefield experience told him that the soldier was beyond saving. He sighed, took out his silenced pistol, and, with a look of pain mixed with expectation in the soldier's eyes, shot him in the head.

"Keep moving forward, and make sure this doesn't happen again." His voice suddenly turned icy, with a hint of anger hidden within. "Don't let your guard down; your opponent might be a fellow professional hired by this place. Be careful."

{This is Ivy, Ivy is monitoring your situation with surveillance equipment. It looks like someone has been infected. Scarlett, please check your weapon now; Ivy will use this to confirm your identity.}

Shino came to her senses and spent some time deciphering what she had just heard. Then, when no one around her was paying attention, she gently pulled the bolt of her gun.

It wasn't a big movement, and it didn't make a sound. However, Aivixin had already noticed this smiling gesture.

{Confirmation complete. Scarlett is in the last row, right? Maintain your current position; you are safe.}

She nodded almost imperceptibly, then took out the R700 from behind her, but didn't aim it. She walked at the back, constantly adjusting her position, positioning herself in a way that seemed ready to strike at any moment, but in reality, she could also attack anyone in the group at any time.

The second scout who was replaced also encountered a lot of trouble, but he did not suffer too much damage while advancing cautiously—he only stepped on poison gas mines a few times, or was paralyzed by lightning mines placed in corners a few times.

Meanwhile, on the floor above the intruders, two girls dressed in combat suits were huddled together looking at a tablet in front of them. The tablet displayed the surveillance footage of the intruders' floor.

"It seems your little tricks did indeed slow them down, little angel. I admit I underestimated these things."

Vector kept a close eye on the footage coming from the monitor. The third scout to be replaced had also been attacked several times by poison gas mines and lightning mines, and his current situation was not good. Thanks to these "tricks," their morale was obviously not very high, even though they had only lost one soldier so far.

“Avixin already said that these are all things that Dad taught Avixin. They are called things like… ‘When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy is tired, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue.’” Avixin tilted her head, her tone quite smug. “Now Avixin needs to estimate their route and find a place to bring Sister Shino back. That way, we will have one more person to help us.”

“Are you sure? The commander just told me about Skadi’s current situation… Why did you just say that…” Vector frowned, as if he was having a headache over Ivy’s unprofessional handling of the situation.

“It’s alright. It’s impossible for those two third-rate hackers to escape Ivy’s tight net, let alone monitor our movements,” Ivy said confidently. “OK, let’s go, Vivi. Go with Ivy over there to prepare, and remember to turn on the thermal imaging beforehand. Then turn off the optical vision system.”

"Thermal imaging? Turn off optical vision? What are you going to do?" Vector suddenly looked at Ivy with a strange expression. "You wouldn't be going to...

"Just unleash a barrage of flashbangs, then carry Sinon out. That's the simplest idea, isn't it?" Ivy said matter-of-factly. "Does Vivi have any other plans?"

“No, I’m just worried that if Scarlett shows obvious resistance here, it will be difficult for her when she goes back.” Vector’s tone was very concerned.

"No need to worry about that. As long as all these people die here, no one will bother Shino-neechan, right?" Ivy's tone suddenly became terrifying, and a strangely cute smile appeared on her face. "Anyway, these people came here to hurt Mom and Dad, so why not just bury them all in the deep sea? Isn't that a good idea?"

February 4, 380th year of the Human World Calendar (Splitting into Two Bodies)

Current mission objective: Enter the interior of the Grand Cathedral/Retrieve the weapon.

Although Sorin no longer considered this place a mere game, having a clear objective made planning his actions much easier. He was currently thinking that finding an entrance to the first floor nearby would make things much easier. However, the wall in their current direction was completely smooth, without even a window, meaning they couldn't climb to the higher floors.

The only opening was the prison they had just climbed out of, and Sorin certainly didn't want to go back and walk into a trap, so he had to find another way out. One option was to move north or south along the outer wall, but in both directions, less than five meters away, there was a metal fence tightly integrated with the wall.

With the idea that he would never take the normal route if he could skip a level, Sorin stepped on Eugeo's hand and climbed to the top of the fence to take a look. However, what he could see was that there were many more layers of the same fence behind this one, which basically eliminated his idea of ​​using this strange method to skip the level.

Judging from its surface sheen, the bronze fence, covered in vines, was far more robust than the iron bars of the underground prison. Such obstacles filled the space on the west side of the cathedral, making it both a botanical garden and a labyrinth. It was likely designed to make it extremely difficult for any escaped prisoner to move on the surface.

The east, south, and north directions were blocked by walls and fences, with only a small gate on the west side leading out to a short, straight road. Although it didn't seem like a very feasible proposal, after some reconnaissance, this was the only breakthrough Sorin could find, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

“Follow me, Eugeo, this way.” Sorin pointed to the small door and said, “Break through this maze and exit from the north or south of the Grand Cathedral. That’s the only way I can think of right now.”

“So we’ll have to rely on your intuition then.” Eugeo nodded thoughtfully. “Sorin’s intuition has always been reliable, and he hasn’t been wrong at all.”

“That’s right. Anyway, I’m very reliable, trust me,” Solin said confidently, then walked to the door. The door was tightly closed, and the railings looked sturdy, not some cheap, substandard product that could be broken easily… Although Solin was incredibly hoping that there was some kind of shoddy construction work done haphazardly somewhere here, it just didn’t seem like the kind of thing he expected.

As he observed the fence, Eugeo suddenly became very excited. He pointed to the plants twining around the gate and shouted excitedly.

"Solin! Look...it's a rose!"

"Rose? Wild rose should be... wait a minute, roses in this world should be very rare, and they're also used as spellcasting materials."

Sorin was almost deceived by his preconceived notions, but when he came to his senses, he clearly felt how desirable the resources before him were—although he hadn't realized it yet, his authority was actually terrifyingly high, easily allowing him to cast seemingly difficult holy spells. And with these casting materials laid out before him, he couldn't possibly leave them unused.

"System call! Generate umbra element... Adhere possession.Object ID: WLSS102382. Discharge."

His right hand was enveloped in a dim purple light, and then the dark elements floating at his fingertips began to move as if sucked away by something, wobbling as they flew eastward, disappearing just before hitting the Great Cathedral wall. However, the faint purple trail lingered in the air for a few seconds before completely dissipating.

"First piece of intelligence: Our stuff is inside the Grand Cathedral, somewhere on the east side. It looks like it's on the second floor."

Sorin nodded knowingly, and he and Eugeo worked together briefly before vaulting over the iron gate. On the other side of the gate was another plaza, which wasn't large; in fact, it was just a small garden.

Solin couldn't help but think that if all the roses on the fence were in full bloom, it would undoubtedly be an extremely beautiful sight. Unfortunately, the girl who could enjoy the scenery with him here was not by his side at the moment.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh. Eugeo, who was beside him, immediately looked at him with concern, but he just shook his head, smiled helplessly, and then silently continued walking forward.

The next door soon appeared before them. Beyond that was another, more spacious square. But just then, Solin suddenly stopped.

This time, Eugeo didn't ask Sorin why he stopped, because he also saw the reason Sorin stopped—he saw someone. The person was sitting on the bench on the north side, wearing gleaming silver-white armor, with a slightly curved longsword hanging at his left hip. A dark cloak hung from his shoulders, and from their angle, the circular and cross-shaped emblem was clearly visible.

This crest is standard issue for Integrity Knights, so it's obvious who this person is. While it's unclear which Integrity Knight it is, there's no doubt this guy is an enemy of Sorin and Eugeo.

“I’m thinking if we can sneak up and kill him instantly. This guy is fully armored and has weapons; he doesn’t look easy to deal with.” Sorin found a flower bed nearby and squatted down, cautiously looking over there. “Assuming he doesn’t notice us.”

As soon as Suolin finished speaking, a cheerful male voice rang out in the square.

"Why hide there? Please come in, you two prisoners... It's hard to imagine that even such a beautiful and charming lady could commit such a serious crime."

He raised his right hand, displaying the gleaming wine glass in his hand. Upon closer inspection, Solin could also see a wine bottle on the bench. It seemed this knight was quite particular about the quality of life, but Solin had always disliked those so-called gentlemen who leisurely sipped a glass of red wine as if they could drink it for a year, especially since this unfortunate fellow had mistaken his gender from the start.

"If you still believe that the yearning for beauty and freedom and the struggle against the dark and cruel reality are part of a crime, then I have nothing to say, sir."

Sorin stood up and walked slowly and gracefully toward the man sitting on the bench. Eugeo, though unsure of Sorin's sudden intentions, followed him.

February 5, 380th year of the Human World Calendar (Splitting into Two Bodies)

The knight's appearance was the kind that Sorin would greatly admire—his handsome face was stunning even in the dim starlight, his high nose bridge and slightly wild eyebrows formed a perfect balance, and his slender eyes radiated a sharp light. He toyed with the wine glass in his hand while looking at Sorin with great interest.

However, when he heard what Solin said, the smile that had been on his face froze for a moment, and then he suddenly stood up from the bench.

"The yearning for beauty and freedom, and the struggle against the cruel reality of darkness... it sounds better than it sounds, but tell me, why would someone who pursues these things turn around and attack their peers who practice swordsmanship with them without thinking?"

He had a cold expression, staring intently into Solin's eyes, his tone aggressive.

"Do you think I have any other choice? When neither the law nor the Taboo Index can protect me, the only thing that can protect me is my own hands. The Taboo Index restricts human actions, but it cannot make people good; it only allows ugly souls to find any loopholes they might have... Why do you allow such people to exist?"

Sorin responded without changing his expression, a stubborn look on his youthful face. His beautiful blue-violet eyes glared at the knight, making him look incredibly fierce. Sorin knew perfectly well that neither he nor Eugeo were armed, and even if this guy was weak, he could easily defeat both of them. The only way to break through was to persuade him through some persuasive tactics, which was exactly what he had just been doing.

"Further words are useless. Perhaps someone has made a mistake, but their mistake is far less serious than yours—murdering a member of your own kind, obstructing Teacher Alice's enforcement of the law..." However, the knight remained unmoved. He drew his weapon, a thin whip gleaming with pure silver light, and then introduced himself, "To show my respect for your futile spirit, I will state my name before reducing your fate to its last bit. I am the Integrity Knight Eldrie Synthesis Sativa. I was summoned here just a month ago, and I am merely a young upstart who has not yet taken charge of any region. Please forgive my ignorance."

"Such an awesome guy is actually a newbie?" Sorin thought to himself. He desperately tried to think of a way to solve the current problem, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't figure out how to persuade this stubborn knight to put down his whip and let him and Eugeo pass.

But at that moment, a voice suddenly resounded from the depths of his heart. That voice was almost identical to his own; if one had to distinguish it, it might be the difference between gentleness and coldness.

"Let's merge them into one."

"what?"

“I said, let’s merge them into one. I don’t understand what he was thinking, but now… it’s just creating more trouble, and it’s also shown me my true weakness.”

The voice was as chilling as the coldest winter, making Solin unable to believe it was his own. He instinctively lost all will to resist, thinking only of obeying what the voice said.

"What...what should I do?"

He blinked and realized he was no longer in the original courtyard. He was surrounded by a crystalline red light, while the person who looked exactly like him, with a cold expression, stood opposite him, surrounded by a contrasting blue glow.

“Stand there and don’t move, and don’t resist. You and I… are both just parts of ‘Mo Yulan’.” He looked at Suolin, who was so nervous he was about to explode, and couldn’t help but comfort him. “If I had to point out the difference, I could give you an analogy—you are the split body, while I am the one who deceives the Instructor. Do you understand?”

"So only..."

Solin only said half of what he was saying, but the person standing opposite him spoke at the same time, and the two said exactly the same thing.

"Only when we are united can we clear all obstacles for our progress."

After saying that, he slowly walked towards Solin with elegant steps, and then gently embraced him with his slender arms.

"No matter what awaits us ahead..."

"Whatever awaits us ahead..." Solin murmured, repeating his words.

"They are no longer things to be feared." *2

The two colors of light intertwined at that moment, radiating an even more brilliant glow. Sorin watched in astonishment as the image of himself in front of him gradually turned into blue specks of light, starting from the tips of his hair. Then he discovered that his own body was also beginning to disappear, transforming into shining red stars.

He lost consciousness once again. The last impression that remained in his mind was that the two people embracing each other had completely turned into light, and there was nothing else in this space.

[Significant emotional fluctuations detected in the recipient; system has restarted]

[Startup complete. Current status is default. No armor detected. Status has not been changed yet.]

[The user currently has Level B privileges, serial number 054. You can use all system functions with Level B or lower privileges.]

[Severe damage to the recipient's bodily functions detected. Self-healing module activated... Activation complete. Repair expected to be completed within 48 hours — (Countdown 47, 59, 59)]

------

"Sorlin! Solin, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"

After watching Sorin and the Integrity Knight who called himself Eldrie stare at each other for a while, Eugeo suddenly fell into a daze. He quickly shook Sorin's upper body, trying to wake him up. After shaking him a couple of times, he saw that pair of blue-purple eyes regain their former brilliance, and then he showed a look of disdain.