survive a fight where she normally dies, but she also proves to be a vastly more robust NPC than any that either of them have encountered before, to the point that they have difficulty continuing to think about her as a mere NPC. That is not the only surprise which awaits Kirito, either, as someone seems intent on maneuvering the two newly-formed lead-party guilds – the DKB (Dragon Knights Brigade) led by Lind and the ALS (Aincard Liberation Squad) led by Kibaou – into conflict, and that someone's approach to dueling suggests a sinister intent.