[Heathcliff was Kayaba Akihiko].
That answer caused the towering image in the players' hearts to collapse in an instant, replaced by another figure they loathed and hated—the developer of this death game, Kayaba Akihiko.
"What..."
"Heathcliff is Kayaba Akihiko?"
"How could that be..."
The players' reactions varied. Some refused to believe it, some were shocked, and others were caught between belief and doubt.
The Blood Oath Knights' reaction was even more tragic. Some players had even lost the will to fight, their weapons dropping to the ground.
"The guild leader is..."
"Kayaba Akihiko..."
"The mastermind who's been manipulating this death game all along..."
Even Asuna, normally so strong, was unable to think at that moment.
Feng Chen had anticipated this reaction long ago. Heathcliff had been active among the Blood Oath Knights since the twenty-sixth floor, and anyone with eyes could see how deeply they felt about their guild leader.
Heathcliff was the pillar supporting the hearts of countless emotionally fragile players in the Blood Oath Knights. It would not be frightening if that pillar fell one day, because only then would they truly face the difficulties that had already reached their heads.
When the sky fell, they had Heathcliff. When Heathcliff fell, the Blood Oath Knights would only become stronger and confront the game head-on.
But this was not simply a matter of that pillar falling. That pillar had been a disguise from beginning to end. There had never been a guild leader of the [Blood Oath Knights] named Heathcliff, nor had there ever been a [Holy Sword] Heathcliff.
From beginning to end, the one who had led them into the very front lines and trained all their elite players had been that man—Kayaba Akihiko!
"Clang!"
Asuna's rapier fell to the ground. This sudden reality was too much even