Kirito chose the latter. As he rushed at Fanatio with enough
force to make sparks scatter from his soles' hobnails, he swung
his black sword overhead.

However, the knight who stood at the left, among the four in
wait behind Fanatio, began an assault at the same time. The great
sword held with both hands cleaved horizontally from the left
with a heavy groan, advancing on Kirito.

Kirito changed his sword's orientation, receiving the knight's
attack with a downwards swing from overhead. An ear-piercing
crash resounded. Both were repelled backwards, widening the
gap.

Kirito's recovery was quicker in comparison to the knight,
hurriedly trying to pull the huge sword back. He had already
entered the stance to pursue upon landing, and with just a single
lunge more at his opponent's chest—

“......!?”

—Eugeo's breath immediately escaped after he believed that.
He didn't know when it had happened, but a second knight had
rushed in and released an all-out horizontal slash from the left.

Kirito stopped his feet and this time, his sword slashed up
towards the left and repelled the enemy's sword. There was the
same metallic noise and abundant spray of sparks as earlier, and
the two opened up a distance of approximately four mel.

The second knight's stance, too, was severely demolished. It
was only natural, holding one's ground after being repelled from
dealing an all-out attack with a sword that huge would be
difficult regardless of how much physical strength one had. What
should be praised, however, was Kirito's expertise, for repulsing
the opponent's sword with a complete minimum of motion and
gracefully absorbing its recoil, shifting into the next offensive
stance immediately after.

However.

Without being giving even the time to consider the
potentiality, Eugeo saw a third knight lunging at Kirito once
again, directly after he landed. Before his sight was taken by the
collision between sword and sword for the third time, Eugeo
forced his eyes to the rear.

“——!!”

And he ground his teeth. In that moment Kirito crossed
swords with the third knight, the fourth was already beginning to
rush forth.

How could they predict Kirito's movement so accurately?
Kirito's reaction finally became erratic from the consequent
horizontal cleave. Although he did succeed in intercepting it
somehow, his black-clothed frame swayed in the air, perhaps due
to the force he was pushed back by.

——I see.

It took too long, but Eugeo noticed the four knights' intent.
All of the knights' attacks were horizontal slashes from left to
right. Parrying that with his sword would restrict the direction to
which he would be repelled, to a certain degree. With that as
their aim, the next knight would repeat the horizontal slash. The
wider range when compared to thrusts and vertical swings, along
with the blade's length, could provide a rough estimate that was
sufficient for them to catch Kirito within the reach of their
slashes, even if it was done in advance.

It was a supposed «consecutive hits skill via a group» from the
integrity knights who shouldn't have secret moves with
consecutive hits. They really were different from the swordsmen
in the capital who purely pursued the beauty of styles, they were
true warriors hardened through actual battles in the Dark
Territory.

However, the knights' coordinated tactic was not perfect
either.

—Notice it, Kirito, there's a way to get through it if you do!

A hoarse groan seeped out from Eugeo's throat as he tried to
shout. His tongue and lips were finally starting to move. As he
moved his mouth in a desperate bid to loosen those stiff muscles,
to start on the art ritual even a moment quicker, Eugeo frantically
prayed as he looked on at his partner. For him to notice it.

Having parried the fourth knight's sword, Kirito slipped up in
his landing at last, thrusting a single hand onto the floor.

(Alicization Rising, 221)