TV Special
Description
Bercouli, also known as Bercouli Synthesis One, is a foundational figure in the human world of Underworld, serving as the first and most powerful Integrity Knight. Long before his service to the Axiom Church, he was one of the original pioneers who helped establish the village of Rulid and acted as its first guard chief, a period from which a legendary tale about him and a northern white dragon originates. His journey to the mountains at the northern end of the human world to find the source of mysterious ice chunks led him to a cave guarded by a white dragon, where he discovered the Blue Rose Sword, though he was forced to leave it behind. Shortly after this adventure, he was captured by the Dark Territory, and the Axiom Church’s high priestess, Administrator, transformed him into the very first Integrity Knight through the Synthesis Ritual, an event that stripped him of his original memories and placed him under the Church's control.
As the Commander of the Integrity Knights, Bercouli possesses a personality that distinguishes him from his peers. He is known for his relaxed, confident, and remarkably frank demeanor, often speaking casually and using a more informal first-person pronoun than other knights. Unlike most of his comrades who wear full armor, he typically dresses in simple, dark blue Eastern-style clothing, allowing his tall, muscular, and battle-hardened physique to be visible. He carries himself with the easy authority of a seasoned warrior who has seen centuries of combat, never displaying tension or nervousness even in the face of powerful enemies. Underneath this calm exterior lies a deep-seated pride as a knight. He holds a strong personal code that values fair combat and the efforts of a worthy opponent, a principle that influences his decisions in battle.
Bercouli’s primary motivation throughout the story is the protection of the human world and the order within it. Despite harboring a latent skepticism toward the Axiom Church and its mysterious instructions, he chooses to continue his duty as a knight because he believes that without the Church’s authority, the fragile peace of the human empire would collapse. He is fully aware of the seal placed upon his right eye, which is designed to enforce the laws of the Church, but his doubts were repeatedly met with memory manipulation, trapping him in a cycle of suspicion and erasure. While he congratulates those who manage to break their seal, he himself prioritizes the stability of the realm over reclaiming his own lost past. His role in the story becomes central after the fall of Administrator, as he takes command of the remaining Integrity Knights and organizes the human army to defend against the invading forces of the Dark Territory, becoming the linchpin of the human resistance.
In terms of key relationships, Bercouli acts as a mentor and father figure to many of the other Integrity Knights. He shares a particularly significant bond with Fanatio Synthesis Two, the vice-commander, who harbors deep romantic feelings for him, a connection that eventually leads to the revelation that they are expecting a child. He also regards Alice Synthesis Thirty with a protective, paternal concern, acknowledging that he could not give her the fatherly love she might have sought, but vowing to protect her as a parent would a child. His interactions with the protagonists, Kirito and Eugeo, are complex; he engages Eugeo in a memorable battle at the Central Cathedral, showing respect for the young man’s unconventional tactics and resolve. Despite being an enemy at that moment, he is not cruel or malicious, treating Eugeo more like a misguided boy than a genuine threat.
Bercouli undergoes significant development, primarily through the gradual recovery of his agency and awareness. While he had long sensed something was wrong with his own memories and the nature of the Integrity Knights, he was repeatedly forced back into obedience. After being freed from petrification following Administrator’s death, he consciously chooses to postpone the recovery of his stolen memories, instead focusing on the immediate responsibility of leading his knights and the human army through the coming war. This decision highlights his selflessness and his commitment to the role of a guardian, valuing the lives of those he protects over his own personal history. His development culminates in a final, climactic act of sacrifice. When Alice is kidnapped by the super-account Dark God Vector, Bercouli single-handedly pursues them on three flying dragons. Knowing he is outmatched by his opponent’s overwhelming power, he makes the ultimate decision to use the technique he despises most, sacrificing his own life to ensure Vector’s defeat and secure Alice’s safety.
Bercouli’s notable abilities place him far above any other knight in the human world. He is a master swordsman with three centuries of combat experience, possessing superhuman physical strength, speed, and an unparalleled level of concentration. His skill is such that he can casually stop the swords of two powerful warriors with only two fingers. His divine weapon, the Time Piercing Sword, grants him the power to manipulate time itself. His standard technique, the Enhance Armament, allows him to slash the future. He can swing his sword and leave the force of the cut suspended in the air, creating invisible traps that can slice anything that touches them. His ultimate and most feared ability, the Release Recollection, allows him to slash the past. This technique interferes with the Underworld’s system logs that track movement, allowing him to strike at the exact location an enemy stood ten minutes in the past. This attack cannot be dodged or blocked, as it effectively erases the target’s existence by setting their life to zero, bypassing any form of conventional durability. Despite possessing this godlike power, Bercouli disdains using it because it negates the effort and skill of both himself and his opponent, a testament to his deep-seated pride as a warrior. He only unleashes this power when facing an enemy that must be killed at any cost, as demonstrated in his final battle.
As the Commander of the Integrity Knights, Bercouli possesses a personality that distinguishes him from his peers. He is known for his relaxed, confident, and remarkably frank demeanor, often speaking casually and using a more informal first-person pronoun than other knights. Unlike most of his comrades who wear full armor, he typically dresses in simple, dark blue Eastern-style clothing, allowing his tall, muscular, and battle-hardened physique to be visible. He carries himself with the easy authority of a seasoned warrior who has seen centuries of combat, never displaying tension or nervousness even in the face of powerful enemies. Underneath this calm exterior lies a deep-seated pride as a knight. He holds a strong personal code that values fair combat and the efforts of a worthy opponent, a principle that influences his decisions in battle.
Bercouli’s primary motivation throughout the story is the protection of the human world and the order within it. Despite harboring a latent skepticism toward the Axiom Church and its mysterious instructions, he chooses to continue his duty as a knight because he believes that without the Church’s authority, the fragile peace of the human empire would collapse. He is fully aware of the seal placed upon his right eye, which is designed to enforce the laws of the Church, but his doubts were repeatedly met with memory manipulation, trapping him in a cycle of suspicion and erasure. While he congratulates those who manage to break their seal, he himself prioritizes the stability of the realm over reclaiming his own lost past. His role in the story becomes central after the fall of Administrator, as he takes command of the remaining Integrity Knights and organizes the human army to defend against the invading forces of the Dark Territory, becoming the linchpin of the human resistance.
In terms of key relationships, Bercouli acts as a mentor and father figure to many of the other Integrity Knights. He shares a particularly significant bond with Fanatio Synthesis Two, the vice-commander, who harbors deep romantic feelings for him, a connection that eventually leads to the revelation that they are expecting a child. He also regards Alice Synthesis Thirty with a protective, paternal concern, acknowledging that he could not give her the fatherly love she might have sought, but vowing to protect her as a parent would a child. His interactions with the protagonists, Kirito and Eugeo, are complex; he engages Eugeo in a memorable battle at the Central Cathedral, showing respect for the young man’s unconventional tactics and resolve. Despite being an enemy at that moment, he is not cruel or malicious, treating Eugeo more like a misguided boy than a genuine threat.
Bercouli undergoes significant development, primarily through the gradual recovery of his agency and awareness. While he had long sensed something was wrong with his own memories and the nature of the Integrity Knights, he was repeatedly forced back into obedience. After being freed from petrification following Administrator’s death, he consciously chooses to postpone the recovery of his stolen memories, instead focusing on the immediate responsibility of leading his knights and the human army through the coming war. This decision highlights his selflessness and his commitment to the role of a guardian, valuing the lives of those he protects over his own personal history. His development culminates in a final, climactic act of sacrifice. When Alice is kidnapped by the super-account Dark God Vector, Bercouli single-handedly pursues them on three flying dragons. Knowing he is outmatched by his opponent’s overwhelming power, he makes the ultimate decision to use the technique he despises most, sacrificing his own life to ensure Vector’s defeat and secure Alice’s safety.
Bercouli’s notable abilities place him far above any other knight in the human world. He is a master swordsman with three centuries of combat experience, possessing superhuman physical strength, speed, and an unparalleled level of concentration. His skill is such that he can casually stop the swords of two powerful warriors with only two fingers. His divine weapon, the Time Piercing Sword, grants him the power to manipulate time itself. His standard technique, the Enhance Armament, allows him to slash the future. He can swing his sword and leave the force of the cut suspended in the air, creating invisible traps that can slice anything that touches them. His ultimate and most feared ability, the Release Recollection, allows him to slash the past. This technique interferes with the Underworld’s system logs that track movement, allowing him to strike at the exact location an enemy stood ten minutes in the past. This attack cannot be dodged or blocked, as it effectively erases the target’s existence by setting their life to zero, bypassing any form of conventional durability. Despite possessing this godlike power, Bercouli disdains using it because it negates the effort and skill of both himself and his opponent, a testament to his deep-seated pride as a warrior. He only unleashes this power when facing an enemy that must be killed at any cost, as demonstrated in his final battle.