Azure Sky Balmung

Azure Balmung (蒼天のバルムンク, Sōten no Barumunku) is one of the Three Azure Knights.

Appearance
Azure Balmung appears as a feral version of Balmung of the Azure Sky, a legendary player from The World R:1. Unlike the original Balmung who had full, avian wings, Azure Balmung possesses broken, sticklike wings. He usually has a disturbed grin which in some cases constantly show his teeth and makes him appear more malevolent. When fighting he wields a wickedly curved sword, much different from the bright longsword famously used by Balmung.

Personality
Azure Balmung has little to no personality. He mindlessly goes about his job of defending the system, specializing in destroying AIDA. Azure Balmung has no speaking lines, but speaks normally when using an Art. He also speaks (unvoiced) in corrupted text after receiving an item.

.hack//Roots
Azure Balmung appears briefly at the end of Roots standing alongside Azure Orca and Azure Kite. This is the only time either of his eyes are seen.

.hack//G.U. Games
Haseo first encounters Azure Balmung and Azure Orca on the AIDA mirror server. Just as the transfer command is about to send Haseo back to the original server, a huge AIDA appears and attacks him. He is saved by the two Azure Knights, who kill the AIDA with one strike, something supposedly impossible without avatars. Haseo then notices a coffin floating alongside them, containing Azure Kite. Right as he realizes his nemesis still exists, the transfer protocol resumes and Haseo is returned to the CC Corporation server.

Later, Azure Orca and Azure Balmung appear in the Arena, assisting an AIDA-infected Sirius. However, while fighting Sirius, Haseo's team notices that the two mysterious players are "ghosts", phasing completely through any attacks. Once they defeat Sirius and the Helen-type AIDA inside him however, the real Azure Balmung and Azure Orca arrive, killing their imposters, who dissolve into black spots. It is later deduced that the fake Azures were mirages created by Atoli's Epitaph, which the AIDA inside Sirius had stolen. After this encounter, Haseo questions if he was wrong about "Tri-Edge", who seems to be an ally, not an enemy.

Later, the Azure Knights briefly appear in the aftermath of the Moon Tree incident, and Azure Kite is freed of his coffin. Finally, the Knights confront Ovan in front of a Sign leading to Briona Gwydion the Dragonbein Range, and are defeated, though their regeneration ability suggests they are not gone for good.

The Knights quickly heal however, and finish off Sakaki after he falls through Avatar Space into an Outer Dungeon. Later, when Haseo, Yata, and Aina attempt to contact Aura at Hulle Granz Cathedral, the Knights appear and intervene. However, after a brief skirmish in which Haseo discovers that Azure Kite is more or less invincible, Aura inhabits Aina's PC and orders the knights to stand down. After clearing the game, Aura decides to give the Knights to Haseo.

hack//Link

 * See Azure Sky Knight.

Trivia

 * In The World R:2, players refer to Azure Balmung as "The Winged Guy".
 * He is recognized by some players to be a form of Balmung. On the Apkallu forum, the player Nogmung posts a drawing of the original Balmung and comments about hearing about his return to The World. He then says that the Azure Balmung seen fighting alongside Sirius looks a lot like him, but can't be the real him.
 * Azure Balmung's weapon is called "Empty Mirage".
 * Despite his rivalry in "The World" as Sieg, the character Kuhn makes no significant comments upon seeing Balmungs Azure form.