Original subtitles

Kazuto! We're gonna be late!

Okay, okay! I'll be right there!

Sugu, I'm gonna leave you behind!

Hold up a second, kazuto!

Did you finish your homework?

What? Not yet.

You'd better get it done, or summer vacation will be over before you know it.

Hey! Suguha, kirito!

Sorry, everybody... Making you all gather here for me...

Oh, come on, don't be a stranger!

But you know, I was a little surprised. You seem so athletic, suguha.

Whether it's the real world or virtual reality, I'm not good at water sports.

But really, to have provisional counseling on a perfect swimming day like this... how unlucky is that?

Tell me about it!

And after I hit the books fairly seriously during the first semester...

Too bad for you, missing out on seeing us in our swimsuits.

Oh, but that doesn't give you free rein to leer at that gorgeous counselor!

Wh-where's the harm in that?

Kirito?

Uh, I didn't say anything!

A-all right, I'll be on my way, then...

Sugu, everyone's here to coach you, so be sure to practice hard!

Okay!

Compared to the sea in alfheim, the school pool is really shallow,

so just have fun and practice without stressing out.

Kirito, we'll see you later!

Say hi to the gorgeous counselor!

Counseling room

come in.

Excuse me.

M-Mr. kikuoka?

Hey there, kirito. Long time no see.

What's an elite bureaucrat of the virtual reality section doing here, of all places?

There's something I wanted to ask you.

And so I arranged to have this meeting set up for us.

Then this whole “provisional counseling” thing...

Sorry about that. I didn't think you'd show up unless we used that as a pretext.

All right, I'll be going now.

If you need me, I'll be in the room next door.

Well, no reason to shoot the breeze standing up. Why don't you have a seat?

Let me make one thing clear from the get-go. I have somewhere to be after this, so please keep this brief.

I'll do my best.

The truth is, now that I'm tying up the Sao and alo incidents,

I wanted to hear your story directly.

I've already told you about it numerous times.

And I'm sure it's all pretty much right there in the player action logs.

All we can deduce from those logs is who went where on any given day, so...

As for what happened there, we still don't really know.

Even though the Sao incident led to a whopping 4,000 casualties,

thanks to the death of its mastermind, akihiko kayaba, we still don't have a grasp on the overall picture.

Most importantly, kayaba's motive remains unknown.

His reasons for creating a death game like Sao...

In order to unravel that mystery, I'd like to hear your story one more time, kirito.

You'll help me out, won't you?

What happens if I refuse?

Who was it that granted you permission to take home a nervegear slated for disposal,

and told you which hospital asuna was in?

And it's actually my department that's working to keep the Sao returnees out of a media circus.

It might be too late now, but is it really okay for me to be using the pool at this school?

It's all good! We have permission!

Your swimsuit's really cool, rika!

Isn't it? The one I used before I went to Sao just got way too tight for me.

So I bought a new one.

Well, I hardly changed in size at all...

Hey, asuna! Look at you, rocking that bikini!

You gonna bewitch kirito with that daring swimsuit?

N-no, that's not what this is about!

Uh... what? None of you are wearing the school swimsuit?

Well, since you said we were going to swim in the school pool...

Th-the school suit is totally cute, too, isn't it?

Y-yes, it is! And it's so you, suguha!

What do you mean by that?

So... where do you want me to start?

First, I'd like to hear about the first day of the incident. Let's see... I believe the actual date was...

November 6, 2022.

So it's already been two and a half years since then...

Attention, players.

Welcome to my world.

"My world"?

My name is akihiko kayaba.

As of this moment, I am the only person able to control this world.

Sword art online development director akihiko kayaba

is that really him?

This is really elaborate!

I'm sure you've already noticed that the logout button is missing from the main menu.

But this is not a defect in the game.

I repeat...

This is not a defect in the game,

but a key feature of sword art online.

A-a feature?

But be sure to keep this in mind.

There is no longer any function to revive someone within the game.

The instant your HP drops to zero, your avatars will vanish forever.

And simultaneously,

you brains will be destroyed by the nervegear.

The one condition for your escape is to complete this game.

You are presently on the lowest floor of aincrad, floor one.

If you make your way through the dungeon

and defeat the floor boss, you may advance to the next level.

Defeat the final boss on floor 100 and you will clear the game.

Clear?

What's he talking about?

D-Don"t just make stuff up!

Clear all 100 floors?

That's impossible.

Even the beta testers never made it that high, right?

Now then, finally,

I've provided you all with a present in your item storage.

Please see for yourselves.

Mirror

oo no I ne: 0 of 0 oo a

Klein?

You okay, kirito?

Y-yeah Ann

who are you?

And who are you?

- Who are you? - Why did my face change?

You're a guy?

You were lying about being 17?

That means...

- You're kirito? - You're klein?

How?

That scan...

The nervegear covers your entire head with a high-density signaling device.

So it can see what your face looks like.

But our height and body shape...

When we first put on the nervegear, there was something called calibration...

You had to touch your body all over like this, remember?

0-oh, right... it must be basing this on that data...

But... but listen...

Why?

Why do all this, anyway?

I'm sure he'll tell us.

Right now, you must all be wondering, "why?"

"Why would akihiko kayaba,

developer of sword art online and the nervegear, do such a thing?"

My goal has already been achieved.

I created sword art online for one reason...

To create this world and meddle in it.

Kayaba...

And now, all is complete.

“I created Sao in order to meddle with this world...”

Is that what kayaba said, then?

Yes.

What did you think when you heard him say that?

I don't know... at the time, all I could think about was surviving this sudden death game.

I had no time to wonder about kayaba's intentions.

That's right. In order to survive, I abandoned klein.

I see.

Then let's say goodbye here.

If something happens, send me a message.

Sure!

Okay. See you around, klein.

Kirito!

Hey...

Kirito.

The real you is actually kinda cute, huh?

I like you better this way.

And that unkempt face of yours suits you 10 times better.

I'm... I'm...

I'm going to survive...

In this world!

Yippee! Nothing like a reserved pool!

There's something really refreshing about this, huh?

I'm first!

Hey, no fair, Liz!

Hey, you two! You have to stretch before going in, remember?

What are you splashing around like that for?

Oh, wow, it's cold!

When did you sneak this thing in?

In the first place, you can't practice swimming with a float!

Wait! You can't do that!

I'll sink without it! = no worries!

After all, you've got two of these fine things. No way are you gonna sink!

Stop it! Do you know where you're touching...

I can't imagine what you're eating to plump them up this much. Shame on you! Honestly!

Stop it!

Liz...

Sorry.

Okay, why don't we start by having you put your face in the water?

In order to survive Sao, revealed to be a death game, most players acted together in parties they'd formed.

But you, kirito, were mainly a solo player, except for the very last phase, weren't you?

In a world where you would die for real once your HP was depleted, why take such a risk?

Well, I never planned on becoming a solo player from the get-go. But...

Why?

Why... why did you let diabel die?

Let him die?

Of course!

You knew what technique the boss would use!

If you'd given us that information up front, he wouldn't have died!

He must be an ex-beta tester!

That's how he knew all about the boss's attack patterns.

He knew, but he kept it from us!

There's gotta be others here too, right? Those beta testers!

Come out!

An ex-beta tester, did you say?

I wish you wouldn't compare me to those newbies.

W-what?

Most of the 1,000 people who won Sao beta test slots were beginners

who didn't even know how to level up.

Even you guys are better than them.

But I'm not like those guys.

During the beta test, I made it to higher levels than anyone else was able to reach.

The reason I knew about the boss's sword skills

was because I fought tons of monsters with those skills on floors far above us.

I know lots of other things too.

Way more than any information broker.

W-what?

That's... that's way worse than a beta tester!

That's cheating! You're a cheater. That's what you are!

Yeah, a cheater!

A beta tester and a cheater...

A beater!

A beater... that's a good name.

That's right...

I am a beater.

From now on, don't confuse me with the other testers.

Coat of midnight

I see... so it was you who inspired the term “beater.”

By assuming the role of the villain, you made sure that the other beta testers wouldn't be treated with hostility.

That must have been a pretty painful role to take on.

It wasn't really all that painful, though...

Sachi!

Kirito!

Sachi!

What was really painful was losing someone you'd bonded with...

Well? Are you starting to get used to being in the water?

Yes, I can somehow manage to put my face in the water now, but I still can't open my eyes...

No need to rush it. Just try to get used to it little by little.

Why don't we take a break now?

Roger!

Now this is what you call summertime...

It totally is, isn't it?

The area we're heading to on this quest... Isn't it summer there all year, too?

It's way in the Southern part of the sylph territory, so I hear it's pretty hot there.

And they say it's loaded with traps we've never seen before, so that's something to look forward to!

We have to make sure that kirito doesn't get too fired up and rush off on his own, right?

I've been meaning to ask you this, but...

How did you all meet my brother?

Well, I was under attack by a bunch of monsters when kirito rescued me.

Pina!

Pina... pina!

Pina.

Pina...

Pina...

Pina!

Pina... pina!

Pina...

Why would you do all this for me?

If you promise not to laugh, I'll tell you.

I won't laugh.

It's because you look like my little sister...

I'm sorry.

Who else but kirito can say something like that with a straight face?

Still... suguha and Keiko don't really look alike at all, do they?

Wh-what are you comparing?

After that, kirito went on an adventure with me to save pina.

Go on. Take it.

Pneuma flower

this will bring pina back to life, right?

Yeah.

I'm so glad...

But there are lots of strong monsters around here.

Let's revive it after we get back to town.

I'm sure that pina would prefer it that way too.

Calm down, silica! This one's really weak!

K-kirito, save me! Don't look, but save me!

- That's impossible. - Enough is enough!

Did you see anything?

In my case, it's not like we had a dramatic encounter like silica's...

Welcome to lisbeth's Smith shop!

U-uh...

I'd like to order a custom-made weapon.

Does he have enough money?

At the moment, metal prices are high.

Don't worry about the cost.

I just want the best sword you can make right now.

That's somewhat vague.

You'll have to give me an idea of your target quality level.

Oh, I see.

Then something of the same quality as this or better?

An elucidator...

It's a beast of a magic sword obtainable from monster drops.

Can you make one?

How about this one?

It's the best I've ever forged. My masterpiece!

It's a little light...

Well, I did use a speed-type metal to forge it.

Would you mind if I tested it?

Test it?

You know, its durability.

H-hey!

Your sword will break in two if you do that!

If that happens, it'll just be... too bad!

He came in and snapped a sword for sale in two, so my first impression was absolutely awful.

S-sorry about that...

Kirito tends to do the most outrageous things sometimes, huh?

Another time, we fell into a dragon's burrow together, and then he tossed some dragon poop right at me,

so I hardly have any decent memories of him...

Sorry, Liz.

Oh, but looking back now, they're all good memories!

It's warm.

Even though you and I are both data in a virtual world...

Liz...

Amazing!

Kirito!

You know what?

What?

I...

I like you, kirito!

What?

I can't hear you!

It's nothing!

Tell asuna what you just told me.

Liz...

I'm fine!

This warmth will still linger for a while.

So... please...

End this world, kirito.

Until then, I'm sure that I can hang on!

I don't khow...

Wonder if he's making out with that gorgeous doctor right about now. Damn him!

Look, kirito - right there.

- Where? - Right here.

Where?

These coordinates here.

Are all the high-level players gathered here because it's a boss raid?

What can I say...?

It's just that I was surprised to see that when it came to boss fights,

even you, the most powerful solo player of all, would still take part in raid parties.

Of course I would.

Basically, a floor boss couldn't be beaten by a solo player.

Actually, there were more floor bosses than you'd think who'd be a threat even if you were in a party.

The sword skills of the first floor boss, ilifang the kobold lord,

were powerful enough to almost destroy our raid...

Diabel!

Watch out!

I'll get you first!

Crap!

When we took on the floor 74 boss, the gleam eyes...

Although I defeated it somehow by using my dual-wielding skill,

I came this close to getting myself killed.

Starburst stream!

Wh-what is that skill?

Faster...

Even faster!

But in aincrad, there was something more terrifying than any floor boss.

Oh? What was that?

The players themselves.

The players?

Yes. The bosses' parameters were formidable, sure. But ultimately, they were just programs.

You could deal with them once you figured out their attack patterns,

and since they never emerged from the boss rooms, you could escape if it came to that...

But red players were humans, just like yourself.

Spawning one new pk method after another, they killed countless other players...

Paralysis poison?

What's this? So you're afraid of dying after all?

That's right...

I can't die yet!

Is that so?

That's the way I like it!

Die! Die!

Die!

It wasn't just the battles with red players.

I struggled time and time again even in pure swordsmanship duels.

We're called the top guild, but our numbers are never more than barely sufficient.

He attacks with his shield?

Splendid reaction time.

I can strike!

And that brilliant player among players

was the leader of the knights of the blood oath guild - heathcliff, right?

Yes. And ironically enough, it was my duel with heathcliff

that tipped me off about his true identity.

I made all kinds of things, so eat up, okay?

Oh, I brought lunch, too, so please have some if you like...

Let's dig in!

Kazuto kirigaya it will be a while, so please have lunch first.

Who is it?

Kirito. He says to start without him.

Then I'll have kirito's share for him!

You shouldn't do something like that to him. We have to leave some for him.

Right, right.

Wow! Asuna's lunch is so adorable.

I wonder if kazuto prefers girls who are feminine and can make lunches like this...

What's the matter, suguha?

Oh, nothing...

I was just wondering how you and my brother met, see...

- I want to hear all about that! - I'd like to hear it, too!

But...

Come on! We just told you how we met him!

That's right, you're the only one who hasn't talked about it yet!

Well, I guess I have no choice.

Alright!

It was at a boss raid meeting

in a town called tolbana on the first floor that I first met kirito.

At the time, all I could think about was clearing the game.

Do you really think it's good?

Of course.

Ever since I came to this town, I've been eating at least one daily.

I do change it up a little though.

Change it up?

Try putting some on the bread.

Cream?

But kirito showed me that you could enjoy life even in aincrad...

Oh. It's only you.

Everyone else in the assault team is going all out to clear the dungeon, so...

What are you doing taking a nap out here?

Even solo players need to take this more seriously-

not only is this aincrad's nicest season,

but today's weather is at its optimum setting.

Do you even understand what's going on?

Every day we waste here is one more we've lost in the real world.

But right now, the place where we're alive is here in aincrad.

See?

The wind and sunlight feel so good.

Do they?

Isn't the weather always the same?

If you were to lie down like me, you'd understand.

Hey, take a look at that.

Taking a nap at this time of day?

Some people don't have a care in the world.

Who are they? Jeez...

I didn't think she'd really fall asleep.

W... what...

Morning.

Sleep well?

One meal...

A meal!

I'll treat you one time to anything you want.

Then we'll be even! Deal?

From what you just said, it sounds like you were the one who fell for kirito first!

N-no, it wasn't like that...

Hey, hey, don't hide it!

You came in to hone your sword one day and said, “well, it's still one-way!” remember?

Y-yeah Ann

so how did you go about wooing him and telling him how you felt?

Um... well, it was like this...

So... where should I do the cooking?

Well...

You probably don't have any decent cookware at your place anyway, right?

Just this once,

considering the ingredient, I wouldn't mind using my place.

Am I?

In that case, party up with me. It's been forever.

Also, black is my lucky color this week.

What's up with that?

That's easy for you to say, asuna... But what about your guild?

We don't have any leveling quotas.

Th-then what about your bodyguard?

I'll ditch him.

Asuna invites you to join her party.

The front lines are dangerous.

F-fine.

That was more aggressive than I thought.

Do you think maybe you have to be that aggressive for it to work out?

W-well, what could I do? After all... I was in love with him.

- Um... - Okay, okay! Thanks, that was delicious.

So how far did you two go?

It might have been in-game, but you were married. So naturally... right?

I'm sorry.

This was...

This was my fault, right?

Asuna...

I'm sorry.

I sh-should

stay away from you

fr-from now on.

My life belongs to you, asuna.

So I'll use it for you. Let's stay together until the end.

And I... I'll protect you too, no matter what.

I'll protect you forever.

So...

I'll see to it that you can go back to the other world, no matter what.

Asuna...

Today...

Tonight, I want to stay with you.

Okay.

D-Don"t look over here.

H-hurry and get undressed too.

It's embarrassing, b-being the only one...

Sorry, I woke you, didn't I?

I was just dreaming a little. About our old world.

It's strange...

In the dream, I was worried that things in aincrad and things with you

were only a dream. I was really scared.

I'm glad this wasn't a dream.

You're so strange... Don't you want to go back?

I do, but I don't want my time here to disappear.

These two years have been important to me. I can think of them that way now.

Hey, kirito.

Do you think it would be okay if we left the front lines for a bit?

Somehow, I'm scared.

If we return to the battlefield, it feels like something else bad will happen.

Maybe I'm just a little tired.

Yeah...

I'm tired too.

In the southwest part of floor 22,

there's a small village surrounded by forests and lakes.

Let's move there together.

And...

And?

Let. An

let's get married.

Yes!

Hey, earth to asuna!

Huh? Um, I-it's nothing! We didn't do anything, okay?

Lucky you for getting married.

And you even have an adorable kid like yui. I'm so envious!

Yes, well, she's our daughter our pride and joy!

Well, well, for a teenager you're quite the doting parent, aren't you!

I'm going to take that as a compliment.

All right, then, let's give it our all in today's quest, so we can make yui happy!

Right...

Auna??

Kito?

Hey, yui, what were you doing in the forest?

Are your mom and dad somewhere?

I don't khow...

I don't know anything.

That's awful.

Hello, yui.

Can I call you yui?

Okay. Then I want you to call me kirito.

Kito?

It's kirito. Ki-ri-to.

Kito.

Maybe it's a little hard. You can call me whatever's easiest for you.

Daddy.

Me?

Auna is mommy.

That's right. I'm your mommy, yui!

Mommy!

Daddy! Mommy!

You must be hungry! Let's eat.

Yeah!

Yui?

Yui...

Daddy... mommy.

I remember everything now.

Mental health counseling program, prototype 1.

Code name: Yui.

That's me.

You aren't just a program that the system controls anymore.

So you should be able to say what it is that you want.

What do you want?

I...

I...

I want to stay with you forever...

Daddy, mommy!

Together...

We'll be together forever, yui.

That's right. You're our child, yui.

Kirito!

Are you okay?

What's this?

Before yui's admin credentials were denied,

I split off her main program and turned it into a game object.

So this is...

Yui's heart.

So yui met you and kirito inside Sao, then?

Yes.

Ever since then, she's been our child.

Okay, why don't we resume practice now?

All righty, suguha! Let's get you swimming like a fish, and knock kirito off his feet!

Okay!

Ah, what a splendid thing it is to be young!

Those kids were able to return safely to the real world because of your heroics, weren't they, kirito?

There were no heroics from me.

But isn't it a fact that you unmasked heathcliff's true identity,

and claimed victory in that final battle against akihiko kayaba?

If you can call that a victory...

I'm sorry, asuna...

I want you at least to live.

Farewell, kirito.

You're kidding, right? Asuna...

This can't... this can't be...

I'm sorry.

Goodbye.

It's over now...

I believe in you, kirito.

Not yet...

Not yet!

Is this good enough?

As of 2:55 pm, November 7,

the game has been cleared.

The game has been cleared.

Kayaba lost that battle against you,

and burned his own brain with the mock-up version of the nervegear.

That's been borne out by the autopsy on his body.

But the fact that you survived even though you were killed at the same time is,

I have to say, mind-blowing.

Was that due to a system-related reason,

or was it the will of kayaba?

Quite a view, isn't it?

Akihiko kayaba...

The Sao mainframe, located in the fifth-level basement at argus hq,

is deleting all data on its storage devices.

In 10 minutes or so, everything in this world will vanish.

What's happened to the people down there?

You needn't worry about them.

Just a moment ago, the remaining 6,147 players were logged out.

And the ones who died?

What about the 4,000 people who died?

Their minds will never return.

The dead vanish from our midst... It's the same in any world.

Why...

Why did you do this?

Why, you ask?

It's been so long I've forgotten myself.

I wonder why...

When I began developing the full-dive environment system... no, long before that,

creating that castle, a world that surpassed all our laws and all our restrictions,

was my only desire and what I lived for.

And now I've been able to see something that surpassed my own world's laws...

How old was I, when I was obsessed with the fantasy of a steel castle that floated in the sky?

I wanted to leave the ground

to fly to that castle.

For a long, long time, that was my only desire...

You know, kirito,

I believe even now

that in some other world, that castle truly exists.

Yes... I hope you're right.

I forgot to tell you something.

Congratulations on clearing the game, kirito, asuna.

Now then, I must be going.

By the way,

before kayaba left, did he mention anything to you about why he started this death game?

Uh... not that I recall.

Asuna yuuki we finished eating already

who's that from?

Oh, it's your Princess, eh?

That was quite an ordeal for you both.

Just when you thought you'd escaped Sao...

Yes, it really was an ordeal.

No thanks to somebody who didn't realize that a monumental crime was being committed right inside alo.

By the time we discovered that 300 of those comatose Sao players

were being used as nobuyuki sugou's personal Guinea pigs,

the incident had been resolved by a student - namely, you.

Why couldn't you prevent him from carrying out his scheme?

Sugou was a member of the same research lab as akihiko kayaba, so it's not like we weren't keeping tabs on him.

But then because we suddenly had 6,000 players returning to the real world,

we were swamped checking on their health, easing them back into society.

So I can't deny that for a time, we were short-handed in our surveillance of sugou.

Not to mention,

it never occurred to us that sugou would install a lab for illegal experiments inside the world of the game.

In the real world, he never once tipped his hand to us.

Tell me all about it, will you, kirito?

How did you get wise to sugou's plot?

The thing is, I didn't have a clue - not at first.

This is our laboratory chief, sugou.

I'm nobuyuki sugou. Nice to meet you.

I'm kazuto kirigaya.

Kirigaya, I'll see you again.

Is it true that within that game, you were living with asuna?

Yes...

Then I suppose that complicates our relationship somewhat, doesn't it?

What we were just discussing, you see... was asuna's marriage to me.

Stop it.

Are you trying to take advantage of the fact that she's in a coma?

Take advantage? No, it's a legitimate right.

Listen, kirigaya.

Do you know what happened to argus, the developer of Sao?

I heard it was dissolved.

Yes.

The development costs and massive damages they were forced to pay

bankrupted them.

And the maintenance of the Sao servers was entrusted

to electronics maker rct, whose ceo is shozo yuuki.

And I work for its full-dive technology research division.

In other words, you could say I'm the one who's keeping asuna alive.

So I can ask for a little something by way of compensation, can't I?

I don't know what sort of promises you made to her in the game.

But I don't want you to ever come back here.

I'd also have you refrain from any contact with the yuuki family.

The ceremony will be held in this hospital room in a week, on January 26th.

Too bad it's not an auspicious day,

but I want you to have a little piece of my happiness, so I'll invite you.

Lament your final goodbye, Mr. hero.

At the time, didn't you find him at all suspicious?

All I could think about was asuna.

The only clue I had was a screenshot of an avatar that looked just like her.

Are you saying that you ventured into alo based on that intel alone?

If there was the least shred of hope, I would've done anything.

Please help me one more time.

Link start!

Alfheim, neutral territory, ancient forest January 20, 2025

I'm back...

After everything that happened.

It's me, yui! Do you remember me?

I got to see you again, daddy...

Yui...

Daddy!

Daddy!

Daddy...

Miracles really do happen.

Actually, it seems that asuna... Your mommy is here.

Mommy? What do you mean?

Even after Sao was cleared, asuna never woke up in reality.

I heard that someone who looked like asuna was seen in alfheim.

So that's what happened...

What are you doing? Run!

Three heavy fighters attacking a single girl?

That's kind of lame.

- What did you say? - You've got some nerve, newbie.

If I remember correctly, that player named leafa was your younger sister, right?

Yes. Even I never dreamed that I'd run into sugu - no, I mean my sister - in alo.

Wow! You've gotten to the point where you can swim 25 meters!

Hey, you've got the breathing technique down, too.

You're a good athlete, suguha, so no wonder!

Thank you very much!

Huh? What's this? Are you feeling lonely without your big brother?

I-it's not like that at all! I was just wondering why he's so late...

You and kirito really are close.

I'm an only child, so that makes me envious.

Y-you think so?

But...

Before my brother got trapped inside Sao, we weren't really that close.

I wanted to see what those vrmmos he was so obsessed with were all about,

and that's when I started playing alo...

And now I'm no slouch as a gamer myself!

It was you who guided kirito to the world tree, wasn't it, suguha?

Yes. But when I first met him, I had no idea he was my brother.

I just thought he was this rude guy.

But from time to time, I could see that he was brooding over something.

I didn't know why, but somehow I couldn't just leave him alone.

Daddy?

I'm sorry. But I need to reach the top of the world tree.

- Why is it so important? - I'm looking for someone.

- What do you mean? - It's not easy to explain.

Thank you, leafa. All that information helped me a lot.

Wait. Are you going to the world tree?

Yes, I need to see for myself.

But that's crazy.

It's really far, and there are a lot of strong monsters.

Sure, you're strong, but...

All right, I'll take you there!

We made it all the way to the world tree in only three days. It was tough!

Thanks so much, suguha.

Oh, no, don't thank me. I had such a good time myself.

That's right, we went through a lot, but I enjoyed my adventure with kirito.

- Tired? - Nope, not yet.

You hung in there.

I'd like to say that, but our trip through the sky is over for now.

Why?

You see that mountain, right?

It's above the altitude limit, so you have to go through caves to pass it.

I've heard it's the toughest leg between sylph territory and arun.

I've never been past here.

I see... caves, huh? Is it long?

Fairly. I hear there's a neutral mining town midway where we can rest...

Kirito, do you still have time today?

It's 7:00 pm in the real world, huh? I'm okay for a while.

Okay... then we can keep going for a while. We can rotate out here.

R=-rotate?

Logging out and resting while others keep watch.

You can't log out instantly here.

So you log out in turn while who's left guards your empty avatar.

I see... got it. You can go first.

I'm excited.

Kirito...

It's not that I'm in love or anything. Or that I'm glad to adventure with someone.

I'm just looking forward to journeying to a new world.

So what was your impression of kirito after going on that adventure with him?

You didn't know he was your brother, right?

My first impression was just, “he's so fast,” I guess.

But more than that, his seriousness during each and every battle was nothing like anyone else's...

Enough, kirito!

If we lose, it'll just mean a few extra hours of flying! Let's just give up!

No way.

As long as I'm alive, I won't let any party members die.

I'll never let that happen!

Damn, what's he doing?

The moment I realized that the source of his seriousness was his desire to protect someone,

I thought to myself, “this is someone I can believe in.”

In the end, it's a game, so anything goes.

If you want to kill, you kill. If you want to steal, you steal.

I've met more people than I care to who think that way. In a way, it's true.

I used to think that way too.

But it's not true. There are things you have to protect because it is a virtual world.

I learned that from someone important to me.

If you give in to your urges here, the price is that it changes your personality in real life.

The player and the character are one.

I like you, leafa. I want to be your friend.

No matter what the reason, attacking someone for my own benefit

is something I'd never do.

That's why, no matter who his opponent was, my brother... kirito would never run away.

I believed that there was no way he could ever lose.

Kirito!

Die!

You know, being close as siblings is all well and good,

but this older chick's a little worried about forbidden love...

Wh-what are you talking about? Never mind that, let's get back to practice! Practice!

All right, then shall we give it another go?

If only I'd known before I fell in love with him...

Is that you, big brother?

Sugu?

Suguha?

This is awful.

This isn't fair...

- It isn't... - S-sugu?

Are you sure you want to log out?

Sugu!

I... I...

I...

I betrayed my own heart!

I betrayed my love for you...

I was about to forget it all, to give it up. To fall in love with kirito...

No, I already had!

But...

But...

L-love? But we're...

I know.

I already know!

You and I aren't really siblings!

I've known for the last two years.

Wasn't the reason you quit kendo and started avoiding me

because you knew the whole time?

You were distancing yourself because I'm not your real sister, right?

If so...

Why are you being nice to me now?

I was so happy you came back from Sao.

I was so happy you were being nice to me, like when we were little.

You were finally giving me a chance... That's what I thought.

But...

If I'd known this would happen, I wish you'd stayed cold to me.

If you had,

I wouldn't have realized my feelings for you...

Or been sad to learn about asuna...

Or fallen in love with kirito instead of you!

I'm sorry.

Just... leave me alone...

Why?

Why?

I wanted to apologize to you... But I didn't know what to say.

So I thought I'd at least give you a free shot.

You did too?

I'm sorry.

I am too.

I still haven't returned from that world, not in the true sense.

It hasn't ended. Not yet.

Until she wakes up, I'm not really back in reality.

That's why... I don't know how I should think of you yet.

I'll be waiting...

I'll be waiting for you to come home to us for real.

So I'm going to help you!

Hey, suguha! There's no point unless you come!

Okay!

And after reaching the world tree thanks to your sister's guidance,

you cleared the grand quest, supposedly designed by sugou to be so difficult that it could never be solved,

and rescued asuna, am I right?

No, it's not like I cleared it alone.

Just a little more...

Just a little more...

Kirito!

That's dark magic...

Dragoons, ready breath attack!

Sylphs, prepare additional offensives!

Fire breath... go!

Fenrir storm... fire!

It was leafa and recon, sakuya, Alicia,

and the sylph and cait sith warriors.

It was thanks to their help that I was able to reach asuna.

I see.

But just then, sugou - a.K.A. Oberon, the fairy king - appeared.

Normally, I wouldn't think it possible for you, a player, to defeat sugou, the game master, but...

Now!

Great! I love it! Npc women just can't make that face...

What a lovely smell. Replicating your scent from the real world was hard.

I hope you appreciate how much work it took to get an analyzer into your hospital room...

Stop it.

Sugou...

My my...

Onlookers can just grovel on the ground! Writhing!

Kirito!

System command!

Change pain absorber from level 10 to level 8.

Hurts, no?

I'll gradually let the pain increase, so look forward to that.

Of course, below level 3, it will start to affect your physical body.

Now then...

S-sweet... so sweet!

Sugou, you bastard!

Bastard!

You bastard, I'll kill you! I'll kill you no matter what!

Are you going to run away?

That's not it... I'm going to accept reality.

Are you going to surrender? To the power of a system you once denied.

I don't have a choice. I'm a player, and he's a gm.

Those words make a mockery of our battle.

Our battle that proved human will superior to the system,

and awakened me to the possibilities of the future.

You're...

Stand up, kirito!

It's true that a game master's authority is ultra-powerful.

As long as he's in that world, he's capable of unleashing god-like powers.

But... those powers were granted to him by the system.

It's not like he discovered them or honed them himself.

True power can always be found inside you.

In a virtual world... And in the real world.

There's nothing like ice cream after a day at the pool!

What an ice idea!

In the end, sugou self-destructed. All because he overestimated the powers he was given.

I see, self-destructed, eh?

Rika shinozaki you aren't flirting with the sexy counselor, are you?

What happened next, you already know, Mr. kikuoka.

That should be enough, right? I'm supposed to meet the others in alo after this.

If you'll excuse me...

Oh, right... just one last thing before you go.

I wonder if you've ever heard the term, "the seed?”

Yes, of course.

Till we meet again, kirito.

July 25, 2025 in alo, Southern sylph territory, thule island

hey, kirito... I was never so glad about alo time and real time not being in sync as I am today!

Yeah, since it's already nighttime in the real world.

I'm telling you, it's gotta be like this at the beach! Blue skies!

White sand...

The oncoming waves!

Dazzling sunlight...

And...

Hey there! Thanks for waiting!

Hey, what's the matter, you two?

- What are you doing! - Come on, it's so cold!

Str mode power, full speed ahead!

I'll go you one better! Pina, water breath!

Fire!

That's my pina!

Yes, she did it!

Leafa, do you think all that training you did today will pay off?

Y-yes, I'm all set! I'm not afraid anymore...

As long as my feet can touch the bottom.

Really? That's good to hear. Oh, but where we're headed later on...

Yes, I know. I wonder how deep this dungeon at the bottom of the sea is...

Let's see... I think it was around 100 meters or so from the surface...

0-0one hundred?

N-no, no, I'll find a way!

After all, it's for yui's sake, right?

Thank you, leafa!

And then, see... Can you believe it?

The second he sees the guardian of the lake, kirito lets out a blood-curdling scream!

The second he sees the guardian of the lake, kirito lets out a blood-curdling scream! July 24, 2025 yggdrasil city

like “ "yiiiiiiiiikes!" ” July 24, 2025 yggdrasil city

July 24, 2025 yggdrasil city

h-hey, it wasn't that out of control.

Not much more than a “whoaaaaa!” I'm sure!

You're so lucky! I wish I could've seen the guardian, too!

Once the new aincrad opens up to the 22nd floor,

let's buy that log house again and hold another fishing contest at the lake.

Oh, but that guardian is crazy huge. You might end up in tears, yui!

I will not! You say that it's big, but when you factor in the area of the lake,

it can't possibly be as big as a whale in the real world!

You've seen a whale before, yui?

No, I just estimated its size from its measurements and video data.

Since I can't see what exists in the real world like you can..

I see. Is that so?

If there were any whales in alfheim, you could've seen them, too.

They're gigantic, you know.

They come leaping out of the ocean with a thump! And then go down with a splash!

Wh-what is it?

I heard something like that once.

I think someone found a quest in the south of the sylph territory where a whale appears...

Really? I'd like to see what it's like to ride a whale!

Now riding one might be out of the question...

Hey, kirito, this better be legit. That a whale appears in this quest?

Yui's really looking forward to it.

Now if it turns out that it's not a whale, but a jellyfish, or a sea butterfly, it's gonna be lamer than hell!

If it's a giant sea butterfly, I wouldn't mind seeing it, though.

Agil, did you come up with any info?

Well, the thing is, since this quest is way out on the edge of the world map,

not a lot of people even know about it.

But the part about a gigantic aquatic monster appearing at the end of the quest seems to be true.

Hey, that means we can pretty much get our hopes up, right?

All right, let's go for it today!

Ladies! It's time for us to get going!

Okay! We're coming!

U-uh... you guys, are you gonna be wearing that armor during the quest?

Of course we are! I mean, we're going into battle.

You'd better hurry up and get yourself changed as well!

With your permission, I'd like to serve as your party leader today.

During the quest, if our objective, a giant whale, shows up, please follow my instructions!

Right!

Someday, I'll express my gratitude mentally!

All right, everyone. Let's do this!

Yeah!

According to these coordinates, it should be around here...

Hey, isn't that it over there?

All right, I'm going to cast a water breathing spell, okay?

Leafa?

Wow! That's amazing!

Hey, there's someone there!

Hey, looks like a quest npc.

If we're talking about someone in trouble in the sea, you know it's got to be a mermaid!

My mermaid damsel, I'm coming to save you right now!

Are you in some kind of trouble, my damsel-

looks like it was a grandpa, not a damsel!

What's wrong, old gentleman?

Would you like to start the quest "the plunderers of the deep sea"?

Ah, fairies from the surface! Will you be so kind as to help this decrepit old man?

What's the matter, leafa?

Uh... nothing. I just feel like I've seen that old man's name somewhere before...

I've been robbed of a souvenir for an old friend of mine by some thieves who use this temple as their base.

I wonder if you'd be kind enough to take it back from them in my place...

Just leave it to us!

Ah, I am grateful. I am grateful.

The souvenir is a Pearl about this size.

That's huge!

Don't even think about lifting it and selling it off!

I-I wouldn't do such a thing. Not this time!

I'm counting on you, my fairies.

If you succeed in retrieving my Pearl, I'll be sure to reward you handsomely!

Um, this looks like a search-type quest,

but there are sure to be monsters inside that temple.

Vanguard, your sword strokes will be slower in an underwater battle, so watch out.

Rearguard, remember that you can't use lightning-type spells.

Right!

All right, let's go!

Hey, kirito. Underwater battles aren't leafa's thing, are they?

Shouldn't you be looking out for her more?

- Are you used to this now? - I know, but...

I'm fine with her when we pair up,

but when we're in a party like this, I don't know how to deal with her.

Oh, come on, you can just be yourself.

You're her big bro, so you gotta take care of your kid sister!

Yeah, but when I first met her in the game, I didn't even know-

What kind of fool falls right into a visible pit? Seriously...

I can't believe he's a former top player from the assault team...

Well, I can accept kirito no matter-

daddy! Behind you!

Is that it? The whale?

No... that's no whale, no matter how you look at it!

Prepare for battle!

It's not taking any damage to the head!

I'm gonna make it target me, so attack him from the sides!

Gotcha!

Leave it to us!

Let's go, too!

Okay!

Me too!

Leafa, I want you and asuna to cover us with magic spells!

After asuna and the others went to all that trouble to coach me...

Thank you, leafa!

But I made up my mind... to go with everyone... To follow my brother no matter where he took me!

Leafa?

It's all right! This time, for sure...

Leafal

kirito, leafa's...

- Kirito! - Kirito!

Now I remember... when I was little, I fell into a pond...

And then what happened, I wonder?

Sugu!

Kazuto!

Kazuto... you saved me again...

I don't want to see another shrimp or crab for a good, long time...

Or a squid, or an octopus, either...

In the end... it never did show up, huh? That whale...

But yui sure looked like she was enjoying herself!

We've retrieved your souvenir.

Ah... now this is, without a doubt...

Those thieves who stole that Pearl off that old man never did show up either, did they?

Now that you mention it...

Kirito... just a second!

Hey!

This isn't a Pearl! It's an egg!

A-an egg?

Could it be that... "The plunderers of the deep sea” - did that actually mean us?

All right, hand that over to me right now.

If you refuse to hand it over, then I have no choice, do I?

Kraken! Demon of the sea from norse mythology!

Many thanks, my fairies.

You did well to extract the egg of the royal child from that temple guarded by a barrier keeping me out!

Now then, give it to me!

We'll do no such thing! We're going back to the temple to return this egg!

You foolish winged parasites! In that case, you shall find a watery grave!

Kirito!

Daddy, that octopus's status is too high!

No floor boss of new aincrad has stats as high as that!

This spear!

Long time no see, my old friend. I can see that you still can't stop hatching your foolish plots!

What about you? How long do you plan to put up with those minions of the aesir?

You're a disgrace as the king of the sea!

I happen to be content to be king. And this is my backyard.

Knowing that, do you really wish to fight, king of the abyss?

I shall withdraw for now. But listen, my friend... I'm not giving up.

One day, I'll claim the power of the child for myself, and take those detestable gods by surprise!

That is the egg of one who will someday rule all of the seas and skies.

As I must transfer it to a new resting place, I'll be taking it back now.

Oh, so now we've cleared the mission? I have no idea what's going on here...

I didn't understand a word of that conversation he had with that octopus.

For now, that's fine.

Now then, I shall send you back to your own country, my fairies.

S-send us? But how?

This whale is really, really gigantic!

Incoming call seijirou kikuoka