November 1st, 2024 1st Floor • Town of Beginnings
This is... amazing.
It really is.
It's like this every day.
Is Yui-chan feeling better?
She's fine, as you can see, thanks to a good night's sleep.
Has something like this ever happened before?
We don't know.
We found her lost in the woods on the 22nd Floor.
It looks like she's lost her memories.
Oh my...
So we came to the Town of Beginnings.
We figured someone here might know her.
Would you happen to know anything?
I'm sorry, but I don't think she's from the Town of Beginnings.
Most of the children were traumatized when this game began.
I couldn't leave them alone, so I gave them a home at this church.
I go around town every day looking for children in need, but I've never seen anyone like Yui-chan.
I see.
Pleased to meet you.
I'm Yulier.
You're a member of the Front, aren't you?
Are you here to express disapproval for what we did yesterday?
No, of course not.
The opposite, actually.
I'm grateful enough to want to thank you.
I came here to ask both of you for help.
Help?
Yui's Heart
Originally, we—
No, our guild leader, Thinker, never intended to create the oppressive organization that we are today.
We only aimed to share information and food equally among as many players as possible.
But the Front became too big.
Yes.
A man named Kibaou rose to prominence as a result of continued infighting.
Kibaou's faction consolidated their authority, monopolized good hunting grounds,
and even started extorting people under the pretext of collecting taxes.
However, many began voicing their discontent at Kibaou's lack of interest in clearing the game,
so he sent our highest-level subordinates to the front lines.
Kovats-san...
Kibaou caught a lot of flak for the resulting disaster.
It's gotten to the point where we're close to exiling him from the guild.
But Kibaou, finding himself cornered, panicked and lured Thinker into a trap.
Thinker was left to die in the depths of a dungeon.
Without teleportation crystals?
He went unarmed?!
He was too kind.
He trusted Kibaou when he was asked to parley unarmed.
That was three days ago.
Three days ago?
Where is Thinker-san now?
He's deep inside a very high-level dungeon.
It looks like he's trapped there.
As the second-in-command, this should be my responsibility.
But my level is far too low to clear the dungeon,
and I couldn't get help from the Front due to Kibaou's influence.
That's when I heard two incredibly powerful players had come to this town,
so I came to request your assistance.
Kirito-san, Asuna-san.
Will you come with me to rescue Thinker?
We want to help you in any way we can.
But we have to make sure you're telling the truth.
I know that I'm asking for far too much.
But when I think about what he must be going through, I feel as if I'm about to lose my mind.
It's okay, Mama.
She's not lying.
Y-Yui-chan, you can tell?
Mmh.
I'm not sure how to explain it, but I know.
I'd rather regret trusting someone than regret doubting someone.
Let's go.
Things'll work out somehow.
Right?
You're always so easygoing.
We'll do our best to help you.
Thank you very much.
I understand well the feeling of wanting to save someone dear to you.
Stay here for a little while, okay?
No, I'm going too!
Yui-chan, we'll wait for them together, okay?
No!
This is what they call the rebellious stage, huh?
Don't be silly!
Yui-chan, we're going to a very dangerous place.
I'm going too!
1st Floor • Town of Beginnings Black Iron Castle
I didn't think the Town of Beginnings would have a dungeon like this beneath it.
I don't remember seeing this in the beta.
What a miss.
It's probably a dungeon that opens up as the higher floors are cleared.
Kibaou was planning on keeping it all to himself.
He'd earn a lot from having his personal hunting ground.
However, the monsters here are just as strong as those on the 60th Floor, so he wasn't able to do much hunting.
This is the entrance.
I'm not scared.
It's fine.
She's much steadier than she looks.
Yeah.
She'll make a fine swordswoman someday.
Mmh.
Well, let's proceed.
S-Sorry for leaving all the work to him.
No, it's pretty much an obsession for him at this point.
Just leave him be.
We're pretty deep inside, so we should be close.
Thinker hasn't moved from that position.
I think he's in a safe area.
If we can get there, we should be able to use teleportation crystals.
Man, that felt good!
I'm sorry.
Don't be.
I enjoy doing this, plus I got a bunch of items.
Oh? Did you find something good?
Sure did!
Wh-What's that?
Scavenge Toad Meat.
You mean those frogs?!
The stranger it is, the better it tastes, right?
Cook it for me later!
No freaking way!
Wh-What's wrong with you?!
Damn it!
In that case...
How about these?
No!
No! No! No!
A-Asuna!
M-My precious meat!
Throw it away!
Come on, they're delicious!
You laughed.
Onee-chan, you laughed for the first time!
Come on, let's go.
That's the safe area.
There's a player inside.
Thinker!
H-Hey!
Yulier!
Thinker!
Get back!
That passage is—!
No!
Yulier-san, come back!
Yulier-san.
Take Yui and head to the safe area.
O-Okay!
Mama...
Go!
Asuna.
Use teleportation crystals to escape with Yui and the others right now.
Even my Scan skill isn't revealing any data.
It's probably as strong as a 90th-Floor boss.
I'll buy you all some time, so get out of here now!
K-Kirito-kun, you're coming with us—
I'll come later!
Now go!
Mama...
Take care of Yui!
You three get out of here!
Asuna!
We can't just—
Hurry!
Kirito-kun!
Yui-chan, no!
It's too dangerous!
Come back—
You idiot! Run!
Yui-chan!
Don't worry, Papa, Mama.
Yui-chan!
An immortal object?!
Yui-chan...
Yui...
Papa, Mama.
I remember everything.
Yui-chan, do you remember everything up until now?
Yes.
Kirito-san, Asuna-san.
This world, Sword Art Online, is controlled by a single large system.
That system is called Cardinal.
It was designed to operate without the need for human maintenance.
It controls the balance of SAO at its own discretion.
From the AIs of monsters and NPCs to the drop rates of items and currency,
everything is determined by the programs controlled by Cardinal.
Including the mental health care of players.
Mental Health Counseling Program, prototype 1, code name "Yui."
That's what I am.
A program?
You're an AI?
I was given the ability to emulate human emotions so players wouldn't feel strange around me.
Everything about me is fake.
Even these tears.
I'm sorry, Asuna-san.
Yui-chan...
But you lost your memories...
Could that happen to an AI?
Two years ago when the service officially began,
Cardinal inexplicably ordered me not to interact with any players.
I was unable to do anything except monitor the players' mental states.
They couldn't have been any worse.
No!
The players were seized with negative emotions like fear, despair, and rage.
There were even people who went insane.
Normally, I would've quickly attended to those players.
But I wasn't allowed to approach anyone.
Errors gradually accumulated within me, and I eventually broke down.
But one day, I noticed two players with mental parameters very different from the others.
Joy...
Tranquility...
But that wasn't all.
I wandered in the field, hoping to get even just a little closer to you.
That's why you were in the 22nd-Floor woods?
Yes.
Kirito-san, Asuna-san,
I've always wanted to meet you both.
Isn't it strange?
I'm not even supposed to think that way.
I'm just a program.
Yui-chan.
You have true intelligence, don't you?
I don't know.
I don't know what happened to me.
You're no longer just a program controlled by the system.
You should be able to tell us what you want.
What do you want?
I...
I want to stay with you forever.
Papa... Mama!
Forever...
We'll be together forever, Yui-chan!
Yes, you're our little girl.
But it's too late.
Too late?
This console gives GMs emergency access to the system.
I used it to erase that monster.
But at the same time, it's running a check on my program.
Since I went against Cardinal's orders, the system now considers me a foreign object.
I'll soon be erased as well.
No way...
Can't we do something about it?
Papa, Mama, thank you.
It's time to say goodbye.
No!
This can't be!
We were going to...
We were going to live happily together!
Yui, don't go!
Everyone smiles when you're with them.
So please continue to help everyone and share your happiness with them in my stead.
No! No!
I can't smile again if you're gone!
Mama, please smile.
Cardinal—no, Kayaba!
Don't think that things will always go your way!
Kirito-kun, what are you...
I'm thinking I can use this GM account to hack into the system!
Kirito-kun!
Are you okay?
What's this?
Before the administrative privileges that Yui invoked got cut off,
I detached Yui's main program and turned it into an object.
So this is...
Yui's heart.
Hey, Kirito-kun.
Hmm?
Bye!
Thanks!
If we clear the game and this world disappears, what'll happen to Yui-chan?
22nd Floor • Coral
I've arranged for Yui's data to be saved to my NerveGear's local memory.
Recreating Yui in the real world won't be easy, but I'm sure it'll work out.
I see.
So we'll see Yui-chan again in the real world.
Our first child.
Yeah, I'm sure of it.
Hey, Asuna?
Mama, hang in there.