November 5th, 2024 22nd Floor • Lake on Outskirts of Coral
Catch anything?
Sorry for scaring you.
I'm Nishida.
Here, I'm a fisherman.
Back in Japan, I was the chief of network security at Toto High-Speed Connections.
I'm Kirito.
Didn't Toto High-Speed Connections...
Yes, I was in charge of this game's network security.
It's a big one!
Piece of cake.
Nice catch.
Thanks.
I can hook 'em pretty good, but I can't cook them.
I'd like to have some simmered fish or sashimi, but I need soy sauce for both.
Grilling it with soy sauce would be great too.
Or maybe cooked with daikon and soy sauce...
Um, I know where you can get some.
What did you say?!
The Depths of Hell
Man, that was satisfying!
I had no idea soy sauce existed in this world.
I made it myself.
You can take some with you if you'd like.
Really?
Why, thank you very much!
At any rate, your Fishing skill is really high-level.
Kirito-kun has never come back with anything before.
It's too difficult to fish in the lakes around here!
Well, that's not really the case.
The only difficult lake is the big one you were fishing in.
Why design it like that?
Oh, there's a real good reason!
That lake is home to...
...a resident beast.
A resident beast?
Yes.
I've snagged it several times.
But it's so strong that it once yanked the pole right out of my hands.
Which brings me to a favor I'd like to ask...
I don't mind fishing for a resident beast, but is it even possible to switch with fishing poles?
I'm sure you can do it, Kirito-kun.
What'll you do after you catch it?
Keep it as a pet?
A resident beast as a pet?
He was a delightful man.
You really surprised me when you brought him here.
There are so many people living normal lives in this world.
As front-liners, we shoulder a heavy responsibility for them, don't we?
I...
I only became strong because survival was my first priority.
I think a lot of people have placed their hopes on you.
Including me.
Yeah.
I swore that I'd save everyone.
But for just a little longer...
Yeah.
Good Luck, Nishida!
Catch the Resident Beast!
You're kidding me...
Everybody's heard about the resident beast!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Good Luck,
Ni
shi
da!
Now then...
It's time to start today's main event.
Yes, finally!
We're counting on you!
Kirito-san, if you please.
Nishida-san!
Okay...
How big is this thing?
Here we go!
Good Luck, Nishida!
Catch the Resident Beast!
Good Luck, Nishida!
Catch the Resident Beast!
Um, is that a bite?
Not yet.
N-Nishida-san...
No, not yet.
Now!
It's biting!
Here!
S-Switch—
Argh, this damn thing—!
I see it!
All right! I got this!
Wh-What?!
Hey!
Ow...
Kirito-kun!
It's too dangerous!
Nishida!
Catch the Resident Beast!
What do you mean?!
Catch the Resident Beast!
Th-That's not fair!
Don't just leave me behind!
Kirito-san!
It's running on land.
Is it a lungfish?
Kirito-san!
This isn't the time to be making observations!
We need to run!
Oh, right.
Looks like I'll have to...
Ma'am, run!
No need to worry.
Kirito-san, your wife!
Ma'am!
A...
Awesome!
You must be Asuna-san!
What are you doing here?
I'm a fan of yours!
Let me shake your hand!
Nice job!
Heathcliff?
Come on, you can't mope around forever.
But it's only been two weeks.
It must be something big if he's calling us to the front lines during our leave.
I guess so...
We should at least hear him out.
Come on, it's time to go.
Let's take care of it quickly and come back.
Yeah.
Thanks for seeing us off.
November 7th, 2024 22nd Floor • Coral Teleport Gate Plaza
We had fun during the short time we've known you.
No problem, it was a valuable experience for me too.
Actually, before I met you two, the folks trying to clear this game seemed to be in another world.
I've been trapped in this world for two years.
I don't even know if I'll still have a job once I return.
Deep down, I might've even given up hope of ever escaping from here.
So I figured I might as well just keep fishing here.
It's pretty pathetic.
No.
That's not...
Me too.
At first, I thought the same thing while crying alone every night.
As each day passed, I felt that my life in the real world was falling apart bit by bit.
After crying for a while, I'd go and fight as hard as I could.
All I thought about was winning, making progress, and getting stronger.
But one day, I spotted someone taking a nap on the grass at the plaza.
I got really mad and told him to stop wasting his time.
Then he replied that this was Aincrad's nicest weather during its nicest season,
and that crawling around in the labyrinth would be such a waste.
When I tried lying down myself, I fell sound asleep.
It was evening when I woke up, and he had an exasperated look on his face.
But during my time partying up with him, I came to realize something.
He was making the most of his life, even in this world.
You aren't losing your days in the real world.
You're just spending each of them here.
The one who taught me that...
...is Kirito-kun.
I went to sleep thinking about him, and I stopped having nightmares.
I started looking forward to seeing him.
It was the first time that I was glad I came here.
Kirito-kun gave meaning to the two years I've spent here.
He's the proof that I'm alive.
The reason I put on the NerveGear that day was to meet him.
Nishida-san, I'm sure you've also found something dear to you.
You're right.
You couldn't be more right.
Life is definitely worth living.
Definitely worth living.
There's nothing I can do for you two, but good luck all the same.
Let's go fishing again sometime.
We're off.
Teleport! Grandum!
November 7th, 2024 55th Floor • Grandum
The recon team was wiped out?!
In preparation for the coming boss fight, a party of twenty players from five guilds was sent in.
But when the first ten arrived in the center of the room and the boss appeared, the doors closed on them.
A crystal-nullification area?
Five minutes passed, and when the doors finally opened...
The room was completely empty.
Both the boss and the ten men had vanished.
No way!
However, we cannot give up on clearing the game.
We'll have to attack with the largest party we can put together.
I'll participate.
But Asuna's safety is my highest priority.
If things take a turn for the worse, I'll protect her over the rest of the party.
People are stronger when they have something to protect.
I look forward to seeing you fight.
Only three hours left, huh?
What should we do?
What's wrong?
Don't get angry when you hear this.
Can you stay here and wait instead of taking part in the boss fight?
Why would you want that?
There's no telling what might happen in a crystal-nullification area.
I'm scared.
If anything happens to you—
Are you telling me to wait here in safety while you go expose yourself to danger?
If I were to let you go, and you ended up not coming back...
...I'd kill myself.
I'd no longer have a reason to live.
I'd never forgive myself for not going.
Sorry, I'm losing my nerve.
What I really want to do is take you and run.
I don't care if we don't get back to the real world.
I want to live in those woods with you forever.
Yeah, I'd like that too.
Together every day, forever.
But, Kirito-kun, have you ever wondered what's happening to our real bodies?
Remember how most of the players were disconnected for a few hours several weeks after the game began?
I think that was when the players were being moved to various hospitals.
If our bodies are being kept barely alive on hospital beds, how long do you think that could go on?
So you're saying we have a time limit, regardless of whether we clear the game or not?
I...
I want to be with you for the rest of my life!
I want to date you for real, marry you for real, and grow old with you!
That's why...
...we have to fight this battle, right?
75th Floor • Colinia Teleport Gate Plaza
Yo!
Oh, so you guys are participating too?
Don't act like you're surprised!
I left my shop so I could back you guys up.
You just don't understand how generous I am.
Then we'll be excluding you when we divide the loot.
W-Wait, that's not...
Corridor, open!
All right, let's move out.
I have a bad feeling about this.
Me too.
Are we ready?
Basically, the Knights of Blood will be holding back the boss's attacks.
During that time, do your best to ascertain the attack patterns and counterattack flexibly.
It will be a difficult battle, but I have faith that we will prevail.
For the day of our liberation!
Yeah!
Don't worry.
I'll protect you.
So protect me as well, okay?
Yeah. I swear.
Don't die on me.
Right back at you!
I ain't gonna kick the bucket until I've made a fortune from today's loot.
Commence the attack!
Nothing's happening.
Up there!
Skull...
...Reaper?!
Spread out!
Distance yourselves!
Over here!
Get going!
O-One hit?
That's ridiculous!
We can't even get close to it!
Get back!
It's too strong!
The two of us can take its attacks if we do it together.
We can do this!
All right...
We'll take on the scythes!
Everyone else, attack from the side!
Let's get him!
All right!
Stay still, damn it!
Damn this thing!
Kirito-kun!
Right!