Kirito-kun,
if you want her, take her with your blade, your two blades.
If you can defeat me in combat, you may take Asuna-kun.
But if you lose,
you will join the Knights of the Blood Oath.
Very well.
If you'd rather settle this with swords, that's fine with me.
Let's settle it with a duel.
October 20, 2024 Floor 75: Collinia
Not many good seats left!
Living Legend, Heathcliff VS Dual-wielding Demon, Kirito
Hurry, hurry!
You utter idiot... Why would you say that?
Sorry. I'm sorry...
I just wasn't thinking.
When I first saw your dual-wielding skill back there,
I thought your strength was on a whole other level.
But the Commander has a unique skill, too...
I've seen it several times.
Divine Blade, a skill that maximizes both attack and defense power.
The attack is strong, but that defense is incredible.
No one has ever seen
his HP bar fall into the yellow zone.
It's completely overpowered.
I know.
What are you going to do?
If you lose, not only do I not get my leave,
but you'll have to join the Knights of the Blood Oath.
Well, I don't plan to lose easily.
Crimson Killing Intent
I'm sorry, Kirito.
I didn't realize this would be such a big deal.
I receive a percentage of the fees.
No.
After the fight, you'll be a member of the guild.
I'll treat this as a mission.
Will you accept duel request? Opponent: Heathcliff Type: 1 vs. 1
Normal Mode Time-Limit Mode One-Strike Mode
His shield?!
Splendid reaction time.
And that shield of yours is too strong.
Not yet!
It can still increase!
Kirito-kun...
I can break through!
What?
October 22, 2024 Floor 50: Algade
D-Didn't I request something that wasn't so flashy?
It's one of the far less flashy ones.
It looks great on you.
A guild, huh?
I didn't mean to drag you into this.
No, it's a good chance.
I was reaching the limits of what a solo player can do.
That does makes me feel better, but...
Hey, Kirito-kun...
I want you to tell me why you avoid guilds...
And other people.
It isn't just because
you're a beta tester or have a unique skill, right?
You're a nice person.
It was a long time ago.
Over a year ago...
I did join a guild, just the one time.
The guild was tiny, only five other members.
Its name was the Moonlit Black Cats.
To be honest,
their levels were far lower than mine.
So I think if I'd told them
my true level, they would have reconsidered.
But I hid it, and I joined their guild.
The way they all seemed so comfortable together was something I coveted.
But one day...
I was the one who got them all killed.
Had I not hidden the fact that I was a beater,
I could have warned them how dangerous that trap was.
All of them... Sachi...
I killed them.
I'm not going to die.
Because I'm the one
who will protect you.
October 23, 2024 Floor 55: Grandzam
Training?
That's right.
You'll form a party with me and one more,
and we'll clear the dungeon here, on the 55th floor.
Wait, Godfrey...
Kirito-kun and I will...
Even as the second-in-command,
you cannot ignore the rules.
And if he will be joining us,
then as the forward commander, I must evaluate his skills myself.
He's far stronger than you!
Then we'll meet at the western gate, in thirty minutes!
We finally had a chance to be alone...
I'll return soon.
Wait here.
Okay.
Be careful.
Hey, over here!
What is this?
From now on, we're all part of the same guild.
I thought it would be a good time to move past this.
I'm sorry about what happened.
I will never act that way again,
so please forgive me.
S-Sure...
Then, that's that.
Today, I'd like to assess how you react to dangerous situations,
so I'm taking your crystals.
Even my teleportation crystals?
Fine.
Right! Let's go, guys!
Yeah.
Floor 55: Dungeon Entrance
Okay, time for a break.
I'll distribute the food.
Paralysis poison?
Wh-What is this?
Kuradeel, weren't you were the one who brought this water?
Use the antidote crystal!
Godfrey-san,
I knew you were an idiot.
But you really do have muscles for brains.
What are you doing?
Stop it!
Listen...
Our party was attacked
by a gang of criminal players out in the field!
Though you both fought hard, you were slain.
I returned alive,
having defeated all the outlaws completely on my own!
Hey.
Because of a kid like you,
I just killed an innocent bystander.
For all that, you looked happy enough...
Why would someone like you join the Knights of the Blood Oath?
You'd be better off with a criminal guild.
What an interesting thing to say.
You have sharp eyes.
That's the guild of murderers, Laughing Coffin!
That's where I acquired this paralysis technique.
Whoops.
I'd better stop talking, or the poison will wear off.
Time to finish this!
The poison is still in effect?
How does it feel?
How does it feel,
knowing that you're about to die?
Tell me,
won't you?
Am I...
Am I going to die here?
Hey, now!
Come on, say something...
You really are going to die!
What?
So you're afraid of dying, after all?
That's right...
I can't die yet!
Really?
That's just the way I like it!
Die... Die.
Die!
Heal!
I made it in time...
I made it in time!
God,
I made it in time!
I was watching you on the map,
then Godfrey disappeared.
So I thought something happened.
You're alive.
Right, Kirito-kun?
Yeah, I'm alive...
Just hold on.
This will be over soon.
Asuna-sama, this was just training.
That's right...
We had a training accident...
Damn it!
F-Fine, I surrender!
I was wrong!
I'll leave the guild...
You'll never see me again!
So...
I don't want to die!
You're pretty gullible, Vice Commander!
You murderer...
I'm sorry...
This was...
This was my fault, wasn't it?
Asuna...
I'm sorry!
I...
I shouldn't...
I should stay away...
...from now on.
My life belongs to you, Asuna.
So I will use it for you.
Let's stay together until the end.
And I... I'll protect you, too.
I'll protect you forever.
So...
I'll see to it that you can go back to the other world,
no matter what happens.
Asuna...
Today...
Tonight, I want to stay with you.
Okay.
Floor 61: Selmburg
Okay!
D-Don't look over here.
Hurry and get undressed, too, Kirito-kun.
It's embarrassing, being like this alone...
No, I just...
I just wanted
to s-stay in the same room tonight...
That... That was all.
Y-Y-Y...
You dummy!
Sorry, I woke you, didn't I?
I was just dreaming a little.
About my old world.
It's strange...
In the dream,
I wondered if everything here, in Aincrad,
if everything that had happened with you, was only a dream.
I was really scared.
I'm happy this wasn't a dream.
You're so strange...
Don't you want to go back?
I do.
I do, but...
I don't want my time here to disappear.
These two years have been very important to me.
They seem that way now.
Hey, Kirito-kun.
Do you think it would be okay if we left the front lines for a bit?
Somehow, I'm scared.
If I return to the battlefield,
it feels like something 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 forest and lakes.
Let's move there together.
And...
And?
Let...
Let's get married.
Yes!
Next Time: The Girl in the Morning Dew