Yui, what's wrong?
Well, this is just a hypothesis...
But in one respect, ALfheim Online differs greatly from the other
The Seed Project VRMMOs.
The Cardinal System operating the game is not a stripped-down version.
It's a copy of the full-spec version
used in the former Sword Art Online.
Full-spec version?
The original Cardinal System had an auto-generation system for quests.
Via its networks, it gathered traditions and legends from all over the world,
and used or rearranged terms and story patterns from them
to generate infinite quests.
Then, is this quest an auto-generated one that Cardinal made?
From the way that NPC was acting, it's likely.
Which means that, depending on how the story plays out,
it could go all the way to the myth's end.
According to the data in my archives,
this quest and ALO itself are based on Norse mythology,
which culminates in a so-called "final war."
Not only will the frost giants invade from Niflheim or Jötunheimr,
but flame giants from an even lower level, Muspelheim, will appear,
and burn down the entire World Tree...
Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods.
No way.
There's no way a game system would destroy its entire map.
An original Cardinal System
has the access level necessary to destroy an entire map.
Because the original Cardinal System's last task
was to destroy the floating castle, Aincrad.
No...
My shop...
I haven't met the person I'm fated for yet.
Even if this Ragnarok occurs, wouldn't it be possible
to restore the system to an earlier state via backup?
If they use the Cardinal System's auto-backups,
they'll only be able to roll back player data, not field data.
I know!
No good...
What are you trying to do?
I was going to call a GM, and see if they knew this was going on.
It is currently outside support hours. Please send your query during regular support hours.
But it's outside their support hours.
Well, it's a Sunday morning, and nearly New Year's.
Brother...
There isn't much time.
Okay.
Let's just hurry to the last level.
Yeah!
The King of the Giants
Damn it.
This is bad, Brother!
The yellow one's physical resistance is too high!
Yeah.
Damn it.
If only we had a mage in our party who could use attack spells...
You, of all people, are saying that?
Anyway, that would just mean the black one with high-magic resistance would go to the front.
This is really tough to deal with.
Shock-wave attack in two seconds!
One!
Zero!
Su Filah Heiragul Austl Blot Suparl Bani.
Kirito-kun!
At this pace, I'll run out of MP in 150 seconds.
Right.
Brother,
the medallion's over seventy-percent black.
If we die, we won't have time to come back.
R-Right...
Everyone,
there's only thing we can do now!
You'll be vulnerable to attack, but if you do a magic-type Sword Skill,
it might be able to damage the yellow one!
We'll have to take the chance,
and concentrate all our Sword Skills on the yellow one, to defeat it.
Okay! I've been waiting for you to say that, Kirito.
Silica, time your bubbles to the countdown.
Okay!
Two... One... Now!
Pina, Bubble Breath!
Go!
Kirito!
I'm frozen.
Here.
What's wrong?
Get ready for your beat down.
We did it!
Anyway, what was that?
Do I have to say?
Of course!
I've never seen that before.
It's a non-system skill, a Skill Connect.
Skill Connect?
You remember how the last update brought Sword Skills into ALO?
But that didn't include unique skills, such as dual-wielding or Holy Sword.
But you just used both hands.
That wasn't dual-wielding.
I used one-handed Sword Skills, in succession, with each hand.
You can only do them without delay three or four times, if you're lucky, though.
Now I have an incredible sense of déjà vu.
Anyway, what was that?
Do I have to say?
Of course!
I've never seen that before.
An extra skill.
Dual-wielding.
You're imagining it.
Anyway, we don't have time to waste.
Leafa, how much time do we have left?
At the rate it's going, about an hour.
I see.
Yui, this dungeon has a total of four floors, right?
Yes.
The third floor is only seventy percent the size of the second.
The fourth is basically just a boss room.
Assuming it takes thirty minutes to beat the last boss,
we need to reach the boss room in thirty minutes.
I guess...
Or our only choice is to find the King of the Giants, and kick his butt!
Okay, once everyone's HP and MP are back to full,
we'll clean out the third floor!
Yeah!
Right, all that's left is the last boss!
Please... Let me out.
It's a trap.
That's a trap.
Definitely a trap.
Y-Yeah, it's a trap, isn't it?
Maybe...
Well, Yui?
It's an NPC.
It's connected to the language-engine module, just like Urd.
But there's one difference.
She has an HP gauge.
If she has HP, that means we might have to fight her.
It's a trap.
It's a trap, right?
I think it's a trap.
Of course, it might not be,
but we don't have time to waste.
We need to get to Thrym as soon as possible.
Y-Yeah...
You're right, yeah.
Please... Someone...
Please!
It's a trap, yeah.
I know.
But even if it's a trap...
Even if I know it's a trap...
Even if it's a trap, I can't leave her here!
Even... Even if the quest fails because of that,
and Arun is destroyed,
saving her here is something I have to do!
It's my bushido!
I'm coming for you!
Thank you, fairy swordsman.
Can you stand?
Are you hurt?
Yes, I'm fine.
It's a bit of a ways to the exit.
Can you get there yourself?
I cannot simply flee the castle.
Not until I retrieve my family's treasure,
which Thrym, the King of the Giants, stole.
Please take me to Thrym's room.
This is kind of suspicious, isn't it?
Yeah.
Hey, Kirito...
Jeez... Fine, fine.
We just have to follow this route to the end.
And we don't know with one-hundred-percent certainty that it's a trap.
Okay!
We'll do it!
Fate brought us together, so we're in this together.
Let's go beat up that jerk Thrym!
Thank you, swordsman!
Don't give Yui any weird ideas.
An NPC wishes to join your party. Will you accept?
My name is Klein.
Freyja...
A wonderful name.
Her MP is really high.
A mage type?
From the way the dungeon is laid out,
once we go down those stairs, we'll be at the last boss's room.
He'll probably be tougher than the other bosses,
but we'll just have to skip the fancy stuff, and hit him as hard as we can.
For the first part, I want to defend until we know his attack pattern.
I'll tell you when to counterattack.
When the boss's HP bar turns yellow, and when it turns red,
the attack patterns will change, so be careful.
This is the last battle. Let's give it all we've got!
Yeah!
Sea Phila Skina Hagl. Hoggu Margel Ilt!
Ord Naza Fyol Legin Tinaga Vilindol Yottsun.
I've never seen a spell that increases your max HP!
How many Yuld do you think this is worth?
A fly is buzzing about.
I can hear its irritating buzzing.
Let me see.
I'll crush it
before it causes any trouble.
So Urd has sent the little flies of ALfheim all the way down here?
I'll make you an offer, tiny ones.
Tell me where she is,
and you can have as much gold from this room as you can take.
A samurai doesn't eat. He just laughs!
I won't take up you up on a cheap offer like that.
Oh, if it isn't Freyja-dono?
If you've left your cage,
does that mean you've decided to become my wife?
Wife?!
That's correct.
She came here to marry me.
But the night before the feast, she was sneaking around my treasure vaults.
To punish her, I locked her in a cage of ice.
Hey, Brother...
I think I read about this in a book.
Thrym and Freyja,
a stolen treasure...
It was, um... I think...
I refuse to become your wife!
These swordsmen and I shall defeat you,
and take back what was stolen!
Such brave words.
One can see why the legends of Freyja-dono's beauty
and bravery are known to the ends of the world.
But the more noble the flower,
the more fun it is to pluck.
After I've crushed these flies,
I'll give you lots of attention.
You bastard!
I won't let you!
I won't let you lay a finger on Freyja-san!
I hear the sound of buzzing wings.
To celebrate all of Jötunheimr becoming mine,
I will start by crushing you.
He's coming!
Listen carefully to what Yui says,
and begin the fight by dodging!
Next Time Excalibur