Search Worlds Without End

In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online - a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other - debuts, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG - a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "game over" means certain death - both virtual and real...

Linked up and logged into the deadly VMMORPG "Sword Art Online" in both the real and virtual worlds, Kirito is stuck in a hell of one man's making, and like everyone else, unable to escape until the game is beaten. But while some players are crippled by fear and others throw themselves into completing the game, still others relax into everyday life in the face of their cruel predicament and live to the best of their ability...laughing, crying, but always enjoying the game. Among them are four women who make a mark upon the solo adventurer that Kirito has become: Silica, the beast-tamer; Lisbeth, the blacksmith; Yui, the mysterious orphan; and the tragic Sachi, never to be forgotten by the black swordsman...

Kirito has escaped Sword Art Online, the forbidden VRMMORPG of death, and returned to reality. He heads off to find his game partner and lover, Asuna Yuuki. But Asuna never made it back from the nightmare. Lost and desperate, Kirito's only clue to her virtual whereabouts is a mysterious screenshot of Asuna as a fairy trapped in a giant birdcage. His conclusion: She must be trapped within the new, high-powered VRMMORPG, ALfheim Online. Now Kirito must plunge into the world of ALO, where players are fairies who fly gracefully through the air!

Kirito plunges into a suspicious new VRMMORPG called ALfheim Online to rescue Asuna, who never returned from Sword Art Online. ALO offers many features to entertain players in the wake of SAO: ultra high-end graphics, action-heavy gameplay, and a choice of fairy races, complete with a next-generation flight engine. Playing as a Spriggan, Kirito heads for the location of Asuna's prison–the top of the World Tree, the final destination of every player in the game! Along the way, Kirito nearly falls to a plot hatched by the enemy Salamanders, just barely surviving the ordeal with the help of a Sylph named Leafa and his Navigation Pixie, Yui. But just as Kirito and Leafa make it to the foot of the World Tree, the end of their quest in sight, both Kirito and Leafa each realize the other has a very big secret...

Kirito and Sinon's battle with Death Gun is over, but mere weeks later, something strange is afoot in the next-generation VRMMO ALfheim Online. A new duelist with a custom sword skill is defeating all comers--including Kirito! But when Asuna goes to face this duelist, she receives something she never expected: An invitation to an exclusive guild! But what is their aim? The Mother's Rosary arc begins!

The saga of Sword Art Online continues with three side stories set during the Aincrad and Alfheim eras. The game of death took its toll on every player in a different way--when one turns up dead on the fifty-seventh floor, the game's afoot, and it's up to Asuna and Kirito to crack the case. There's also the story of how Kirito got his Excalibur sword in Alfheim (with a little help from his friends). And when the game of death first began, Kirito learned a difficult lesson--one he would never forget.

Contents:

• A Crime Within the Walls
• Calibur
• The First Day

Kirito awakens in a vast, fantastical forest filled with towering trees. In his search for clues to the truth of his surroundings, he encounters a young boy who seems to know him. He ought to be a simple NPC, but the depth of his emotions seem no different than a human. As they search for the boy's parents, Kirito finds a peculiar memory returning to him. A memory from his own childhood, of this boy and a girl, too, with golden hair, and a name he should have never forgotten--Alice.

Kirito has wound up in another mysterious fantasy world again. In this VRMMO-ish place, the first person he meets is the young boy Eugeo. Kirito can hardly believe Eugeo's an NPC when seeing his rich emotions and thoughts and ends up heading to the capital, Centria.

Two years later, Kirito and Eugeo have become First Order initiates of the North Centria Imperial Discipline Sword Academy and have been taken under the wing of their seniors, Soltirina and Golgoth. As they train and learn, they do nothing but strive to become one of the highest keepers of peace and order in the human realm, the Integrity Knights.

Aiming to reach the center of the Axiom Church that controls the capital, the two break past numerous obstacles to try and become one of the elite Greater Master Swordsmen, a title that only twelve people lay claim to in the whole academy!

It's been two years since Kirito entered another mysterious fantasy world and met the boy named Eugeo. At the Northern Centoria Master Swordsmanship Academy, the two of them have advanced to become upper rank trainee swordsmen. Now they spend their days training, aiming to one day earn the rank of Integrity Knight, the greatest peacekeepers in the human world. Soon, appropriate for their new ranks, both Kirito and Eugeo are assigned apprentices and they all deepen their bonds while perfecting their bodies and minds. But suddenly, an evil rears its head and threatens their peaceful lives. Eugeo tries to draw his sword to fight but he finds himself helpless as a message appears in words he can't read. They say--SYSTEM ALERT.

Eugeo has finally met Alice again, but she's no longer the same girl he once knew, now calling herself an Integrity Knight. Even worse, the reason for Alice's unexpected return is to capture Kirito and Eugeo!

After Kirito and Eugeo are separated in the Central Cathedral, Eugeo continues his quest alone-until he encounters a legendary hero he's admired since childhood. Can Eugeo defeat him alone...?

After getting separated, Kirito and Eugeo have continued their struggle to reach the 100th floor of Central Cathedral--Eugeo in hopes of restoring Alice to her true self, and Kirito for the sake of the Underworld. But on the 99th floor, Kirito must first face a heartrendingly familiar Integrity Knight...

Adminstrator's defeat has come at a heavy cost: The death of Eugeo as well as the mental decline of Kirito. Six months after the epic battle atop Central Cathedral, Kirito spends his days in the Underworld wheelchair-bound; bereft of emotion or even a will to live. Although Alice and Bercouli do what they can to help him, it isn't long before the armies of the dark territory are start to move in earnest. The "Final Stress Test" has begun. But will Kirito be ready?

Gabriel Miller-assuming the identity of Emperor Vecta, the god of darkness-prepares to invade the human lands with his army of fifty thousand. Defending these lands are the remaining Integrity Knights, led by Commander Bercouli, and an army one-tenth the size of the enemy's! Meanwhile, Kirito, still out of commission, is left in the care of primary trainees Ronie and Tiese. And back in the Dark Territory, Dee Eye Ell, the chancellor of the dark mages guild, threatens to vanquish the Human Guardian Army by launching a large-scale magical attack of her own. But in the midst of the chaos, the one who appears to turn the tide of battle is none other than... Asuna?!

The Priestess of Light, Alice. If we sacrifice all members of the army of darkness, she will be within our grasp...

It is the second day of the final stress test. The army of darkness, driven to desperation by the coordinated onslaught at the hands of the Integrity Knights, has begun to retaliate with incredibly reckless tactics. Critter, who had been observing the events of the Underworld from the outside, has successfully created a gateway for the masses under the guise of an invitation for "A limited-time beta test for a new VRMMO in production." This digital invite has bolstered the forces of the army of darkness by over fifty thousand people.

Asuna, unable to compete with such a level reinforcement, begins to sink into depair. But all is not lost! Two new deities of the Underworld will descend to lend their aid: The Blazing White Solus and the Earthmother Terraria. And the ones in possession of these super-accounts are none other than Sinon and Leafa!

The second day of the final stress test rages on. Lisbeth, Silica, and Asuna push through the pain as they hold out against the Dark Army. But their efforts fall short as Kirito is captured by PoH, the former leader of Laughing Coffin! With PoH's twisted heart set on subjecting Kirito to the culmination of several years' vengeance, he prepares to end him once and for all. But when hope seems lost, a voice cries out in Kirito's heart. The voice of the person he lived with, laughed with, and fought with for years. The voice of his best friend...Grabbing hold of that light in the darkness, the Black Swordsman awakens...

After three-hundred years of turmoil, a new era begins for the Underworld. A lost child of Vecta, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, has defeated the Dark God and cemented peace for all the realm. But at the heart of human lands, atop Central Cathedral, Ronie Arabel, newly promoted to Integrity Knight apprentice, receives foreboding words from Kirito.

"War will come again."

It's back to the drawing board as the kidnapper just barely slips from Kirito's grasp. The new plan calls for a visit to the scene of the crime so that Asuna can use her scrying art to peek into the past, though what she learns is troubling to say the least... But before they can act on the new information, the villain strikes again! This time, Ronie and Tiese have been captured, and their fates rest in the claws of a young yellow dragon...!

It's been a month since Kirito and Asuna returned from the Underworld. Together again with Alice, who managed to secure a life in the real world, it should've been happily ever after... But, as luck would have it, the three find themselves involved in a VRMMO by the name of Unital Ring, and all their stats have been reset to level one! It's time for Kirito to put his experience to the test in a genuine Survival MMO!

Everyone knows that any good MMO has an abundance of side quests to complement the main storyline. With that in mind, join Kirito and friends for a peek behind the scenes across four all-new side stories! The Day Before: Kirito proposes to Asuna in-game and they begin their life as newlyweds. The Day After: Ever since arriving in ALO with a new avatar, Asuna's been suffering from a form of withdrawal... Rainbow Bridge: After conquering the undersea temple, a mysterious conversation between Kraken and Leviathan sparks yet another adventure for Kirito's party. Sister's Prayer: A heartwarming tale of two siblings and their involvement with the Death Game.

As Kirito, Asuna, and Alice brave the wilds of the mysterious VRMMO "Unital Ring," Sinon's introduction to the world is no less harrowing. After numerous setbacks, she finds herself without friends, equipment, and only a few Thirst Points left to her name. Backed against a wall, she'll need to defeat a terrifying boss monster to survive. Meanwhile, Kirito's group splits up in order to both search for Sinon and defend their home, unaware that a mysterious assailant lies in wait...

In the world of Unital Ring, the foreboding presence that has been targeting the party finally makes itself known! Elsewhere, a reunion with Seijirou Kikuoka leads Kirito, Asuna, and Alice back to the Underworld, where two-hundred years have passed since the great war. There, they meet descendants of Ronie and Tiese, as well as the new leader of the Integrity Knights. But something about this man seems all too familiar... A certain glint in his eyes reminiscent of someone dearly departed...

Kirito's chance encounter with Eolyne, a man with the same eyes and voice as his deceased friend, shakes him to the core. But with the possibility of an interworld war breaking out in the Underworld growing higher by the day, Kirito has no time to be sentimental. Meanwhile, the decisive battle against Mutasina of the Virtual Research Society looms, and she's used her powers to force a battalion of one hundred mages under her command. Can Kirito and company devise a strategy to defy their overwhelming disadvantage in time, or will it all be for naught?

On the 80th floor of the Central Cathedral, Kirito, Asuna, and Alice have a reunion with dear friends, but Kirito is pulled away to Planet Admina to investigate the approaching threat to the Underworld. Meanwhile, in Unital Ring, Sinon, Silica, and company are putting up a good fight against the field bosses, but the conflict intensifies in a way few could have predicted...

After two hundred years, Kirito is finally reunited with Selka, Ronie and Tiese, but the girls are shocked to see Eolyne, who bears a striking resemblance to their fallen comrade. Then, with no time to process their feelings, the three Integrity Knights are thrown into battle alongside Eolyne and the Integrity Pilots. The old defenders of the Underworld join the new as the next chapter of the Unital Ring arc commences!

One month after Akihiko Kayaba's game of death began, the death toll continues to rise, two thousand players having already lost their lives to the ultra-difficult VRMMO world of Sword Art Online. On the day of the strategy meeting to plan out the first-floor boss battle, Kirito, a solo player who vows to fight alone to get stronger, runs into a rare, high-level female player. She gracefully dispatches powerful monsters with a single rapier that flashes like a shooting star in the night...

This volume contains three stories, including "Aria of a Starless Night," which details how Kirito came to be called the Black Swordsman. "Intermisssion - Reason for the Whiskers" and "Rondo of a Fragile Blade," the tragic tale of a young blacksmith that takes place before the second-floor boss fight.

Having cleared the first and second levels of Aincrad at great cost, Kirito, Asuna, and the rest of the players ascend to Level Three. New challenges await them even as tenuous new allies appear, in the vast forest that encompasses the entire level. Meanwhile, the first player-wide strategy meeting on the new level forces Asuna and Kirito to make a difficult choice.

"Here we go, Asuna! Hang on tight! Tilnel, launch!"

Having said their good-byes to the mysterious elven knight Kizmel, Kirito and Asuna set their sights on the fourth floor of Aincrad. But once they open the door, they find the way forward blocked by a powerfully flowing river. The updated version of the fourth floor has been changed into a water world! When they finally arrive at the floor's town, they're greeted by chalk-white streets and countless gondolas of all sizes. To navigate this place, Kirito and Asuna will need their own gondola--but getting one will involve confronting an eight-meter-tall beast of flame: Magnaterium... And that's only the beginning of the difficulties the fourth floor of Aincrad has in store!

Sword Art Online: Progressive, a new version of the Sword Art Online tale chronicling the entirety of Kirito and Asuna's epic adventure through Aincrad, continues!

It's been just two months since they were trapped in the game of death that is Sword Art Online, and Kirito and Asuna continue their struggle at the vanguard of progress through the game. The fifth floor of Aincrad is a mazelike ruin, and the two dare to take pleasure in raiding it for the treasure it contains. Upon returning to the fourth floor, it's time to do some questing on behalf of the Elf Lord Yofilis--but here begins Asuna's discontent, for in doing so they will have to face her least favorite monster ever...

After successfully untangling themselves from a dangerous encounter with the Black Poncho Man and clearing the fifth floor of Aincrad, Kirito and Asuna head to the next challenge, an area filled with... puzzles?

What's more, because of the precarious balance of power between two large guilds aiming for the same item, "The Flag of Valor", there's also a murderous PK group to be wary of.

As the problems seem to pile up, Kirito and Asuna face the sixth floor of Aincrad completely unaware of the malicious trap awaiting them!

"...CAST ASIDE YOUR DISTRACTIONS AND MAINTAIN THE TRANQUILITY OF YOUR HEART."

At long last, Kirito and Asuna have reunited with Kizmel the dark elf, and everything is as it should be...Well, almost everything. As the three continue the Elf War campaign and hunt for the remaining sacred keys, they're met with one surprise after another. Between the assassination attempts, off-script scenarios, and AI that seem a little too lifelike, Kirito can't help but wonder if this is the same game he beta tested! And if that wasn't enough, a shocking development allows the Curse of Stachion questline to finally come to an end-but not before the party receives another unwelcome visit from a PK agitator!

Sword Art Online: Progressive, a new version of the Sword Art Online tale that chronicles the entirety of Kirito and Asuna's epic adventure through Aincrad, continues!

LUCK BE A LADY TONIGHT!

The seventh floor of Aincrad--a massive casino where over half the game's beta testers dropped out before launch. Kirito was among the many who lost everything in its Battle Arena back then. When an informant named Argo the Rat entices Kirito and Asuna with knowledge that could aid in their investigation, the pair soon plunge into the casino's dark underbelly once more. Meanwhile, the "Elf War" quest also reaches a sudden turning point when a flurry of crises rock the dark elves' home!

A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK!

The secret feud between the Nachtoy and the Korloy families, who control the Volupta Grand Casino on the seventh floor, takes an unprecedented turn when Kirito and Asuna intervene. But when Kirito attempts to expose the Korloy family's misdeeds, he ends up stumbling into a trap. Now he has just two days to unravel a mystery, put an end to an unscrupulous conspiracy, and defeat the floor boss. It's all leading up to a showdown in the arena where everything's on the line!