Incomplete Summary of v17

Chapter 21, Part 1

Chapter 21 opens back in the Ocean Turtle. We see Higa Takeru and Koujiro Rinko taking a breather after Higa, though much effort, successfully manages to convert about 2000 pieces of ALfheim Online account data from "The Seed" network in Japan and inject it into Underworld at Asuna's current coordinates. They had also been stunned by Leafa and Sinon's sudden appearances at the RATH branch back in Roppongi, Japan, but they also let them dive into Underworld with their own Super Accounts as well.

In order to prevent Alice from falling into enemy hands, Lieutenant Colonel Kikuoka Seijirou and Captain Nakanishi had both considered physically climbing onto the outer wall of the Ocean Turtle and destroying its satellite antenna, in order to stop the Americans from transferring in more players. However, in order to do this, they would need to release the lock on the pressure wall dividing the upper and lower shafts of the Ocean Turtle (and also dividing the Japanese defenders and the American invaders) for several minutes, which would run the risk of attracting the Americans' attention.

Therefore, Kikuoka and Higa can only rest everything upon the 3 female high school students diving into Underworld as the <Three Goddesses of Creation>, and the Japanese VRMMO players joining the battle as reinforcements, despite knowing that they might lose their accounts. Project Alicization becoming public is no longer a significant issue, compared to the ramifications of Alice falling to the assailants.

Just then, Higa notices something unusual with Kirito's Fluctlight monitor: about 45 minutes ago, a single spike had occured, starkly contrasted against the rest, which remained a flatline. A spike had also occured 10 hours before. Rinko and Higa both realize that those spikes corresponded to when the girls had dived into Underworld. Through some philosophical musing, Higa realizes that Kirito's "self-image", although seemingly lost, is also reflected in other people's impressions of him, and therein lies a way to restore his consciousness: connect his Fluctlight to the Fluctlights of the people who cared the most about him. While doing so, he compares himself to Kayaba Akihiko, and continually deprecates his own inferiority compared to Kayaba.

Higa declares that Kirito's consciousness might be able to be repaired by connecting his STL to the girls'. However, this operation must be executed from the main control room (they are in the sub control room right now; the main control room is seized by the Americans). They realize that there is a race against time, as an Aegis destroyer by the name of "Nagato" is preparing an assault on the Ocean Turtle to rescue them, but in the process, they will cut its power, taking the STLs offline and forcing Kirito further into his coma.

Driven by a resolve to be more like Kayaba, Higa volunteers to enter a cable duct connecting STL Room Two (where Kirito is) to the main control room. There is supposedly a maintenance connection port in the duct that will allow him to operature directly on Kirito's STL. To distract the Americans, the group decides to use the Ichiemom and Niemom robots as diversions. At this point, another RATH technician, volunteers to go with Higa, who is grateful, since he will need help locating the port. The technician's name is Yanai.


Part 2

Meanwhile, in the main control room, Gabriel Miller opens his eyes while lying inside STL #2. He had been unexpectedly ejected after losing to Bercouli. Gabriel tastes slight astonishment in his mouth - this is the first time he has lost a one-on-one battle in a virtual world, and not to a human, but to an AI. He ponders the power of will and love, but scorns it and concludes that everything is owed to destiny. His defeat was inevitable and essential. Dark God Vector was a borrowed body, and he had to return to his true form.

He gets up and notices that Vassago Casals is still dived into  Underworld. He doesn't know what Vassago is up to, but leaves him to do what he wants.

Gabriel gets a sitrep from Critter: as Gabriel ordered, Critter has injected 50,000 American players into Underworld, but has also met a large-scale connection from Japan consisting of only 2000 players. He doesn't think they're much of a threat. The Japanese appear to be using default Human Empire Army accounts, judging by the displayed topographical map. The map also displays that a large, red splotch - the American players, appeared to be crushing the Human Empire Army.

Gabriel informs Critter that he is going to dive into Underworld again, but with a different account this time - converted from another game. Critter remarks that Vassago had done the same thing, and Gabriel chuckles, realizing the situation.

Back in Underworld, Vassago looks on with twisted interest at the perseverance of the Japanese players, who are facing overwhelming odds. He recognizes several familiar faces among the Japanese players, including <The Flash> Asuna, and is delighted. He also recalls that, unlike Sword Art Online, in this world, there is true <suffering>, and no <Anti-Criminal Code>. Excitement overtakes him.

The focus turns to Sinon, who has arrived at the scene where Bercouli lost his life battling Vector, and Alice, sobbing over Bercouli's wound-ridden, lifeless body. Sinon realizes that although Bercouli is gone forever, the same is not true for Vector, who presumably had simply been logged out, and could log back in at any time. Finally, Alice looks up at her, and Sinon is stunned by her breathtaking beauty: cobalt blue eyes glowing like the surface of water, cherry-red lips, and beautiful pale skin. Her voice rings out like silvery bells. She asks Sinon if she is also from the Real World.

Sinon introduces herself as a friend of Asuna and Kirito, originally come to help her and Bercouli from Vector, and apologizes for not being able to. Alice denies this and takes responsibility for allowing herself to be captured like a child by Vector, and declares herself incomparable to the great Integrity Knight Commander.

Alice inquires as to the state of the battle, and Sinon tells her that the Human Empire Army are managing to defend against the Crimson Legion. Alice wants to head back north to help them, but Sinon insists that Alice must continue heading towards the World End Altar instead, and touch the crystal tablet atop the altar - beckoning a call from the Real World. Sinon tells her that Vector may be resurrected with a new body soon, as Real World people can do so if they die in the Underworld.

Alice is furious at this injust truth, declaring that it renders Bercouli's death completely in vain. However, Sinon reminds her that Kirito's suffering still remains true, and even if he dies in Underworld, his life in the Real World will remain, but so will his injuries. She tells Alice about how much she, Asuna, and many others are all desperately praying for his recovery. And there is only one reason he became wounded like this - to save Alice. How could Alice call those feelings ingenuine as well? Bercouli was the same as well - his sacrifice creates a precious opportunity to escape the hands of the enemy.

Alice resists the urge to weep, and asks Sinon if, upon crossing into the Real World, if she can come back to Underworld and see her loved ones again. Sinon does not know a reliable answer, but if Alice falls into enemy hands, Underworld would be completely obliterated. Therefore, Sinon nods strongly.

Alice agrees to continue towards the World End Altar. She kneels and presses her lips to Bercouli's forehead, then summons both Amayori and Takiguri. She turns to Sinon and asks what she will do. Sinon smiles slightly and responds that Vector will likely revive in the same spot - it is her turn to put her life on the line.

As Alice flies away, Sinon draws her white longbow and steels her determination.

The focus turns to the front lines of the battle. Fist Fighter Chief Iskahn pulls his fist away from the body of a defeated enemy soldier and glances at his fist - no longer a fist of iron capable of crushing all, it was now a swollen sac of skin bathed in blood. All of his limbs are now in the same state. His aide Dampe, even after losing both arms, had continued to fight with his body. Both Fist Fighters are near death.

Only one lone knight and her dragon continue to battle with the force of a fierce goddess: Sheyta Synthesis Twelve. Through her exhaustion, she notes how un-fun and stressful it is to battle the crimson soldiers, owed to their crude, unrelenting attacks.

Sheyta recalls how Administrator had fashioned her Black Lily Sword from a lily that Sheyta had brought back from the ancient battlefield of the Dark Realm, and bestowed the sword upon her. Administrator had instructed her to kill and keep killing, in order to eventually unlock the curse engraved into her soul.

Finally, Sheyta looks to Iskahn, and notices a pain shooting through her chest. She does not understand - she should be longing to kill him. But her chest feels like it's being pressed down. Suddenly, a crack develops on her Black Lily Sword, and Sheyta understands everything - the meaning of Administrator's words, her curse.

Sheyta thanks her sword with sorrow, and seems to notice the fragrance of a flower passing by. It melts into countless flower petals and shatters. Her dragon, Yoiyobi, is also nearing exhaustion between crushing enemies with its tail.

Sheyta walks over to Iskahn, who apologizes for her sword, but Sheyta shakes her head and tells him that she finally understands the point of her endless killing. It was all to find an existence she *didn't* want to kill. Something she wanted to protect. That something was Iskahn. She didn't need the sword anymore. Iskahn is deeply touched by this, and confesses his feelings for her too. The two of them embrace, and along with three hundred other Fist Fighters and the dragon, they turn around and waited silently as the crimson soldiers closed in tighter and tighter.

The focus turns to Asuna and company. Mages among the Japanese players were using their newly-learned Sacred Arts to heal Asuna and Klein's wounds. Asuna thanks everyone, including Klein, for coming to help them. Klein shrugs it off and declares that this is far from enough to repay what he owes her and Kirito.

Watching Klein's eyes, Asuna realizes that he already has some idea of Kirito's injuries. She hopes that, after everything is over, if the entire gang - Sinon, Leafa, Klein, and the rest of the original SAO crew, Sakuya, Alicia, and the ALO group, along with Alice, Tiese, Ronye, and Sortiliena, all gather around Kirito, maybe, just maybe... he had to wake up. And for that moment in which she could greet him with a smiling face, she had to fight.

The next problem lay with Alice, who had been captured by Vector. As long as Bercouli and Sinon stopped him, and delayed enough time for the best of the converted players to also arrive at the scene, they could surely help take Alice back.

Just as she is reassuring herself that everything is fine, Asuna suddenly notices something in the corner of her vision that alarms her. Something black, atop the head of the nearest statue among the statues that lined the path through the ruins in which they were fighting. It was a figure in black, although its face was indiscernable.

Asuna tells Klein about this figure, who suddenly realizes what the figure is wearing - the black poncho of <Laughing Coffin> from the death game Sword Art Online, the horrifying, strongest Red guild. During the Progessors' raid on Laughing Coffin, only one man had been missing: the leader, PoH.

Two years later, PoH is now standing in Underworld, looking down upon Asuna and Klein. Fear grips them both, as though they are staring straight at a ghost. What follows is a nightmare.

A second silhouette appears behind the man in the black poncho. A third. A fourth. Atop the roof of the enormous palace ruins behind the statue, the crimson legion appears one by one.

Despair fills Asuna, who watches as the number of the new troops continues to grow nonstop: 1000, 5000, 10000. She gives up on counting. Just when she wants to believe that this is all a dream, everyone turns to look at the new troops, and the battlefield is covered by an eerie silence, through which unintelligible language floats by. It is neither English nor Japanese. Klein moans, and tells a shocked Asuna that the new army is composed of both Chinese and Korean players too.


Part 3

Far away from Underworld, far away from Japan, something is happening in South Korea.

We focus on a slightly crowded VR bar in Cheongjin-dong, Jongno District in Seoul. A nearby university had just let out for summer vacation. One such second-year student, 20-year old Jo Wol-saeng, reclines in a deck chair in a single room with a soda-filled paper cup. He'd been more depressed lately. Next year he would need to take a leave of absence and carry out two years' worth of military service. He didn't want to go, but a student who skirted service would face significant disadvantages.

He wasn't really worried about having to face the brutal physical training or the potential of being bullied in the army - what really worried him was the prospect of his current line being taken from him for two years. "This life", of course, referred to his life in the world of virtual reality. Being unable to dive for two years would prove worse than any kind of training.

Over the past three years, since the AmuSphere was released in Japan in 2023, it had generated a shockwave in Korea. Internet cafes slowly changed their names from "PC Bars" to "VR Bars", and young people became addicted to Japanese or American developed VRMMORPG games. <Silla Online>, a game that Wol-saeng had been playing for a year and a half, was a Korean remake of the Japanese <Asuka Online>. There were almost no completely Korean-developed games in existence.

Wol-saeng activates the AmuSphere and dives into his Personal Launch Screen, ready to start Silla Online. Just then, he notices that his social networking site is scrolling insanely fast. It appeared to be the hundreds of Twitter accounts he followed, which were all circulating one piece of information:

"A test server for an all-new VRMMO game jointly developed by Korean, Chinese, and American developers is being invaded by Japanese players, and test players are being attacked."

Wol-saeng is shocked, but finds this hard to believe. However, the Tweet also encloses a video, and as he opens it, he sees what appears to be unmistakably Japanese players attacking other players in red equipment, with shockingly realistic graphics. He wonders why this has not been censored yet.

After viewing the video, he feels slightly calmer, but is still a little doubtful. It all looked like an overly realistic practical joke taken too far... almost like a genuine war.

Just then, a friend contacts him from Silla Online, using his in-game name - Moonphase - and urgently tells him to download a client software. Another Tweet on his social networking urges him to rescue the test players currently being despicably attacked.

Moonphase remains uneasy, but his friend is adamant. Everyone else is already there. Moonphase decides to dive in to gather more information.

Back on the Ocean Turtle, Critter is now in a dubious state. He had done according to Vassago's instructions and distributed the Underworld connection software client to China and Korea, but was now wondering whether this really was a good idea. Weren't these countries supposed to be friendly?

Critter had informed the new players that Underworld did not have pain absorption yet, which meant that the "test players" were suffering greatly. It seems that the video has had an extreme impact - the number of shares and downloads of the client software was exploding upwards. Did that mean that the relationships between these countries were not so good after all?

No, in fact; only hatred existed. Vassago finishes this notion for us while standing atop the statue in the ruins, in the garb of his former PoH character. He raises his right hand and shouts in Korean to the players around him: Teach those invaders the true meaning of suffering and kill them! The great horde of new players lets out a collective roar of rage and throws themselves upon the vastly outnumbered Japanese players as Vassago watches in delight.




Back in the Ocean Turtle, Critter is watching the new players dive in when he suddenly hears a loud alarm: the pressure wall dividing the upper and lower shafts has been released. Two American soldiers - Hans and Brigg - throw down the things in their hands and bolt out the main control room to investigate. Critter realizes that the power has been cut, so he has no choice but to leave the console, bewildered at whether RATH was making a desperate last stand, and as he heads towards the door of the room, piercing shouts of surprise in English ring out, followed by a burst of gunfire.


A wall away, Higa recognizes the loud bangs as gunfire from a light automatic rifle. On the other side of the main shaft, Ichiemom’s highly advanced body is now riddled with bullet holes, but since its controlling machinery was installed on its back, it continued to advance.

Rinko’s voice rings out in his earpiece, ordering Higa to release the hatch on the pressure wall. Higa complies, wrenching a hydraulic hand crank. A metal slab rises in the wall, opening into the cable duct. It is dimly illuminated inside, a ladder descending into its depths.

Higa swallows, repositions his backpack (which contains his laptop), scrambles through the hatch, and starts down the ladder. Half-jokingly, he mutters “Go, go, go!” to himself in a manner reminiscent of an action movie, but quickly dismisses it when Rinko inquires.

On the wall of the cable duct 10 meters below, Higa sights a black panel box with several thick cables snaking out of it - the maintenance port. If he connects his laptop to the port inside, theoretically he would be able to operate STLs #4 and #5 in STL Room Two, and also STLs #1 and #6 back in Roppongi, Japan.

Higa begins to forget his fear, and Rinko urges him on. Higa notes how little she has changed from her days as a student. He cannot help but look up, but all he can see is Yanai’s figure climbing feverishly down after him.


Back in Underworld, Subtilizer has appeared back on the rock mountain still scarred by traces of a fierce battle. He realizes that Alice has escaped, but is unworried: he’ll catch up to her quickly.

He turns his attention to Sinon, and smiles slightly. He notes, aloud, how Sinon was the girl he had dueled during the Gun Gale Online tournament months ago. He recalls her name as “Sinon”, and notes his surprise at her presence here.

Sinon tries as hard as possible to keep her hands from shaking upon hearing that inhuman voice. Her fingers rigid and palms sweaty, she almost throws away her bow.

Subtilizer is standing atop a bizarre, winged, disc-shaped creature, hovering in the air. He asks Sinon whether she is affiliated with RATH, or acting as a mercenary. She throws the question back at him, asking why he was here.

Subtilizer replies that is the choice of fate. Destiny brought the two of them together - attracted their souls together. He informs her of how much he wants her - her soul. How it is possible to absorb souls from Artificial Fluctlights, even humans. He wonders how her soul might taste.
Hearing these aberrant words, Sinon recalls the voice of her opponent during the fourth Bullet of Bullets final:
“Your soul will be so sweet.”

She becomes paralyzed with fear and is frozen to the spot. Then, the air distorts, twists, and everything is drawn towards Subtilizer in a sort of eerie magnetism. Her entire body itself begins to be sucked towards Subtilizer, as she desperately tries to resist, to no avail. Her consciousness begins to fade.

Subtilizer wraps his arms around her, and whispers into her ear, asking her if she had ever thought about the meaning behind his name. He tells her: subtilizer - an object that refines. He is intent on stealing her soul.

Jo Wol-saeng - Moonphase - appears atop a cracked, mossy rock. It wasn’t natural rock; it was a man made building. The roof of what appeared to be a gigantic temple. The Korean players who had entered before him numbered in the tens of thousands. Everyone's equipment is uniformly dark red. Moonphase looks down at his own hands and finds them wrapped in gloves of the same color. He looks forward, cannot make out the situation beyond the sea of people, but the battle beyond them rages on. A multicolored legion of soldiers who appeared to be the Japanese seemed to have completely driven back a group of red troops - to which Moonphase and the others belonged - yet they didn't even look remotely pleased.

Something had to be wrong. But Moonphase couldn't think what. At the very least, it looked nothing like a marketing event for a new game. What did invading a test server and killing testers have to do with the game itself, anyway? Even if temporary virtual pain and suffering were added, that wouldn't affect game development. The others Koreans begin to grow confused as well. But just then -

A voice rings out from the front, speaking in Korean. Only the owner of that voice possessed a "LEADER" logo, above the sea of people. The voice thanks the players for answering his cry for help, and informs them that all alpha testers have already been "massacred" by the Japanese aggressors. Apparently, they want to keep killing in other testing areas as well. Moonphase can feel palpable rage begin to rise from his fellow Koreans. Nationalistic cries begin to resound all around, as the leader continues: the Japanese have invaded the server, created high-ranking equipment only for themselves, and begun killing. He, the leader, had supposedly been stripped of his administrator rights and could only prepare common equipment for the Koreans. From the side, furious screams in Chinese explode as well.

Even through the tumult, Moonphase's unease did not subside, but he knew that such forces could no longer be stopped by one person. The leader orders the group to head out, and as one giant creature, the army charges.

Back within the Human Empire Army, Asuna shouts at the top of her lungs for the Supply Team to charge into the ruins for refuge. She quickly additionally orders them to throw down their supplies and run faster, but it was already too late. The newly arrived army were now attempting to step across the giant statue and leap down dead center amongst the Supply Team. Asuna swings her sword and fires an Incarnate attack at the statues, turning them into animate warriors who begin to attack the enemy army - but causing severe damage to her own consciousness in the process. Seizing the opportunity, the horse-drawn carriages and around 200 Ascetics and Supply Team members begin to move.

Asuna withstands the agony for a full thirty seconds before succumbing and dropping to her knees; the statues turn inanimate again. The remaining Guardians and Japanese players flank their rear troops defensively. But it was no use. They were now completely surrounded by 40,000-50,000 Chinese and Korean players. It was only a matter of time before their battle line collapsed. It takes all of Asuna's willpower for her to raise her sword again, and she attempts to muster another attack, only to collapse to the ground again, blood surging out of her mouth.

Klein and Agil shout at her to leave it to them. They raise their katana and battleaxe. Soldiers in red leap down from the statue and land in front of them. Kleina nd Agil rush forward and engage them. To their left and right, the Race Lords of ALO and the heroes of the Sleeping Knights began to fight at full strength. The battlefield is filled with the cacophony of war. Through this misery, Asuna hears high, piercing laughter, and glimpses, far away, a man in a black poncho twisting his body in a dance atop the palace ruins.

Back in the real world, Higa's climbing down as fast as he can as gunfire breaks out on the other side of the main shaft. He finally reaches the panel box and pries it open, pushes aside layers of wiring, and sees the testing port. He takes a deep breath and plugs his laptop in. Connection is established with both STLs near the sub-control room, and with the two units at the Roppongi branch via satellite link. He couldn't do anything about the two STLs occupied by the Americans, though, since he wasn't connected to them. As soon as he readies himself to begin ---

A thin, high voice comes from overhead, ordering him to freeze. Higa looks up, anxious, and finds himself staring straight down the barrel of an automatic handgun. The person on the other side of it is Yanai, who orders him to move away from the laptop.

Suddenly, Higa realizes that it had been Yanai who was the mole all along. He had been the one to divulge the existence of Project Alicization to the Americans. But Higa couldn't think of a countermeasure on the spot. Instead, he moves his dry lips and begins to ask Yanai's motive.

Yanai denies that he is a traitor; only that he entered RATH to inherit his boss's final mission. His boss --- Sugou Nobuyuki. A registered member of Shigemura Laboratory at Touto University's Electrical Engineering Department, during the same time period as Higa, Rinko, and Kayaba. He'd always been competitive towards Kayaba but had never managed to surpass him, and that might have been a factor in his exploitation of hundreds of SAO survivors. Kirito had him arrested later.

Yanai murmurs about how Sugou isn't going to physically die, but he might as well be, since at least 10 years in prison is tantamount to death for a researcher. Yanai managed to pin all the blame on another technician and got away scot-free. He begins remeniscing about the experiments they had performed. Then, he reveals that he is awaiting a massive reward if the Americans manage to capture Alice, and a promised position on their side as well. The success story that Sugou had always dreamed of.

The laptop slips from Higa's hand, and he hurriedly grasps it, but Yanai jumps at this and fires at the wall of the cable duct --- the bullet richochets and strikes Higa's right shoulder.