Sword Art Online Alicization Episode 04

Departure (旅立ち) is the fourth episode of the Sword Art Online Alicization anime adaptation. It aired on October 27, 2018.

Plot
Having encountered a group of goblins at the Mountain Range at the Edge in their search for Selka on the 21st Day of the 3rd Month, Eugeo had become frozen in terror. As the monsters continued approaching them, Kirito helped Eugeo suppress his dread, before sharing his plan with the boy. The two would charge at the nearest goblins and douse the goblins' fire to earn an opportunity to retrieve a weapon from their stockpile. Ordering Eugeo to occupy the smaller goblins while he himself dealt with their leader, Kirito began executing their plan, successfully retrieving a sword for himself and one for Eugeo. As his partner distracted some of the goblins, Kirito charged through the remaining ones to meet with their leader, Ugachi the Lizard Killer in battle. During their battle, Kirito eventually activated a three-hit Sword Skill named «Sharp Nail», severing one of Ugachi's arms in the process.

However, prematurely celebrating his victory, Kirito momentarily lost his vigilance, allowing Ugachi to retaliate with a slash at the boy's own arm. Having collapsed and now suffering immense pain from the slash, Kirito somehow managed to rise to his feet and launch a second attack with a Sword Skill, before being kicked back to the ground by the goblin. Just as the boy was about to receive the finishing blow in his state of terror, Eugeo conquered his fear and rushed to his friend's aid, suffering a lethal injury during the clash. As blood spilled from his wounds, the boy recalled his suppressed childhood memories with Kirito, triggering the latter's own suppressed memories of his time with Eugeo and Alice during his first FullDive.

As Eugeo lost consciousness, the anguish from Kirito's memories overshadowed his physical pain, filling him with renewed vigour. Using this newfound energy, Kirito assaulted Ugachi, eventually severing the goblin's head with another Sword Skill, named «Sonic Leap». Once the other goblins began fleeing at the sight of their leader's severed head, Kirito quickly untied Selka and brought her to Eugeo to help seal the boy's wounds. As regular Sacred Arts could no longer help with the wounds, Selka requested Kirito's help with a higher-level art. Using the art, the girl began transferring Kirito's and her own Durability to the boy, causing the wound to begin sealing. Just before losing consciousness due to losing a large amount of his Durability, Kirito was visited by a phantom of Alice, telling the boy that she would be waiting for him and Eugeo at the top of the Central Cathedral in Centoria.

Several days later, the now recovered Eugeo returned to working at the Gigas Cedar with Kirito. When the latter's turn at cutting the tree came, the swordsman decided to use the Blue Rose Sword instead of the Dragon Bone Axe, as he had become able to wield the once-heavy sword properly due to increasing his Object Control Authority through the battle against the goblins. With a single strike of the sword with the «Horizontal» Sword Skill, Kirito was able to deal significant damage to the tree, shocking Eugeo in the process. Having also become able to wield the sword due to the goblin battle, the boy requested Kirito to teach him his swordsmanship to fulfil his long-held desire of rescuing Alice.

The two boys spent the following days practicing with the sword, either against a fictional opponent or against the Gigas Cedar. Eventually, while practicing the use of Sword Skills, Eugeo finally felled the tree, resulting in a celebration in the village later that evening. During the celebration, Eugeo was given the right to choose his new Sacred Task by the village chief, Gasupht Zuberg. Having asserted his desire to become a swordsman and received permission to travel to Zakkaria to achieve his goal from the village chief, Eugeo approached Selka the following morning, vowing to safely return to the village with Alice. Some time later, Eugeo and Kirito departed from the village on their journey, hoping to ultimately reach Alice at the Central Cathedral.

New Characters

 * Sadina Zuberg (cameo)

Locations

 * Mountain Range at the Edge
 * Gigas Cedar
 * Rulid Village

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Volume 9, Chapter 1, Part 4-6


 * In the fight between Kirito and Ugachi, all the events from Kirito getting back up after he got injured until he got kicked to the ground again was anime exclusive content.
 * The mention regarding the villagers' reactions upon Kirito, Eugeo and Selka's return, as well as their shock upon seeing Ugachi's severed head, was omitted.
 * Eugeo's inner conflict when he asked Kirito to train him to be a swordsman was adapted differently and some of his dialogue was moved to a later scene instead.
 * The scene where Kirito and Eugeo ran away from the falling Gigas Cedar's trunk, as well as Kirito falling down in the process and losing 50 durability, was omitted.
 * The mention of some villagers wanting to punish Kirito and Eugeo, for their unorthodox method of using Blue Rose Sword for felling the Gigas Cedar, was omitted.
 * The mention of Selka's skill at Sacred Arts having increased following her usage of a highly dangerous Sacred Arts after the fight against the Goblins was omitted.
 * The duel between Eugeo and Jink was omitted.
 * The scene where Kirito tries out alcohol in Underworld and discovers its effects being as real as real life, was omitted.
 * The scene where Kirito kissed Selka on her forehead, in order to confirm that he was not an Artificial Fluctlight himself by attempting an act his real self would never do, was omitted.
 * The scene where Eugeo promises to Selka that he will bring Alice back was anime exclusive content.
 * The scene where Kirito retrieved the top branch of the Gigas Cedar, in order to have a craftsman in the Central Capital carve it into a sword, was omitted.

Errors

 * Before Selka used Durability Transfer on Eugeo, his Stacia Window showcased his Object Control Authority level at 39. While the Alicization Beginning does not mention his Object Authority level, at this point, Eugeo was granted the benefits of defeating Ugachi, causing this to be an animation error, as it is not high enough for Eugeo to wield Blue Rose Sword.
 * 2 days after the events in the mountains, when Kirito is sitting next to Gigas Cedar, his Stacia Window shows his System Control Authority to be at 1. Later Novels indicate that after defeating the Goblins, Kirito's System Control Authority level had risen.