Project Alicization

Project Alicization is a top-secret government project run by RATH using the fourth generation FullDive technology, Soul Translator. Their goal is to create a bottom-up Artificial Intelligence (AI) by simulating theses AI's lives in a virtual reality as if they were human. But what is unique about these AIs is that they are able to "learn" as a human does. While RATH's end-goal is to use these AIs to fight in wars instead of humans, the virtual world they are raised in prevents them from breaking even the most insignificant of laws, especially killing another. The virtual world that houses these AIs is called, by the creators, the Underworld: the name may or may not be connected to the original name of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland also known as Alice's Adventures Under Ground. The facilities that have connections to it are in Roppongi and the «Ocean Turtle» (a marine base that kind of looks like the Mock Turtle from the story).

For experimentation purposes, RATH inserts Kirito into the Underworld and, to their surprise, the AIs who interacted with Kirito come closer to breaking the rules imbedded in them than any other AIs. After allowing the experiment to continue for a while, a girl, that by coincidence, is named Alice, finally breaks one of the cardinal rules in the world. This action warranted extreme penalty, and she was isolated at the top of the cathedral. For 7 years, she was kept up there, and it is unknown what exactly happened to her.

During Kirito's first dive into Underworld, his avatar had grown from a newborn to an 11 year old, and he was living in a village with Eugeo and Alice. It is assumed that, after Kirito had been logged out, he had been forgotten by the people there.

When Kirito returned to Underworld, he came across Eugeo, and they quickly turned from strangers to friends and companions. Kirito quickly discovered that a system similar to Sword Art Online's Sword Skills existed in the Underworld, and he manipulated that knowledge to cut down the massive tree in the village he resided in using the long blade known as the Blue Rose Sword.

Manipulating his experience from Aincrad, he quickly developed a unique sword fighting style he dubbed as "Aincrad Style" and ended up tutoring Eugeo on its use. The Aincrad Style, unlike most other sword styles in Underworld, is meant for practical, instead of aesthetic use.

After the cutting of the tree, Kirito and Eugeo decided to become guards and learn about fighting with swords. They, one way or another, ended up in a school for swordsmen and swordswomen. After events took place there for over an in-game year, they were forced to break the law and were condemned to spend time in a jail.

(Note: The volumes aren't finished yet, so Kirito and Eugeo have yet to escape completely. As of now, Kirito is still conversing with a woman known as Cardinal.)

Proyecto Alicization