Sword Art Online Episode 13

Edge of Hell's Abyss (奈落の淵) is the thirteenth episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It aired on September 29, 2012.

Plot
On November 5, 2024, Kirito goes fishing and meets a man named Nishida, a well-known fisherman of the area. After talking and eating one of the fish Nishida catches with some of Asuna's "soy sauce", who is amazed by it, and Asuna allows him to bottle some back to his home. Nishida then asks Kirito to catch a very large fish he has seen in the lake but could not get because of his low strength skill. Kirito agrees, with Nishida using his high fishing skill and Kirito's strength skill. Nishida hosts an event, in which players in the village come to watch. They successfully catch the fish, which is actually a monster that Asuna easily defeats, but this ruins her disguise and everyone is able to recognize that she is Asuna, the Sub-Leader of Knights of the Blood. This causes everyone to run toward Asuna. Kirito was going to join in the crowd before receiving a message from Heathcliff calling Kirito and Asuna to return to the front lines. They say their farewell to Nishida but promise to return as they teleport to Grandum.

Upon their arrival, Heathcliff tells them that a group of twenty players found the 75th Floor's Boss Room, but when 10 of them reached the center of the room, the door quickly shut and disappeared, leaving the other 10 players outside unable to assist them. When it reappeared 5 minutes later, no one there, neither the players, nor the boss. Because it was an Anti-Crystal Area, like previous boss, the players could not escape and were slaughted by the boss.

Kirito expresses his true feeling of wanting to run away with Asuna, believing it is better to live in SAO rather than returning to the real world. Asuna mentions that all players' real bodies must be currently being treated in hospitals and their condition can not be kept indefinitely, thus living in the game won't last forever. With the realization, that whether they clear the game or not, there is a time limit and that they have no choice but to fight.

Prior to the battle, Kirito and Asuna find out that Klein and Agil are also joining the fight. Agil tells Kirito that he had closed his shop to join the battle against the boss monster. They all enjoy a light conversation before Heathcliff and the Knights of the Blood's arrival. Heathcliff uses a Corridor Crystal to open a portal to the 75th level's boss room. Heathcliff gives a word of encouragement to the players. Asuna hold hands with Kirito, reassuring him that she will protect him and vice-versa with Kirito. Kirito tells Klein and Agil not to die and Klein responds by telling him the same. The group charges through the portal, and are outside the boss room. The almost pitch-dark room, with the high-quality materials, worries Asuna. Heathcliff gives a word of advice, telling them that they are fighting for their freedom, and opens the door. The large party charges into the boss room, and wait for the boss to appear.

The gateway closes and disappears. But nobody sees the boss, but Asuna listens carefully, hearing rattling and informs everyone the boss is above them. The boss was a skeleton-like centipede named The Skull Reaper with a pair of gigantic scythes as claws. It immediately kills two players with its scythe in one hit. The remaining players are horrified and frozen with shock at the fact that it can kill players in one hit. The Skull Reaper attacks another player before Heathcliff blocks it with his shield, but it quickly ignores him and quickly targets and kills the player. As it is about to kill another player who is in shock, Kirito quickly helps the player and blocks one of the scythes, although it dangerously pushes the swords towards him.

The boss was about to strike Kirito with its other scythe just as Heathcliff came to the rescue, repelling one of the scythes. Asuna helps Kirito fend off the other scythe, and the three begin to distract the boss while the others start attacking. Although some players are worried, they help with defeating the boss. Agil, Klein and two other players start attacking the boss. The Skull Reaper then smashes its tail, killing the two players and wounding Agil. Everyone begins to assult the boss.

New Characters

 * Nishida

Named Monsters

 * The Skull Reaper

Guilds

 * Knights of the Blood
 * Divine Dragon Alliance
 * Fuurinkazan

Inventory

 * Kirito
 * Elucidator
 * Dark Repulser
 * Asuna
 * Lambent Light
 * Heathcliff
 * Liberator
 * Corridor Crystal

Known Sword Skills

 * Flashing Penetrator

Location

 * Aincrad Floor 22: Lake Outside Coral Village, Coral Village Teleport Gate Plaza
 * Aincrad Floor 55: Granzam - KoB headquarters
 * Aincrad Floor 75: Collinia - Teleport Gate Plaza; 75th Floor Labyrinth - Boss Room

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted Volume 1, Chapters 18-21


 * In the Light Novel, Kirito wondered if Nishida was an NPC, before he clarified that he wasn't, while in the Anime, he explained his real-life occupation after meeting.

Quotes

 * "I got stronger so I'd be able to survive." - Kirito
 * "I cried alone every single night. It felt like every day that passed here stole another piece of my real life away. After I cried, I'd go and fight as hard as I could. My only thought was winning, moving forward, and getting stronger." - Asuna
 * "But as we partied up together. Even in a world like this, he was really living. He wasn't losing a day in the real world. He was gaining a day here. The one who taught me that was Kirito-kun." - Asuna
 * "For the first time since I arrived here, I was happy here. To me, Kirito-kun is the meaning of my two years here and proof that I am alive." - Asuna
 * "In other words, whether clear the game or not, there's a time limit?" - Kirito
 * "I want to stay with you forever, I want us to date for real. To really get married.. To get old together!" - Asuna
 * "Don't die." - Kirito
 * "If we block together, we can do this." - Asuna

Episodio 13