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 "soy sauce" they decide to team up to catch the biggest fish Nishida has ever seen by using Nishida's fishing skill and Kirito's strength skill. 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. They teleport to Grandum.

Upon their arrival, they learn that a group of players was trapped and killed in the 75th level's boss room, thus a team of players from several guilds is being assembled to confront it. As the time for the battle approaches, Kirito asks Asuna to stay behind fearing for her safety, but Asuna refuses, claiming that she rather die than live without him.

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 on 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 that Klein and Agil will are also join in the fight. They all enjoy a light conversation before Heathcliff and the Knights of the Blood's arrival. Heathcliff uses a Corridor Crystal to teleport everyone 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 to not die. Everyone runs into the boss room.

The gateway closes and disappears. But nobody sees the boss, until Asuna hears rattling and realizes that the boss was on the ceiling. The boss was a skeleton-like centipede named The Skull Reaper. It kills two players with its scythe in one hit. The remaining players are horrified and frozen with shock. The Skull Reaper attacks another player before Heathcliff blocks it with his shield but it still kills off another player. Before it kills another player, Kirito flings himself in front of the scythe, crossing his two swords to block its attack, but the scythe pushes the swords toward his body.

Realizing that it was too powerful, Asuna's sword strikes the scythe, pushing the scythe back. Heathcliff blocks one scythe while Kirito and Asuna blocks the other scythe, allowing the others to attach from the sides. Agil, Klein and two other player begins their assault but were stopped by Skull Reaper's tail, killing the two other players in the process. Everyone continues the attack while Kirito and Asuna blocks the scythe.

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

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted Sword Art Online Light Novel Volume 01