Sword Art Online Episode 10

Crimson Killing Intent (紅の殺意) Is the tenth episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It aired on September 8, 2012.

Plot
After Kirito accepted the duel challenge of Heathcliff, a lot of players gathered at the 75th Floor's main city, Collinia, in a Colosseum to watch the fight between the two highly-skilled players. Kirito was waiting in his room with Asuna, who was still annoyed that Kirito had accepted to duel the strongest player in the whole game. Asuna reminded Kirito that Heathcliff was the famous player who had been able to hold back the boss of the 50th in a fight all by himself, plus the fact that no player had ever seen Heathcliff’s health bar reach the yellow zone. Kirito then told Asuna that he understood his odds, however he boldly declared that he still did not plan to lose easily.

While Asuna was watching from one of the entrances, Kirito entered the arena where Heathcliff was already waiting. After selecting the «First Strike» option for their duel, both Heathcliff and Kirito readied themselves as the timer counted down. When the timer reached zero, Kirito started out with full-on assault with his «Dual Blades», however Heathcliff was able to block all of Kirito’s attacks with his tower shield. Kirito seemed to be at a disadvantage, as Heathcliff easily defended and attacked using his Unique Skill, «Holy Sword».



Still not letting up on his assault, Kirito continued to attack with his two swords and finally knocked away Heathcliff’s shield to his side, creating an opening. As Kirito tried going in for the finishing blow, Heathcliff moved his shield at an impossible speed and once again blocked Kirito’s attack. Seizing the moment, Heathcliff made a clean hit on Kirito causing his health bar to reach the yellow zone, therefore winning the «First-strike» duel.

On October 22, Kirito spoke with Asuna while readying for his duties in the guild and putting on a KoB uniform. At that moment, Asuna used the opportunity to question Kirito why he avoids guilds and excludes others, despite being a nice person. Kirito answered by telling her about his time with the Black Cats of the Full Moon, and how they died because of him. Although shaken by the story, Asuna promised that she would protect him, giving Kirito some relief for his guilt. In the Knights of the Blood HQ, Godfree informed them about taking Kirito to a mandatory training session in the 55th Floor's Labyrinth to evaluate his skills. Although Asuna told Godfree that Kirito was stronger than him, Godfree made him go as Kirito had to comply with the guild's rules despite his relationship with Asuna. To Kirito's shock, Kuradeel also came to accompany them in their training, and because of now being Kirito's guildmate, apologized to him for his previous actions. Before leaving, they gave their crystals to Godfree as a method to prove their skills.

In the field on the 55th Floor, they stopped to rest and Godfree gave them each a portion of food. While drinking Kirito noticed something weird in Kuradeel's expression, but it was too late, and both Godfree and Kirito were paralyzed by the poisoned water. Kirito quickly told Godfree to use the crystal to cure himself, but Kuradeel kicked it out of his hand and subsequently killed him while enjoying Godfree's demise. As for the excuse he would make, he told Kirito that he would claim that the party was ambushed by orange players, and that he held them all on his own. After Kirito's remark about him being more suited for a PK guild, Kuradeel revealed his revenge plan to kill Kirito and his membership in the PK guild, Laughing Coffin.

With his HP nearly depleted, Kirito was nearly at death's doors, but his desire to not leave Asuna gave him motivation to resist and to hold back Kuradeel's blade for a second longer. Asuna, with tremendous speed, entered the scene just in time, blowing away Kuradeel, and then nimmediately used a healing crystal on the critically injured Kirito. She told Kirito that she noticed that something had gone wrong, as she was watching them from her map, and noticed that Godfree had disappeared. Knowing that it was highly unlikely for Godfree to be killed by monsters on this floor, she rushed to the location. She then attacked Kuradeel, who tried to make an excuse saying that it had been a training accident, but then, after suffering numerous blows at godlike speed, he told her that he would surrender and leave the guild.

At that point, feeling hesitation about killing Kuradeel, Asuna lowered her guard and Kuradeel used the chance to attack. Kirito blocked the attack just in time by taking the blow with his wrist, sacrificing his hand temporarily. Using his free hand, he then finished off Kuradeel with his Martial Arts skill «Embracer». Kuradeel's last words accused Kirito of being a murderer before he shattered into polygons.

After the harrowing experience, Asuna believed that she was to blame for the tragedy and said that she would never bother Kirito again. Kirito stopped her by kissing her, and embracing her, stating that his life now belonged to her. Not wanting to part ways from Asuna’s side, Kirito told her that he wanted to be with her for the night. They both later had dinner at Asuna’s house. Kirito was startled when Asuna suddenly rose from her chair at the conclusion of their meal, turned off the lights and started undressing herself. When Asuna asked Kirito to take off his clothes as well, Kirito realized the misunderstanding when he had told Asuna that he wanted to be with her for the night. Kirito tried to explain the situation, however his apologies were not enough and Asuna punched Kirito for the whole embarrassing ordeal.

Afterwards, Asuna woke up to find Kirito recently out of her bed, while happy that her time with Kirito had not been a dream. After hearing that Asuna planned to stay away from the front lines for a while, Kirito brought up the fact that there was a small village at the southwest region of the 22nd Floor. Kirito then asked Asuna if she would go there for a while with him asked her if she would marry him there. She gracefully accepted the proposal.

New Characters

 * Godfree

Guilds

 * Knights of the Blood

Inventory

 * Kirito
 * Elucidator
 * Dark Repulser
 * Heathcliff
 * Liberator
 * Godfree
 * Teleport Crystal - given by Kirito
 * Antidote Crystal - given by Kuradeel
 * Heal Crystal - given by Kuradeel
 * Asuna
 * Lambent Light
 * Heal Crystal

Sword Skills

 * Vorpal Strike
 * Starburst Stream
 * Embracer

Locations

 * Aincrad Floor 55: Granzam - Knights of the Blood Headquarters, western gates of Granzam; 55th Floor Labyrinth Entrance
 * Aincrad Floor 75: Collinia - Arena
 * Aincrad Floor 50: Algade - Agil's shop
 * Aincrad Floor 61: Salemburg - Asuna's house

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Volume 1, Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 


 * The scene where Asuna complains to Kirito for accepting Heathcliff's duel, in the Light Novel happened on the 50th Floor, in Agil's shop, while in the Anime, it happened right before the duel.
 * In the novel, Kirito began the duel by initiating the Double Circular Sword Skill. In the anime, he did not start the duel with a Sword Skill at all.
 * In the novel, both Kirito's and Heathcliff's HP had decreased to nearly 50% before Kirito used Starburst Stream, as Heathcliff started to look nervous. In the anime, Kirito did so after managing to scratch Heathcliff's cheek, whille their HP bars look like the two barely received any damage at all.
 * In the Light Novel, a group of four were part of the training session; while it was only Kirito, Godfree and Kuradeel, a group of three, in the anime.
 * In the original web-novel, Asuna didn't hesitate to kill Kuradeel when he began to beg for his life. In the Light Novel and Anime adaption, this was changed so that Kirito would save Asuna, after she had a moment of doubt, allowing Kuradeel to disarm, and attack her.
 * The scene with the "Ethics Code off" option was omitted from the anime.
 * It is heavily implied that Kirito and Asuna slept together. With Asuna waking up nude and clasping a blanket onto her body it can be assumed that they continued. This can also be seen in chapter 16.5 of volume 1 which only appeared on the web version of the light novel.

Episodio 10