Sword Art Online - Girls Ops Volume 01

Sword Art Online - Girls Ops (ソードアート・オンライン ガールズ・オプス) is a manga spin-off series of the Sword Art Online light novel series by Kawahara Reki. It follows the adventures of Kirigaya Suguha (Leafa), Ayano Keiko (Silica) and Shinozaki Rika (Lisbeth) in both the real world and New ALfheim Online. The ongoing manga is illustrated by Nekobyō Neko and published as part of the bi-monthly Dengeki Bunko Magazine.

Stage.001
After waking up from a dream, Ayano Keiko was changing to go to school, when she noticed an announcement on her portable terminal. During lunch time at school, she sat down and talked with Rika about the quest that was recently added to New Aincrad and rewarded the «Ring of Angel's Whisper» upon completion. Attracted by the story of this adventure and the reward item, they decided to form a small party to complete the quest. As Kazuto was busy with his study camp and Asuna with her family affairs, Suguha was the only one available. After being told about the quest, she agrees to accompany them on the journey. After preparations are complete, all 3 of the girls entered ALO.

After finding the quest NPC, Suguha is shocked at how much the NPC Angel was different from her ideals. Since the girls had completed the first part of the quest, the angel told them to defeat the demonic beast living in the «Abandoned Tower». Along the way to the tower, Silica and Lisbeth started talking about the same quest they had completed in Sword Art Online and how the "demonic beast" turned out to be a giant fluffy bunny with wings, as well as accidentally spoiling quest details to Leafa, who was completing the quest the first time. As they entered the tower, they realized that the monster in the tower was no longer a fluffy bunny, due to Ymir deciding to make the quest after the midway point more difficult. The girls also noticed that a player was already fighting the creature and, after seeing his appearance, assumed that the player was Kirito.

Stage.002
The girls watched as "Kirito" fought the monster, and noticed that his style was slightly different from Kirito's usual style, as he fought parrying with one hand, and attacking with the other. The person's avatar was similar to Kirito's from SAO, however the girls soon realised that it was not Kirito, but someone else entirely. The player inquired whether the girls were alright. The player revealed that she was also an old SAO player and that the player had joined ALO after hearing about New Aincrad.

As Silica was talking, she tripped and fell into the players arms. After an awkward situation, the player revealed that she was actually a female player. She then told the other girls that her name was Kuro and that she took her name from Kirito's nickname, «The Black Swordsman» (黒の剣士). Kuro then explained that she took up a dual-wielding style out of admiration of Kirito. When the girls got to the Angel's Rose Garden, they found it destroyed, with evidence that a giant had raided the garden. As they looked around, they found a feather which, when used, activated a message left by the Tsundere Angel, who told them to leave the garden, as they had failed the test. The girls then headed off to follow the giant, remembering that the quest past its midpoint was said to be changed since «SAO». Kuro left the group, stating that she would like to go on alone. After Kuro left, the girls decided to go after her, as Silica believed that something was weighing Kuro down and that it was not just a coincidence that she looked like Kirito.

Stage.003
Kuro recalls her time in SAO, and that she was untrusting of anyone around her in that time. Despite that, a girl seemed to follow her, and even obtained a «Ring of Angle's Whisper» for Kuro, as a sign of their bond. Following a promise, Kuro now wishes to obtain the same item in New Aincrad.

After following giant foot-steps, Silica and the girls end up at a gate-way. Silica ponders Kuro's safety, as Leafa assures her that Kuro is strong enough, having taken down Mid-Boss earlier. After a short discussion, the girls are ready, and Lisbeth pushes the doors open. Inside, they find an innumerable amount of slime monsters, and a count-down. Kuro shouts out, demanding why they followed, as the girls charge into the fray, attacking the slimes. Silica immediately makes her way to Kuro's side. As the two's backs meet to fight the monsters that surround them, Kuro tries to remind her that he intended to go alone, but Silica cuts her off, apologizing. She claims that she couldn't help herself, even knowing that Kuro wished to fight alone. Silica tells Kuro that she wishes to be her strength, and that she believes that her resemblance to Kirito was fate. Kuro tries to deny her help, but hears a scream from Lisbeth, as the slimes are able to tear through their equipment with acid.

Silica calls out to Lisbeth, right as Kuro saves her from a slime that was about to attack her from behind. Kuro decided to accept their help, and asks Silica to attack from the sides with the other girls, while he takes them on from from the front. Silica agrees, as she goes to join Lisbeth and Leafa. Kuro realizes how similar Silica is to her friend, being kindhearted, and decides to protect her.

Silica, Leafa, and Lisbeth continue their fight against the slimes, even as their acid reduces the durability of their armor and equipment. As Lisbeth is about to take another hit, Kuro intercept a slime's attack, before destroying it. Silica notices that Kuro has been hurt the most, as he had been covering for the three of them. Silica wonders if they'll be able to hold out long enough, before noticing that the last slime appeared. Kuro dashed forward, aiming to finish this, as he slashes through surrounding slimes. Silica tries to call her back, but she Kuro continues forward. After only three more are left, Kuro uses a sword-skill to attack, but her attack didn't reach, and she is stunned by the delay after using a strong move! As the slime is ready to attack, "Kuro's old friend" intercepts its attack! But this turns out to be a flashback, from when her friend previously saved her life in SAO, and in-fact it was Silica who saved her this time. Silica fell back onto Kuro, as Lisbeth and Leafa rush to their side to take down the slimes. Silica meanwhile, complains about it hurting after the three hit at the same time, and notices that her HP is almost gone. She apologized to Kuro for bumping into her, but notices she's crying. Kuro is in shock, seeming to have a PTSD episode, where she recalled her friend, "Rossa" sacrificing herself for Kuro.

Silica realizes that she was right about Kuro having lost someone, and tried to comfort Kuro, saying that She was alright. Lisbeth asks if the two are ok, and Silica confirmed she was, but wasn't sure about Kuro. Lisbeth suggests it would be best to return to the city and do the quest again. Leafa agrees, but notices that the count-down is up. Suddenly the room changes, after they are automatically teleported to the Boss room, and greeted by the quest's Boss.

Trivia

 * The manga was launched after fans campaigned that the three heroines did not have many appearances in the original light novels.