Sword Art Online Episode 05

A Crime Within the Walls (圏内事件) is the fifth episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It aired on August 4, 2012.

Plot
On March 6, 2024, there was a meeting at the main town of the 56th Floor, Pani, where all the top players in the «Lead group» were discussing the advancement of the game. In this meeting, Asuna – the vice-commander of the «Knights of the Blood» – debated with Kirito intensely over strategies to fight against the Field Boss, Geocrawler. Asuna's plan was to lure the boss into the town and then kill it while it was distracted by the «NPCs». However, Kirito objected as they would be trampling on the NPCs lives, though Asuna coldly stated that they were merely "objects" to the game and would simply respawn. She also reminded Kirito of her status and as thus he was forced to comply.

Later, on April 11, 2024, Asuna finds Kirito sleeping at the grass hill, within the 59th Floor's main town, Danac, and tries to tell him off for not working at the front lines. Kirito responds that the weather in «Aincrad» at that time was the best, and it would be a waste to be in the Labyrinth on a day like this. After listening to Kirito's reply, she rests beside him to test his theory and falls asleep with him. When Asuna wakes up from her eight hour sleep, she notices Kirito watching over her and almost attacks him before remembering what happened. To thank Kirito for protecting her as she was sleeping, Asuna tries to treat him to a meal at a NPC restaurant on the 57th Floor's main town, Marten. There, they discuss about the concept of «Sleep Player Killing» caused by forced «Dueling». Before they can eat, however, they hear a scream outside and hurry there to investigate.



Upon arriving, Kirito and Asuna witness a murder within the city, which should be impossible due to the «Anti-Crime Prevention» feature within a safe area in the game. A heavily armored player is hung by a rope in front of a church, appearing to have been pushed out of a window after being impaled with a spear, and finally shattering into blue shards by the effects of the «Continuous Piercing Damage over Time». As the killed player is still within the city boundaries, Kirito believes that the cause of death was losing all his health in a duel with another player. However, the «Winner» notification for such a duel does not appear, eliminating that possibility. While investigating the murder case, Kirito and Asuna interview a witness, Yolko, who claims that she was supposed to meet up with the victim, Caynz.



After retrieving the murder weapon and leaving Yolko in the safety of an Inn, Kirito and Asuna travel to a player shop in the main town on the 50th Floor, Algade, to have it appraised by Agil. Agil deciphers that the weapon, «Guilty Thorn», was created by a player named «Grimlock». Kirito attempts to test if the weapon can harm him inside the city, but Asuna stops him before he can stab his hand. They exit the shop after leaving the weapon with Agil.



The next day, Kirito and Asuna meet up with Yolko at a café, and learn that Yolko, Caynz, and Grimlock were former members of the now defunct «Golden Apple» guild which lost their leader, Griselda, who mysteriously died in possession of the guild's rare ring drop. Yolko mentions that Grimlock was the leader's «in-game husband», and that the killer may possibly be after the three Golden Apple members who were opposed the selling of the ring: Caynz, Yolko, and Schmitt. By Yolko’s request, Kirito and Asuna bring Schmitt to have him meet with Yolko.



During their conversation, Yolko tells Schmitt that she believes that the killer is the vengeful ghost of their deceased female leader, Griselda, since no normal player could kill another inside the safe area. Suddenly as Kirito, Asuna and Schmitt are watching the panicked Yolko, she is murdered in front of them, stabbed in the back from a dagger through the open window. As she falls from the second floor window, Kirito rushes to the window to call her name, but she shatters into blue shards in front of his eyes.

New Characters

 * Yolko
 * Caynz
 * Schmitt
 * Grimlock
 * Griselda
 * Lisbeth (Mentioned)

Guilds

 * Knights of the Blood
 * Fuurinkazan
 * Divine Dragon Alliance
 * Golden Apple

Inventory

 * Agil
 * Guilty Thorn - for safekeeping

Locations

 * Aincrad Floor 50: Algade
 * Aincrad Floor 56: Pani
 * Aincrad Floor 57: Marten
 * Aincrad Floor 59: Danac

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Volume 8, A Murder Case in the Area and Material Edition 1: The Progressers 


 * Asuna and Kirito's argument at the beginning of the episode originally came from the first material edition and ended in a duel between the two which Kirito barely won by using a feint of seemingly dual wielding. Eventually, the Geocrawler field boss was killed by playing a lullaby to make it fall asleep, instead of sacrificing the NPCs of the town.
 * In the novel, the events of the Murder Case began on April 22, 2024, while in the anime it was April 11, 2024.
 * In the light novel, Kirito, Asuna and Agil journey to the 1st Floor, where they confirm the death of the victim via the «Monument of Life» (which is later revealed to be a player whose name is similar in pronunciation to the alleged victim).
 * In the light novel, Asuna was wearing casual clothes tailored by Ashley in the inn, before changing into her guild attire after Kirito complimented her looks too late.
 * In the novel, Schmitt was the one who requested a meeting with Yolko, while in the anime, Yolko requests for a meeting with Schmitt.
 * Asuna and Kirito's meal and conversation with Heathcliff is omitted in the anime.
 * In the light novel, the Guilty Thorn was taken by Schmitt of the Divine Dragon Alliance from Kirito on the 48th Floor when Kirito was on his way to his accommodation at the time there, instead of being left to Agil for safekeeping.
 * In the light novel, Kirito goes outside the AREA and uses a throwing pick to test whether it is possible for piercing damage to harm a player within the AREA, but in the anime he tries to do it with the Guilty Thorn at Agil's shop.

Quotes

 * "No, the third is impossible. I kind of hate to admit it, but SAO's rules are essentially fair. I can't imagine this game allowing murders in safe areas." - Kirito

Episodio 5