Sword Art Online Episode 02

Beater (ビーター) is the second episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It aired on July 14, 2012.

Plot
A month has passed since the tutorial of Kayaba Akihiko; 2000 players have already died in the game and the First Floor is yet to be cleared.

On December 2nd of 2022; a self-proclaimed knight named «Diabel» called for a meeting at the town center of Tolbana. He announced that the Boss room in the labyrinth has been located. When all the attending players were asked to form into groups, Kirito partners with the only other player left behind named «Asuna».

The meeting was later interrupted by «Kibaou», a player who started demanding the apologies of «Beta Testers». However, «Agil» intervenes and defends the Beta Testers, stating that they should not be fully blamed as they had also helped by distributing their knowledge of the game. When the commotion ended, Diabel continued his speech and presented the latest guide book that describes the First Floor Boss in Closed Beta. At the end of the meeting, Kirito and Asuna were tasked to fight the sentinels.

The next day, the boss raid group enters the First floor Boss room, where «llfang the Kobold Lord» along with his re-spawning minions «Ruin Kobold Sentinels». When the Boss's fourth HP gauge reaches the red, Diabel orders everybody to stay back and tries to deliver the «Last Attack». However, the boss’ changing battle style was different from the one in beta, and it resulted with Diabel receiving a deadly combo from the Boss. In his last moment, he reveals to Kirito that he was also one of the «Beta Testers», and that he knew of Kirito from the beta and that was trying to hinder him from performing the «Last Attack» on the boss.

With Asuna’s help and everyone’s cooperation, Kirito perform Diabel’s last wish in defeating the boss and therefore obtaining the last attack rare bonus item. Everyone was celebrating their victory until the atmosphere changes when Kibaou and his group reminded everyone that their leader Diabel died, stating that Kirito let him die by withholding information. To deal with the growing anger against the «Beta Testers», Kirito made the bold decision to direct all the anger onto him by announcing himself as belonging to a new category known as «Beater» (Beta Tester + Cheater); a player who uses future knowledge obtained in the beta test version to benefit himself in the new death game. Kirito claims that he far exceeded the other beta testers. After equipping the boss item: «Coat of Midnight» to everyone, Kirito soon left them all behind and proceeds to open the gate to the next floor. Asuna briefly stops him to show her gratitude and also finally learns of his name. Kirito advises her to join a guild that she can trust. Kirito then dissolves the party and continues on to the next floor.

New Characters

 * Diabel
 * Asuna
 * Agil
 * Kibaou

Named Monsters

 * Illfang the Kobold Lord
 * Ruin Kobold Sentinel

Inventory

 * Kirito
 * Coat of Midnight
 * Anneal Blade +6
 * Leather Coat
 * Leather Shirt
 * Leather Band
 * Leather Ankles
 * Healing Potion
 * Asuna
 * Wind Fleuret +4
 * Illfang the Kobold Lord
 * Axe
 * Buckler
 * Nodachi
 * Ruin Kobold Sentinel
 * Pole Axe

Sword Skills

 * Linear - Asuna
 * Tsumujiguruma (Whirling Wheel) - Illfang the Kobold Lord
 * Hiōgi (Scarlet Fan) - Illfang the Kobold Lord
 * Ukifune (Floating Boat) - Illfang the Kobold Lord
 * Rage Spike - Kirito
 * Tsujikaze (Whirlwind) - Illfang the Kobold Lord
 * Slant - Kirito
 * Horizontal - Kirito
 * Vertical - Kirito
 * Gengetsu (Phantom Moon) - Illfang the Kobold Lord
 * Whirlwind - Agil
 * Sonic Leap - Kirito
 * Vertical Arc - Kirito (Last Attack)

Locations

 * Tolbana Town Center
 * Forest leading to the First Floor labyrinth.
 * First Floor Boss Room

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from the side story Aria in the Starless Night


 * The First Day side story was skipped entirely.
 * Kirito originally met Asuna at the 18th of 20 levels of the 1st floor dungeon.
 * Asuna’s past life before borrowing her brother’s console to play the game was omitted. As well as her 1 month character development from a kidnap damsel in distress to a near-suicidal player who constantly grinds her levels.
 * «Argo the Rat» was not introduced; the second player of Kirito’s friend list and the publisher of the SAO guide books.
 * The meeting for the boss raid took place after Kirito have lunch with Asuna.
 * No Kirito monologues about the danger of being known as a Beta Player; their life will be targeted as the one who helps release the death game. Also hurting other players is possible outside the safe boundary of the town and city.
 * Asuna actually regains her desire for life after speaking to Kirito; who frequently taught her the beauty of the virtual world.
 * No slice of life scenes of Kirito’s rented house, Asuna borrowing his bath and the visit from Argo.
 * Illfang the Kobold Lord was supposed to be covered in blue rather than red fur.
 * Diabel was now portrayed as a selfless «Beta Tester» who was looking out for everyone.
 * In the side story, Asuna voluntarily removes her hooded cloak herself and this help recaptures everyone’s morale after their leader’s death.
 * No mention of Kirito's habit of Last Attacking the boss.
 * No mention of Diabel and Kibaou being cohorts. Kibaou tries to purchase Kirito’s «Anneal Blade +6» at an outrageous price.
 * No demonstration of Kirito’s leadership as he directs the 7 raiding parties against the boss’s actions.
 * It was originally a player of Diabel’s group who accuses Kirito of allowing his death by withholding information.
 * No display of the in-game messaging feature; where players can send and receive messages to their known acquaintances.
 * The opening scenery of the 2nd floor was not shown.