Sword Art Online Episode 09

Blue-Eyed Demon (青目の悪魔) is the ninth episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It aired on September 1, 2012.

Plot
While holding «Teleport crystals» in their hands, Kirito and Asuna enter the boss room of the 74th Floor. As the blue torches light up inside the room, they find a demon-like boss poised for battle in front of them with its great-sword. Its name is boldly stated as «The Gleam Eyes».

After fleeing from the boss room, Kirito and Asuna take a break in a safe-zone of the dungeon. While discussing a counter plan against the boss, Asuna asks Kirito why he only carries a single one-handed sword and not a shield as well, seeing that he had no particular need to increase his agility, and why had she never seen him using the sword that Lisbeth crafted. As Kirito is clearly uncomfortable with the question, Asuna, even though still curious, stops pursuing the matter and brings out a food basket.

After tasting Asuna's special homemade food and her self-made sauces, they encounter Klein and his guild, the «Fuurinkazan», as they enter the safe-zone. As Klein attempts to ask Asuna out, Kirito punches him, causing him to fall down. The other members of «Fuurinkazan» look at Kirito, but then recognize Asuna. Meanwhile, another guild known as the «Army» marches into the scene. The «Army» troop commander, Cobert, orders his troops to rest, and demands the mapping data from Kirito. Kirito gives it to him, as he was going to make the mapping data public anyway. After getting the data, Colbert orders his men to the boss room.



On their way, after Klein and his guild defeat some Lizardman Lords, they hear terrified screams coming from the boss room. As the group moves to the boss room, Klein and his guild fend off more Lizardman Lords that have spawned to stop them. As Kirito and Asuna watch the Army fight the boss, they are in bad shape, and the boss is blocking the exit. Kirito orders the soldiers to teleport out, but one of them tells them that the «Teleport Crystal»s can't be used in the room. This reminds Kirito of the incident where the Black Cats of the Full Moon were killed when an anti-crystal trap was activated. After witnessing Colbert's death, Asuna, Kirito and the others rush in to save the remaining survivors from The Gleam Eyes' attack.



Klein and his guild have managed to defeat the Lizardmen, and proceed to the boss room. As Kirito tells the others to fall back, Klein and his members help the fellow Army soldiers get out of the room. The boss is about to fire on them when Kirito attacks it's back, causing it to stumble and cancel the attack. The boss lands several hits on Kirito, and when Kirito is thinking about if he should use his «Dual Blades» skill, he looks at Klein, Asuna and then some other Army members on the verge of death. He then thinks about his previous guild, in which most of the members were killed when an «Anti-crystal zone» trap was set off.

The boss then attacks him, and he manages to block it. He begins to prepare his «Dual Blades» skill, asking Klein and Asuna to hold the boss off while he finds it on his menu. After finding the «Dual Blades» skill, he activates it, wielding both «Elucidator» and «Dark Repulser», which shocks everyone. He then unleashes the attacks on the boss, and activates Starburst Stream. During the process, the boss interrupts the ability by holding on one of his swords, and Kirito manages to kill the boss, but is at the verge of death.

After he regains consciousness, he learns from Klein that three players including Cobert have died in this boss battle; the first boss battle casualties since the 67th Floor. Klein asks about his «Dual Blades» skill, Kirito explains that the skill appeared in his skill window six months ago and that he doesn't know the conditions he met to unlock it, and why he didn't show it to the other players, as he wouldn't know what would happen if everyone knew about it. Klein, realizes why he didn't show it and knew how he would feel if he was Kirito. Klein and his guild leave to unlock access to the next floor and Asuna decides to take a break from the Knights of the Blood. The next day, Kirito is hiding out at Agil's shop, and Agil is reading the paper. Kirito tells him that the news is too exaggerated, as Agil says that a "blue demon killed an Army squadron and was killed by a guy's dual-bladed 50 slash combo". Kirito has been chased throughout the morning by swordsmen and info brokers due to the revelation of his «Dual Blades» skill and Lisbeth tells him that it's his fault for revealing "their" secret. Suddenly, Asuna returns, bearing news that something was wrong.

In the «Knight of the Blood»'s base on the 55th Floor, Kirito meets with the famous «KoB» leader: «Heathcliff», who challenges him to a duel for the sake of allowing Asuna to take a temporary leave from the guild. If Kirito wins, then Asuna can leave to be with him, however if Kirito were to lose, then he must join the «Knights of the Blood». Seeing as there's no talking out of it, Kirito boldly accepts, stating that he'd rather use swords than words.

New Characters

 * Heathcliff
 * Cobert

Named Monsters

 * Lizardman Lord
 * The Gleam Eyes

Guilds

 * Fuurinkazan
 * Aincrad Liberation Force
 * Knights of the Blood
 * Black Cats of the Full Moon (cameo, flashback)

Inventory

 * Kirito
 * Teleport Crystal
 * Elucidator
 * Dark Repulser
 * Sandwich - given by Asuna
 * Asuna
 * Teleport Crystal
 * Lambent Light
 * Sandwich
 * Klein
 * Karakurenai

Known Sword Skills

 * Starburst Stream - Kirito

Locations

 * Aincrad Floor 74: Labyrinth, Boss Room
 * Aincrad Floor 50: Algade - Agil's shop
 * Aincrad Floor 55: Grandum - KoB Headquarters

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Volume 1, Chapters 10, 11 and 12


 * In the light novel, Lisbeth doesn't appear in Agil's shop, therefore she does not mention about Kirito's "new" skill being their secret as of the "Warmth of the Heart" side story (Episode 07 and Volume 2 Warmth of the Heart).

Episodio 9