Sword Art Online Progressive Volume 04


 * This article is about the original Progressive light novel volume. You may be looking for the manga adaptation.

Sword Art Online Progressive Volume 4 (ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ 004, Sōdo Āto Onrain Puroguresshibu 004) is the fourth installment in the "Progressive" series, a reboot of the original Sword Art Online light novel series written by Kawahara Reki. This volume covers the events that took place while clearing the 5th Floor of Aincrad. It was released on December 10, 2015.

Scherzo of an Abyssal Dusk
Kirito and Asuna pondered about various recent events, including Morte's attempt at killing Kirito via a duel on the 3rd Floor. They considered the possibility, that Morte might have been the man in the black poncho, who incited the weapon upgrading scam on the 2nd Floor.

After their conversation, both returned to the main city to the restaurant Blink and Brink and ate a buff item, allowing them to find relics and random bits of treasures more easily. Kirito stated that there had been a fair number of relic hunters during the beta period, and thus assumed that the two main guilds were most likely doing the same at the moment to bolster their war chests. With the support of the buff, they earned some money and returned to the 4th Floor to receive their reward for helping defend Yofel Castle.

Kirito decided to choose a new sword to replace his current one. His previous sword was damaged beyond repair, and the current sword, which he had snatched from a Forest Elf, could only receive one more upgrade and thus couldn't become strong enough anymore. They met Agil, who explained that he was working as a merchant, and lent his boat to them, as their own gondola was moored at Yofel Castle at that time.

They went into the catacombs, where they found a small church and cleared a quest, which involved the ghost of a girl. During this incident, it was revealed that Asuna has issues with ghost type monsters, because she is afraid of incorporeal monsters. After Kirito and Asuna finished the quest, they went back to the restaurant and started to wonder why the buff wasn't sold out, and why Argo's guide hadn't shown up yet. After they went to their rooms, Asuna spotted Kirito leaving, tailed him and tried to catch up when he entered the dungeon. She followed him down to the 2nd level, but fell down a trap door after she was being confronted by a ghost and dropped her rapier.

Its grabbed by a monster and Asuna starts hunting it to get it back, while killing them she finds a hand written note and coordinates to a meeting on the floor she is one, she goes there and discovers morte and a collaberator discussing how to get both guilds to fight each other indicating one of them plans to sweep through the dungeon during a count down soon, Asuna causes a noise and throws the paper she found in order to attract another of the monster however it back fires as it is killed and was the one with her raiper. As it had been properly looted it was owned by the collaberator, after which Kirito shows up having heard some of the conversation and realizing that the sword is Asuna's while they prepare to fight him Asuna yells loudly starting the collaberator who she had noticed had a slight hand eye coordination issue to drop the rapier another monster grabs it but Asuna is quick and kills it regaining her rapier. The two consider how to deal with them but Kirito grabs her and using hiding to avoid the monsters Asuna's yell had alerted causing the two villians to run as they would be out mobbed. Asuna and Kirito have a moment were she relates what happens and him telling her she had done well. After which Asuna and Argo are relaxing in an instance village in a bath, commenting that the dark elves love their baths and Argo says that the forest elves bring out tons of food for their quest line, Asuna thinks about how they found Argo an hour after the events with mort and his ally. She had been waiting to scout out the sub boss at the bottom of the catacombs. Being a giant zombie and different from the beta Argo had spent the time figuring out the boss room which had a puzzle lever system that would open the ceiling and allow light making it weak. Thanks to that it had been easily beaten and she and Asuna talk with Asuna worrying about her Argo shows off in an informal duel how fast she is and shows a limited ability to walk on water. She explains she is a beta tester to Asuna and that its her duty and that while joining the front lines might be safer it would also be safer to stay in town whats she does is to important to getting out of the game. She also says that the only reason Kirito isn't doing this all solo and doing similarly risky things is because of her.

Adaption Notes

 * The last section of the volume, starting from the New Year countdown, was not part of the web version.