Sword Art Online Episode 23

Bonds (絆) will be the twenty-third episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It will be aired on December 8, 2012.

Plot
Kazuto remembers when he discovered the truth about his parents and starts thinking about why he started playing video-games as a way to run away from reality, but after his two years in SAO he understands that it's the same. He then tells Suguha that he'll way for her in the north terace of Aarun.

Suguha feels sorry about how she talked to Kazuto but decides to enter ALO again, just to find Recon who had escaped from the Salamanders and followed her all the way to Aarun, he confesses and tries to kiss her, but Lyfa in return punches him and sends him rolling stairs down. He returns and tells her that he though that if he was honest about his feelings she will understand him.

Lyfa arrives to the terrace where Kirito is waiting, they decide to fight to express their feelings. The battle was taken to the air and on the last moment Lyfa throws her sword, aiming to be slashed by Kirito, but finds out that he did exactly the same, they end hugghed in mid air, where Kirito expresses his thoughs to her and she decides to help him rescue Asuna.

Back in front of the Dome, Kirito summons Yui, and she informs that the quest was made to be come impossible to be cleared, but that Kirito might be able to clear it by using his speed. Kirito, Lyfa and Recon decide to challenge the Grand Quest again, and everything begins smoothly with Kirito attacking and Lyfa and Recon stay behind for healing support, but everything changes when the Guardians start attacking Recon and Leafa, so Recon takes the offensive attacking with magic and attracting the Guardians' attention, and finally reveals his strongest spell, Self-Destruction magic, and uses it to take a huge quantity of Guardians.

With Recon's sacrifice they get a brieft relieve, but the Guardians resume their attack almost instantly, but when they were about to be surrounded, a squad of Sylph warriors appear, followed by a squadron of Caith Sith with tamed Dragons, Sakuya and Alicia appear to help. They explain that they owe Kirito their help because they finished their preparations with the money he gave them. Lyfa decides to take action and fights back-to-back with Kirito, opening some space to him, finally Kirito flies toward the highest part of the dome, but another group of Guardians appear in front of him. Lyfa thorws him her sword and with it he breaks through the Guardians and Arrive to the summit.

Alicia and Sakuya retreat, since their mission was complete. Kirito is thinking about why does the door doesn't open, and Yui eplains the the game Adimns blocked it and now one can open it, so, nobody can complete the quest. Kirito remembers the silver card and gives it to Yui, with the Aministrator rights, she opens the door and both enter.

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Sword Art Online Light Novel Volume 04