Sword Art Online Episode 20

General of the Blazing Flames (猛炎の将) is the twentieth episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It will be aired on November 17, 2012.

Plot
Kirito and Lyfa leave the caves and start flying toward the reunion location, in the way Yui detects 68 players, who were the Salamanders, and another 14 beside them who would probably be the leaders and their escorts. Leafa only prays that they arrive in time.

The Salamanders arrive and when they're just about to start the attack, Kirito appears and ask to talk to their commander, the General Eugene appears and Kirito states that he's from the Spriggan-Undine alliance and that they're supporting the Sylph and the Cait-Sith. Eugene doesn't believes him so, to prove if he was as strong as he claims he challenges him to survive against him for 30 seconds.

The battle starts and Eugene takes advantage by using his sword Gram's special ability, but Kirito doesn't gives up and attacks back, the 30 seconds pass, but Eugene decides to change the rule to a deathmatch, and continue attacking Kirito. Kirito takes some distance and summons a smoke curtain with magic, by taking advantage of the diversion, he takes Lyfa's sword and dissappears. Everyone, except Lyfa, believes that he scaped, but he was falling from higher up to clash with Eugene. Eugene was about to hit again with Gram's ability, but is deflected by the secon sword Kirito was using. Kirito attacks fiercely and Eugene can't even defend, so the Kirito wins almost instantly with just one round of attacks.

After the match, they revive Eugene and Kagemune appears, supporting Kirito's story, so Eugene decides to believe him and leave, just wanting another challenge with Kirito. After the Salamanders depart, Kirito confess that it was all a bluff and Lyfa explains Sakuya Sigurd's treason, and Sakuya expels him from the Sylphs. The leaders flirt with Kirito and ask him to join their respective forces, Lyfa tries to stop them, but it's Kirito in the end who rejects both, and tells them about his need to reach Aarun fast. He gives them a bunch of money to help them prepare for the assault towards the world tree, they thank him and leave.

Lyfa approaches Kirito as they see the Leaders leaving and Yui pops out of his pocket stating that he was cheating because his heart was beating faster, he just excuses himself by saying that he can't avoid it because he's a man, Lyfa asks if it's fine for her, and Yui tells her that yes, Kirito tells her that it's easy to talk and be with her, but messes up, so he starts flying and calls Lyfa to change the topic.

In the bird cage, Asuna wakes up and enters the code memorized before to open the door and leaves.

New Characters

 * Sakuya
 * Alicia Rue
 * Eugene

Adaptation Notes
Adapted from Sword Art Online Light Novel Volume 03

Quotes

 * "Running away isn't my style" - Kirito