Sword Art Online Episode 07

Warmth of the Heart (心の温度) is the seventh episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It aired on August 18, 2012.

Plot
On June 24, 2024, a player blacksmith named Lisbeth, who has her own custom shop on the 48th Floor, Lindas, has just finished sharpening Asuna's rapier, Lambent Light. Lisbeth, with interest, asks Asuna why she isn't on the frontline that day. Asuna blushes and replies that she took the day off to meet with someone. Lisbeth notices Asuna's earrings, and quickly teases Asuna, but Asuna does not understand what she is implying. However Asuna quickly disregards the comment when she hears a bell, realizing she needs to hurry. Lisbeth then quietly remarks that Asuna has found someone precious. Asuna asks Lisbeth what she had just said, but Lisbeth tells her it was nothing and wishes her good luck with the date. Asuna reacts by saying "It's not like that!", before leaving. Now alone, Lisbeth wonders if she will find someone too.

Lisbeth is busy forging swords when she hears a customer coming into her shop. The customer is Kirito who has come to order a custom-made sword. Lisbeth, concerned about Kirito's wealth, wonders if he is capable of paying the costly fee due to his unimpressive appearance. But Kirito reassures her that money is not a problem, and asks for the best sword possible. When Lisbeth asks what stats the sword should have, Kirito answers that he wants the stats to be as good or better than Elucidator-a Demon Sword amongst monster drops. Lisbeth gives him the best sword that she has ever forged. Ignoring her protests, Lisbeth watches as Kirito tests her best-made weapon against his «Monster-Drop» weapon. To her dismay, her weapon breaks upon impact.

After witnessing the demise of her best weapon, Lisbeth is enraged. She challenges Kirito, claiming that she will make a better sword with the right material that will shatter Elucidator. Kirito is intrigued but also teases Lisbeth, stating that he would like a sword like that. Lisbeth, angered, strikes back, stating that he has to stay for the whole process, starting with the gathering of materials. Kirito states that he can get the materials alone, believing that Lisbeth will just get in his way. However, Lisbeth insists that she is not weak and that he needs a master smith to collect the metal. Kirito contemplates this and eventually agrees to bring Liz. She tells Kirito that the material is from a dragon that eats crystals and is rumored to contain the rare material inside its body.

Travelling together on the west mountain of the 55th floor, Lisbeth begins to grow cold, so Kirito gives her one of his coats. They reach a place filled with crystals, causing Lisbeth to run forward with glee, eager to explore. However, she is stopped by Kirito, who tells her to get a Teleport Crystal ready in case the dragon shows up, and to hide and not come out no matter what. Lisbeth insists that she can help, only to be adamantly refused by Kirito. Surprised, Lisbeth follows his instructions and stays put.

Kirito and Lisbeth soon encounter the ice dragon. Listening to Kirito, Liz hides in the crystals for safety while Kirito faces the monster head on. Liz watches and begins to admire Kirito. When Kirito dismembers the dragon's arm, Liz believes the battle to be over and comes out of hiding. The dragon sees her and attacks the smith, blowing her away into a deep hole. Kirito manages to come to Lisbeth's aid by shielding her and taking the damage from the fall.

The two survive the fall and reboost their HP, but quickly learn that they cannot use the teleport crystal to get out of the pit. Kirito runs up the wall in an attempt to escape but falls back down due to the slipperiness of the ice. The two resign to their fate and prepare to spend the night in the hole. Before falling asleep, Lisbeth asks Kirito why he saved her. He responds by saying that he thinks dying with someone together was better than letting them die alone. Lisbeth asks to hold Kirito's hand and they fall asleep in that position.

After resting for the night, Kirito digs a hole and finds the Crystallite Ingot. Kirito tells Lisbeth that they were in the dragon's nest and the reason why the material was so difficult to obtain was because it was, in fact, the dragon's faeces, grossing out Lisbeth. He tells her that the dragon is nocturnal, and it would will come soon. Seeing the dragon coming back for the day, Kirito grabs Lisbeth and runs up the wall to get on the dragon. He then stabs the dragon with Elucidator, and the dragon flies out of its nest in surprise, carrying him and Lisbeth along with it. They hold hands and detach themselves from the monster. While freefalling, Lisbeth confesses her feelings for Kirito. However, Kirito does not hear her over the roar of the wind. Undeterred, Lisbeth smiles and hugs him.

They return to Lisbeth's shop where Lisbeth forges the material into a sword named Dark Repulser. Kirito tests out the sword and is quite impressed and pleased with the results. Lisbeth insists that Kirito doesn't need to pay, offering to become his private blacksmith in exchange, which causes Kirito to blush. Lisbeth attempts to confess again, but is interrupted by Asuna, who hugs Liz and is relieved to find her safe and sound, but inquires to where she was last night. Liz replies that she was in a dungeon with Kirito. Shocked, Asuna finally notices Kirito. Lisbeth learns that Kirito came the Liz's store based on Asuna's recommendation. Lisbeth is heartbroken when she realizes that Asuna's crush is Kirito, but quickly covers her disappointment by telling Asuna that he broke one of her best swords. Lisbeth also quietly tells her that he's a bit of a weirdo, but is a good person, and wishes her good luck. Asuna blushes again upon hearing this and Liz leaves the shop to console her hurt feelings.

Kirito finds her after searching through the town. Liz tells him that she isn't used to the adventure and to forget everything she has said. Kirito tells her that without meeting her, he would still think dying was better than to live life alone and promises her that they will win this game and free themselves from this world.

New Characters

 * Lisbeth

Inventory

 * Kirito
 * Elucidator
 * Dark Repulser
 * Healing Potion
 * Asuna
 * Lambent Light
 * Lisbeth
 * Teleport Crystal
 * Healing Potion - Given by Kirito

Locations

 * Aincrad Floor 48 Lindus: Lisbeth's Smith Shop
 * Aincrad Floor 55: Western Mountain

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Volume 2, Warmth of the Heart.


 * In the novel, Lisbeth was sleeping in her rocking chair in her shop's terrace when Kirito came to the shop, as she had already finished forging swords for that day. In the anime however, she is still forging a sword for her day's orders.
 * Kirito doesn't show Lisbeth his Dual Blades Skill, while in the novel, Kirito actually shows his the skill to Lisbeth in order to try out the new sword and asks her to keep it a secret between them.
 * In the novel, Lisbeth takes Asuna to a small sidewalk cafe to chat, instead of doing so within her shop, after Asuna asks whether Kirito had said anything rude.
 * In the anime, when Kirito chases after Lisbeth from the shop, he doesn't mention about his guilt experience with his former guild while comforting her with gratitude.

Quotes

 * "Rather than letting someone die alone, it's better to die with them together" - Kirito
 * "I've honestly always thought it would be better to die than to survive alone. But when we fell into that hole, I was glad we both made it out. I was able to think that everyone and I are living as best as we can. So, thank you, Liz." - Kirito
 * "I've been searching all this time for something real in this world. For me, the warmth of your hand was that" - Lisbeth

Trivia

 * When Kirito and Lisbeth fall into the dragons' den, according to the Light Novel, Kirito used his sword to decrease the speed of their fall and rotated to be the one at the bottom to take most of the fall damage. They hit the ground with enough impact to put Kirito's HP into the red zone and bring Lisbeth's HP down to half, but they do not make a hole in the snow. Later, when Kirito attempts to run up the wall, he doesn't even get close enough to see the top, but when he falls he makes a knee-deep, Kirito shaped, hole in the ground.

Episodio 7