Entries

December 7th — Scouting Party Meat Review! • Boar: Absolutely incredible! • Grizzly: Absolutely incredible! • Nepenthes: Absolutely incredible! • Mountain Spirit: Absolutely incredible! • Bao: Absolutely incredible! • Spider: Absolutely not — Message from an adventurer

One of the scouting party spotted what looked like writing carved into a stone statue. Despite our attempts to discern what it said, nothing came of it. No new dungeons, no useful leads. All that time wasted... It's no surprise everyone's feeling a little down. Under different circumstances, piecing together clues like this might actually be fun. Just...not here. Not like this. — Message from an adventurer

There might be some connection between this place and that elven statue we found earlier. There's so much more attention detail in this game than I ever would've expected. What's frustrating is not knowing whether any of it actually matters when it comes to beating it and getting out. I want to keep everyone in the party from losing heart, so we're eating well tonight. — Message from an adventurer

Something's up ahead. I can feel it. But our supplies are running low, and the enemies here are way stronger than we expected for it only being the first floor. Could we make it through if we had more people with us? We've pushed as far as we possibly can. I think it's time to call it quits. — Message from an adventurer

I was trying to think of something I could do to help keep the party's spirits up, but somehow they ended up worrying about me instead. Knowing that everyone feels the same way, that we all want to be there for each other, actually gave us all a much-needed boost. We ended up talking about life back in the real world, and it turned into one of the best nights we've had. Come to think of it, I don't think I've opened up this much to anyone since logging into this game. Our lives may be on the line, but still being able to just enjoy the little things like that means everything. I need to make sure I don't forget that. — Message from an adventurer

I thought I had adjusted after the first floor, but mapping out this wasteland has been something else entirely. The heat, the thirst—I know it's all just electrical signals from the NerveGear, but SAO has a way of making you forget you're in a game. The exhaustion is starting to show on everyone. I've been trying to keep a strong face as team leader, but I'm not sure how much longer I can hide it. We've made it this far because of each other, but when I think about how many floors are still ahead of us... it's hard not to lose hope. I can't let anyone die. I owe it to everyone waiting on our map data to keep going. — Message from an adventurer

The view from here makes all the hardship feel worth it—at least for the moment. We're still out in the wilds, so I can't let my guard down yet. The second floor is flush with wide open spaces, but the complex terrain has made mapping it all out a real challenge. I can't wait to get back to an inn and sleep in a proper bed. I'd love to hear Lara sing again, too. I'm always too conscious of everyone around me to really enjoy her music when I'm stuck in a tent. According to the beta testers, Dessel—the main settlement on the third floor—has an open plaza that would be the perfect venue for a live performance. I really hope Lara gets to perform there someday. — Message from an adventurer

Deals medium damage to a single enemy. Defeating an enemy with this skill recovers a portion of support SP.

The protagonist accepts another request from Kirito, and they go off together in pursuit of a monster.

Restores a set amount of HP when dealing damage to an enemy. Taking damage reduces this effect's cooldown time.

A magic stone of the highest purity, obtained from a monster and named for its dull red glow. The energy within demands the skill of a master craftsman to integrate it into equipment.

As the underground door of the Black Iron Palace opens, the brooch changes. Hoping to find the Key Stone that will unlock its power, the party heads into the transformed dungeon...

A human town at the southernmost end of Aincrad's 1st Floor. It is the largest town in Aincrad and the 1st Floor's main residential area. Surrounded by a circular wall one kilometer in diameter, the town boasts an extravagant streetscape reminiscent of ancient European cities. These avenues branch out from a large cobblestone square at its heart, which is itself surrounded by trees. In the square stands the town's symbol, a huge chapel called the Black Iron Palace. It is said that deep inside lies a large ruin made of dark elf steel, the source of the twin goddesses' magic. The town has a long history, with humans choosing to gather around the Black Iron Palace in worship of the high elves; indeed, its development spans a thousand years. The provenance of the town's name is fairly obvious, with the town functioning as most adventurers' introduction to Aincrad, and their first base of operations.