03x01 - Underworld

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Sword Art Online". Aired in Japan between July and December 2012*

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Japanese light anime series is a virtual reality multiplayer online role-playing game called Sword Art Online (SAO) is released in the year 2022.
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03x01 - Underworld

Post by bunniefuu »

July , year in the time
of the realm of humanity

Forty-seven!

Fifty!

I only heard three good hits out of fifty.

Let's see, that brings it to total, huh?

Looks like you're treating me
to the siral water today, Eugeo.

Says the guy who's only at good hits.

I'll catch up in no time.

Come on, it's your turn...

Kirito.

Yeah, yeah.

One year and three months.

After swinging that a* this much every day...

I can't take much more of this.

There's no point complaining.

After all, it's our Calling
to cut down the Gigas Cedar.

Sure, I know that, but there's no sense
of accomplishment in this job.

Let's see. How much was its life before this?

Something like , .

A measly !

After toiling away for two months,
just a measly out of , -something?

We could keep going forever
and never cut it down!

Well, it is a tree that's renowned
for its steel-like durability.

The six generations of carvers before us
worked on it for years.

So it should take another generations...
about years.

Listen, you...

Ouch.

Why are you such a goody-goody?

Figure out how to deal
with this unfair role of ours instead!

Wh-What are you doing?

D-Darn you!

Let's see how you like it!

Why, you—

All right, do you give up?

Now you've done it!

Take that!

Payback time!

- Cut it out, Kirito!
- How about here!

Hey! I caught you slacking off again,
didn't I?

Crap.

H-Hey, Alice.

Y-You're done with your sacred arts class?

I mean, you're pretty early today.

I'm not early at all.

It's the same time as always.

Since you have enough energy to wrestle,

maybe I should tell Old Man Garitta
to increase your cutting quota?

N-No, anything but that!

I'm only kidding.

Now then...

...let's have lunch.

It's hot today...

...so eat fast before it all spoils, okay?

- Right!
- Right!

The pie sure tastes awesome today!

Your cooking skills are really improving, Alice!

Y-You really think so?
I felt like it was still missing something.

Still... This lunch is so tasty,
I wish we could've taken our time enjoying it.

Why does the heat make it spoil so quickly?

What do you mean, why?

During the winter we can leave
salted raw meat outside and it'll keep for days.

Sure, because it's cold during the winter.

That's right. So if we keep it cold,
our lunch will last longer, even at this time of year.

Are you going to use the forbidden
weather-altering arts to make it snow?

An Integrity Knight from the Axiom Church would
show up before you could blink and spirit you away.

Ice.

We could keep our food cold enough
if we had lots of ice.

And then we could enjoy these delicious lunches
for as long as we want!

That's it! Ice!

Let's go search for ice!

Listen, you...

It's summer. Where would we find ice?

I'm sure there isn't even any
in the Centoria market.

Hey...

Do you remember the story
about the hero Bercouli?

Which one?

You know.

"Bercouli and the Northern White Dragon."

The hero, Bercouli,
followed the Rul River to the north.

Inside a cave in the End Mountains, he found
a huge white dragon asleep atop a pile of treasure.

He took hold of a beautiful sword
in the treasure, but the instant he did...

According to the story, he found giant icicles
hanging just inside the cave, right?

So if we break some off...

Look, you...

That's not a bad idea.

Come on! You do know, don't you?
Under the laws of the village...

The village law forbids any child unaccompanied
by an adult from playing in the End Mountains.

But searching for ice doesn't count as playing.

If it means extending the life of our meals,
it will benefit the villagers, won't it?

So this should be interpreted as work.

I agree.

You're absolutely right.

Yeah, but going to the End Mountains
isn't just against village law,

it's forbidden by "that," right?

"That"?

You know what I mean.

The Taboo Index, of course.

We can't just violate the Taboo Index, can we?

Eugeo, this is what it says in the Index.

Taboo Index, Book One,
Chapter Three, Verse Eleven.

"Thou shalt not cross the End Mountains
that encircle the Human Empire."

By "cross," it means entering the Dark Territory
on the other side of the End Mountains.

That doesn't include entering the cave.

But...

Ouch!

All right, it's settled! Our next day off
will be spent looking for the white dragon...

no, I mean the ice cave!

Yeah!

Okay, then we'll meet at the North Gate at : AM.

Right! And don't oversleep!

Right back at you!

July , year in the time
of the realm of humanity

Jeez. Making us carry everything...

Well, you shouldn't complain.

I mean, we might not get to go out with Alice
like this much longer.

Since Alice is the daughter of the village elder,

I'm sure she'll get even more tied up
with her studies.

Well, the reason
she hasn't been given a Calling

is so she can study
how to hone her sacred arts skills.

And she might be forbidden
from playing with boys too,

to act as a role model
for the other villagers.

Hey!

What are you two whispering about?

U-Uh, nothing! Right?

Yeah.

We were just saying, we have to head back
to the village before the evening bell.

Oh?

That's true.

Then let's turn back
when Solus reaches the middle of the sky.

Now that that's settled, let's hurry!

By the way, did you know?

When this village was first founded,

occasionally evil spirits like goblins or orcs
would come from beyond the mountains,

and steal sheep or spirit away children!

What? Are you trying to scare me?

I know about that.

In the end, the Integrity Knights came from Centoria
and drove them away, right?

Ever since then, on sunny days,

you can see a Silver Dragon Knight
soaring far above the End Mountains!

There's no way... right?

A cave...

Is this the cave in the End Mountains?

Well, we have no choice but to go in now, right?

System Call.

Generate Luminous Element.

Adhere!

Hey, didn't you say that
the icicles were hanging just inside the cave?

Did I say that?

You did!

Eugeo?

Bring the light a little closer.

See? You saw that, didn't you?

Seriously? No wonder it feels colder now.

It's summer outside,
but it's winter inside this cave.

I'm sure there's ice, too!

Yeah. Let's go a little farther in.

Hey, what are we going to do
if we really come across a white dragon?

We'll have to run, of course.

Don't worry. The white dragon won't mind
if we just take some icicles.

But it would be great
to grab at least one scale...

Hey, what are you thinking?

Because if we can bring home proof
that we saw a real dragon...

Hey, it's ice!

There's ice! There's ice here!

I bet there's more up ahead!

That's...

This much ice should be enough
to keep all the food in the village cold.

Are you kidding?

We could make it winter
in the village for a while!

- Hey, don't stop all of a sudden!
- What is this?

Just what is...

...this?

The bones of the white dragon?

It d*ed?

Hey...

This is all scratched up.

And the tip's been cut off cleanly.

Was it fighting with something?

But what living creature could k*ll a dragon?

These are blade marks.

This dragon was k*lled by a human.

B-But...

...even the hero Bercouli
only managed to get away.

An Integrity Knight?

Don't tell me that an Integrity Knight
from the Axiom Church

k*lled a white dragon,
a protector of the realm of humanity?

I don't know.

There might be really powerful knights
in the Dark Territory, too.

But if there are, then the forces of darkness
could just cross over the End Mountains.

What are you doing, Kirito?

This is really heavy!

Could this possibly be...

Yeah. What Bercouli supposedly tried to steal.

It must be the Blue Rose Sword.

No good. It's too heavy.

Even Eugeo and I together couldn't carry it out.

Looks like there are all kinds of treasure, too.

Yeah. But we can't just take them, can we?

That would be like grave robbing.

But the White Dragon won't mind
if it's just some ice, right?

So pretty!

What a waste,
bringing it back just to have it melt.

But if it means our meals will last longer,
what does it matter?

You mean everybody's meals, right?

We'd better get going,
or we won't make it back by evening.

You're right.

Hey...

which way did we come in from?

We've been walking a long time now.

Do you think maybe
we came from the opposite direction?

You're the one who picked this path
because you thought it was closer.

Did you say something?

No, nothing!

Is that the wind?

We're almost outside!

We picked the right path!

Hey! You'll fall if you run in a place like this!

There's the exit!

This is...

...the Dark Territory.

We can't go any farther.

Dragon Knights...

The white one...

Is that an Axiom Church Integrity Knight?

So the black one's from the forces of darkness?

No!

Alice!

Taboo Index, Book One,
Chapter Three, Verse Eleven.

"Thou shalt not cross the End Mountains
that encircle the Human Empire."

Alice!

I-I...

I-It's all right, Alice.

It's not like you left the cave.
Right? Isn't that right, Kirito?

Kirito?

What's that?

Singular unit detected.

Tracing ID.

Coordinates fixed.

Report complete.

It's gone?

What was that just now?

I don't know.

Let's just head back!

All right, let's go home.

Right.

Okay, I'm going to go put this
in the basement.

Okay.

See you.

Look forward to tomorrow's lunch, okay?

Sure!

S-Sure.

Alice...

Don't go! Alice!

Alice!

Hey, Kirito!

Yeah. It's the Integrity Knight from yesterday.

No way! Alice...

It can't be.

Just for something like that?

Let's go!

Hey!

Alice!

Kirito! Eugeo!

Quiet.

You'd better get away while you can.

Father!

I serve as the village elder.
My name is Zuberg.

I am the Axiom Church Integrity Knight
overseeing northern Norlangarth,

Deusolbert Synthesis Seven.

For her crimes against the Taboo Index,
the child of Gasfut Zuberg, Alice Zuberg,

will now be apprehended, taken in,
and, after questioning, ex*cuted.

The charge is Taboo Index, Book One,
Chapter Three, Verse Eleven,

trespassing into the Dark Territory.

Sir Knight!

A-Alice never went into the Dark Territory!

She just touched the ground with one hand
for a second!

That's all she did!

What more do you think she had to do?

Th-Then we're just as guilty as she is!

We were there in that same place!

If you're taking her, then take us, too!

Eugeo... listen.

I'm going to swing the a* at him.

You grab Alice then and run!

K-Kirito... but that's...

Who cares about taboos?

Are you saying they're more important
than Alice's life?

Kirito!

Escort those two kids from the square.

Dammit!

Eugeo, please! Go after her!

Eugeo! At least get these guys off me! Then I'll...

Eugeo!

Alice!

Underworld

Saturday, June ,

This is a fully-a*t*matic Tanegashima!

You dirty PK jerks, how do you like this?

Damn!

You're up! I'll cover you!

Photon Swords?

Teams B and C,
head to Grid - to back up Team A.

You have permission to use grenades.

Hey, Boss, can I go too?

It's probably too late for that.

Just sit back and watch.

Leave this to me!

Again?

Time's up, huh?

All teams, retreat.

Move away from Grid - .

That would've been
the last prey for today, right?

You sure you want to end on a loss, Boss?

Battling an irregular squadron like that
won't do much good, training-wise.

We wouldn't want any negative effects
to carry over into the actual operation.

Let's go.

Till next time.

Man, I'd heard the rumors,
but GGO sure is a hardcore game.

I mean, you're allowed to PK all you want
wherever you are on the field!

Yeah, but even with no-holds-barred PK-ing,
that squadron we just fought was an anomaly.

Normally, you'd PK for money or items...

But those guys only seemed to be
focused on k*lling us.

They were tossing grenades and smoke
without restraint.

Wouldn't that put them in the red?

Probably. But they're always like that
whenever they show up.

They att*ck squadrons that are left isolated
on the field, m*ssacre them,

then vanish without even looting items.

Is it true they have a % win rate?

As far as I know, yes.

So...

I thought we could win
if we went after them in a really unusual style.

That's why I asked you all for your help.

Sorry. My plan had too many holes.

I never thought they'd just retreat like that!

But hey, it's not a defeat, right?

Nah, they're the ones who ran,
so it's the same as a win!

Not that we have any idea who they really are,
or what they're after.

Well, that's just... um...

I wish we could've
at least found out their leader's name.

It wasn't even clear which one of them
was the leader, though, was it?

Hey! Don't crash out like that!

He said he's been taking time off from school
since Thursday, touring companies.

He's probably tangled up
in some bizarre business again, huh?

You guys, thank you so much
for helping me out.

Hey, no biggie!

Later!

I had fun!

See you!

All right, I'm off, too.

Um... Asuna.

What is it?

There's actually something I need your help with.

You mean with the PK squadron?

Actually, it's something else.

Could you and Kirito meet with me
on the other side tomorrow?

Coming at the end of

Let's see... the evening should be okay.

Is Agil's shop all right with you?

Of course.

Oh, I'll email you the gist of what
I'm going to ask you. Read it over, okay?

Roger that!

Saturday, June ,

Hey, did you lose more weight?

You think so?

Never mind that.

Didn't you want to ask me something?

Is it about BoB?

Yeah.

There's a player named Subtilizer
who won BoB IV.

He also won the very first one.

We were all so fired up, you know.

About getting the chance
to face the legendary Subtilizer.

From what I could tell from the live feed,
he's got a silent, matter-of-fact fighting style.

It seemed similar to the vibe I was getting
from yesterday's PK squadron.

Hey, now that you mention it, it is.

The only difference is that
Subtilizer's on a whole other level.

It was the same with me, too, but...

He read my every move,
and forced me into extreme close combat.

I was k*lled
before I could even aim my g*n.

That's incredible.

To be able to anticipate the moves
of BoB veterans.

After playing enough to be considered a veteran,
you find yourself bound by theory,

so it might be easy to recognize patterns
in our movements.

Which brings me to my request.

The way I see it, a player who acts totally off-script
might be able to outmaneuver Subtilizer.

It may be a little early, but I'd like your help
in the fifth one at the end of the year.

That's why I've asked you here today.

Huh?

Whoever we're up against,
we're definitely going to win the next one!

Whatever it takes!

Looks like you're pretty much over it now.

It isn't like I'm not scared at all,
but I'm getting better.

By the way, how's he doing?

Shinkawa is...

Yeah, his condition's starting to stabilize.

I'm planning to visit him again soon.

I see.

Then that means the Death g*n incident
is wrapped up now, huh?

Although there's still one perp on the run.

Kikuoka said it's just a matter of time
before he's arrested, too.

Yeah. I guess so.

Hello!

Hey, there, Shino-non!

A-Asuna!

Hello, Asuna!

About BoB V, it's okay with me!

You asked Asuna, too?

Yes. I was a little nervous that
you'd spin out of control on your own,

so partly to serve as your limiter...

Hey, Kirito.


You've lost weight, haven't you?

You think so?

You see? Even Asuna thinks so!

It's because of your part-time job, isn't it?

Really. Overdoing it again.

It doesn't seem to be
affecting you physically, but...

What are you looking at?

What's this?

Don't stare at it like that.

Hold on, is this Kirito's...

You guessed right!

B-But how does that work?

I have a miniature sensor implanted right here.

It sends information more or less in real time
over the internet to Asuna's smartphone.

Wh-Wh-Why would you...

It wouldn't be an anti-cheating system,
would it?

- No, no!
- It's not!

They recommended it to me
when I started at my current part-time job.

Because it would be a hassle
to stick electrodes on me every time.

And when I told Asuna about it,
she started using it for this.

Well, looking at it
really sets my mind at ease.

To see that Kirito's heart is b*ating.

It makes me trip a little, you know!

That doesn't sound very good, Asuna.

Anyway, having you on my side
gives me an edge.

It's like having a heavy machine g*n
in a pillbox!

You won't be sorry you picked me!

Now, then...

Let's hear about your sketchy new job.

Though I'm sure it's as an alpha tester
for some new VRMMO game.

What I'm testing isn't a game app.

It's a brain-machine interface
for a new full-dive system.

It's being developed by Rath.

I've never heard of that company.

That's the name of an imaginary creature
that appears in Through the Looking-Glass.

Some say it's a pig,
while others say it's a turtle.

So they're going to release
a next-generation full-dive machine?

I don't know about that.

In the first place, it's completely different
from the current full-dive tech.

Different? What's the in-game world like?

I don't actually know.

I'm sure it's for the sake of confidentiality,

but any of the memories
the machine creates in this VR world,

I can't bring back to the real world.

Whatever I saw during the tests,
whatever I did,

I've forgotten every last detail.

Forgotten every last detail?

Don't tell me it's the same as the Augma?

Uh... no, it's not!

It doesn't put any stress on your brain
like the Augma did.

It's just that I can't remember,
since the Fluctlight is blocking the path.

Fluct...?

Should I explain the general concept?

About this machine...
the Soul Translator technology?

Where do you think the human soul is located?

Soul?

In your head... the brain, right?

The brain is more or less
a clump of brain cells, right?

So where among the brain cells
does the soul exist?

All cells, including brain cells,
are supported by a structural network.

Apparently, they're called microtubules.

Tubes. In other words, hollow pipes.

And there's something
sealed inside those hollow pipes.

What's inside them?

Light.

Light. A fluctuating light photon.

And that's what comprises the human soul,
according to Rath.

You mean that cluster of light is the human soul?

And at Rath, this thing that might be
the human soul is known as...

The Fluctlight.

So the machine that reads Fluctlights
is called the Soul Translator?

But you could do the opposite as well, right?

Opposite?

The Amusphere allows us
to experience the virtual world

by sending visual and audio signals
to the brain, right?

So couldn't the Soul Translator send information
to the soul in the same way?

Yeah, that's right.

The Soul Translator,

or STL, writes short-term memories
onto the Fluctlight to insert information

of the sights or sounds
it wants us to experience.

Apparently, it's called mnemonic visual data.

I have memories of my test dives
at the very beginning,

but it was different.

It was completely different.

Nothing like the VR world
created by the Amusphere.

At first, I couldn't even tell it was a virtual world.

But is it really safe?

It scares me.

It was Mr. Kikuoka of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
who offered you that job, wasn't it?

It's true that I have to be on my guard
around that guy.

But I want to know.

Where full-dive technology is headed.

I have a feeling.

There's something about the STL.

I mean, sure, terms like "Fluctlights"
and "mnemonic visual" sound complicated.

But the world created by the STL
is like a realistic dream.

A dream?

For example,
you have long dreams sometimes, right?

And when you wake up, it feels like
you've been dreaming for two or three hours.

But chances are, you've actually
only been dreaming for a few minutes.

The STL creates the same kind of phenomenon.

Um...

The same way that humans see dreams
spanning several hours in a matter of minutes,

you can also experience the virtual world
several times longer than the actual dive time.

That's the STL's featured function.

Fluctlight Acceleration.

FLA for short.

I'm so confused.

So during the three days you were diving,
about how much time did you spend inside?

I'm not sure.

I don't remember
whether it was ten days or a month.

The only thing they told me was the code name
of the experimental virtual world.

What's it called?

The Underworld.

Under... an underground world?

You know, that could be from Alice too.

See, that was what the manuscript version
of Alice in Wonderland was called.

The original title was
Alice's Adventures Under Ground.

Is something wrong?

Well, when I heard the name Alice,
it felt like a memory was about to surface.

Does that mean...

It's like...

It's like there's something
I need to do right away.

We'll be back soon, Agil!

Right.

Okay, I'll be in touch again about BoB.

Thanks for coming today.

Sure! See you, Shino-non!

Later, Asuna.

Let's go.

What's wrong?

N-Nothing. Let's go.

Kirito?

Asuna.

I'm thinking of going after all.

America?

Yeah.

The next generation full-dive tech research
is more advanced over there.

I have to see it.

The moment the next world is created.

It wasn't all just fun and games.

There was so much pain and sadness, too,
wasn't there?

Of course you want to find out
why that castle summoned you,

and where it all leads.

Not even living several centuries
would be long enough to find that out.

So...

I-I want...

I want you to come with me, Asuna.

I know that's asking a lot.

But even still, I...

I can't live without you!

Of course I'll go. With you.

I'll go wherever you go. No matter where!

Asuna...

But don't you want to research
the Soul Translator?

It's a next-generation interface, too, right?

I'm not sure about that.

I have a feeling it's not just a machine
that enables people to full-dive into virtual worlds.

Then what is it?

It might be a machine for learning more
about Fluctlights... about human consciousness.

And also...

I think the STL is an extension of his...
of Heathcliff's philosophy.

The commander's?

Why that guy used the NerveGear
and SAO to cause thousands of casualties,

why he b*rned out his own brain,

and on top of that scattered something
like the Seed all over the place...

I guess I do want to find out,
but I don't want that to be my career path.

Because that would feel like
he was still manipulating me.

Didn't you have a talk
with the commander's consciousness?

Yeah.

I have a feeling that the reason
he left a copy of himself behind

has something to do with what
Rath is trying to accomplish with the STL.

Excuse me!

Um, which way is the station?

Let's see...

Kirito?

You were skulking around the Dicey Cafe,
weren't you?

I guess an ambush isn't going to work.

Who are you?

Hey now, don't be like that, Kirito.

Oh wait, I always had a mask on
over there, didn't I?

Now that XaXa's been caught,
I have to show some grit, right?

As the last survivor of Laughing Coffin!

Johnny Black!

Nope! No sword there!

So you're still on the run?

Of course!

But really, Kirito...

Without your sword,
you're nothing but a feeble little brat, huh?

I can't believe you're the same swordsman
who b*at the crap out of me!

What about you?

You don't have your poisoned w*apon of choice.

Oh, I have it!

I have a poison w*apon, all right!

Death g*n!

Asuna! Run!

Kirito!

Next time: The Demon Tree.
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