Most Popular Books by Reki Kawahara

A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK! The secret feud between the Nachtoy and the Korloy families, who control the Volupta Grand Casino on the seventh floor, takes an unprecedented turn when Kirito and Asuna intervene. But when Kirito attempts to expose the Korloy family’s misdeeds, he ends up stumbling into a trap. Now he has just two days to unravel a mystery, put an end to an unscrupulous conspiracy, and defeat the floor boss. It’s all leading up to a showdown in the arena where everything’s on the line!

Linked up and logged into the deadly VMMORPG "Sword Art Online" in both the real and virtual worlds, Kirito is stuck in a hell of one man''s making, and like everyone else, unable to escape until the game is beaten. But while some players are crippled by fear and others throw themselves into completing the game, still others relax into everyday life in the face of their cruel predicament and live to the best of their ability...laughing, crying, but always enjoying the game. Among them are four women who make a mark upon the solo adventurer that Kirito has become: Silica, the beast-tamer; Lisbeth, the blacksmith; Yui, the mysterious orphan; and the tragic Sachi, never to be forgotten by the black swordsman...

It''s been just two months since they were trapped in the game of death that is Sword Art Online, and Kirito and Asuna continue their struggle at the vanguard of progress through the game. The fifth floor of Aincrad is a mazelike ruin, and the two dare to take pleasure in raiding it for the treasure it contains. Upon returning to the fourth floor, it''s time to do some questing on behalf of the Elf Lord Yofilis--but here begins Asuna''s discontent, for in doing so they will have to face her least favorite monster ever...

LUCK BE A LADY TONIGHT! u200bThe seventh floor of Aincrad—a massive casino where over half the game’s beta testers dropped out before launch. Kirito was among the many who lost everything in its Battle Arena back then. When an informant named Argo the Rat entices Kirito and Asuna with knowledge that could aid in their investigation, the pair soon plunge into the casino’s dark underbelly once more. Meanwhile, the “Elf War” quest also reaches a sudden turning point when a flurry of crises rock the dark elves’ home!

Die in the game, and you die in real life. The only way out is clearing the massive floating castle Aincrad. The pinnacle of heroic sagas kicks off here!

On the eightieth floor of the Central Cathedral, Kirito, Asuna, and Alice reunite with the petrified visage of Selka...and discover two more statuesque figures in need of assistance! Before Kirito can figure out a cure, though, he’s pulled away to Planet Admina to investigate an encroaching threat to the Underworld. Meanwhile, in Unital Ring, Sinon, Silica, and company are giving their all in the fight against the field bosses, but the conflict intensifies in a way almost no one could have predicted...

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! Kirito’s chance encounter with Eolyne, a man who bears a heart-rending resemblance to Eugeo, shakes him to his core. But now is no time to be sentimental. The fires of interworld war are being lit one by one, and the peaceful days in the Underworld may be numbered. Elsewhere, the decisive battle against Mutasina of the Virtual Study Society looms, and to make matters even worse, she’s used her powers to take a battalion of one hundred mages under her command! Can Kirito and company devise a strategy to defy their overwhelming disadvantage before time runs out...?

The party is shaken when their leader, Diavel, is struck down by the boss of the very first floor. Asuna and her teammates are confronted for the first time with the cruel reality of their situation: Sword Art Online is no mere game--death here is final. Their commander lost, the remaining fighters begin to lose heart and plan their retreat. But the fight must go on if they are to escape this game world, and in his dying moments, Diavel managed to convey his appointment for the next commander--Kirito!

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! Kirito reenters the world of VRMMOs, this time logging in to Gun Gale Online in order to investigate the Death Gun, an in-game item rumored to be responsible for real-world deaths. He immediately runs into trouble when, after transferring his old avatar into the new game, he discovers that he looks a bit more feminine than he''d anticipated! With the help of Sinon the sniper, he enters the Bullet of Bullets tournament and tries to adapt his old skills to the new gun-based combat of Gun Gale Online. He''ll need every friend he can get and every trick in the book, though, to learn the truth about the Death Gun!

After successfully untangling themselves from a dangerous encounter with the Black Poncho Man and clearing the fifth floor of Aincrad, Kirito and Asuna head to the next challenge, an area filled with...puzzles? What''s more, because of the precarious balance of power between two large guilds aiming for the same item, "The Flag of Valor", there''s also a murderous PK group to be wary of. As the problems seem to pile up, Kirito and Asuna face the sixth floor of Aincrad completely unaware of the malicious trap awaiting them!!

The goddess Urd is in danger, and only Kirito and his friends can save her! The evil frost giants have invaded her homeland of Jotunheim, bringing death and destruction in their wake. The linchpin of it all is the frost giant king''s sword-the legendary weapon Excalibur! If Kirito''s crew can make it to the end of the dungeon and pull the sword from the stone, peace will be brought to the land once more!

"There''s no way to beat this game. The only difference is when and where you die..." One month has passed since Akihiko Kayaba''s deadly game began, and the body count continues to rise. Two thousand players are already dead. Kirito and Asuna are two very different people, but they both desire to fight alone. Nonetheless, they find themselves drawn together to face challenges from both within and without. Given that the entire virtual world they now live in has been created as a deathtrap, the surviving players of Sword Art Online are starting to get desperate, and desperation makes them dangerous to loners like Kirito and Asuna. As it becomes clear that solitude equals suicide, will the two be able to overcome their differences to find the strength to believe in each other, and in so doing survive? Sword Art Online: Progressive is a new version of the Sword Art Online tale that starts at the beginning of Kirito and Asuna''s epic adventure--on the very first level of the deadly world of Aincrad!

"...CAST ASIDE YOUR DISTRACTIONS AND MAINTAIN THE TRANQUILITY OF YOUR HEART." At long last, Kirito and Asuna have reunited with Kizmel the dark elf, and everything is as it should be...Well, almost everything. As the three continue the Elf War campaign and hunt for the remaining sacred keys, they''re met with one surprise after another. Between the assassination attempts, off-script scenarios, and AI that seem a little too lifelike, Kirito can''t help but wonder if this is the same game he beta tested! And if that wasn''t enough, a shocking development allows the Curse of Stachion questline to finally come to an end-but not before the party receives another unwelcome visit from a PK agitator! Sword Art Online: Progressive, a new version of the Sword Art Online tale that chronicles the entirety of Kirito and Asuna''s epic adventure through Aincrad, continues!

After reaching the second floor of Aincrad, Asuna decided to have a player controlled blacksmith upgrade her beloved sword, a rare Wind Fleuret--but when the unimaginable happened and the sword was shattered in the attempt, Kirito suspected foul play. Did the blacksmith really just happen to destroy an incredibly valuable item? And if not, is there any way to get it back? And--if there really is a conspiracy of thieves--how can they be stopped before they spread too much mistrust? The game of death is bad enough already!

Read the novel that ignited the phenomenon! The final stress test bleeds into its second day. Driven to desperation by the Integrity Knights'' coordinated assault, the Dark Army reveals the ace up their sleeve! Critter, who has been observing the battle from the Ocean Turtle, has successfully created a gateway into the Underworld and masked it as an invitation to "an open beta test for a new, unannounced VRMMO." This digital invite bolsters the ranks of the Dark Army by the tens of thousands! Having already been pushed to her limits, the thought of taking on a fresh wave of bloodthirsty enemies fills Asuna with dread. But just when it seems like all is lost, two new deities of the Underworld appear to take up the fight: the Sun Goddess, Solus, and Terraria, the Earth Goddess. And the ones in possession of these super-accounts are none other than Sinon and Leafa!

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! After a brief respite, Kirito and Eugeo set off again to climb Central Cathedral-but the powerful Integrity Knights are not about to let them reach the top. Meanwhile, Kirito has learned the dark history of the Underworld and the true stakes of the battle they''re fighting, and every step toward Alice brings him closer to an impossible decision...

Read the novel that ignited the phenomenon! After three hundred years of conflict, a new era begins for the Underworld. The Lost Child of Vecta, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, has defeated the Dark God and given the world its first taste of peace. The human realm and dark realm have begun to intermingle, sparking the beginning of a much-needed cultural exchange. But while some see this as an opportunity to bury the hatchet and move forward, others are determined to sow the seeds of chaos anew. High in Central Cathedral, Apprentice Integrity Knight Ronie Arabel''s heart sinks as she receives foreboding words from Swordsman Delegate Kirito: "At this rate, there''s going to be another war."

Read the novel that ignited the phenomenon! The second day of the final stress test rages on. Lisbeth, Silica, and Asuna push through the pain as they hold out against the Dark Army. But their efforts fall short as Kirito is captured by PoH, the former leader of Laughing Coffin! With PoH''s twisted heart set on subjecting Kirito to the culmination of several years'' vengeance, he prepares to end him once and for all. But when hope seems lost, a voice cries out in Kirito''s heart. The voice of the person he lived with, laughed with, and fought with for years. The voice of his best friend...Grabbing hold of that light in the darkness, the Black Swordsman awakens...

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! u200bEveryone knows that any good MMO has an abundance of side quests to supplement the main story line. With that in mind, join Kirito and friends for a peek behind the scenes across four never-before-seen side stories! The Day Before: Kirito proposes to Asuna in-game, and soon discovers that married life has its own set of challenges. The Day After: Ever since arriving in ALO with a new avatar, Asuna’s been suffering from a form of withdrawal…Rainbow Bridge: After conquering the undersea temple, a mysterious conversation between Kraken and Leviathan sparks yet another adventure for Kirito’s party. Sisters’ Prayer: A heartwarming tale of two siblings and their involvement with the VR realm.

Read the novel that ignited the phenomenon! In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online - a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other - debuts, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG - a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "game over" means certain death - both virtual and real...

In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online - a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other - debuts, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG - a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "Game Over" means certain death - both virtual and real...

The mysterious player Morte has manipulated the human guilds into fighting on BOTH sides of the Elf War! While Kirito challenges him to a duel, Asuna has an important task of her own: steal the battle plans from the Forest Elves so she can end this quest before it turns deadly. They need to stop the war before anyone loses their life--permanently!

Kirito awakens in a vast, fantastical forest filled with towering trees. In his search for clues to the truth of his surroundings, he encounters a young boy who seems to know him. He ought to be a simple NPC, but the depth of his emotions seem no different than a human. As they search for the boy''s parents, Kirito finds a peculiar memory returning to him. A memory from his own childhood, of this boy and a girl, too, with golden hair, and a name he should have never forgotten--Alice.

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! A year has passed since Kirito and Asuna’s return from the Underworld. With them is Alice, who has been given a physical body. But their peace is quickly broken when the three are suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar game, Unital Ring. This new world is a survival MMO that fuses together every VRMMO created with the Seed program. As soon as it starts, Kirito finds himself with nothing but his underwear. Now, he’s got to challenge a mysterious VRMMOSVG under desperate circumstances!

Sword Art Online, the world''s first VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), may have started out as a game, but it has since become a matter of life and death for the ten thousand players trapped within. Two years after game programmer Akihiko Kayaba''s chilling declaration--"This might be a game, but it''s not something you play"--the number of players has dwindled to six thousand, and for many, every day is a struggle for survival. Though Kirito has stayed alive by making a name for himself as a solo adventurer in that time, his life undergoes a major change when he unwittingly joins Asuna''s powerful guild, the Knights of the Blood. What does fate have in store for Kirito, Asuna, and the brave young fighters who are risking their lives to return to the real world?!

Kirito has entered the new VRMMO Gun Gale Online in order to investigate the Death Gun incidents, only to discover his avatar is not exactly how he remembers it! He barely knows up from down in this new world, and he needs an ally. He may have found one in the mysterious female sniper Sinon, but she''s got an agenda of her own...

The Elf War rages on, with Kirito and Asuna caught in the middle! The forest elves seek the dark elves'' Secret Key, but to what end? Though Kirito tries to stay detached, Asuna can''t help being swept along for the ride. Kizmel is supposed to be just an NPC, right? But then why does she seem so very human...?

While Nezha attempts to atone for his misdeeds, the battle against Sword Art Online''s second-floor boss begins! Kirito''s uneasy alliance with the other front-runners seems to be holding, but what will happen when the floor boss corners them? Can Nezha rise to the occasion and seize a hero''s prize?

Kirito and Sinon''s battle with Death Gun is over, but mere weeks later, something strange is afoot in the next-generation VRMMO ALfheim Online. A new duelist with a custom sword skill is defeating all comers--including Kirito! But when Asuna goes to face this duelist, she receives something she never expected: An invitation to an exclusive guild! But what is their aim? The Mother''s Rosary arc begins!

After a close call with Morte and his PK gang during the Stachion questline, Asuna and Kirito make their way toward the front line. Trekking through the harsh desert, they arrive at the dark elf fortress Galey—where they’re reunited with their old companion, Kizmel, who gives them a clue about the poison pick Morte used in his last attack. But that lead will have to wait, as the three must retrieve the floor’s sacred key before the fallen elves bring their nefarious scheme that much closer to fruition...

After two hundred years, Kirito is finally reunited with Selka, Ronie and Tiese, but the girls are shocked to see Eolyne, who bears a striking resemblance to their fallen comrade. Then, with no time to process their feelings, the three Integrity Knights are thrown into battle alongside Eolyne and the Integrity Pilots. The old defenders of the Underworld join the new as the next chapter of the Unital Ring arc commences!

Two years into Kirito and Eugeo''s quest to reach the Central Cathedral, the pair have finally become elite disciples at the North Centoria Imperial Swordcraft Academy. Now all that''s left to do is train for the next tournament, build their relationships with their trainee pages, and do so without violating the Taboo Index. But just because this peaceful world is governed by law and order doesn''t mean evil can''t fester below the surface...and when it comes time to choose between the rules and what''s right, Kirito and Eugeo discover the darker secrets of the Underworld.

Read the novel that ignited the phenomenon! Kirito plunges into a suspicious new VRMMORPG called ALfheim Online to rescue Asuna, who never returned from Sword Art Online. ALO offers many features to entertain players in the wake of SAO: ultra-high-end graphics, action-heavy gameplay, a choice of fairy races, and a next-generation flight engine. Playing as a spriggan, Kirito heads for the location of Asuna''s prison--the top of the World Tree, the final destination of every player in the game! Along the way, Kirito nearly falls to a plot hatched by the enemy salamanders, just barely surviving the ordeal with the help of a sylph named Leafa and his Navigation Pixie, Yui. But just as Kirito and Leafa make it to the foot of the World Tree, the end of their quest in sight, each realizes the other has a very big secret...

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! Kirito has faced innumerable hardships in the two long years since he first awoke in the Underworld, but his greatest battle yet lies ahead. As they near Administrator''s chamber at the top of Central Cathedral, Kirito and Alice confront a heartrendingly familiar foe on the ninety-ninth floor. The final obstacle standing before them is none other than Eugeo...wearing the armor of an Integrity Knight! Can Kirito''s cries reach Eugeo in the tortured recesses of his mind? Or will Administrator have the last laugh?!

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! In the world of Unital Ring, the foreboding presence that has been targeting the party finally makes itself known! Elsewhere, a reunion with Seijirou Kikuoka leads Kirito, Asuna, and Alice back to the Underworld, where two-hundred years have passed since the great war. There, they meet descendants of Ronie and Tiese, as well as the new leader of the Integrity Knights. But something about this man seems all too familiar...A certain glint in his eyes reminiscent of someone dearly departed...

Zurück in die Vergangenheit! Auf einer der mittleren Ebenen von Aincrad wird ein Spieler ermordet! Da sich der Tatort in einer sicheren Zone befindet, in der die Spieler eigentlich unantastbar sein sollten, wirft dies einige Fragen auf. Auch die Mordmethode ist mysteriös. Kann etwa einer der Spieler die Regeln brechen? Kirito und Asuna gehen dem rätselhaften Fall nach. Die Sword Art Online-Saga wird in drei Kurzgeschichten fortgesetzt – sowohl in der Aincrad- als auch in der Alfheim-Ära.

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! u200bAs Kirito, Asuna, and Alice brave the wilds of the mysterious VRMMO Unital Ring, Sinon’s introduction to the world is equally harrowing. After numerous setbacks, she finds herself without friends or equipment—and barely any thirst points left to her name. Backed against a wall, she’ll need to defeat a terrifying boss monster to survive. Meanwhile, Kirito’s group splits up in order to search for Sinon and defend their home, unaware that a mysterious assailant lies in wait...

Two years after waking up in a mysterious fantasy world, Kirito and his oddly human NPC friend, Eugeo, continue their quest to become Integrity Knights--and find Alice, who disappeared so long ago and yet has somehow lingered in the back of Kirito''s mind. Their journey takes them to the Imperial Swordcraft Academy, where they must train to become two of the top twelve seats in the class to have even a hope of seeing Alice again. Meanwhile, as Asuna desperately searches for Kazuto Kirigaya, she stumbles across the deeper secret of his new world...

READ THE NOVEL THAT IGNITED THE PHENOMENON! In an effort to discover the truth behind Death Gun, Kirito has entered the Bullet of Bullets tournament in Gun Gale Online. Both he and Sinon the sniper girl have made it to the finals, and the reality of what they discover is stranger than anything they could''ve prepared for. As Sinon is forced to face her own past, lives are on the line once again, and Kirito struggles to connect Death Gun to events in the original SAO game--but can Death Gun''s bizarre rampage be stopped in time?

Vor zwei Jahren landete Kirito, der Held der SAO-Krise, in einer rätselhaften Fantasy-Welt: Underworld. Inzwischen sind er und sein bester Freund Eugeo zu Elite-Kadetten an der kaiserlichen Akademie der Schwertkünste geworden. Sie trainieren täglich für ihr Ziel, Integrationsritter zu werden, die mächtigsten Vollstrecker von Recht und Ordnung in der Menschenwelt, und freunden sich mit ihren beiden Pagen an – Ronie und Tiese. Alles scheint so friedlich in dieser Welt, voller Regeln und Ordnung. Bis eines Tages das Böse sein Gesicht erhebt ...