Kirito's attempts to fly directly to the top of the World Tree are rebuffed by an invisible ceiling put in the game to prevent players from reaching the top without first completing the Grand Quest. Atop the tree, Asuna hears Yui's cries for her "Mommy". In response, Asuna calls back, but gets no reply. Instead, she drops the admin card she had stolen from one of the scientists out of her cage, which Kirito catches.
Kirito asks how to access the way to the top of the tree. Leafa tells him the way is through the bottom of the tree, but even the strongest raid parties were unable to get past that point. Kirito thanks Leafa for her help, and departs in order to take on the Grand Quest.
Within the base of the World Tree, Kirito's path to the gate leading to the top is blocked by Guardian Knights. Even though the Knights' stats were average at best, they respawned so frequently and attacked so aggressively that fighting through them was like trying to fight a powerful boss. Try as Kirito might, he is unable to reach the gate, and is killed.
While waiting to respawn, Kirito laments his inability to overcome the limitations of the game, and his inability to save Asuna. Suddenly, Leafa appears in the tree, retrieving Kirito's in-game soul while evading the Knights and escaping to use a resurrection item on him. When Kirito tries to re-attempt the Grand Quest, Leafa stops him, begging him to return to his "normal" self and confessing her feelings for him. Kirito, however, is determined to complete the Grand Quest, reach the top of the World Tree, and save Asuna.
His saying Asuna's name, however, causes Leafa to come to a frightening realization: Kirito was her brother, Kazuto. When Leafa utters Kazuto's name, Kirito realizes who Leafa's player is as well. In a panic, Leafa logs out.
Kazuto knocks on Suguha's door as she re-awakens in the real world with tears in her eyes, believing her to be upset with him because he was using the Nervegear again. Suguha opens the door and berates him, admitting that she was in love with Kazuto, and that she had hoped to bury her feelings for him by falling in love with Kirito, only to realize who Kirito really was. Not only that, but she had known for some time, thanks to her mother, that Kazuto was actually her cousin and not her real brother, that the fact that they weren't real siblings was why he quit kendo and became obsessed with MMO games, and that she thought his being nice to her after returning from SAO meant she had a chance with him, and that she wished he would've remained a jerk to her so she would never have realized that she was in love with him.
All Kazuto can do is weakly apologize.
Suguha quietly returns to her room as Kazuto is left to combat his own grief.
- Anguished Declaration of Love: In the English dub, Suguha said "I love you", before telling Kazuto to leave her alone.
- Break the Cutie: Suguha does not take it well at all when she finds out that Kirito and Kazuto are one of the same. She immediately logs out, starts crying her eyes out, and lets out her feelings to him.
- Cannot Spit It Out: This becomes a pivotal plot point, as Suguha prevented herself from telling Kazuto that she is in love with him. But now, after getting breaking news, she gives out and lets him know exactly how she felt.
- Drama Bomb: The final scene in the episode, in which Suguha lets her feelings to Kazuto. This season had been building up to this moment, but it’s still devastating nonetheless.
- Dramatically Missing the Point: Kazuto at first believes that Suguha is devastated because she just found out that she has been using the AI software again and that he might get into another game-induced coma. This prompts Suguha to open the door and tell him what’s REALLY bothering her.
- Inelegant Blubbering: Upon resurfacing in the real world after a devastating revelation, Suguha almost immediately starts tearing up and shaking. And when berating Kazuto and confessing everything to him, she has tears streaming down her face.
- Internal Reveal: Kazuto tried to tell Suguha that she’s being silly when she confesses that she is in love with her, as they are brother and sister. Suguha blurts out that she knows that they are not siblings, as she was told this by her months ago. This shocks him, as he was sure that she had no idea.
- Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: Leafa immediately logs out of the game and back into the real world as Suguha upon finding out the Awful Truth. However, considering she and Kazuto live in the same house, she inevitably cannot avoid him as he is at her bedroom door asking what’s wrong.
- Something Only They Would Say: This is how Leafa/Suguha found out Kirito is Kazuto, due to him mentioning of saving Asuna. In turn, this is how Kirito found out who she is, due to her mentioning him by his true name.
