December 20, 2025: Kirito and Asuna have a date at Agil's bar, where they reminisce about their time in SAO. In particular, Kirito and Asuna have fond memories of the cabin they lived in on the twenty-second floor of Aincrad. Agil tells them that an update going live soon would unlock floors 20 through 30 on New Aincrad, giving Kirito and Asuna a chance to find their home again.
Thus, on Christmas Eve, once the update goes live, Kirito and Asuna join a raid on the twenty-first floor's boss. After a fierce battle, the raiding party emerges victorious. Kirito and Asuna immediately go in search of their old cabin and, to their amazement, find it. They purchase it on the spot, having finally returned "home".
The following month, Asuna, Lisbeth, Leafa, and Silica are doing homework in the cabin home. As Kirito naps by the fireplace, Lisbeth tells Asuna about a player who had been gaining quite a reputation recently. Asuna's out of the loop on this player, since she had been away to Kyoto on family business and had no access to the internet.
The player, known as "Zekken" ("Absolute Sword"), was an extremely powerful player who, in recent months, had an open challenge to any player who wished to duel them. Every day, at 3:00 PM, they would wait on a small island under a tree on Aincrad's 24th floor and fight against any who challenged them to a duel. Thus far, they have gone completely undefeated: on the first day that they issued their challenge, thirty players fought them. None have bested them, but the challenges would keep coming because of a fabled Original Sword Skill that lead to an impressive 11-hit combo that Zekken would bestow upon any who could defeat them. Lisbeth, Leafa, and even Kirito each tried their hand at fighting Zekken, but each had been soundly defeated. When Kirito fought Zekken, he even had a conversation with them, but neither Lisbeth nor Leafa caught what they said.
After hearing about Zekken, Asuna decided to challenge them the next day. For now, however, she must log out, because she is late for dinner. Before logging out, though, Lisbeth cautions Asuna about just how skilled Zekken is: after fighting them, Lisbeth asked Kirito if they could've been an SAO survivor. Kirito says they weren't, but if they had been in SAO, with their reaction speeds, it was entirely likely he would've lost the "Dual Wielding" skill to Zekken...
