Als Kirito und Leafa eine tiefe Höhle durchqueren, werden sie von einer Gruppe Salamander angegriffen. Sie kämpfen erbittert, scheinen jedoch die Gruppe nicht besiegen zu können. Bis Yui die rettende Idee hat.
While passing through a cave, Leafa receives a message from Recon cautioning her to take care. She and Kirito then realize that they are being followed and try to escape, only to be cornered by a large group of Salamander players. Kirito asks Leafa to support him with her magic while he fights the group by himself. However, he is unable to break their formation until Yui comes up with a plan to have Leafa cast some protective magic on Kirito, while he conjures a spell that temporarily transforms him into a giant demon. In his new form, Kirito obliterates his enemies, but spares one whom Kirito bribes in exchange for information. The Salamander player reveals that his party was ordered to attack Kirito and Leafa by the same group which attacked them during their first encounter. After arriving at the next town, Suguha logs out for a while and answers a phone call from Shin'ichi. Shin'ichi tells her that Sigurd is in cahoots with the Salamanders, who plan on attacking the Sylphs and Cait Siths during a meeting to establish an alliance. Upon returning to the game, Leafa explains the situation to Kirito and states that it would be in his best interest to continue without her, as allying with the Salamanders may be the best option for him in order to reach the top of the World Tree. Kirito instead chooses to help her and makes use of his speed to break out of the cave with her.
En route pour l'Arbre du Monde, Kirito et ses compagnons progressent à travers une caverne gigantesque, le Ruger Corridor, lorsque Leafa reçoit un message de son ami Recon. Dans ce message il tente de les avertir d'un danger, mais c'est trop tard, une équipe de Salamanders est à leurs trousses et approche d'eux rapidement.
Lyfa e Kirito si addentrano all'interno delle caverne, ma poco prima di giungere alla città al loro interno, vengono attaccati da un gruppo di Salamander che li stava seguendo da qualche tempo. Salamander che, in base alle informazioni di Recon, stanno orchestrando un agguato a discapito delle altre fazioni.
《世界樹》をめざしてキリトたちが巨大な洞窟《ルグルー回廊》を進む中、リーファのもとに友人のレコンから１通のメッセージが届く。 その内容は警戒を促すものであったが、時すでに遅くサラマンダーの部隊が接近。追い詰められ、戦うしかない状況に陥ったキリトは、 リーファを回復役にして自分は単身敵陣に斬り込む。 だが、敵はキリトへの対策を練っており、固い前衛に足止めされたキリトにメイジ集団の魔法が降り注ぐ。
르구르를 통과하던 키리토와 리파는 샐러맨더 파티에게 따라잡힌다. 샐러맨더들은 키리토에 대한 맞춤 전략으로 점점 숨통을 조여오는데... 리파가 포기하려는 그때, 키리토가 괴성을 지르며 다시 달려나간다.
Algo não está certo... Racon enviou uma mensagem a Leafa: "Estou bem.Tome cuidado. S.". O que ele quis dizer e Leafa e Kirito terão tempo para entender essa mensagem?
Kirito descubre una nueva técnica y la emplea para enfretarse al enemigo. Por otro lado, debe tomar una decisión que tiene que ver con Yui.
桐人與莉法沿著巨大的山洞 魯古魯迴廊，往世界樹的方向前進。路上莉法後來收到朋友雷根的訊息，正當莉法在想內容是警告她要小心什麼時，火精靈的追兵已經來到，沒有退路被逼應戰的桐人，叫莉法專注使用回復魔法，自己一個上前與敵人戰鬥，但是敵人似乎有備而來，以多個魔法師同時向桐人攻擊，令他陷苦戰……
