Episode Title:
Beater.
Episode Description:
One month later, over 2,000 players are already dead. Kirito attends a meeting organized by fellow beta-tester Diavel, who announces to the attendants that his party has discovered the 1st Floor's boss, Illfang the Kobold Lord. As players partner up to prepare for battle, Kirito teams up with a young mysterious girl named Asuna. The next day, Diavel and the players arrive at the boss room and battle Illfang and his minions. When Illfang's health becomes low, Diavel goes for the finishing attack, but before Diavel can see Illfang's true weapon, he is mortally wounded. With his dying breath, Diavel tells Kirito to defeat the boss and save the players at all costs. After Kirito successfully defeats Illfang, the other players accuse Kirito of killing Diavel by having previous knowledge about Illfang he did not share with other players and label him a "beater", a combination of the words "beta-tester" and "cheater". Kirito accepts the title and claims the prize for defeating Illfang: a black leather trench coat that quickly becomes his trademark. He then becomes the first player to clear the first floor by stepping through the gate.
