She awakens.. naked.. afraid.. confused.. within a large transparent pod.. She feels cold.. shivering and wet as the cryogenic sleep wears off.. "K-Kirito?.... S-Sinon..? A-Asuna...? Touma!?" She calls out the names of her friends one by one.. hitting the inside of the pod with her fists. "Anybody!?" She then notices something strange around her neck.. small. not a collar.. as it goes around the back of her neck, not completely around.. using her reflection in the pod.. she reads the brand name.. "Neuro Linker.." She pushes open the door of the pod.. and falls into a desolate looking abandoned lab.. where is she? Or perhaps a more accurate question should be... WHEN is she?

After Mikoto sacrificed herself to save everyone from Zant and his dark master Diablo. Her Fluctlight has been trapped in Zant's place of origin. The game Hyrule Online. Kirito swears to save her, and along with Yui and Midna, they dive into the game in search of her while the 7 Kings of Pure Color finally begin the debate of an alliance, all except for White Cosmos of course. Kirito finds Mikoto.. however, he finds that Mikoto has once more had her memories taken away.. and what is worse, she has been given false ones tricking her into believing that she has lived in HYO all her life as an AI.. Can Kirito bring back Mikoto's memory? Or will she be stuck in a false reality forever?

A Great Event has come to all those who find thrill in VR gaming. The Sci Fi Connect Tournament. A Tournament between the greatest VR Sci Fi games of all time. And there is a prize in this game.. a prize unlike any anybody has ever known. A Sword.. but not just a virtual sword.. no.. The True sword... The True Sword of a Hero from eons long past... The True Master Sword.