Reki Kawahara Books in Order

Kirito logs into Sword Art Online and discovers that players cannot leave until they conquer its hundred floors. With virtual deaths becoming real ones, he must survive a game whose creator has turned immersive entertainment into a deadly prison.

Four stories explore Kirito's encounters with Silica the beast tamer, Lisbeth the blacksmith, the mysterious orphan Yui, and Sachi. Trapped in Aincrad, these players seek friendship and ordinary happiness while living under the threat of permanent death.

Brought back to reality after escaping Sword Art Online, Kirito finds that Asuna has not awakened. A picture of a captive girl draws him into ALfheim Online, a fairy game where flight offers new possibilities for rescuing her.

Bullied junior high student Haruyuki Arita retreats into virtual games until the admired Kuroyukihime introduces him to Brain Burst. Her invitation opens the Accelerated World, where he becomes a Burst Linker and discovers a different kind of battle.

Haruyuki's life grows complicated when an elementary school girl appears claiming to be his younger sister. Meanwhile, the dangerous Armor of Catastrophe threatens the Accelerated World, giving his flying avatar a crucial role in confronting the corrupted equipment.

A new seventh grader exploits Brain Burst to gain power in everyday life, yet his avatar cannot be found on the dueling list. With Kuroyukihime away, Haruyuki must confront an opponent capable of taking something he deeply values.

Kirito approaches ALfheim Online's World Tree, where Asuna remains imprisoned, with help from Leafa and Yui. Enemy salamanders complicate the rescue, while secrets between Kirito and Leafa threaten their partnership just as their destination comes within reach.

Seiji Nomi uses Brain Burst to dominate both virtual battles and school life. After his cunning strips Haruyuki of Silver Crow's wings, the defeated boy must find a way to fight without the ability that once made him exceptional.

Kirito enters Gun Gale Online to investigate Death Gun, an apparent connection between virtual attacks and real deaths. Guided by the sniper Sinon, he joins the Bullet of Bullets tournament and adapts his swordsmanship to a world dominated by firearms.

Kirito and Sinon reach the Bullet of Bullets finals while investigating Death Gun's real-world killings. As Sinon's past becomes impossible to avoid, Kirito searches for connections to Sword Art Online before the mysterious attacker claims another victim.

Chrome Disaster's lingering corruption weakens Haruyuki after his battle with the Acceleration Research Society. The Seven Kings demand purification, leaving him to choose between a punishing cleansing process and becoming a hunted player facing expulsion from the Accelerated World.

With Sky Raker returning to Nega Nebulus, Haruyuki joins a major Brain Burst mission involving the Hermes Cord space elevator. Kuroyukihime's expanded camera network and an unfamiliar scenario bring fresh complications, including unexpected intruders during an overnight gathering.

Nega Nebulus attempts to rescue Ardor Maiden as part of its effort to purify Silver Crow. Haruyuki's contact with her carries him into the forbidden Imperial Palace, where visions of Chrome Falcon and Saffron Blossom raise unsettling questions.

Three stories revisit Kirito's experiences across virtual worlds: a killing inside Aincrad's supposedly safe zone, the quest for Excalibur in ALfheim Online, and his earliest survival efforts as a trapped player relying on knowledge from the beta test.

This collection revisits Haruyuki's desperate search for Aqua Current when his burst points run low, Kuroyukihime's unexpected duel during an Okinawa school trip, and a challenge from a mysterious black-clad player who fights with two swords.

An unfamiliar ALfheim Online duelist defeats every challenger, including Kirito, using a distinctive sword skill. When Asuna tests this formidable opponent herself, she receives an unexpected guild invitation and must discover what its members hope to achieve.

Haruyuki faces Takumu in a battle complicated by the dangerous ISS kit and the purified Armor of Destiny. Saving his friend requires more than winning a duel, as the equipment threatens to draw both boys into darkness.

Fused with the Armor of Catastrophe, Haruyuki follows the anger provoked by Ash Roller's suffering toward the Acceleration Research Society. His pursuit of the ISS kit's creators encounters Green Grande and a shield that obstructs his advance.

Kirito awakens in an unfamiliar forest and meets a boy whose emotions seem far too human for an ordinary NPC. Their search for answers stirs memories of a shared childhood and a golden-haired girl named Alice.

Kirito and Eugeo enter the Imperial Swordcraft Academy, hoping to earn the rank needed to reach the Integrity Knights and find Alice. Outside their mysterious world, Asuna searches for Kirito and the truth behind his disappearance.

Now elite Swordcraft Academy disciples, Kirito and Eugeo prepare for a tournament while mentoring younger students. Their pursuit of Alice runs into the Taboo Index, forcing them to confront the conflict between obeying the law and protecting others.

One month into Sword Art Online's deadly confinement, Kirito and Asuna prefer to fight alone. Mounting deaths and desperate fellow players force them toward an uneasy partnership as they begin clearing Aincrad's earliest floors and learning to trust.

The Seven Kings devise a plan to defeat Metatron and reach the Acceleration Research Society's headquarters. Haruyuki must develop Theoretical Mirror to survive the enemy's laser, but imagination alone cannot produce the new ability he needs.

Separated near the top of Central Cathedral, Kirito climbs its exterior with Alice while Eugeo confronts commander Bercouli. Their different routes test unlikely alliances and swordsmanship as they push toward the final stages of their journey.

Kirito and Eugeo resume climbing Central Cathedral, where powerful Integrity Knights block their route to Alice. Armed with knowledge of the Underworld's dark history, Kirito faces increasingly difficult choices as the true stakes of their mission become clear.

A school festival brings jealousies and invitations, but danger in the Accelerated World interrupts Haruyuki's concerns. With Magenta Scissor and ISS kits threatening others, the effort to rescue Aqua Current leads toward Seiryu and a devastating Level Drain attack.

Kirito and Asuna reach Aincrad's third floor and form an alliance with the elven knight Kizmel. Her unexpectedly sophisticated behavior complicates their understanding of NPCs, while divisions among elves and a mysterious challenger's duel introduce new dangers.

Haruyuki prepares for the school culture festival while trouble intensifies in the Accelerated World. Magenta Scissor's approach forces him to test his developing Optical Conduction ability, as an apparently peaceful interval gives way to the threat of tragedy.

Defeated by Wolfram Cerberus, Haruyuki struggles to obtain the Theoretical Mirror ability required for the mission against Metatron. Assistance from the unusual chocolate-themed avatar Chocolat Puppeteer offers a new approach to a problem his usual strengths cannot solve.

Kirito remains incapacitated months after the struggle against Administrator, and Alice must adjust to life while caring for him. As armies gather in the Dark Territory, she and Bercouli face preparations for the approaching Final Stress Test.

Kirito and Alice approach Administrator at the top of Central Cathedral, only to encounter Eugeo as an Integrity Knight. Kirito must reach his friend's buried self while facing an opponent whose transformed identity threatens their shared mission.

After defeating the Acceleration Research Society, Nega Nebulus prepares to confront the White Legion. Haruyuki travels to Shibuya to arrange an alliance with the Green Legion, only to find Kuroyukihime awaiting him in an unexpected situation.

Liz, Silica, and Leafa pursue a magical ring in ALfheim Online and encounter unexpectedly powerful monsters. A mysterious swordsman offers help, drawing the trio into an adventure shaped by the emotional wounds left by Sword Art Online.

Kirito and Asuna discover that Aincrad's fourth floor has become a world of rivers and gondolas. To travel through it, they need their own boat, but acquiring one means confronting the enormous fiery beast Magnaterium.

Blessed by Metatron, Haruyuki joins Takumu, Chiyuri, and Blood Leopard in a mission to rescue Nico. The Acceleration Research Society's base holds Black Vise, Argon Array, and a new version of the Disaster Armor that threatens their effort.

Self-conscious about her height, college student Karen Kohiruimaki finds freedom in Gun Gale Online as the small, pink-clad LLENN. Her friendship with Pitohui draws her toward Squad Jam, a tournament that turns virtual gunfights into team survival contests.

Gabriel Miller leads the Dark Territory's massive army as Emperor Vecta against Bercouli's outnumbered defenders. With Kirito unable to fight, his allies struggle to protect him while enemy magic threatens the battlefield and Asuna approaches the conflict.

After their adventure ruins their clothing, Liz, Silica, Leafa, and Lux seek the master tailor Ashley. Her expensive services send the girls into a swimsuit contest, where replacing their wardrobes becomes another complicated challenge in the virtual world.

Kirito and Asuna explore the treasure-filled ruins of Aincrad's fifth floor two months after becoming trapped. Returning to the fourth floor brings another assignment from Elf Lord Yofilis and an encounter with a monster Asuna particularly dislikes.

Determined to help Kuroyukihime uncover Brain Burst's truth before graduation, Haruyuki enters the Castle and reunites with Graphite Edge and Trilead Tetroxide. Their knowledge becomes crucial as the Black and Red Legions prepare to confront Oscillatory Universe.

Karen initially has little interest in the second Squad Jam despite winning the first tournament. A stalker's cryptic warning that someone will die on the night of the event forces LLENN back into battle to prevent a feared tragedy.

Traumatized teenager Minoru Utsugi wants only to disappear from other people’s lives. A mysterious object grants him an extraordinary defensive power, but similarly transformed individuals threaten those he cares about, forcing him to confront his desire for solitude.

Nega Nebulus seeks an alliance with the Green Legion to strengthen its position against the White Legion. Negotiations with Green Grande are interrupted by an unexpected visitor, complicating efforts to secure support in the Accelerated World.

A deceptive invitation brings thousands of new combatants into the Underworld, reinforcing the Dark Army during the final stress test. Asuna struggles against the growing assault as Sinon and Leafa enter with powerful accounts to support her.

Asuna, Lisbeth, and Silica fight to hold back the Dark Army during the Underworld’s final stress test. Kirito falls into PoH’s hands, leaving his friends struggling against an enemy driven by years of hatred and revenge.

Leafa, Silica, Liz, and Lux encounter a guild causing trouble in ALfheim Online. Its leader Gwen unsettles Lux, bringing their shared history in Sword Art Online into a new adventure that threatens to expose her past.

Minoru’s power of Isolation attracts an organization fighting the murderous Ruby Eyes. He agrees to help Yumiko defend humanity, but demands that his existence eventually be erased from everyone’s memory, complicating his entry into a secret war.

Nega Nebulus and Prominence unite to confront the White Legion’s suspected ties to the Acceleration Research Society. Haruyuki must adjust to the expanded legion’s strength while preparing for an enemy whose motives and capabilities remain uncertain.

Minoru joins Suu Komura, the powerful Refractor, on an assault against a Ruby Eye stronghold. Their mission targets the Liquidizer, but unexpected developments challenge their assumptions about the enemy and the dangers awaiting them inside the base.

Lux’s connection to Laughing Coffin and her troubled history with Gwen emerge as her friends prepare to confront the Batty Bats. A quest to eliminate Gwen forces Lux to weigh loyalty against the threat her former friend poses.

Peace brings cultural exchange between the Underworld’s human and dark realms, but not everyone welcomes reconciliation. Apprentice knight Ronie Arabel faces Kirito’s warning of renewed war as hidden opponents seek to undermine the fragile new order.

Kirito’s pursuit of a kidnapper leads Asuna to investigate the past through her scrying art. Before they can act on what she discovers, Ronie and Tiese are captured, forcing a young dragon into a dangerous rescue.

Nega Nebulus obtains recorded evidence linking the White Legion to the Acceleration Research Society. Haruyuki and his allies prepare to expose the connection at a meeting of the Seven Kings, risking confrontation with a powerful rival.

With Suu gravely injured, Minoru questions the cost of fighting the Ruby Eyes. A mysterious attacker called the Stinger targets both sides, forcing Minoru and Yumiko to investigate a threat whose identity and purpose remain unknown.

Kirito and Asuna enter Aincrad’s puzzle-filled sixth floor amid rivalry between major guilds over the Flag of Valor. A murderous player group adds danger, leaving their progress vulnerable to a trap they have not yet recognized.

Kirito and Asuna reunite with dark elf Kizmel while working to clear Aincrad’s sixth floor. Collecting keys, pursuing a secret quest, and encountering unusually lifelike artificial intelligence complicate their efforts to survive the next stage together.

Aincrad’s seventh floor offers a vast casino where Kirito once lost everything during beta testing. Argo’s information draws him and Asuna into its hidden dangers, while new crises threaten the dark elves and their ongoing quest.

Llenn joins Miyu for the second Squad Jam, determined to stop Pitohui before the tournament endangers her real life. Reaching their increasingly destructive opponent means fighting through rival teams while confronting a deadly condition attached to the game.

Llenn, Pitohui, Fukaziroh, and M unite for the third Squad Jam, but the tournament presents unfamiliar dangers. A sinking battlefield, a concealed central area, and a delayed special rule complicate their plans to defeat the competing teams.

The third Squad Jam’s special rule forces selected players to fight against their former teammates. With Pitohui delighted to join the opposing side, Llenn must adapt to betrayal and a battlefield whose mysterious center holds another surprise.

Defeating the Sun God Inti is essential to reaching Snow White, but ordinary attacks cannot overcome him. Haruyuki seeks instruction from Centaurea Sentry, the third Chrome Disaster, hoping to master the swordsmanship needed for his Lucid Blade.

White Cosmos traps Kuroyukihime and the other kings after the White Legion’s crimes are exposed. Haruyuki must challenge the Sun God Inti to rescue them from a threat that could condemn their avatars to endless defeat.

Haruyuki and his friends barely defeat Inti before the Deity of Demise threatens the Accelerated World. With the White Legion conflict approaching its conclusion and allies falling, Haruyuki must discover new strength and make a painful decision.

Former Squad Jam winners receive invitations to test a new game mode: capturing a base defended by advanced artificial intelligence. Llenn reluctantly participates, hoping for a rematch with SHINC while discovering how formidable the defenders can be.

Karen prepares for the fourth Squad Jam, expecting another demanding battle in Gun Gale Online. An unexpected marriage proposal interrupts her team’s strategy meeting, creating a real-world complication that proves harder to evade than familiar virtual opponents.

The Liquidizer approaches Minoru with a proposed exchange involving captured opponents. Secret negotiations draw him into an uneasy rescue mission, while a classmate’s mysterious illness presents another problem that his protective abilities may not easily solve.

Lux faces an opponent built from Kirito’s Sword Art Online combat data, struggling to withstand his growing strength. With help approaching, she must hold out while her friends confront the false Black Swordsman’s formidable army of warriors.

Four side stories follow Kirito and his companions beyond their main adventures. In-game marriage, Asuna’s adjustment to a new avatar, an undersea mystery, and two sisters’ experiences with virtual reality explore challenges within their expanding digital lives.

Kirito, Asuna, and Alice are unexpectedly transported into Unital Ring, a survival game combining worlds created through the Seed. Stripped of familiar resources, they must learn new rules and build a way to survive its unfamiliar wilderness.

Sinon enters Unital Ring without allies or equipment and faces dwindling resources and a dangerous boss. Kirito’s group divides between finding her and protecting their home, unaware that another enemy is preparing to strike at them.

Tezcatlipoca’s arrival drives Haruyuki away from Nega Nebulus and into the White King’s ranks. At Eternal Girls’ Academy he confronts the Seven Dwarves’ identities and a new trial, while his separation from Kuroyukihime puts their bond in question.

Kirito and Asuna intervene in the feud between two families controlling Aincrad’s seventh-floor casino. Trapped while investigating wrongdoing, Kirito has only two days to expose a conspiracy, solve its mystery, and prepare for the floor boss.

Kirito encounters Eolyne, whose resemblance to a lost friend unsettles him as war threatens the Underworld. Meanwhile, Mutasina commands a hundred mages in Unital Ring, forcing Kirito’s allies to prepare for a battle against overwhelming numbers.

Llenn and her teammates prepare for the fifth Squad Jam, where players may exchange equipment during combat. A massive bounty placed on Llenn adds another complication, turning her into a lucrative target for every rival team.

An enemy targeting Kirito’s party emerges in Unital Ring while a reunion with Kikuoka opens a route back to the Underworld. Two centuries of change and a strangely familiar Integrity Knight leader confront Kirito, Asuna, and Alice.

Kirito encounters Eolyne, whose resemblance to a lost friend unsettles him as war threatens the Underworld. Meanwhile, Mutasina commands a hundred mages in Unital Ring, forcing Kirito’s allies to prepare for a battle against overwhelming numbers.

Kirito, Asuna, and Alice discover more petrified companions in the Central Cathedral, but a threat draws Kirito to Planet Admina before he can help. Back in Unital Ring, his friends face an unexpectedly escalating battle.

Kirito reunites with long-separated companions, whose joy is unsettled by a commander resembling Eugeo. A new attack forces old and new defenders of the Underworld together, while his friends enter another dangerous stage of Unital Ring.

Yuuma’s class remains trapped in a deadly mixed-reality game populated by transformed classmates and enormous creatures. Guided by the demon possessing his twin sister, Yuuma and his friends search for missing Nagi, only to face an unexpected encounter.

Sixth-grader Yuuma and his twin sister play a new virtual-reality game that suddenly merges with their world. A classmate’s transformation into a monster reveals the danger they face, turning familiar surroundings into a struggle to stay alive.

Yuuma tries to unite his trapped classmates, but betrayal and a surprise attack turn several students to stone. As more children undergo demonic transformations, survival depends on learning to coexist with their demons and confronting the cost of that compromise.

Drive Linkers invade Brain Burst from Dread Drive 2047, bringing an unfamiliar threat to the battlefield. Their advance force overwhelms Burst Linkers, while Silver Crow gains new abilities that may affect the outcome of the war between worlds.

The conflict between the Underworld Space Force and Central Cathedral intensifies as Integrity Knight Fanatio returns to battle. Asuna faces a long-awaited surprise in the real world, while reunions and fresh dangers keep Kirito’s group from relaxing their vigilance.

Silver Crow narrowly repels Eurochion’s invasion while Metatron and other powerful beings defend against their own attackers. A mysterious encounter opens another front in the conflict, leading Crow toward the castle belonging to Nyx, the Goddess of Night.

Kirito gains extraordinary strength after becoming a vampire-like Civis Nocte, at the cost of vulnerability to sunlight. Pursuing stolen sacred keys with Asuna and Kizmel leads back to the fourth floor, where an elven dispute reveals unexpected history.