As Erika came from the Real World, she notices that Leafa and Mizuki was waiting for her. 

"Oh, hey, you guys! Did I keep you waiting?" She asks the two players. 

"Nope, not at all. Actually, we just arrived here." Mizuki said, as Erika notices that Recon wasn't with them. 

"Where's Recon? Isn't he coming with us to the World Tree?" She asked, looking for the player. 

"Recon decided to stay at Sylph Territory for the time being. He told us that he would meet us there when all the quests he been offered is done."  Leafa explain of Recon's absence. 

"Oh, well, at least that he's going to be all right." Erika said, being relieved of Recon's decision to stay. 

Personally, she was kind of worried about her friends in AFO, and she couldn't allow any of them getting hurt . 

Erika also knew that Kirito is probably waiting for her, as she looks directly at the two girls. 

"Do you know where we should go from here?" She asked. Yui came out of her pocket, as the little pixie said, "Well, there is a cave through here. We can go across on land for a while. " 

"I think that's a good idea. I mean , we've been using our wings for a while now. We should let them rest." Leafa said. 

The trio went through the cave, as suddenly, Mizuki stops both of them, as Leafa asked, "What is it?"

An arrow was formed, as that it was an enemy soldiers wanted to attack them! 

"Seriously!" Leafa demanded, as one of them came out as to be it was an army of Salamander players. 

They weren't thrilled of seeing the girls. 

"We have to do something!" Leafa said. 

Erika nods, "Yeah, they don't look too happy about us going through here." 

That was she thought back when she was in SAO, the one of the bosses she had to face: The Gleam -Eyes Horned Beast. 

It was a hard battle, as that if anyone should be feared it would that be one. 

"Mizuki, Leafa! I need couple of minutes . I need to use an spell, but it would need some incantation to do it!" She said. 

"We got it!" Mizuki said, understanding that she needed the time she needs. 

Leafa was curious as she uses her attacks as she watches Erika recites a spell, a spell that was surprise her. 

"No way, she's going to use Illusion Magic! Why would she use that?"

https://youtu.be/vZOiUrnT7-0

The image that came out was the Gleam-Eyes Beast as the two girls were mesmerized by the illusion, as Erika faced them on her own accord, as the army was terrified by the illusion, and fled.

The two girls came towards Erika as the illusion fades away. Yui said, beaming happily, "Well, done, Mommy!" 

Erika pants as she feels her hands. It was nothing she ever done before in another game. 

"Are you all right, Erika?" Leafa asked. 

"I think so. That was my first time using Illusion Magic." She said, which made both girls to be shocked. 

"Wait, that was really your first time using that spell? Erika, you pulled it off like you've done it before! 

I've never seen a Sylph ever pulled off an crazy, hard advance spell like that!" Mizuki exclaimed. 

Erika blushed, as they found a place to settle for the night. 

Erika watched both girls sleep, as Erika looks at her log in screen and looked at the map of AFO. 

It was so big and the World Tree, or as known as "Yggdrasil." 

It would take a least a week for all three of them to get to the World Tree, and as for Erika to know that Kirito has to wait for her and Yui to come to him. 

"Worried about Daddy?" Yui asked her as Erika smiles at her. She felt pretty lucky that she has her AI daughter to help her in this journey, and she also knows how desperate Yui wants to be reunited with her father. 

"Yes, I am worried. I know that Yggdrasil is very far from here, and the longer we stay way from him, the more worried if I can ever be free from this nightmare." Erika said. 

Unknown to her, someone was listening to her conversation with Yui, as that that person was curious of whom she was referring to. 

______________________________________________________________________

Back in the Real World, Asuna's father, Yukki Shouzou was in his room, thinking about his daughter. 

Knowing of the dangers she has to endure, he was worried about how she will pull it off. 

"Asuna.. " He said, as he was looking at the photograph of the family. As he was looking at it, he hears a knock coming from the door. 

"Come in." He said, as to his ultimate shock, the person that he didn't suspect, was his own wife, Asuna's mother, Yuki Kyouko. 

She was really disappointed in Asuna's recklessness, and she said, "What you have to say for yourself?

How could you, letting her go back to that horrible world?" She spat. 

Shouzou sighs, knowing that she wouldn't let the suffering and truma she had of learning that their daughter was literally trapped two years inside a game. 

"Kyouko, Asuna isn't a little girl anymore, you can't control her life. " 

"But, that boy, she so desired, that Kirigaya Kazuto, is he really the worth of trouble? " 

"That boy is important to our daughter, besides, if it wasn't for Kouichirou, she wouldn't be happy in SAO, with Kazuto. 

He has taken care of our daughter in our absence, we have to faith in the boy. " 

She scoff in anger, as she slams the door. Shouzou sighs , pulling his chair backward, as his son came in. 

"Did you and Mother had another disagreement?" He asked, "She doesn't seem too happy about Asuna." 

"I know. But Asuna really is something else. It's like, being trapped in SAO, really changed her purpose in life, like a brand new personality that I've never seen before. " 

"I suppose, but I never suspected that SAO would be that dangerous. I should've been more aware of it. " Kouichirou sighs. 

"Kouichirou, it's not your fault, besides you would've been stuck in SAO, just like your sister." 

"Speaking of Asuna, is she really in another game, like SAO?" He asked curiously.

"She's investigating a game called Alfheim Online. She just start playing it, and she seems to figure out something within the game as we speak. " 

"Knowing her, she's bound to go through trouble. I'll go into the game mysel-" 

"No! Let her do this on her own, she's capable of doing that. She's the Lighting Flash, after all. Just wait and see how it goes." Shouzou replied. 

Kouichirou sighs as that he knew that his father was right. Although in his heart, all he felt was regret. 

Regret that the fact that he had given his younger sister a Nerve Gear and bought SAO in the first place. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

At early sunrise, Erika was awake earlier than Leafa . She was still asleep and Erika decided that she would get some water to drink. 

She bend down, as she used her hands to cup some water into her mouth, as a person said, "I overheard your conversation with Yui last night. " 

She turns around in shock, as to see it was Mizuki. "Oh, Mizuki! You startled me, good morning." 

The Sylph looks at her companion in a curious expression on her face. 

"So.. you heard me talking to Yui last night? I thought you were asleep." Erika said, looking at her, amazed that she overheard it all. 

"I didn't have enough sleep. I was actually thinking about that spell, the Illusion Spell you did, with that monster. 

I never seen it before, and I couldn't stop wondering where it come from. That is when I overheard your conversation with Yui. 

You two really do know each other so well. It really impressed me that you have a private AI Navigation Pixie at your disposal." Mitsuki admitted. 

Yui pops up, "Of course we know each other, Erika isn't just a Sylph. She didn't tell you that I'm her daughter?"

"D-Daughter?!?" Mizuki exclaimed in shock, as Erika said, looking at Yui, "Yui! C'mon, that is so not cool! " 

She puts her daughter back into her pocket, as the pixie squeals as Mizuki looks at the two duo. 

"Wow. A Mother and Daughter, traveling together. That seems nice. By the way, Who is Yui's dad, anyway?"

"I .. I can't tell you. Not now anyway. It's very personal. " She replied, as Mizuki was about to ask again, Leafa woke up. 

"There you guys are! Are you ready to keep going?" Leafa asked, "We can travel as we could until daybreak." 

"Ok, let's go!" Erika said, but Mizuki was concerned about Erika's discussion with Yui was, as she flew besides Leafa. 

"Leafa, aren't you a bit curious of who is Erika in IRL? It's very mysterious. " She said. 

"Well, she'll tell us once she's comfortable with revealing her avatar name. Besides, didn't we promised her that we'll take her to the World Tree together?"

"Yeah, but still, it's absolutely insane! She has no idea about the World Tree's Guardians! That quest is impossible to defeat!" Mizuki declared. 

"It didn't stop Erika of using that Illusion Spell. I had this feeling there is more than meets the eye." Leafa said. 

Mizuki sighs, as they continue their journey to the World Tree.