Recon and Mizuki was standing in the Guardian Gate. They waiting for both Erika and Leafa to return. 

"I wonder if they settled down and make up." Recon asked, curious about the interaction between the two players. 

"Maybe that Leafa and Erika got held up with something. I mean, Erika did wanted to come here, to the World Tree after all. " Mizuki said. 

Although, she still felt a little bit of jealously. She had known Leafa for the longest time, and then all of a sudden, Erika appears in Alfheim and they wanted to conquer the World Tree Quest with their help. 

It didn't add up, as though it seems out of place. As she lost in thought, Recon notices the familiar two players coming into view. 

"Erika, Leafa!" He exclaimed happily as both of them landed into the ground. "Hey, Recon, Mizuki. " 

Recon asked, being curious, "Have you both make up? What was the argument about?"

"It's kind of personal, Recon. Please try to understand that." Erika said, as Leafa nods, concurring with her. 

"Anyway, here's what's going to happen. The four of us, we're going to do the World Tree Quest. We'll conquer it and let Erika and Yui get to the top." 

The two of them were silent for a moment, as that they were trying to adjust what Leafa just told them. 

"Wait, What?!?" Recon exclaimed, shocked. 

Mizuki asked, "Are you really going to do it, going to the top of the World Tree? It's way too dangerous!" 

Erika said, "I need this, guys. Please, lend me your strength. Yui and I really need to go through to the top, but we can't do that unless we can get pass though those Guardians. " 

The two of them looked at each other then beamed, "Of course we will lend you our strength! You don't have to ask!" 

Erika smiled, but then turned serious. "Hey, Yui. Do you have any info about the World Tree's Guardians?"

The little Pixie said, in a serious tone, "The states aren't very high, but that isn't the real problem, Mommy. 

The truth is, that there is too many of them. This quest was designed to be impossible to finish to begin with. " 

Mitsuki said, "That explains how the other races couldn't do this quest. Whoever is the final boss, knew that the players would do anything to break the cycle. " 

"Whatever. This isn't going to stop us. Besides, I made a promise to myself, that I wouldn't give up. 

There is a person I want to come back in the real world, and Erika, you are the person that will come through. 

Let's do this." 

Erika smiled, "Thanks , all three of you. I still can't believe that I had made it this far. Listen, this is what I was thinking for the fight. 

I'll try to draw their attention, so all three of you should focus on healing me when I take on damages. " 

They entered the gates as Erika fights off the Guardians. They were so many of them, as they have been unstoppable. 

Mitsuki said, "This is absolutely insane! Erika, look out!" 

Erika continues battling on, as Recon notices how badly Leafa meant it. "Leafa.. this is really important to you, to Erika?"

"Yes. It is. It's not a game anymore, well, not at the moment. " 

Recon was silent for a moment, but then he said, "Then, I have an idea to get Erika to the top! Mizuki, look after them!" 

"Wait, Recon! What you doing?!?" Leafa asked, shocked of his actions. 

Recon begins a spell, as Leafa realizes of what that spell can do, "No way, that's a dark Magic Spell!" 

"Recon, don't do it!" Mizuki cried, but he didn't listen to her. 

He sacrificed himself, as Mitsuki was sadden by this act. Leafa said, "That was a Self-Destruction Spell. 

He knew that was a worse penalty than death in the game." 

"Recon... " Mizuki said, clutching her fists. "Idiot." 

The plan seems to be impossible to do it alone, but then something, an army, an familiar ally, came in! 

"What are the Sylphs doing here?" Erika asked, surprised to see them. 

Mizuki exclaimed, "They came! All right!" 

They also noticed the Caith Sith as well, "And the Cait Sith is here too! You guys came!" 

Alica said, grinning, "Sorry that we took so long, but we're here now!" 

The army helped out much as they could , as Leafa smiled at how much they have done so far, "Thanks for helping us out! " 

"Hey, if anyone we should thank, it's Erika. Without her money, we couldn't be here on time. " Sakuya said. 

Alica nods, "Yeah, Sakuya has a point. Besides, we owe her one, it's the least we can do." 

Leafa was fighting as Erika yelled out, "Suguha! " 

"Yeah!" 

"Watch my back, ok?"

"You got it!" 

Mizuki was shocked, "Suguha?" It was the first time that she heard Leafa's real name within the game. 

Erika was heading towards the massive hole that Recon had made, as the Guardians were heading for her, Leafa tossed up her favorite sword. 

"Catch this, Erika!" 

Erika caught it, as her determination to see Kazuto began to shape. "Hang in there, Kirito. I'm coming." 

Leafa said, "Go. Go forward. Go forward, Erika!!!!!!!" 

Erika made it to the top, as Sakuya declares, "Ok, she's through, let's get out of here!" 

Mizuki and Leafa looked at the entrance of the Guardian Gate. 

"What you think will happen in there? " Mizuki asked, being curious. 

"Don't know. But I have faith in Erika. She has to be the only one who can make this through. I think that it's best to leave everything to her." 

Mizuki sighs then gets angry, "All right, I heard what Erika said back there. She called you, "Suguha." 

Is that your real name?"

"Yeah. I guess that it was your first time hearing it. Ok, I guess it had been long enough that you haven't heard my real name. It's Kirigaya Suguha. My friends can call me , "Sugu." 

"Sugu, can you tell me what's really going on? " 

"It will be a shock for you, though. Log off and meet me in my house. " 

She gives her the address and logs off, as Sugu takes off the Nerve Gear and hears a knock on the door and opens to see a long, braided girl with freckles. 

"Sugu. " She said. 

______________________________________________________________________________

At the Top of the World Tree, Erika opens her eyes. It appears that she was in top of a building of some kind, nothing like she has seen before. 

"Ok... I think we made it to the top, so, what we do? Yui?" 

She went down , "This building is the administrator's main building, no player should be here. It's locked . " 

Erika was thinking hard, until she notices the black Console Key that they got from earlier. 

"Hey, Yui! Try if you can use this! It might open up!" 

She transfer the code, "Mommy, we're going to teleport! Hang on to me." 

She touches her daughters hand, as they went inside the building. 

__________________________________________________________

Back in Sugu's house, Mitsuki and Sugu was sitting in her room. "Whoa. So, your older brother was a player in the SAO Incident?"

"Yes. He was Kirito. Erika, the one we met in AFO, is Yukki Asuna, or "Asuna" in SAO. She is close to my brother. " 

"So, they're a couple then. That explains a lot. But why did she kept her real identity a secret from us? " 

"I guess that she was afraid of what we will do if we found out on the spot. I couldn't blame her for doing so. 

I have seen how sadden she was. She was hurt, and scared that he'll never wake up from his SAO coma. 

But he's in trouble, a big one. I may not know who is behind this, but I get this awful feeling that if Erika didn't do what she had to do, Kazuto and the other SAO suviors wouldn't be able to be awaken." 

She was shaking and Mizuki touched her hand. "Hey, Kazuto will come back to you. Asuna wouldn't let us down. 

I believe in her." 

"You didn't tell me your real name. I have told you mine. " 

"Well... it's Sachi Aiko. Sachi was my older sister. She's a victim of the SAO incident, and hearing about Kazuto, I got this weird feeling I knew that they must knew each other. Sorry I didn't tell you my real name, Leafa." 

"Aiko, it's all right. Look at this way, we're friends for life. Sachi would've loved that Asuna and Kirito are together, and you can support them, as you supported Erika and me. " 

"Thanks. Although... I hope that Erika rescues soon, so I can meet him in IRL." 

Aiko stands up, "I will be by Asuna's side! She needs someone to encourage her when she gets back. " 

"Right." 

Aiko went straight for Asuna's house. "Erika, no, Asuna... please come back to us safely." She thought.