Asuna Yuuki is excelling both socially and academically, poised to ace her high school entrance exams. But her friend, Misumi "Mito" Tozawa, implores her to take a break from studying and join her in Sword Art Online (SAO), a highly anticipated virtual reality game. Asuna agrees, but fate deals her a cruel hand, trapping her and Mito, and all others within the game's confines indefinitely. The only way to escape is by defeating all one hundred floors. On top of that, death in the game means death in reality. As SAO turns into a nightmare, Asuna and players, including the sole swordsman Kirito Kirigaya, must adapt to survive, outdo fierce competition, and rise to the top.