Helheim’s invasion 〜Awakening〜

Kazuto and Suguha go shopping on a day off and bump into a friend from childhood, Makoto.

Suguha talks Makoto into playing in ALO but somehow, Makoto ends up settling in Helheim, the land of dead.

There are 4 parts in the 2nd Anniversary Special Event.

"We will destroy the fairyland. We will fill the happy world with blood!"

People in Helheim, the land of dead, deep in ALO, vow revenge for the assault of ALfheim, the fairyland and march into each territory.

The mysterious beauty, the leader of the demons, Makoto and her navigation pixie, Thokk are up to...!?

## Event Schedules (Note that time may differ according to your server)

8/31/2018 (Fri) 06:00 ~ 9/9/2018 (Sun) 05:59 (UTC)

## ★6 Upgradable - the Mysterious Beauty, Makoto

★6 upgradable mysterious beauty Makoto will be available in the 2nd Anniversary Ticket VIP Scout held through September.

Makoto can be upgraded to ★6 with special Upgrade Crystals.

★6 Makoto can activate Acceleration Skill with SS3.

Get the event-exclusive Makoto in the September event and upgrade her to ★6!

Also, max limit break changes her illustration and unlock her sub leader skill slot.

The campaign where you can scout ★6 upgradable Makoto will be held through the month of September.

Win a high rank and do max limit break and ★6 upgrade!

## Win a High Rank

You can get more #2 Anniversary Ticket VIP and Demon Wing Upgrade Crystals as you get a higher rank.

Collect those tickets and the upgrade Crystals in the events of September and get the ★5 Makoto and upgrade her to ★6!

You can also get lots of Rainbow Essences.

## Clear Missions to get awesome items

During 8/31(Fri)~9/2(Sun),9/7(Fri)~9/9(Sun) special weekend missions are available.

You can earn #2 Anniversary Ticket VIP and Rainbow Essence by completing missions.

## Tips

Makoto, the leader of the demons performs the ultra powerful Acceleration Skill. She speeds up when using the skill and performs attacks with her summoned monsters.
Try the same skill when the enemy activates the Acceleration Skill!

Also, though Makoto is Dark-elemental, Holy-elemental characters can hardly deliver damage to the enemy.

Win the battle without the elemental trick!

※ Makoto can't deliver much of damage to Holy-elemental either.

## Story

**Story 1**

Suguha: What's wrong, Kazuto?
Kazuto: You really need to ask? First you make me spar with you for your morning training... Then I have to carry your bags when we go shopping... I'm not used to all this outdoor activity.
Suguha: You're the one who offered to help me, remember? Besides, it's healthy to get out every once in a while.
Kazuto: I do go out sometimes. Like for my job with Mr. Kikuoka.
Suguha: Isn't that just playing games indoors somewhere else?
Kazuto: N-No, it's not.
Suguha: Then what ARE you doing?
Kazuto: W-Well.. Some of it's classified, so I can't tell you...
Suguha: Oh really?
Tourist A: Wow, these Japanese confectionaries are delicious!
Tourist B: Look at all these adorable things!
Kazuto: Man... It's nothing I haven't seen before, but there sure are a lot on people here on holidays.
Suguha: Hey, there's a reason they call Kawagoe "Little Edo." It's a major tourist town after all. If anything, people like us who actually live here must be the exception rather than the rule.
Kazuto: Little Edo, huh? I wonder how many Little Edos and Little Kyotos there are in Japan, anyway...
Suguha: Ha ha, don't let the tourism board hear you say that.
???: **Aaah!**
???: You there! Halt!
Suguha: Was that a woman screaming?
Kazuto: Maybe it's a pickpocket or something? A lot can happen with so many tourists around.
Suguha: Gee, thanks for the PSA! Come on, let's go check it out!
Kazuto: Right...

**Story 2**

Local Store Owner: Oh, hello Suguha. It sounds like a man just ran off from the cafe without paying for his order. They say an officer from the police box is out looking for him now.
Suguha: That place has the best anmitsu! How could he do that?! Somebody's gotta teach him a lesson!
Kazuto: I'm not sure the quality of the anmitsu really has anything to do with it...
Suguha: Let's go, Kazuto!
Kazuto: Sugu, wait, it's too dangerous. Besides, the police don't need help from amateurs like us.
Suguha: Come on, Kazuto! Don't you WANT to help keep our town safe?!
Kazuto: W-Well, sure, but...
Suguha: Or what, you only like playing hero when it comes to VR?!
Kazuto: That has nothing to do with...
???: Hey! Outta the way if you don't wanna get hurt!
Police Officer: Stop right there!!
Suguha: No way... Is that them?!
Kazuto: The man's on a scooter. Maybe he stole that too? Anyway, there's no way we can catch him like that.
Suguha: Sorry, I don't give up before I've even started!
Kazuto: \*sigh\*... There she goes looking before she leaps again... Yui, can I ask you a favor?
Yui: Of course, Daddy. What is it?
Kazuto: There's an AL-enabled cleaning robot making the rounds at the plaza down that street. Can you get me into its network?
Yui: Daddy, you know Mommy's not going to be happy when she hears about this, right?
Kazuto: It's to keep our town safe, Yui. Please.
Yui: Oh, very well... There, you're in.
Kazuto: Thanks, Yui! Okay, let's adjust this... Have it turn right at this time... and...
Eat-and-Run Scooter Theif: What the?! What's going on?! Robots are blocking vehicles!? **Aaah!**
Police Officer: Now! Give yourself up!
Eat-and-Run Scooter Theif: Damn it...
Kazuto: ...And that takes care of that.
Yui: Daddy, you know it's dangerous to use robots to block moving vehicles. You could have injured someone other than the culprit.
Kazuto: That scooter doesn't go too fast. I was sure he could stop before he crashes it into the robots. That plaza is always empty on holidays. I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't sure it would be okay.
Yui: Well... Okay. But please be careful from now on.
Kazuto: I will.
Police Officer: Whew... Suspect officially placed into custody at 11:18. He's all yours now.
Police Officer in Car: Yes, ma'am.
Townperson A: Are you all right, Seiko?
Police Officer: Oh, yes, I'm fine. Sorry for the disturbance, everyone. Thank you all for your help.
Townsperson B: Good to see you back here, Little Seiko. Nice hub catching that thief.
Police Officer: All part of the job. But please don't call me that anymore.
Kazuto: That police officer sure has a lot of friends here. Come to think of it, she seems kind of familiar...
Suguha: Seiko... Seiko... Hey, I remember now! It's Sei!
Police Officer: Huh? Wait a second... Sugu? Kazu? Is that you?!

**Story 3**

Seiko: Ha ha, that goes double for me, Sugu. I can't believe how much you and Kazu have grown.
Kazuto: I didn't recognize you at first either, Seiko. You went to a university in Sapporo, right?
Seiko: That's right. I joined the police force there, but after a while I got the urge to come back home. I just came back last month after they finally approved my transfer request.
Kazuto: I can't believe our old star pupil from the dojo is now a local hero.
Seiko: Ha ha, thank you. I couldn't have caught that guy without that robot going haywire and blocking his way, though.
Suguha: Yeah, that was pretty lucky. It's weird how that robot just happened to end up blocking the way there.
Kazuto: Uh, yeah... It's a real mystery.
Suguha: Still, you were the one who caught the criminal afterwards, Sei! It was so cool!
Seiko: It was your dojo's training that helped me grow stronger, Sugu. It's closed now, though, right?
Suguha: Yeah, but I still train at my school's kendo club, though Kazuto quit a while ago.
Seiko: Aw, really? That's too bad, Kazu. You were so good at it.
Kazuto: Not enough to even get a single point off you, though.
Seiko: Only because I was taller than you were back then. You're what, five or six years younger than me?
Kazuto: That sounds about right, Seiko.
Seiko: Kazu, you know you can still call me "Sei" just like you did back then.
Kazuto: O-Oh, no, that's okay... I'd be a little embarrassed...
Suguha: Kazuto has a girlfriend now.
Kazuto: S-Sugu!
Seiko: Wow... Little Kazu, with a girlfriend? I feel so old.
Suguha: Don't be silly, Sei! I still look up to you! Plus, now you're like, the town superhero! I'd take that over a brother who'd rather stand around gawking than doing anything in real life.
Kazuto: Point made, Sugu...
Seiko: In real life? What do you mean?
Suguha: Oh, uh, Kazuto is... Well, he's really into VRMMO games right now. He's pretty well known there, too. ...I also play them sometimes.
Seiko: VRMMO? You mean virtual reality? Like that game everyone was talking about, Sword Art Online?
Kazuto: You can't play SAO anymore. Right now, Sugu and I are playing one called Alfheim Online. It's a fantasy game where you play as a fairy. You can even fly in it.
Seiko: Is that so...?

**Story 4**

Suguha: Believe me, he still is.
Seiko: I'm terrible with that kind of thing myself. Remember how old-fashioned my family is?
Kazuto: Now that you mention it... you originally joined our dojo because your father told you to, right?
Seiko: More like forced me to, really. Still, I managed to get in shape and join the police because of it. I always wanted to work here in my hometown, so I'm really grateful that things worked out this way.
Suguha: I remember we once went to your house to play at your temple.
Kazuto: It was really distinctive too.
Suguha: Yeah! Your dad was super into old Japanese stuff, right?
Seiko: The Shinsengumi police force, yeah... He's pretty much a super nerd about them. My name using the kanji from their flag, him making me learn kendo... It all stems from that interest.
Suguha: Ha ha, I remember. It's great you get to keep the Shinsengumi legacy going now that you're an officer!
Seiko: I don't know. It's not like everyone loved them, right? It kind of depends on who you ask. Strongest swordsmen of the Bakumatsu period or not, it doesn't mean they were right. Back then, there was a lot of turmoil in Japan over who should rule it, and about its borders... I think that everyone was doing their best to fight for what they believed to be right.
Kazuto: Everyone fighting for what they believe to be right, huh...
Suguha: Hey, I know! Now that you're back in town, Sei, why don't you try giving ALO a short too?
Seiko: Huh? ALO... Is that the game you were talking about before?
Suguha: That's the one! You could be a hero in a virtual world as well as the real one!
Kazuto: Well, it's not like that's the goal of the game or anything.
Seiko: I-I don't know. My dad never bought me any video games when I was growing up... So even now I'm really bad when it comes to technical stuff like that... I'm sure I'd be terrible.
Suguha: Not at all. You're really athelic and good at kendo, so I bet you'd be a top player in no time.
Kazuto: Yeah, in VR you can make full use of video game skills AND real-world skills. It's pretty awesome.
Seiko: Um, what do you mean by that?

**Story 5**

???: Welcome to the world of fairies, Alfheim Online.
Seiko: Whoa, it's doing something...
???: Please enter your name.
Seiko: Okay. Let's see... They said it was better not to use your real name. I'll go with a different reading of my name, "Makoto". Oh, I forgot their names... I'll ask next time.
???: You are about to be thrust into a world where nine different fairy races compete amongst themselves. Please select the race you would like to be.
Seiko: Hmm, this part is just how Sugu described it... First I choose a race, then I have to make an... avatar, was it?
???: H-Here... Choose your... race...
Seiko: Hm? Why's the voice getting cut off?
???: Choose your... Gaaah!
Seiko: Aah! W-What the?!
???: Heh heh, ha ha ha ha! We stole a fairy soul!
???: Don't get carried away, Skull. We still don't know if it's usable or not.
???: Aw, I'm sure it'll be fine, Grimm. Once we raise it from scratch, it'll become a great warrior!
Seiko: Wh-What's going on?!

**Story 6**

Makoto: Nnn... Wha... What happened...? I remember turning the console on, entering my name, and choosing a race, but after that... What?! Where am I? Dark thunder clouds... Emaciated land... Strange terrain... Rust-brown rivers, sheer cliff faces... What is this place...? This looks more like hell than a world of fairies...
???: \*yawn\*... Oh, finally wake up, did you?
Makoto: Huh? A girl? Who said that...?
???: Down here! By your feet!
Makoto: Wha?! You're so tiny! Come to think of it, I think Sugu said something about this too... Are you a pixie?! You're one of those guides you get on your fiirst time if you're lucky, right?!
???: Well... You're helf right, and half wrong. You're talking about navigation pixies that only occasionally show up in Alfheim. I do that navigation stuff too, but I ain't no pixie.
Makoto: Then what are you?
???: Hmm, good question. I guess you could call me... A navigation gremlin!
Makoto: Navigation... gremlin?
???: Pretty much! My name's Thokk. Nice to meet ya.

**Story 7**

Thokk: No need for formalities.
Makoto: Okay, Thokk, I already have a question... Given what you said before, is this place not Alfheim?
Thokk: Nope. This is Helheim, one of the key settings of Norse mythology. Basically, it's a literal hell. Of course, some people confuse it with Nibelheim, the world of ice. But trust me, there's already a Nibelheim, and it's a totally different place.
Makoto: Hell from Norse Mythology... This whole game is based on Norse mythology, right?
Thokk: Yup. The more you know about ti, the more you can appreciate the game.
Makoto: So then, technically... I AM in ALO...
Thokk: Technically, sure, but this ain't Alfheim. It's more like the underworld... A land of the dead with precious few opportunities to visit it.
Makoto: What do you mean by "underworld"? I thought that this game was about becoming a fairy and fighting for justice.
Thokk: Ha ha ha! Have you even seen yourself, lady?
Makoto: Seen myself...?
Thokk: Here, you can borrow my mirror. Take a look.
Makoto: Wha?! Wh-Wh-What the...?! What the heck is this?! At least I'm still a girl but... Armor? Bat wings?! I don't look anything like a fairy! I'm more like a demon or a devil!
Thokk: Yup! That's how you know you belong here in Helheim.
???: Hey! Look who's up!
???: Thank goodness. We were worried about you.
Makoto: Um... Do I know you two? Actually...I do think I recognize your voices...
???: My name's Skull! I'm the one with the awesome helmet and my calling-card scythe! Good to meet ya!
???: I'm Grimm. How do you like my horns? Beautiful, aren't they?
Thokk: These are the ones who brought you here.
Makoto: Skill in skeleton armor, and Grimm in blue sheepskin... Oh, I remember now. I heard your voices right before I came here... Hm? In other words, I was supposed to be a fairy, and you two brought me here against my will?!
Thokk: Ha ha ha, you got it.
Makoto: H-Hey! How could you do this to me?!
Grimm: I'm so glad that we got a strong one.
Skull: You said it! We're gonna make a great team!
Makoto: Huh? Come on, listen to me!
Thokk: I wouldn't expect much in the way of conversation from them. Or from most of this world residents. Grimm and Skull here are NPCs, after all.
Makoto: NPCs? What's that?
Thokk: Short for "non-player character"? They only have a few lines, so they can't talk about much. I'm surprised you've never heard the term before. I take it you don't play many video games?
Makoto: N-No. This is actually my first time trying one, pretty much...
Thokk: Wow... I didn't think there was anyone like you still around.
Makoto: ...Hm? Thokk, we've been having a conversation, right? Does that mean you're not an NPC yourself?
Thokk: Oh, no, I am, but I've got AI.
Makoto: AI?
Thokk: You know, artificial intelligence? Basically, I'm a character who can think and talk for myself. Even if you don't play games, you must've used some appliance or something with AI before, right?
Makoto: Oh... Now that you mention it, Kazu did say something about that cleaning robot having AI... Now I see. You have AI so you can talk and guide players around.
Thokk: You got it.
Skull: Alright! Let's see how our new recruit measures up!
Grimm: Heh heh, time to test how strong you are.
Makoto: Huh?

**Story 8**

Skull: Not bad, Makoto!
Grimm: I knew you had what it takes.
Makoto: Wh-What's the big idea?! Why'd you two gang up one me out of nowhere?!
Thokk: They've been demons a lot longer than you have, so they were seeing if you could keep up. Basically, a tutorial battle.
Makoto: Tutorial? So, this kind of thing is common in video games?
Thokk: Sure is. Developers have been using them to bring new players up to speed for some time now.
Makoto: Hmm. I think I get it, but I'm still not totally sure...
Thokk: The point is, keep going through this part, and you'll know how to play the game once you're done. So just play along and do what they tell you.
Makoto: O-Okay... Wait, no! NOT okay!
Thokk: What's the matter?
Makoto: Why am I a demon in the first place?! The whole reason I started this game was to be a fairy and fight for justice!
Thokk: Ha ha, is that so? Well, too bad. You're a demon now, so you better make the best of it.
Makoto: ...
Skull: This world is where denizens of the light go once they've died.
Grimm: That's right. We used to belong to another world too, before we were killed and ended up here.
Makoto: Huh? You were killed?
Thokk: What'd I tell you? Helheim is hell. The land of the dead.
Makoto: Then... Skull and Grimm have both already been killed once before?
Thokk: That's the ling and short of it.
Makoto: How awful...
Skull: Okay, let's keep going! We still gotta see how strong you are!
Makoto: You mean there's more?!

**Story 9**

Makoto: Now where are they taking me?
Thokk: They're showing you around Helheim. It's gonna be your home now, so you should learn about it.
Makoto: B-But I don't want to live in a world like this...
Thokk: Could've fooled me, given how well you're keeping up. Looking good!
Makoto: What other choice do I have...?
Thokk: Ha ha ha, the newer the newbie, the more closely they go along with the tutorial.
Grimm: Here we are.
Makoto: Eep... What is this place? The river's all... red. Aah! I thought these were rocks on the shore, but they're actually all skulls!
Thokk: How many times do I hafta tell you? Land of the dead, remember?
Makoto: ...I guess a police officer shouldn't let something like this shake them...
Thokk: Makoto... Are you a police officer in real life?
Makoto: Y-Yeah, I am.
Thokk: Aha... So that's why you're so good with a sword. I THOUGHT you had a real knack for this, for a newbie. Are all police officers as strong as you?
Makoto: Well, a lot of my colleagues do practice martial arts. In my case, I've been doing kendo for years.
Thokk: Oho.
Makoto: I'm happy to see that I can move and act there just like I can in the real world. Now I see what Kazu and Sugu meant when they said that real-world experiecnce pays off.
Thokk: Just so you know, you shouldn't go around blabbing things that could expose your real indentity, 'kay?
Makoto: Huh? ...Oh my gosh, you're right! They even warned me about that!
Thokk: Ha ha ha!
Makotot: Why didn't you warn me sooner, Thokk?!
Thokk: Sorry 'bout that. Lucky for you, I'm just an NPC. Just be more careful from now on, 'kay?
Skull: Ooh, what a great skull! I'm keeping it.
Grimm: You never get tired if collecting dead bodies, do you?
Skull: Hey, I may have flesh on my own now, but I used to be a skeleton just like this.
Makoto: Skeleton? Like some kind of costume you wear on Halloween?
Skull: "Halloween"...? Oh, you mean that festival they hold in the living world. No way, I was nothing as cute as that! I was way bigger and scarier!
Makotot: What about you, Grimm? What did you used to look like?
Grimm: I used to be a lot bigger too. Even heard of the proud and magical Baphomet clan?
Makoto: Baphomet...? Is that a game term too?
Thokk: Nah, that's a demon from old literature. Why don't you do a search for it after you log out?
Makoto: You mean, search the web? I'm... not very good at that sort of thing either. Hm...? Wait a second. I just had a conversation with them...
Thokk: Those two may not have individual AI, but they can still carry on simple conversations. They're designed to pick up on key words from you speech and create an appropriate-sounding response. It's kind of like those concierge apps that've been around for ages.
Makoto: Hm? Comcierge? Are you talking about the people from hotels, or is that another game term?
Thokk: \*sigh\*... I'm getting an increasingly clear picture of what you must be like in real life... Let me guess: your dad or grandpa is really into old fashioned stuff and hates technology, right?
Makoto: Wha?! How did you know?!

**Story 10**

Thokk: Okay, Makoto. That takes care of your first quest.
Makoto: Quest? How was that a quest?
Skull: A quest! There's no telling what perils may await us on our quest!
Thokk: As you can see, regular NPC responses don't always make the most sense.
Makoto: So I see... Anyway, how was that supposed to be a quest? We haven't traveked THAT far since I arrived.
Thokk: In games, a quest is more like amission that an epic journey. They often include tutorial stuff too.
Makotot: Oh, I see. I guess that makes sense.
Skull: All this practuce is making me hungry. I could really go for some fairy meat right now... Mmm...
Grimm: You're drooling, Skull. That's no way for a lady to behave.
Skull: Whoops, sorry about that...
Grimm: Though, now that you mention it, I could really go for some human flesh myself.
Makoto: I've never seen anyone discuss cannibalism so cheerfully before...
Thokk: Well, they are both demons. It's no surprise they'd eat humans and fairies.
Makoto: Still... When I talk to them, I can't imagine them ever doing something so cruel... NPCs without AI... NPCs with AI, like you... Players, like me... They all seem to be equally alive here. It's so strange...
Thokk: Makoto...
Skull: Okay! Now that we're hungry and we know what our new comarade can do, let's check in on the enemy!
Grimm: Good idea.
Makoto: Enemy?
Thokk: Now that the tutorial's over, you're finally about to invade the world of the living.
Makoto: Huh...?

**Story 11**

Thokk: That's the one! Now you're gonna go and attack it.
Makoto: Wh-Why?!
Thokk: Why? Heh! We're all denizens of the underworld here, right? Demons like Skull and Grimm were killed in the living world... So there's only one thing to do now. Revenge! As a denizen of Helheim, your goal is to take revenge on the world of the living!
Makoto: Wh-What?!
Skull: Ha ha ha! I can't wait!
Grimm: Let's go get the battle started. A large number of our kin should come and join us soon. Once they do, I, Skull, and Makoto will each assume command of a battalion.
Makoto: H-Hey, slow down! I have so many questions! For one, I just started playing! How can I possibly command a whole battalion?!
Thokk: Aw, you don't hafta worry 'bout that. These games are made t'vie players specual treatment!
Makoto: "Hafta"? "T'give"? You know, is it just me, or do you have some kind of accent, Thokk?
Thokk: Uh... It's just your imagination. Anyway, with your sword skills, you should be plenty strong.
Makoto: W-Well, okay...
Thokk: Anything else you're wondering about?
Makoto: I don't want to destroy the world of the living! Only a villain would do something like that!
Thokk: Well, too late now. You've been selected to join this world, so this is how you've got to play it.
Makoto: But... the whole reason I wanted to try this game was so I could fight for justice...
???: Grrr...! **Graaah!**
Makoto: Aah! What the?!
Thokk: Demons from all over Helheim are coming here to join in the mass uprising.
Skull: Alright! Prepare for battle! Those fairies won't know what ate 'em!
Grimm: Death to every peace-addled winged creature in the light world!
Helheim Demons: Yeaaah!
Makoto: Eee!

**Story 12**

Yui: Yes, Daddy. There was a post about it on a player forum.
Asuna: Really? There hasn't been any news about it from the admins...
Yui: It included screenshots, Mommy. I think it's real.
Kirito: It could be an auto-generated quest, with demons as the theme...
Asuna: Hehe, maybe this means we'll have a chance to get our hands on some demon gear.
Kirito: Ha ha, you can probably get it as a reward for defeating them.
Asuna: Anyway, let's go see what's happening in Arun.
Kirito: Yeah.
Helheim Demons: **Graaah!**
Skull: Go! Butcher them!
Grimm: Make sure to slaughter every last one of them!
Fairy Player A: Aaah!
Fairy Player B: What are these things?! Where'd they come from?!
Fairy Player C: A pack of monsters?! And some of them are as tough as bosses!
Fairy Player D: There's no way we can beat them! Let's get out of here!
Skull: Don't let them get away! Use your fangs!
Demon: **Graaah!**
Fairy Player A: Aaaaah!
Grimm: Heh heh... Good, good! My blood boils with excitement! Let me hear their screams!
Fairy Player B: Waaah!
Makoto: Th-They're killing fairies left and right... and enjoying it...
Thokk: Come on, Makoto, you've gotta fight too.
Makoto: I-I can't...
Fairy Player C: Are you a boss monster too?
Makoto: Huh? M-Me? No, I'm not! I'm just a fairy passing by...
Fairy Player C: Liar! I know you're a demon! No fairy has wings like that!
Makoto: Y-You've got me there...
Fairy Player C: Take this!
Makoto: ...! **Yaaah!**
Fairy Player C: Guh...!
Makoto: I... I killed him... I didn't mean to...
Thokk: Heh heh, I knew you had potential, Makoto. Isn't it great?
Makoto: M-My body just reacted...
Kirito: These are the demons?
Asuna: Come on, Kirito, we've got to fight back!
Kirito: Yeah...
Makoto: These people...
Kirito: Hey... Where did you all come from?