Ep. 9: Kirito and Asuna face the boss while dealing with Corbatz and Heathcliff's duel challenge

Kirito and Asuna clear the 74th floor dungeon, encountering Klein and the exhausted Aincrad Liberation Force. Leader Corbatz demands their map, and despite protests, Kirito complies. The group follows Corbatz to prevent a boss fight but finds the soldiers defeated and Corbatz dead. To save the survivors, Kirito uses his unique Dual Blades skill, defeating the boss with a 16-hit Starbust Stream combo. This feat attracts Heathcliff, Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, who challenges Kirito to a duel. The stakes are high: if Kirito wins, Asuna may leave her guild, but if he loses, he must join Heathcliff's faction. Kirito accepts the terms, setting the stage for a critical confrontation that will determine the future alliances within the game.

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