Sword Art Online: Chaos Labyrinth Beginning

Sword Art Online: Chaos Labyrinth Beginning (ソードアートオンライン・乱麻迷宮 初め, Sōdo Āto Onrain: Ranma Meikyū Hajime) is the first volume in the Sword Art Online: Chaos Labyrinth arc. It covers Floors 1-10 of Aincrad.

Synopsis
If your HP reaches zero, you will also die in the real world. - Akihiko Kayaba

Those words still echo in the mind of gamer Shioko Kirigaya. She had just logged into the official release of Sword Art Online, a game in which she had been one of the beta testers during the closed beta. She had thought that it was just a new experience. No. It turned into a deadly entrapment holding 10,000 players captive. Also trapped within the game, Shioko decided to put her entire being into clearing the game. It was all... or nothing.

Prologue
The story begins at a game shop where Shioko gets her hands on the SAO game disc. It was a rainy November day and she had forgotten her rain gear. Hurrying home, she waves hello to her cousin before disappearing inside her room. She sets down her gear, slaps on the NerveGear, and dives into the world of SAO.

Shioko encounters a newbie, Chelsea, who sought out advice from her on how to level up fast. The two girls burned the rest of the day, killing monsters and gaining EXP. Bidding each other good-bye, Chelsea attempts to log out but discovers that there is no log-out option. Suddenly, all 10,000 players of SAO were forcefully teleported back to the plaza in the Town of Beginnings. There, the creator of SAO, Akihiko Kayaba, appeared as a "poorly dressed Grim Reaper" as described by Shioko. He explains the feature of the log-out option not being there and announces the start of the death game that is SAO. He leaves an item that when looked at, transforms the player to their real-life appearance. Frustrated, Shioko drags Chelsea with her but to no avail. The two separate and Shioko disappears to the next town.

Part I: Acumen of Silent Bitterness
Five weeks had passed since the start of the death game and 2,000 players had already died. The first floor has yet to be cleared. One day, Shioko receives a message that announces the discovery of the first floor boss room. The discoverer,, calls for a meeting. At the meeting, he shares info from info brokers about the boss battle and pleads to the assembled players to party up. Shioko parties up with a blonde male named Yuurei. The boss battle begins quite well enough. After ten minutes of fighting, the boss has been reduced to three-quarters of its full health.

Part II: Ode to Infinite Madness
Cursing the fact that she was unable to finish off the boss with her sword skill chains, she apologizes to Diavel who admonishes her for apologizing. More fighting ensues and the boss is reduced to the red of its last HP bar. It changes attack patterns and to everyone's surprise, it isn't the same as the beta and Diavel dies. In a mindless rage, Shioko and Yuurei finish off the boss together. Shioko apologizes to Yuurei for "doing this" and disbands the party. She walks up the stairs to the second floor. Alone.