The show starts with a wavemaster (named Tsukasa) lying on the ground, when he gets up, he is unsure of his surroundings. Soon a female heavy blade introduces herself as Mimiru and comments on the fact that very rarely do you see a wavemaster working alone. She assumes that he is very strong. As she looks at his staff, he teleports out of the area. Back in the field, Tsukasa is sitting alone against a well. He talks to himself saying that he did not know what he was doing, or where he was in fact. From the horizon three knights approach and they are investigating the fact that he was seen with a character that looked like a cat. Instead of supplying the warriors with information the wavemaster teleports out of the area. Now in Mac Anu (the city of water) a young female heavy axeman (named Subaru) is talking to one of the Crimson Knights. They are discussing recent issues in ""The World"" and problems that keep arising. As she moves down toward the center of the boat, they pass Tsu

In a field, Tsukasa runs into Bear (the guy he met at the spring of myst). Bear asks him if he has read the message boards. Tsukasa just shrugs him off and proceeds to leave the area. Mimiru meets up with Bear and tells him that he might be in trouble with the knights and that they should look out for him. Bear agrees and says he will call Mimiru if he knows anything. A female wavemaster named BT is now in a desert region being chased by someone, when she is cornered he jumps her asks for her member address. When she says no, he proceeds to kill her. Tsukasa now alone again in an open desert filed contemplates on what he should do, when Maho appears floating above him. Tsukasa wants to get away from everywhere but he knows that there is no place for him to go. Maho nods and then speaks to him, prompting him to say, ""is there really such a place?"" Tsukasa is now in a dimly lit dungeon, and he is being followed by Sora (the person who player killed BT). When Tsukasa meets a dead

In Mac Anu, Subaru meets with Silver Knight to discuss what has been happening with Tsukasa in “The World”. She tells him that they are not system moderators and that they are just players. Subaru then says that they will resume the conversation later, but first she must meet someone. In another area, BT asks Bear how it is possible for Tsukasa to move freely between the fields and have a guardian protect him. The only explanation Bear can think of is that Tsukasa has somehow risen above the system. BT then suggests that Bear should meet Tsukasa in real life, but Bear replies that if he can’t log out here, he must be in pretty bad shape out there. BT suggests that Tsukasa might not be a normal player, but merely a character developed by CC Corp. In another field, Subaru meets with Sora and he wants to discuss the Key of the Twilight. Subaru says that does not exit and begins to leave. Sora then draws his weapon and forces her to stop. Eventually Subaru returns to the city follo

Mimiru teleports into the main area, and she overhears some players talking about a person who can summon a monster and have it attack monster for you Back in the city Subaru and Silver Knight have met up with Bear, she tells him she has checked the log. She tells him that if they log is correct that Tsukasa has been on for the last 10 days. Tsukasa is again alone with the little floating girl, and he asks what will happen when she awakens. Finally the voice speaks to him and tells him something wonderful will happen when she awakes. ""You and I, and he, the three of us will be able to live on peacefully, undisturbed by anyone else. In a world devoid of any harm or discomfort."" Tsukasa says that there are no worlds like that In the real world, a grown man stands in the rain and tries to light a cigarette, as the man walks down the rainy street, we can see a hospital in the background. In a forest area Bear sits alone waiting for Mimiru. When she appears, she tells him how horrible

In a desert region, a male long arm is running through the area shouting that he is back. Tsukasa is sitting alone in the dungeon, when the male long arm introduces himself as Crim and asks if Tsukasa needs any help. Tsukasa denies Crim’s help and teleports out of the area. Back in the root town, Mimiru waits for Bear to arrive, when he does, she asks him why are there wanted posters out for Tsukasa’s arrest if this is a game. Bear explains that there are rules, and that Tsukasa broke them. In a field with dark clouds, BT waits for Sora to arrive. When he does, she tells him she wants to exchange some information with them. He replies by saying unless the information he receives is of equal value, then it is not a trade. She tells him that she has a plan to lure Tsukasa out of hiding. As Subaru and Silver Knight walk about the city, Sora appears and asks them if they have found a way to lure him out. Sora says that he has a plan and proceeds to ask if they are interested. She te

In a root town, Mimiru, Bear and BT are all together talking about the events that just took place. Mimiru asks BT why she set up Tsukasa to be captured. BT says she heard the information from another source and it must have somehow gotten to the Crimson Knights. Bear point out that should focus on what is going on right now and Mimiru replies that they should rescue Tsukasa. In the prison where Tsukasa is being held captive, Subaru approaches saying she wishes to speak with him alone. The knights reluctantly agree. When Subaru sees Tsukasa, he is sitting alone in a dark room. Subaru apologizes for everything that has happened to him and all she wanted was to speak to him. While she is talking, Tsukasa sees a bug fly by and says that it smells nice. Subaru is surprised he can smell inside a game. Tsukasa replies that he can also feel pain. Tsukasa asks Subaru if she thinks he is lying and she tells him no. She asks him what he intends to do now and that as long as he abides

Mimiru meets up with a new character named A-20 who pushes Mimiru to her limits. While exploring a dungeon with A-20, Mimiru looks for a reason to stay in touch with Tsukasa even though the two of them had a fight.

Mimiru determined to meet with Tsukasa, sends him an email stating that she will wait for him in Dun Loreig. As she waits she is confident that he will show up. Even when Sora appears to help her pass the time.

A girl meets Tsukasa and tells him that she will be out of town for a little while and that she would like him to help take care of her Grunty. While taking care of the Grunty it eventually becomes sick and the only cure is a hard to find purple cherry. While Tsukasa is searching for the cherry all the other characters are discussing the Key of the Twilight. Sora mentions that he may know someone that might be able to help them in their search...the great hacker Helba.

After denying his son money for a new car, Bear talks to B.T. and she suggestions that the reason he is so protective of Mimiru and of Tsukasa in ""The World"" is because he feels that he isn't being a good father. By looking out for them, he is providing the fatherly role which he can't provide to his own son. Meanwhile, Subaru tells Silver Knight to contact her immediately if anybody wants to talk to her. Silver Knight agrees, but when Tsukasa wants to contact Subaru, Silver Knight tells him that she doesn't want to see him. Not much later we see Tsukasa sulking on the Bridge in Mac Anu. When Subaru seems him, she leaves the boat and tries to get closer, Tsukasa teleports away before Subaru could ever reach her and she returns to her boat with a saddened look on her face. All the while, BT and Crim continue to search for clues regarding The Key of the Twilight.

Bear, Mimiru, and Tsukasa form a party in an attempt to complete a rare item quest. During the adventure, Tsukasa starts to get closer to Bear and Mimiru and eventually he learns to not rely on his guardian for protection but on his fellow party members.

Mai and her boyfriend, Tomonari Kasumi (known to The World as Sieg), are taken to a hospital due to both of them collapsing while playing a MMORPG called The World. Despite Mai waking up shortly after arriving at the hospital, Tomonari remains in a coma. For this, Mai is the object of rumors, especially when the clubhouse (known as G-study) is closed after the incident. It is soon revealed that she heard a certain sound (which is also present at important points in .hack//Sign) shortly before collapsing, and she later discovers that it is A in C major, which is used to tune instruments, including her violin. It was this sound that enabled her to wake up, and it was the first sound she made when she did. She meets Junichiro Tokuoka, and although she distrusts him at the beginning, as they investigate into Tomonari's coma, they soon become allies, if not friends. The investigation itself starts with Tokuoka accessing Tomonari's (Sieg's) account on The World, with Mai providing the password. Tokuoka accidentally opens the e-mail, and discovers that two users, Yukichin and Kyo, are close with Tomonari and have been harassing him with e-mails regarding his absence. It is also revealed during the course of the episode that Tomonari took the name Sieg as a contraction of Siegfried, from the German operatic cycle Der Ring Des Nibelungen, which was written by Wagner. Balmung is the name of Siegfried's sword, and Tomonari told Mai that he would become the possessor rather than the sword: a reference to the fact that he aimed to surpass the player character Balmung of the Azure Sky, one of the Descendants of Fianna. Tokuoka and Mai's investigation leads them to break into G-study, in order to attempt to recreate the same situation so that they can find out why Mai and Tomonari collapsed. The sound starts up again when they enter a field, and although Mai saves herself, Tokuoka seems to be losing it. In desperation, Mai destroys the monitor and (presumably) computer that they w

Everyone is getting anxious about finding the Key of the Twilight and with Tsuaksa gradually becoming more involved in wanting to log out of the world, they feel that now is the best time to act. However no one knows exactly where to go. However Sora mentions that he is able to contact the great hacker Helba. After contacting Helba, he says that she wishes to talk to Bear and that he wishes to meet him. Bear sets off to the dungeon described by Helba and when Bear gets to the bottom dungeon, Helba teleports in and relays the message that she might be able to help find the key of the twilight. After their visit, Bear, Mimiru, and Tsuaksa get ready to head to find the Key of the Twilight, however, it seems that Crim and BT are also heading off on the same adventure. At the church where Tsukasa often hides out, and Crim are talking. Crim wonders how they can open the Twilight Eye. BT smiles and then proceeds to use her magic on the field. As she casts the spell, the clouds part and

Crim and BT go to a mysterious castle to search for the Key, followed by Sora. Thanks to the code that Helba gave them, Bear, Tsukasa, and Mimiru also reach the castle. But traps line the way, and there seems to be an evil atmosphere to the place.

Recap Episode. There are a few new scenes, but most is flashbacks to previous episodes. Originally aired as Episode 15. Listed in DVD Box Set as a Bonus Episode, numbered Episode 27

Tsukasa suffering from his attack awakes in Aura's domain, he seems to be fine and learns he cannot die in this place, but will come back. The other players know not of what happened to Tsukasa, but want to find him. Tsukasa meets up with Subaru and they have a small talk where she reassured him of his situation. Mimiru recalls Tsukasa's reaction to something the broken man said and wants to find him to know what.

BT is wandering around the world looking for someone to rely on but can't find anybody. She goes to Crim to see if he would like to meet in the real world, but he turns her down. BT later gets called by Subaru, but instead of helping Subaru out, BT ends up insulting and putting her down. BT later goes with these two guys on a treasure hunt, but it turns out they tricked her and only want to kill her for her experience. BT ends up getting saved by Tsukasa, and Tsukasa and BT end up bonding with each other.

Silver Knight and the other Crimson Knights want to go after Sora, for being a player killer. Subaru is against it saying that is not the purpose of the Crimson Knights. They go back and forth about the purpose of the Knights, and finally Silver Knight tells Subaru he had contacted the system admids and they wrote back to Subaru. After rethinking a lot of what the Knights have become Subaru decides to disband them.

We learn about the past of Subaru and how she founded the Scarlet Knights. Later, Subaru is wandering the world and word of her disbanding the Knights has spread. She is attacked by another character, and comes to find Tsukasa badly beaten. They bond even closer and we see a glimpse of the real life Subaru.

First, Tsukasa takes Subaru to the place where the sleeping girl lays, only to find she isn't there. Then, Bear decides that the ""Key of the Twilight"" issue should be resolved. He calls BT, Crim, Subaru and Mimiru together to discuss what they should do. Meanwhile, Sora and BT are forming an alliance to find the Key first, apparently for selfish reasons. They enlist the help of Silver Knight, but only intend to use him as a pawn. They are probably after the forces that still follow him. Their plan is to take all the information BT will obtain from ""Bear's Party"", and then use it to try to get to the key first. Their logic is that they can move faster than Bear and co. Tsukasa returns to where the sleeping girl was. Suddenly he is picked up and held over the bed. He appears to be in pain. He asks if he is being punished for bringing Subaru, and a voice answers yes. He is raised over the bed, then a sort of explosion, then implosion occurs with Tsukasa as the epicenter. Then

The episode opens with Mimiru and Bear waiting in Dun Loireag for Subaru. Mimiru wonders why Subaru is late, and Bear says she is most likely looking for Tsukasa. Subaru arrives, and Bear asks if she was able to meet with Tsukasa. She responds that she hasn't been able to contact him and is worried it is her fault. Bear says that beating herself up won't do any good , and that they have to start looking for him. Subaru says she will look for him by herself. Mimiru says that they have all ready looked everywhere he could be. Subaru says they haven't looked where the sleeping girl (Aura) was. There is a brief flashback to when Tsukasa took Subaru there and Aura was missing. Mimiru says they need Tsukasa's power to get there. Subaru says she will use the message boards to try to find someone that knows something about the place. They all agree to search for Tsukasa. Subaru leaves to talk with B.T. , and Mimiru comments on how tired Subaru looks. Tsukasa is shown leaning against the bed. H

Bear, Mimiru and Subaru are planning on returning to the broken man and encounter another unbeatable monster, yet are saved by an old friend of Subaru's. We hear more of Morgana's intentions. Our hero's learn more from the broken man, and Tsukasa starts to show signs of coming to. Sora discovers the realm of Morgana and gains knowledge from her.

All the players are coming together to meet Helba, and go through her special gate, even Tsukasa. He meets up with Crim beforehand and is scared to go. The gate appears and one by one they go through- save Subaru who is determined for Tsukasa to show up.

The other players are in a new realm, a place where old and lost data is kept. Subaru's waiting pays off and Tsukasa finally appears and they go through the gate. Our players learn a lot from Helba, and start to formulate a plan on what to do next. Subaru and Tsukasa bond more, and learn more about each other. They figure out that the enemy is after Subaru and they need to protect her, a battle ensues. Tsukasa makes the decision that the does want to log out.

The players leave the Net Slum and separate for a bit, but meet up again in the Church and safeguard Subaru and Tsukasa. Sora is sent after them by Morgana and is given help by her to defeat them. A great battle ensues, and Tsukasa decides to fight back and not run anymore. Maha starts to disobey Morgana, and is hit by one of her creations. Subaru, Tsukasa, and Mimiru are transported to an unknown destination.

The Finale! Tsukasa, Subaru and Mimiru are separated in a special field, and encounter alternate versions of each other. After realizing the trickery, they are transported to Morganna's realm where they find Aura. Despite Morganna's protests, Tsukasa wakes Aura and they escape to NetSlum, only to to trapped by Skeith. Helba, taking extreme measures, deletes the field, and Tsukasa is finally able to log out.