[lightbringer]

If the start of volume 9 confuses you, skip ahead to the partial explanation in the second interlude. That should clear it up a bit, you just have to get past the copious amounts of pseudo-science babble.

Spoiler for Kirito's dubious fate after volume 9:

This is not the kind of LN where the main character dies, so we can be reasonably sure that Kirito will come out of this alive.

The all-new cast in volume 9 (apart from the interlude) and the apparent lack of the old guard in volume 10 makes me a bit depressed though. These volumes need more Asuna/Sugu/Shion.