[Rageth]

Originally Posted by Akka

But my entire point was that the scales are so disproportionate that the "betrayal" of people in a game is just a non-issue, just like if someone fall in the water and there is a rope next to you, you'll just take it and throw the end to the person who has fallen, and you will certainly not think of it as "rude" or "a theft" at this time (while you would think that if you'd just take the rope in a different situation).

I'd consider that VERY rude, rope or no rope... And he already had developed a friendship with Leafa, so killing her then, and deciding to team up with the opposing side, is not in Kirito's character at all. Especially not on a hunch..

Originally Posted by Akka

First, he's (supposed to be) in a very stressful and rather desperate situation. When you're under such pressure, the reality is that you simply don't care about irrelevant side stories. It's just not realistic to see him bantering and playing around, regardless of it being what drives the plot forward or not (it WOULD be realistic if everything was a plan, and as such he actually HAS his mind on the issue at hant, but even if it's the case, it's not properly shown in the last few episodes).

Stressful? You mean how he was stressful while in SAO, where he could be killed be anyone/anything? Sure he had moments of stress and such, but he was seen bantering and playing around anyways... He wasn't the kind to break under pressure, and instead strove to make something positive out of the situation..

Originally Posted by Akka

Second, if he's not even sure Asuna is up there, then on the contrary he should be even MORE pressed for time to check if it's the case - because if it's not, then all the time spent in ALO is just wasted.
It's actually counter-productive to use the "he isn't certain Asuna is here" as an argument to rationnalize his apparent carefree behaviour, because it actually is even more illogical for him to do so in that case.

I think what we have here is simply a case of bad adaptation or sloppy writing.

It was literally, his only lead. No one else knew what had happened, and he got a lead of a picture of a girl in a cage, that happened to look vaguely like Asuna. If you haven't noticed, he has a very calm personality, in addition to being carefree. His calm really only broke the moment he discovered for sure, that Asuna was in ALO.
"He isn't certain Asuna is here" is how we can rationalize his calm, and as such, aimed to find out.

Now, if you want to argue his behaviors being illogical... Keep in mind he was a 14 y/o when he entered SAO, and spent 2 years in an environment that threw logic out the window 80% of the time...
Logically speaking, Kirito should have PTSD... along with 90% of the survivors...
.... great... now I want to ask the author why they don't have ptsd....