[natsu_san]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Spoiler for Timeline Answer:

Apart from a flashback near the start of the first book, the novels are all written in chronological order. He then wrote sidestories that are set in the gaps between books, including several before the first novel began. This is pretty typical of LN series. For example, in Haruhi Suzumiya, Book 1 takes place in the spring, Book 2 in autumn, then there's a side story collection that's set at various points between the two. Book 4 picks up in winter, but then Book 5 has a couple more stories set between the first two novel, and one set after Book 4. And Book 6 has two stories set at the end of Book 2, two set after Book 4 (one set before the story from Book 5, the other after) and one that takes place between the first two chapters of Book 7.

Thank you for the clarification. Indeed the side stories timeline is a bit confusing. In fact I began volume 3 and was asking "Who's Yui?" and found out I had to read another volume (or chapter, in this case)

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Spoiler for Fishing:

The sequence in question is a bit confusing, but Kirito didn't trade Dual Wielding itself but rather one of the techniques for it.

Although I understood that bit now, what's the difference between "Dual Wield" and "One of his techniques"? Is it that "Dual Wield" is an unique skill (due to Kirito's high reflexes ability being the fastes in SAO, in accord to which he got this ability he showed during the 74th floor boss match) and therefore cannot be traded? Or, more in general, what are the types of skills (if there are more than one)?

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

The anime writers wanted to squeeze the whole story into one episode and left a bunch of stuff out. We should just assume they formed a party for the raid and Kirito disbanded it afterwards.

In fact it's the other way. In the anime it is shown that they form a party (although I don't understand which relationships category that falls into: Friends or Guild?) and they disband it while Kirito goes to the 2nd floor, but in the LN I don't recall ever reading that he disband that party. He only said his only friends were now Klein/Cline and Argo the Rat. Therefore Asuna's not his friend (neither on Anime anymore or LN), but only in the anime it is shown that Kirito's disband the party. Therefore the party would be something that doesn't require an invitation or something besides the 4 described relationships?