Sword Art Online manga. Girls' ops

The virtual world of ALfheim Online might not be literally deadly, but there's still plenty of tough adventuring to be had. The trio of Liz, Silica, and Leafa set out on a quest for a magical ring but immediately run into monsters tougher than they expected. A certain black-clothed swordsman comes to their rescue--but it's not Kirito?! It seems the "game of death" has had lingering emotional effects on everyone, and even the survivors bear scars....

When a shadow from the past returns, Lux's time with her new friends may end, but Liz, Silica, and Leafa are not about to turn their backs on a friend in need.

"It's just an ordinary day for the girls' ops crew until a crimson-haired newbie named Garnet storms into Liz's blacksmith shop, demanding her most powerful weapon. Amused by the rookie's spunk, the girls decide to join her on a quest, planning to teach her a thing or two about gaming. As they make headway, all seems well until a mysterious path appears... Just what could be waiting ahead?"--Page [4] of cover.

"To steal the recipe for the Fairy Mallet and complete their quest, Silica and company infiltrate the Elves and Shoemaker guild. But Granze, the guild's leader, is not so easily outwitted--using the Gjallarhorn, a legendary instrument that summons a veritable army of soldiers to her side, she launches her assault! What's more, the soldiers are created from old SAO data, and their leader bears an uncanny resemblance to the Black Swordsman..."-- cover...