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WARNING! This article contains spoilers! |
[DATA RECOVERY SUCCESSFUL]
[ENTRY: GU-044-1]
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Background[]
Skeith was created within the game of Sword Art Online as pieces of broken code. It is essentially an infectious glitch that managed to escape initial testings of the game as beta tester Takeo Tohno found it, but chose not to report it, thereby allowing it into the main release of the game. It would eventually be claimed by Takeo in the main game.
Properties[]
Skeith is essentially lines of broken code made manifest in the game, and is therefore capable of causing dangerous game-breaking anomalies within Aincrad. Its effects are exacerbated when wielded by a compatible player, capable of feeding off of their emotions and amplifying them, turning the player in question into an extreme version of themselves. It also allows the player to feel pain, and essentially makes their in-game avatars physical and capable of sustaining damage, but also allowing the wielder game-breaking power.
Skeith, however, has a deteriorating effect on its user, as it exacerbates their basest emotions and thoughts, bringing out impulses that are normally suppressed subconsciously. While this can amplify positive aspects as much as negative, in the long run an extreme version of even positive aspects can become deleterious. This was first shown by Takeo Tohno, whose instinct to become stronger to both protect his friends and exceed his rival, Yamato Ovan, began to manifest into an extreme envy and jealousy of his friend, and became a savior complex when he sought to control the entire internet so he could protect everyone in the world.
This was further demonstrated in Skeith's second user, Ishi Haseo, where his already unstable personality became more exacerbated over time. This happened at a noticeably slower rate than it did Takeo Tohno, however, as Ishi's strong willpower as well as the presence of others for emotional support helped to suppress his baser impulses. This was fulfilled for Ishi by Misaki Akimi and then later Asuka Shizuka, both of which helped to stabilize his mental state. Nevertheless, Ishi very nearly became the second manifestation of Skeith Avatar when he accidentally killed Misaki in a psychosis, losing complete control of his inhibitions and impulses and acting in pure bloodlust and malice. Ishi was only stopped by Yamato Ovan wielding Corbenik, managing to suppress Skeith before Ishi was completely lost, though Ishi fell into a coma as a result.
During Ishi's time in a coma, Skeith became completely inert, as it was unable to act according to Ishi's will. Skeith, as such, is unable to act on its own when contained by a player, and during times of unconsciousness, such as coma or even sleep, Skeith becomes completely inactive.
While the deterioration of one's inhibitions is a primary consequence of using Skeith, as noted before, a sufficiently strong will is capable of resisting this effect. Skeith's third user, Hao, managed to completely negate these effects due to his powerful conviction and goals, and thus was unaffected by Skeith's powerful effects on the mind. Ishi, additionally, was able to completely suppress Skeith's influence through willpower alone by the time of his final battle with Hao.
A trait that was displayed by both Takeo and Ishi was the ability to teleport from anywhere in Aincrad to any other location at will, regardless of factors such as floor difference or locked areas. The ability resembles a tear in the world in which the user of Skeith enters and exits, appearing at the desired location instantly, as if simply passing through a door. Takeo made frequent use of the ability, and Ishi displayed the ability to use it when he awoke from his coma in order to appear at Hao's location. He then utilized this to alter his Zero Shift ability, allowing him to become intangible in short bursts, allowing him to use the ability at a much quicker and fluid fashion than normal.
Perhaps Skeith's most noteworthy and dangerous characteristic is its ability to replicate itself. Usually this results in smaller fragments that contain a fraction of Skeith's full power, but are still able to be utilized to achieve some of the same effects, and are capable of causing damage to the game if left on their own. However, Skeith is also capable of being perfectly copied, resulting in a second Skeith that has the exact same properties of the first. This was done once when Hao attempted to extract Skeith from Ishi while he was still alive. This resulted in Skeith being copied, with the replication containing the exact same properties as the original.
Skeith Fragments[]
A result of Skeith's constant motion through Sword Art Online are fragments that it leaves behind when warping between locations and floors. Skeith fragments are partial replications of Skeith itself, manifesting in the world as shimmering bits of data that can corrupt the game around them. The sizes of these fragments can vary depending on how recently Skeith was in the area and for how long, and usually diminish and fade away over time. These fragments of Skeith display the same general abilities as Skeith itself, though at a much smaller scale. These Skeith fragments stay localized and do not move on their own, though they are drawn to both each other and Skeith itself. A Skeith compatible player is able to collect multiple fragments to gain additive increases in Skeith's abilities, as well as strengthen a connection to the true Skeith, allowing one with a strong enough connection to sense other Skeith fragments as well as Skeith itself within a certain proximity. While the detrimental effects of Skeith are felt by those with a fragment of Skeith, under normal conditions these effects resolve on their own with time, though depending on the size of the fragment and how many collected, the ability for these conditions to go away on their own diminishes and the effects will eventually become permanent.
The Illness[]
Skeith, through the Nervegear, is capable of causing neurological damage to a user in real life. While this is enough to kill, as is the case with Majora, in a lesser stages one can contract an unknown and incurable illness. This was shown in Ishi Haseo, who discovered the illness some time after the events of the SAO Incident. The disease has an indeterminate cause and no treatment, and causes the body to slowly deteriorate over time. This is mainly signified by a chronic cough that gets worse over time, as well as lethargy and weakness. By the time Ishi had joined End War Online at the age of 40, the disease had already progressed to the point where Ishi suffered from occasional bouts of fatigue, momentary loss of motor function and vision, and fits of bloody coughing. It was these symptoms that killed Ishi during the EWO Incident, allowing the first Void Avatar to take the advantage in their battle and strike a mortal blow. Even aside from this, the disease severely limits one's lifespan, and had Ishi survived EWO, his illness had progressed far enough to where he would most likely have passed away within the year regardless.
Users[]
Takeo Tohno - The first user of Skeith in Sword Art Online, and the one responsible for letting it into the game to begin with. Takeo eventually fell victim to his jealousy towards his friend Yamato Ovan and his desire to become stronger to protect others, becoming a Skeith Avatar. He was killed by Yamato Ovan with the use of Corbenik.
Ishi Haseo - The second user of Skeith. Ishi nearly became a second Skeith Avatar, but was saved by Yamato with Corbenik. Ishi eventually learns to master Skeith, his willpower exceeding Skeith's deterioration on his inhibitions, allowing him to utilize its full power with no repercussions.
Hao - The third user of Skeith. Hao obtained a perfect copy of Skeith from Ishi while he was still alive and in a psychosis. Hao was completely immune to the detrimental effects of Skeith due to his willpower and convictions in his beliefs, allowing him to utilize Skeith to its fullest extent immediately. Despite this, he was eventually defeated by Ishi who also had perfected Skeith as well as taken possession of Corbenik.
Haru Shimikaze - A possessor of a Skeith fragment. Due to possessing only a fragment of Skeith, the detrimental effects on her psyche were much less than those of Takeo and Ishi. She was also unable to use Skeith's full abilities as a result, but still displayed several powerful abilities. Haru had her Skeith fragment extracted by [REDACTED] when she was nearly killed by him, though she was saved by Ishi who healed her with Corbenik.