Ep 20. Despair

The episode begins with Tsukasa still consumed by despair, believing that everyone in The World is simply an AI program. Meanwhile, the other characters in the game are trying to figure out how to help him. Mimiru and Bear decide to try and find Tsukasa's player in the real world, hoping that they can get through to him and bring him back to reality.

As they search, they come across a strange player who seems to have a connection to Tsukasa. This player is able to control monsters in the game, and Mimiru and Bear are forced to fight them off in order to get past him. Eventually, they are able to learn that this player is actually the one who created Tsukasa's character, and that he has become obsessed with him.

Meanwhile, Tsukasa is approached by the mysterious voice that has been speaking to him throughout the series. This voice encourages him to give in to his despair and to cut himself off from the world completely, promising that it will give him power. Tsukasa considers this offer, but ultimately decides to continue searching for the truth about The World and his own existence.

As the episode comes to a close, Mimiru and Bear are still trying to find Tsukasa's player, while Tsukasa is caught in a battle against the strange player who created him. It seems that the fate of both Tsukasa and The World itself hang in the balance, and the characters are left wondering if they will be able to succeed in their mission before it's too late.

Overall, "Despair" is a tense and dramatic episode that further explores the themes of reality and illusion that have been central to the series from the beginning. The characters are faced with new challenges and obstacles, and it remains unclear whether they will be able to overcome them. Fans of .hack//SIGN will no doubt be on the edge of their seats as they watch this exciting episode unfold.