Akiba Raid

Akiba Raid (called Akihabara Raid in CR subs) is the eighth episode of the Log Horizon 2 anime. It adapts the fifth chapter of The Stray Child of Dawn, which covers Operation Capture.

The Plan
Akatsuki and Maryelle have engaged the murder Enbart Nelles. Drawing him by his agro the women start the chase. Elsewhere the other teams move into there assigned positions. Rieze and Kyouko race to the main guild building. Akatsuki using her small size as an advantage lands "death stinger" on Nelles. He counters while her block is assisted by the gifts she has received from the others. Akarsuki then feints and sets him up for "orian delay blow" from Kawara while Sandy heals. As the original pair heads for the next area Rieze and Kyouko arrive on top of the main guild building. From this vantage point they can see the full raid in Akiba take place. In the streets Nelles has been drawn in to the next team Seine and Yuzugo attack while Maryelle heals Akatsuki. Rieze explains why other Royal Guard haven't showed up. When Nelles catches up and confronts Akatsuki and Maryelle again he is blindsided by Dolce, and Fragrant Olive, while Kurinon heals. Rieze explains to counter the boost Nelles gets for every adventurer within fifty meters she has position numerous small groups, just out of range of each other, around the city. While Rieze explains Kushi Yatama and Yaezakura do there best. As Akatsuki continues lures the murder thru each groups area they simultaneously attack the enemy and heal there allies.

Negotiating with Kinjo
Deep inside the main guild building Princess Rayneshia, with Henrietta standing at her right shoulder, is seated opposite Kinjo in a small meeting room. He reminds the princess that shutting down the magic circle will also leave the city without it's magic defenses. Also without the Royal guard the city may become lawless. The princess responds that this is a failure of all of the people of the land and they must do every thing in there power to solve it.

As the princess speaks the fight continues thru Chika and Hisako's area. His final argument is this action may cause problems greater then the current one. While the princess searches for a response Henriette reminds him the Round Table has already agreed and will do whatever it takes to protect the city. He admits his clan has failed in there duty to protect the city and it time to move forward. As he quotes the princess form there previous meeting "To find what you can do and do it" The wall behind him retracts into the floor and ceiling to reveal the  passage to the magic circle.

Backup
As the fight continues Nemimi, Endo Akiba and Asuku have been knocked aside by Nelles. Catching up to Akatsuki and Maryelle as they reach the next zone Nelles has started to hallucinate. Shironiji raises a golem for Akatsuki to use as a shield. Mikakage then cast "heartbeat healing" bringing Akatsuki's HP over 50%. Shironiji hits Nelles with "lance diesel" as Akatsuki and Maryelle head to the next zone. Just before reaching the next zone Nelles pins Maryellel to a wall with ice. Akatsuki desperate to go faster discovers her Overskill "Shadow Lurk". She realizes why nobody could teach it to her as it only comes from training and understanding oneself. Stabling Nelles to the hilt of her sword it is gripped by ice from the wound. Unable to remove her sword Akatsuki is knocked into a wall dropping her HP into the red. As an exhausted Maryelle tries to heal Akatsuki they suddenly receive a call from Tatara telling them to run, crawl if you have to just get to her. Nelles intercepts them again still hallucinating. As the two women prepare to fight something spins out of the dark. Catching it Akatsuki identifies it as the Screaming Sword Haganemushi. Tatare from her window corrects her, it is now Haganemushi Tatara reforged to fit Akatsuki. Bearing her face to Akatsuki Tatara gifts her the sword. From her vantage point Rieze announces the 27th maiden has arrived.

Defeating the Murderer
Drawing her new sword Akatsuki immediately goes on the offensive striking Nelles's Byakumara so Haganemushi status effect can start to work. Next she uses her new overskill Nelles is expecting this and almost impales her on his sword. She is saved by Nazuna while Isami strikes under his upraised arm. Rieze instructs Nazuna to take Maryelle's place as Akatsuki's partner. She also advises them Nelles attack may soon change like a Raid Boss. Again Nelles catches up this time he's caught in Akuki-ko's "thorn bind hostage" and receives the damage as Towa uses "rapid fire" on the vines.

Party After
Having successfully defeated Nelles, the Watermaple Consulate Raid Party celebrates inside the Consulate with a pajama party. Rieze and Seine gush over how they had never been to a pajama party before, while Henrietta shivers on the couch in utter joy as Maryelle tends to her. Rayneshia and Akatsuki sit together on a couch and talk about the experience.

Later, Akatsuki walks outside and thinks about how she misses Shiroe when he calls her through telepathy. She answers the call, asking him why he broke his own rule and exchanges some banter with him before he congratulates her for defeating the raid boss-level opponent, and continues to say that he has to finish fighting his own battles as the Abyssal Shaft raid party prepares to enter the dungeon again.

Trivia

 * Volume 6, chapter 5 features some of Akatsuki's inner monologue about the training before Operation Capture, and details on how she acquired her new armor. These monologues were adapted into the previous episode, The Maidens of Watermaple.
 * In the light novel, Rayneshia and Henrietta are already in the magic circle control room when Kinjo questions them.
 * The anime does not explain that Rieze's ice spell normally only had a range of 20 meters; in order not to enter the 50m range, she and Kyouko went onto the rooftop and allowed gravity to carry the spell down to Nelles.