Chapter 1: Link Start

Standing there, sat in my desk chair, my leg bouncing up and down with excitement as I watched the seconds tick away in my computers digital clock.

My heart thumped with incredible force in my chest.

'Today was the day, and in exactly two minutes I would be one of the lucky bastards to play Sword Art Online on launch day. Ten servers, ten thousand players per one.

I let out a sigh as I shivered my excitement unrestrainable. Me and Souzen spent way too long in line to not be excited...speaking of which.

I picked up my phone and dialed his number quickly. It got two rings in before he answered and excitedly said 'Hello?'

"Dude!" I replied matching his awe as we heaved a heavy sigh, "The months leading up to this went by so quickly how is it these last few minutes feel like years!?" I asked spinning in my desk chair chewing my bottom lip.

"I get what you mean, it's really crazy man, I even spent like four hours making my character and walking around that little creator closet on the pre-title screen." He replied and I gave him a simple 'Same.' As my reply, when suddenly my alarm went off.

"Two minutes till launch, start signing on! And remember join server three, that's the one Kazui said he was probably joining." I hung up before he said anything.

I leapt from my chair onto my bed, the springs cried under my sudden pressure, as I rapidly moved to lay down slipping on the long since active helmet, getting mostly comfortable. Ignoring the awkward elevation of my head.

I must have read that damn instruction guide four times by now, the words had been on the top of my tongue all week.

"Link start!" I exclaimed as the gray screen flashes white and I was 'knocked out' and sent into a rain of rainbow colors.

I felt a sense of gravity upon me, warm sunlight, and different over all.

Opening my eyes revealing my health bar in the top right, my pitiful level one status, and my name. KingKaiser.

"Yo, Kaiser!" Shouted a familiar voice from behind me, no doubt that was Souzen. I looked over, he was taller here than real life with half a shaved scalp, with some tribal tattoos running from the point of his head down along his neck, and probaba Lot further knowing him. His hair was a red and gray mix, and he wore the pitiful starter armor of a cloth shirt, and pants with the small loose brown hide chest pants, and fire shoes, the colors varied but either way we all started out the same, same clothes, same spawn, same crappy brass weapons.

Only now his I think to draw my brass katana and give it a once over, it wasn't even upgradable damn Kayaba what'd we ever do to you.

Whilst I looked my blade over a message popped up in front of me, a friend request, two of them in fact, one from Sozen or Shoto as his screen name appeared, and the other from a Kamui, more than likely Kazui, he always used that name in games. I accepted both and smiled at Shoto before looking at the menu. Seeing a 'Form Party' option I clicked it and sent the invite to Shoto, who chuckled before accepting. Only now did I notice the brass and wooden Yumi on his back with a comically small quiver. At most he probably only had ten to fifteen arrows.

"Come on, let's go check the hunting grounds outside this starter town, everyone will be too busy gawking over everything to follow!" I exclaimed starting my run toward the nearest city exit, which looked to be straight east.

The whole place looked unreal honestly, Shoto ran past me, he had said something about a speedy character so. I expected him to be outrunning me eventually, but already? Damn game cut me some slack. I though as I ran forward trying hard not to trip over myself, or others as the NPC'S continued hollering about their wares.

"So what's the game plan, grind out four or five level before moving on?" Shoto asked as he continued holding the lead firmly, incidentally we'd both fallen prey to the systems sprinting parameters, Kayaba admitted to being a huge Naruto fan during an interview and said that 'Naruto running' would be common place in the game.

"The level cap is two-hundred, but the ten beta-testers that had the job of testing the level cap system said it took them long after reaching the upper floors to achieve EXP aids that helped move the process along, if we can I want to see if we can end up pushing level eight-ten before five, and maybe find a decent mage or shrine-maiden before heading out into the world." I replied our objective getting closer and closer.

He groaned, "That's a lot to ask for with a four odd hour window before five, and I wouldn't bet on a lot of people choosing magic, it's combat roles were really brought down in this game, it's a support class mostly." Shoto said surprising me, I'd heard similar mention of that in the months leading up to release but to actually see or hear it as the case may be was shocking.

As we continued our run through town a cloaked figure with a similar to our own brass naginata popped out of an ally making a silly face.

We stopped a stared for a moment eyebrows raised.

"Ugh, can we help you?" I asked looking at the avatar before me, now that I could see their face I notice it was a girl, with curly blonde hair and a it appears this particular player didn't shy away from the 'chest size' slider, because it looks as though she has a flotation device on, that's already inflated.

"Guys it's me Kazui! Or Kamui now but what do you think?" Our friend asked as we recoiled back looking at him through a gasp.

"You, you, you actually ended up choosing a female avatar!" Shoto exclaimed, we all knew why, this game wasn't rated M for nothing.

"Oh both of you shut it, come one send me a party invite and let's go get some grinding done." He exclaims staring between me and Shoto.

I raised both palm in surrender and made a motion for Shoto to go ahead and invite our mutual perverted pal.

I now had two smaller bars beneath my own displaying their health, and level.

"Alright let's go!" He shouts being surprising of faster than both of us.

"So how much stuff did the beta-guys leak anyway?" He/she asked.

"They were only permitted to release information up to floor eight to the general public, one tester, Toast-San I think he was called tried releasing details about some floor after seventy and Kayaba personally claimed a lawsuit!" I chuckled as the system engaged again and all three of us sprinted through town.

"Alright boys here comes the gate!" He/She says as the archway comes into view. "Remember that party exp is split evenly so let's all do our best to make sure we make it to an adequate level before...I'd say five." At the mention of our previous discussion Shoto groans.

We ran staring past the gate and into the fields, but not quite into the tree line, and already boars galore we're

a-spawnin'.

"Okay...Shoto pick a safe passision for you to lay down cover and distraction fire from, me and Kaiser will lead the little porkers around the field." Kamui announced. In the last MMORPG we played together he was our guilds tactician, so I guess he's still used to that job/responsibility.

"Sounds great, there a decently high up rock over there I'm gonna perch myself on, remember the max distance on this crappy bow, plus my low level means I only have an effective reach of fifteen meters and not a single centimeter more." Shoto announced as he crouch on the stone arrow out, and string prepped.

"One more thing, we all played the tutorial right, you know sword skills, agro, skill, basic techniques, and classes. Right?" Kamui asked, and we both gave a respected bod to say 'well duh'.

*LINE HERE*

The sky had developed on orange twinge now, but I was leading one last boar over to Shoto while Kamui practiced a cheap healing spell he'd received as a rare drop from a sprite that popped up which in it of itself is apparently a rare spawn.

"Alright team, good effort let's get a quick level roll call and then we'll head to town to stock up before maybe moving out." Kamui called out as we all looked to see who would go first.

With a sigh of exasperation I looked at my two pals before shrugging. "I'm at eleven a quarter of the way to twelve." They looked at me surprised before recalling how I ate those purple berries which were either going to poison me or give me double exp.

Shoto sighed "I'm almost at ten." He announced, that whole division of exp thing was irritating because of all the little things that also gave exp in a fight.

Kamui smirked before letting out an evil laugh that seemed like it was ripped straight from an anime.

"FuFuFuFuFu! Fear not my defenseless chums for you I the mighty Kamui stand at an impressive Twelve!" He called out making us snicker.

"Alright, alright seriously though, how long can you guys stay on? I'm thinking we log off at seven for dinner and then pull an all nighter!" I proposed and was surprised to see them accept it so quickly.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Kamui shouted, before a blue aura similar to the one that surrounded us when we first logged in.

*LINE HERE*

Apparently we had just been forced teleported back into the center of the town of beginnings. Everyone looked confused and irritated at the sudden event.

"Is there some big event announcement or something?" Shoto asked to which I shrugged before the sky filled with red hexagons, with leaked river of blood from them that seemed to defy ratify as they curved to me in to the center creating the game master.

"Attention players," it said, "I welcome you to my world." It says and the voice suddenly starts ringing a bell.

"Guys...I think that's Akihiko Kayaba!" I announce louder than I meant to catching a few others attention as well.

"My name is Akihiko Kayaba, and as of this moment, I am in control of this world." It's said confirming my suspicions, and making my stomach churn sat what his could mean.

"I'm sure most of you have already noticed an item missing from your main menus – the logout buttons." At the mention of it I shrugged to my two curious chins as we all opened our menus to, in fact confirm, that he wasn't punking us.

"Let me assure you, this is not a defect in the game. I repeat, this is not a defect. This is how Sword Art Online was designed to be." He paused as murmurs carried along the crowds surface, "You cannot log yourselves out of SAO. And no one from the outside will be able to shut down or remove the NerveGear from your head."

Several more seconds passed as people started to panic now.

"If anyone attempts to do so, a transmitter inside the NerveGear will discharge a microwave signal into your skull, destroying your brain and ending your life."

I heard several people scream, others swore, and a majority of the rest began pleading.

He ignored it before continuing on with-

"Despite my warning, the families and friends of some of the players have tried removing the NerveGear. An unfortunate decision, to say the least." To this Kamui gagged and if it weren't for the fact that you had to be poisoned to puke in this game he probably would have spilled that roasted boar meat all over his shoes.

"As a result, the game now has 213 less players than when it began. They've been deleted from both Aincrad and the real world."

The words, no...that number made me shrink, out of one-hundred thousand, two-hundred and thirteen people were now dead.

What the fuck Kayaba!

"As you can see, international media outlets have round-the-clock coverage of everything, including the deaths." I stared at the screens, searching for a familiar space, and found none, fortunately.

"At this point, it's safe to assume the likelihood of a NerveGear being removed is minimal at best."

Kayaba continued, "I hope this brings you a little comfort as you try to clear the game."

Even as most of us were crying and begging for some sort of salvation or struck with paralysis hoping this was just some nightmare he continued.

"It's important to remember the following: there is no longer any way to revive someone within the game; if your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be deleted from the system… forever." I froze now, if not before, those words were like bags concrete being dropped in my head.

"There is only one way for a player to escape now; you must clear the game." He pressed a button, and a holographic image appeared with a red dot on the bottom. "Right now, you're gathered on floor one, the lowest level of Aincrad. If you can get through the dungeon and defeat the boss, you may advance to the next floor." The holographic image flushed red from bottom to top. "Defeat the boss on floor 100, and you will clear the game." He was still droning on! Damn it how does he expect anyone to still be listening.

"Last, but not least, I've placed a little present in the item storage of each player. Please, have a look." I furrowed my brow, confused, but opened up my inventory anyway. Inside was a single item, a Hand Mirror. I pulled it out, and it was just a mirror. It reflected my image.

Not the image of my badass avatar with the scar along his nose, KingKaiser, but of me, pale skin, short black haired, grey eyes Kisuke Urahara.

And the same went for every one else, their avatars faded away leaving only their scared true selves.

As he finished his speech his form faded into red mist before he disappeared. And we were now all left, to fend for ourselves.

My mind finally snapped back into reality as I grabbed Kamui, and Shoto and hauled them behind me into an ally a little ways away from the gaggle of scared individuals at spawn.

"Alright look, I know your scared, and you know I'm scared, but we need to agree right now that our best chance of getting out of here is working together, and we need to move out like right now." I say watching them collect themselves. Kamui muttered things about his sister before finally standing and wiping away the snot from his nose, and Shoto wasn't far behind.

"Do we even know where we're going?" Kamui asked.

"And are we stocked up well enough for this kind of journey?" Shoto added.

I looked back, people were still In shocks for better or worse that gave us a head start.

"No, I have no clue where to go but the starter map has several villages on it all pretty far from each other and here, as for suppose we need to gear up before heading out. Remember we get a thousand starter bronze col, use eight hundred maximum, save as much as possible… me at the archway we first went to for our leveling session and we'll head out from their in an hour." I announced turning to go find a shop or blacksmith or maybe an alchemist...I needed some of everything...god this is going to be a challenge.

Okay first shop, an armory; the NPC inside was an older gentlemen, someone who looked to be in their late forties, he had a nasty looking scar running down his left eyes and some serious stubble.

"If ya don't got col get da hell outta my shop." He said through a rough voice, like a chain smoker when they first wake up in the morning.

I walked around the sword, the walls were pretty bare, and what was there was the same garbage brass as mine. I was high enough level that I could upgrade to bronze, albeit low tier, un-upgraded bronze, but still better than brass.

My eyes landed on a worn looking bronze sword and I winced, hm this guy didn't have jack!

Biting back my annoyance I picked up a backup brass katana for less than fifty-some col and stored it in my inventory. Apparently dual wielding didn't make it into the game. Kayaba had joked about DLC for the game a month after launch.

I exited the store feeling my rage boiling once more, but it was quickly covered by fear as I realized exactly what was happening, but that was quickly suppressed as I Apparently walked into an Alchemist shop.

"Greetings!" Beamed from a younger woman from behind the counter.

Her face was round and her figure was lean, her hair fell down in pink curls as she finished packing away some bottles that sat atop the counter.

"Hi." I said out of courtesy before looking around...I had unlocked a 'Speechcraft' skill from talking with them at the other bastards shop, it seemed too low to be actually useful though.

"I'm looking for health regeneration items...potions you know. Amy II have anything like that?" My voice sounded stiffer than I wanted it to but she understood nonetheless.

"Sure I do, come on over and I'll see what I have in your price range." She announced. So...NPCs are snarky, and speak with sarcasm...good to know.

I thought walking over as she brought up a crate with small glass bottles filled with red liquid.

She let me pick one up and a pop up window appeared.

(Small Healing Potion)

Regenerate: 5hp/ per 10 seconds

Cost: 75 col

Difficulty to Craft: low

The pot. Wasn't bad, but at seventy-five col and I wanted at least five of them…No, I can't be a cheapskate now. One of these potions could mean the difference between me living and dying.

I bought five of them. Seeing my balance shrink by three-hundred and fifty col was definitely a chilling sight but what could I do.

I had attempted using 'Speechcraft' but the system activated and my words were gumbled and my flattery seemed to have insulted her.

About on hour later she was saying angrily, that I was incredibly lucky she wasnt charging me double.

A message popped up, from Shoto.

-MESSAGE-

Hey, Kaiser move it, we're ready at the gate!

Damn already? I shrugged and began walking toward the gate, Shoto grabbed a pair of mitts to keep his fingers from being damaged after shooting, and seemingly a bigger quiver. Kamui looked annoyed, he was now wearing pants, and seemed steamed by the fact he had been turned back into a male.

"Okay now that we're all together let's head out, the nearest village is still three days away, and we want to get there and start picking up as many quest as possible." Kamui states looking over his map setting a 'waypoint' for a some hamlet off toward the east.

We began our run, even now with the tension of our situation still fresh in my mind the fact the three of us were Naruto running still made me smile.

"So what kind of mobs can we expect on this floor?" Kamui asked taking the lead once more.

"Umm...Mostly animals, angered, mad, and feral variety from what I remember of an interview of a particular beta-tester." I replied as we ran by our mutual friend mr. boar.

"What about that pixie thing Kamui killed?" Shoto asked as we began arriving at the tree line.

"Rare spawns, far as I remember some mythical creatures can spawn whenever players hang around an area long enough." I replied as we passed by some rabbits.

"You said it'd take us a few days to reach our destination, don't we need food or some sort of shelter?" Shoto asked.

"We'll find a cave later tonight, and we should all still have plenty of boar meat."

"We dot. Have any beds er, sleeping bags and I was holding to sell most of this boat meat but couldn't get around to it, people seem to be removing themselves from their stupor before the hour needed." Kamui explained as we ran, before a certain huffing caught my ear.

Stopping and staring back stood a short, four foot something girl, in the same starter armor as us with a staff in her left hand, she was panting.

"Who the hell?" Shoto asked as he as Kamui returned to my side.

She huffed for a few moments before looking up to the three of us, "Room for a healer in your party?" She said making the three of us raise a brow in a questioning manor.

LINE HERE*

"Alright…I think we should let her come with us." Kamui said referring to Suzumiya, a shrine maiden and our newest addition to the party.

I shrugged the only one of us who had a problem with it was Shoto who was still up in arms about it.

"Alright whatever just send the invite." He replied, while Kamui moved to invite her.

"Okay now we're starting to resemble a proper party, now let's set up camp sleep off these status effects and get a nice early start, so...who's cooking?" He rubbed his Palma together as we all turned to look at Suzumiya.

She raised a brow before giving up taking the boar meat I offered and giving Shoto build the fire as she slowly roasted it.

"Honestly, I'm still having trouble believing that we're stuck in a game." Shoto said holding the brass yumi in his hands with an iron grip.

I sigh before patting his shoulder, "This isn't a game anymore, it's our life until we beat the game...however long that'll take."

"If we're careful, make decisive movements, and watch out for one another...it could take anywhere from two-five years if with everyone actively pushing to beat the game." Suzumiya droned off still slowly roasting away the boar meat.

"Ugh whatever I think I've had enough depressing information dumps for one evening, I'll lay out the tarp so we can sleep and then we can decide how we want to divide up the night watch." Shoto chimed swiping through his inventory until a large purple rolled up sheet of fabric was in his arms, before he stretched it out into the ground.

"Suzumiya's cooking so she did her job, so if we sleep six hours then it'll be one of us rotating in every two hours, and just to be safe if it's anything with a level higher than yours or more than one of, wake up the next guard to assist you." Kamui explained, listing the rules off on his finger, I heard Suzumiya sigh with relief at the fact she's get to sleep all of the night.

"So who takes first watch?" I asked looking between the three of us before we all smiled and huddled up cocking an arm back.

"Rock."

"Paper."

"Scissor!"

We all shout throwing in our respective hands, my rock broke shoots scissors, but not before his paper covered my rock.

"Alright guess I'm first" I replied stretching, "then it's Shoto before Kamui, so get plenary of rest." I said as a trade window opened before me with [Poorly] made roasted boar meat inside, it was from Suzumiya. It was hard to not chuckle at which she halted at me, biting into her own portion.

We ate quickly before those who wouldn't be charged with ensuring no stray mobs, or god forbid other players, came by looking for trouble.

Suzumiya was the first to pass out, surprisingly trusting of three guys she's never met, though the fact remains she's a Our only healer and possibly her off wouldn't be in anyone best interest. Shoto who would be replacing me in two hours grunted as he struggled to fall asleep, while Kamui took out a green bike downing a potion that he said would help with his insomnia, and it did as he instantly passed out.

While I can't say it's bothersome, nothing at all not even a soft stir came from the woods surrounding us, and in all this peace and quiet I found myself thinking about home. About Mitsuo, or Misato and mom…

'Forget it, nothing I could do.' I thought as I cracked my neck looking around us. 'I didn't sign up to be trapped inside one of ten servers holding several thousand players against their will in a game of life and death.'

Two hours was up, thankfully so I violently shook Shoto out of his dream, he sat up with a grunt before looking at me groggily waving a hand to re-equip his Yumi, and 'armor' if you wanted to call it that.

I laid down between the other two, the blanket was big enough for three people oddly comfortably we also all slept head to toe, so while I didn't appreciate Kamui's foot stank it bearable enough for me to pass out after about five minutes.

A hand rested on my shoulder and I cracked my eyes open to a soft chirping off in the distance, it was still dark out, we had gin to sleep early and we agreed on a six-eight hour stop. Lifting myself slowly from the bed I opened my menu re-equipping my horrible gear and began praying to anyone that this next town would have a decent armor shop...and a place to sell these ingredients that we're cluttering my inventory.

With a yawn Suzumiya sat up looking not entirely ready to get moving but followed our lead as we picked up camp.

"All in favor of buying tents in the near future say aye." She said probably half joking but all of us let out a resounding 'aye' in response.

Returning to the path, slaying the stray, solitary wolf or bear cub or what have you.

And when the sun began peeking over the horizon my lips parted into a wide smile.

"Village straight ahead!" I shouted bursting into a run, only to be followed suit by my companions, they definitely weren't slacking in keeping up with me, and weren't hiding their excitement finally reaching a place to get quest and such things with less difficulty.

As I reach the gate a small window appeared before me.

-Location Discovered-

Saitama Village (Mining Town)

Population: 87 NPCS

Player Population: 4

I smiled seeing that we had been not only the first to arrive but the only ones here.

"And we take the lead!" I exclaim pumping a fist into the air.

"Hang on...we can form a guild now right?" Kamui asked as the three of us looked at him hesitantly.

"Form a guild?" Shoto asked.

"So soon?" I added.

"I'm down for it." Suzumiya replied surprising us all.

"What are you against it?" He asked me and Shoto as we shared a look.

"Not really...just worried if we start a guild, more will pop up, and then it'll be 'Galaxy of Battle Plans' all over again." I replied to hear a scoff from him.

"I mean...if not with you guys then who? Sure I guess let's make a guild." Shoto said and I shrugged.

Kamui swiped open his menu, navigating several screen expertly before clicking something and an invite appeared before everyone in the party.

"Would you like to join 'Phantom Edge'"

[Yes/No]

The name made me cringe, that was the name of our last guilds best planet buster, is he still on that?

'Whatever' I clicked yes a saw the guild insignia, a broadsword surrounded by blue flames, with a transparent white coating, and a skull behind it.

"Been waiting all day to use this Huh." Suzumiya says, looking through her menu.

"Ground rules later, lets go sell crap, buy crap, and get quest! Regroup here in an hour!" He exclaimed running off with Suzumiya in tow.

I share one last nod with Shoto before we split up to find our needed shops.

LINE HERE*

Authors Note:

Some things I feel need to be said now, I don't like SAO; but I enjoyed its premise.

I will do my best to write an enjoyable series that may cover all 100 floors, or it will gloss over a decent bit of them, but don't expect month/year long time skips, also you know those Unique Skills Yeah fuck em' not happening, and also as you read bows and magic are in this series…things are slightly planned.

But yes this is an AU with several OC, I really wrote his in the heat of the moment really, hopefully I can finish this. Also I'm discontinuing Akatsuki Ga Kill, or rather turning it into a one-shot as I've lost all desire to write that series. Maybe someday inspirations I'll strike me but hey who knows...

Alright guys have a blast reading, leave a review if you want, and fill next time take it easy.