It was launch day of arguably the most anticipated game ever made: Sword Art Online, the first Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. A launch title for the new VR platform, the NerveGear that had been in development for nearly seven years since it was announced in 2021. Now, in 2028, the game was finally being released to a crowd of 12,000 people lucky enough to reserve their copy. For 14-year-old Kazuto, this meant he would pick up his copy, go home, and start playing as soon as he possibly could. Kazuto had been patiently awaiting the game's release ever since it was announced and was even lucky enough to be one of the thousand beta testers for the game. The game itself took place in a complete fantasy environment, in a massive, floating castle named Aincrad. A World of Swords, as the game was advertised. From what he remembered, the gameplay handled like it would in real life, for the most part. The exception being chargeable power attacks that would do more damage as well as various skills that could make a player unrealistically fast, strong, or agile. The sensory felt almost real, although the sense of temperature and touch didn't quite feel the same; the game's creator, Kayaba Akihiko, had promised to make the game feel real, and that by the time of the game's release, all minor issues would be sorted out, and everything would feel, taste, smell, look, and sound as if it were real.

Kazuto burst through the front door of his home, ran up to his room, and started preparing for his first time entering the completed game. He calibrated the NerveGear, and laid down on his bed. The clock on the device struck 13:00.

Kazuto closed his eyes. "Link Start!"

He felt himself slowly losing feeling throughout his body until he completely blacked out. After hearing a few sound effects, he opened his eyes to see his body floating in an endless gray space, with the words, 'Welcome to Sword Art Online!' floating in front of him. He once again logged himself in with his former beta testing profile, which he had named 'Kirito'. In his profile, he deliberately made himself look older and taller than he actually was, along with somewhat longer hair. He had previously almost leveled up into the twenties, although Kayaba himself confirmed that a player's stats would be completely reset upon the game's release.

The world around him slowly shifted into the initial spawn point he remembered from the beta test; a large, open, citadel-like area. Only this time, it was filled with hundreds upon hundreds of new players.

Kazuto, now once again Kirito, breathed out a sigh of satisfaction he gained from looking down at his avatar. Blue shirt, leather chestplate, tan pants and boots. Everything seemed in place, feeling even the weight of the sword slung over his shoulder. Even though the beta test had unbelievable immersion, this time, it felt like he was there. Like Aincrad was a real place. Overwhelmed with happiness, he couldn't help but say to himself, "Good to be back." With a huge grin.

He couldn't help but just stand there and take it all in. The warmth of the sun, the fresh air, if he didn't know better, he'd say he was in the real world. But now was not the time for standing around. He had to start racking up as much EXP and equipment as possible to stay ahead of the new players. He remembered a nearby field that had a lot of boars, an easy animal to kill and farm for EXP. If he was lucky, he could make it there before anyone else. He took off running like a madman, still keeping his massive smile. He kept on taking in the scenery as he was moving. Hundreds of people lined up in shops, eager to spend their first credits. And, to his surprise, there was an unusually large number of female players. At least, for a video game. He figured it was still about a 2:1 ratio though. He cut through a back alley just as he heard someone else's footsteps following him.

"Hey, wait up!" He heard the person yell.

Kirito stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the player. Pink hair was the first thing he noticed. "Yeah?" Kirito finally responded.

The player stopped to catch his breath. "Hey, you look like a player who's done this before. Were you in the beta test?" Kirito seemed caught off guard that this person could deduce something like that so easily.

"Umm... yeah."

"Look, can you give any tips to a new player? My name's Klein."

Kirito quickly responded. "Sure. My name's Kirito."

THIRTY MINUTES LATER

The boar knocked Klein back right on his ass. Instinctively, he reached for his junk. "Dammit, not in the crotch..."

Kirito openly laughed at this. "Hey, idiot, you don't feel pain in here. And you can use your sword to block pretty easily you know. Plus, there's always just moving out of it's way."

"Shut up!" Klein said with an annoyed tone as Kirito picked up a pebble off the ground and prepared to throw it. "What good is a pebble going to do?" Klein said sarcastically.

"What are you talking about? Most OP weapon in the game right here!" Kirito replied with probably the most sarcasm he'd ever used in his life. Then, throwing as hard as he could, the pebble flew straight towards the boar and hit the animal at it's upper thigh. The boar turned to face him, preparing to charge. Kirito readied his sword. The boar charged, only to have Kirito swiftly block it's tusk with the edge of his sword. He gave it a push, then kicked the animal in it's side, turning it towards Klein. The boar once again charged, this time right at Klein. "Your turn!"

Klein lunged forwards, moving past the animal and slicing it down it's side. The boar fell to the ground, dead. "I think I got it." Klein said confidently. The notification appeared over the animal's corpse, stating the rewards received for killing it. "So... what happens to the corpse?"

"Give it a second..." Kirito replied. Surely enough, in a matter of seconds, the animal burst into tens of bright blue polygons, each one floating off into the air for a few seconds, then disappearing.

"That's so cool!" Klein said giddily. He closed the notification and sat down on the grass. "It just feels so real." Klein said as he readjusted his red headband. "Whoever made this is a genius."

"Yup. It took nearly ten years to completely finish this, I heard."

"Well, he's committed." Klein rubbed his stomach. "Hey, changing the subject here, but I'm feeling a little hungry."

"Yeah, the game even replicates the need for hunger, thirst and sleep."

"I imagine that could get a little annoying." Klein said as he picked himself up off the ground. "Anyways, I'll probably get going soon. I've got a pizza ordered for 5:30!" He opened up the menu and navigated to the settings, then to system.

"Hey, umm, Kirito? Noob question, but where's the logout button?"

Kirito looked at him like he was the dumbest person he'd ever met. "Are you serious? It's in Settings, then System."

"Well it's not there." Klein said with a tinge of worry in his voice. Kirito began to feel a tingling sensation throughout his avatar's body. "Hey, do you feel somethi-" Klein was cut off by both of their bodies disappearing in a flash of blue light. Once he could see again, Kirito found himself standing in the middle of a massive crowd of people, even more appearing by the second.

"A forced teleport?" Kirito said confused. Kirito's eyes widened as the sky itself began to turn red with the words, 'System Announcement'. That can't be good...

The spaces between the words began oozing a red liquid as he heard some people start to panic. Instead of flowing down to the ground, they stopped several meters short and began to form a large, red-cloaked figure. The figure lifted its arms.

"Greetings, everyone!" The crowd fell to an eerie silence.

"My name is Kayaba Akihiko. As many of you know, I am the creator of Sword Art Online!" The man paused for a moment. "Some of you may have noticed by now that the logout button has disappeared from the menu. Some of you may think this is merely a glitch in the server, but this is in no way an accident." Kirito clenched his fist. "I have a number of announcements to make, starting with the fact that you are effectively trapped in this world. There is no way to escape other than to clear all one-hundred-and-twenty floors of Sword Art Online."

"Beating an MMO?! Are you serious?!" Kirito heard someone exclaim from the some other corner of the mass.

"Indeed. Furthermore, the pain absorption will be now turned to zero, meaning you will feel every blow as if it were 100% real." There was a pain absorption? And it could be turned off? "All kinds of filters, including the ethics code, are also permanently turned off."

"Kayaba..." Kirito said under his breath.

"Any methods to revive a player in-game will also cease, which leads me to my next point. If you die in this game, your real body will perish." Those last words hit Kirito like a harpoon. "Blood will also begin to function normally. This was exceedingly difficult to program, but I personally feel it will help with immersion and that it was simply a nice addition." What kind of sick, demented person is he?

"I wish you all the best of luck, and may you lead your fellow players to victory!" At that, Kayaba's avatar began to disappear. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention, check your inventories for a pleasant surprise." Kirito quickly opened up his menu and rushed to the inventory section.

"A mirror..." Kirito equipped the item, holding it in front of him. He once again felt a tingling sensation as his and everyone else's body became engulfed in yet another flash of blue light. Once it had settled, Kirito was shocked to see his real face in that mirror, with his body no longer tall and muscular like it had previously been. Everyone else's body seemed to look a little different save for Klein's, who only had his hair color change from hot pink to orange.

"Who are you?" Klein asked with a perplexed look on his face. Kirito didn't respond. Then it hit him. "You're Kirito!" Klein exclaimed.

"Yes, and I'm getting the hell out of here."

"Wha-What for?"

"I need to make it to the next town before anyone else. Can't afford to have everyone else take all the EXP on the way there."

"Oh, I see."

"Are you coming with me?" Kirito said, trying as hard as he could to seem in control.

"I... I can't. I have to look after my friends at this point. All I can say is good luck."

"Goodbye then." Kirito said as he spun around and broke into a full sprint. Within seconds he was outside the town, hopefully ahead of everyone else.

I can do this... A boar stood in Kirito's way as he drew his sword. I won't die in this world... He made the cut, nearly cleaving the animal in half, not once slowing down his sprint. "I... will... survive!"