Have you ever thought what it would feel like to be the only person in the world? Well I never thought of it either, until it had happened to me…

The white light receded from my view leaving the illustrious view of a city. Not a modern day city with skyscrapers but a medieval looking city with the stone houses and cobbled streets. The calming sound of a running fountain filled my ears bringing me peace. Finally I had arrived.

It was as beautiful as Arissa had said it was; the images are crystal clear and I can feel real things such as the wind on my body. It is peculiar how realistic the full dive is; well the name really does say it but I expected there to be some signal that it is a game. However I can't tell in any way that this is a game.

Well except for the pinging sound followed by a 'Welcome to SAO' window that just popped up in front of me. A very clear sign that I'm in a game.

Excited about exploring this new world I head off down the streets which turn out to have Npc stores lined up on either side. I stop at multiple stores asking for their ware prices and see the menus pop up with prices.

I have 0 Col at the moment, Col is the currency of the game, or so Arissa told me. Arissa was a beta tester for SAO and she gave me daily updates on her gaming experience in it. She taught me the basics but did not give in to my pleas for information on hidden secrets. Go find it yourself, that's what it's all about she repeated to me many times.

I had tried for the beta testing too but didn't get into it and I didn't bother to buy the copies of the game being sold when they came out yesterday because honestly I didn't have the money. However I still got in here, what a lucky guy I am.

I prance about the city for a little while longer until I chance upon the main gate of the city. It's a pretty normal arch but the field behind it is a luscious green. Feeling drawn towards it I move towards the gate, the sweet smell of fresh grass wafting towards me. However when I was a few steps away to the other side of the arch, a loud beeping sound came from behind me.

Turning around curiously I discover the sound emanating from a red hexagon in the sky saying 'warning'. The hexagon quickly spread over the sky covering it crimson. A gloop of red squelches out from behind the red hexagons and drops towards the arch behind me.

Revolving round again I see the gloop slowly rise and form itself into a red robe with golden trimmings. The robe holds not body by the looks of it yet it stands as if someone was wearing it.

"Hello and welcome to my world, namely Sword Art Online"

"Ah good, an Npc of Kayaba. Tutorial here I come" Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of Sword Art Online, An absolute genius and he uses his mind for electronics, which puts him highly in my books. This should be fun.

"You are mistaken, I am no Npc. I am Kayaba himself"

That was the moment I recognized I was probably in a lot of trouble "Oh, well how…great. It didn't take you long to catch me then? But how did you get into my server?"

"Your server it may be but it still has a link through the mainframe on which I gaze upon."

"Ah dammit, well I hope you're not angry"

"I am merely surprised that you could install your own server using the data files from the beta version, however those files were a little outdated"

"Yes but it still allows me to play the game"

"Fair point, however I believed that it would be unfair to you if you played a different game to everyone else, so I updated the game for you"

"Huh? When did you do that? Why?"

"Do you not remember the loading took so long? It was then that I had discovered your server and decided to update it to the recent version for you, as to why…well I would have to answer with a question; why did you create a personal server and not play with other people as is common within an MMORPG?"

"Well…It's because I don't get along with others in RPG's. They always take my loot and I never get to do anything when everywhere is crowded with people questing and such"

"And there is the answer to your why. You wanted to play alone so I granted you that wish. I updated the game so that you could play and enjoy it alone."

"You're so kind, thank you"

"Don't call me kind, for I am not. I have granted your wish but I am not kind. No, not in the slightest"

Maybe he is a very humble man but I have an odd feeling that it's something more, something different. "So I'm not getting punished? Y'know, since I did kind of illegally create a server and all"

"I believe that the greatest punishment is the one that they deliver unto themselves."

"So I've already punished myself?"

"You have, and you will realize soon enough, I shall make sure of it"

Ok something is definitely wrong.

"First open up your menu"

I flicked my right hand down as Arissa told me to do and sure enough a menu appeared.

"Ok now look for the log out button at the bottom of the menu"

Scrolling down I don't find the log out button "Um Mr. Kayaba, there doesn't seem to be a log out button, something's wrong with my menu."

"Incorrect, your menu is in perfect order; the log out button does not exist."

"WHAT!?"

"You heard correctly, the log out button does not exist so that the players who log in are not able to log out and neither will someone from the outside be able to log you out without killing you"

"Ok ha-ha very funny, but you're scaring me with the killing bit you just mentioned"

"Well done in noticing that. You may be making a theory on it at the moment however I shall put you at ease; there is no way of revival so if you were to die in the game then you would die in the real world and vice versa."

"Tha-That's insane!"

"Incorrect, I am merely a man who desires to rule over the lives of others in a world of my own creation which is the world of Sword Art Online."

"So does that mean-"

"Yes, it is as you think, the other players within the home server are all trapped just the same as you. However there is the difference that they will not know of this until sunset."

"You're a monster"

"That may be so but am I any more of a monster than the business man who steps on the hands of his colleagues to rise in his career? Or the father who spanks his child when they do something wrong? No, we are all people who aspire to a certain dream, to gain power or fame or help one grow right, no matter the cost to those around us. What may be perceived as cruel by human society might be the walking of one's path to their dream, nothing more nothing less."

"So your dream is to watch thousands of people die in the palm of your hand"

"My dream is to have their lives in my hand however whether they live or die it is their choice and theirs alone. I take no part in whether they will survive the game or die in the game."

"So there is a way out, a way to not be stuck in this game forever?"

"Yes there is one, you have to beat all 100 floor bosses and at that moment all remaining players shall be logged off."

"So…I have to beat the game, they have to beat the game? Forcing someone to play a game just so they could survive, how brutal of you."

"They logged in to play the game so I have done nothing but allowed them an immeasurable amount of time for them to play from beginning to end. You wanted to play so badly you created a personal server through reusing beta files even though you had full knowledge it was illegal"

"You are right there at least; we did all come to play a game, but not a game where death is the consequence of losing!"

"Then don't lose."

"I won't, you can count on it."

"Good, well I have time to spare yet and I have not yet told you all the rules of the game, without them you'd be at a disadvantage"

If I am to survive I'll need everything I can get my hands on. "Tell me what rules do I not know of yet, Kayaba?"

"Firstly you should know that since you are in a personal server the amount of data that can be stored is much more limited than the home server, to show this your world will only be able to support 1 floor at a time."

"Wait what does that mean, do the other floors just disappear or something?"

"Not quite, when you defeat the floor boss and move to the next floor, the floor below you will crumble and disappear permanently"

"So I can never go back to previous floors then."

"Exactly, as you are the only person in this world there is no need for you to have such an expansive world as you will most likely only use the area appropriate for your level."

"Makes sense…I guess. What other rules are there?"

"Just one more, well it's more of a motivator than a rule: When a floor boss is killed your floor that belongs to that boss will crumble and disappear permanently."

"You said that already"

"Yes however you did not notice that I mentioned that whenever a floor boss is killed your floor will disappear, so if the home server kills their floor boss…"

"My floor will disappear?!"

"Correct"

"That's crazy!"

"It is simply a motivator to give you the desire to move quickly and struggle your way through to the boss room and up to the next floors."

"So I have to race against everyone to the boss room and defeat the boss before them?"

"Right on target"

"That's insane! It'll be difficult enough to reach a level high enough to fight a boss but to do it solo, that's truly insane!"

"It may be so but it is what you wished for remember, the wish to play Sword Art Online all by yourself."

"…Seems like I really did bring the worst punishment upon myself. It's basically a death sentence."

"But they are not one and the same are they?"

…No. Because even though it may seem like a death sentence I have still have a chance, however obscure it may be, it is still there. "Is that all the rules?"

"Yes, those are the rules that you must now follow in order to keep your life; kill the boss floor before the home server and do not die."

Taking a deep breath I look at Kayaba with the most determined look I could muster. "Well then, I believe I must be off, for I do not have time for idle chitchat."

"No you do not, however keep in mind that this will be the last conversation you will have with another human being for a while, so enjoy it to the last syllable. Farewell player, this is the end of the tutorial of SAO"

The sky blinked once and returned to its usual state of crystal blue. Kayaba disappeared along with the crimson sky.

"This is quite some punishment you've given yourself Marv"