Heya, Velvet here! Yes...I waited many months just to post on this day and finally... Happy New Year everyone! Wish you all the best for the future to come. Thank you for stopping by my story and I hope that you will enjoy your stay as we begin what will be a very long adventure!

So without further ado, lets us begin!

Disclaimer: Sword Art Online and Accel World are both works belonging to Reki Kawahara. My story is written purely for the writer and viewer's entertainment :D

Chapter 1: Ordinary morning, afternoon…evening?

RING! RING! RING!

The shrill sound of an alarm rang relentlessly throughout Kazuto's apartment waking up the boy. Or rather it should have, but he had already departed from the world of dreams nearly 2 hours ago. Throwing the clock an aggravated look, Kazuto silenced it with a slam before lazily rising to his feet, groaning as he did so.

'For the love of mother Earth, why can't I sleep without getting that same nightmare?' The usual question flickered briefly like a near-spent lighter, itching to test his patience much like the sweat-drenched shirt he was currently having trouble tugging off. It wasn't really anything new, for as along as his mind could recall, Kazuto had always dreaded going to sleep. Not because he had trouble doing so or that his bed was particularly bad, instead being rather fortunate in both regards. It was what lurked in his dreams that steered his otherwise fortunate circumstances in the complete opposite direction. Night after night, the same nightmares continuously replayed in an endless fashion and the worst part? His mind always seemed to view said hallucinations as though it was the first, not even allowing Kazuto the comfort of knowing it was all forged within. In other words, each ordeal felt equally as genuine as the last, thrust into a scene that seemed completely real, successfully drowning him in an ocean of sorrow. It wasn't until morning arrived did the shackles finally loosen, never forgetting to leave it's lingering effects even as it permitted to poor boy to leave. Waking up to the usual physical symptoms such as severely elevated heart rate and excessive sweating, Kazuto often found himself more exhausted than before closing his eyes.

Although not quite extreme, you could almost liken the experience as walking into an ambush without a choice, except being on a mental level. Either way, however little it was, the repeated occurrence took it's toll.

Flipping open an exercise book on his desk, he quickly scribbled down whatever he could remember from the nightmare.

"Kirigaya-Kun, perhaps you can try to jot down what you manage to commit to memory from those fleeting dreams. Traumatic experiences can leave a deep emotional scar on anyone and while you might have mentally forgotten about the incident, it can and will continue to grow as a burden. I know it sounds painful but could you try to evoke the entire scene even if it means doing so piece by piece. Figuring out the underlying cause may very well be the best attempt in resolving the issue once and for all." His therapist had told him.

Honestly he was and still is doubtful of this particular method. Not to go on a tangent but the young boy was rather confident in his own memory, able to recall events from a very early age. In other words, had he been old enough for an experience to traumatise him, his mind would have recorded it. Inversely, the only incidents he likely failed to recollect probably wouldn't have left an deep mental impression considering his young age. Therefore it felt as though the treatment he was receiving from the doctor was more suited for patients with troubles of a different category. Naturally he followed the instructions nonetheless.

So for the past 2 years, Kazuto had continued to do so, gradually filling in the blanks here and there. At first, it was an intriguing activity for the boy, convincing himself that every additional word represented a step closer towards the "truth". However, his progress gradually waned and with it his interest. By now, he had already gotten a pretty clear picture yet it made absolutely no sense, understanding no more than he did a couple of years ago.

In short, his daily experiences could be summarised as follows.

Kazuto would find himself in what appeared to be an island surrounded with laughter from all around. Gazing up at the beautiful sunset, the young boy could feel it's rays warming him up. However seemingly without warning, the laughter disappeared, the people that were just around him lay motionless on the floor. When he looked up, he could make out his own appearance reflected in the eyes of a crying girl. Unfortunately the rest of her features were silhouetted, yet a sad voice reached his ears as clear as day.

"I am so sorry Kazuto! So sorry sob I can't ask you to forgive me after this but someday you might understand. Please live on."

Just looking at the figure's endless trail of tears were enough to pull roughly at his heartstrings. He wanted to reach out to comfort her, to tell her it was ok and that she was forgiven. But the dream would always abruptly end at that point.

Finishing off today's entry with a frown, Kazuto could tell without even confirming that it was nearly an exact replica of the last. On days where his creativity piqued, the young boy would replace an adjective here or there with a synonym. But the rest…well lets' just say muscle memory took over.

Returning the diary to it's designated spot; Kazuto shrugged his shoulders with a sigh before heading downstairs to grab some breakfast. Stopping by the dinner table, he once again found himself gazing at a family photo.

"Good morning father and mother, how are you two doing today?" Closing his eyes in anticipation, Kazuto used every ounce of his imagination to visualize a reply.

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly healthy, doing the laundry everyday and eating all my green vegetables! I love you both and mother…" Pausing briefly, Kazuto stared silently at the still face of a happy woman before continuing. "I will continue to live on."

He had figured that the girl in his nightly visions was his mother long ago. From what his Aunt had told him, his parents had decided to celebrate his 1st birthday by going on a family holiday to an island resort. The exact details of the incident were never disclosed from that case but supposedly, an accident occurred and everyone disappeared without a trace. By some miracle Kazuto was found alone covered in blood but surviving the ordeal, leaving his aunt to raise him. Imagine the shock a 10-year-old boy felt when he realised that his parents had passes away long ago and that he was really living with an aunt and cousin.

He could still remember clearly the emotions that had flooded his mind. Confusion, Anger, Sadness, Frustration, guilt, Worry but most of all, he felt an immense amount of loneliness. The world that had seemed to filled with joy and vibrant colours shattered in an instant draining him of emotions. For the next 2 years, Kazuto had spent his days struggling to live, constantly thinking negative thoughts. He had finally understood why as a kid, he was always treated with extreme care from everyone including his teachers at school. Perhaps because he lived in a small town in Japan, the news of this parent's death had spread like wildfire, naturally causing everyone regardless of age to deem said topic as a land mine of sorts. The smiles he had once enjoyed receiving from everyone soon revolted him. All the attention he was receiving was certainly kind but laced heavily with sympathy. In the end, this resulted in a drastic change of personality, going from an outgoing and friendly kid to being extremely reclusive. Of course, he harboured no ill feelings towards those around; rather part of his behaviour was out of consideration for them. Although indirectly, Kazuto had more or less forced everyone to act a certain way in his presence, careful so as to not tread on unwanted subjects. Eventually, the black-haired boy distanced himself at school altogether, preferring to sit alone at the back of class and leaving as soon as the bell rang. Accompanied every lunchbreak by nothing more than the passing breeze and an open blue sky, Kazuto wondered what kind of future fate had in stall for him, especially since he had no visions or dreams.

Ting!

Shaking his head and clearing his thoughts, the young boy peeled open a cup of instant noodles before bathing it in freshly made boiling water. The rest of his morning preparation went by uneventfully, taking only 10 minutes to get ready for another gruelling day of school.

Locking the door behind him, he tried one last time to pat down an unruly tuff of bed hair before embarking on his journey with an hour to spare. Kazuto had always enjoyed taking the scenic (aka. Long) route to school, including a detour to a nearby bakery to acquire lunch and stopping at his favourite park for a breath of fresh air. His aunt had always told him how much his parents used to take him here back in the day. Perhaps because of this feeling of attachment, he too had taken a liking to this place, opting to pass by whenever the opportunity presented itself. Breathing out heavily, the young boy watched his breath disappear into the cold morning air before turning his head up towards the sky, as if hoping for an answer.

"Ahhhhh~~~"

A sudden shout from a nearby source broke his train of thoughts, quickly glancing around to survey the area. Seeing a balloon flying away from a little girl's hands, he immediately broke into a sprint, propelling himself into the air once it was within reach.

"Here you go! Make sure you hold onto it tight this time alright?" Tying the string into a more convenient shape, Kazuto wrapped it around the little girl's left hand like a bracelet whilst offering a gentle smile.

"I will! Thank you very much mister!" Returning his gesture with a big smile, the small one waved before rushing back to her mother, who was bowing in gratitude despite all her shopping luggage.

'One good deed a day right?' Letting out a small sigh of satisfaction, Kazuto retrieved his bag, deciding it was time to resume his journey. Sure his outward attitude may speak otherwise and yes he wasn't the most social guy in town, but Kazuto was definitely not emotionless. When not out of sympathy, seeing someone else's smile always helped bring out his own thus prompting him to aid others whenever he could.

Reaching the school gates just as the bell rang, Kazuto quickly changed into his indoor shoes before rushing to class. Even though he always left his apartment with plenty of time to spare, the young boy always found himself on the verge of being late everyday.

Lightly sliding the classroom doors open, Kazuto made a straight bee-line towards his seat by the far corner. Immediately turning to face outside while gazing at nothing in particular, Kazuto avoided everyone without so much as saying "Good Morning". His classmates had long since tried initiating conversation, but he wanted to keep the message clear everyday. Even the table next to him was vacant, as the teacher had purposely left it open in consideration of his behaviour.

"Ok class settle down!" The teacher said as she briskly entered the room while holding a stack of neatly stapled papers. "I have the results from the test we did last week. I will distribute them as I mark the role so make your way up when your name is called."

"Ann!"

"Yes!" Ann shouted anxiously as she went up to receive her test paper.

"Peter!"

"Yep!" A more confident male student responded.

"Yes! All those hours of studying paid off!"

"I knew we should have studied together instead of going to the arcade!"

Commotion always stirred during these times, girls and boys alike firing different lines at one another, some accompanied by big smiles while others more depressed. Given the ranking of their class, there was no surprise as to why the results were so scattered. If anything, students within this room embodied the concept of a bell curve graph fairly well, seeing as a majority achieved a passing score with only a few acquiring spectacularly high or ridiculously low scores. Unfortunately for Kazuto, he somehow managed to fit snugly into the latter category.

He hadn't studied for this particular assessment, but to actually straight up get a one digit score was not something he had planned. Heck, he couldn't even try to be funny by flipping the score upside down as that would make things worse…

Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he studied the sheet more closely. There on the top right hand corner written and circled in large red marking, was a big "9%".

As he continued to study said paper, a set of footsteps approached purposefully towards his desk.

"Kazuto…I'd like to see you after school to talk about your test results. Please drop by the faculty office at 4." The teacher muttered before continuing down the isle.

"Yes sensei." Offering a quiet reply, Kazuto casually directed his gaze outside once more.

Still, he could feel the stares of every other student burning into the back of his head, no doubt adorning sympathetic looks. After all, this wasn't the first or second time for that matter. Instead, a reoccurring trend since the beginning of this year, failing test after test, and doing makeup over and over. Of course, Kazuto knew he should care…he really did…yet he simply couldn't.

With classes flying by just like any other day, it wasn't long before Kazuto found himself standing in front of his teacher's desk after school.

"This can't keep happening Kazuto, you are a very talented kid and don't even try to deny that. You scored amongst the highest within the entrance exams and yet this…" The teacher pointed at his test while trying to come up with an appropriate word to describe it, "is honestly extremely appalling. At this rate you will fail this year…Tell me Kazuto, why are you throwing away all of your talent?"

"I…" Struggling to respond, the young boy knew the answer yet it seemed to sound ridiculously stupid in front of a teacher. "can't find anything to work for. There's simply no goals or aspirations that spring to mind."

"That's perfectly fine Kazuto, most people your age don't either. But in order to keep as many doors open for when the decision does come, you need to perform at school. Do you understand?"

"Sensei I understand your point, its…ermm…" Failing to find the right words, Kazuto trailed off bowing his head in anguish. "Sorry."

"I'm not lecturing you Kazuto so an apology is not necessary." Eliciting a small sigh, the old man was at a loss for something new to say. After all, this wasn't the first time such a conversation was conducted. "You are still a first year student in high school, have you thought about joining a club?"

"Club?" Kazuto inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Hesitating slightly, his teacher adopted an uncharacteristically cheerful tone. "How about picking up a shinai again? Isn't it high time for the Prince of Kendo to make a comeback?"

Kazuto was a bit taken back by the sudden suggestion for more reasons than one. "I…I will give it some thought."

"Just make sure you decide before it gets too late."

'Kendo huh?' Kazuto muttered for the hundredth time as he slowly dragged his feet home. Hearing the teacher merely mention the term was enough to surface a mixture of past experiences, hitting like a wave of nostalgia. Although he couldn't say the same about the sport now, it was essentially once his pride and joy in life. Admittedly, a large chunk of childhood had more or less been shaped by it alone, Kazuto shedding his fair share of blood, sweat and tears during the process. In hindsight, had he not been introduced in the sport, the young boy probably wouldn't have considered dedicating this many years towards it. Following an abrupt offer, his grandpa had put all his effort into teaching him and Suguha (his younger cousin) the ways of kendo. Beginning exactly on his 3rd birthday, Kazuto improved at an astonishing rate to the point where one had to say he was not only gifted but also a rare genius, the sort that appeared once every few generations. Debuting in officially recognised tournaments from the ripe age of 5, he quickly caught the eyes of many, amassing both fans and trophies effortlessly. By the age of 10, the young boy was thoroughly recognised as the Prince of Kendo, holding an invincible record having never lost a single match despite his substantial participation. However to Kazuto, it wasn't about winning or losing for it was just a byproduct. Rather the sole reason behind his awe-inspiring commitment to spend each and every minute of his spare time with a shinai in hand, was none other than because he found it fun.

"I could spend the rest of my life doing this without getting bored!"

It was strange now how Kazuto found it ridiculously hard to relate to a line he himself spoke so sincerely back then.

Quickly unlocking the door to his apartment, he found himself unconsciously walking to his room, shrugging his bag off somewhere along the way. As if driven by some unknown force, the young boy found himself sitting cross-legged on the floor with his shinai in lap.

"It's been a while huh buddy?" Murmuring almost inaudibly to the inanimate object, Kazuto's gaze glossed sadly over it's dust laden surface.

Reaching out instinctively, his fingers lingered mid-air for a second before circling the handle. Despite years of inactivity, the sudden contact still sparked a proficient series of motions, acting as a catalyst of sorts. With his mind and body working on reflex as one, Kazuto sprung into a fighting stance with his shoulders held high, back straight, feet in position and shinai held in front.

A set of movement he had practiced a million times before.

Glancing towards his right, Kazuto could see a 15-year-old black-haired boy of moderate height staring right back at him.

Calm body language…purposefully eyes that seemed to never loss sight of their goal…loose yet collected grip…

Frankly, he didn't recognise any of the reflection's features as his own. It was like staring at an image of your ideal self, wanting yet unable to shrink the distance between. Eliciting an exasperated sigh, Kazuto dropped the act and directed his gaze outside.

"Come to think of it…why was I always able to improve so rapidly at Kendo anyway?"

He didn't mean to sound arrogant or haughty, but rather legitimately questioned his progress then. Being a celebrity in his field, Kazuto had heard numerous forms of praise and encouragement. Amongst these interactions though, there were always a few frequently asked questions that boggled his mind.

"How are you able to do (various techniques)?"

"Those swings were executed with such precision, how long did it take to perfect?"

"What type of training regimen do you follow?"

"How did you managed to elevate your abilities to this degree within such a short span of time?"

He would always raise an eyebrow or two at these types of inquiries. Why? Well, because Kazuto never found it hard to acquire said skills. It was hard to explain in detail, but he was just accustomed to the feeling of combat for as far back as the mind could gather. Even as a kid, it was more the rules that had taken longer to grasp as opposed to the techniques themselves. There were even times when Kazuto felt as thought time itself slowed down when he concentrated hard enough, naturally reading the opponents movements and counterattacking within one swift motion.

Adrenaline? Sixth sense? Whatever it was, people were amazed by it.

However things tend to take a turn for the worse when you least expect it, especially with a grandpa that seemed to incorporate "abruptness" into his lifestyle.

-Flashback-

"Hahhhhhhh! Hahhhhhhh! Hahhhhhhh!" Kazuto shouted as he swung his shinai repeatedly. The training wasn't anything extraordinary today, comprised of basic swings to enhance his speed and arm strength.

"Shouldn't you be taking a break today Kazuto? It is your birthday after all." His grandpa asked with a smile as he entered the dojo.

"But grandpa, it's so much fun! Besides, that was obviously not what you thought on my 3rd birthday."

"Hahaha well, you looked bored back then so I thought a bit of exercise couldn't hurt. Never would have imagined this though." The older man muttered glancing at the wall of trophies adorning the walls.

"Would be nice if I could keep this going in the future as well."

"Kazuto my boy, I am glad you enjoy Kendo so much but the reason is far too shallow. What would happen if one day you found that you didn't enjoy it anymore? Would there be another motive to replace it? Or would all these years of development simply go down the drain?" Staring directly at the small boy, the retired man questioned in a serious tone.

"I don't understand what you mean Grandpa. Is this not what you wanted me to do?"

"The world is not as simple a place as you might think Kazuto. More often than not, things don't go its intended course and you find yourself making more and more choices based off reason than simply fun. There may come times when you are forced to make difficult decisions, times when you question your beliefs, times when you are simply lost and times when you need to compromise one thing for another. Unfortunately I won't be around to make them for you, which is why you need to know that relentless dedication towards a single task doesn't always guarantee progress. Hypothetically, what if Kendo was scraped one day and no one around the world practiced it, what then would you do with your life?"

"…" Kazuto couldn't respond because the notion had not occurred to him.

"My boy, I trained you in the art of Kendo not because I want you to bring home plenty of trophies, or to become famous because both of these are superficial. Rather, it is to broaden your horizon, to learn what it means to work hard for something and to hopefully make you aware of where a single choice could lead you. When the time comes, various opportunities will present themselves and you need to have the mindset to choose your own path. Needless to say, you will need to sacrifice one in order to pick another. Kendo alone isn't going to be your future, but rather a skill that you can use to walk down the desired path. In this regard, I would like to commence what will be our final lesson. The rest…will be up to you young one."

Immediately halting his practice, Kazuto followed his grandpa towards the dojo front, sitting when the older man did.

"Why is this the last one? Is everything ok grandpa? You're kind of acting weird today…" The small boy inquired, worry apparent in his wide eyes.

Holding up a hand to silence the boy, the older man decided to get the initial task out of the way.

"Before we begin today, this is something from me to you. Happy 10th birthday my boy!" With a bitter smile, the white-haired handed him a rather large parcel.

"Wow! Thank you!" Kazuto responded with excitement as he quickly tore away at the wrapping. However what he found inside was enough to draw a frown. "Grandpa…these are?"

"A family photo of you and your parents during your 1st birthday." Pointing to the second object contained within the parcel, the older man proceeded with a solemn voice. "And that is your mother's shinai."

"But mother is…"

"While we did agree many years ago to keep this all a secret, I think you're more than old enough to know the truth. Midori is not your real mother but rather your aunt. As for Sugaha, she is your younger cousin."

"What…" Kazuto managed to blurt out, his chest barely managing to restrain the pounding heart beneath.

"Take a few moments to breath and calm down, I shall explain in full detail from the beginning once you're ready."

-End Flashback-

"Hahaha…" A hollow laugh escaped from Kazuto's lips as the memories flooded past, taunting him even after all these years. The past excitement, joy and motivation fought its way to the surface and he soon felt a lone tear drop from his eye. Rubbing it away with shaking hands, the former Kendo champion figured a glass of water would do him some good.

After hearing the story that day, Kazuto had quit Kendo. Simply deciding enough was enough and that had been the last time he had set food in a dojo. Of course, his decision wasn't out of anger at this newfound information. To put it simply, his entire view on Kendo took a drastic change as though someone grabbed a bucket of grey paint and sprayed it all over his former hobby. It was painful to simply think about it, let alone continue practicing. In order to fill in the blanks, Suguha had stepped up selflessly, saying she would practice twice as hard in his stead, convincing grandpa not to worry. Despite the guilt raised from burdening her, he couldn't help but be proud of his cousin's achievements since then. Winning numerous national tournaments and even getting a full scholarship into the most prestigious high school for sports.

In hindsight, dropping what he had spent his entire life working on felt much easier than he had originally expected.

"I guess Grandpa was right, my reason for doing Kendo really was too shallow. In the end, it was nothing more than a hobby huh?" Kazuto sighed as he took one last look at the shinai before gently returning it into his wardrobe.

"Well either way, its time for my part time job!" He yelled out loud, trying to rid himself of conflicting thoughts, but his grandpa's words refused to leave his head throughout his entire journey to work.

"Is everything ok Kirigaya-Kun?"

Kazuto's train of thoughts were broken upon hearing a direct question, dragging him back to reality as it did so. Glancing around, he saw the manager of the store looking at him with concern.

"Uhhhh…Yes, everything is fine manager. Sorry for spacing out!"

"That's ok, there ain't a lot of customers tonight anyway. I just wanted to make sure you're feeling alright." His employer said in a kind voice.

"Thank you very much for the concern but I'm perfectly okay now, just had a thing or two weighing on my mind is all. I shall clean the store until a customer arrives!" Kazuto announced before leaving his spot from behind the counter, dust and pan in hands.

Gradually moving along the shelved goods, he rearranged any misplaced goods while restocking any products that have been sold out. Working in a convenience store definitely had it's merits, the place itself wasn't big so it was rather easy to clean once his shift was over. Furthermore, as the facility was situated fairly close to his apartment, it was…for a lack of better word "convenient" for him too. The pay was also substantial with the manager even letting Kazuto take some leftover meat and sweet buns at the end of his shift. Listing these points, the young boy realised just how fortunate he was to have this job, especially since it seemed to lack obvious cons. Just as his mind was on the verge of taking over again, the front entrance opened accompanied by a familiar tune, both signalling the arrival of a customer.

"Ahhh welcome!" Kazuto said for what seemed to be the first time tonight, scrambling back to the front counter in preparation. Oddly enough, the young boy enjoyed shifts with an abundance of customers as opposed to none, preferring the lively atmosphere. Receiving a nod in reply, the newcomer began walking down the rows of neatly stacked chips, bento boxes, onigiris, bread etc. Judging by the way they inspected every good, it was likely that this individual had no idea what to buy, thus allowing Kazuto to play his usual game of "Guess what items will be bought".

'Hmmm, she looks relatively young roughly around my own age ish…maybe slightly older? From experience, girls like her would probably go for a small bento box and a healthy fruit juice. No no no…on second thoughts, it's kinda cold outside, maybe she'll settle on 2 sweet bean buns? But but but…that might not be enough…' Thoroughly preoccupied with his investigation, it was until minutes later did Kazuto notice the short aurburn- haired woman had already made her way to the counter, currently waiting patiently to be served.

"Ohhhhh sheesh! My apologies! I will serve you at once!" Kazuto declared rather loudly before scanning each product frantically, failing to notice her intense gaze upon him. "That comes down to 2300 yen. Would you like me to heat up the bento for you?"

"Thank you but there will be no need for that Kirigaya Kazuto."

"Errr….wait what?!" Driven by impulse, Kazuto attempted to retract his hand after taking the money. However in the blink of an eye, the mysterious lady grabbed a firm hold of his wrist with one hand and his shirt collar with the other. Met with inhuman strength, the young boy was forced to stare directly into the woman's eyes, noticing right away that something was off.

Featuring short auburn/greyish coloured hair with slim facial features, average height but extremely athletic build and judging from the pain in his wrist, she was deceptively strong. Her attire consisted of some weird half armor half sport-like top and pants with a full body cloak complete with hood as the other garment. Perhaps the most distinguishing and literally eye-catching detail was the different colours each of her eyes presented.

"Let's see if the rumours are true."

The woman focused on Kazuto with a red and a blue eye, erupting an ominous feeling that sent shivers down his spine. Unable to physically tear his gaze, the boy felt an unnatural pressure building around his head paired with a nauseating sensation. Feeling the world spin around him, the young boy's feet could no longer feel the ground.

"Nnngghhhhhh, AHHHHHHHH!"

Suddenly an aura of black energy seemingly burst from Kazuto, alleviating the excruciating pain instantly whilst repelling the woman's grasp on him. Thrown into disarray, she tried desperately with outstretched hands to grab at anything in reach. With a familiar sensation coursing through his veins, the boy calmly assessed the opponent's movements and retaliated with a powerful roundhouse kick, sending the figure crashing backwards.

"Haha, so it's true after all."

"Who are you and what do you want?" Kazuto demanded firmly, hands and feet ready for any sudden assaults.

"You'll find out soon enough Kirigaya." The mysterious individual replied from behind a couple of knocked down shelves. "Until then, buh bye!"

With a snap of her fingers, she was gone with all the surroundings restored upright as if nothing had happened in the first place.

"Manager! That customer just now…have you seen her around before?" Kazuto inquired wondering why the older man had not complained about the fight and the noise that ensued.

"What customer?"

"Was that really all in my head?" Scratching his head in disbelief, Kazuto muttered the same question since leaving the store. Since the incident, his shift had ended without a hitch, convincing himself that the entire ordeal involving the auburn-haired to be a figment of his own imagination. "Maybe I'm just tired? Besides my head feels completely fine with no sign of a headache."

Glancing at his watch that read 2 am, Kazuto quickened his pace home. He wasn't really scared of the dark or ghosts but at this time of the night, everything seemed so eerily quiet especially since he was taking a shortcut home. Breaking into a light jog after taking a series of complicated turns, he knew it was a straight walk towards home after crossing the intersection ahead.

"Phew! Might as well enjoy a cup of hot chocolate once I get home!" Using verbal enthusiasm to dupe his tired body, Kazuto shook his head lightly before soldiering on. Peeking left and right to confirm no cars were in sight, the young boy quickly regained his momentum.

HONK!

"Are you kidding me?! I swear it wasn't there?!" Blinded by the headlights of an approaching car, Kazuto tried but failed to steer his shock-filled body out of harm's way. Frozen right in the middle, there was simply no way he would make it to either pavement unscathed. With only a couple of seconds before impact and evading out of the question, Kazuto clamped his eyes shut bracing for what might spell the end.

'I guess this is it.'

'Kazuto!' An unknown yet soothing voice filled the air followed by a blanket of gentle warmth, embracing his fears and steeling his nerves. In an instant, Kazuto's mind was clear as day, fully able to register the imminent danger directly ahead without losing focus. The fatigue that had riddled his body only moments ago seemed to have vanished into the evening air, once again granting him control over his now "defrosted" legs. Finally a peculiar black aura enveloped his body effectively slowing everything within the vicinity. Without wasting a single second, he darted nimbly across the road with plenty of time to spare before the vehicle past.

"Whao…I feel so light…" Lifting and staring at both his open palms in confusion, Kazuto was at a loss for words. The sensation itself was weird but oddly pleasant, like his mind and body functioned at 100% in unison. Narrowing his eyes, the young boy could vaguely recall such a feeling back in his Kendo days but never quite so apparently. Whenever he was on the verge of losing, this very same event would always occur. Whatever it was, the sight of it definitely bought about relief.

"Ohhhhhhh that was pretty impressive!"

Twisting around on the spot, Kazuto located the source. For the second time tonight, he encountered the mysterious auburn-haired woman.

"You again! Why are you here? Are you even real?" He showered the stranger with endless queries popping into his head.

"Whao there slow down kiddo, I'll get to your questions soon enough Kirigaya Kazuto." She said with a mischievous grin. "But just to get the most stupid question out of the way…Yes I am real, can't say the same for that truck though."

"Huh?" Taking a few moments to comprehend what she mean't, Kazuto eye's went wide like saucers upon understanding. "You! You saw and didn't do a thing?!"

"Well of course not. After all, why bother conjuring it only to stop it again myself?" Displaying features completely void of guilt, the girl replied in an aggravatingly matter-of-fact voice.

"So you want to kill me huh?" A drop of sweat trickled down the owner of said voice.

"Do me a favour and stand still for a moment."

"Why?"

"Don't worry, you won't die…probably."

"Whaooo! Hello?" Barely having the time to finish his sentence, the blaring horn of another truck echoed loudly in the air…aiming straight at the boy. "Oh lovely! I totally missed the sight of you!"

Throwing out the sarcastic remark, Kazuto threw a sideways glance towards the mysterious individual, remembering their guarantee for his safety…probably.

"What?"

Right before his nose touched metal, the wonderful sight of a black aura once again encased itself protectively around the boy, repelling the incoming truck and breaking it into…pieces?

"Wait…what just happened?"

"Learn anything?"

"That you're part of some circus act and that the rest of your crew is probably hiding behind those trees."

"Hahahaha!" Clutching her stomach in laughter, the auburn-hair spent the next 5 minutes indulging in a joke that Kazuto apparently missed.

"Ohhhh Kirigaya-Kun! Y-Y-You're a funny one hahaha!"

"How do you even know my name?" He asked with an accusing glare.

"Kirigaya Kazuto-Kun. 16 years of age. Living alone. Parents passed away when you were 1. Has no friends to speak of. Formerly known as the Prince of Kendo and…" She paused and gave of an extremely serious look for dramatic effect. "Does not have a girlfiend!"

"W-w-w-w-what is your point? I like the solo life, at least I'm not going around stalking people." The bashful young boy tried to respond in as calm a fashion as he could muster.

"It's ok, there is someone out there even for you." The girl responded to the now fuming Kazuto, obviously enjoying the teasing before holding out a hand. "Ohhh and by the way my name is Argo, pleasure to met you."

"Pleasure is clearly all yours since the feeling ain't mutual." He grumpily shook her hand. "So what business do you have with me? Clearly you aren't doing all of this just for the laughs."

"You are indeed quite sharp young one. Well let me save you some time by getting straight to the point. Have you perhaps heard of Aincrad Academy?"

"That one renowned school located on the manmade island just off Tokyo? Isn't it one of the top 5 in the whole world?" Kazuto had of course heard of the famous college, especially since it was newly established. Somehow with only several years under it's belt, the academy has managed to escalate it's graduates into very high paying jobs. Still the only problem as far as he could tell, was that apparently you had to pass some ridiculously difficult examinations in order to proceed. Furthermore, one had to be invited to sit the exam by the faculty itself since applying on your own was not an option. With the supply so limited and the demand too great, it's reputation was not without reason. Additionally, even if you succeeded, the school fees were exorbitant and impossible for a normal student such as Kazuto to afford.

"What about it?"

"You see, I am a scout for that particular institution. Basically it's my job to find young talented individuals such as yourself and offer them chance." She finished with a wink.

"Talented young individuals? Hahaha!" Now it was the young boy's turn to keel over in laughter. "Clearly your source of information is questionable at best because I have been receiving nothing but failing grades this year."

"Ahhhhhh, we are talking about a different type of talent. Surely you have noticed something by now, like a sudden burst of energy whenever you are in danger? Or perhaps the ability to analyse any situation at heightened speeds? No offence and everything, but there is a reason why you are undefeated against normal humans in Kendo."

"Errr….Ok….Let's just say I believe you for a second, what exactly is this talent?" Kazuto made sure to emphasize the last word, being at a complete loss as to what the auburn-haired was saying.

"I mean you already experienced it twice but perhaps it would be better for you to understand what I mean first hand without fearing for your life."

'What kind of dubious trick is she going to deploy this time? Is she some kind of saleswoman trying to promote a new toy?' Although his mind quickly filled with numerous doubts, Kazuto shoved aside every ounce of his common sense and logic, opting to pay Argo full attention despite being thoroughly unconvinced.

Nodding in satisfaction at the boy's response, Argo directed a raised hand towards a nearby tree and whispered back.

"Don't blink."

"Not too shabby huh?" The auburn-haired smiled while still prodding the young boy for a response.

Rubbing his eyes and scanning the area for the tenth time, Kazuto was still unable to locate the tree that was standing there tall and proud 10 seconds ago. Trying to think of a plausible scientific reason for the mystery he had just witnessed, the boy ultimately sighed.

"B-b-btw trees are important for parks, I for one am a strong advocate for saving our forests and as such, I refuse to acknowledge what you have done to be even remotely pleasing to the eyes." Kazuto muttered quietly, unwilling to admit he had failed to solve the unknown.

"Hahahaha, that's what your concerned with? Fine then, I shall give you your precious tree back Kirigaya Kazuto~~" Argo beamed happily, obviously enjoying the flustered reactions, before snapping her fingers. "Tada!"

Surely enough the tree was once again in plain view, standing with all it's glory in the middle of the park surrounded by benches in 4 directions.

"This must be some sort of illusion! You must be toying with my mind somehow!" Kazuto exclaimed loudly.

"Very good Kirigaya! You're a really bright one! So from what I have gathered, your power is still dormant and passive, only activating when it's life threatening…"

"What do you mean?" Kazuto questioned, not quite understanding the implications.

"Remember back at the store? I tried to manipulate and control your mind by putting you into a trance. Yet in response, not only did you nullify my attempts, but even added a free roundhouse kick as extra service." Casually retelling the events as though it was no one's business, Argo continued on to the question at hand. "From that, we can establish your ability to more or less repel them. So how about it, interested?"

Unable to contain his blooming curiosity, Kazuto found himself nodding unconsciously. "I mean…no harm try right?"

"Trust me, I am not a suspicious person…like at all." Although intentional, Argo mustered the most unconvincing voice ever known to mankind.

"Right…" Kazuto mumbled still mulling over what she had said before, paying no heed to the useless act after. "Just so you know, I am dirt poor. So unless you are willing to pay for the school fees, this 'scouting' isn't going to end well."

"Do not fear, Argo is here!" She yelled pumping out her chest whilst ignoring the boy's very obvious facepalm. "I have already taken the liberty of preparing everything for you, please take this envelope and you are ready to enrol for Aincrad Academy!" Using a casual tone, the auburn-haired successfully concealed her true intentions, studying the boy with rather focused eyes.

Staring in her outstretched palms, Kazuto realised she was in fact carrying 2 envelopes. 'What in the world? She had said to take the envelope not envelopes. I'd better play it safe…'

"Should I take both of them or just one because they aren't the same…?"

"Sorry?" Leaning her left ear forward, Argo beckoned Kazuto for a repeat on a seemingly normal phrase. He hadn't spoken softly either thus her weird behaviour threw him on edge.

"Errr…"

"Go on…what did you say about the envelope?" From a quick glance of her features, the young boy noted a set of peculiar starry eyes…

"Ermmm…do I take both those envelopes or just one?" The former Kendo champion repeated albeit much more slowly, providing his own brain additional seconds to triple check that nothing he said came off as rude.

"…So you can see this second envelope?!" Letting out the breath she had unconsciously held, Argo's lips slowly curved into a smile, taking a small step forward in anticipation. "I knew you would pass! Just briefly, could you describe it?"

"What do you mean? Like its shape or…" Drowning again in another pool of confusion, Kazuto wondered just what exactly she found so intriguing about something so regular.

"Hmmm…well is it colored?!" Still antsy on her feet, the auburn-haired was desperate to confirm her suspicions one way or another. So much for being subtle…

"It's black just like my favourite colour. Where did you get such a weird looking one anyway?" Kazuto inquired casually, unaware that a jaw had dropped in response to his answer. It wasn't until silence ensued did the boy feel compelled to steal a glance, causing him to mirror her expression. Argo who had just been extremely lively 3 seconds ago, now looked like her favourite vase just broke, with her eyes as big as saucers.

"Forgive me, but I must confirm. This envelope you see is black?" Still wearing a dumfounded look, Argo questioned with a shaky voice.

"Yup, is that….supposed to be a big deal?"

"Its…nothing. Well in that case, take the black envelope!" Quickly lifting her downcast gaze, the auburn-haired one again returned to the usual demeanour. "You truly are an interesting one Kirigaya-Kun. Looks like we have ourselves a change of plan, you are coming with me!"

Thinking back on the events that had transpired today, Kazuto sensed the adventurer within beginning to arise. For the first time in a long time, there seemed to be something to look forward to. Whether it was good or bad, who knows, but the mystery bought by the unknown stirred a thing or two in his heart. Besides, he really had nothing to lose from this considering his already monotone lifestyle.

Shrugging off the final strands of doubt still clinging to him, he grabbed Argo's outstretched hand.

"Ready?" The older girl inquired in her usual behavior.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Responding even before she could finish, Kazuto clenched his free hand, steeling whatever resolve existed.

Offering a small smile at his immediate response, Argo muttered a couple of words.

Little did the young boy know that those two simple words would signal the start of a lengthy and challenging adventure.

Where was I going?

What would I find?

Who would I meet?

None of these thoughts occured to the boy even as a bright light engulfed his vision.

"Link Start!"

Author's Notes: Phew! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my first chapter :D Once again, hope you all had a wonderful day and Happy New Year!

With that said and done, until next time everyone! :)

-Velvet