Author's Note: Hello everyone good to see how everyone is doing now I will admit it has been a while since I last updated my previous story: A Certain Scientific Catastrophe due to School and other reasons I have not been able to update it. This story on the other hand was made about 9 months ago ago but I simply lost motivation to upload it.

Sword Art Online is one of those anime's that are mostly hated but I personally love it. I found some other stories with the Toaru and SAO crossover with Kirito or Asuna or Misaka and Touma but then an idea struck me. This led to me doing something different than the other stories. You will see what I'm talking about when you begin reading!

Fair warning everyone: There will be R rated certain scenes in this story so if you don't like reading gore I advise you check out another story.

Now I present: Imagery Art Online! *Will probably think of a better name down the line*

Date: November 6, 2022 Sunday

This day started out like any other day. Kamijou Touma was in his door room cooking food for his hungry roommate Index. A cat can be heard purring in the background waiting for its food as well. It was a slightly quieter day than usual for Touma, could this be his first strike of good luck?

A newsflash popped up on the TV Index glanced at it. "Hey Touma look that man is announcing a new video game thingy" Index was pointing at what the man was holding with his hands it was called ''SWORD ART ONLINE'' It was the first VRMMORPG game. Index liked playing video games since it was so fun to play. Touma on the other hand was doing more house labor so he never really had time to play except on weekends.

Yes, Kamijou Touma was indeed an unlucky person.

Touma glanced over the kitchen onto the TV to see what Index was fussing about. ''Oh, so that is the game huh?'' and that headset must be called the nerve gear, right?'' Touma was indeed correct, The ''NERVE GEAR''. Is the name of the hardware that drove this VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Mass Multiplayer Online Rolee Playing Game). The basic structure of the machine was completely different from the traditional types, be it your computer screen or your handheld devices. No, the Nerve Gear was so much more. The design was simple enough, a helmet that covered your whole head and face.

Inside, there were numerous signal transceivers. By using the electronic signals sent by those transceivers, the gear accessed the user's brain itself. The user didn't use their eyes or ears to see and hear, the signals went directly to their brain. In addition, the machine could access not only sight and sound, but also touch and taste, and smell as well - that is to say, all those five senses.

After slipping the Nerve Gear on, locking the strap under your chin, and saying the initiation command (Link Start), all noise fades away and you're swathed in darkness. As soon as you pass the rainbow-colored circle in the middle, you're in another world made entirely of data.

Half a year ago, this machine (which started selling in May 2022) successfully created a «Virtual Reality». The electronics company which created the Nerve Gear called the actual act of linking to the virtual reality...

«Full Dive».

It was a total seclusion from reality, fitting the word "full". The reason for this is that the Nerve Gear not only sent fake signals to the five senses, but it also blocked and rerouted the orders that the brain sent to the body. This can be called the most basic requirement for moving freely in a virtual reality. If the body received the brain's signals when the user was in Full Dive, the moment the user decided they wanted to «run» their actual body would run into a wall.

''Good grief this sounds really intense.'' Touma thought about it for a while he sighed and decided that he would buy a copy for Index.

25 minutes later Index and Sphynx were fed and Touma was about to leave the dorm room. ''Alright Index if you need anything use your cellphone and remember to keep it charged, okay? I don't want another Dihasei Festival incident to happen where it takes me 2 hours just to find you.''

Index nodded ''Okay Touma!''

Touma closed the door, locked it, and began walking to the game store. He took out his phone and searched for the game title on the website. ''Oh, it looks like there was a Beta, too bad we missed it oh well I guess this will be a fresh experience.'' Touma closed his phone and kept walking to the store.

He finally arrived at the store only to see a massive crowd wrapped around the entire building. ''You have to be kidding me...'' Touma would have to wait hours just to get into the building. He sucked it up and got in the very back, 3 hours have passed since then and Touma finally was able to get inside. ''Okay now where is it, you'd think they would have a sign outside for new products but today they didn't'' Touma browsed the store for a bit.

He was not having any luck, so he decided to ask a staff member. ''Excuse me do you know where I can find a copy of Sword Art Online?'' He asked this lady.

''Oh dear I'm afraid the previous customer snatched the last copy we don't get restocks until next month'' The lady said while bowing her head.

''NEXT MONTH?'' Touma shouted out.

Eventually Touma walked out the store in utter defeat with his head held low. ''God dammint my rotten luck always bites me in the ass.''

''Hey'' a random girl said to him.

Touma turned around to see a short girl with brown chestnut hair. She was wearing a Tokiwadi winter uniform. She had a hair clipping on the right side of her hair.

''Ah... good to see you Biri Biri'' Touma blinked slowly. ''What are you doing here?''

'' It's Misaka Mikoto you idiot!'' Misaka shouted at him. ''Jezz you can never get that right it makes me angry'' Touma looked at her directly.

''Okay okay sorry Misaka'' Touma said while holding his hands up.

''It's fine I'm used to it at this point anyways why are you at the game store?'' Misaka was curious seeing how she never saw Touma get a game before, mostly groceries for food.

''Funny story actually I was trying to get my hands on the new RPG game that came out, but it looks like I needed to come here earlier if I wanted to snag one although I think it could be my rotten luck at play'' Touma's face turned silent with a depressing sigh.

''Oh, wait do you mean Sword Art Online?'' Misaka replied.

''Yeah, that's the one'' Touma said in reassurance.

''Well, I have an extra copy if you want it'' Mikoto held out.

''Wait you got two of the box sets? Aren't they expensive though?'' Touma said with a frightened look on his face.

''My Dad has been in business with Argus Holdings so when the game released, I was the first in line since they contacted me'' Mikoto looked sighed.

''Rich people.'' Touma looked annoyed.

''What was that?'' Mikoto was picking up the box as she began to stare at Touma.

''Oh, nothing don't worry about it'' Touma glanced over the side of the street.

Misaka held out the box, ''Here take it''

''Wait hold on I want the game badly, but I don't want to take pity from a Middle Schooler'' Touma pushed the box back.

''Idiot I already have one just take the extra one I obviously don't need two if I already have one.'' I was planning to give this to Kuroko, but she might harass me the entire game so maybe he is a better choice. Mikoto thought to herself.

Touma began to sweat a bit but decided to grab the box. Hee grabbed it then shook Misaka's hand. ''Thank you so much Biri- I mean Misaka this means a lot!'' Mikoto started to blush, she could feel the boy's hand and she almost panicked.

''I-Its nothing'' she was bright red. He's holding my hand what do I do what do I do!.

''Hey, Misaka, your very red do you have a fever?'' Touma reached his hand over her head. Misaka grabbed it and slowly pushed it away. ''I-I'm fine its nothing I am doing perfectly fine!'' Misaka slightly shouted.

''Oh, okay then'' Touma put the box in his left hand. ''Oh, hey how about we adventure together in the game Misaka you're the only other person that I know has the game''

''Oh, sure although you need to text me your IGN so I can add you on the buddy list.'' She replied.

He paused for a bit thinking to himself what he wanted his game name to be. ''Can't I just do my own name?''

Misaka nodded but then held out her hand. ''You can do that but are you sure you don't want a more stylish name?'

''Hmmm a more stylish name huh'' Touma frowned.

''Well I have to get going but once you decide let me know, okay?'' Misaka replied.

''Heh. Ok Later then Misaka'' Touma waved her goodbye. Misaka would usually zap him if he called her by the nickname he gave her, so he decided to be nice since she bought him this game.

''See ya'' Misaka also waved as she ran to the next station.

They would both reunite in the virtual world soon and have a deadly journey inside the world's most new popular MMORPG game.

But they would not realize how this game would change their lives forever.

*Back at the dorm room*

The words ''Installation complete'' flashed green on the nerve gear. Touma was sitting at his study table with Index waiting for the game to be finished downloading and now was that time.

''Alright Index I will go I first when I'm done you can play next alright?''. Index blew her cheeks. ''But I want to go first Toama!''

Touma sighed and put his hands on the table. ''I need to test the game out first so nothing like a malfunction would happen and you would short fuse your brain. Think of this as protecting you.'' Touma argued.

Index stopped pouting and decided to trust Touma and await his return.

''Oh yeah remember Tsuchimikado and Mika are right next door so if you need anything go ask them'' Touma pointed towards the wall and straight across where his neighbors Tushimikado Motoharu a magician and Mika a maid.

''Yay Mika makes delicious food I wonder if I can have seconds too!'' Index shouted in excitement.

Touma smiled at her this would be the last time he would see Index until he logged out of the game. ''Alright also remember to feed the cat make sure you take him outside to pee as well.''

''Don't worry Touma I can do it!'' Index seemed very confident in herself. She knew what she could handle and that put Kamijou at ease.

Before Kamijou put on the headset he stared at his right hand. I wonder If I can still use Imagine Breaker. Kamijou Touma was not born in Acadamy City. He traveled there where his bad luck will also come and find him. He was marked as a level 0 but has an extraordinary power to use his right hand to negate any supernatural power including magic. After the fight with Coronzon and KnT and the assistance of Othinus (Once was a Magic God) Kamijou concluded that Imagine Breaker was a sort of medicine that purifies the world and its people. It was formed based on the wishes of the Magic Gods was once a magical item but now it resides in his right arm.

''Well if its virtual I don't see how I can convert Imagine Breaker since it's not real maybe I can finally get a normal power'' Touma Ley'd down on the bed.

''Alright so all I have to do is say the code word then it starts?'' He was slightly confused on the way the developers made the game to enter only by saying a single word but nevertheless he brushed it off and gave it a go.

''Link...START!''

Authors Note: Alright first chapter done thank you everyone for reading. Like I said this was made a long time ago so It might be a bit weird. I made these 3 chapters a while ago so until chapter 4 you might see a difference in writing. But this does not take away from the fact that Criticism is appreciated. I would like to become better at writing as much as possible.

During the game there will be in-between the line sections where I will place events happening outside the game in Academy City.

The Aincrad Arc will be cut short only because I plan on making a side story series for it kinda like how Progrssive is. So Aincrad Arc will only be 7 or 8 chapters at most.

Anyways, I will be seeing you guys. I plan on updating my other story soon so just give it time. I hope you enjoy Imaginary Art Online

Leave reviews below.