Chapter Three
As I watched another boar shatter into thousands of pieces, I can't help but feel uneasy about this situation. Though the new armor is nice, I don't think that I should've gotten his equipment from a duel, and I've yet to see him again. Perhaps he's learned his lesson.
"I wonder how he's doing?" I sigh remembering the worst part of this current situation. The girl from before, who addresses herself as Jane, hasn't left my side since that duel.
I shrug. "He's probably out trying to get better equipment." That's what I keep telling myself, but I still feel uneasy about having his armor. Normally, it would have shattered, but there was still just a little bit of durability left. Enough for me to take it to the blacksmith to get it fixed. "But more importantly, why are you still here?"
Jane sheaths her daggers. "Well... I don't know what else to do right now..." She looks away. "He was my friend, yet you, someone I just met, protected me and actually cared for me. Then when I expected him to come back... He never did. He left me to fight alone, knowing I had no knowledge of the game... That duel... it felt like he was really going to kill you."
With that last remark I think back to that duel. He had charged at me with amazing speed and had swung at my torso for a quick kill, however I had anticipated the action and blocked his sword with my shield, but the swing had plenty of momentum behind it, or perhaps a high strength attribute, and caused me to stagger back. He took the opening and slashed at my right shoulder, I dodged to the left, but the attack still grazed it.
By instinct I let out a grunt, but I realized that I didn't feel any pain, however my shoulder had tensed up a bit. Whether this is because I thought it should happen, or if the system does it for us, I've yet to figure out. He readied his sword, holding it over his head for a devastating attack. I was scared, and thinking back it was really risky, but I took the opportunity and shield bashed him square in the chest. He staggered back, and fell down due to the weight of his sword.
I had let myself succumb to my pure rage, dropping my knee on his chest, pinning him to the ground, he should have had the strength to throw me off of him, but he was paralyzed in fear. I lashed at his head, I had swung my sword with no restraint, slash after slash. There was no escape for him, and his body had glowed a bright blue. That sudden glow had gotten me out of my rage, but only in time to see his body shatter into thousands of pieces.
There wasn't any cheering that time, only the look of terror and complete silence came from the crowd. I didn't blame them, it was a terrifying move on my part, and I immediately regretted it. That's when I noticed the new armor in my inventory, but before I had the chance to investigate.
"Y-You monster! What kind of fight was THAT?!" A female player had finally broken the silence, followed by the entire crowd making rude comments, some very vulgar, I couldn't take it and ran, ran as far as I could...
I guess she followed me.
"What I did was unforgivable. It's just a game, yet I had pinned him down... There's no honor or true strength there..."
"But it was all for me" she clasps her hands to her heart.
But I just shook my head. "No, you're wrong. I'm not some zealous knight, punishing the unlawful and protecting the innocent. I did it, because I thought that those players could be great fighters that I'd never fight..." She just stared at me. "Sword Art Online isn't my first MMO. In fact, I happen to play very competitively and have even won tournaments. I bought SAO for the sole purpose of becoming the best there is. But I guess... playing MMO's so much, I've become bitter. I get absorbed in the great fights, and become irritated when I'm not fighting. I feel like I'm wasting my time... And it's because of that I apologize for being such an ass, and I should apologize to my mother as well." I open my menu.
"Wait... What's your name?"
"My name is Alexander. But you can call me Alex for short. My gamertag is TheGreatAlexander. It's corny, but I've used it since I was little, and I've become famous with that name as well."
"Alexander, huh?" She pauses. "Though your incentive may have not been to help me, you have, so I'm in your debt. Anyway, I've kept you long enough. I hope to see you soon, Alex."
I nod. "I shouldn't be too long... and thanks. You should look up some of my videos sometime." I wave. "Anyway, I shouldn't be gone long." I click the logout button... then I click it again... "That's strange..."
"What's wrong?"
"I can't log out!" I show her the missing button where it should be.
"WHAT?!" She quickly opens her menu. "Mine's not there either! What's going on?"
"I don't know... but if we can't logout, it could be problematic."
"Yeah..." She sinks to her knees. I took the time to really see her for the first time. Her, straight, light brown hair, down to her shoulder blades, flows with the gentle breeze. Her choice of armor is a simple tunic with a blue skirt, her slim figure makes her look really good in it.
Her body starts to shake, and I'm reminded that she's upset. "It... It could be a bug." I finally say. "I don't think they'd trap us in the game. I'm sure that many players are trying to get a hold of a GM to get this fixed."
"I-I hope so." Why have I grown so comfortable with the girl I just dueled a couple of hours ago? As the thought continued to linger, the background music abruptly stopped, and a bell could be heard from nowhere, yet it rang everywhere.
"Huh? What's going on?" I look around but I don't see anything out of the ordinary.
Jane screams and lashes herself into my chest. "What's going on?" Blushing a little bit, I look down at the slim girl against me.
She glows a bright blue.
"I-I don't know!" I notice that I begin to glow aw well, and the land around us starts to melt away. The huge grassland being replaced by an almost perfect tiling with fantasy style buildings. "No way, a forced teleport, what's going on?" I look around and notice that a lot of players were teleported here, possibly every player.
I fix my gaze on the girl still clinging to my chest. "Uhh... You can let go now." But she only tightens the grip. I feel myself blushing again. When did I start feeling so comfortable around this girl, she's been doing nothing but clinging onto me since that duel. Normally I'd have told her to go away by now, what makes it different? Could it be the beauty of her avatar? No, I've had pretty avatars cling to me before. Perhaps it's because she's able to show emotions without pre made emotes? Or maybe, it's because I know she's a strong fighter, and that I hope to duel her again. I wrap my arms around her slim body, feeling that she had more of a curve than the tunic shows.
I look back up to see a red polygon with black bold letters in its center.
"Warning: System Announcement"
This polygon blinked for a few seconds before dying the sky red with thousands of them. From the center, red ooze began to drip down. At first it was just a drop at a time, but then it started to pour out this ooze that, with the help of some lightning effects, forms a giant, cloaked, humanoid figure with a shadow where the face should be visible.
Everyone just stared in fear.
"Players!" His deep voice bellows through the whole city. "Welcome to my world!"
His world? Then he must be-
"I am Kayaba Akihiko, the only person who controls this world!"
Only person?! How's that possible?
Most of you have discovered that the Logout button has disappeared from the Main Menu. This is not a bug, but is a part of Sword Art Online's system!
Jane jumped a little.
"The only way to log yourself out," Kayaba continues, "is to clear the top floor"
He had grabbed everyone's attention at this point.
"...Also, disrupting or dismantling the NerveGear from the outside is strictly forbidden. If it is attempted, then the signal sensors will emit a strong electromagnetic pulse, destroying your brain."
I shake a little and Jane tightens her grip. It's true, the electromagnetic waves work very similar to a microwave, so if they were to up the power, it'd be a very simple process to fry the brain.
"Sadly 213 players have already exited this game, and the real world forever.
T-Two hundred thirteen players, dead?! There's no way they could have died here which means... I drop to my knees. I... I killed him. It's one thing to make someone have to respawn in a graveyard... but he'll never come back. I look down at Jane, who must have come to the realization.
"Alex... don't blame yourself... you couldn't have known."
"But I killed your friend! He's never coming back, and I'm to blame" My voice weakens.
"Alex, please. Stay strong!" This isn't making sense. Isn't this usually the part where I'm pushed away, and to leave and never to come back? But instead... she's trying to comfort me, she is looking at the situation rationally, despite the feeling of loss. It'd be so easy to just let loose her emotions, yet she isn't... Why? "If you knew he'd die for good, would you have dueled him, and he was the one who clicked "decisive duel"... You've done nothing wrong..." I couldn't say anything more... not now.
"Now, there is no need to worry about the bodies you left on the other side. As of now, the media is spreading the word not to disrupt the NerveGears. Also, I'll have a two hour break, where your bodies will be transported to hospitals so you can focus on clearing the game.
"Finally, Sword Art Online is a second reality, if your HP drops to zero, you will die, and consequently, the sensor's will fry your brain. The only way to leave the game, is to clear all one hundred floors."
All 100 floors. Every battle possibly being your last. Taking every battle seriously. This wouldn't be easy, nor a quick task.
"Now to show you evidence that this is the the only reality, I have given each of you a gift."
I opened my menu and a notification popped up, asking if I wanted to accept the gift. Whether I thought it was a trap or not, I was curious enough to click accept, and a small blue hand mirror materialized into my right, gloved, hand. I looked through the mirror and saw my reflection. The face of the avatar I chose. I looked around and noticed that everyone, including Jane and myself, became engulfed in a blue light, and emerged differently. Some only changed a little bit, while the most drastic changes were male characters in women's clothing. I looked at my mirror and see my reflection, my face from the real world. I looked down at Jane who was looking at me. Surprisingly, I didn't notice a single difference. Must be nice to look good.
"So that's what you look like?" She touches the small amount of facial hair on my chin, and cups my cheek. I blush quite a bit. Though I've had admirers in games before, I could only see emotes and imagine the interactions. However, I could feel her soft, warm, hand against my cheek.
This woman keeps surprising me. Kayaba's deep voice brings me back to reality.
"Now why have I, Kayaba Akihiko, developer of Sword Art Online, and the NerveGear be doing this? The answer, is to create and watch this world.
... Now I have finished the official tutorial for Sword Art Online. Players-I wish you luck." With his last remark, he turns back into his ooze like shape, and disappears into the red polygon once more. Now that the GM was gone, the polygons disappeared and the blue sky showed again.
All the players began to scream and panic, even Jane buried her face in my chest. "Alex... I think I should tell you about him." I nod. "But not here. Let's go somewhere else." She gets up and walks toward one of the restaurants, I follow close behind.