Chapter 2

Last time

She smiles just as wide, "Yeah. Come on, let's just get started and have some fun!"

"Sounds like a plan!" I laugh.

This time

We start running off towards the fields, me guiding the way because I am the one that read the guide book. We take a small detour though and stop by the shops. I buy some cheap, light armor and a long sword which looks a little gross. Erin buys a dagger and light armor as well.

Once at the fields, we are met with just two guys, a tall guy with long black hair and another guy with long red hair who seems to be struggling to kill a simple monster, and a few boars here and there.

"Alright! This looks awesome! But, you are going to have to teach me how to fight." The short girl says the last part with a bit of a pout.

"Alrighty, then. Watch me closely and copy what I do." I chuckle and then start the tutorial for her, practicing on the pig-like monsters.

After about an hour, she finally got it and was, basically, a professional.

"This is AWESOME!" She laughs and charges up a sword skill. Her dagger glows light red and then she stabs it straight through a boar.

I clap, "I know right? Wanna have a little competition? Loser has to pay for dinner." I chuckle and nudge her shoulder lightly.

"Oh, you're on!" She laughs. "But, first let me get changed in the real world. It's getting pretty late." She says looking up at the sky, since the in game weather matches real world weather.

"Alright. I'll wait for you here." I smile and give her a small kiss on the head.

She blushes a little then opens the menu to log out. "Huh… that's strange… the log out button isn't there."

"Oh, come on. I get you didn't read the guide, but you should at least be able to find the log out button." I say with a bit of a know-it-all voice.

"Of course I know where the log out button is! Don't be an ass! It isn't there!" she says angrily and giving me the "scary look."

"Sure it isn't," I open the menu to prove her wrong, only to find out that she was serious. "Oh… uh oh..."

"Believe me now, meanie?" she kicks my foot softly.
"Yeah- But, don't worry! It's probably just a small bug. They'll fix it soon." I smile in a reassuring way.

Suddenly, the bell tower in the town of beginnings starts going off.

"Huh? What's that- ?!" I start to speak but then stop when I see a light rise from beneath us.

"Woah what's going on!?" she screams as we suddenly get teleported back to the town square, surrounded by people and more teleporting in as well for some odd reason.

We both look around frantically, looking for any type of clue that could help us figure out the reason we are back here. Our search was interrupted abruptly, though, because of some random guy in the whole crowd yelling "WOAH! WHAT'S THAT!?" at the sky and point at a red hexagon with a warning message on it.

Everyone's eyes immediately dart to the sky when the hexagon multiplies, filling the whole sky with red. Once the sky gets filled with red hexagons, blood starts to ooze out of the cracks between them, slowly taking the form of a large hooded figure.

Erin and I gulp from the disgusting sight as the figure takes form.

The hooded figure then stretches out its arms and speaks. "Attention players," the figure said, "Welcome to my world!"

Who is this guy… the only person worthy to say that is Akihiko Kayaba. Wait a minute!

"My name is Akihiko Kayaba," the hooded figure continues, finally introducing itself. "And as of this moment, I am the only person in control of this world."

People in the crowd start murmuring to each other, some people thinking he is just welcoming us to this game, others thinking he just wants to look like a god so we can kiss up to him. Erin and I just stay quiet though, being very interested in what he has to say.

"I am sure you have already noticed the log out button missing from the menu. This is not a defect, I repeat, this is not a defect of the game."

Wait what?! Erin and I gasp at what he just stated, our moods changing from curious to thinking of ways to get out.

Some people begin to yell, "WHAT THE HELL!? WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" and then an excuse of why they need to leave the game. Some people try to leave the town square, thinking this is just a joke, but they sadly cannot thanks to an invisible force field keeping them in.

Kayaba continues on, "This is a feature of Sword Art Online. You cannot log out of SAO yourselves, and no one on the outside can shut down or remove the NerveGear. If this should be attempted, the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life."

What…. Nonono… please let this be a joke! I try to gulp down my fear, trying to replace it with the thought that this is just a nightmare.

"Unfortunately, several players' friends and families have ignored this warning, and attempted to remove the NerveGear." The insane prick continues on. "As a result, two-hundred and thirteen players have been eliminated, both from the game and the real world, forever." He somehow says this with a calm voice. HE REALLY IS CRAZY!

"As you can see, news organizations across the world are reporting all of this, even the deaths. Thus you can assume the fear of someone taking off the helmet is now minimal." He says and screens suddenly appear around him of different news stations, each reporting exactly what Kayaba said. "I hope this relaxes you a bit as you attempt to clear the game." HAHAHA! HE EXPECTS US TO RELAX AFTER THAT?!

"And I want you to remember this clearly, there is no longer a way to revive someone in the game. If your HP drops to 0, your avatar will be lost forever, and simultaneously, the NerveGear will destroy your brain."

Oh god, no, please. I look over at Erin who is now almost in tears, freaking out over all of this.

"There is only one means of escape, to complete the game. You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad, Floor 1. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the floor boss, then you may advance to the next floor. You must do this until you get to Floor 100, and defeat the final boss to clear the game."

My jaw drops. Is that even possible?

"Finally, I have added a little gift to each of your inventories." He says, continuing.

Erin and I, and everyone else in the town, open up their inventories and look at the item. It's a Mirror? Strange. We equip it anyways and look into it. Suddenly we get a tingly sensation and are overtaken by white light again for a moment, giving us no time to even yell before the light goes away. Everyone now looks like their real life selves.

I am back to being only 5' 10" with my longish blonde hair and my skinny body, and Erin is back to having medium, black hair and being short.

We look at each other and gasp as we see our real faces.

"Right now, you are probably wondering 'Why? Why would Akihiko Kayaba, creator of Sword Art Online and the NerveGear, do all of this?'" he said, continuing on with his long speech. "The answer is simple: I created this world so I could intervene in it."

Well some people were right, he does want to be a god.

"And now it is complete. This ends the official tutorial to Sword Art Online. Good luck, players." He finishes at last, disappearing from sight and the sky going back to normal.

For a moment, it was dead silent… and then, a girl that sounded not a day over the age of 12, screamed at the top of her lungs, sending everyone into hysteria and panic, pushing each other around and yelling the most vulgar things.

I grabbed Erin's hand and tugged it, "Come on!" I shout over the sound of people yelling and start dashing out of the town as fast as I could with her, doing my best to keep a calm and reassuring face.

"We have to get to the next town as soon as possible, before anyone else does!" I say as I turn a corner, going onto the rough, dirt road of the fields.

I sprint as fast as I can with her, both of us unsheathing our blades as we see two wolves hop out in front of us. We charge up our sword skills and then get shot forward, slicing straight through the wolves and killing them.

"WE HAVE TO BEAT THIS GAME!" I yell as the wolves burst into crystals behind us, we are still sprinting as fast as we can.

A/N: Happy Friday, Everyone! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and you stay for many more to come in. Also, I will try my best to post one everyday. :D