Welcome to Origin Story's twentieth chapter! I have a thing about certain landmarks in my stories (Chapter Five, Chapter Seven [because of Bungie, and I celebrate it differently, Chapter Ten, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Twenty, and so on,) so I'm going to add more SAO beta moments (as well as some non-canon alternate features in SAO, like turning Sword Skills off during duels.)

Either way, going off of my last afternote, while the Crimson Warrior Chronicles contains events from canon, the Gameverse, Integral Factor, and Alicization: Rising Steel, the Lone Wolf Saga contains canon events, Girls Ops events, fragments from the Gameverse and Integral Factor, and entirely original story arcs.

I was mistaken on Girls Ops' status as a non-canon story (thank you AliCynthesis for correcting me), but I figured that I'd add it, because three things: 1) it fills you in on some of what happened between Fairy Dance and Phantom Bullet in the first volume, and then it has events separate from Mother's Rosario, 2) it's nice to see Rika, Keiko, and Suguha stop lusting over Kazuto in favor of going on their own adventures, and 3) Hiyori's a pretty good character with a tragic past (having been forced to work for Laughing Coffin), and she could aid Ian down the road.

Either way, I don't know if I should add anyone else to the story or if Ian, Joshua, Kazuto, and the girls are enough. I'm also fighting the urge to jump too far ahead in the story, because I still need to finish Origin Story (and stop retconning things by mistake.)

And damn it, I forgot about Allan, so I'm going to explain why he hasn't showed up in a while, and I reiterate, NO HAREMS FOR IAN! Just letting you know.

Allan's Residence, Kawagoe

Japan, Real World

August 13, 2022

Ian Becker, First Person

Following the beginning of the month, Allan's lure business has really hit it off, and as a result, he was able to get a pretty good house in Kawagoe for us to live in. Good internet, working AC unit, enough space for four or five people, and it's even closer to the Kirigaya residence than before!

Speaking of the Kirigayas, I have no idea why Kazuto keeps looking crestfallen every time someone brings up his past, and having met his mother Midori, I have trouble coming up with a possible reason for his behavior. Of course, him actually being adopted is still possible, so I'll just keep investigating this matter. That's all I can do.

In other news, the closed beta for Sword Art Online was released, with Kazuto and his gaming buddy Jaymes getting access. However, I wasn't given access. You suck, Argus.

In said beta, Kirito and Jaymes have reached the third floor, of the game's giant floating castle, Aincrad, and Argus has added new content to the beta, like a dueling feature for PvP combat that won't incriminate the participants. They still have three weeks left in the beta, and I made sure that we all pre-ordered the full game, so after the beta ended and the full game was released, we'd be able to play it on day one.

Finally, Allan has been going all around the nation, promoting his business and stuff like that. While I kinda miss him, I understand what he's doing, even though he's gone for days at a time.

Ian Becker

Ian awoke to someone knocking on the front door, rolling out of bed and getting up to check it out.

Is Al back already? No, he just left yesterday, so that doesn't make any sense. Wait, could it be a home invader?

Heading downstairs, his steps were slow and deliberate as he walked towards the door. Having grabbed a knife from the kitchen, he prepared for a possible repelling of a home invader as he opened the door, only to find himself staring into a familiar pair of blueish black eyes.

"Kon'nichiwa, Ian-san!" Suguha Kirigaya greeted with a smile as Ian put his knife away.

"Kon'nichiwa, Suguha." he greeted, opening the door wider for her, only for Sophia to come inside with her.

"Hey, Ian."

"Hey, there."

Surprised to not see Kazuto, Ian shut the door behind the girls and followed them into the living room.

"Okay, when did I tell you my address, because I honestly have no idea when that happened." he asked.

"You told me three days ago." Suguha answered. "I think your brother went ahead and gave Sophia-chan your address."

"Oh, okay. I just wasn't expecting you to come here. Speaking of, does Kazuto know you're here?"

"Hai. I told him I was coming here before I left."

Sitting down on the large mahogany-colored rug in the room, the girls started talking to each other, laughing at jokes that their male host never heard.

"You ladies want anything to eat or drink?" he asked them as he headed to the kitchen.

"I'd like some tea." Sophia said.

"Me, too." Suguha added.

"Alright, I've only got tea bags, though." Ian lamented.

Of course those two came to visit when you only have tea bags. Why? Because my luck in real life sucks.

Reaching into the cupboard, Ian pulled out a box of Bigelow hot tea that his mother had sent him and set it down on the counter.

"Only the best for my sons," she had said in the note that accompanied the package.

Deciding on getting a cup for himself, he filled the kettle to its maximum amount with water, setting it onto its base and turning it on. Sighing, he brushed some hair out of his face as it was getting in the way.

"I really need to cut my hair." he told himself. "Speaking of which, I wonder if Sophia's planning on doing it, because I heard something about her wanting to do so."

Three ceramic mugs were on the counter, tea bags already in them. His was a light blue, Sophia's was violet, and Suguha's was a pale green color.

His mind fell on the two girls in the living room, and what they had been talking about when he entered the kitchen. He was not going to obsess over it, but he was interested in what it could have been.

"What would they even be talking about?"

Sophia Autumn

Learning English truly was a pain in the ass for people who didn't grow up with it, Sophia surmised. And of course, the redhead wasn't an English teacher, as that was something Ian specialized in.

Sighing in relief as the younger girl correctly pronounced a particularly difficult word, Sophia looked to the kitchen, where Ian stood with a tray that held three mugs of hot tea.

"Here you go, ladies." he said, setting the tray down and picking up the blue (because of course it's blue) mug. "Violet's for you, Soph, and you get the green one, Suguha."

"Arigato, Ian-san." the black-haired girl thanked him.

"Yeah, thanks." Sophia said.

"You're welcome. Man, both Nikki and Al are gonna give me hell for this." Ian muttered.

"Why?" Suguha asked naïvely.

"Come on, I've got two attractive girls in the house with me simultaneously, so I'm just asking for them to be asses about it." was what the boy said. "Seriously, you know how they are, Soph."

"Oh, I know."

"Something tells me that Nikki's gonna say that I'm starting a damn harem up in here. Or a love triangle, at least."

You know that you said something about Kirito and him getting a harem. If I remember correctly, you called him a dumbass, and I think you might've been thinking "edgy bastard," too. Sophia thought to herself, sipping her tea.

"That's silly, Ian-san." Suguha said. She was just so pure, possibly even purer than eight year old Ian.

If only such naïvety wasn't fatal in the real world. Ian learned that real quick, and as a result, he hardly trusted anyone, was self-trained in hand-to-hand combat to a degree, had kendo training, and he could operate quite a few firearms in the real world.

"Yeah, yeah, but I just have a feeling in my gut. Anyways, what were you talking about before I got you tea?"

"I was trying to teach Suguha English, but as your mother always says..."

"...English is the hardest language to learn if you didn't grow up with it." Ian finished. "Good thing I learned a few things from her."

He brushed some hair out of his face, somehow reminding Sophia of her desire to cut her hair. Sure, her long bloodred locks were gorgeous and earned her the envy of other girls, but they were painfully difficult to manage. Reducing the overall length to at least shoulder-length would do her wonders in ease of management and comfort.

For now, though, she'd try putting her hair up in a ponytail or a long plait. But of course she didn't have a hairtie on her.

And now she envied Suguha's bob cut. Son of a-

"Hey, something bothering you?" her childhood friend asked in concern, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Eh, it's nothing. I just want to try and get my hair cut or something. As of now, it's really hard to manage." she answered.

"Oh, okay. I gotta get my hair trimmed, too. It's being a pain in the ass."

Wow, it seems like everyone wants to cut their hair... although I think that Nikki would rather keep her hair long.

"Anyways, what could we do while we're here?"

Sophia thought long and hard about it. Had it been just her and Ian, then the old Xbox One S in his room called to her, but with Suguha accompanying her, that wasn't an option.

Why did Suguha have to hate gaming?

Damn it, I can't find anything to do. I wonder if Ian has any ideas...

"You know what? Let's continue teaching her English." the boy mercifully said.

"Yeah."

Ian Becker

The two Americans had spent an hour and a half teaching their native tongue to their Japanese friend, yielding some pretty good results. Now taking a break, the three were eating sandwiches Ian had made in the dining room. Said boy was now using his phone's Gacha Club game to recreate himself and all his friends and family in the game's chibi artstyle, as he had finished his sandwich.

So far, he had recreated himself and his siblings, with him now making Sophia and Suguha, who would then be followed by Kazuto and Jaymes, with the latter wearing Titan armor because he didn't know his face.

Beside him, the girls started laughing at some kind of joke one of them told, and it blew by him as he wasn't paying attention.

Speaking of the two other members of his Destiny fireteam, were Kazuto and Jaymes already in the Beta? He had seen on a gaming news article that Argus had added new features to the game, including a dueling mode for PvP players who didn't want to get an "orange cursor," which apparently marked players as criminals if they attacked or stole from NPCs or players.

"Yeah... those two are probably testing that dueling feature out." he told himself, taking a sip of hot tea.

Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya

Town of Beginnings, Floor 1

Sword Art Online Beta

Kirito watched two players duel in a fight to the death in the Town Square with interest, holding his own sword. Jaymes had yet to log in, having required more sleep from an especially busy Friday, but that was fine.

The player in cherry red armor was sent tumbling to the ground by his cobalt-armored opponent, disappearing a second later. A crown appeared above Mr. Blue's green cursor, signaling his victory.

At least bodies don't linger, because I have a feeling that that blue guy would've teabagged the red one otherwise.

He blamed all the stupid Shotgun ape-ing Titans that were always teabagging him in Iron Banner for the thought. Excluding Jaymes, though, as he at least refrained from teabagging.

Most of the time.

A player spawned in behind him and he turned around abruptly to see Jaymes standing there, yawning.

"There you are, Jaymes." he said. "You just missed a duel in the Town Square."

"Oh, they're dueling already?" the crimson knight asked. "Wow. Let me guess, fight to the death?"

"Yup. It was even a-"

Kirito was interrupted by the blue player getting sent careening across the courtyard, dropping his sword as he smacked the water fountain. The red player stood there where he once was, his hand losing its glow from having a Martial Arts Sword Skill used with it as he panted heavily.

"Yeah! Suck it, blue!" Jaymes yelled at the blue player.

"Up yours, Red!"

Angered, the blue guy challenged Mr. Red to a duel, which he accepted in earnest, ready for a rematch. As they dueled again, Jaymes set his shield on the ground behind him and leaned on it.

"Looks like they're at it again." Kirito said with a smirk.

"Yup. I hope the red guy wins."

"Hey, Jaymes."

"Yeah?"

"Why hope for someone else to win when you can secure your own victory for your Red Army?" Kirito suggested. And of course, Kirito was wearing a blue shirt under his armor.

"Really, man?" Kirito began to say something insulting, only for Jaymes to shut him up. "Fine, I'll do it."

Jaymes opened his roster, selecting the duel option for Kirito. When his finger touched the node, a duel menu opened up in front of Kirito, complete with options to change the type of duel, the time, whether or not Sword Skills were available, and so on.

Deciding to make it a bit easier on Jaymes, who had no real-world kendo experience, he left Sword Skills on, but at his request, he set it to "fight to the death," like the other two players had set.

Above them, a literal fighting game-style set of healthbars appeared above their dueling location, and the rules of the duel appeared in front of them.

Duel Type: Total Loss

Time: Unlimited

Sword Skills: Enabled

Rounds: 1

Objective: Kill your opponent to win

Are you sure you want to proceed?

O (Yes) X (No)

When Jaymes reached his place at the end of the arena boundaries, Kirito confirmed the duel's rules and entered a fighting stance, pulling his upgraded Anneal Blade 2 from the sheath on his back. Jaymes did the same, holding his shield out as he drew his sword.

The timer in their views ticked down, and the tension rose as the two fighters prepared to fight. A crowd slowly began to form around the two, as a duel between the Beta's best players was bound to catch a few eyes.

Kirito felt sweat going down his face, and anxiety was getting at him, although he would never show it, and he was sure that Jaymes wasn't doing too much better.

Finally, the timer hit zero and the two combatants moved so fast that they appeared as red and blue blurs to their spectators.

While a [Vertical] attack was used by Kirito, Jaymes used his shield to block it, pushing the blade aside and swinging his own sword at him, cutting his torso. Without a Sword Skill, he only took Kirito's health down to 97%, leaving the blue swordsman with plenty of HP to work with.

Going around the shield, Kirito jabbed Jaymes in the back and swung at him twice, taking 12% of his health away before his shield saved him from further assault.

Damn it, Shield-kun! Kirito internally cursed as Jaymes' blade clashed against his own.

The timer ticked on as the beta testers whittled away at each other's health, the crowd forming around them becoming larger in numbers as they watched the two fight. Of course, who wouldn't want to see such powerful players duke it out?

Kirito narrowly dodged a swing from Jaymes' blade, the orange-tinted blade mere inches away from his face. With a competitive glare, the warrior smacked Kirito in the face with his shield, disorienting him and leaving him open to a horizontal slash.

"Gah!"

A quick glance at the healthbar showed him at 76%, leaving Jaymes with 88% remaining. He needed to find a way to get ahead fast, or else he would lose.

Jaymes knew this as well, which was why he decided to go on the offensive and keep Kirito from getting any kind of advantage.

As a result, the warrior didn't even bother to use Sword Skills, opting to just spam normal attacking and keep a whirlwind of death going so Kirito couldn't keep his advantage.

He was sure that his Anneal Blade's durability was running out, seeing as it was being used to block so many hits, but at the very least, Jaymes' weapon was suffering the same thing.

At that point, he decided to end it. By any means necessary.

A few minutes later, Kirito had only 3% of his health left, but the soundly defeated avatar of Jaymes burst into thousands of blue polygons, and the victory notification appeared in his field of view.

After the duel ended, the beta tester collapsed onto the ground, laughing to himself as he recalled just how stupid some of the shit he did to beat Jaymes was. Either way, he was sure that Ian would love to hear about it.

Ian Becker, a few hours later

A ping from Ian's phone awoke the teenager with a start, causing him to jolt upward and pick up said phone to check it out.

Kirito: I beat Jaymes in a duel just now. I'll tell you the details next time you come over or log onto Destiny.

"Huh." the American said, chuckling. "I wonder what kind of bullshit he pulled on Jaymes to win."

Replacing his phone, he looked back at his guests. Having decided to watch a movie, the trio ended up falling asleep near the end, leaving the cheesy romance film they put on to play on its own. Despite his previous claim of seeing Suguha as a sister, he couldn't help but think about how cute the girl looked as she slept.

Laughing to himself, he turned the TV off and looked at the time.

Whoa, it's 2:45 already? Since when did time fly this fast?

In response to his observation Ian got up and poked Sophia's cheek and watched her stir, then he gently shook Suguha's shoulder to awaken her.

"Enjoy the nap?" he asked her.

"H-Huh? How long was I out?" Suguha murmured, sitting up.

"A few hours. We all ended up passing out while that movie was going, and we would have probably slept longer had your brother not texted me."

"Oh, really?"

"Oh, shit! I have to get back home! My mom would kill me if I got back late!" Sophia suddenly shouted, standing up abruptly.

"Shame you spent most of the time here sleeping, Soph." Ian chuckled.

"You ass. Anyways, I gotta go. It was good seeing you again, Ian."

"Same here. I'd say 'drive safe,' but you don't have a car."

"See you soon, Sophia-chan!" Suguha said.

"Bye." Sophia left the house at a steady pace, then once she was out of the building, she broke into a full sprint. After the redhead disappeared from Ian's view from the window, he turned to face his kendo teacher.

"Do you have anything to do, Suguha?" he asked her.

"Nope I've got an hour before I need to go back. You?"

"Nothing. We could practice kendo or something- wait, you didn't bring the shinais, did you?"

"I wasn't counting on you wanting to practice kendo today." the girl replied. "But we could go to my place and practice."

That sounded very appealing to him, but Ian had promised Allan that he'd keep an eye on the house while he was away. There was no telling when someone wanted to try and break in.

"Sorry, but I can't. I promised Al that I'd keep an eye on the house." he told her.

"I understand. We could read something together." Suguha suggested. "Onii-san always read to me when we were younger."

At that notion, Ian's mood lightened, and he headed upstairs in a heartbeat, securing his collection of books and heading downstairs as fast as he could. Setting them down on the table, he began to search through them to find one Suguha would like. To his surprise, she grabbed a hardcover book from the Mrs. Murphy series, a whodunnit series about a trio of animals and their exceptionally nosy owner as they solved murder cases in the small town of Crozet, Virginia.

"What's this one?" Suguha cutely asked.

"A really good whodunnit. It's a bit mature, but it's very well-written. Old but gold, Al would say. I'll read it to you."

An hour later, the two closed the book and stated talking about it in earnest, reviewing all the good parts in it.

"I really like Mrs. Murphy." Suguha said happily. "She's so witty!"

"I know, right? Pewter's cool, too." Ian then spoke in a high, nasally tone befitting the smug grey fat cat. "I will get that blue jay if it's the last thing I do."

The younger girl giggled in response to that as her friend checked the time.

"It's 3:52 already? How long did we spend reading?"

"About an hour, I'd venture to say?"

"Seems like it. Speaking of, you need to get back to your house, right?" Ian asked.

"Oh, right. I'll be back, Ian-san. Goodbye."

"Bye, Suguha."

The black-haired girl bowed at Ian and left the house. Smiling to himself, he collected the books he pulled out and repladed them. After that was taken care of, he then logged onto Destiny 2 and started to grind once more.

That took far too long to finish. Seriously, I've been sitting on this chapter since September 26 last year! I'm glad that I could finish this chapter, because A) I had to get a new device to write with, B) I had a writers' block in the SAO department, and C) I was too busy writing Girls' Frontline: The Recollection: Beginning. Anyways, I have posted a poll concerning GFL: The Recollection, and I'd like it if you'd checked the story out, as well as the poll.

Anyways, I'll see you at Chapter 21!