Originally, this update would've been a hell of a lot longer, as my original plan was for each floor covered, to be a chapter on its own. This one changed that plan, as if I'd kept Floor 1 as a single chapter, it would've been approaching 10k words, and the pacing felt really badly off when read together. There will still be some floors that are only a single chapter, but I suspect they'll be in the minority now.

Anyway, onwards with the story...

Floor 1 - Chapter 1 - Brave New World

~ November 6th, 2022 (Day 1), Floor 1 - Aincrad, The Town of Beginnings ~

Despite his earlier speech to Koharu, Jet was struggling with the situation. 9787 people were now in the game, possibly fewer by now. He honestly hoped that SAO had disabled suicides, otherwise... well, that didn't bear thinking about. The screams from behind him though, seemed to suggest otherwise though. Regardless, if Sword Art Online was going to be his grave, then he'd be damned if he sat around and let everyone die. First problem first, Jet had absolutely no idea what he was doing, and realised that walking straight out into an area full of monsters wasn't a particularly clever idea, especially not with the armour they currently had. Before they even considered looking for the first boss, they'd have to start grinding like their lives depended on it... which they now did. Hopefully, the few monsters they'd taken down in the beta, and the Col they'd collected from them would allow them to get some upgrades right off the bat. Wouldn't be much, but to quote a supermarket, every little helps.

''Jet?'' - Koharu tapped him on the shoulder, before he snapped back to focus on the world around him.

''Oh, off in my own world, sorry. Just, thinking things through. I think we should head into the town itself. If nothing else, I can work out how much Col we're actually gonna need to get something with stats slightly better than paper.''

''You look... I don't really know how to explain it''

''It's fine, I'll be fine. Let's focus on levelling up, that's the only way we're gonna do anything'' - Jet shut down that particular avenue of conversation quickly.

''Agreed, but... I'm terrified. I know most people don't want to die, but now, just one slip up and we're dead. You saw how I played when we met...''

''I did, and d'ya know what I saw? I saw someone who wants to get better, and right now, that's what we need. Someone who knows their limits, but works to move those limits even further up. Which is what we honestly need right now, if we ever plan to clear this nightmare.''

''Random question, but did you write speeches?'' - Jet started chuckling at the comment.

''Nah, just good at them, years of watching Doctor Who compulsively, I suppose. But right now, we know where we stand. We've got an objective, we just need to find a way to achieve it.''

The duo walked into the merchant district, and began looking around the stalls for any indicator as to how much money they'd actually need for even just basic equipment. Roughly 500 Col, the duo worked out, to stand a fighting chance out on the Plains. Not ideal, but given they were currently on 290 Col, from the beta test, not completely unachievable either. The duo continued walking around, working out a plan of action - ''So, we need 210 Col, or more, to get everything we each need. Looking at your fighting style though, I'd suggest getting some form of stabbing weapon, a dagger or rapier, maybe.''

''You actually know your stuff, I'm impressed'' - An unfamiliar voice commented from somewhere behind Koharu, though despite Jet's best efforts in looking around, he couldn't see them, until they stepped into view.

''Thanks, who are you?''

''You can call me Argo. I'm whatcha might call an information broker. I gather info, and sell it on, and you two, well, ya look like yer on a mission out here. Tell ya what, you help me out, I can make up that extra 210 Col, and more... deal?''

''Hm, I don't-''

''Deal''

''Deal it is then. Tell us what we've just sold our souls for...''

''I'm not the devil, thank you very much. I just need your to go out to the Plains, and gather some materials that drop from the Frenzy Boars. Nothin' too bad.''

''Wait, would these materials have dropped during the beta too?''

''Uh, yeah, why?''

''Then we already have them.'' - Jet and Koharu both opened their menus and summoned the items from their inventories. - ''Ta da! Enough dead pigs that an abattoir would have to do a double take.'' - Jet would've been more theatrical, but it's hard to be overtly extra, when holding a load of deceased pig carcasses in your hands.

~November 13th, 2022 (Day 7) - Floor 1, Aincrad - The Plains~

''HELP! PLEASE!'' - Two players were surrounded by a number of wolves. A rather large number of bloodthirsty wolves, the first already being mauled, whilst the second was just being ragged around. Jet told himself that no matter what he did, it probably wouldn't matter now. That didn't stop him and Koharu charging in. ''COMING! MOVE!'' - Jet charged up his sword skill, as he'd taught himself during the beta, and gutted one of the virtual wolves, which got the attention of the rest of the pack. A bright blue light were the surviving player had once stood was all it took to steel any resolve Jet might have had. ''No more.'' - Jet whispered, before starting to yell - ''NOT ON MY WATCH!'' - With the grace of someone who once took a martial arts class, Jet kept the wolves off Koharu, and kept them from tearing him limb from virtual limb, until he or Koharu got round to them. The last light shone brighter than the others, or so Jet had thought... what felt like the longest 5 minutes of his life, had finally ended. Whilst he stood back up, and checked everything, he noticed his partner kneeling down, muttering about 'no blood', evidently in shock, after the trauma of watching someone die in front of them, as they fought to save them. ''Koharu?''

''I can't do it. I'm not strong.''

''Hey, look at me... I'm not strong, never have been. Hell, I'm the biggest coward IRL, I've spent years running away. You've done a lot more to be strong than I have! From a handicap, to trying to save a life. Don't knock yourself. Come on, we should get back to the town now. I'll get us some food with the spare cash, help take our minds off it, eh?'' - Jet knew that feeling all too well, that awful sense of hopelessness, blame and despair, all ganging up to destroy any sense of adequacy you had, and he wasn't going to let his partner suffer like he had. One broken teenager was far more than enough, and sadly, one broken teenager in this game, was by far and above, the absolute best case scenario...

Still, despite Jet's insistence in his head that there really had been no real chance to save that poor bastard, his mind kept replaying the moment, in vivid detail. Almost like it was taunting him with how, perhaps, in just the right conditions, he could've saved him. Eventually, he spoke up, breaking the silence between the duo - ''I used to pride myself on never losing a wingman. I intended to keep it that way...'' - Jet spoke quietly.

''What do you mean 'never lost a wingman'?''

''The last game I played was a war game. Whenever I flew, I always made sure my wingmen got back safely. Even at my own expense more than once...'' - An incident played back in Jet's head. A new member of the squadron had chronically underestimated the turning ability of another player, and within the second loop, would be dead. On cue, Jet raced past, raking the attacker with gunfire, but not destroying them. He didn't have to, but he wished he'd noticed the attacker's wingman above him... 10 seconds, and it had all been over. As it was earlier, his mind told him. He winced, and realised that, yes, 10 seconds really could get him killed now.

''Please, don't do that for me...'' - Jet didn't even have to look at her to tell she was practically pleading with him.

''I know, I know, I'm going to be far less reckless in here. Have to be, right? One wrong move, and poof, lasagne...'' - Jet mimed an explosion with his free hand.

''I don't get it, lasagne?''

''Oh right, analogy a friend used. Not important.'' - Jet used the rest of the time to think of how his siblings would be taking the news that their brother was now practically a vegetable with a bomb strapped to their head that could potentially go off at any moment.

''Jet? You kind of... well, spaced out? Are you okay?''

''Just... thinking of my family. Doubt my sisters would be too happy that I put what was basically a bomb on my head willingly. Pretty sure my brother would just say - Well that's definitely in character for you.''

''That seems harsh...''

''Eh, I am the type of person to blunder into danger, armed with nothing more than a gob and a bit of confidence, so he's not wrong.'' - Jet shrugged his shoulders, before the duo walked back to town. Despite Jet's reassurance, Koharu could tell that a lot of the bravado he put on normally were exactly that - an act. Whether that was to help her become more confident, or he did it to hide some part of himself, she really couldn't tell.

~November 17th, 2022 (Day 11), Floor 1, Aincrad - Town of Beginnings~

Levelling up had been going reasonably well for the duo, and both had now reached at least Level 10, Koharu hitting Level 12 earlier that day, whilst Jet was fast catching up with her. This effort had put them firmly in the higher bracket for players so far, and as a result, the duo had taken a day to practice the basics of actual sword fighting, something that Jet figured would come in handy at a later date.

To that end, Jet set up a duel. To make sure that the duel was as safe as possible, Jet had found a substitute for their usual blades... two umbrellas. Admittedly, the umbrellas were far smaller than his usual two handed sword, but it'd have to do for him.

''Okay Koharu, you understand the rules? Whoever loses the least HP is the winner, and try not to aim for my crotch please... it's really unsporting, and painful. Probably.'' - Jet wasn't entirely sure that was how pain actually worked in Sword Art Online, but he really didn't want to be the first person to find out...

''I understand all of that, but why umbrellas?'' - Koharu looked quizzically at her umbrella, before readying it as she would her rapier.

''They didn't have any training swords, and umbrellas are a surprisingly decent training weapon. Used 'em a lot when I was younger, never a good idea to let a 9 year old loose with a rapier.'' - Some part of that story sounded exactly like the type of thing that Jet wasn't exaggerating about.

Both combatants got into their ready stances, as a small crowd began watching the spectacle. Knowing his opponent, Jet theorised that Koharu would try to start with a thrusting attack, which could be easily countered, allowing a small blow to her shin, before retreating back.

[BEGIN!]

Koharu took the initiative, and made use of Jet's first tactical error - preparing for the wrong attack, a mistake he rapidly realised, when an Oberhausen smacked him upside the head. He quickly felt happy that he had chosen umbrellas... with a sword, that would've done some serious damage. His thoughts were interrupted as a follow up strike hit him under the chin, before a thrusting strike, meant to break his defence, was countered, allowing Jet to finally land a blow on his adversary.

[END!]

Between the two of them, it didn't take a pundit to see who had won. Jet had lost approximately 10% of his health, whilst Koharu had lost less than 3%. Most people would think that Jet had been going easy on his partner, but to anyone who knew how they fought, it was obvious that Jet actually struggled to form a valid counter to Koharu's agility. Between the two of them, they complimented each other's fighting styles: Jet was fast, and capable of taking the blows, but far less capable of dishing them back out, relying instead on the large two handed sword he used to guard against attacks, and wait for an opening, whilst Koharu, using a far lighter rapier, could easily dodge incoming attacks, and was fast enough to dish our her own strikes at a blistering pace, thus making her own opening.

''Well, I think that was conclusive.'' - Jet rubbed his head out of reflex, completely ignoring that very few sword strikes would actually cause the victim pain.

''I actually won!'' - The look on her face was initially one of surprise, but that rapidly became one of glee.

''Good show there. Actually threw me for a loop at first. But see? You were saying you weren't strong, you analysed what I'd done, and thought up a plan in... what? A few seconds, at most. That's not nothing, Koharu. Don't sell yourself short.'' - Jet shot her a look of pride at what she'd achieved, as some members of the crowd began to applaud the duo. ''Is it bad that I didn't actually notice we had a crowd?'' - Both of them weren't entirely sure how to act. The usually confident Jet rubbed his neck, as he looked around the crowd, embarrassed at the applause, whilst Koharu had turned bright red, and looked as if she were ready to shrink away from the crowd.

As the pair walked away, to go and get food, they neglected to notice the girl in a maid pose, stood against the wall of a local inn, watching them intently and trying to listen in to their conversation - something about the food being worse than a 'dodgy takeaway in Knowle West'. Whatever that meant. Still, she wanted to see them in action. If both of them were that confident to hold a duel in town, they'd be absolutely fantastic in an actual battle...

{Author's thoughts.}

Hi, Midland 2541 here.

I hope anyone reading this has enjoyed the story so far, and doesn't find my writing completely awful.

Anyway, I'll sum up my plans for how this'll carry on - the main chapters will be labelled as Chapters for each floor, while there will usually be an Intermission in each longer floor. The Intermissions will likely be where the more comedic elements live, although some may just be where my writing style's changed, and that change would feel too jarring in the main story.

Next up is the first intermission, and I hope to have that up by or on 1st October.

As per usual, if you like the story, favourite it and follow it, or if you have any comments, criticisms or questions, leave a review, or send me a PM. Any correspondence is much appreciated!