(17:00, November 6th, 2022)
Teleport Gate Plaza
The hustle-bustle of players would make someone analogize a madhouse full of ADD adolescents, a situation making room for ample debate because it isn't often anyone experiences repercussions of forced teleportation.
One by one arrived, players who were in the midst of their activities and the person responsible for interrupting their fun? Some visionary asshole on the verge of portraying his delusions of grandeur. To which i must give him credit for i'm one to always welcome some extravaganza, i'm not one to deny i'm better off dead if i were to lead a mundane, humdrum existence and the scope isn't anything new to me. It certainly left a sour taste to realise I wasn't in his position, a wake-up call about my ambiguous circumstance, one thing hasn't changed is it's only fun being the one pulling strings. My duty? I cull the herd, loose strings like Gemma won't be a hurdle, removing the pieces isn't your game but mine. Now how does one go from intending to harm into 'befriending'…
(Kayaba)
"Dearest Players, welcome to my world.
I'm Akihiko Kayaba, now the sole person who holds control over this world. I'm most certain, you have all already noticed that the logout button for this game is no longer anywhere to be found. But, this is no error. In fact, this is exactly how Sword Art Online was intentionally designed.
None of you will be able to voluntarily exit the game until you have reached the top of the castle. Nor will you find yourselves rescued from outside the game stopping your NerveGear. Should you try… Your NerveGear's electronic signaler will output high-power microwaves that will destroy your brains and put an end to your waking life.
And just so you are aware, we have already witnessed more than a few cases in which the family and friends of your fellow players have ignored this very warning. And as a result, unfortunately a total of 213 players have been permanently removed from both their lives in Aincrad and their lives at home."
(Onlookers)
The sky above had a reddish hue, much like the huge figure adorning a rich crimson sagely robe, fringed with gold velvet. He did a great job in addressing the predicament of the masses, garnering their attention then whispers to full blown display of defiant yells. Multiple window panels around him showcasing the media coverage of this nation-wide incident.
"Wait, this isn't some sort of kick-off announcement?!"
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"He's never even acted as a Game Master until today…"
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"Akihiko Kayaba had even completely avoided any public appearances until now"
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"BULLSHIT, he's one of the SAO devs right? what does he get from doing this?!"
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"He's saying we could really die… That's… this isn't just a game… "
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"WHAT?! THAT CAN'T BE TRUE…"
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"NO WAY…"
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"I'M NOT FALLING FOR THAT!"
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"THIS… is all just some sorta event!"
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"Some kind of story opening arc, RIGHT?"
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(Kayaba)
"All of your real-world bodies will likely be transported to hospitals and other care facilities with your NerveGear intact to receive care.
So, I ask that you all simply relax… and focus on making your way through the game.
I also ask that you all act with caution. For the world of Sword Art Online is now another reality for all of you here within it. Should your HP fall to zero, your avatars will be permanently erased from the game, and your minds in the real world will be fried by your NerveGear.
There is but one way out of this game. Climb to the hundredth floor atop Aincrad, defeat the last boss and beat the game."
(Onlookers)
"DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF?!"
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"MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE GAME?!"
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"DO YOU THINK WE CAN JUST GO LEISURELY PLAYING A GAME WE'RE TRAPPED IN?!"
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"This… This isn't even a game anymore!"
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"CRAZY FUCKER SAYS BEAT THE HUNDREDTH FLOOR."(Okay that was me)
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"YOU REALLY EXPECT ANYONE TO PULL THAT OFF?!('Twas me again)
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"I HAD A BETTER PULL OUT GAME WHEN I DID YOUR MOM"(...)
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"BACK IN BETA NO ONE MADE IT ANYWHERE CLOSE!"
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"YOUR FATHER IS A BETA, JOIN HUSTLER'S UNIVERSITY!"
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"WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT?!"
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(Kayaba)
"Now, before I go, allow me to prove to you that this world is now your 'real' world."
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A nondescript hand mirror appears in each of our grasp, reflecting our faces back at us. Then and there our bodies glowed, transforming each of our avatar into what we would be resembling in our lives outside of the game. A very few held similar facial features, others either completely different body sizes or hairstyles, brows, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, contours, symmetry, several minuscule head detail changes, even sexes into their former selves appearance. It was not only Gemma's look that astounded me, yeah i've been keeping an eye on 'him'... or her within my vicinity. I had met with the revelation of being inside a Japanese guy. I, an otherworldly human, am puppeteering this inferior meatbag. MOTHERFUC-
(Onlookers)
"Huh? Why does everyone look different?"
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"Different?"
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"Woah, this is just like my real face!"
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"Is that you, Kle…?!"
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"That you Ki…?!"
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"So that must mean… that's…"
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"Is it really that easy to recreate someone's face…"
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"The NerveGear has those high density signalers…"
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"…right, it scans your face and then creates a lookalike avatar…"
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"So that's how it all works…"
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"...then, it measures your height and weight when you set it up too…"
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"So that's how he did this…"
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"These might be digitised bodies, but they look like us…"
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"...and, Kayaba knows that this will force people to think of this as all real…"
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(Kayaba)
"I developed NerveGear and SAO solely to create and admire this world. And now my dream is finally a reality.
This concludes the official opening tutorial for Sword Art Online. Players…
May fate smile upon you."
(Onlookers)
"This is some kind of joke right? No way!..."
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"Cut the crap! Let us out of here!"
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"NOOO…"
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"I don't wanna play anymore… Mommie…"
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"We can't go home, huh…".
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"We're trapped in here…"
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I've gotten over my brief identity crisis, the plaza was enough to reciprocate my inner turmoil, players overwhelmed with a mix of screaming, crying and panic. The reality of their situation draining them of hope. Watching them struggle for help was priceless and i couldn't delve too much about being a denizen in a foreign land, in a foreign body, even if i'm successful in returning would i still belong to my former body? My former home, acquaintances… not that i had a permanent residence before. Yeah and I need to hurry.
(Warning : As you hold the status of a Red Player, Palace Guards will be on their way to apprehend you!)
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(Reminder : Since today marks the launch of SAO's official server, you have been provided an additional 30:00 minute timer to leave the safe zone before you get caught!)
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(Warning : There's no such luxury on your future stay in safe zones, towns and merchant districts. Be wary as each of the guards presented according to the appropriate scenario on the respective floors would not only be notified about malicious trespassers but also garner their hostility!)
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I rushed towards the most vulnerable players who were trying to commit suicide judging by their expressions, some of them were climbing the makeshift wall like they were about to attempt a long jump into nothingness. Goodness sake, edge of the area's map, cloudy skies expanding into horizon akin to void, what are they expecting? To miraculously 'LOG OUT', return to their regular lives? I couldn't care less. They are in possession of my desires, their pathetic lives are only subsidiaries I won't bother to reap. I have standards.
"WAIT… I GET THAT YOU'RE GIVING UP, HELP A BROTHER OUT, GIVE ME ALL YOUR EQUIPMENTS"
"W-what? Could you repeat what you've just said"
"TOSS ME YOUR EQUIPMENTS"
"O-okay"
"Good luck on reaching out help from outside"
"Y-yea can i know your name?"
"I'm Dave, see you on the other side*
With a forlorn smile I watched him taking a leap of faith, I collected his armour and sword stuffing it in my inventory. And head towards the next suicidal loser.
"HEY LADY OVER THERE, IF YOU'RE 'LOGGING OUT' FROM THIS DEATH GAME, DO ME A FAVOUR"
"W-w… What do you want from me?"
"Your equipments mam, i'll take care of it until your return"
"Eeeek… i'm not coming back here, i have a curfew,,,"
"So can I hold onto it?"
"I don't know why you need it… you can have it…"
She dropped her equipments on the pavement in front of me, i spectated her performance like i would for a bungee jumping professional except there was no braided shock cord tied to her ankle, her posture needs refinement, i was under the assumption that she would bear certain grace that lacked in the poor sod who offered me his 'will' previously. Disgraceful.
I was trying not to retch at their pathetic sights as I made my exchange with another four of those kinds, bunch of weak-willed cretins. I didn't even have to ask some of them for their body armour.
(2x Small Sword obtained!)
(Small Rod obtained!)
(Knife obtained!)
(Combat Shield obtained!)
(Axe obtained!)
(2x Basic Clothes obtained!)
(2x Basic Leggings obtained!)
(3x Emergency Potion obtained!)
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I barely had three minutes when I reappeared in front of Gemma, rather than doing something productive there she was grieving for some reason…
Oh yeah her party members won't respawn, I slaughtered them, similar to butchering livestocks. They hadn't actively given me the reason yet i did. No it made me lash out, things I had missed during my crucial development stages, was enough of a reason. Father's betrayal was a silver lining, foster care wasn't my solution since I had just entered adulthood leaving me to fend for myself, Diploma, University? I miss the part where that's my problem after all how am I to live by depending on incompetence.
Institutionalised education wouldn't have taught me to deal with degenerative conformity imposing upon our finite time, looming over us like a reaper's sickle, about to behead the ones who tend to be in disagreement with the majority. For instance, what's wrong with making money by swindling? It's a means to sustain ourselves indefinitely, our instinct to survive is nothing enlightening. What gives someone who is employed in sectors of residential, commerce and industry, the higher moral ground, regurgitating platitudes to someone who isn't or they're one of those 'self-employed' since the common ground is unfairness to those on the receiving end and most importantly vainglory. These people had trampled over the liberty and welfare of their idealistic peers voluntarily or involuntarily. You need to overcome several job applicants to land your coveted job, making others miss out who were akin to your position. The answer is where does one draw their lines because I don't especially when it comes to optimistic naive individuals around my age, I take it upon myself to remove them from the rat race, death shall be their justice, the latter? to join my cause. I don't exactly need to hear what they have been going through because the last thing I'm giving anyone is pity as I don't expect it from anyone either.
She sat downtrodden on a wooden crate near an alley, looking up only to find the maniac, one of the biggest factors behind her sorrows.
"Y-you… MONSTER, they… Lester, Bernhard… Siegbald…", she started sobbing.
I didn't say anything and grabbed her, positioning her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Hmph women, I could bench-press her and still won't find any gains.
(Warning : only 1:00 minute remains until Palace Guards start tailing you)
"Nooooo… no-nooo… put me down… you murdered them…", i could hear her whimpering, flailing, beating with her dainty arms as if my back were a bongo drum.
Trailing the narrow alleyway, I ran for minutes and I could hear armour clanking, foot soldiers behind me eventually. I didn't look behind and kept rushing looking out for any exit that didn't have guards roaming in the boundary wall's vicinity. I found a gate open wide, two guards at the opposite side keeping watch for the trespasser, yours truly.
"YOU OVER THERE…"
"HALT…"
"DON'T MOVE OR WE SHALL BE FORCED…"
Rather than wasting time over verbal spat which wouldn't have worked in the long run, I placed Gemma infront of me, turning her into my meatshield much to her dismay, proved to be efficient as I observed the guards after and before hesitating. Heh foolish, Artificial Intelligence driven NPCs adhering to ethics doesn't seem peculiar. "W-why are you doing this to me… Y-you don't have to act so cold-blooded…" I found no use to reason because we were never on equal terms nor can I spare any moment to squander, languishing my chances in getting rid of those pesky guards.