001 Prologue ~ Workplace Visit

Today is December 25th, 2022. Finally, the world's first VRMMORPG,

This is the day that the official service of "Sword Art Online (commonly known as SAO)" begins.

Hachiman still had a sense of accomplishment from the Christmas event.

I lay in bed, eagerly waiting for that moment.

Why would Hikigaya, who is not even a gamer, choose to play a VRMMO?

The reason why I am so eagerly waiting for this content is because it is likeiIt's my nemesis.

Here, the story goes back to a visit to the workplace. There, Hikigaya Hachiman

I encountered the genius Kayaba Akihiko and Sword Art Online.

Since the release of the NerveGear, the world's first game console with complete VR functionality,

Several titles have already been released,

Because of its innovative specifications, there were still no games that were able to fully utilize the hardware's capabilities.

By chance or fate, Hayama Hayato chose to visit the workplace.

A new game will be released for Nerve Gear soon.

The developer behind Sword Art Online was Argus.

Looking at the screen, Hachiman tried desperately to keep his chunibyo from resurfacing.

(Games have finally come to this point... I've been expecting this for a long time, but what the heck?)

I'm at a loss for words...Tobe is being annoying as usual.

Miura and Yuigahama also seem too shocked to speak.

It seems that Ebina's rotten radar reacted to something, as he had a nosebleed and was taking a rest.

(That girl really is unwavering... Even Hayama, who usually tries to calm things down at times like this, seems to be staring at the screen.)

Of course, Hachiman could only stare at the screen.

After that, some people were able to actually play the game,

Of course, there was no way that Hikigaya, a professional loner, could volunteer.

All I could do was watch with my fingers in my mouth.

"What do you think of Sword Art Online?"

Hachiman was suddenly called out and responded reflexively.

"This isn't just a game, it's THE GAME.Even I think it's a strange way of saying it.It's a world created by humans, but it certainly exists here, it's like, it's genuine... Is there something here that I can't get my hands on even if I want to?"

I heard a gasp from behind me.

Hachiman turned around hastily, wondering who he had just been talking to.

There was a man in a white coat standing there, looking surprised, yet somehow happy.

He stared at me with interest.

It was a very famous face, one that was often seen in magazines and the like.

(Kayaba Akihiko. A genius game designer and quantum physicist do people like this one get the real thing? or rather, why did I use a word like "geunine" that I have never even thought about before?)

It felt like a very shining thing,

Combined with his own petty worries, Hachiman felt a little uncomfortable.

"So, it's genuine... you really think so?"

"S-sorry, I just had a feeling... well... it just came out of my mouth without me thinking... I even wonder why the word "genuine" came out of my mouth."

"It's certainly strange. But there's absolutely no need to apologize. In fact, I was happy about it."

Then, with a shy look on his face, Kayaba continued:

"Did you volunteer to play the game? This Sword Art Online is... It's a game that I'd really like people like you to try out."

"S-sorry, it's not that I'm not interested or anything... well, it's just that..."

Hachiman felt a little embarrassed as he quickly made his usual excuse.

(I still can't speak fluently with people I don't know.)

Kayaba seemed to think for a moment after hearing Hachiman's reply, then,He took out his business card and handed it to Hachiman.

"If you're okay with it, how about doing some last-minute adjustments for the beta test during the summer vacation? If you contact me at the company number on this business card, I will arrange for you to be hired."

"Oh, thank you very much. But why did you have to do this to me?"

"I felt something from you, so I want you to experience it in whatever form.It's probably impossible for me to be a beta tester due to school commitments."

Hikigaya calls himself a professional loner, of course, I couldn't say anything strange on the spot, so I thought for a moment and answered as follows.

"If an opportunity arises, I will consider it positively and do my best."

Hachiman tried to answer as seriously as he could, but his choice of words was clearly strange.

However, upon hearing that reply, Kayaba looked very happy and said:

"Hahaha, you're really interesting. You don't seem very keen on it, but I'll wait without getting my hopes up.So, from now on, please continue to enjoy the world of SAO."

Then, as if he had just realised something, Kayaba, with an absent-minded look on his face, asked Hachiman the question again.

"Now that I think of it, I haven't asked your name yet."

"Oh, yes, I'm Hikigaya Hachiman. I'm a second year student at Soubu High School who's here to visit the workplace."

"Hikigaya-kun, huh? Soubu High School... by any chance, do you know someone named Yukinoshita Haruno?"

Hachiman was surprised to suddenly hear Yukinoshita's name come up, but he had never heard of the name Haruno.

(Haruno...Yukino...they look similar...)

"I know someone named Yukinoshita Yukino. She's a classmate of mine and the president of our club."

"I see... I've never heard of that name before, but it might be someone from your family.No, sorry for asking such a trivial question."

"If you don't mind, I can check it now."

"No, I'm not even close to her away.I just that Hikigaya-kun was in Sobu High School and decided to ask about it.Well, I still have work to do, so I'll be off now. I'm glad to have met you today.It was very meaningful. See you, Hikigaya Hachiman."

With that, Kayaba left.

"See you later..."

Hachiman was unable to move from the spot for a while, contemplating what had just happened.

(To be able to talk to Kayaba Akihiko directly, and even to be invited to work there... for now, I'll brag about it to Zaimokuza and Yukinoshita... there aren't that many people with the surname Yukinoshita... Oh well.)

Hachiman decided to change his attitude.

(I can think about that later. For now...)

"Hickey? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing, Yuigahama, I was just having a quick chat with the person developing the game."

"Wow, that so amazing !"

"Yeah, that's right... it's really amazing..."

(Compared to this created world, my problem are so small can this even be called a problem?)

With such thoughts in mind, Hachiman was gauging the timing for the moment to come.

(I don't know if this is okay. But it can't continue like this a very kind top-caste person like Yuigahama, There's no way you should be with someone like me.)

And immediately after this, Hikigaya Hachiman reset his relationship with Yuigahama Yui.

I wonder if this was really the right thing to do.

Without even knowing the answer, and as if running away from something, Hachiman applied for a part-time job.

As a result, the relationship between Hachiman and Yuigahama improved immediately afterwards,

During this process, Hachiman met Yukinoshita Haruno.

(Who is better, this person or Kayaba-san? Well, I suppose Kayaba-san is more amazing than her, but the fact that she can be compared to him shows that she is certainly an incredible talen . For now, I'll try my best to avoid meeting Haruno as much as possible.

She is kind of scary...)

By the way, Haruno is afraid of Kayaba and hasn't asked him about it.

Maybe because of that, when Haruno accidentally found out about my part-time job, she asked me a lot of questions.

(We're both in the science field, and he may be someone I look up to, but still...)

Thinking this, Hachiman decided to take this rare opportunity.

I decided to ask Haruno about her relationship with Kayaba, but in the end she didn't give me any answer.

However, at that moment, Haruno's eyes looked truly frightened.

(I'll try my best to avoid anything to do with her... I feel like she likes me for some reason, but I'm sure it's just my imagination.)

Thus, Hachiman was spending the busiest summer vacation of his life,

During this process, Hachiman began calling Kayaba Akihiko-san.

Incidentally, I have been forced to call Yukinoshita as Haruno since autumn. I don't seem to have the right to refuse.

(I think Akihiko is a person I can truly respect. What's best about him is that he's not scary. Above all, Akihiko himself is quite a secret loner, so I feel a sense of closeness to him.But this summer felt like the hardest one of my life. In the midst of a packed schedule, we were suddenly thrown into an activity in Chiba Village.I really thought I was going to die. I don't want to work after all, that's the best thing to say.)

And time passed, summer vacation was over, and Kayaba was probably in his final stretch.

Perhaps because he seemed so busy, he had become somewhat estranged from Hachiman.

I was smoothly managing events such as the school festival, sports festival, and Christmas event.

During this process, I begins to have hopes that I might be able to get my hands on the real thing.

I hadn't noticed it yet, but the change was definitely happening.

In the end, I ended up buying the NerveGear and SAO with his part-time job earnings.

(I think I can now say that although the days were busy, they weren't so bad.This may also be considered as a change. In Sword Art Online,I wonder what kind of experience I'll have. I've found myself looking forward to it.)