«5:45 PM» «Aincrad - 1st Floor»
«North Hunting Grounds»
The «Log Out» button, the only way to leave this world, was supposed to be at the bottom of my menu.
It wasn't there.
"...Eh?"
"Hm? What's wrong?" Asuna glanced at me, noticing my strange tone.
I stared at the empty space where the button should be. Was it moved?
Just to be sure, I scrolled through my menu again, double-checking every tab.
Nothing.
"I can't find my log out button... Asuna, can you check yours?"
"Wait a sec..." She stood up and swiped upward, scrolling to the bottom of her menu.
Her reaction told me the answer before she even spoke.
"It's not here either..." she muttered, closing her menu. "What does that mean? A bug?"
There was a slight worry in her tone now.
"Y-Yeah, maybe," I said, trying to sound casual. "It's the first day, so a few bugs are possible."
"You don't sound very convincing."
She was right.
To be honest, I wasn't convinced either.
A bug locking us inside the game? That wasn't just a glitch—it was a major issue.
"Is there another way to log out?" she asked.
I shook my head. "No, I don't think so. I read the manual, and the «Log Out» button is supposed to be the only way."
The NerveGear worked by blocking brain signals to the body, fully immersing us in this world. That meant no matter how much I moved here, my real body—lying in bed—wouldn't budge an inch.
But because of this, the only way to exit the FullDive state was through the «Log Out» button.
And it was gone.
Asuna frowned, resting a finger against her chin. "Hey, don't you think this is kind of... bad? Having a problem like this on the very first day?"
Her words hit me harder than I expected.
She was right.
"Yeah," I admitted. "That's what's bothering me. Argus is known for being one of the most user-friendly developers. CTM was a great experience because of that."
I paused, thinking it over.
"...That's also why people were so desperate to get a copy of SAO, even if it was their first VRMMO. The idea of something this big going wrong feels... off."
"Mm." Asuna nodded. "My brother mentioned that SAO was the first VRMMORPG, right?"
"Yeah. If something goes wrong now, it could affect the entire genre."
We both sighed.
Neither of us could come to a conclusion.
"Well," I finally said, slumping back onto the grass. "No point in stressing over it. If it's a bug, they'll fix it soon."
"I guess so..." She sat back down but then turned to me. "But what about your friends?"
"They're probably waiting for me somewhere right now." I exhaled. "I'll have to apologize once I log out... How about you? You were supposed to leave at six, right? What now?"
"Hmm..." Asuna leaned back, stretching. "Well, I wasn't planning on coming back after today, so I guess I'll just take my time and relax until then..."
She turned her gaze toward the sunset behind me.
"...Maybe I'll watch that for a while."
Curious, I turned to look.
The sky was bathed in deep red, the last rays of sunlight casting golden streaks over the plains.
"...Hard to believe all of this is just a small part of the game," I muttered.
"Just a game, huh?" Asuna said, amused. "Looks like you're really enjoying yourself here."
"Of course I do." I turned to her with a grin. "I've always loved games, but this one feels different... How do I explain this..." I searched for the right words.
"...I feel like a different person here. Unlike the real world, everything is great. Everything here feels... fulfilling."
"Fulfilling?" she echoed.
"Yeah. I mean, we can do anything here. Fight monsters, live out our fantasies... We can even kill anyone, and it wouldn't matter."
Asuna stiffened.
"K-Kill...? W-What do you mean?" she asked, eyes widening.
"I mean, we can hit, hurt, even kill people here," I continued casually. "Even ourselves."
I unsheathed my sword and, without hesitation, dragged the blade across my wrist. A small, glowing wound-like mark appeared where I cut.
"See? I don't feel anything at all."
Asuna's mouth slightly parted, but she didn't speak.
"And you know what?" I added. "Even if we do die here, we just respawn. It's like we have infinite lives. We can't die. We're practically gods in this world!"
Her confused expression slowly shifted into something else—concern.
She didn't say anything.
I knew it. What I just said sounded crazy.
But it was the truth—at least, to me.
Because unlike in the real world, here, I felt complete.
"...Sorry, that was pretty weird, huh?" I finally said, breaking the silence.
She smiled gently. "No, don't apologize. You just... surprised me."
She turned her gaze back to the horizon. "...But I kind of understand what you mean."
I blinked. "You do?"
She nodded.
"...Just like you, I also feel invincible here. Everything about this world is completely different from reality."
She exhaled softly.
"That's why I was curious to see this world for myself. I kept wondering how this new reality would affect me... and I wanted to experience it firsthand."
I didn't reply.
For the first time, I saw a different side of Asuna.
"...Even if just for a brief moment," she whispered, "I wanted to escape reality."
I exhaled. "I see."
She gave me a small smile.
"So, how was it? Did you enjoy your time here, Asuna?" I asked, turning back to the fiery sunset behind us.
She didn't hesitate.
"I already said it, didn't I?" She closed her eyes for a moment. "I really did enjoy my time here."
Then, her gaze softened.
"...But nothing lasts forever. Even good things must come to an end."
A strange chill ran down my spine.
That uneasy feeling from earlier crept up on me again.
And then—
DING.
DING.
A loud chiming noise rang out, like the toll of a massive bell.
Asuna and I jerked in surprise.
Before I could even react, a blue pillar of light enveloped us.
"Huh!?"
"W-What is this!?"
We both shouted at the same time.
Asuna's eyes widened in panic. "W-What's happening!?"
Before I could respond, the light intensified, and then—
Darkness consumed me.
«6:00 PM» «Aincrad - 1st Floor»
«Town of Beginnings»
As the blue glow faded, my vision cleared.
I was no longer in the North Hunting Grounds.
Instead, I stood at the very heart of the «Town of Beginnings».
I glanced at Asuna beside me—her lips slightly parted, still in shock.
Then, I looked around.
Thousands—no, tens of thousands—of players surrounded us.
We had all been forcefully teleported here.
Confused murmurs filled the air.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Hey, GMs! Get the hell out here!"
"Can we log out now?"
"Is this some kind of joke?"
The voices grew louder, frustration and unease spreading.
Asuna turned to me. "Do you know what's happening?"
I shook my head, still trying to process it.
"No idea. But something's wrong. The GMs wouldn't force teleport every player if it wasn't serious."
"Maybe it's an announcement?" she asked, but the worry in her voice was unmistakable.
Before I could respond, someone shouted—
"AHH! LOOK UP!"
Asuna and I instinctively turned our eyes toward the sky.
A chilling sight greeted us.
The bottom surface of the 2nd Floor, hanging hundreds of meters above, was now covered in a massive red checkerboard pattern.
Two blood-red words pulsed across the sky.
[WARNING]
[ANNOUNCEMENT]
Asuna swallowed hard. "...You were right. It's an announcement."
I nodded, but I couldn't shake the unease crawling up my spine.
"Yeah... but why does it feel so... off?" Asuna murmured anxiously.
Before I could respond, something began oozing from the center of the red checkerboard sky.
A thick, blood-like liquid dripped downward—but instead of falling, it morphed and stretched, twisting into a massive figure.
Within seconds, a twenty-meter-tall man in a red hooded robe materialized above us.
But he had no face.
Only darkness filled the space beneath his hood, swallowing any light.
A strange, unshakable dread settled in my chest.
"Woah, it doesn't have a face! Haha!"
"It's a GM, right? I've seen that costume before."
"Creepy..."
The whispers spread, uncertain and uneasy.
Then— The robed figure raised its right hand.
Silence. It didn't have eyes, but somehow, I felt it watching us.
And then, in a calm, male voice, it spoke.
""Players... welcome to my world.""
...My world?
A Game Master technically had god-like powers, but why was he emphasizing that now?
""My name is Akihiko Kayaba. And right now, I am the only—and the sole person—who controls this world.""
Akihiko Kayaba.
I knew that name.
He was a genius in quantum physics, the man behind Argus, the developer of SAO, and even the creator of the NerveGear.
But why was he here?
From what I had heard, Kayaba never appeared publicly—always working from behind the scenes.
So why now? Was it because of SAO's launch?
""I think most of you have already discovered that the «Log Out» button is missing from the menu.""
The crowd stirred.
""But this is not a bug.""
A tense pause followed.
"...Not a bug?" someone from the crowd echoed, confused.
""I repeat: This is not a bug. This is the main feature of «Sword Art Online».""
I felt Asuna tense beside me.
"M-Main feature...?" she whispered.
I didn't feel so good about this.
""All of you cannot log out of your own free will until you reach the top of this castle.""
...A castle?
There was a castle on this floor? My guildmates never mentioned—
Wait.
"...An event?" I muttered, blinking.
That had to be it. A special event.
Then, Kayaba's next words shattered that illusion.
""The «Ruby Palace»—my castle—is located at the very top of this world. To escape, you must reach the 100th Floor and defeat the final boss...""
The entire plaza fell into dead silence.
""...which is none other than, Me.""
I barely had time to process it before Kayaba continued.
""...Additionally, any attempt to discontinue or dismantle the NerveGear from the outside is strictly forbidden. If such an attempt is made, the device will emit a strong electromagnetic pulse, destroying your brain and stopping all of your bodily functions.""
Kayaba, the hooded figure above stated calmly as if it was nothing.
Destroy... our brains.
In other words: Kill us.
The moment I understood what he meant, my heart dropped.
For the first time since logging in, I felt true terror.
The plaza was eerily quiet.
No one screamed.
No one panicked.
Because none of us could process it yet.
Somewhere in the silence, I let out a dry, hollow laugh.
"Ha-haha... What the hell is this guy saying...?"
But my face said something else entirely.
I turned to Asuna—she had the exact same expression.
"Is this guy insane!?" I stammered. "SAO... the NerveGear... it's just a game! So... destroying our brains? K-Killing us? How the hell is he going to—"
My voice stopped.
Because at that moment, I realized something horrifying.
Three months ago, when my dad first got a NerveGear, he asked me to read the full manual and explain how it worked.
I spent an entire day trying to understand it.
The infinite signal sensors in the NerveGear's helmet emitted a small electronic pulses to send virtual signals to brain, and this basic theory was also the same as the certain household appliance.
—The microwave.
If there was sufficient output, it was possible that the NerveGear would vibrate the water particles in our brain and fry it with the heat of the friction.
Theoretically, it's possible. As long as the NerveGear has enough power supply, it can possibly emit those kind of pulses. And unfortunately, 30% of the NerveGear's weight is in the battery, so even if we pull the plug of the NerveGear out of it's power supply, it can still emit that sort of strong pulses.
"B-But... what if there was a power outage?" I muttered weakly.
As if he had heard me, Kayaba continued.
""To be a little more specific, dislocation from an outside source of electricity for ten minutes, being cut off from the system for more than two hours, or any attempt to unlock, dismantle, or destroy the NerveGear. If any of these conditions are met, the brain destruction sequence will automatically start.""
He stated.
""These conditions have been made known to the government and the public through mass-media in the outside world. On that note, there have been several cases where the relatives or friends have ignored the warnings and tried to forcefully get rid of the NerveGear. The result...""
Kayaba took a short breath here.
""...regretfully, almost 200 players have already exited this game, and the real world. Forever.""
A long, thin scream was heard. But most of the players couldn't.
A long, thin scream tore through the crowd.
I stumbled back, my knees suddenly felt so weak, and I fell onto the ground.
200 players were already dead.
This couldn't be real.
This had to be a joke.
But before I could even cling to that hope, Kayaba kept talking.
""Players... There is no need to worry about the bodies that you have left on the other side. As of this moment, all TV, radio, and internet media are all repeatedly reporting this situation, including the fact that there have been numerous deaths. The danger of having your NerveGear taken off has already all but disappeared. In a moment, using the two hours I have given, all of you will be transported to hospitals or similar institutes and be given the best treatment. So you can all relax... and concentrate on beating the game.""
"...W-What... What did you say??"
I dryly said, having had enough on everything, and I stood up grogilly on my feet.
"Beat the game? What the hell are you saying!?"
Then at last, my mouth started shouting violently.
"Our life is literally on the line here!! We all can die any moment and you want us to play around in your goddamn game in a situation like this?!"
I kept shouting, glaring at the red robe that had seeped out of the surface of the upper floor.
"THIS ISN'T A GAME ANYMORE!!"
Then, to answer me, Kayaba Akihiko started announcing silently with his monotonous voice.
""But I ask of you all to understand that «Sword Art Online» is no longer a simple game. It is a second reality... From now on, any form of revival in the game will no longer work. The moment that your HP reaches 0, your avatar will be gone forever, and at the same time...""
I could guess what he was going to say, all too clearly.
""—Your brain will be destroyed by the NerveGear.""
My thoughts spiraled.
Your brain will be destroyed by the NerveGear.
That means, you're gonna die.
The phrase replayed over and over again inside my head.
I'm going to die.
No... Anything but that...
I don't wan't to die...
No...
No, no, no...
Please...
"I-I have to get out. Let me out."
My legs moved on their own.
I sprinted.
"H-Hey, wait! W-Where are you—!"
I heard Asuna's voice behind me, but I didn't stop.
I couldn't stop.
For a brief moment, I glanced back—just long enough to see the look in her eyes.
Despair. Hopelessness. Because just like me, the reality she had known up until now had been ripped apart before her very eyes.
But I couldn't think about that.
I ran.
I didn't care where. I didn't care about anything.
I don't want to die. I have to get out of here.
My heart pounded violently, and I couldn't breathe properly.
My thoughts blurred—no plan, no direction—just a singular, primal instinct.
Run.
I shoved past other players, forcing my way through the massive crowd.
Run.
I didn't stop until I reached one of the plaza's exits—
And then—
SLAM.
I crashed into an invisible wall, nearly falling backward.
What...?
I staggered, regaining my balance, then reached out.
Nothing.
No door, no gap—just an invisible barrier, blocking the way forward.
"LET ME OUT!!"
I slammed my fists against the wall.
"LET ME OUT OF HERE!!"
Again and again. I banged the wall frantically, desperately, teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached.
All around me, players stood frozen, their eyes locked onto the figure floating above us. But I didn't care. I couldn't afford to. Because every word that came out of that man's mouth was true, there was no doubt about it.
I had to get out of here.
"Let me out of here!!!"
I kept hitting the wall, but it didn't even ripple. Nothing changed. Nothing gave way.
"L-Let me... out of here... please..." My strength left me, and I collapsed to my knees, the weight of despair pressing me down.
"Why? Why is this happening? It's just a game, right? Why do I have to die here? J-Just this morning, I ate the breakfast Linda-san made, joked with my dad, and now... I can't go back to that? And you're telling me this is my reality now? W-What did I do to deserve this? I don't want to die here... Please, someone… anyone… I don't care who—just let me out of here..."
Then, as if answering my plea, Kayaba's voice echoed once more.
""Then I will show you evidence that this is the only reality. In your inventories, there will be a gift from me. Please confirm this.""
A shudder ran through me as I sluggishly raised a trembling finger and swiped downward. All around me, the sound of ringing bells filled the plaza as thousands of players did the same.
I tapped on the item menu—and there it was, sitting at the top of my belongings list.
A «Hand Mirror».
Now why did he give us this? Even as I wondered, I tapped on the name and pressed the «Materialize» button. Immediately afterwards, there was a twinkling sound effect and a small rectangular mirror appeared.
I grabbed it hesitantly but nothing happened. All that it showed was the face of the avatar that I had gone through a lot of trouble to make.
Then suddenly, the avatars around me were engulfed in white light. As soon as I took this in, I was surrounded too and all I could see was white.
Almost 2, 3 seconds later, the surroundings reappeared just as they had been..
No.
When I looked around again, the crowd was no longer filled with people who looked like characters from a fantasy game.
A bunch of normal looking young people had now taken their place. It was like something you'd see if you gathered a bunch of people in real life at a game show venue and dressed them up in armor. Distressingly, even the sex ratio had changed greatly.
Then I was gripped by a sudden foreboding and realized what Kayaba's present, the «Hand Mirror», meant. I raised the mirror in a rush, and the face stared back at me.
Light-brown hair. Silver eyes—my mother's eyes.
The face of the warrior «Hibiki» was gone. What stared back at me was the real me.
A replication of my real body, and my real face.
The one I had fought so hard to escape from.
"I-It's me..." The words slipped from my lips, hollow and lifeless.
My height, my skin—every detail was replicated perfectly. Of course, it still had the texture of a polygon model, but the accuracy was terrifying. Almost as if the NerveGear had a full-body scanner hidden inside it.
How did it do this? I didn't care anymore.
Terror rooted me to the spot, my entire body trembling.
With a sharp breath, I threw the mirror away. It hit the ground, shattering into tiny fragments.
"Damn it all..." I muttered weakly under my breath.
Then Kayaba spoke one final time.
""You will all most probably be wondering 'why.' Why am I, the creator of both the Nerve Gear and SAO, Kayaba Akihiko, doing something like this? Is this a sort of terrorist attack? Is he doing this to ransom us?""
It was then that Kayaba's voice, which had been emotionless up to now, seemed to show some signs of emotion.
""None of these is the reason I am doing this. Not only that, but now for me, there is no longer a reason or a purpose in doing this. The reason is because... This situation itself was my purpose in doing this. To create and watch this world is the only reason I have created the NerveGear and SAO. And now, everything has been realized...""
Then after a short break, Kayaba's voice, now emotionless again, sounded.
""Now i have finished the official tutorial for «Sword Art Online». ーPlayers, I wish you luck...""
His last sentence trailed off with a faint echo. The huge robe rose soundlessly, and started sinking into the system message that covered the sky, as if melting.
Right afterward, the system message that had covered the sky disappeared as suddenly as it appeared.Then the game had returned to its normal state, apart from the fact that a couple of rules had been changed.
Then at last... The silence broke
The crowd of ten thousand players gave a proper reaction, and countless voices started to resound loudly through the plaza. A wave of hysteria.
"It's a joke, right...?"
"What the hell is this?"
"Stop kidding around! Let me out!"
"Let me out of here!"
"No! You can't! I have to meet someone!"
"I don't like this! I wanna go home!"
"I want to go home!!!"
Panic. Yells. Screams. Begging. Desperation.
People grabbed at each other, voices rising, breaking, their words dissolving into chaos.
Game players had turned into prisoners.
And while they ran, screamed, and cried—I sat motionless on the ground, clutching my head.
Why is this happening?
If I die here, I die in the real world too...?
That's not fair. Am I really going to die here?
I'm scared.
I don't want to die.
Die.
Death.
Dead.
Die.
Death.
Dead.
.
.
.
.
"...M-Mom."
Then, the images of that familiar nightmare, slowly flashes inside my head again.
.
.
.
'A black pool of thick blood...'
'Lumps of glistening flesh, strewn across the floor...'
'Twisted, tangled intestines, wrenched apart...'
'A head, bent at an unnatural, grotesque angle...'
.
.
.
"...Ahh— AHH— AAAAGGHHHH!!!!"
I screamed. My hands gripped my head, nails digging into my scalp.
I wanted to vomit, but nothing came out.
I thought I had already buried this nightmare long ago.
I hadn't. I was still afraid.
I wanted to run. I wanted to escape.
But where could I go?
When this world—Sword Art Online—was my only reality now?
I was wrong. Completely, utterly wrong.
Is this the price for thinking that I could be different here?
This was not the fulfilling world I had once dreamed of.
...This is... Hell.