Sword Art Online : Swordlands

Chapter 3

"My name is Kayaba Akihiko. " The robed man said. "Right now, I am the only person who can control this world."

Silence ran through the crowd.

"I think that most of you have discovered the fact that the log out button has disappeared from the main menu. This is not a bug. it's all part of <<SAO>>'s system. I repeat, this is not a bug. Everything is all a part of <<SAO>>'s design."

I froze. 

"Until the top of this castle is reached, you cannot log out of your own free will. Also, dismantling the <<NerveGear>> from the outside is strictly forbidden. If these things are attempted, the signal sensors in your nerve gears will emita strong electromagnetic pulse...destroying your brain and stopping all of your basic bodily functions-basically, instant death. 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 relative or friends have ignored the warnings and tried to forcefully get rid of the <<NerveGear>>...the result...213 players have already exited this game, and hence the real world, forever."

I had just realised I was holding my breath the entire time. The robed man continued. 

"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. Within two hours, all of you will be transported to hospitals along with your <<NerveGear>> and be given the best treatment. So relax...and concentrate on beating the game. But, please be careful...to the players now remaining, <<Sword Art Online>> is no longer a simple game...there is one more fact I must inform you of. From now on, this game will no longer support any form of revival. When your hp reaches 0, your avatars will vanish, and at that instant."

Your brain will also be destroyed by the <<NerveGear>>.

A series of shock bolted through me. Doesn't that mean...death? I glanced around, seeing everyone around me masked with horror and fear. 

"To exit this game, there is only one condition. Players must get to the top of <<Aincrad>>, the one hundreth floor and defeat the final boss that resides there. I promise that all players still alive at that time will be immediately logged out of the game. For you players, this world is the only reality. The evidence is right in front of you."

Silence screamed within the crowd. The voice proceeded.

"You will probably all be wondering, why? Why is the creator of <<NerveGear>> and <<SAO>> doing something like this? Is this some kind of terrorist attack? Is he taking us hostage?"

Silence.

"I no longer have a reason or a purpose in doing this. If anything, it's because this situation itself was my ultimate purpose. The create and watch this world is the only reason i have created <<NerveGear>> and <<SAO>>. And now, everything has been realised. As of now, I have officially finished the tutorial for <<Sword Art Online>>. Before I leave, I would like to present you with a gift. To reward you for the...completion of the tutorial. Please check your inventory."

I raised my left index finger shakily and swiped down. As it had said, a item has been added in my inventory. I tapped on it. The item fizzed and materialized in front of me. A mirror? I thought, puzzled. Suddenly, the mirror started to radiate a piercing white light. Screams and shouts polluted the area as it lit up with dancing white light. Slowly, the light declined. I looked into the mirror again. 

I am me again. I looked around. Murmurs and shouts bounced around. 

"Hey! I'm a guy again!" Ryan shouted, actually sounding...happy? I was stunned. Everyone looked like how they looked like in the real world. The mirror in my hands buzzed and dematerialized. How is this possible? Then I thought again. The <<NerveGear>> covered our entire faces...It wouldn't be a surprise for it to scan our faces and intergrate it with the game right...

"Thank you," said the robed man. "Players - fight bravely." The robes started to sink, as if what had been holding it up had been removed. The robe fell down and down, and suddenly, it vanished. Leaving no trace, as if it had never been there. The red dome that donned the city evaporated. 

Screams and shouts erupted though the crowd. 

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"WHAT THE HELL?" I heard Ben scream. Sarah was kneeling down on her knees, her hands covering her face, tears streaking down her cheeks. Chern and Chong stood with their eyes glued to where the robed man stood, dumbfounded and shocked. And where was Ryan? Of course, admiring his reflection in a water puddle.

At that point, I would have assumed that millions of thoughts and regrets would shoot through me uncontrollably.

But no. For some reason, I felt...alive? One single thought ran through my mind. Here...yes...I can be myself...truly be myself. Screams continued to plague the crowd of players as I called everyone over. Everyone seemed to have had their souls sucked from them, leaving a mere hollow shell. But if what the robed man had said is true, we must move now.

"Ok, listen up guys. We must move now." I swiped my left index finger down, selecting the map. "We are currently here, in the First Town." I pointed at the luminating red dot on the map. "Now, we have to travel here, the next town, before anyone else does. I know all the routes there safely, since I was here in the Beta test. We can get there with our current levels. Ryan, you play alot of MMORPGs don't you? Then you should know that resources on a certain map is always finite. In this game, after a dungeon is raided, items do not respawn to take its place. Do you guys understand? Who's with me?"

An unbelievable silence ripped through my friends.  Ben suddenly stepped up. "Dude...how do we know whether the robed man is just another troll? Why don't we settle-" his sentence was cut short as my fist travelled swiftly across his cheek.

"WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND HERE? Does this look like a mere joke to you now? The only way we can survive in this world now is to get as strong as possible. Do you guys not get it? Go on, go on and think that this is just a mere game. Face it. What game would give kill you once your hp reaches 0? This isn't a mere game anymore. These numbers represent our lives. These stats represents our physical states here. These items are what keeps us between the threat of life and death." I stopped and took a deep breath. Life had seemed to returned to everyone's eyes. "So, I ask again," I said slowly."Who's with me?"

One by one, they stepped out. Ben, Ryan, Chong, Sarah, and Chern. Hope seemed to radiate out of every single one of them. They even seemed to be...smiling? Hope, I thought, smiling too. Hastily, we made way to the field between the two towns.

A light breeze swung across the grass green field. The milky sun had just started to fade, casting a soft orange light across the cloudness dawn sky. I could hear a distant cry of a boy. A solo player. I smiled. Guess we aren't the only ones rushing to the next town right? Glancing past the field, I saw the next town. I turned to my friends.

"Our target is there." I pointed to the town. "We will cross this field, and group up there. Travel in twos, just incase you run into some sort of trouble." I looked up at the sky again.

"Guess I'll be with you then, heh." I turned around and saw Ben walking slowly towards me. "Shouldn't have hit me just now man, it hurt." I blinked.

"This game insulates all sorts of pain, Ben. I didn't know there was an exception for you." I said, couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha I know, just pulling your leg." he laughed. I turned around to face to field again.

"Go on 3!" I yelled at everyone. Everyone had raised their swords and shields. I slowly unsheathed my sword. This isn't a game anymore. I strengthened my grip on the sword.

"1!"

I breathed heavily through my mouth.

"2!"

The last of the sun had dipped down the horizon, a sheet of black blanketing the field infront of us. The system's night vision kicked in, replacing my normal vision. A pack of Night Hounds had started to spawn not far from us, gnarring and snarring its protruding canines.

"3!"

We charged.