Solo (A Sword Art Online Fanfic) ✔

Chapter Two

I jerked my head up toward the sound immediately. All thoughts of the logout button immediately vanished from my mind as I raced toward the center of the city.

When I finally got there, thousands of other players were looked up at the huge, hovering beast.

I ran forward and stopped next to a guy with black hair and dark clothes. He was staring up at the beast in horror.

"What's going on?" I asked, breathlessly.

"Listen!"

"My name is Kayaba Akihiko. As of this moment, I am the sole person who can control this world." The beast announced.

I gasped and exchanged a look with the boy next to me. This must be some kind of orientation.

"I'm sure you've already noticed, that the logout button is missing from the main menu. But this is not a defect in the game...I repeat..this is not a defect in the game. It is a feature of Sword Art Online."

"A-A feature?" A guy asked on the other side of the dark boy.

"You cannot log out of SAO yourselves. And no one on the outside can shutdown or remove the NerveGear. Should this be attempted the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life." Kayaba Akihiko continued.

I gasped and brought my hand up to cover my mouth. The boys next to me exchanged looks of horror.

"What's that guy talking about he's gotta be nuts. Right, Kirito?" The boy asked.

"He's right that the transmitter's signals work just like microwaves. If the safety were disabled it could fry a brain." The dark one, Kirito, answered.

"Then, if we cut the power..."

"No, the NerveGear has an internal battery."

"But this is crazy. What's going on?"

"There's no way this can actually be happening." I mumbled. The boys agreed silently.

"Unfortunately, several players' friends and families have ignored this warning and have attempted to remove the NerveGear. As a result, two hundred and thirteen players Are gone forever, from both Aincrad and the real world." Kayaba Akihiko said.

"213 killed." Kirito mumbled.

"I don't believe it..." I added.

"As you can see, news organizations across the world, are reporting all of this, including the deaths."-Mobile screens hovered in the air around us, showing families crying-"Thus, you can assume that the danger, of a NerveGear being removed is no minimal. I hope you will relax and attempt to clear the game. But I want you to remember this clearly. There is no longer any method to revive someone within the game. If your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be forever lost. and simultaneously the NerveGear will destroy your brain. There is only one means of escape. To complete the game. You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad, Floor 1. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the Floor Boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the boss on Floor 100, and you will clear the game."

"Clear all of the levels?!" I gasped, "There's no way! Not even the beta-testers could do that!"

"Finally, I've added a present from to your item storage. Please see for yourself." The Game Master announced.

I pulled up my menu and looked through my items. There was indeed a new object. When I clicked on it, a mirror popped into existence right in front of me. I looked into it and suddenly there were flashes of light all around me.

When my vision returned, two different boys were standing next to me. The first one was a bit shorter with a different hairstyle and the second one was scruffier.

They questioned each other one who they were before finally realizing they were the same guys. Their avatars were changed.

I looked down at myself and saw I had my normal proportions back. I knew without a doubt, we had somehow gotten our real features.

"How?" The scruffy boy, Klein, asked.

"That scan. The NerveGear covers your entire head with a high-density signaling device. So it can see what our faces look like....but our height and body shape.." Kirito explained.

"When we first used the NerveGear it has us calibrate it, right? You had to touch your body all over."

"Oh right, that must be where it got the data."

"This is scaring me." I admitted fearfully.

Kirito gave me a smile, "It will be okay."

"But why, why do all this anyway?" Klein asked, desperately.

"I'm sure he'll tell us." Kirito said grimly, his smile vanishing as he pointed up at the Game Master.

"Right now, you're probably wondering, 'Why? Why would Kayaba Akihiko, developer of Sword Art Online and the Nerve Gear, do all this?' My goal has already been achieved. I created Sword Art Online for one reason. To create this world and intervene in it." Kayaba Akihiko told us as if what Kirito had said was a cue.

"Kayaba!" Kirito growled.

"And now, it is complete. This ends the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online Launch. Good luck players"

With that, the Game Master faded into non-existence. All around me, players started to panic, crying and screaming.

Kirito grabbed Klein's and my arms and pulled us away from the crowd.

"Come with me. Lets head to the next village. If what he said is true, the only way to survive in this world is by making yourself as strong as possible. The resources within a virtual MMORPG, in other words, the money and EXP we can earn, are limited. The fields surrounding the Town of Beginning will soon be hunted clean. To do this efficiently we should head to the next village now. I know all the paths and dangerous areas, even at level 1, I can get there safely." He told us, whispering furiously. I pulled my arm out of his grip and Klein followed suit.

"But, but you know I spent a whole night in line to buy this with my friends from the other game. They're out there in the plaza, I can't leave them." Klein protested.

"I can't be in a party either." I agreed.

Kirito started to think, his brow scrunching up in concentration.

"Go to the next village. I used to run a guild in my last game. I can use what you taught me to get by!" Klein told him.

"I'll manage too." I added.

"Alright, then let's say goodbye here. If something happens, send me a message." Kirito agreed after a minute of silence.

"Will do." Klein said, as I nodded my head.

"Okay, goodbye Klein. Goodbye..." He trailed off, looking at me.

"Harumi." I provided.

"Goodbye, Harumi."

Kirito turned to leave, but Klein stopped him.

"Kirito! Hey...You were actually pretty cute. Thats my type."

"And that unkempt face of yours suits you ten times better." Kirito laughed.

I grinned and with that, Kirito turned and fled into the night. I turned to Klein and he smiled. Without a word, we split and went in our different directions.

As I headed for an inn on the outskirts of town, thoughts of my family rushed through my mind.

I won't be able to see my brother or my mom for who-knows-how-long.

I shook my head. I needed to concentrate on my survival.