You know what's boring and tedious?

Farming. I'm sick of killing level 1 enemies all day just because that bloody dungeon requires you to be a certain level to enter. I mean, that doesn't even make any sense immersion-wise, If you're going to restrict me from entering an area at least give me a goddamn reason other than "your character is too much of a pussy." It's the year 2025 people can you think of any better ideas?

Anyway I'm ranting so I'm going to stop there, other than grinding, real life sucks too. The same boring old routine eat, sleep and poop, what else is there? Sure, there's the occasionally anime or gaming marathon but those come few and far between. You could argue that maybe I should stop being an introvert and actually go out, and to that I say shut the hell up, what do you know?

If I remind you of anyone, it should be the other Sora from that anime everyone loves but for some idiotic reason still doesn't have a season 2 even to this day. To tell you the truth, if you compare us to appearance, you'll find I share some resemblance to him. Attitude? Well maybe just a teeny tiny little bit. I'm not that tall, probably your average height for a Japanese, black hair and blue eyes, just your regular average introverted joe.

So here I am in my room, holding the new VRMMORPG "Medieval Centuries" clever name right? Whoever thought of that must be an idiot. What's next, "Medieval Millennium"? To tell you the truth I was excited to try this out, other than the fact that this is the first VR game I'll be playing, I'll also be in a fantasy world, just like in Sword art online. Ahhh! What bliss, I get all tingly just thinking about it. Lying down on my bed, helmet on my head, here I go. Should I say "link start!" Like in the anime? Screw it, let's get in this world.

"Welcome to Medieval Centuries, please select your username."

From my perspective, all I see is white, with that text floating in front of me.

"Shinigami." I said out loud. Hoping the Voice Module works better than my phones'

"Sorry, that username has been taken."

Well no shit, obviously it has been taken, but come on it was a worth a try. I mean, who doesn't want to be called "shinigami"? Giving the hand gesture for the keyboard I typed in multiple usernames such as "Blank, Kirito, Overlord" I must have spent 30 minutes spewing out usernames before finally giving up. Sora Tatsuya it is then... Give me a break.

"Please select your Gender, Appearance and your Race."

You got to be kidding me with this shit. Of course, the obligatory character selection menu and there's so many options! It's a first-person perspective type of game anyway, why bother? Being the lazy introvert I am, I chose human, male, and real life appearance. I was actually caught off guard with that option. Wow, the wonders of technology I guess.

"Thank you for your cooperation, we hope you enjoy your experience with Medieval Centuries"

I feel like I've spent a century in the selection screen alone, so if that's what you're going for with your name, then it's working.

"Long ago, in the time of the ancients"

I quit this game... Screw this, I don't need to stay and listen to your boring exposition.

"-then the great King Ardvair came and cast the forsaken to the dark depths of purgatory"

Ardvair huh? Running out of ancient names I take? Seriously, where's the gesture for skipping cutscenes?

"-the medieval age was born, forged by the soul of the great dragon."

Blah blah blah, please end. I'm 16, I need to live life to the fullest.

So after what seems like "Centuries" hahaha I'm funny I know, I'm finally here, the Overworld. Standing on a cliff, overlooking a little town. The graphics were amazing, what a great time to be alive. Making my way over to that little town, I looked around for anything worth noticing and from a distance I see the dungeon tower. When they say it's exactly like the anime, they meant it. I walked for a good 5 minutes before finally reaching the little town. Entering the town, I braced myself for all the obscene usernames my eyes will have the pleasure of seeing. What was my backstory again? Something about a chosen one every 300 years? Should have probably paid attention to the intro.

Exploring the town, I see nothing but outdoor markets selling weaponry, potions, spells the usual things. That's what I get for buying the game a week late. Almost everyone is probably in a higher level town. The ones around me aren't too sociable either. I actually thought I was muted for a second before realizing they're all just ignoring me.

"Fine then, I'll just go do a quest." I muttered finally giving up on actually being sociable. The first quest I started wasn't too bad, go kill some animals for food. After I was done with that quest, I leveled up, I focused all my points on strength and agility hoping there comes a time where I will unlock dual wielding. After that, I left town, with my very first sword called the "Iron Sword" such extraordinary power I'm holding in my hand. But just wait, I'll become the strongest, that has been my goal ever since I first heard about this game. A game based off the cult classic Sword Art Online? 100 floors and everything, hell yeah sign me up.

This Overworld is more vast than I thought, sure it's impressive how massive one floor is but my feet are actually getting sore from all the walking, and I have been playing for 2 hours. Reaching the dungeon to gain access to the upper floors before sundown might be impossible at this pace. I might as well farm the evening away, straying off the trail, I ventured off into a nearby forest hoping to find some easy kills.

"Take one more step and you're going to be standing on that cliff again."

Well ain't that just fine and dandy, Players camping the starting area hoping to trap some newbie and take their items, should have seen this coming.

"If you show yourself, then maybe I'll actually start feeling threaten." I responded. Man, What got me in a bad mood?

"You sure talk big for someone who's about to die." Said the Voice, with a tinge of irritation in his tone. He must be pissed now.

"You sure talk big for someone not showing himself, what's wrong? Your character model glitched out and is missing a penis?" Oh-ho ho I'm really asking for it. Ah well, all I have is a sword and 59 gold anyway, what do I have to lose? Might as well start over again.

"Provoking me won't work, besides I have the upper hand in this situation. All you're doing is making your death come a lot quicker." Said the voice in a mocking tone. Despite what he said, I get the feeling that he doesn't want to kill me at all. If he did, he would have done it there and then.

"Look, buddy, whatever your name is, why not team up with me? It's better than camping the starting area, plus you'll actually have a friend for once." I tried to reason, hoping I persuaded him but considering how I threw an insult in there, it's more likely for a legendary weapon to spawn right in front of me than me getting out of this alive.

I felt a stabbing pain in my back, it felt closer to a bullet than an actual stab, he must have thrown a dagger. Splendid.

Trying to unsheathed my sword, I discovered that his first attack paralyzed my body and gave me the bleeding status. That bloody coward. All I can do is stand there and watch as my Hp bar on the top left of my HUD rapidly decrease as he continued attacking me from the shadows. Only when three quarters of my health were gone did he finally show himself. Standing in front me, I take a good look at my cowardly attacker. Tall, skinny, face of a rat and a Cait Sith no less. Yep, he looks the type to be doing this sort of thing.

"Not so arrogant now are you? If only your mother taught you some manners." He taunted. He paralyses me then taunts me? You're so lucky I don't have a death note right now.

"Man, the feeling you get when you kill a new player never gets old. It's like a drug you know? You can never get enough of it." He said as he raises his sword, his face giving off a sinister grin. I braced myself for the sensation of being decapitated for the first time.

My body feels weightless and this falling sensation, what is this? Is this how respawning feels like? I opened my eyes and discovered that I was back in the starting town, right in the center lying on the ground. I still have the paralysis status on me but my health bar has been filled up. Is this a glitch? What's going on? I turned my head to the side with all my might and found out I wasn't alone. The entire town center is filled up with players. Not only that, but the players actually looked like real people. No lizard men, Cat people, Orcs, none of those, only humans.

Oh no no no, this scene is too familiar to be a coincidence. Please don't let this be what I think it is.

I overhear some of the other players, some moaning, others grumbling while the rest just kept repeating the same question. "What's going on?" I would love to answer your question but the thing is, I'm paralyzed right now. Can someone notice me and give me an antidote or something? Eventually, people opened their menus to only discover the log out button missing. Some players were still confused as to what's happening. While others start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. A game based off Sword Art Online, 100 floors, log out button missing, Players looking exactly like their real life counterpart. This isn't a game anymore. It's a fight for survival.

"EVERYONE!" A voice pierced through the panic and confusion. Still lying on the ground, I prayed to whoever is listening that I don't get trampled to death. I'm not going out in such a retarded way. "In case you haven't figured out yet, we are now trapped in this game." The voice continued shouting. " It is also safe to say that we all have one life. If we die, that's it... No more continues."

Oh my god this paralysis is lasting for ever, who designed this?

"In the anime that this game is based off, the players got out by beating the final boss. So obviously that's how we're going to get out."

"How long did it take them to get out?" Asked a random player, who I assumed to be female by her feminine voice. Also what, You haven't see the anime? Blasphemy!

"Two years" came the reply. "And with thousands of casualties." He continued with a grim voice. "Now, we can't compare this situation to the anime, we are real people, we know what to do, this isn't an anime where people don't think. I believe we'll suffer less casualties and get out earlier if we all work together. Now who's with me?"

As far as I could tell, only a handful raised up their hands. The rest kept silent. You want to talk about real life? Most people in real life wouldn't dare risk their lives. That's the reality of the situation.

All the sudden a loud ringing noise is heard from above. The ringing persisted for two minutes before finally ceasing. Since I couldn't cover my ears at all, I received the full blast of the noise and as a result the ringing still continues its gracious melody in my ears all other sounds negated. Still looking up in the sky, a clock appeared. Displaying an array of jumbled up numbers.

It kept on changing numbers for a good 30 seconds before finally stopping. It took a moment for all of us to realize that that isn't a clock, it's a countdown.

3:9:24

"3 years 9 months and 24 days."' I guessed. The other players seemed to arrive at the same conclusion for they at once began running to the direction of the dungeon for dear life, every man for himself. No one must have seen me or maybe they did but just didn't give a shit, because I had been stepped on at least a dozen times, bloody bastards.

So here I am, lying on the ground, left to fend for myself. My health bar brought down to half by all the stepping I received. I must have been laying there for 5 minutes before the paralysis went away. Finally being able to stand up, I began to asses the situation I'm in, it seems the entire town has been deserted save by a few npcs in the area.

That's just great. Attacked, paralyzed, trapped, stepped on and at a disadvantage. My luck couldn't get any worser than this, could it? As I began my journey towards the dungeon, I can't help but think about how my life couldn't get any more exciting than this and without noticing, a smile formed across my face.