August 29, 2023 – 39th Floor – 137 Days after the April Incident:

They're only forty, maybe fifty, feet back now. They're getting closer.

I suppress the panic starting to well up my throat, knowing that if I made one wrong decision, I'd be dead.

I'd like to avoid that, you know?

Briefly, I my thoughts ran back to Steffana, my clan-mate and friend, and whether she had successfully escaped or not. The PKers had decided to force us to run in opposite directions, and I knew Steffana would have a harder time of getting away. She has both a much lower Dexterity level than me and she was heading in the general direction away from town.

We were mappers, her and I. I'm not sure why I'm thinking about this now. I mean, I'm fleeing for my life, and my pursuers are not to be trifled with. PKers on the front-lines were extremely rare, but those few that dared ventured to prey on the strongest players tended to be very powerful themselves.

Another reason this was unusual was because of the style of the PK. It was a hunt. Generally speaking, a hunt is a vicious tactic used when PKers want to be able to play with their prey. A player is captured, and their health potions and teleport crystals (sometime weapons and other items too, but not in this case) are taken away. After that, the player is turned loose and allowed to try and make it to safety.

Safety for me was Ullivyne, the lone town on this floor.

I try to focus on fleeing, I really do, but my mind was strained and tired. Steffana and I had just completed a full day of mapping this floor's dungeon, and we were both already extremely tired. Then we were captured.

We had briefly argued about whether to warp back to town or not – her in favor of it, me not – and ultimately decided to walk, considering the expensive nature of teleport crystals.

I'm on rocky, unstable ground, but I risk a glance backwards anyway. My Detection skill pinpoints four figures – half of the ambushing party me and my partner had run into. I stumble and nearly fall, swearing as I recover, picking up the pace again. In that instant, they gained five feet on me. Damn it all. I'm too distracted right now. Focus on the running. Focus on escaping, and surviving.

Survival.

That's all this game is about.

o

It was a small rock that proved so large a foe. Inebriated by fear and exhaustion, I stepped on it awkwardly and fell to the ground. By then I had been running so fast that, when I fell, I slid for a few dozen feet, but I was smart enough to align myself facing my pursuers by the time I stopped. Salvaging the situation as much as I could, I took a gamble, leaping towards them, bow drawn, loosing an arrow at the closest of my assailants.

Perhaps fortune smiled on me after all. When the arrow struck his leg it gives out, tripping him. One of the other attackers falls over him, face-planting inelegantly. A third, who didn't quite stop, is thrown off balance. I shift my attention to him as I run forward. I'm too close to fire an arrow, so I draw a dagger, driving it into his side. We fall backwards, me on top of him, and his hp decreases to about half. Again, another sign of luck. My assailants are probably below my level. While on top of the man my Combat Thieving skill auto-activates, giving me a few of his health potions. Hopefully they're his only ones.

I roll off him, pushing myself back into a standing position, positioning my dagger in front. The one who manages to entirely avoid my surprise attack is hanging back, assessing the damage. The enemy I shot isn't too badly injured, but he had incurred a Limb Penalty. Using that leg for a little while would be difficult. As he looks to be a melee fighter, I figure I could discount him for now. The one who tripped over him is just realigned himself now, angry, but not stupidly so. He glances between me and the man I had stabbed, who was laying on the ground and seems unsure whether to risk getting up or not.

We don't feel pain in SAO in the traditional sense of the word. It's perhaps one of the more merciful components of this death game. People here only scream when they die out of fear, not pain. Or, I hope that's it. I've had limbs chopped off. I've been impaled. I've come so close to death, yet all I, and the rest of the players, feel is a cold numbness. So despite the fact that I just stabbed someone, the guy can definitely stand if he wanted to. However, I can easily kill him if he did it now. He's only a foot or so away. I can sink my knife into his neck faster than his friends can run to attack me.

Well, friends is a liberal term. These are orange players, criminals, so I'm willing to bet they aren't all too close. Still, playing off of friendship is a possible way of escaping this mess. I step towards the stabbed man, placing my knife against his throat. This was a high damage point. The feeling of cold, sharp steel against your throat isn't a pleasant one, and is certainly not one I'd like to feel again. However, my life is on the line. I feel no empathy for a man who had just tried to kill me.

"I'll make this very clear," I say, struggling to keep my voice calm and collected. "Return my teleport crystals and potions, and I'll spare this bastard."

The one who hadn't fallen seems more the leader than the others, and he responds for them. His expression seems neutral, and he says "You've turned into quite the hunt. I like that. Relish the kill, so to speak." His cold gray eyes elicit no emotion but excitement. He hurriedly pushes a lock of blonde hair out of his eyes, his smile wide.

It baffles me. Why would he kill people in this game? His kind weren't exactly rare, and those like him persisted with their sadism. It was innately self-destructive for them to murder others in this game. It lessens their chances of getting free. Yet, they persist.

"You heard me. Return my potions and crystals." I press the knife harder; a trickle of simulated blood runs down my captive's neck. If the leader was this crazy, I was starting to doubt that he'd be willing to let me walk away. I was not a large man, and while leveling I had focused mainly on dexterity. While this gave me superior running ability, it was problematic when dealing with multiple foes in close quarters, especially when I had little energy left to flee. The hostage was my only viable escape.

"No. I could care less about him." I steel my expression, hiding the sudden drop in my stomach. "Kill him quickly, if you must. I just want to see you bleed."

"Alright, then," I grimace, tensing my muscles, ready to slice, and-

"Wait!" The other man, the angry one who tripped, steps forward. I stare at him expectantly. "He's my friend, don't kill him." Please.Anger turns to pleading now. It's thick in his voice. The leader turns to him, his face twitching with anger, but the other man continues. "You can have my teleport crystal if you want, but just let him go."

He digs into his pockets before pulling out a palm-sized, shining blue crystal. After he tosses it to me, I let it slide towards me before grabbing it with my free hand, not taking my eyes off of the two of them. I can still see the third one laying in the dirt with the arrow in his leg, watching the situation carefully.

I nod my thanks to the man who had so quickly gone from trying to murder me to saving my life and shout "Teleport, Ullivyne!". A swirl of blue light envelopes me as I am transported. The last thing I see before my vision going white was the blonde-haired leader grabbing my savior roughly, brandishing his blade.

o

December 3, 2022 – 2nd Floor – 131 Days before the April Incident:

It's been a little under a month by now. 2,000 dead already, and I have a sinking feeling in my heart that my odds of survival weren't too good. I had been one of the first to teleport to the second floor city. I had to see progress with my own eyes; progress meant that maybe there was hope after all.

What I saw didn't really help.

The casualties in the first boss fight wasn't immense, – only one person died, a beta tester named Diabel – especially when compared to the massive amount of deaths due to suicide and stupid beginner mistakes thus far, but it disheartened many of the soldiers. Even the man responsible for the boss's defeat, some soloist beta tester and cheater I had heard about in passing, had abandoned the roughly organized groups struggling to fight up the tower.

A hundred floors, and it took a month with 2,000 dead just to clear the first? The game was starting to look more bleak with every passing moment.

Of course, first, let me get a few things clear.

On November 6, 2022, the game Sword Art Online was released and the only available 10,000 copies of the game were quickly sold out. I had grabbed one of the last copies available by pre-order over a year before that. Excitement isn't a word that could adequately describe the feelings I had for this game. I was a sophomore in college, living with my irresponsible yet charming roommate in a comfortable situation. Despite being content with life, I had always been fascinated with the concept of virtual reality, and was determined the be able to test it out.

With the helmet-like Nerve-gear fitted snugly around my head, I full-dived into the world of Aincrad. The experience was like none-other. The detail was akin to real life. I could touch, smell, taste; hearing and sight was all I had expected. Tempted as I was to run out of the town to fight, I couldn't help but be enamored by the architecture of the game as well. I pulled out the bow I was issued when I started the game, tested it out on a wall and immediately knew which weapon I'd favor.

To put it quite simply, I was in love.

Though only for a few hours.

It was after 5pm. I had a job to get to in just an hour or so for my incredibly inconvenient evening shift, so after killing another boar I decided to call it quits. I opened the menu, and found no log-out button. I won't bother with the details of what happened next. All of Japan probably knew about it by then.

It's shortly after nightfall on the second floor, and I find it hard to move from the central plaza. Denial is not a thing easily escaped from. It's a disease that swept through many of the people stuck in this game, making them lazy, stupid and dangerous. Though outwardly I chastised these people as weak, I knew as well as they that hope for the impossible was infectious. I hope every day for some miracle, that some outside force disables the game and let me free.

There were even those who argued that if they died they would return to the living world, safe and sound. Of course, if that was the case, then people in the real world would have quickly caught on and removed our Nerve-gear by now. My hope is more esoteric, more miracle-based. It was unhealthy.

So I deny my denial. I force myself to understand that this world was my world now. There is no chance of salvation, so, finally, I step off that platform and start hunting.

o

August 30, 2023 – 39th Floor – 138 Days after the April Incident:

I watched the only gate in Ullivyne all night to see if my partner had returned, but she never showed up. It was possible she had gotten hold of a teleport crystal herself and teleported to a different floor, but I could feel it in my gut that wasn't the case. It was a few hours after sunrise that I gave up, too exhausted to think properly. I briefly glance over my friend's list and scan for her, but come up with nothing.

A cloud hangs over my head as I stumble to an inn, mad at myself for abandoning her. Logically, I know I couldn't have helped her. The sadists who chased us didn't want an easy prey, but they were incredibly persistent. Their behavior still baffled me, but I feel anger more than anything now.

My partner had been Steffana, a brute of a woman who was a monster with a greatsword. She was the definition of unattractive, with bad teeth, a buzz cut, a misshapen face (especially her nose, which had been broken badly sometime in her life and never healed properly), and an overly-masculine body. She was more of a man than most men.

Yet she had been one of the most tolerable people I'd met in this game. She protected me well, and I her. It had become almost second nature to fight with her these last few months, with her heavy armor giving me all the edge I needed to loose arrow after arrow. We fought out of too many tight spots to count.

Gone.

As I stumble into the inn, rent a room with my near incoherent voice and plow my way into the available room, I can't stop thinking about the fact that she had been taller than me. I fall asleep imagining that ugly smile of hers.

Vicious pounding on my door drags me from a fitful, nightmarish sleep a few hours later. I sit up quickly in cold sweat, panic grasping at my heart. After a moment I calm down, remembering that I was in a safe zone, a town, and that the door to my room was indestructible.

"God damn it, I know you're in there!" A familiar voice, the annoying, high pitched squeal of Thomas, my clan leader's personal secretary and willing slave. He's young, intelligent, but painful to deal with. He's a kiss-ass who would do anything for a higher-ranked member of my guild. I don't think he considers me as one. "Armand wants to know what the hell happened and you'd better get your ass out of there rightnow!" The final syllables almost rise to a squeal.

I start to respond, but stop. The doors were soundproof from the inside, and I would only be able to hear him for a few more seconds. A privacy feature, I suppose. Inns are completely secure places. You can't just sleep anywhere in this game with the Sleep-PKers about.

Slipping out of bed, I realize I had forgotten to unequip my armor before I had fallen asleep. My weapons, a bow and two daggers, lay nearby on a nightstand. I sheath the daggers at each hip and swung the bow over my back. Conveniently, the game automatically fastens it there, so I didn't have to worry about securing it.

The game tries hard to be convenient.

"Open up already! I'm tired of your sh-" I swing the door open and the boy falls forward slightly, then catches himself. He clears his throat, adding in a sarcastic tone, "I'm glad you've finally decided to join me."

"My pleasure," I grunt. The kid seems only around 14. It'd be a tragedy for him to be stuck in this game if he wasn't so damn annoying. "How'd you find out where I was?"

"My Detection skill surpasses your Stealth skill. All I did was scan for you." Thomas said proudly, walking in front of me as we head out of the inn. I'm used to quick interruptions like this. I already figured that I'd be summoned to be talked to about the previous day. It was no surprise with Steffana gone.

"Relish that while you can, kid." It was a competition between he and I for us to level Detection and Stealth, respectively. He always wanted to find me since I always wanted to hide from him. I chuckle and make a passing comment about it. To me it seems empty, but he takes it as a challenge. Already he starts tongue-lashing me again, but I'm hardly listening.

Thomas leads me out of the inn, talking all the way. Ullivyne is a fairly small town, but it's heavily populated. It's the only sizable safe zone with a teleport platform on the entire floor, but it's still easily thirty times smaller than the starting city. It's so small that much of the front line soldiers are actually on the floor below. The guilds agreed to keep their men out of inns on this floor, an unusual thing, so scouts and soloists could have a place to sleep. Still, the situation was uncomfortable and tense; the atmosphere shows in the town. A little way to my right, I can see a merchant and customer squabbling intensely over a price. It seems like it would devolve into a fight. Though neither could kill the other in a town under regular circumstances, a duel to the death is allowed. Most people, thankfully, don't choose to participate in those.

Thomas takes me toward a large building near one of the NPC guard towers on the edge of town, where the clan leaders had been coordinating the front line. The two major clans, The Holy Dragon Alliance and the Knights of Blood, are stationed here, as is the leader of my clan, Judgment's Arm. A few other notable clan leaders are here as well, as communication is of vital importance on the front lines. Thomas takes me into the building, nodding at the guards, who wear the KoB colors. As the KoB officially set up their clan headquarters on this floor, – a stupid decision, if you ask me – they're in charge of security.

Up a staircase and into a room on the left are the leaders, discussing some battle plan. There are six of them in total here, representing the largest of the clans. Despite being most powerful, the KoB actually has fewer members than all the rest present, though they were still larger than most. The Army, despite being the largest clan, is not represented.

"Finally decided to join us?" Armand says when he notices me, taking off his glasses and rubbing them on his shirt. The other leaders start to quiet down. "We got your message, though I could hardly understand it. You mentioned being attacked? Where's Steffana?"

I never could figure out if Armand wore his glasses for any real reason or not. Did poor eyesight really get included in the game? Or was he just really intent on looking smart?

I'm grateful Armand didn't immediately ask for the map data I had been sent to collect. Concern isn't a trait Armand lends naturally to, though I can tell he has been trying to be more sympathetic. However, he's a leader. Leaders do not see the people. They see the numbers, the plans, the expenses, as much as they hate to admit it.

"She's gone. A rogue group of PKers captured us. We escaped, but were forced apart by them when they tried to hunt us down." I keep the details simple. I don't want to seem like I was simply prey to those men. "I managed to escape, but I believe they captured her."

"Believe?" Armand opened up the menu with his right hand and found the Friend's List icon. He opened it and scrolled to Steffana's name. He initiates a scan, but comes up with nothing for the floor.

"When I scanned for the two of them, I was only able to locate him," Thomas jerked a finger towards me, "Steffana, however, is invisible to me. Now, since I know she has a very low Stealth level, only two things are possible. One, she grinded that skill an incredible amount to surpass me," It's funny how his expression so clearly states 'And I clearly doubt that.'"Or she has been captured and placed under a stealth field."

"While that is regrettable, the map data is what matters at this point. I'll send a scouting party to look for her on this floor when it's been cleared." Armand says matter-of-factly, "The data, please." He gestures to me.

I quickly open my menu and extract it from my inventory, where it materializes in front of me as a worn-looking scroll. I hand it to Armand. "But isn't it odd? Player killers on the front lines? They try to avoid us at all costs. We're too dangerous."

"With all due respect," A girl standing next to the leader of the KoB leader speaks up, "We are intent on planning our assault on the boss. While it is regrettable that your friend is in danger, it's difficult to spare manpower to help her at this time. Let's tackle one issue at a time."

I narrow my eyes. I know that girl, and she was proving her reputation for being self-righteous. Asuna the Flash is a vice-commander of the KoB and is a notoriously distant and focused individual. Heathcliff, their leader, who is sitting on a chair next to her, nods his head in agreement. A few others agree as well. She's beautiful, certainly, but I can't help but feel a deep sensation of revulsion for her at that moment. Why people practically worshiped her was beyond me.

"So please, Cyril," Asuna says, "Can you give us a description of the boss? While it pains me to put it off to the side, I'll be sure to aid you in locating your friend once the floor boss is dealt with."

As hastily as I can without omitting essential details, I tell the leadership of the floor boss, a great serpentine monster with zombie thralls supporting it, and leave. With their lack of concern for a fellow player, I can't stand being around them anymore. I know nobody would object to finding her after the boss fight, but what if we're too late?

But I know that soon I'll be called off to fight the boss with them, so I have to put this disdain behind me. Now, though, I find myself narrowly focusing on one thing. Steffana was alive! With this in mind, I worm around a crowd and sit at a table in a restaurant, thinking about my next move. I ponder for a short while, staring out a window.

I didn't even notice the girl across from me.

"It's not often I see someone bold enough to sit at my table, then ignore me." A distinctly feminine voice mused. "Oh, now you're looking at me?"

"Who...?" I start, momentarily confused, before realizing I'm being rude. "My apologies, I'll leave you alone." I start to stand up.

"No, wait." She extended her hand, smiling at me slightly. "I'm Eri, a solo player and Tracker. It's nice to meet you." I sit back down, getting a good look at her. She's a pretty girl, probably a year or two younger than me. Purple hair, which was tired back in a ponytail. People in this game got unrealistic hair colors for a variety of reasons. Though we all look, physically, like our real world selves as of November 6, 2022, we were allowed to change our hairstyles. Some like the fantasy feeling you get with wrong-colored hair.

I take her hand, shaking it professionally. "Cyril. I'm a scout and member of Judgment's Arm."

"I recognized the emblem." She coos, locking her fingers together and laying her chin on them, her elbows propping her up. If I wasn't mistaken, she was being mildly flirtatious. There's only one other girl I knew of that acted that way towards me, and I haven't seen her in a month. "Impressive. So, you a front-liner?"

"The back of the front line is where I try to be, though I'm not always allowed it." I can't help but cock a smile. I don't usually get to talk to pretty girls in this game. I rarely got to talk to girls at all. Steffana didn't count as a girl. "You said you're a Tracker, right?"

An idea is already forming in my head.

"Yup. That's my game."

"I wonder if I could get your help with something."

Even though I can't scan the map for Steffana, a Tracker can help me find her. A smile forms on my face as I continue to talk to this pretty little oddity, a singular thought shaping itself in my head. I may be able to save Steffana after all.

Author's Note:

Hey there! You're done with my first chapter! There's a long road ahead of you and Cyril (my main character), but I'd like to ask a favor from you, the reader. In order to know how well I'm doing (or how badly), I need some sort of response from readers. So please, if you have anything to say, anything at all, leave a review. It is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Edit:

Rewrote this chapter as I felt the quality was somewhat lacking. Also changed its layout a bit.