Wow, that end...or a new beggining? Aincrad was designed to self-update, to upgrade itself. Now? Maybe it was the data of all the players, but maybe Cardinal subsystem discovered the secret to life.

In another world, this would've served as the prologe for a really interesting story, the plot and mistery this has is great. "Awakening" , thats a great word for this. The world becoming what its creator intended, a rich-vibrant and alive world.

INTERESTING

Damn you for leaving it at that. just just Damn you you cruel cruel (wo?)man.

Wow. That was incredible. Thank You. I actually wrote a South Park episode based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? once fora writers' competition. Glad to see someone else had a similar idea.

These stories are amazing, and for the characters, kind of scary! Great writing, I hope you write more for SAO!

And this is where you call it complete?

eve... as in, the first woman?

okay then. it would seem that this evolution process has spawned sentient AI.

I suppose 'mystery' really does summarize this story, with the reasons and hows to things being hinted/implied but never explicitly answered.
For a moment I thought this "Eve" was Sachi, Kizmel, or Strea, but it looks like she is just a random OC connected to the previous chapters only in the manner of her "awakening"... What happened to everyone else is up for us readers to decide, I guess...

Overall, a rather unique concept to be explored in the SAO universe, but the somewhat unresolved ending may leave certain readers wanting. Goodbye.

That was poetic. The punchline so to say of Aincrad actually growing in population brought the whole chapter to a head. A poignant end to the build up before.

I think you pulled off the scenario quite well for a new character appearing. Beside me loving the premise and how it is handled, as well as to how Cardinal treats the incident, i like how you portrayed her waking up.

Not too easy since she is practically a new born, yet has already an established skill set. So i am happy about the balance of her being able to do basic things and still being kind of lost and overhelmed with everything. It certainly was interesting to see how someone who for the first time sees would experience the world and actually able to recognize and experience it more than subconsciously. Kind of beautiful really.

As always sad that it already ended, but liking the stories to the point style and how it is delivered in a way that makes the chapter feel complete as it is(instead of a script).

Thanks for puplishing!

A very fascinating and thought-provoking epilogue. I now have only one thing to say to this: what now?

that was... awesome, I think?

Kayaba's GM/Heathcliff view was intrigruing as hell.
Both his musings on motivations and reasoning behind decisions he made as well as his ability to live a double life to that perfection, as well that he got surprised as well that fundamental parts could change without him intending such. And then coming to that conclusion, very in character for what i think of him as someone who dreams, lives and likes to be surprised. To explore and to discover the unknown, only to be baffled when something else crops up along the way. Kind of scary if you consider what else he has been doing and how the players lifes ride on the system being reliable.

Never the less, the snapshot way of looking at things lends itself to the story as a whole, but to Kayaba in particular since hearing his thoughts is kind of like getting a glimpse, and not more becasue that would destroy suspense, from a omniscent narrator since he is lexactly that in some ways.

The whole idea of Cardinal changing due to interaction with 10k players and not with any actual direct input reminds me of some ideas i had. Mainly where players brain is actually tapped to help process some data, i.e. their immedeate surroundings, which has the consqequence of that are being under the influence of that particular brain and hence being warped by that brain's expectations as to how reality should be(a slight shift in colour as a more benign example, and players moving faster than the game allows because they will it so). Also one where Cardinal encountered those alterations as 'bugs' and in an attempt to fix them had to analyze and think in unconventional ways, i.e. efolving its algorithms and slowly becoming a fully sentient AI like Yui.(only more powerful and in fear of deletion when SAO is cleared)

Something that bothers, yet satisfies me in a way is that you labeled it as finished.
It is good because with having some offical recognition in the form of Kayaba admitting that it is unexpected, very real, behavior drove home the point of the story and continuing on wouldn't really add anything in particular beyond plain length. But in turn it also feels strangely rstrictive to call something complete, when your Heathcliff himself mused about how not even the sky is a limit in Aincrad. So for me it is an endless story. While the main theme is explored and the important qustions have been asked(and resolved to an extent) there is an infinite amount of snap shots you can add when you have an idea/fancy. To call it quits would seem kind of lacking in comparison.

Hence why i'm happy that you also announced a possible epilogue. Reminds me of the lone traveller series of dunuelos that gets updated whenever(over years even)

Wow, at this point I'm beginning to wonder if Aincrad will let itself go through with being deleted if Kayaba is to be defeated like in canon. Perhaps the NPC's will be able to copy/transfer themselves unto the World Seed? It is also a wonder if allegedly canon and allegedly-non-canon Aincrad AI characters like Kizmel, Ruru, Strea, and the the other MHCPs might do or have done the same... Not to mention how players like Griselda and Sachi (in a non-animated side-story) managed to leave behind "ghosts" of their data much like Kayaba (though not nearly as much as he did)...
See you for the next chapter!

The deviances have become even more varied - and now even surprising Kayaba. Will be interested to see what the finale will look like.

I'm enjoying this story.
It really gives off the feeling of Aincrad being reality.

(I'm guessing the next character is Klein... And the NPC in focus is a girl.)

- the_patroller55