Author's Note

Hello and welcome to my first story! This story will be my adaptation of Sword Art Online. Many parts of this story will be inspired off the light novel and progressive manga, but will not follow them completely. In other words, although there will exist similarities, the story pacing, as well as the events that occur in each floor will be different.

Please also know that this work will ONLY take place on Aincrad SAO. It will not go on to the other games, and I plan on making it that way unless something extreme makes me change my mind.

Although there will be romance in the story, note that it will come very slowly. I don't want anything in this story to be rushed, especially with something like love at first sight or something of the sort.

This rpg elements of this fic will follow the system of the original's, but also with my own twist. It will feature things that is my dream rpg. The fic will focus heavily on the elements and mechanics of the rpg, so I hope you readers will look forward to that. By the way, the amount of people trapped inside SAO will be 20,000 people in the story, not 10,000. I figured that I want to create a community in this game, and 10,000 will not be even close to enough. I don't know exactly how many people will balance this out, but for now, it'll be 20,000. It might change, it might not.

That is all for the Author's Note, I hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online in any way, nor am I making a profit off of this in any way. All credit goes to their respective owners.

X-Sword Art Online:Realization-X

Kazuto took a deep breath as he repeatedly tapped his fingers on the table. Why was it that time always seemed to pass by so slowly at times like this? He currently sat in front of his PC, impatiently consuming on some chips as his eyes watched the Japanese nation go crazy over the release of the second generation full dive technology console.

NerveGear.

It was one of the greatest breakthroughs in the technology industry. Just a decade ago, full dive virtual reality was something that can be only experience in places such as amusement parks. However, Kayaba Akihiko, the creator of the NerveGear, made it possible so that any household could own a device. Kazuto had already read so many reports on the amazing features that the NerveGear possessed, to the point where he had memorized them. Despite his current interest in the machine, it was something else that got Kazuto interested in the NerveGear initially.

The first VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online was what got him interested. If he had to take a social stance, he would lean towards that of a gamer. Although he wouldn't call himself addicted, gaming was something that helped Kazuto calm down or spend the time. After finding out online that there was a beta test for a VRMMORPG, Kazuto signed up with no expectations. Without a doubt, there were tens of thousands of people signing up, just like him.

After receiving an email that informed him of his acceptance to the beta, Kazuto had screamed in joy. Luckily, there was no one in the house at the time. At first, Kazuto felt slightly skeptical about the beta testing, even before he tried the game. The testing required him play at a specific facility, not at his own house. He quickly squashed the feeling as he remembered that he was lucky to be invited.

All negative thoughts disappeared the moment he first entered the world of Aincrad. His first full dive left him standing in awe for minutes. The fantasy world felt so real. He could feel the wind moving his hair, the warmth of the sun, and so many other things that could only be experienced in reality. It was at this moment that he gained so much interest in the NerveGear.

The game was still in beta, but the game felt perfect. The vast open world of Aincrad made it so that it was impossible to discover every inch of the first floor in a week. Kazuto, going through the alias of Kirito for his avatar, aimed for completion, attempting to map out the entire floor. He spent hours trying to complete every quest that the NPC's gave and experimented every available Sword Arts.

In all honesty, the beta of Sword Art Online impacted his life in a negative way. He couldn't focus at school, and he always went home late. His average grades dipped, and his biorhythm was distorted. He couldn't sleep well at nights. It was all because of Sword Art Online. It wouldn't leave his mind. Every second that he didn't play Sword Art Online, Kazuto focused on what he could be doing when he did his next dive.

Because the number of beta testers were limited, combined with the fact that they all full dived in the same facility, they quickly met together and became friends. Although he did acquaint himself with some of them, he evaded talking about the game with them. It wasn't that he hated sharing information, it was just that Kazuto wanted to discover the game himself.

Kazuto knew that guilds were going to be an inevitable feature in the game. However, it was in just the beta phase for now. He could try and solve things by himself. Sure, a large portion of MMORPGs focused on guild activities, but the game was still in it's initial stages. It wasn't an excuse, it was the truth. In fact, he was having so much fun because he was discovering the game by himself.

It was this fact that made it so much harder to comprehend that the beta testing was over. It felt devastating. Kazuto felt empty when the beta testing ended. His only way to play Sword Art Online was to wait for it's official release, which was months away. He tried to play different games, other RPGs. None of them felt fun.

At least his grades rose.

Luckily, he was promised to be given a copy of Sword Art Online before it's release date. Kazuto wouldn't have to wait and compete with the zombie horde that would try and secure themselves a copy of the game. The problem was, Kazuto didn't have the NerveGear. For the remaining months, he obtained part-time jobs in order to make enough money to buy himself a NerveGear. His extended family had given him surprised looks when he told them that he was working.

Finally being able to purchase the Nervegear, kazuto sat at his desk at the current moment, waiting for the servers of Sword Art Online to go online. His lips curled up into a smile as he watched the clock. It was one minute before the servers went online. His eyes focused on the seconds, watching it increase.

5 Seconds.

He plugged in his NerveGear into his computer.

4 Seconds.

Kazuto left his chair and lied down on the bed, smile still in place.

3 Seconds.

He lifted his head, placing the NerveGear.

2 Seconds.

Kazuto exhaled, laughter escaping his mouth.

1 Second.

"Link Start!"

His vision went white as the long lost feeling of doing a full dive kicked in. The system made the routine checks, colors flashing into his vision. Sound was all set, motions were all set, and the game was loading. The game interface showed, asking for the login and password. Kazuto swiftly entered the code, and the world of Aincrad now showed.

Slight nausea hit 'Kirito' as he could now see his own avatar's hands.

"I'm finally back." He muttered. Kirito excitedly opened up his inventory, eyes scanning the contents inside. Instead, he found himself confused as there was nothing in his inventory, other than the beginner's handbook the beta testers wrote. His eyes closed slightly as he breathed a sigh of disappointment. It seemed that his progress from the beta was no longer available to him. He quickly dismissed the thought, running through the familiar streets through the first floor of Aincrad.

Kirito made a mental list of what he needed to complete by the end of the day. First, he needed to make sure that he hit at least lvl 4. That was because he needed to get the Anneal Blade. The quest giving NPC was located in the village hidden by the forest. The forest was one of the more difficult area's of the first floor, so Kirito needed to make sure that his level was adequate. The Anneal Blade also required the user to be lvl 5, but the quest gave enough experience points to level up.

"Hey, wait up!" Kirito slowed down, looking around. There was no one around him, so he came to a full stop, looking towards the direction of the sound. His eyes focused on the man in front of him. Kirito immediately recognized that the man used the character customization option. Kirito himself used the default avatar, as appearance was not important to him at all.

Kirito raised his eyebrows as his response, signalling for the man to continue.

"I'm sorry for being a bother, but I couldn't help but notice the way you navigated yourself around. You're from the beta aren't you? Please, would you help this poor soul?" The man clasped his hand in front of him, bowing his head down.

Kirito's eyes widened at the rush of words. He gave the man credit for his deduction. Kirito let out a sigh as he stared at the back of the man's head. It wouldn't hurt to help out someone for a little bit.

"Alright, but I'll only help with the basics." The man's head rose instantly, teeth showing because of his vibrant smile.

"Thank's man! My name is Klein, and I'll make sure that I pay this debt back in some way!" Klein offered a handshake, extending his arm.

"Name's Kirito." Kirito smiled back, grasping at Klein's hand.

The two headed towards the fields which spawned the easiest monsters in the game. There were a few people around hunting, so they found a isolated area. Kirito instructed Klein to stay back, in order to demonstrate the combat system of Sword Art Online.

"You ever play any other MMORPGs?" Kirito asked. Klein scratched the side of his head before answering.

"Well, I've played a few, although not that indepthly." Kirito nodded at his response. It was all the information that he needed.

"I'm sure you understand how combat works in the traditional MMORPGs, right? There exists basic attacks, that don't use any MP. Then there exists skills, which require a hotkey." Kirito turned his head around, to see Klein giving an understanding nod.

"Obviously, Sword Art Online is different. There are no hotkeys, only neural input. A basic attack is quite simple to perform. Like moving, it simply requires you to swing your arm, as if you are swinging a sword in real life." Kirito attacked one of the nearest boars as an example.

"The basic attack is the safest attack to use in the game if used correctly." From the corner of his eyes, he could see klein giving him a questionable look.

"Unlike other games, which basic attacks hit as long as you're in range, Sword Art Online requires precision and timing. You can't just swing blindly and expect it to do damage. The location in which your attacks hit counts." Kirito dodged the small boar before swinging the beginner's sword towards the exposed side. The monster made a loud noise, flailing wildly as it fell to the ground.

"The place I've just attacked is a Critical Spot, or [[CS]]. If you land a successful attack on the critical spot, you can make the enemies [[Vulnerable]]. Your attacks now have a slight damage multiplier, allowing you to deal more damage as long as they stay [[Vulnerable]]. You'll know when an enemy becomes [[Vulnerable]], as they make a special sound indicating it." He attacked the boar, and Klein's eyes widened as he watched the HP Bar lower significantly.

"On the other hand, there exists the Reinforced Spot, or [[RS]]. If your attacks land on these places, then it's not going to end well for you. Best case scenario, your attack deals significantly reduced damage. Worst case, you get stunned for a short duration of time." Klein scrunched his face up as he listened to the explanations.

"It is kind of complicated, as it requires you to fight the same enemy multiple times in order to find the critical spot and reinforced spot. Next is [[Sword Arts]]. It's different from basic attacks in that it requires a motion to be made before activating. You need to make the prerequisite motion, holding the motion for a short duration." Kirito held the blade over head, before his weapon started glow.

"It's hard to explain, but there's a feeling that lets you know the skill is ready. Once you know it's ready, finish the required motion." He swung his sword downwards, leaving a trail of light. "Your sword skill activates, which deals more damage than the basic attacks." The boar exploded into different particles, and a game interface showed up in front of Kirito. He ignored the reward he got, as he continued his explanation.

"The great thing about [[Sword Arts]] is that even if you hit a Reinforced Spot, you don't get the stun penalty no matter what, even if the damage is reduced. However, note that using skills can make you vulnerable, as there is a downtime after you use a skill." Kirito could see Klein rubbing his head.

"Jeez dude, it's not exactly complicated, but it's still a lot to take in." Kirito laughed a little as he heard Klein mumble.

"Don't worry Klein. That was my initial reaction too. All it takes is trial, error, and repeat before you get accusto-" Kirito's words died out as he focused on the game window in front of him.

"You alright Kirito?" Klein asked. Kirito scanned through the words again, before letting out a frustrated noise.

"It's all good. It's just that, it seemed that they changed the amount of money and exp you get from a kill." Klein nodded silently. Kirito focused on the window in front of him. A single boar had rewarded him with only 8 exp and 5 Col.

It was decreased by a large amount from the beta. He wasn't in a party with Klein so they shouldn't be sharing the reward. Standing close to someone getting a kill also didn't share the reward if Kirito remembered correctly. So why? It seemed that he would need to grind for a larger amount of time. Guess Kayaba didn't want people to level up too easily on his game.

"Well, that covers most of the basics of combat. If you need to know anything else, there's always the beginner's catalog that we beta testers wrote. It's distributed for free in the market in the city plaza. If there's anything that puzzles even after you read through it, then message me." Kirito navigated through the game menu, sending Klein a friend request. He quickly accepted the request.

"I'm going to hunt some more mobs, want to join?" Klein declined the offer to his surprise.

"I ordered some food in the real life, it's going to come real soon. I'll see you again some time Kirito!" Kirito waved back, heading towards his next boar. He stopped, as he heard Klein call his name.

"Hey Kirito, where's the logout button?" Kirito's eyes furrowed in confusion as he called the game menu. His hands swiped through the options, and was surprised to see that there was no logout option.

"I… Think it's a bug…?" He replied hesitantly. He scratched his head in confusion. It was a pretty nasty mistake to make in it's launch date, considering that the game required a full dive.

"W-w-what?" Kirito whipped his head around as he heard Klein cry out in surprise. His eyes widened as he saw Klein's body disappear. He looked down at his own legs to see that the same phenomenon was happening to him.

X-Sword Art Online:Realization-X

A gasp escaped his mouth as he scanned his surrounding. It was the starting city, and thousands of people were huddled together as they let out curious outcries. There cries were cut short, as the faces of thousands focused on the floating figure.

"Players, Welcome to my world."

Kirito recognized that voice. It was Kayaba.

"My name is Kayaba Akihiko, the creator and controller of this world."

The words confirmed his identity, and the players voiced their confusion.

"I believe that at this time, most of you have discovered that the [[logout]] button has disappeared from the main menu. This is not a bug. I repeat, this is not a bug. This is an intended feature of Sword Art online"

'What?' Doubt flashed through Kirito's mind. It didn't make any sense.

"Until you clear all 100 floors of Aincrad and defeat the final boss, you will not be able to leave my world. Tampering with the NerveGear from the outside is not allowed. If this is attempted, then the NerveGear will send electromagnetic pulses which are capable of destroying your brain."

Why was Kayaba telling this to the players? They couldn't tamper with the NerveGear even if they wanted to. Unless… This speech was being broadcasted live right now.

"Many of you will be wondering, 'Why?' Why am I, Kayaba Akihiko, the creator of both SAO and NerveGear, doing this?"

Indeed, that was the primary question running through his mind.

"I am doing this, because my purpose was to create and watch over this world. Now, that purpose has been fulfilled."

Why was it necessary for him to trap 20,000 people in this world though? Couldn't he have watched over his world without trapping the players?

"This was the official tutorial for Sword Art Online. I wish the best of luck to every single player. Oh, and before I leave, I left a present for everyone. Please look into your inventory."

The cloaked figure disappeared after. Bells could be heard from every direction as the many players all looked into their inventory.

"The mirror?" Kirito muttered. The next second, a bright flash erupted from the item, and Kirito could see his own face reflecting from the mirror. He fumbled his face with his hands, eyes wide with shock. Surprised cries entered his ears, but Kirito ignored them.

"Need to stay calm. Need to stay calm. Need to stay calm." He repeated the words in his head as he headed out of the city. If Kayaba was telling the truth, then he needed to work on leveling up now. He had no time to wallow. He needed to stay calm. The rapid beating in his heart told him otherwise. His slow footsteps escalated into full strides.

Fields filled with boars entered his vision. Kirito unsheathed his Beginner's Sword, slaying all the monsters in the vicinity. Was this why Kayaba reduced the amount of exp and Col gained? To make it harder for players to escape from his fucked up ploy?

Particles breezed by Kirito as he killed another mob of monsters. He would win. He needed to. He wasn't going to die in this world. A roar left his mouth as he activated a sword skill. He destroyed the mobs one after another, and soon, the entire field was empty. A message appeared in front of Kirito, signalling his progress.

Congratulations, you are now Level 2!

X-Sword Art Online:Realization-X

Afternote

This first few chapters is going to follow the original very closely as it sets the premise of entering Aincrad. Later on, it's going to vary from the original, although some quests might stay the same.

Thank you for Reading!