Prologue I: World of Swords

"Did… Did any of you see this coming?"

"No, not at all! I-It's surprising."

Certainly, for mere mortals who are content with the simplicity of things, to have witnessed something that has come out of left field is obviously enough to surprise the masses. And certainly, unexpected best defines just what they had seen.

So far, there has been… well, mixed reception towards the clashing of both these worlds.

One, a beloved franchise in the world that has undoubtedly captivated the hearts of so many.

Another… has touched both extremes; either beloved by countless men and women or loathed outright.

Really, the fact that both these words are somehow clashing together could almost be seen as some sort of joke, yet the fact that it's a possibility and is on the verge of coming into existence is both shocking and awaited for.

Awaited because the people intend to see just how it will go. After all, two entirely different powerhouses are intending to come together, and no one could anticipate how it will turn out in the end, so all anyone could do at this point was to just wait.

But, well, some people just like to get straight into things, even before it has existed, and think up stories in their minds to entertain themselves with. And so, here all of five of them are yet again, because the Author had just decided to write another story…

Again.

"He's been pretty excited for this, hasn't he?" Chuckled the black dragon, unfurling his wings and picking at his teeth with a sharp claw. "Constantly going back to the website to check if there has been any updates."

"Well, those are his two favourite franchises, and he does love a good collaboration," spoke Drake with amusement, wholly in agreement with his best friend. "Sword Art Online, his most favourite anime. And Persona 5, his third favourite video game."

That's true.

"And already, the story has come into existence," hummed Zero, a dangerous glint in his eyes that worry both his brother and Oracle for a moment. "Hehe… This is going to be interesting…"

"Don't even think about doing anything crazy, brother."

"A-Ahaha… Oh, are we not meant to choose an 'Incarnation' first?"

That got everyone's attention, and true to her words, there was certainly a need to find a person suitable for taking on the mantle of the 'Incarnation' in this upcoming story, as is the tradition of things.

And yet, with how the story is portrayed, it feels rather… unfitting.

The story crosses two worlds, and though this has been done before, it's difficult to truly put into words as to how it should be done, or what would be the right path to take.

No, nothing is impossible.

"I have someone," spoke up Oracle, all men (and dragon) looking to her. "Hmm… They will play their role, but not in the way I think either of you will think they will. Is that fine?"

"Ho? Well, that makes things all the more interesting," chuckled Snake. "By all means… how does it go again? Ah, yes. Let us start the game."

30th August 2022—In Another World

"…Yeah, the Beta Test is going to end soon."

"Right? Man, and I was having so much fun…"

"Guess we'll need to wait for three more months…"

Within the restaurant, a group of players converse amongst themselves about something in particular, and a figure leaning against the wall adjacent to their table simply shrugs his shoulders before promptly making his way towards the entrance, intending to take his leave.

"Ah, please come again!" The shopkeeper shouted out.

The person turns his head around and nods back at the person. No, the NPC, and opens the door. A soft chiming accompanies the swinging noise, and his footsteps clack against the cobble path.

And he is presented with the sight of numerous shop buildings and a crowd of people moving around without much care. Granted, there was no need for being so careful and whatnot, since this is a game, so anything goes.

Smirking, the person starts to run down the path to his left, passing a mirror and catching a glimpse of his looks; tall, lean, handsome-ish face with black hair that went down to his shoulders. Blue tunic with a bronze chestplate and black pants.

Of course, that wasn't how he looked like. There was no denying that much, considering that this was simply a virtual world, and anything goes. But really, he doubted anyone would mind, as other players are probably masking their true identities behind façades of the opposite genders or different looks too, just as he was.

The scenery of the medieval city quickly shifts into green plains as he finally leaves the area of the city, surrounded now by the wilderness of the game's wild area, with a few boars grazing away on the grass and a number of wild mobs running amok. The vast sky stretches high above him, a mere illusion to the fact that there was another floor above him—the massive pillar of smooth rock in the distance is the site of dungeons, which connects this floor to the next.

Kirito comes to a slow stop soon enough, a small sigh as he looked around. The gentle winds that caress his face and hair is so realistic, he wasn't entirely sure if he could completely distinguish it from a breeze in the real world.

"Thank you for taking part in 'Sword Art Online's' Beta Test phase! We hope to see you again during the official service on the sixth of November!"

The announcement plays once more, and Kirito begins to feel his avatar losing shape, consumed by light as his virtual body becomes fragmented glass.

He stares up into the sky…

"I'll come back soon!"

And disappears, along with the rest of the world.

1st September 2022—Kawagoe, Saitama. Kirigaya Household

Waking up from his sleep with a loud yawn, Kazuto Kirigaya stretches his arms above his head in an attempt to stretch out all the muscles in his body before finally stopping, feeling satisfied.

A relatively simple boy who's lived a simple life thus far. Nothing about him in particular stands out, if only the fact that he does tend to be mistaken by some as a girl because of his face, which could stand on the fine line between boyish and girl-like, much to his chagrin. Other than that, however, nothing really special about him.

A typical Japanese boy in a sea of hundreds of Japanese people, he was really as generic as he could get; black hair, normal stature and normal height for a fourteen-year-old such as himself. The only things that may stick out about him was the fact that he had practiced kendo when he was younger, and that he was a gamer.

Well, that shouldn't really be too special of him. A lot of other kids like playing games, so there's that.

"Man… Yesterday was super fun…" He said to himself as he allows the remaining dredges of sleep to leave his system, getting out of bed and staring at the table. "Now I'll just have to wait for November for the official 'SAO' service."

His gaze lingered on the helmet-like device seated on top of his desk. The 'Nerve Gear', a unique headpiece that utilizes the latest tech to be used for playing Virtual Reality games by directly projecting the wearer's mind into a simulation world—this is done thanks to the high-density microwave transceivers within the 'Nerve Gear', and that's impressive all on its own.

Think about it! Older tech that made use of VR was only ever as good as forcing the players to make use of the space around them as the game's limiting field of play. Instead, the 'Nerve Gear' was capable of building an entire world fit for the player to experience, similar to a dream.

And really, he had the best time of his life. He had been part of the fortunate few to get to take part in 'SAO's' Beta Test, which was definitely the best game he's ever played.

Too bad it didn't last long. Now, he'll have to wait for November (two whole months) for the official service of 'Sword Art Online' to begin.

Kazuto sighed, scratching the back of his neck. Certainly, there were a lot more things that he wanted to do back in the game, but he supposed that, for now, he'll just have to deal with waiting.

Patience is virtue, as they say.

*Knock knock.*

"Hey, Kazuto," a womanly voice called from the other side of his door, drawing his gaze to it. "I need you to buy some groceries at the store. Do you mind getting them? I left a list on the countertop in the kitchen. I have to leave soon. Love you."

He doesn't exactly have the chance to respond before he hears loud footsteps going away. She was being hasty, and that meant that she was probably really busy.

Well, that's fine. It wasn't like he had anything to say to her.

Sighing, knowing that there wasn't anything remotely productive that he could do in the meantime, he decides that he may as well get this done. And once he's done, he'll check the news for anything 'SAO' related.

He's just hoping that the days could pass a little quicker now. He really wants to play 'Sword Art Online' already.

He's done this before. Getting the groceries for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes, it'd be his mom or sister who'd do it. Most times, however, it'd be him because he honestly didn't mind it. Well, it was a little annoying at times, but he genuinely didn't mind it. It gave him a reason to leave his room, and staying so long inside there is going to be so unhealthy for him.

So yeah. Get the groceries. A simple task in all the tasks in the world.

Not much time has passed by the time Kazuto is now standing outside of the market building, a small hum being released as he looked at his surroundings.

The day is bright, yet the winds that came with it was refreshingly cold. People in suits, shirts and a myriad of other form of clothing bustled around him, both in the market and out of it. Japan is a densely populated country, after all, so he really shouldn't have been too surprised to see so many people.

Well, that's not exactly a problem. Just as long as he doesn't get into any trouble, then there was nothing that he had to complain about.

He wished he could have taken a bicycle here, but knowing that his sister had used hers to cycle to her friend's house for the afternoon, and that he didn't have a bike of his own, he had walked all the way here. Good exercise and a good way to unwind after long durations of time simply lying on his bed and doing nothing, since it's his mind that's in the game.

Well, actually it's—

…Never mind. He suddenly doesn't feel like thinking about it.

The relatively nice air puts a smile on his face, and Kazuto begins his walk back home, a bag of groceries in his right hand and humming a tune that he couldn't exactly put his finger on—unknowing of the figure trailing him.

Well, it's not like he would have noticed anyone anyways. He hadn't felt suspicious of anyone or anything, really, and it was so crowded here that he could have hardly noticed anything. Either that was his own ignorance or the busyness of things around here that played a part, but he could hardly care. All that he wanted to do now was go home, make himself a sandwich and then go back to his room.

Such was the routine for the young teenager, and while most would think that it wasn't healthy for him, he wasn't going to let anyone comment on it. Rather, he simply intended to live in the moment and play 'Sword Art Online' once the servers started running. He'd definitely be the first to get in there.

'Now, where is the road back home..?' He thought to himself as he stops at a junction that he's certain wasn't here before. To his right, some houses he's never seen before. To his left… more unfamiliar buildings. "What the heck is going on here?"

He's come here before, but he's certain there shouldn't be a T-junction, but rather a road that goes straight forwards. Did he get things wrong or something?

Shaking his head with a scoff, he decides to take the right road. He shouldn't be too worried about things, so long as he doesn't go too far off. And if anything, he could just backtrack and take the other path. That might just do the trick.

The problem here, however, is the fact that none of these buildings are familiar! He's never seen them before! Granted, all of them look so generic and similar, but he knows the difference—after all, most people tend to decorate or paint their house a little differently. A small touch-up that are pretty much ignored by most people, but in his case, he could remember each houses' details very accurately.

Well, he's not trying to brag, of course, but he likes to think that it's his brain. Nothing big, really. Just… well, yeah.

"Okay, this is getting out of hand," he finally stops after the twentieth building passed. And at this rate, he's probably gone a little too far that he should've considered enough. "Where am I?"

This is getting too insane, even for him. He's supposed to be going home, not get lost!

And where is this, even? He's been here for so many times, now he's somehow gotten lost? How is this even possible?

He considers grabbing his phone and using the map services to find his way back home before signals go off in his head, eyes shooting wide—

"You needn't be worried," a soft voice from behind. "I'm not your enemy."

"Hh..!" It's enough to tear his gaze away from the unsuspecting houses around him, the sheer shock that pulsates in his body enough to make him spin in place. "Who are..?!"

His voice dies into silence, however, every senses in his body coming to a screeching stop as his mind attempts to take in the sight of the girl that stood at least two feet in front of him.

Calm, radiant, mysterious. Words that couldn't come close to describing this strange girl that showed up literally out of thin air. Soft yellowish brown eyes, incredibly long black hair… and those ears are a little pointy at the end, with a purple flower tucked behind her left ear. Her choice of wear is nothing out of the ordinary, just a regular black blouse and a white skirt that was long enough that it went past her knees.

She didn't look any different like any other Japanese girls out here in Japan. He's seen a lot of girls with black hair like her, and perhaps some girls who cosplay—that would probably explain why her ears look a little different.

But something about her was just giving him bad vibes. Not exactly enough to consider her hostile, but certainly more than enough to worry him.

"Forgive me for alarming you. It was not in my intention to do so, though I wasn't certain of the best way to approach you," she says, so calmly that it's just nothing short of impressive.

He gulped, keeping his voice soft as he began to speak. "Who… are you?"

"Ah, yes. Do forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Persona Vabel," she answers, making a small bow that genuinely surprises him by just how polite she was, despite the fact that she was technically stalking him. "You are Kazuto Kirigaya, correct?"

Great, she knows his name too. Though, again, since she's been tailing him since who-knows-when, it would make sense that she'd know who he is. It would be pretty unproductive for her to follow someone that isn't the one she's meant to find.

"Yeah, I am," he supposed that answering that one question for her would be the least of his worries. "Why?"

She takes a moment to think about his words, her eyes at the top corner of her eyes before she focuses on him once again. "I've come here by the orders of my master to bring you with me."

What..? A mysterious girl who was stalking him is now suddenly making demands of him out of the blue. Who in the world would think this is how things go?

Something about her words strike him as odd, and he doesn't know what to respond with. So really, the best he could do was just rely on his innate pessimism.

"Is that so..? And what if I refuse?" He didn't mean to sound so antagonistic, but given the situation that he was in, he really couldn't help how his eyes narrowed and his tone turned a little poisonous.

Surprisingly, however, it doesn't so much as faze her as it does simply make her nod her head. "Understandable. My master had anticipated this sort of reaction from you, so he is willing to allow you to return home first. However, considering how I've purposely altered the layouts of these buildings, it would be impossible for you to find your way back."

Her words take him aback yet again. Altered the layouts? What is she trying to say? That she used some sort of magic to make things look different?

That can't be possible… Right?

"Very well. I shall come to pick you up another day, when you're properly prepared to meet my master," she bows again before turning around, though glancing to her right. "Take this path. It should lead you back home."

"Huh?" He follows her gaze… and promptly gawks at the sight of a road that was most definitely not there just moments ago. "H-Hold on a minute, how am I supposed to believe you?"

"It would be too much to ask that you trust me, but I ask that you would do so nonetheless," not exactly answering his question, but it's pretty hard to refute too. "Forgive me for not being able to explain anything, but that is all that I can do. Until we meet again, Kazuto Kirigaya."

One final bow that is just the epiphany of proper courtesy before she goes down the road from where he had come from. And he watched her retreating back all the way until she's finally out of his vision, and he lets out a heavy breath that he hadn't realize that he was holding in.

'What was all that about..?' He thought to himself, still a little shaken up about that encounter. After all, it's not every day that you get approached by someone and suddenly asked to go meet their master, whatever that meant. Even that part was just suspicious. 'Should I do it..?'

He looks to his right, and nothing but absolute dread is in his system. Could he really go for it? It would be so easy to just take her suggestion, and just as easy to reject it and backtrack.

And he genuinely hates himself for deciding to listen to her in the end, going down the road before him.

It's almost creepy just by how normal this road looked. Nothing so out of place, simply just like an alleyway between houses. Well, not exactly an alley but just a narrow road where most people would be found feeding their cats in or—

"Huh?" And the moment he's finally out of that road, he's staring straight at his home; the traditional-looking house with a dojo to its right, completely guarded by walls with iron fencing. The trees are slim, green, and the sky is a nice shade of blue. "Now how in the world did I… What."

The need to know just how that random path opened up literally out of nowhere and without him even realizing it is just enough to put his mind into a state of panic.

Now, however, such a feeling is doubled when he looks back. And finds nothing.

No road. No different houses. Just a row of other houses that belongs to his neighbours.

He blinks. Once, twice, then proceeds to turn his gaze back to his house and go inside.

Kazuto puts away his shoes and leaves the bag of groceries on the table before walking upstairs to his room. He proceeds to lock his door and collapse on his bed, burying his face into his pillow and brain automatically shutting down from all the stress, yet still awake.

That was just… weird.

Night Time—5th September 2022—Kawagoe, Saitama. Kirigaya Household

"Um… You okay there, Onii-chan?"

"I'm… having a headache. And I don't know what to—"

*Thud..!*

"K-Kazuto!"

"Onii-chan!"

The ravenette lets out a soft groan after having his face rudely introduced to the table but makes no move to lift his head up. Definitely, his forehead and a good part of his face are going to be red.

Without even meaning to, he had been too lost in his thoughts over what's just transpired a few days ago, trying to understand just what happened yet still confused all the same. Persona Vabel, as she called herself, hadn't showed up in the days since, and it's only been adding more to his pile of shaky nerves.

Just what was he supposed to do? It wasn't like he had given her his contact information, so how was he supposed to find her, or vice versa?

Well, considering that she somehow managed to locate him, it might not be so difficult on her part. And she might just know where he is.

"I'm… fine," he says weakly, finally having the decency to lift his face and look his mother and sister in the eyes, a small huff expelled. "I'm just… going through some stuff."

"Are you being bullied at school?" His mother's words, God praise her, was gentle. Caring. It kind of guilted him for even worrying her. "If you are, then I can—"

"No!" His outburst was enough to take the two women aback, his expression exuding nothing but honesty. "It's not that, I swear! Just… it's a girl."

That's the best he's got, really. And technically, the issue went above just a girl, but that was a start to things, and certainly the best thing that he's got.

The reactions, however, were not what he expected.

"A… girl..?"

"Girl? Wait, really Kazuto?"

Why did Suguha's eyes suddenly go blank, and is his mother sitting straighter? Is something wrong?

"U-Umm, right. It's something like that. Well, it's more complicated, but…" Kazuto ultimately sighs, resting his chin on his knuckles. "The thing is, just a few days ago, I met this girl. She wanted to talk to me about something, but about what, I'm not certain. I don't even know who she is! And… something about her is just wrong. I'm not exactly certain if I even want to talk to her, but… yeah."

Throughout his explanation, he could notice how the expressions on both his sister's and mother's faces gradually shifted; Suguha's eyes narrowed even more, and he could imagine a tick mark on her forehead. His mother, meanwhile, was probably having glitters around her eyes, slowly widening just like her mouth.

He continued, however. "She said that she'd be meeting me again at a future date, but she hadn't given me her contact information and I hadn't done anything, so…"

"…I see," humming, the woman took a moment to ponder on this. Something about this was telling her something bigger than just a girl was about to happen with her son, and she couldn't help the small humming she was letting out. "Well… maybe you just need to think about her and she might come out of nowhere?"

That was said purely in jest, obviously. That's how it is for most love stories that she's seen, be it Japanese or Korean drama's that she's had the time to binge watch during her free time. Think of the girl, and she might just show up out of nowhere.

Unfortunately for her, she might have ultimately set her son down a path that he would never be able to undo, one that would ultimately change the fates of countless people in this world.

And she should have thought well and hard about her own words, because she clearly hadn't considered the fact that her son had little to almost zero experience with people of the opposite genders, nor the fact that some things are just meant to be taken as just jokes.

Kazuto was just not that sort of person. "Think about her and she might come, huh..? Alright, I'll do just that then. Thanks, mom!"

"Eh? O-Oh, sure," she was genuinely taken aback by how happy he sounded. Even Suguha was surprised. "No problem."

She watches as her son leaves his plate and glass in the sink, washing his hands in the process before leaving for his room—Suguha did say that she was going to do the dishes. He looked strangely determined, however, and she wasn't certain what to feel.

Had she spared a look at her daughter, however, she would have seen that clearly forced smile on her face along with the way her fingers were clenching the table extremely tightly, to the point that her knuckles were turning milky white.

That was not good.

6th September 2022—Kawagoe, Saitama. Kirigaya Household

A brand new day greets the people of Japan, from its northern regions all the way to its southern ends.

Kazuto gets up as usual, though lacking his typical yawning this time. Rather, he looked to be more attentive than usual, looking around his room—it might just be his paranoid mind on overwork, but given the fact that the girl he's met a few days ago had casually changed how the world looked, he wasn't planning on letting his guard down anytime soon.

Again, probably unnecessary, but he'd rather be prepared than not.

"So, what do I do now..?" He hums to himself, rubbing his chin as he sits on his bed.

Today isn't a school day because some bozo had apparently started a chemical accident during Chemistry class and caused a good deal of the buildings to get burnt down. As a result, he was suspended from school and all students weren't expected to go back to school until reparations have been done.

Well, that was fine. Even if it meant that he hadn't anything to do, it just gave him time to relax a little and think about—

*Ping!*

"Hmm?" The ringing noise from his phone is a clear indication that he just received a message, and his curiosity wills his hand to reach out for the phone on his nightstand. He chances a look at the screen, and his brows rise. "Huh?"

Vabel: Good morning, Kazuto Kirigaya. I hope you are not busy.

Vabel: Forgive me for not being able to text you earlier. I hadn't a cell phone of my own to use before this.

The boy blinks at the screen of his phone before silently marvelling at what his mom told him last night—that simply thinking about Vabel will end up helping him find her. And yes, this isn't really a face-to-face encounter, but this is as close as it'll get.

That's impressive. Guess his mom knows more than she lets on.

Shaking his head, he knows that he has to respond or else he'll miss this chance.

Kazuto: Morning to you too. I'm here.

Kazuto: Is there something that you need?

Vabel: Yes. I wish to bring you meet my master.

'Ah, right. She mentioned something about her master before,' it was a little suspicious, the way she puts it, but she must probably work someone really important or something. 'Meet him, huh? Hmm…'

So many dangers that can come out of this entire thing. He might just get mugged, or get killed… well, he supposed there isn't anything too bad that could come out of all of this, so he may as well play along.

Kazuto: When and where?

Vabel: Tomorrow, in Sangen-Jaya. It is a little far, but you are required to come alone. Is that fine?

A small ounce of suspicion bubbles inside of his gut, realizing that this was essentially putting him in a dangerous situation. Complying with her conditions would mean that he would be going in by himself, and that would just put him in great danger.

But… Well, there was something about her that made him able to trust her to an extent. Not so much to the point that he believed that he would be completely safe, but… he just wasn't sure.

Kazuto: If I go on my own, then how can I be sure that I'll be safe?

Vabel: You will have my master's protection.

…That doesn't really convince him, but he doubted that there was any other option. He supposed that he'd simply have to place his faith in the girl.

He sighed, not knowing what to say before moving his fingers to type out the message.

Kazuto: I'll bring this up with my mom first. I don't know if she'll let me, but I'll be sure to update you on anything else soon. Sorry.

Vabel: You need not apologize. I understand. I hope to hear from you soon.

"Oh, your friend texted you earlier?"

"Err, I'm not exactly sure if I could call her a friend, but umm… sure."

He had summarised all the text messages that he's exchanged with Vabel earlier to her mother for her to understand, though barring certain parts; he didn't need to confuse her with mentions of her 'master', whomever it was.

He had already checked the maps services, and it was genuinely concerning. A railway station of one of the most heavily populated districts in Tokyo that was quite far from his home. There were two choices; either an hour of a car drive, or an entire six hours at best when using the train system.

He was definitely going to take the train, probably, considering that his mom has to leave early for her job in the morning.

His sister was already out of the house doing kendo practice in the dojo, yet for some reason, he couldn't help but look in that direction wondering if she was looking at him or something.

"Hmm… Are you sure you want to take the train? And going on your own, no less," motherly concern shows itself upon her expression, and he can't help but appreciate it. "Are you alright with this?"

"Ehh… I think I'll be fine," he waved off her concern with a simple sigh. "As strange as she is, I doubt she isn't so suspicious. I'll trust her, or at least I hope I can."

"…Well, if you say so," she can't help but feels suspicious, he could tell, and who wouldn't be? She shoots him the look; the kind that most parents use when trying to teach their children a lesson or advise them on something. "Listen, Kazuto. When you're leaving tomorrow, I want you to take care of yourself, alright? I don't want anything bad to happen to you, and if anything does happen, just call me. Don't worry about me being busy with work or anything. Just call me immediately."

The sudden show of concern on her part is certainly enough to take him aback, his expression alone showing the surprise he was feeling. Other than that, however, he feels something close to… gratitude? Why is that?

…Ah, probably because she's worrying so much about him. That would make sense, and even though she's…

He shakes that thought away, a genuine smile drawing itself on his face. "I… Yeah, I promise to be careful. Thanks, mom."

"Don't worry about it," she rubs him on the head, and something about the gesture is just… nice. And he kind of likes it.

Smiling, Midori Kirigaya makes her way to her room, leaving him to his own devices. He, in turn, grabs his phone and quickly types his message.

Kazuto: Alright, I'm good to come. How does 12 o' clock sound to you?

He was just about to set his phone down and grab a glass of water before his phone rung yet again. 'That was fast.'

Vabel: Very well, I shall see you tomorrow then. And worry not on where you should be headed. I shall type down the directions to our proper meeting place for you later on. Simply follow these directions and I'll be able to have you meet my master.

'Welp, that's that,' letting out a tired breath, he simply puts away his phone and commits to the glass of water.

7th September 2022—Setagaya, Tokyo. Sangen-Jaya

He did it. He actually did it.

He took the train and got here all on his own, which had greatly worried his little sister for a brief moment. Still, he had been able to calm her down enough so that she didn't worry too much about him, and that was the last thing he needed.

He appreciated the sentiment, of course, but having her worry about him nonstop would make him worried in turn, and… wow. Being siblings is complicated.

"She said that she'd be somewhere here..?" He said to himself, looking around and wondering just what he was here for. "This is certainly new…"

Countless old-looking shops, bicycles, potted plants and people—it was pretty packed in here, and the narrow paths made it hard to see and such. Still, in the message that Vabel had sent him last night, there were detailed instructions on where he should go, so he simply followed the directions.

He's never heard of this little place. There's quite a lot of people here, though, and with all the trees here and there, it added a touch of fresh green to this place that made it a lot more relaxing to be at. It's also helped by the scent of food in the air that makes it feel more at home, and he's already liking it.

The good mood is there…

And his destination is a rundown café.

"…This is probably not a joke," he mutters to himself. "I shouldn't even be surprised."

This could definitely be the sort of place that she'd want to meet him in, though that just makes it all the more suspicious. What is going to happen to him? Is he going to get robbed just as he thought?

Still, he supposed that this was better than some office or mansion. That would be a little too much.

Gulping, Kazuto steadies his nerves and enters the shop, pushing the door inwards with a soft creak. There's a little crack that he hears and he cringes at how awful it was. He looks inside and isn't too surprised by what he sees; everything has aged and decayed, almost as if this place was abandoned.

He could imagine it now. The once-was beautifully tiled floors. The couches that were pristine brown and the clean white tables. The oaken counter with red-cushioned seats. An assortment of jars in the shelves that were made of the finest wood. Perhaps countless people coming by for a cup of coffee and the like. The stairs in the back are probably of darker-coloured wood, leading up to the attic.

Now, all of it has become a memory, and everything is quiet. Cobwebs have formed in the corners of the room, the walls have lost their colour. The floors have lost their constant patterns, some filled with cracks and some others missing altogether, revealing the ground beneath. The wood has become even paler, and everything else has pushed past their limits, old and unusable now. Colours have faded, some wild cockroaches run around, and he's genuinely concerned about the lack of lights, giving this place a rather ominous feel.

He wonders about how it must have been like in the past, but he couldn't exactly think about it. Rather, he wondered where Vabel was.

"You are here," soft footsteps are accompanied by rather loud creaking. He finds her descending the flight of stairs, standing there with a listless look. "Thank you for coming, Kazuto. You don't mind myself calling you that, do you?"

Funny how that's the one thing that she's worried about, and not where they are in.

They're not breaking any laws by being here, are they?

"Don't worry about it. I gave you my permission, didn't I?" He shook his head at that, looking around. "So… where do we go from here?"

"A moment, please," she says no more before she returns upstairs. It doesn't take too long before she does get back downstairs, a strange device in her hands. "Please put this on."

She holds a white-framed, headset-like device that looks like a certain device from a certain anime back in the day, which helped to analyse a being or the landscape. It certainly looked like it was made to be worn around the head, but it still didn't help that he was a little sceptical about things.

Nonetheless, he accepts the device from the girl, who simply stands in place with both hands clasped in front of her. He raises a brow, but quickly settles it around his ear. It does have an extension, an arm if you would that is equipped with a projection lens at its tip and extends to his eye.

It's surprisingly comfortable, more than the 'Nerve Gear' is, actually.

"What is this?" He asks the girl.

A small pause before she continues. "The 'Augma'. A piece of VR technology not meant to exist at all within this world."

He stares at her with a deadpanning look, somehow already familiar with the absurdity of her words before sighing in the end. Knowing her, he wouldn't be too surprised if she made that up, or that does turn out to be true.

"So, what do I do?" He asks her, looking around himself. Dust in the air makes him cough a little, but it isn't so bad.

"You must activate it," she tells him. "Simply speak the activation code, 'Link Start', and all shall be revealed."

Now that's a surprise. Link start? That's the exact words needed to activate the 'Nerve Gear' in order to play 'Sword Art Online', so… is this device the same as the 'Nerve Gear'? Considering how it might just be a VR tech as well, it might very well be the same.

Still, it can't possibly have the capability of projecting his mind into a simulation world like the 'Nerve Gear' does, can it? After all, the 'Nerve Gear' is capable of transmitting microwaves directly into his brain. Maybe this… 'Augma' can do the same to a certain extent? Perhaps it has that functionality as well, so it couldn't exactly be ruled out of the realm of possibility. But he is standing, so should he—

"Ah, sorry. I guess I'm just wasting your time, aren't I?" He realized that he's probably been standing there like an idiot, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Not at all. And unlike the 'Nerve Gear', you needn't be sitting or lying down," when she says that, he couldn't help but raise his brow. Had she just read his mind? "If you would."

"Ah, right," nodding his head, he simply takes in a deep breath before speaking the words. "Link Start!"

Probably unnecessary to shout like that, but he felt like it could be justified to a certain—

His thoughts are cut off as his perception of the rundown café is all but distorted now. Everything around him changes, and no longer does it look how it did mere moments ago.

Just like how he thought the café would look like in its prime, it's as if time had just rewound and the café had been reverted to its state a few years back. However, something odd is happening; blue smoke is wafting on the ground, and the cloth of the couches are blue. The seats next to the counter are all brand new, and cushioned blue. To the back, where the kitchen is, a purple fridge with other necessities like ovens, woks, knives and an assortment of other things.

His mind registers all of this just as quickly before he looks back to Vabel, preparing to ask her just what was it that he was seeing… before his breath was all but taken away.

Gone was the casual dress that she had come in. Now, she was clad in a black dress with purple accents, an absurdly large 'skirt'—if it could be called one—and shorts. And so many other details that certainly made her look stranger than how she was just mere moments ago because she's definitely cosplaying.

Well, he had very little reason to call her out for such. Cosplaying isn't exactly too odd in Japan, after all—it is the country that has made a name for itself due to its rich culture and… weirdness. So really, this shouldn't be too odd. But wow, she looks pretty.

That's not weird to think about, right?

"Vabel, what is this place..?" At this point, his heart might just stop with all the surprises that he was getting, and he might end up dead after all of it. And yet, somehow, he's managed to remain sane enough to witness for himself all the impossibilities that he's certain no one else has seen.

"This is Café Leblanc," she tells him, closing her eyes. "A café that does not exist in your world, yet in another… Well, that's enough for now. Now please, take a seat."

She gestures towards one of the tables, and he simply nods, making himself comfortable and looking around in unease. The blue smoke isn't exactly nauseating or dangerous to breathe in, but it does add a sense of mystery to this café, more than it already is.

Vabel, in her mysterious dress, stands beside the doorway next to the stairs that lead upstairs, possibly to the attic. He wonders why she's just standing there and staring forwards, not at him, but simply staring off into space.

His answer comes in the form of soft footsteps that come from the stairs, and who shows up almost makes him jump out of his seat.

"Ah, you've brought him here?" The voice is so unmatching with the face of its owner. And that chuckling was just so unsettling. "Hero… Welcome to Café Leblanc. Or should I say, my Velvet Room."

…Yeah. He's probably lost it.

Author's Notes:

Because someone has to do it, alright? This story must become a reality!

Two entire months before the game gets released worldwide. How about that, eh?

In case y'all don't know what's down, here's the basic gist of things; two weeks ago, a friend of mine brought up the topic of a collaboration between Persona 5 Royal and Sword Art Online, which showed up on SAO: MD's Japanese twitter page. It was insane, and I almost thought it was a joke!

But no, ladies and gentlemen, it is not a joke. Literally, there's a website for the collaboration. And on 4th February, there's going to be a live event explaining the details for the collab.

Mind you, I haven't even played Persona 5 Royal, but I have played its original predecessor, so I can kind of write this story. Maybe.

And that's it from me for now. Not a lot of people are excited for this collab. As for me, I'm personally interested in seeing how this collab will go. Take my word when I say I'll do my best to write a story that lives up to the name of both these franchises!