HEY THERE YEAH I KNOW IT'S BEEN LONG….

I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT BUSY, MANY THINGS HAD COME UP

BUT KNOW I WAS ABLE TO COME BACK….

SO WITHOUT FURTHER A DUE "LINK START"

Academy City…

November 4th 2022

It had been a couple of months since Asuna had moved into the Tokiwadai outside dorm, and it appeared to be going ok for her she spends most of her time in her room as always just online game-playing, although sometimes she goes out with Misaka, though it was a pity that the first time they went out Touma couldn't go because of work, Asuna wanted to tease them for a while but o well, other than that she grew fond of Saten and Uiharu, but Kuroko was another story though she was a good girl she was fairly possessive and creepy when she first meet her, apparently she thought there was a 'thing' going on between Misaka and her. Though they asked a lot of questions about her she didn't tell them much, and even so they grew a close friendship.

Though today wasn't any normal day, today was the middle of the most awaited week for her, the week that would change her life forever….. for better… or for worse…

xTxTxTxTxTx

Touma was working as any other day in the restaurant in Academy City, the thing was that it was now rush hour and man was it heavy, "LERU I NEED ONE ORDER OF RAMEN!" the waitress yelled to the new boy, she was a good waitress in comparison of the rest she did her job with pride and always attended the people with a smile, she had a slim body, has light teal hair and a she is a little shorter than Leru, but her smile is amazing, her name is Layna, and Leru is quite the ladies-man he always had the attention of many girls that entered the restaurant, his golden hair, with his emerald and purple eyes he was a rare heterochromia person (condition where a person has both eyes of different color each) though most ladies like that aspect of him, he wasn't so fond of it, another one of his aspects was his muscularity though it wasn't as many other people he has a bit of muscle in his arms and legs as he constantly runs each morning, what Touma found amazing of him was the fact he never looked down on the rest and always helps out when help was wanted from him, all in all he was a nice and cool guy.

Touma was next to head chef the owner said he was going to take some vacations and promote him to head chef in no time, but still Touma as misfortunate as he is still spilled some food on the ground and burned himself many, many times.

"Coming right up!" Leru yelled form the kitchen he was doing well for a new kid, a level 3 Cryonesis user, he was a tall young man the age of Touma and Layna, sometimes his powers were of good use.

A couple hours later the heat of work went away and Touma was taking his half hour break, 'She's late again' he thought taking out his cellphone to look at the hour.

"Who you waitin' for this time, To-u-ma?" Layna asked sitting down at the table where he was, she was always smiling.

Touma looked up from his cellphone after sending a text, "Oh I'm waiting for Asuna, she said she was going to stop by at my lunch break to tell me something but she's late once again, Fukou-da" he sighed.

Layna looked at the time "You better order something before you're lunch break ends you know" she suggested.

Touma thought about it for a while but finally gave in, "Yeah you're right, care to join me?" he asked.

Layna smiled "Oh will I have the honor to eat with the master chef?" Layna teased.

Touma laughed as they got up to order there food "hehe, I'm not that good just yet come on let's order something before our break ends, I want to try out Leru's omelet"

Layna started to play with her light teal hair "Well I want to try out his ramen man did it look good, you better look out it's starting to top yours, and did you see the guy who I gave it to? He devoured it like if it was his last meal!"

Touma smiled "I now know why you keep on ordering ramen again and again, that guy ate like 10 bowls of ramen"

Layna looked into the kitchen "Hey Leru can you give me an order of your famous ramen?" she asked as she placed a bowl in front of him.

Leru smiled "Sure Layna, just give me a sec while I prep it, and don't give me credit give credit to the genius who showed me how to make it" he said while he pointed out his spatula to Touma.

Layna looked back at Touma with a killing glare "YOU SHOWED HIM HOW TO MAKE THE RAMEN AND YOU'VE NEVER SHOWEN ME!"

Leru seeing the danger ran out to make the ramen "Luck there Touma!"

Touma started to sweat drop "Layna look, uummm you never asked and well I had to show him how to make it he works in the- OUCH!" he was interrupted by Layna hitting him in the head.

"HUMP" Layna puffed as she stormed out of the kitchen and down to the table Touma sighed "Ah, Fukou-da why do all the girls hate me?" he asked himself.

xTxTxTxTxTx

A couple blocks away…

A girl wearing a Tokiwadai uniform could be seen running block though block.

"Darn it I'm late! I'm late!" she screamed through the streets she passed it had been a couple of minutes since she had received her best friends text reminding her that she was to meet him.

'Darn dorm supervisor, she's hard to get pass by even during the day!' she thought as she kept running, the said girl was one of the most popular girls in all Academy City even though she wasn't a level 5 (though close to reaching it) she was a level 4 Current Shift, mostly known by most as the princess of Tokiwadai Yuuki Asuna, because of her outstanding beauty.

She was on her way to meet up with her best friend Kamijou Touma, because she just received the best news that she could ever get, though she was running late.

'It's just around the corner' Asuna thought as she turned the corner and reached the door of the restaurant, walking into a sight that was a little confusing.

"Come on Layna I said I'm sorry can't you just forgive me?" Touma was almost kneeling with Layna's hand clasped in both of his.

"I don't know, I mean I did ask you to teach me how to cook that but you never had any time with the extra classed you take and you teach it to the new kid Leroy before me" Layna said hurtfully

"Name's Leru!" Came a scream from the kitchen, "Yeah, yeah!" Layna said.

"Look I'm sorry Layna please don't be mad at me I've known you since I work here, tell you what, tonight after work we go to my place and I'll teach you there deal?" Touma said.

Layna smiled "Oh ok, but if you don't show me today you're going to be sorry got it!" she threatened.

Touma smiled back seeing that his friend was ok now "Sure thing"

Layna turned at the door to see a Tokiwadai girl staring at them, "Asuna! You finally came!"

Touma turned to see Asuna staring at them "Yo! Asuna!"

Asuna started to walk towards the table, "Heya Touma see you getting along good with girls as always" Asuna teased noticing a blush from Layna "I-It's not what you think Touma was just saying he'd teach me how to cook ramen latter on" Layna said waving her hands.

Asuna laughed "I know, I know so… Layna how's work been?" Asuna asked as she sat down.

"Oh you know the usual work here work there, so what's gives us the honor for us to receive the visit from the Tokiwadai princess?" Layna asked bowing her head.

Asuna chucked she had met Layna since Touma started working here and she always was the outgoing and joking type always smiling "Well let's see I think it's because I need to talk with the prince of harem here"

"I told you I do not own a harem!" Touma yelled "Geez you need to stop talking to Tsuchimikado"

Asuna laughed "Yeah sure you don't, but anyways I'm here to tell you that, tomorrow morning I will be receiving both our nerve-gear and SAO games!" she said excitedly.

"SAO?" Layna asked.

"Yeah Sword Art Online, the worlds most anticipated game all year the beta testers were pretty clear that it was the best game and most best experience they had ever had." Asuna proudly stated.

"Oh that game, yeah my cousin was a beta but he is going away for a few weeks to America for some intensive classes and well he's passing the game to me he said the same thing about it being most wonderful." Layna said.

Asuna's expression changed into an even happier one "Great than we can play together; when does yours arrive?"

Layna thought about it for a while "Well my brother lives a little far away from here so I think that in a day or two days tops I'll have it, besides the server opens the 6th doesn't it?"

Asuna nodded then turned to Touma "So Touma… you coming over to check out the gear tomorrow?"

Touma nodded "Yeah sure at least I'll take a look at what has cost me my entire life-savings"

Layna laughed "Oh so that's why you didn't by that dessert you so eagerly wanted that day" she teased causing Touma to head drop "hehe you know you could have told me and I could have bought it for you" Layna said.

"Touma, Layna break's over!" the owner yelled from inside the kitchen.

"Well we gotta go Asuna see you later" Layna said as she went into the kitchen to get her waitress apron on.

Touma got up from the table collecting the plates "You know if you want you can stop by my place around at four, I'm teaching Layna to cook you're free to come to try it out"

Asuna got up as well grabbing her purse "As much as I'd love to Touma I have tons of homework to do and plus I don't want to get on the nerve of that dorm supervisor" she felt shivers go down her spine by the simple thought of the madam.

Touma laughed at the sight of just another girl terrorized by the said supervisor "You know you sound a lot like Misaka when you say that"

"Ha-ha, laugh all you want but you're just lucky you don't have to deal with her like we do." She said as she started to go to the door "well gotta go see you tomorrow morning" Asuna waved as she left.

Once Touma came back to the kitchen he was confronted by the new boy Leru "U-Um heya Touma"

Touma was taken aback by his newly found shyness "Yo! What's up Leru?"

Leru seemed to take in thought about his answer "Well I-I was wondering if you could present me to your friend?"

Touma was astonished by his request but smiled "That's kinda sudden…"

Leru didn't raise his head "I-It's just that I, w-well have seen her but I highly doubt she will talk to me just like that"

Touma chuckled "Have you ever tried it at least?"

Leru thought about that for a while "Umm well no, but-"

"Then give it a shot, Asuna is not the type to judge someone without getting to know him a little better" Touma interrupted.

"O-Ok I'll give it a shot!" Leru said still a bit un-sure of himself.

Touma thought of a day the situation could be good "Look we're going to hang out a day before the SAO server opens, you can join us if you want"

"Oh you bought the Nerve Gear as well?" Leru questioned

Touma took in Leru's words "Yeah, I suppose you bought it too?"

"Actually my-" Leru never finished

"LERU, TOUMA GET TO WORK!" the boss yelled at them,

"R-Right away sir!" Touma and Leru said

xTxTxTxTxTx

The next morning…

8:17 AM...

29 hours before SAO server starts…

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Touma's sleep was brutally disturbed by loud knockings on his door, he hesitantly and slowly opened his eyes and looked at the clock it was 8:17 AM in the morning "God who can it be at such hour?"

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

"Coming! Coming!" Touma yelled as he slowly got out of the bed and made his way towards the door he unlocked the door and turned the doorknob and suddenly the door flung open sending Touma to the ground.

"TOUMA! TOUMA! IT'S HERE!... ah Touma?" Asuna looked around the room looking for her dear friend, then she looked down at the ground and saw him lying half conscious.

Asuna smiled and kneeled down to him and gave him a few slaps waking him up, "Ah, Fukou-da why so early in the morning, God you hate me don't you?"

"No he just likes you less" Asuna joked as he gave out her hand to help him up.

Touma chuckled "He-he, that much I already know" he said as he took Asuna's hand.

"So where is it?" Touma inquired.

"Oh, wait here" Asuna said going out the door, a couple seconds later she came back in with a two boxes in her hand with two games on top.

"Here are you're life-savings" Asuna smiled, giving Touma a box and game.

Touma took the box to his bed then he started opening and took out the continents, he examined the game case "Into a world where a sword can take you anywhere hmmm?" he said as he the text on the back of the case.

Asuna was examining the nerve gear helmet "Wow, I can't believe that only this helmet is all you need to enter the virtual world"

Touma chuckled "Chee, that is if they actually work you know, given my bad luck I'm sure it will short circuit once I put it on and fry my brain"

Asuna elbowed him "Come on don't be so negative" she said as she moved into the room, she noticed he had moved his computer next to his bed, she smiled seeing as he was taking her petition serious.

A knock on the door made her turn and she saw that Leru, Touma's work partner was talking with him, and then Touma moved aside so he could come in "Yo! Asuna! Come and meet my work partner Leru"

Asuna came in close to them and extended her hand "Hey there, my name is Yuuki Asuna, nice to meet you"

Leru looked a little embarrassed but he took her hand "I'm Leru Mizuki, n-nice to meet you too"

Touma smirked at his co-workers embarrassed face, but he was happy that Asuna was getting to know more friends, suddenly his cellphone vibrated on the ground, Asuna saw it and picked it up for him "Here it's a message"

From: Layna

8:58 AM

Yo! Touma!

Mornin' I'm guessing you were still asleep and I woke you up, he he but anyways I just wanted to tell you that my cousin's game has just arrived, apparently it arrived earlier can you do me a favor and tell Asuna I lost her number she wrote on a napkin.

Thanks and take care Ja-ne

Touma showed the message to Asuna and her face lit up one again, "That's great news, now all she needs to tell us is her avatar name"

Leru looked at her "Oh yeah I remember Layna and Touma telling me about the game"

Asuna turned to him "You have the game as well?"

Leru nodded "Yeah I kinda nave some contacts, so I could get it, apart from that, I'm a little obsessed with online games, so sort of speak this is like a dream come true for me"

Asuna's eyes glittered "REALLY!? Me too I-"

Touma didn't get to hear the rest of the conversation because he went straight to go take a bath.

Unknown Location

2:30 PM

23 Hours Before SAO Server Starts….

In a hidden lab many people were up and about, it was a very busy day as well as important, a certain man was in the main room, looking outside the window with a cigarette in his mouth. Then a knock came on the door " Come in" the man said without turning around.

"Sir the program is complete" A man in a white robe said.

The man in the room took the cigarette out of his mouth and smiled "Good, now time for phase 2"

Tokiwadai Dorm

6:45 PM

19 Hours Before SAO Server Starts…

Asuna was walking along with Touma back to her dorm with her hands behind her back, and humming a certain song, it had been a good day for her, she had made a very good friend that had common interests. She had invited Leru to meet inside SAO with them, of course he accepted with a happy nod.

Right know she was just counting the minutes till the server opened, once they reached the dorm door she turned to face Touma "Ok Touma, you got how you were going to set-up everything right?" She asked with a doubtful voice.

Touma looked at her "Yeah, yeah, you explained it to me for approximate ten times Asuna!"

Asuna smirked "Good you better not mess up, I'll send a text to Layna and Mizuki to tell them the time we are going online"

Touma smiled "Ok, well I gotta go I got the early shift, all because I need to play a game tomorrow" he said as he sighed 'Fukou-da'

Asuna opened the door to her dorm "Yeah see you Touma take care!" she said as she went in.

Touma smirked and started walking into the dusk, with a hint of excitement….

Academy City

November 6th 2022

SAO Server Opens…

And so the day, hour, minute and second of waiting came to an end, the Sword Art Online Server had officially come online, player behind player were already connecting themselves into the game.

Asuna texted Layna, Leru and Touma on the time they were going in, at 2:00 PM, computers were being turned on, games were being loaded, and helmets were being put on.

Asuna sat on her bed assimilating the excitement she was having, she slowly turned her computer on and put the game in and with that same speed she put the Nerve Gear helmet on and lay on her bed.

Touma on the other hand was for the first time in his life having a good day, with no bad luck at all the time Asuna had said came, and truth be told he was rather anxious and excited, he quickly turned his computer on and put in the game without haste along with the helmet, and he laid on his bed.

And almost in a unified voice, many, many people around Academy City said with much excitement, happiness and hope in their voice two words, not knowing that those two words would be those that would forever mark a difference in their lives, those words were….

"LINK START!….."

SO THAT'S THAT I HOPE YOU LIKED IT…

I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE TO LONG TO UPDATE AND WELL…

DON'T FORGET TO RATE AND REVIEW…

THANKS FOR READING HOPE YOU KEEP ON READING

UNTIL NEXT TIME….

DARMAN700 OUT…