Chapter 2: Entering SAO!
By late afternoon, Keiko returned to the hospital, bringing dinner with her. After helping Hikaru eat, she asked gently, "I wasn't sure if the food would suit your taste, Hikaru…"
"Why wouldn't it?" Hikaru smiled as he relaxed on the bed. "Honestly, Keiko, I didn't expect you to be such a good cook."
"H-Huh?"
"I mean… getting injured might not be so bad after all."
"E-Eh?"
"Because now I get to taste your delicious cooking," he added with a wink.
"Y-You're teasing me again, aren't you…?" Keiko's face flushed a deep red, clearly flustered by his words.
They spent the rest of the evening chatting casually. After Keiko said goodbye and left the room, Hikaru stared at the small healing potion floating inside his system's inventory.
He narrowed his eyes. "System, if I travel to another world… does time still move here?"
[Once the host leaves a world, time in that world is temporarily frozen. The same applies to the destination world prior to your arrival.]
"…Oh?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow and then smiled.
That meant no time passed while he was away.
Which also meant—he could hop between worlds without worrying about consequences piling up in the background. That's... insanely overpowered.
Without hesitation, Hikaru popped the healing potion. In less than a second, all of his injuries vanished. He peeled off the bandages, changed into the school uniform left beside his bed, and opened the World Travel tab.
He tapped Yes without looking back.
In an instant, everything went dark.
And when the darkness faded—he found himself standing in a dim, narrow alleyway.
As he stepped out into the street, the system's voice echoed once more:
— — —
Mission 1:
Enter the game Sword Art Online and defeat 30 floor bosses solo.
Reward: 10,000 Exchange Points
Mission 2:
Clear the game within 3 years, or defeat Heathcliff with your own hands.
Reward: 13,000 Exchange Points
(Completing this mission allows you to leave the Sword Art Online world.)
Mission 3:
Successfully conquer Asuna Yuuki.
Reward: 50,000 Exchange Points
— — —
The first two missions were pretty standard.
But the third one… made his expression twitch.
"S-System... what the hell is that last one? Seriously? I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff!"
[The third mission is optional. All missions are assigned based on your subconscious desires.]
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
His eye twitched slightly.
Still… the reward was huge, and the target was tempting.
Hikaru took a deep breath and clenched his fists dramatically. "Very well, if it means saving this world—!"
[Host, please don't pretend. Follow your heart. These missions align with your true desires.]
"…Tch."
Hikaru facepalmed.
Then, stepping out of the alley, he muttered, "System, I don't have any money, no ID, no place to live. Shouldn't you have taken care of that?"
[Your identity has already been arranged. Please check the system space for your starter package.]
"You really are reliable…" he grinned, then opened the inventory.
Inside, he found an ID card and a bank card, neatly labeled and ready for use.
He immediately searched for a place selling NerveGears, bought one, and returned to the house the system had prepared for him—a small, cozy home just for him.
With SAO's official launch just two days away, Hikaru didn't have much to do. He spent his time resting and throwing questions at the system.
"Hey, when I log into SAO, what happens to my real body?"
[Your physical form will be protected by the system. Please focus solely on clearing the game.]
"…You're too good to me."
But just as he started feeling spoiled, the system reminded him:
[Since this is your first world transfer, the system will provide maximum protection and assistance. However, this benefit applies only once. In future worlds, you'll have to rely on your own strength.]
"So this is just a beginner's tutorial, huh…"
Nodding in understanding, Hikaru opened the skills list and browsed the store. With the 1000 points he had, he searched for something useful specifically for the SAO world.
After filtering through dozens of flashy abilities, only one stood out as genuinely practical:
— — —
Enhanced Neural Coordination
Cost: 300 Points
Description: Sharply increases the host's neural reflexes and physical agility beyond normal human limits.
— — —
In a world like SAO, that was practically broken.
He purchased it immediately.
And sure enough, he felt it—his movements sharper, his reflexes tighter. His control over his body was on a whole new level.
— — —
Two days passed in a blink.
Today was SAO's official launch.
Hikaru had eaten breakfast and was lying on his bed, holding the NerveGear in his hands. He checked the time one last time, then exhaled deeply.
Sliding the helmet over his head, he whispered:
"Link Start."
He chose to keep the same username: Kamikawa Hikaru.
After finishing character creation, he entered the game world.
A bright blue sky stretched above, fluffy clouds lazily drifting by. Elegant European-style architecture surrounded him.
Everything felt… real.
Blue sparks flickered nearby as more players materialized one after another. Hikaru glanced briefly at them, then turned and dashed toward the city gates.
Opening the map, he quickly located a beginner's hunting ground. Targeting wild boars was the most efficient way to level up early on.
Thanks to his new skill, Hikaru's reaction time far exceeded that of the average player.
— — —
Outskirts of the Town of Beginnings, Floor 1.
A wild boar lunged toward him—but Hikaru dodged with a swift sidestep and countered with a precise swing of his iron sword. The blade sliced clean through the creature, reducing it to particles of glowing light.
"…This feels too real to be a game," he muttered, gripping his sword tightly.
The sun was setting. He sheathed his weapon and sat down on a rock to rest.
A distant bell rang from the city center.
The view was beautiful—but Hikaru hadn't taken the time to appreciate it earlier. Now, he allowed himself a quiet moment.
But then—
His body suddenly shimmered and vanished.
Forced teleportation.
He reappeared in the main plaza—just like thousands of other players.
"What the hell?! Why did it teleport us?"
"Does anyone see the logout button? It's gone!"
"I tried logging out—nothing's working!"
Hikaru stood calmly at the edge, watching the growing panic.
Then, the sky turned blood red.
A figure in crimson robes descended from above, their face hidden in shadow.
"…Kayaba Akihiko," Hikaru murmured under his breath.
The man's voice echoed across the plaza:
"Welcome to my world. I am Kayaba Akihiko…"
After a lengthy explanation, he ended with chilling finality:
"This is your new reality. Good luck surviving."
And with that, the GM vanished.
Silence fell.
Then, chaos erupted.
But Hikaru didn't join in.
He clenched his fists and turned away from the square, walking swiftly out of the city.
Through the towering buildings and winding streets, he left the safety of the Town of Beginnings and headed straight into the Wilderness.
He knew that soon, players would flood the surrounding areas to hunt and grind. So he kept moving, pushing further and further out.
The farther he went, the tougher the monsters became.
After slaying a beast eight levels higher than himself, Hikaru collapsed to one knee, panting heavily. Without better gear or boosted stats, he could only rely on instinct and reflexes.
It was draining—mentally and physically.
"Level five… already. Man, this grind is brutal," he muttered through clenched teeth.
But he couldn't stop.
He wouldn't stop.
He knew the truth: even though his body was protected, dying here meant dying for real.
He had no room for mistakes.
"No more breaks."
Gripping his sword tighter, he stepped forward again.
A new monster spawned in the distance.
With a sharp breath, Hikaru launched into a sprint.
"Pierce!"
As he completed the initial motion of the Sword Skill, his blade glowed a brilliant crimson.
With a final burst of speed, he drove the sword straight into the creature's core—slaying it instantly.
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