RE;Sword Art Online

Floor 1: Town of Beginnings – Outer Wall of Renteia, West Field

"Ahh... ha... UWAAH!"

The sword sliced through the air—and hit nothing. A split second later, the blue boar—surprisingly fast for its bulky size—charged forward with full force.

BAM!

The impact sent him flying through the air before he tumbled down the grassy hill, rolling like a ragdoll. After getting hit by the boar's flat nose he finally came to a stop, groaning in pain, clutching himself. "Argh... my crotch… damn it..."

I burst into laughter, unable to hold it in.

Klein's roughly handsome face twisted into an unsightly grimace, his expression somewhere between confusion and frustration.

"Hahaha! Stop, stop! You're killing me with that reaction!"

"That bastard…" Klein grumbled, still holding his lower half like he'd just suffered a fatal blow.

I shook my head, smirking. "Cut it out, Klein! Come on, it's not that painful… is it?"

He suddenly paused, processing what I had just said. His exaggerated reaction came to a full stop.

"…Yeah, you're right. It isn't painful at all."

I sighed, pressing my fingers against my forehead.

"Klein, the pain system in this game is only at 4%. You can still feel something, but it's just a light bump."

Klein dusted himself off as he stood up. "I couldn't help myself, huh?" He scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly.

He resumed and kept swinging, using the same sword skill over and over again, yelling with each strike.

His movements were still clumsy, but he seemed determined—maybe he thought spamming the skill would help him improve.

I let out a small sigh and looked around, deciding to leave him to it for now.

The endlessly stretching plains were bathed in a warm red glow as the sun began to dip below the horizon. To the north, a dense forest stood in the distance, its shadow stretching across the land. To the south, a sparkling lake reflected the fading sunlight, shimmering like liquid gold. Far to the east, I could just make out the tall stone walls that enclosed the city. And to the west, the sky seemed limitless, fading into an ocean of golden clouds, drifting lazily toward the horizon.

We stood on the vast plains stretching west of the Starting City of Renteia, located at the northern edge of the first floor of the colossal floating castle—Aincrad.

Normally, there should have been countless players scattered across the field, battling monsters and grinding for experience.

But due to the sheer size of the area, not a single one was visible.

his legs are started to shake.

"Seems like he's a little dizzy." I sighed again. "Not like that. The first movement is important, Klein."

He furrowed his brows, glancing at me with a slightly annoyed expression. "But Kirito, even if you say that... I can't do anything about the fact that it's moving."

The blue boar suddenly lunged forward.

Klein, caught up in our conversation, left himself completely open—forgetting that the boar was still aggressive toward whoever attacked it.

I stepped in without hesitation.

In an instant, I took a stance and activated [Dash], closing the gap in a blink. My sword flashed as I unleashed [Quick Slash]—a clean, precise strike.

The boar shattered like fragile glass, bursting into countless polygons that vanished into thin air.

"See that, Klein? This is how you do it."

Kirito glanced at his loot and began explaining.

" Here's what I got from that, Wild Boar Fang. This one is just a trash loot item you can sell it to the NPC vendors, it's not worth much, only 15 silvers."

He tapped the screen lightly, pointing at another item.

"Now, this—Boar Thick Skin—is a bit more useful. It's a life skill item used for knitting carpets. You can put it on the market for 20-30 silver, or sell it to vendors for a lower price—about 11 silvers."

Then, as he scrolled further, his smile brightened as he pointed the last item inventory.

"And this—Boar Meat." He smirked. "You can cook this with salt and other ingredients to make some food! And it actually tastes pretty good." his expressions sadden a little, "But you could sell it to vendors at 13 silvers, or you trade it to players"

Kirito turned his head slightly, giving off a cool, effortless vibe—or so he thought.

Klein's eyes widened in awe. "Whoa! You're so cool! How'd you do that?!"

I felt a little embarrassed, scratching the back of my head.

"Hmm… how should I explain this?"

I crossed my arms, thinking for a moment before speaking.

"It's not like you go 'one, two, three, then strike.' It's more like… you gather a bit of energy, and then—as soon as you feel the skill activate—BAM! You just let it flow, and you feel the hit land on the monster."

Klein blinked, his face full of confusion. "Bam, eh…?"

"…Heh?" I cleared my throat. "That was just a simple combo of basic skills. Anyone can do it, including you."

Klein suddenly leaned in, throwing an arm around my shoulder, his face way too close for comfort. His eyes practically sparkled with admiration.

"Hey, teach me, Master Kirito!" he said jokingly, flashing a grin and a wink.

I sighed, my smile turning a bit awkward. "Alright, alright—just get off me first, dude."

"First open your skill library"

"How do I do that?"

Kirito stood with a relaxed posture, one hand on his waist while the other tapped lightly in the air, helping Klein visualize the process.

"Alright, I'll explain it thoroughly. You can access it like this", taps the air. "first, Inventory by tapping and scrolling down your finger like this you can access it, and for Character Equipment's tap and scroll up, and the Character Skills tap and scroll left, Menu is tap and scroll right." I nodded. "Got that, that should be easy."

Klein gave a confident nod. "Oh, that's easy enough." He tapped the air and scrolled left; his Character Skills appeared. "There. I can see it now."

"So, to share what's on your screen, tap the eye icon in the top right corner. Once you do, you can share your skill library, allowing other players to view them." I pointed at Klein's menu.

Kirito continued, tapping on Klein's skill window. "These are the basic attack skills that all players start with. And these greyed-out boxes here? Those are your special skills. You'll unlock them once you reach Level 3."

Klein furrowed his brows. "Alright… but how do I actually activate them properly?"

Kirito nodded, already expecting the question. "If you begin the correct motion, the system will take over and execute the sword skill for you. Watch closely, Klein."

He took a stance, Kirito's expression turned serious, then. His sword began to glow, a faint streaks of light tracing along its edge. In a flash, he executed [Penetrate I]—a quick, short-distance thrust that seemed to blur through the air.

"This skill has 1.2-meter dash range and it deals 45 attack damage, this has a 7% Crit Damage bonus, and costs 4.5 stamina. The cooldown is 25 seconds."

Klein watched in silence, taking in every movement.

Kirito shifted his stance, preparing for another demonstration. "For this one, the important part is your upper body—specifically, your shoulders and arms."

A sudden gust of wind swept past as he executed [Quick Slash], his sword cutting through the air in a clean, precise arc.

"This is [Quick Slash]—a fast single strike with 55 base attack damage, a 2% Crit Chance, and a 1.5% Crit Rate. The cooldown is much shorter—only 0.7 seconds. The damage scales with your gear and stats, but it costs 15 mana."

Klein watched intently, absorbing every detail.

I turned to Klein with an amused smile. "Now, try it on the Blue boar."

Klein shuddered, caught off guard. "EH?! What?! Now?!"

"Yeah, don't be shy," I replied sarcastically. "Use [Double Slash I]."

Before he could protest further, I bent down and picked up a small pebble from the undergrowth. Holding it above my shoulder, I moved deliberately—just enough for the system to detect the motion of a sword skill.

The pebble began to glow faint green, a clear sign that the system had registered it. Then, without thinking, my left hand moved on its own, and the pebble shot forward, tracing a thin line of light through the air.

Smack!

It struck the boar right between the eyebrows and show my damage number.

*Ggiik!*

The creature squealed in fury, whipping its head around toward me, its aggression now fully locked on.

"Now, you don't have to worry," I added casually.

Klein took a stance, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply.

I watched him, barely holding back a chuckle.

"This guy is so dramatic."

While muttering under his breath like some kind of spell, Klein raised his cutlass, gripping it tightly in his right hand.

I cocked my head, casually blocking the boar's charge with my own sword, and shouted a reminder to him. "Remember, Klein! Motion… motion… they're not training dummies!"

Even though I was teasing him, I understood exactly what he was feeling right now, I had two months of experience ahead of him.

Klein's eyebrow twitched in irritation. "Damn it, Kirito! Don't distract me!"

I smirked, but I let him focus.

Even though the blue boar, officially called [Frenzy Boar], was just a level one monster, Klein had already lost almost half his HP, reckless swings that left him open to counterattacks. Well, even if he died, he'd just respawn back at the [Starting City], but running all the way back out here would be annoying.

Inhale, exhale.

After taking a deep breath, Klein lowered his stance, raising his sword as if resting it on his shoulder.

This time, the system registered his pose correctly, and in response, the arcing blade slowly began to glow.

Then—

"Ha!"

With a sharp exhale, Klein's sword flared with energy, and he lunged forward—his movement sharper, more precise—completely different from before.

This was it.

Swish—!

A crisp slicing sound echoed as his sword cuts through the air, this was [Double Slash I], a basic skill with two consecutive attacks. 30 attack damage at first slash and 25 attack damage in second slash with a crit chance of 2%, and a crit rate of 3%, a 1s cooldown, the damage scales with gear and stats same with [Quick Slash]. The mana costs is 20.

Klein's one-handed curved sword slashed cleanly into the boar's neck, causing its HP bar to drop by half. Without wasting a second, he followed up with [Quick Slash I], his blade cutting through the air in a swift, precise strike.

The final blow carved through the last of the Frenzy Boar's HP, reducing it to nothing.

"Guekk—!"

The creature let out a pitiful cry before its large body shattered like glass, breaking into polygons. Bright purple numbers flickered in the air, showing the experience points we gained.

Klein's face lit up like a child on his birthday, his excitement overflowing. "Ye~a~h!" he struck an over-the-top victory pose, a huge grin stretching across his face as he raised his left hand.

Without thinking, Kirito raised his hand, meeting in a satisfying high-five, the sharp clap echoing through the field.

And it was only now that he was experiencing the exhilarating feeling of defeating an enemy with his own hands.

Kirito said with a slight nod. "Congrats on your first kill," Then, crossing his arms, he commented "that boar was, is as weak as slimes in other games."

Klein froze, his triumphant expression cracking. "Huh? Seriously? I thought it was a mid-level boss or something."

Kirito let out a small chuckle, as if he's enjoying Klein's misery a little too much. He laugh "of course not,"

Klein's short-lived celebration quickly turned into disappointment, his excitement fading.

Kirito added, "Now, you need to learn the escape skills—[Dash I], [Roll I], and [Blink I]. Mastering these basic skills will keep you alive out here."

Klein was speechless.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot—[Parry I], [Block I], and knowing when to use [Buff I] correctly."

His grin turned slightly sadistic. "You're gonna love this part... grinding."

Klein's face immediately drained of color, his expression turning pale and lifeless, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

"...Damn it."

I patted his shoulder with a smirk. "Don't worry, I'll tank it."

-

Some time passed.

The sound of heavy panting filled the air, sweat dripping down Klein's face.

Finally, seemingly satisfied, he let out a big exhale—"Phew."

With a thud, he collapsed onto the soft grass, arms spread wide, letting the gentle breeze wash over him as the blades of grass swayed.

I watched him for a moment before sighing and sheathing my sword on my back, my smile turning slightly forced.

Klein stared blankly for a while, taking in the vast stretching plains around us.

I found myself doing the same, my gaze drifting across the breathtaking scenery before us.

"But really... no matter how many times I look around like this, I still can't believe this is inside a game." Klein smile softened, his expression calm and full of appreciation as he took in the sheer beauty of the world.

I shrugged. "Well, even if you say 'inside,' it's not like our souls were sucked into the game or anything. Our brains are just processing what the NerveGear sends instead of using our real eyes and ears."

Klein suddenly shot up seated on the grass, puffing out his chest and pouting like a kid.

"You might be used to it now, but for me, this is my first time doing a FullDive! Isn't it awesome? Seriously… it's a relief I was born in this era!"

I smirked. "You're exaggerating."

But as I laughed, I couldn't deny it—I completely agreed with him.

NerveGear.

That was the name of the hardware that powered this VRMMORPG—Sword Art Online.

Unlike the old generations of gaming devices—things like flat-screen monitors, handheld consoles, and even early VR headsets—this machine was in a league of its own.

The NerveGear wasn't just an upgraded interface—it was a full-dive system. A single, streamlined device that covered the entire head and face, cutting off all external sensory input.

Inside, it was equipped with countless signal transceivers, capable of accessing the user's brain directly. Instead of using eyes to see or ears to hear, the NerveGear bypassed them entirely, sending electronic signals straight to the brain.

But it didn't stop there.

The NerveGear stimulated all five senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and even smell. It created an experience so realistic that once inside, the line between reality and illusion blurred.

All it took was slipping the device on, locking the strap under your chin, and speaking the activation command— "Link Start."

The world immediately faded to black.

For a brief moment, everything was silent.

Then, a glowing, rainbow-colored ring appeared in the darkness—once passed, the body was left behind, and the mind was transported into a world made entirely of data.

A world that felt just as real as the one they had left behind.

So...

More than half a year ago, this machine which started selling in 5th of January, 2049 successfully created a Virtual Reality. The electronics company which created the Nerve Gear called the actual act of linking to the virtual reality...

FullDive.

A total disconnection from reality—a state so immersive that the word "full" was no exaggeration.

The reason was simple.

The NerveGear didn't just simulate the five senses—it hijacked them completely. It didn't just send fake sensory signals; it also blocked and rerouted the signals that the brain sent to the body.

That was the key to moving freely in a virtual world.

If the body still responded while in FullDive, then the moment a player decided to "run," they'd likely crash headfirst into a wall.

But because the NerveGear intercepted the commands from the brain, Klein and I could move our avatars freely, swinging our swords without restraint.

At this moment, we weren't just playing the game.

We had completely leapt into it.

The sheer immersion of this experience was addicting—so much so that gamers like me could never go back to the old ways of gaming.

Touchscreens? Motion sensors?

They were nothing compared to this.

Klein stared at the wind sweeping through the plains, his gaze drifting to the castle walls in the distance, his eyes glistening with actual tears.

I noticed and ask. "So, SAO is the first game you've played on the NerveGear?"

Klein, looking like a calmly handsome battle-worn warrior straight out of the Sengoku period, slowly turned his head toward me and nodded.

"Yeah."

If he wore a serious expression on his face, he had an impressive bearing about him worthy of an actor from a historical play.

Of course, this was far from his real appearance in the outside world.

This was just an avatar—a digital body crafted from customization menus and preset options, nothing more than data given form.

Of course, I looked like a ridiculously handsome protagonist straight out of a fantasy anime.

A tall character with a well-built, athletic physique, lean yet defined, with light abs subtly visible beneath my gear.

My sharp, dark eyes held a look of focus and quiet thoughtfulness, framed by thin, well-shaped eyebrows that added to my composed demeanor.

My face was youthful yet mature, carrying a serious yet calm expression reflecting a sense of quiet determination, and a smooth light skin. My jawline was straight and well-defined, giving me a sharp, striking appearance.

My medium-length black hair was slightly messy, with uneven strands falling naturally around my face, effortlessly adding to my cool aesthetic.

Everything about my appearance gave off a sense of quiet confidence—the kind that fit perfectly for a character in a virtual world.

An image of the person I wanted to be.

Klein continued in his low, vigorous voice, which (of course) was completely different from his real one.

"Well, to be exact, I pre-ordered the hardware in a rush right after pre-registering for SAO. The NerveGear sold out ridiculously fast, you know? It's a miracle I even got one on launch day—otherwise, I would've had to wait half a year."

He let out a small sigh before adding, "Guess I was really lucky I saved up my entire month's allowance..."

Then, his gaze shifted to me, a hint of envy in his eyes.

"Well, if I think about it, you were ten times luckier when you got picked for beta testing. They only chose five thousand players worldwide!"

I shrugged. "Ah, yeah... I suppose."

He kept staring at me.

I Feel a little uncomfortable, I unconsciously scratched my head.

I quickly shifted the topic to hide my awkwardness. "Ah, you're level 2 now, right?"

Klein blinked, looking momentarily dumbfounded before nodding. "Hmm! Yeah, I'm level 2."

I nodded. "Alright! Let's check your skills"

Klein furrowed his brows, trying to recall the process. "Hmm… how do I do it again?" He hesitantly raised his finger, muttering to himself. "First… tap and scroll left."

A light blue menu screen suddenly appeared in front of him.

His eyes lit up. "There! I got it!".

I remembered it like it was yesterday—the excitement and enthusiasm that Sword Art Online stirred when it was first announced across the media.

The NerveGear had revolutionized gaming, bringing the dream of FullDive to life. But despite the groundbreaking hardware, its early software lineup was underwhelming.

Most of the first games were simple puzzles, educational programs, or environment simulations—far from the thrilling experiences gamers like me craved.

For those of us addicted to true gaming, it was frustrating.

NerveGear can truly render a virtual reality.

But in those early games, you could only walk 100 meters before hitting an invisible wall—a huge letdown for anyone dreaming of true immersion.

For hardcore gamers like me, who had already tasted the thrill of being inside a game, it was inevitable that we would start craving something bigger.

We weren't just looking for another single-player experience.

We wanted a true network-based game—one that would let millions of players log in, train their characters, fight epic battles, and fully live inside a digital world.

In other words—we were waiting for a VRMMORPG.

And just when that anticipation reached its breaking point, the first-ever VRMMORPG was finally announced.

Sword Art Online was the first game to prove it.

A game set in a massive floating castle with 100 floors waiting to be conquered.

The players lived in a vast world filled with forests, lakes, and endless challenges—relying only on their swords, skills, and determination to push forward.

Their goal was simple, yet daunting: find the route to the upper floors, battle through countless monsters, and ascend endlessly toward the top.

The NerveGear didn't just simulate a game.

It had the power to render an entire reality.

A second world, a place we can call it home.