Sword Art Online: Another Reality

Tuesday 24th 2022.

Very early in the morning, around six, Sharia checked out of the inn.

After borrowing a black cloak from the NPC who managed the inn, he immediately left the Town of Beginnings.

Running northwest, the cold winds brushed against Sharia's body as he dashed across the open fields without looking back.

He had made sure all his equipment and items were intact before he set out.

He didn't and couldn't guess how far the village would be from here. While he was able to make a route out of the map, it was still extremely vague.

After all, one can't use a map alone to measure the distance and time it would take to get there.

Unless one is using a GPS, but that isn't the case here in SAO.

[Equipment]

[One-handed Iron Longsword]

[Attack: 50]

[Defense: 35]

He had equipped the Iron Longsword for now and would save the other two for later.

Just as expected, along the path to the forest, monsters began to spawn on the roadside.

"Hm? Am I that far from the town already?"

Sharia mused as he continued forward without stopping, looking at the monster spawning in front of him.

It was a monster with a wolf-like appearance but with glaring red eyes. Its legs, face, tip of its tail, and inside of its ears were covered in white fur, while its back and stomach were dark brown.

[Dire Wolves]

[Lv 4]

Normally, seeing this monster would have put non-beta tester or otherwise newbie players into a panic.

However, with a calm breath, Sharia drew out the Iron Longsword from its sheath at his waist. "Sorry, but...."

[Cross Arc Activated]

Sharia drew the longsword from its sheath as he paused right in front of the monster that pounced on him.

The first move started with an overhead horizontal strike, and almost immediately after making the first move, Sharia twisted his body and followed with a vertical slash.

As the name of the skill implies, it was indeed a cross arc.

"I don't have time for you."

[Dire Wolf] 

[HP 0%] 

The monster, hit by an attack faster than it could process, paused in the air before bursting into fragments of light, prompting Sharia to continue further.

[Cross Arc Proficiency (LV 1): 100/100]

[Cross Arc Proficiency has been levelled up to 2]

[Cross Arc Proficiency (Lv 2): 0/1,000]

[Sword Mastery Proficiency: +5]

[Sword Mastery Proficiency (Lv 4): 1,017/100,000]

"As expected," he muttered, glancing at the menu with a side eye. Even a [Lv 4] monster provided so little experience. With this in mind, Sharia sped up his pace.

The Town of Beginnings is located on the southern end of the floor, resting over the edge of the floating castle.

Just right outside the Town of Beginnings, the area around the town is surrounded by grasslands, where it also serves as a hunting ground for newbie players.

Typical monsters that can be found around the grasslands are boar, wolf-type, worms, beetles and wasp-type insect monsters.

Northwest of the Town of Beginnings, there is a deep forest region, while the Northeast is a lake region.

If one wants to reach a significantly more dangerous regions, one mast pass either of those regions above.

Most beta-tester by now would have been levelling up around those areas. And most of them will have begun to monopolize hunting areas, which isn't the best especially for newbie players.

[1st Floor: Horunka]

Of all the settlements located on the first floor of the floating castle. One of these was named Horunka.

Horunka is a village located to the northwest of the Town of Beginnings. It consists of ten buildings, including an inn, a weapon shop, and a tool shop.

Soon. Sharia arrived at this village.

"Wow," he muttered as he looked around.

It was now exactly 7:40 AM, meaning he had spent more than an hour getting here. But that wasn't his main concern.

On his way, he had killed several monsters that attacked him, but their levels were too low for him to gain any significant benefit.

After considering his plans, Sharia nodded.

"Let's spend a little time here before continuing."

Moving around the small village. Other than the NPC going as per their programmed route. The small village was rather, scarce.

"Maybe this place is an unexplored area?"

Sharia thought as he wandered the small village, but soon gave up that idea. For all he knows, a certain beta with the initials K might have been here.

"If that's the case."

"Then, I shouldn't stay here for long."

Muttering under his breath, he marked this place on his map before proceeding further.

One of the most important things to do in SAO is mapping certain areas, as they would not only be useful for a player, but countless others too.

It was often a common thing, sharing mapped areas to other players who have yet to explore an area yet.

Hence, along the way, he did so. And after mapping the way over to [Horunka], he decided to continue.

Depending on the situation may be, he might return to this village later.

....

....

The forest area was one of the more dangerous regions on the first floor.

At this stage, except for some beta testers, ordinary players wouldn't venture here. Sharia naturally remained highly vigilant.

Upon entering the forest, he drew his [Iron Longsword] from his waist. Walking along the path, Sharia entered the forest.

Despite the potential dangers, the forest scenery was beautiful. After all, Kayaba Akihiko was a perfectionist and an idealist.

Since he created this game, he naturally strived for the best. With his obsessive thoughts, he made Aincrad's scenery beautiful beyond reality.

However, despite the beauty of the scenery, Sharia didn't stop or relax his vigilance.

After walking deep into the forest for a while without encountering any monsters, Sharia frowned.

This was a forest where high-levelled monster spawns, not the plains around the Town of Beginnings.

Monsters couldn't be so sparse unless.....

"Perhaps, someone else got here first," Sharia muttered, narrowing his eyes before quickening his pace, dashing past the trees and using them for cover.

[Stealth has been acquired]

[Stealth Proficiency (Lv 1): +100]

[Stealth Proficiency has leveled up.]

[Required Proficiency for the next level (Lv 2): 0/1,000]

Sure enough, as he moved closer, he heard the sounds of battle up ahead.

Gripping his Iron Longsword tightly, he moved forward slowly until he found a bush patch to hide behind.

Looking straight ahead, he saw a horde of plant-type monsters.

[Little Nepenthes]

[Lv 9]

'The fuck? What part of that monster is little?' Sharia thought.

The monster stood a meter and a half tall, its lower body consisting of countless roots used for movement. But that wasn't the main point here.

Amidst the horde of plants, a figure could be seen, seemingly on the brink of being overwhelmed.

'Shit,' Sharia cursed.

Most of the monsters were [Lv 9] and above, with their names written in yellow. This meant he would be in a disadvantage, especially with their numbers.

Yes. However, for Sharia, it wasn't a matter of numbers.

After hesitating and thinking it over, Sharia inhaled deeply, gripping his Iron Longsword.

Just as he did, he noticed an opened treasure chest not far from where the horde was.

He instantly understood. 'It was a trap, and that person over there fell for it spectacularly.'

If he remembered correctly, Kayaba Akihiko had changed some settings from the beta test, such as treasure chest spawn points, turning treasure chests into traps, and even changing the skills of beta test bosses.

Given the current player strength, even beta testers had a high chance of dying to treasure chest traps.

Seeing the figure in front in such danger, Sharia decided to help.

Oh, do not quote him wrong.

He isn't a saint who believes he can save everyone from the death game. However, if there is someone in front that needs help and he's capable of helping, then he would do so.

Grinding his teeth, he dashed straight out from the bush, directly activating his [Sword Skill: Direct Thrust].

[Direct Thrust Proficiency (Lv 3): +150]

Piercing through the air like a sharp wind, Sharia turned into a streak of creamy white light as he pierced two Little Nepenthes in one hit.

SHIIIRE

With his actions, Sharia had already drawn the aggro of the monsters, but seeing as he was able to dispatch the first two in two hits.....

He became.... a little bit overconfident.

Dodging an attack from the vine-like forelimbs of the Little Nepenthes, he twisted his longsword, performing a reverse slash and activating his [Sword Skill: Cross Arc].

[Cross Arc Proficiency (Lv 2): +150]

The longsword glowed yellow as Sharia performed a cross cut on the monster's vine. But he didn't stop there.

Dashing towards the monster that had attacked him, he cut several other vines that approached him before landing a hit on the monster.

As he did that, he then jumped into the air, descending on one from above in a streak of creamy white light.

[Sword Skill: Direct Thrust] had been activated for the second time.

[Direct Thrust Proficiency (Lv 3): +150]

The person Sharia had saved silently watched in awe.

They naturally were about to warn him; however, seeing him dominate the monsters around was quite a shock for them.

But Sharia, at this moment, was in the zone.

At some point, he had just begun spamming his two sword skills over and over again.

Since the monster's levels were higher than that of the killer mantis and were greater in number, Sharia saw no problem in doing this.

But of course, it wasn't easy for Sharia either; he had lost some HP and Stamina in the process, but it wasn't enough to bother him.

There were currently seven left.

[Little Nepenthes]

[Lv 11]

It was clear at a glance that they were on a different level than the ones he had just eliminated.

However, taking the phrase "never back down, never give up" a little too seriously, Sharia dashed at them. But it was not without a plan.

Naturally, their attack patterns were easy to read.

Other than the vines they send for their first attack, they can also spit out corrosive substances capable of damaging players' equipment.

PTOI!

Just as he thought. After dodging the vine attacks, the next was the corrosive spray attack.

The rest he had killed didn't have time for such attacks, as he was able to overwhelm them easily.

However, there was quite a little distance between them and him. While their corrosive spray does pose a threat to the players, the area of effect is limited to thirty degrees in front of the plant monster.

With some calculations, seeing the attack incoming, Sharia immediately sidestepped, heading towards a nearby tree for a lift.

Of course he would; there wasn't only one, but six of them after all.

Arriving in front of the tree, without even thinking and just believing in his gut, Sharia stepped on the tree and started, running on it.

From there, he backflipped. Activating his [Sword Skill: Direct Thrust] once more, becoming a streak of light, plunging on one of the six.

[Direct Thrust Proficiency (Lv 3): +150]

While the Little Nepenthes are primarily specialized for attack, they have weak defence.

And to Sharia who posses a high level of attack thanks to upgraded proficiency in skills, he would almost hit a critical damage on each attack.

At this point, it had become clear to the Nepenthes.

Although they may be monsters, but that didn't mean monsters too don't have their own awareness.

Seeing as the human wasn't the average player that would get done in by attacking them in swarms, the monsters froze, as they saw Sharia approaching them.

SHIIIE!

SHIIE?

SHII...EEE

Momentarily they froze, before bursting into fragments of light.

"Haah. Haah. Haah."

Sharia, having overworked himself collapsed onto the ground, as he breathed heavily before it turned into laughter.

"Hahahaha."

It wasn't the laughter of a crazy person. But a laughter of someone who had become aware of his strength.

'Yeah, I'll think twice before jumping into situations like this next time.'

[17 Little Nepenthes Slain]

[Sharia]

[Hp: 68%]

[Level 7 — Level 9]

[Calculating total of proficiency gained.]

[Direct Thrust Proficiency (Lv 3): +1,400]

[Direct Thrust was used to dispatch 10 Little Nepenthes.]

[Cross Arc Proficiency (Lv 2): +1,050]

[Cross Arc was used to dispatch 7 Little Nepenthes.]

[Sword Mastery Proficiency (Lv 4): +3,450]

[Overall:]

[Vertical Slash Proficiency (Lv 3): 4,990/10,000]

[Horizontal Slash Proficiency (Lv 3): 5,510/10,000]

[Cross Arc Proficiency (Lv 3): 50/10,00]

[Direct Thrust Proficiency (Lv 3): 1,410/10,000]

[Sword Mastery Proficiency (Lv 4): 4,462 /100,000]

[Negotiation Proficiency (Lv 2): 0/1,000]

[Stealth Proficiency (Lv 2): 0/1,000]

[Cols Gained: 300 cols per each Nepenthes]: [5,100]

[Cols: 5,145]