"The Grand Villain of Multiverse

"Combine five chapters into one, and please leave a comment if you find any mistakes or misspelled names."

"Main Quest 1:Villain's Dream!"

Quest Description: As a villain who spies on the heroine and even resorts to questionable means to "train" Asuna, you must naturally inherit your predecessor's ambitions—uh, dreams!

Quest Objective: Win Asuna (Yuuki Asuna)'s heart within three years!

Quest Reward: Unlockable upon completion.

"Main Quest 2: Defeat Kayaba Akihiko!"

Quest Description: Once a classmate of Kayaba Akihiko, you were overshadowed by his achievements and reputation. Refusing to remain as a mere footnote to his brilliance, you've devoted significant effort to surpassing him. However, you're still lagging behind.

Quest Objective: Outperform Kayaba Akihiko in any way—be it through strength, intellect, or gaming skills!

Quest Reward: Unlockable upon completion.

"Complete either of these quests to pass the Villain Trial. Completing both will earn you a higher evaluation!"

"Note: You have now entered the world of Sword Art Online in place of Sugou Nobuyuki. All individuals connected to him will address you by his name. You will also inherit all of his memories, properties, and relationships!"

"Friendly Reminder: Failing to complete either quest will have severe consequences!"

"Seriously… What the hell?! These tasks are insane! Could this get any worse?!"

In a slightly messy study, a man named Morin sat in a chair, holding his forehead in his hand. He stared at the translucent screen visible only to him, then glanced around the unfamiliar room. The bookshelves were filled with heavy volumes labeled in both Japanese and English, none of which belonged to his previous home.

"What the… Did I offend a god or something?"

No, correction: Morin had caught the attention of a bored deity.

It had all started when Morin, bored as usual, was browsing a popular online forum. A pinned thread titled "What would you do if you transmigrated?" caught his attention. Curious, he skimmed through posts about people fantasizing about becoming protagonists or original characters. Feeling cheeky, he replied, "Transmigrating as a protagonist? Boring. If I were to transmigrate, I'd go all out as a villain!"

To his surprise, someone responded almost immediately in golden text:

"Are you sure you want to be a villain?"

Without hesitation, Morin replied, "Of course! These protagonists with their plot armor are boring. If I were a villain, I'd crush them underfoot. Now that's interesting!"

The golden reply followed:

"As you wish."

And before Morin could process it, everything went black.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a neatly decorated room. Memories of Sugou Nobuyuki, a notorious villain in Sword Art Online, flooded his mind.

"This is just great…"

It took Morin about ten minutes to piece together what had happened. He had been sent to the world of Sword Art Online to replace Sugou Nobuyuki and was now tasked with completing two main quests as a villain. Faced with the reality of his situation, Morin could only grimace.

Who would have thought transmigration was real? As he surveyed his surroundings and recalled the foreign memories in his head, he had no choice but to accept the truth: a bored god had indeed sent him to the world of Sword Art Online, forcing him to play the role of one of its most despised villains.

He tried everything—searching for a stats panel or a system assistant, but found nothing. All he had was the quest interface, which mocked him with its absurd objectives.

Win Asuna's heart? Defeat Kayaba Akihiko? Morin couldn't help but laugh bitterly. All he had gained was Sugou Nobuyuki's knowledge and a frail body. Asuna and Kayaba weren't just difficult targets—they were practically impossible.

While Sugou's memories would allow Morin to work as a VR game developer or live off his savings in comfort, his quest objectives left him no room to relax. Neither Asuna nor Kayaba were easy marks, and any attempt to avoid the quests outright would likely invite the wrath of the god who sent him here.

November 5, 2022

After some planning, Morin confirmed the launch date of SAO was the next day. Determined to prepare, he posted several bounty questions on popular gaming forums and called an old acquaintance:

"Hello? Is this Left Village-senpai? This is Morin… Yes, I wanted to ask about the SAO headgear. You still have a few test units? Thank you so much! I'll head over right now!"

November 6, 2022

In what was now his home—Sugou Nobuyuki's luxurious private villa—Morin paced nervously. The house was leagues better than the cramped apartment he had rented in his original life, yet he had no time to appreciate it.

In his hands was an SAO NerveGear unit, acquired through Sugou's connections. Shaped like a futuristic helmet, it resembled a motorcycle helmet but lacked a top and rear section. It was sleek, minimalist, and oozed sci-fi aesthetics.

"To complete these quests, my best chance is to dive into SAO and make my move there…"

Though reluctant, Morin knew that entering SAO was his most viable option. Trying to recreate Sugou's ALO schemes or physically confront Kayaba outside the game would be suicide. At least in SAO, he could play the game and strategize for an advantage.

1:00 PM

As the clock struck the appointed time, Morin donned the NerveGear, his heart racing.

"Here goes nothing…"

"Link Start!"

—--------

When the helmet in standby mode displayed the time as [13:00], Morin, lying on his bed, pressed the start button without hesitation.

A fleeting moment of dizziness overcame him, and his vision plunged into darkness. Soon after, data panels flickered into view. With a stoic expression, Morin swiftly entered the username and password he had received. Without much deliberation, he quickly skimmed through the character customization panels, checked a few options, and clicked "Confirm."

"This is… Aincrad?!"

As though stepping off a descending elevator, Morin felt a slight sense of weightlessness before solid ground met his feet. He opened his eyes to a breathtaking scene: a European-style town sprawled before him. The blue sky and white clouds above, coupled with the crisp, refreshing air and gentle breeze, gave a strikingly real sensation.

Before Morin could fully take in the surroundings, flashes of light began appearing across the plaza. One by one, silhouettes materialized, and within ten short seconds, the initially empty square became a sea of humanity. Crowds of players filled the plaza in a chaotic swarm.

"Hurrah!"

"Is this a virtual game world? It feels so real!"

"This is incredible! Such a beautiful game world…"

"Wow, SAO! Get ready for me to conquer you!"

"Hey, miss, are you here alone?"

The once-quiet plaza grew rowdy as the newly arrived players burst into excited chatter. Some explored their surroundings and tested their movements, while others were already cheering and celebrating. A few players, noticing attractive women nearby, eagerly struck up conversations.

Watching the excited faces of the players, many of whom were already strolling through the streets and enjoying the game's charm, Morin sighed silently.

These jubilant players, he thought, would realize in just a few hours that they had entered a death game. And when that revelation hit, their joy would evaporate. If Morin recalled correctly, even with Kirito and others working tirelessly to clear the game over two years, nearly 4,000 players out of the original 10,000 would perish, leaving only about 6,000 survivors.

"Well, for now, I'd better focus on myself," Morin muttered to himself.

Shaking off his thoughts, he equipped a plain, attribute-free beginner's cloak and pulled the hood over his head. Without lingering, he stepped into the bustling streets.

Aincrad: Starting City

This town, akin to a beginner's village, was filled with magnificent buildings, cobblestone roads, and a lively atmosphere of pedestrians. It was easy to forget that this was merely a virtual game. Many players wandered the streets, taking pictures and treating the experience like a casual pastime game.

Morin, however, had no interest in leisurely sightseeing. Aware of the game's sinister future, he moved inconspicuously through the crowds until he arrived at a butcher's shop marked by a sign featuring a bone and a slab of meat.

"How can I help you?"

Inside, a grumpy-looking butcher paced back and forth. Upon noticing him, Morin's eyes lit up, and he bowed slightly before addressing the NPC.

"Ah, an outsider?"

The butcher turned his head, his scarred face scrutinizing Morin. With a flicker in his eyes, the quest marker above his head activated. His tone was mechanical as he said, "I'm running short on meat for the shop. If you can bring me 50 pieces of wild boar meat, I'd be very grateful and will reward you handsomely!"

"I'd be happy to help," Morin replied with a shrug, accepting the task.

After a brief exchange to confirm there were no additional quests or hidden information, Morin left the butcher shop.

Over the next half hour, Morin visited several other locations, including a leather shop and a tavern, collecting three beginner-level quests. After ensuring he had mapped out his route, he headed toward a leveling area outside the city.

These quests weren't the result of foresight, but rather money well spent.

Using 100,000,yen Morin had commissioned experienced beta testers of SAO to share information about quests, monster maps, and gameplay tips on forums. Even though the intel only covered the first three floors, it gave Morin a significant advantage.

After all, those beta testers had no idea that SAO's public release would transform into a death game. For them, selling early-game insights wasn't considered valuable, even if this was the first virtual reality game of its kind.

"For now, it's time to gather resources and practice combat while I still can."

With a smirk, Morin cast a glance at the other players casually spending their starting Col (SAO's currency) before turning to leave.

Outside the Starting City

A vast expanse of grasslands and hills stretched into the horizon, with the Starting City standing tall at its center. The vibrant green fields, dotted with colorful flowers, created a stunning, picturesque scene—if one ignored the oddly familiar wild boars roaming about.

"Bang—!"

A massive wild boar, easily half the size of a human and weighing over 200 pounds, let out a final wail before shattering into fragments and disappearing.

"Grrr!"

The pack leader, a larger elite wild boar with the title Frenzied, growled lowly. It stomped the ground, leading its remaining two minions in a charge toward Morin, who stood calmly sheathing his sword.

Unlike its smaller companions, the elite boar was at least a third larger, with its sharp tusks gleaming ominously with a faint red light. Its speed and ferocity promised a brutal impact if it landed a hit.

"Defense increased by at least 40%, HP doubled, no change in speed, and it has the Frenzy trait… Everything matches the beta intel."

Calculating the boar's charging trajectory and the minions' attack routes, Morin didn't panic. He deftly sidestepped, drawing his sword and assuming a combat stance.

With a flash of white light, his sword skill Horizontal Slash activated. His speed tripled, and in an instant, he closed the gap on one of the smaller boars, delivering a clean strike across its head. The boar's HP dropped to zero, and it shattered into fragments.

"One down."

Morin wasted no time. He dodged the elite boar's charge in a zigzag motion, quickly dispatching the remaining minion with a straightforward thrust. Now, the elite boar was alone, its wild attacks unable to break Morin's rhythm.

A Minute Later

The elite boar let out one final roar before succumbing. As it shattered into light, Morin checked his loot.

"A Tusker Dagger, 50 Col, and three boar meat steaks… Not a bad haul," he remarked, satisfied with the results.

There was no helping it: the "Town of Beginnings" was essentially the game's starter village. The wild boars in the surrounding area were all low-level monsters (LV1), and their drop rates followed the classic characteristics of countless online and offline games—painfully stingy. In nearly two hours, Morin had killed more than a hundred wild boars, amassing barely 200 Cols and two pieces of trash equipment. So, when a rare elite wild boar dropped some decent loot, it felt like a jackpot.

Fortunately, the three quests Morin had accepted were now completed, and he planned to return to the Town of Beginnings to turn them in. This should at least net him a hundred Cols and one piece of equipment.

"Sword skills..."

Closing his inventory, Morin decided to give the wild boars a break for now. Instead, he picked up his one-handed longsword and began to swing it, his mind occupied with his newfound understanding of the Sword Art Online (SAO) game mechanics.

After almost two hours of grinding, Morin had gained a rudimentary understanding of SAO's unique combat system, particularly its sword skills. Unlike typical games that feature magic, qi, or witchcraft, SAO's world was built entirely around sword techniques. As the first full-dive VR game, it embraced a realism that set it apart.

Having watched Sword Art Online and its sequels, Morin was fairly familiar with the anime's plot. Yet experiencing the game firsthand made him appreciate its depth in a way that mere observation couldn't capture. The monotonous grind of battling monsters now felt less tedious and more purposeful.

Despite the extended combat, Morin found himself neither physically nor mentally exhausted—an impossibility in real life. Even a well-trained soldier would struggle to swing a one-kilogram longsword for over an hour, let alone someone like Morin, whose real-world health was subpar. The full-dive system was truly remarkable, easing physical strain while still demanding strategic focus.

Most importantly, Morin noted that SAO's sword skills leaned toward a realistic style, consistent with his expectations.

"Based on the intel I've gathered so far and the disappearance of the logout option, time is not on my side."

After a brief moment of reflection, Morin tightened his grip on his familiar longsword. His gaze hardened. "Now isn't the time to experiment. I need to use this window to accumulate resources while I can."

He adjusted his hooded cloak, suppressing a grin as he eyed the roaming wild boars, which still showed no signs of aggression.

The official declaration of SAO as a death game hadn't occurred yet, but the disappearance of the logout option was undeniable. Even if Morin rushed back to warn the other players, it would serve no purpose. This was a rare chance to amass capital, and he intended to seize it.

Scanning the distribution of nearby wild boars, Morin lifted his sword and charged back into the monster zones.

As the sun set, casting a blood-red glow across the Town of Beginnings, the toll of the clocktower echoed through the air.

Suddenly, every player—whether they were fighting monsters, completing quests, or sightseeing—was forcibly teleported back to the plaza where they first logged in.

"This... is the plaza?!"

"What's going on? Why can't I log out anymore?!"

"Are you kidding me?! I have things to do! Where's the GM? How do I contact them?!"

"Hey, why is everyone gathering here?!"

"What's happening?!"

Over 10,000 players were abruptly congregated in the central plaza, their chatter growing into a cacophony of confusion. Many had already noticed the missing logout option, but hearing others confirm it only heightened the panic. With no GMs in sight to provide answers, the atmosphere became increasingly tense, bordering on chaos.

Morin, standing silently at the plaza's edge with his hood pulled low, observed the pandemonium with a cold detachment. None of the familiar characters from the anime—Kirito, Asuna, or others—were present.

"Everyone's still using their default avatars. There's no way to identify players right now," he thought, his eyes scanning the crowd.

Within minutes, the sky darkened ominously, and crimson patterns began to appear above the plaza. A massive drop of blood materialized at the center and morphed into the shape of a faceless giant clad in a deep crimson cloak.

The sight of this intimidating figure immediately silenced the crowd. Every player's gaze was drawn upward, their confusion turning to unease.

"Welcome to my world, players," the faceless giant boomed.

This imposing figure was none other than Kayaba Akihiko, the game's creator, speaking through his in-game avatar. Ignoring the murmurs and questions from the players, he continued with an air of authority.

"My name is Kayaba Akihiko. I am the sole controller of this world."

The crowd erupted into whispers.

"Kayaba Akihiko? The pioneer of full-dive technology?"

"He's controlling this world?!"

Ignoring the rising tension, Kayaba pressed on. "By now, you've likely noticed the absence of the logout option."

Kayaba explained the grim truth: the SAO servers were now sealed off from the outside world. Any attempt to forcibly remove the NerveGear would fry the player's brain. He revealed that 213 players had already died this way, illustrating his point with live news footage displayed in the sky.

"From this moment forward, SAO is no longer a game but a reality. Death here means death in the real world. If your HP drops to zero, the NerveGear will destroy your brain."

The players, who had started to relax after hearing about their families' safety, were once again thrown into despair.

However, Kayaba offered them a glimmer of hope: if they could clear all 100 floors of Aincrad and defeat the final boss, everyone would be freed.

Finally, as a demonstration of this "new reality," he instructed the players to check their inventories, where they found a small handheld mirror.

"What's this? A mirror?"

As they held the mirrors, white light enveloped the players. When the light faded, their avatars were replaced by their real-world appearances. The crowd erupted into gasps and cries of shock.

Gone were the glamorous avatars; the players now stood as their true selves, facing the harsh reality of their situation.

—----

For instance, handsome men might become short and unattractive, tall and sexy beauties could transform into ordinary-looking women, while some characters might modify their appearances to become stunningly good-looking. On the other hand, a few players who toned down their appearances seemed to fare better, drawing mild surprise from newly met friends. However, those who discovered that a beauty beside them had morphed into a burly man or that a handsome guy had become short and unattractive were often disgusted, as if they'd swallowed a dead fly, leaving their mood utterly ruined!

If not for Akihiko Kayaba looming above and the shocking revelation that SAO had become a death game, the plaza would undoubtedly have turned into a chaotic battleground.

"Everyone, you must be wondering why. Why did Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of SAO and the NervGear, do this? Is this some large-scale act of terrorism? Or a kidnapping for ransom?"

As Akihiko Kayaba's voice echoed, the noisy plaza fell silent. All eyes turned toward the faceless giant in the sky. Yet few noticed that his voice carried an unexpected solemnity, almost like the reverence of a martyr:

"Honor, wealth… none of these are my goals! In fact, I can't even claim to have any purpose or reason for my actions anymore. If you insist on asking why I'm doing this… it's because this scenario itself is my ultimate goal. To create this world and observe its evolution—that's why I invented the NervGear and brought SAO into existence!"

"And now, all my goals have been achieved. With that, the official announcement regarding SAO's launch ends here. Players, I wish you all an enjoyable game!"

As his words ended, Akihiko Kayaba's figure dissolved into a blood-red mist and vanished, leaving the plaza once again bathed in the light of the setting sun.

Following Akihiko Kayaba's departure, the plaza plunged into an eerie silence.

Everyone's worldview felt shattered. The announcement that SAO had turned into a death game left them stunned and horrified, with their minds reeling from the cascade of terrible news.

SAO was no longer just the "first fully immersive VR game" touted to captivate audiences. It had become a brutal death game where players had only one life. Dying in the game meant dying in the real world. Only by clearing all 100 floors could they escape.

For them, these players, there was no second chance—only one life to survive this death game.

"No… no… I don't want to stay here!"

"Hey! Stop joking! This has to be a prank, right? Let us out! I need to leave, now!"

"That maniac Akihiko Kayaba!"

"Dad… Mom…"

"Is he trying to kill us?! What should we do now?!"

The silence in the plaza lasted mere seconds before the first player to react shattered it with their cries, triggering an uproar as deafening as a volcanic eruption.

Some were paralyzed by fear and confusion, others roared in anger, unwilling to accept the reality of SAO becoming a death game. Many more simply shouted in helpless frustration, unsure how to cope with this brutal truth.

"...Klein, come with me!"

At the edge of the plaza, a boy with a determined look on his face clenched his fists. He had already made up his mind to do whatever it took to survive.

"Kirito?!"

Klein, one of the supporting characters in Sword Art Online, was still in shock. Hearing Kirito's call, he hesitated, unsure what this newly acquainted friend intended to do.

"Follow me…"

"Quiet!!!"

Before Kirito could lead Klein away, a booming voice startled everyone in the plaza, including Kirito. All eyes turned toward the source of the sound.

It was Morin!

Having watched Akihiko Kayaba's announcement without leaving quietly, Morin instead boldly stepped forward, shouting to draw attention. His commanding tone achieved remarkable results.

Under the suspicious and uncertain gazes of countless players, Morin showed no hesitation. He strode confidently toward the center of the plaza, his calm demeanor capturing everyone's attention, even sparking faint glimmers of hope.

Could he have a solution?

Might this person know a way to log out of this nightmare game?

Even though rational minds understood it was unlikely anyone had an immediate solution after Kayaba's declaration, hope was a stubborn thing.

"Everyone, please listen! I have something to say!"

Standing in the plaza's center, Morin faced the intense scrutiny of thousands of players. Despite the pressure, he appeared composed, his voice loud and clear.

For Morin, the situation felt different now. A few days ago, he might not have been this calm. But after being sent to this alternate dimension by a capricious god, his worldview had already been shattered and rebuilt. His mental resilience far exceeded its previous limits.

Moreover, Morin had entered SAO with the possibility of death in mind. This realization had shifted his mindset, allowing him to ignore the stares of the crowd entirely.

Removing his hood to reveal his face, Morin raised his voice and asked, "Does anyone here recognize me?"

What?

Recognize him?

Who did he think he was, expecting everyone to know him?

The players were dumbfounded, their expressions a mix of confusion and annoyance. Just as a few short-tempered individuals prepared to vent their frustration with their fists, Morin's next words froze them in their tracks.

"Everyone, I sincerely hope none of you know me. That would mean no one I care about is trapped in this game. But I fear that someone I know might already be among the 200 players who've died so far…"

Noticing the players' changing expressions, Morin continued loudly, his words striking a chord with the crowd:

"Koichiro Yuki! You'd better show yourself! I've entered SAO too!"

"Hey, Kirito, that guy is looking for his friends," Klein remarked, finally understanding Morin's actions.

"Yeah…"

Kirito nodded absentmindedly, watching Morin with a hint of envy in his eyes.

Unlike Kirito, a solo player who had joined SAO alone, Morin's actions demonstrated he had people he cared about—friends or allies. Kirito couldn't help but think of his family back in the real world, likely panicked by the news of SAO becoming a death game.

Before Kirito could dwell further, he saw a cloaked figure—a petite player—approach Morin in the plaza's center. Could that be Koichiro Yuki?

As Morin left with the figure, another unfamiliar player stepped forward.

"Everyone, my game name is Tilbell. Are any of my friends here?"

"I'm here!"

Inspired by Morin, players began searching for their real-world friends and companions, shouting names into the crowd. Even Tilbell, a character pivotal in initiating boss fights in the original SAO story, joined in, her actions encouraging others.

While it was bittersweet to confirm that friends or family were also trapped in this death game, finding familiar faces brought some relief.

At the very least, they weren't alone.

Whether finding loved ones should be a source of joy or sorrow depended on each individual.

The events that followed in the plaza weren't worth mentioning, and Morin had no interest in staying to watch the players trapped in SAO introduce themselves and form alliances. Instead, he took Asuna, who had just found him, and left the plaza without hesitation.

After all, Morin had accepted two main quests directly tied to Asuna and Kayaba Akihiko. His plan for the first day in SAO was to meet Asuna—an achievable goal. As for the main antagonist, Kayaba, with his GM privileges, Morin was in no rush to confront him. He had merely observed Kayaba's dramatic appearance and analyzed some information without any intention of recklessly facing him head-on.

Having successfully located Asuna, Morin wasted no time. He led the cloaked, chestnut-haired girl away from the plaza.

"Asuna—uh, I mean, I should probably call you by your character name here."

Looking at Asuna, who had been walking alongside him ever since he had grabbed her arm, Morin felt a strange sense of guilt, as if he were luring a young girl into trouble. With a curious expression, he asked, "But why isn't Koichiro the one who entered SAO? Did you and your brother both end up in this game?"

Koichiro Yuuki—Asuna's older brother—was a lesser-known character who barely appeared in the Sword Art Online series. However, in Morin's "memories," he existed and had a decent relationship with him.

"I... I took my brother's NerveGear and sneaked into the game..."

Asuna's voice trembled as she explained, her face clouded with guilt and fear. For the first time, she confided in Morin, someone she'd only met a few times before.

From a young age, Asuna had been raised under a strict and elite upbringing, always the picture of a perfect daughter. However, the allure of SAO's immersive marketing and her brother's NerveGear at home had led her to her most rebellious act yet. She ignored her parents' warnings, borrowed Koichiro's equipment, and decided to sneak a peek at this virtual reality game everyone was talking about.

To her horror, after registering her character as "Asuna," she found she couldn't log out. What had started as innocent curiosity turned into despair. Hours later, she found herself at the plaza, summoned to witness Kayaba Akihiko's terrifying declaration.

When Morin appeared and called out her brother's name, it was like a lifeline to a drowning girl. Without hesitation, she had run to him, clinging to the faint hope of safety.

"What an unlucky turn of events..."

Seeing Asuna's fear-stricken face, Morin sighed deeply. Whatever fantasies he had about Asuna from the original SAO storyline were replaced by a pang of sympathy.

He remembered Asuna from the source material: the cautious and sharp player at the first-floor boss raid, the commanding vice-captain of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and, ultimately, the kind and beautiful partner who overcame her fear of death alongside Kirito.

Who would have imagined that the "Demon of the Frontlines" was now just a frightened girl caught in a death game she never meant to play?

"Mr. Morin..."

Asuna stammered, her face flushed as Morin gently brushed her hair aside in an affectionate gesture. His casual touch made her heart race—no boy had ever been this physically close to her before.

"Asuna, just call me Morin," he said, retracting his hand with a smile. His goal was to establish trust and ease her tension. "In this world, our real-life roles and titles don't matter. We're just fellow players trying to survive this game."

"Morin..."

Her voice wavered, her gaze filled with fear and vulnerability.

Understanding her distress, Morin took her hand firmly, speaking with calm resolve:

"So, as new comrades in this death game, let's focus on how to survive together."

"...Okay," she replied, her voice barely audible but filled with a faint glimmer of determination.

With that, Morin led Asuna toward a quieter part of the Starting City.

The inns in the Starting City, meant to provide players with a safe haven, were still mostly empty. Most players were either too preoccupied with the chaotic gathering in the plaza or lacked the funds to afford a room.

When Morin brought Asuna into the inn, the lobby was eerily quiet, with only a few NPCs around.

"Let's get something to eat first," Morin suggested, pulling her to a wooden table near the entrance.

Asuna wanted to protest, but the hunger debuff had drained her stamina to a dangerous level, leaving her no choice but to sit down and watch as Morin ordered food from an NPC.

Soon, their meal arrived: two servings of bread and vegetable soup.

Although simple, this meal felt extravagant in the context of SAO's harsh start.

"Morin, shouldn't we save our money?"

Despite the aroma of the soup and the enticing warmth of the bread, Asuna hesitated, her sense of practicality kicking in.

"Call me Morin, no need for formalities," he reminded her with a chuckle. Tearing into his bread, he added, "For now, let's just focus on keeping up our strength and spirits."

Asuna hesitated for a moment longer but eventually followed his lead, quietly eating her meal.

The flavors were surprisingly realistic. Morin couldn't help but admire SAO's attention to detail as he savored the bread's wheat aroma and the soup's rich, savory taste. Meanwhile, he discreetly observed Asuna's delicate dining etiquette.

Blushing under his gaze, Asuna hurriedly finished her food, clearly embarrassed.

"What are your thoughts on our situation?" Morin asked, setting his empty bowl aside.

Asuna's face grew pale again at the question, but she forced herself to respond. "We're trapped... in this death game."

"Exactly," Morin said, his voice steady. "Kayaba Akihiko has turned SAO into a game where players only have one life. The only way out is to clear all 100 floors of Aincrad."

The weight of his words sank in as Asuna clenched her fists, trembling slightly.

"That means no logout option, no second chances," he continued. "It's a game where every decision could mean life or death. But we're in this together, and we will find a way to survive."

Looking into his determined eyes, Asuna found herself feeling slightly reassured.

"...Okay," she whispered.

Morin gave a small nod and led her out of the inn, toward their next challenge in the vast world of SAO.