Chapter 1: Prologue – The Beginning of Everything
That day, Hikigaya Hachiman finally welcomed the long-awaited moment.
The dead-eyed boy in panda pajamas lay sprawled on a beanbag chair, absently tapping his phone's screen, where the countdown to SAO's launch was displayed. "A setting where even the newbie village is decked out in Christmas decorations... Truly, Mr. Kayaba's twisted tastes are unmatched..."
To explain why Hachiman, who wasn't a gaming nerd, was looking forward to this VRMMO—the very embodiment of his natural enemy—we must go back to his job-shadowing day, or as Zaimokuza called it, the "battlefield of normies."
That day, the entire Service Club accidentally ended up at ARGUS Corporation, and under the dazzling smile of Hayama Hayato, they all witnessed the shocking live demo of SAO.
Since the release of the fully VR-compatible console "NERvGear," many titles had come out, but none had truly utilized the revolutionary hardware to its full potential—until now.
When he saw the in-game footage, Hachiman had fought hard to suppress the return of his chūnibyō syndrome.
'This is dimensional warfare! These so-called AAA games aren't even pixel dust compared to SAO!'
"This isn't just entertainment anymore!" Tobe Kakeru screamed through the demo area. "I can actually smell the orange-scented shampoo in full dive mode!"
Ebina Hina let out a strange laugh: "Fufufu...Yamato-kun and Hayato-kun fighting back to back in a virtual world... it's like a CG cutscene from a BL game..."
As she spoke, she suddenly covered her nose, a suspicious red liquid seeping through her fingers.
"More importantly..." Hachiman stared intently at the glowing sixteen-hit combo performed by a swordsman onscreen. "The system actually allows such ergonomically impossible movements? Should I call the developer a genius or terminally chūnibyō?"
Unable to tear his eyes away, Hachiman continued to watch. Although a few were selected to try the game afterward, as a lone-wolf by nature, Hachiman didn't volunteer—he just watched longingly.
"What do you think of Sword Art Online?"
Startled by the sudden question, Hachiman reflexively replied, "How should I put this... this isn't just simple entertainment. This is what a real game should be."
He found the words strange himself—despite it being a man-made world, it truly existed… or rather, it was real. "Here exists the reality I long for but can never obtain."
A gasp came from behind, snapping Hachiman back to the moment.
He turned around and was shocked to find a man in a white lab coat watching him with a mix of surprise and joy.
That face was far too well-known—it often appeared in magazines.
'Kayaba Akihiko, genius game designer and quantum physicist...'
'Could someone like him have already grasped what "reality" is? But why did I say something like "reality" in the first place, a word I've never even thought about?'
The brilliance of Kayaba's presence made Hachiman feel painfully insignificant, and he shifted uncomfortably.
"I see... reality, huh... That's how you see it?" Kayaba mused.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to... I don't even know why I said something like that..."
"It is strange, indeed—but there's no need to apologize. I'm actually quite glad."
Kayaba continued, clearly intrigued: "Didn't sign up for a trial? This SAO was made for people like you."
"It's not that I wasn't interested... um... how should I put this..." Hachiman mumbled an excuse, then suddenly felt ashamed of his cowardice.
'Talking to strangers fluently is still too hard...'
Seeing his hesitation, Kayaba pulled out a business card thoughtfully. "Would you like to help with the final tunings before internal testing during summer break? Just contact this number."
"T-thank you... but why me...?"
"I sense a certain quality in you. Getting official school permission for testers can be difficult, right?"
Though a self-proclaimed loner, Hachiman answered cautiously, "If there's an opportunity, I'll consider handling it properly."
Despite the awkward phrasing, Kayaba smiled warmly. "Hahaha, you're interesting after all. You may not look willing, but I'm looking forward to it. Please enjoy the world of SAO to your heart's content."
As he turned to leave, Kayaba suddenly asked, "By the way, may I have your name?"
"Sobu High School, second year, Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Sobu High... do you know Yukinoshita Haruno?"
'Haruno... Yukino... the name seems...'
"I know Yukinoshita Yukino. She's my classmate and the president of our club."
"Probably relatives. I was just asking offhand—don't mind it." Kayaba left, leaving behind those cryptic words.
'To think I got to speak directly with Kayaba Akihiko and was even invited to work... I'm definitely bragging to Zaimokuza next time.
That surname, Yukinoshita, can't be too common... oh well.'
Refocusing himself on the game, Hachiman was then approached by Yuigahama Yui. "Hikki? Something wrong?"
"Nothing, just chatted a bit with the developer."
"This game is seriously amazing, right? Everything's just so mind-blowing!"
"Yeah... it really is..."
'Compared to this virtual world, my troubles are so tiny—no, maybe they don't even count as troubles.'
It was at that moment that Hachiman decided to reset his relationship with Yuigahama Yui.
Though unsure if it was the right choice, he applied for the part-time job as if running away from something.
In the process, he unexpectedly met Yukinoshita Haruno.
'Who's more formidable, her or Kayaba-san? Of course, it's Kayaba-san... but the fact they can even be compared shows just how terrifying her talent is.'
'In any case, I should avoid Haruno-san as much as possible... she's just scary.'
It's worth noting that, due to this fear, Hachiman never mentioned his encounter with Kayaba to Haruno.
However, when his part-time job was eventually exposed, Haruno grilled him mercilessly.
'As fellow science types, maybe she saw Kayaba as a goal? Still...'
When Hachiman tried to ask about their relationship, he got nowhere.
All he remembered was the terrifying look in her eyes at the time.
'Absolutely must stay away from that woman... Even if she seems to take an interest in me, it must be my imagination.'
And so, Hachiman spent the busiest summer of his life.
Over time, he began referring to Kayaba as "Akihiko-san," while Haruno eventually forced him—after autumn—to call her by her first name.
Hachiman had no say in the matter.
'Akihiko-san is a respectable person. Most importantly, he's not scary. At heart, he's a hidden loner too, which feels oddly relatable.'
'But that summer break was the hardest of my life. Especially when I got dumped into Chiba Village for work—I almost died from exhaustion. Truly, "not wanting to work" is the essence of life.'
As summer ended, Kayaba grew distant, busy wrapping up his project.
Meanwhile, Hachiman experienced the cultural festival, the sports festival, and the Christmas event.
Unknowingly, he began to anticipate something real through SAO.
He finally used his part-time earnings to purchase the NERvGear and SAO.
'Even though I was so busy, looking back now... it wasn't that bad. Maybe this is what they call change.'
'What will happen in the world of Sword Art Online? I find myself... actually a little excited.'