Mark of Cain (SAO FF)

"Boss, one of your projects that you invested in is about to go live. Do you want to watch the launch?" My assistant Hajime said from beside me. I was sitting at my desk, running over recent reports and checking emails.

"Hmmm it's that video game, right? The one you said your little brother was excited about? Did he stay home from school to play it?" I asked, with less than real interest for the game. It was just utilizing impressive technology and I knew it would bring massive returns if done right.

"Haha no, Boss. His mother and I warned him if he didn't keep his grades up that he wouldn't be allowed to take off. During the month of the beta he started letting his grades slip." He responded seriously, and I chuckled.

"How is your wife, Nao?" I asked while closing out of my emails and pulling up the countdown to the launch of Sword Art Online.

"She's doing well, Boss. Thanks to your generous support on her medical bills, she should be able to leave the hospital in a couple days." He said happily and I nodded.

"Good good. Now, Hajime, get everything prepared. If the launch of the game falls short of expectations go ahead and start selling before it tanks. You know how finicky these things can be." I said and he saluted, before sitting down at his own desk with multiple laptops spread out in front of him.

Hajime had been working for me for a little over 8 years now. I had picked him up as an assistant early into my move to Japan and so far he hasn't let me down. I felt bad that in just a couple years I was going to be leaving here like I always do. I had grown to cherish him and his family, but it was my rule. Never stay in one place longer than 10 years.

It was part of my punishment. Long ago when I killed my brother, Abel, I had been cursed by God to wander the earth never dying. At first I traveled in shame and misery at having angered my God and killing my brother out of jealousy.

My body never aged past my 25 year old self, and eventually I decided to have a family. But when I saw my wife and then my children and then my grandchildren and so on pass away, I once again traveled the world in poverty and depression.

Soon I became a soldier in some nameless army so that I could do the only thing I seemed good at. It hurt even more to realize I was indeed good at killing. They nicknamed Cain the Immortal, not realizing how right they were. I bathed in blood for centuries, traveling to different parts of the world and joining their militaries.

When I grew tired of that I began to find a new path in life. That eventually led to this moment where I was now, Cain Masada. The son of a Japanese father and American mother that had passed when I was young. That was the story at least. I tried to keep the stories similar to be able to keep them straight and I rarely changed my given name.

"Boss… this…" I was pulled from my musings by Hajime's voice. He turned on the TV that hung on the wall and it was filled with reports of the game. At first it was positive until there was a video submitted by the official game media site.

Warning against the removal of the NerveGear as it will kill the players. Though it seemed as soon as that video appeared there was already reports coming in from family members trying to remove the device and killing the players.

"Damn…" I muttered as I watched the reports fill the screen. My email began filling with countless new messages.

"Hajime. Go and be with your family. Make sure your son didn't skip school." I said as calmly as possible and to his credit Hajime seemed conflicted but eventually bowed and took off running while pulling out his phone.

I walked to a small cabinet in the corner of the room and pulled out a box that contained a NerveGear headset that already had SAO downloaded on to it. The setup was quick and easy, as I soon found myself sitting in my office chair after going through the body calibration.

As soon as I did that the game launched and showed a character creation screen, and at the center was a character model of myself.

It stood at the same 6 foot 2 inches tall, with a head topped with dirty blonde hair that was almost brown. Blue eyes that shown, and white skin that featured a mild tan. It was weird staring back at a 3D model of myself, but I just clicked accept. I didn't care to give myself a new look, that's not why I was 'diving' into this game.

Next a box for my name popped up and I quickly typed in Cain, and continued. As soon as I did the scene changed to a bunch of rushing blue and white lights and I felt a pulling sensation. It went black for just a moment, but i realized that that was because I had closed my eyes. When I opened them I realized that I could hear lots of people screaming and crying.

Looking around I saw men and women of all ages huddled together, even children it seemed hadn't been spared. I ignored it all as best as I could as I looked for an exit. In the distance I could see the tops of a wall and I rushed for it. I felt the sensation of the weird rough clothes on my skin, it felt nostalgic almost. I could also feel the familiar swing of a sword at my hip.

I continued weaving through the crowd until I finally made it to an open gate where I saw only a few people leaving the safety of the town. I had watched some of the beta gameplay so I knew that the creators had designed the towns to be safe havens. Though I suppose that could have changed since they had now turned this into a death game. A game where if you died in here you died in real life. At least that's what I was hoping for.

I ran out into the fields and noticed a little text box that appeared at the corner of vision.

"Floor 1: Town of Beginnings, Entering West Field"

When I looked away it disappeared and ran straight for the first monster I saw, a boar. They were the weakest monsters in the game, but there wasn't much I could do about that seeing as I was on the first floor. I ran up to it and when it saw me its eyes lit up. It stomped its foot on the ground and then charged me.

It was a weird sensation being hit by the boar. I could feel it, but there was no pain. Just the sensation of an object hitting me with enough force to knock me down since I wasn't bracing myself. It drained only a little of my health, about 15%. And due to its default attack patterns I had to wait for it to come charging again.

It took 7 hits for it to finally drain all my health and I laid on the ground grinning as I watched the gauge dwindle until even the remaining red finally disappeared. I still felt no pain as I saw my hand disperse into polygonal shards floating into the air.

My vision went black and a text box started to appear, but it abruptly went away and my vision returned. When it did I found myself back in the field with the boar. I looked at my health gauge and saw that it was slowly refilling itself. I slammed my fist into the ground beside but wasn't rewarded with any pain, just the dull thud of it connecting with the soft grass and dirt.

"Damn it…. Why? When will enough be enough?" I muttered to no one in particular. Could God still hear me inside this game? Would he know that I disregarded all those despairing people to try and find my own relief.

I laid there for a few moments and then nothing but anger filled my body. I had been stupid to get my hopes up. I had tried every other possible way of dying, why had I thought this would be any different? His reach is endless, I'm sure somehow he still sees me.

Jumping up I turned to the boar that killed and the anger and rage just kept building.

"Aaaagh!" I roared as I pulled the sword its sheath. It was a basic straight, long sword. Fit for hand or hand and a half usage. I had always used a sword in shield when I fought, but I didn't have a shield right now. When I raised the sword I felt something trying to 'hold' it in place and realized it was the skills the game was known for. The assistive system that allows you to rely on the system to make sure your strike hits.

I didn't need that though. Centuries of sword fighting doesn't go away just because you take a break. I broke from the system's assistance and swung as hard as I could. The contact sent the boar rolling through the grass and a slash marked where I had hit it, but there was no blood and gore, just digital polygons.

I chased after it and after only 2 more swings the beast was dead, shattering into the familiar shards. A small text box appeared in front of me.

{Result

Exp-24

Cor- 30

Items-2

-> Boar's hide

-> Boar's tusk}

"There's something disturbingly satisfying about actually getting something when you kill it." I muttered to myself. I could still feel the anger and adrenaline rushing through me, so when I saw more Boars I rushed them.

I don't know how long I was out there, but I just kept killing Boar after boar as I came across them. I looked at my inventory and saw all the different parts if boars I had collected along with my money or Cor.

{1,100 Cor}

I killed 20 boars, so that means the game starts you off at 500 Cor if I was getting 30 for each Boar kill. Hopefully this is enough for something to eat and a place to sleep. I sheathed my sword and began slowly walking back to the city. I had leveled up once from all that fighting, putting the stats evenly between all the available stats.

A few hours later I realized that I had thought to get a place to sleep too late. Everything was cheap here only costing a few Cors pets night, but that didn't matter if everything was taken. I was at least able to get a meal and a few rations. I had talked to a few of the NPCs and after getting over the shock of their lifelike behavior I eventually came across one that reminded me of the next town.

Horunka Village. With my mind made up I decided to go ahead and make my way to the next town. At least there I should be able to find a place to rent. I doubted anyone would leave the safety of the city at least for a few days.

With my Cor a couple hundred coins lighter, from buying food and better gear, I once again exited the Town of Beginnings and started my journey for Horunka.