1 Chapter 1 The day it all started
<ya-tr-span data-index="193-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="I don't know if I'll ever be able to get out of here…" data-translation="Я не знаю, смогу ли когда-нибудь выбраться отсюда.…" data-type="trSpan">Я не знаю, смогу ли когда-нибудь выбраться отсюда.…</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="194-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="It's been almost two years since we players were trapped in this virtual world." data-translation="Прошло почти два года с тех пор, как мы, игроки, оказались в ловушке в этом виртуальном мире." data-type="trSpan">Прошло почти два года с тех пор, как мы, игроки, оказались в ловушке в этом виртуальном мире.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="195-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="Sword Art Online – "a new generation game", " a revolution in the VRMMO genre"." data-translation="Sword Art Online – "игра нового поколения", "революция в жанре VRMMO"." data-type="trSpan">Sword Art Online – "игра нового поколения", "революция в жанре VRMMO".</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="196-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="Haha, more like some kind of unspoken social experiment, or something like that." data-translation="Ха-ха, скорее какой-то негласный социальный эксперимент или что-то в этом роде." data-type="trSpan">Ха-ха, скорее какой-то негласный социальный эксперимент или что-то в этом роде.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="197-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="Not that I'm complaining, no, a lot of nerds only dreamed of this, and in other things, ordinary players like me, quite quickly got used to it." data-translation="Не то чтобы я жаловался, нет, многие ботаники только об этом и мечтали, а в остальном обычные игроки, вроде меня, довольно быстро к этому привыкли." data-type="trSpan">Не то чтобы я жаловался, нет, многие ботаники только об этом и мечтали, а в остальном обычные игроки, вроде меня, довольно быстро к этому привыкли.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="198-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="But sometimes you forget - even though it's a game, but at any time you can lose your life." data-translation="Но иногда забываешь - хоть это и игра, но в любой момент можно потерять жизнь." data-type="trSpan">Но иногда забываешь - хоть это и игра, но в любой момент можно потерять жизнь.</ya-tr-span>
...
<ya-tr-span data-index="199-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="March 5, 2024." data-translation="5 марта 2024 года." data-type="trSpan">5 марта 2024 года.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="200-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="42nd Floor." data-translation="42-й этаж." data-type="trSpan">42-й этаж.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="201-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="Catacombs of the tomb of the Scorpion king." data-translation="Катакомбы гробницы Царя скорпионов." data-type="trSpan">Катакомбы гробницы Царя скорпионов.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="202-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value=""Hey, Yasuo, are you in the clouds again?" " data-translation="- Эй, Ясуо, ты опять в облаках?" " data-type="trSpan">- Эй, Ясуо, ты опять в облаках?" </ya-tr-span><ya-tr-span data-index="202-1" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="How long do we have to go? " data-translation="Сколько нам еще идти? " data-type="trSpan">Сколько нам еще идти? </ya-tr-span><ya-tr-span data-index="202-2" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="It doesn't look like there's anything out of the ordinary here. " data-translation="Не похоже, чтобы здесь было что-то необычное. " data-type="trSpan">Не похоже, чтобы здесь было что-то необычное. </ya-tr-span><ya-tr-span data-index="202-3" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="One of the group members caught up with me and stopped me with a light touch on my shoulder." data-translation="Один из членов группы догнал меня и остановил легким прикосновением к плечу." data-type="trSpan">Один из членов группы догнал меня и остановил легким прикосновением к плечу.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="203-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value=""Yasuo" - for me, this nickname has already become something of a middle name." data-translation=""Ясуо" - для меня это прозвище уже стало чем-то вроде отчества." data-type="trSpan">"Ясуо" - для меня это прозвище уже стало чем-то вроде отчества.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="204-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="It's not customary to ask a lot about real life here, and no one is usually interested in your past unless you decide to share it, and I don't have much to tell you." data-translation="Здесь не принято много расспрашивать о реальной жизни, и никто обычно не интересуется твоим прошлым, если только ты не решишь поделиться им, а мне нечего тебе рассказать." data-type="trSpan">Здесь не принято много расспрашивать о реальной жизни, и никто обычно не интересуется твоим прошлым, если только ты не решишь поделиться им, а мне нечего тебе рассказать.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="205-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="Ishida Yukio, 19 years old, although no, already 21, if you count the time spent in SAO." data-translation="Ишида Юкио, 19 лет, хотя нет, уже 21, если считать время, проведенное в SAO." data-type="trSpan">Ишида Юкио, 19 лет, хотя нет, уже 21, если считать время, проведенное в SAO.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="206-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="A typical student of the local university, who has not yet done anything outstanding in this life." data-translation="Типичный студент местного университета, который еще не сделал ничего выдающегося в этой жизни." data-type="trSpan">Типичный студент местного университета, который еще не сделал ничего выдающегося в этой жизни.</ya-tr-span>
<ya-tr-span data-index="207-0" data-translated="true" data-source-lang="en" data-target-lang="ru" data-value="Of the " achievements", I can only mention my huge collection of completed games, TV series,anime, manga, and other classic attributes of such recluses (Magazines 18+), of course, accumulated over the years of calm." data-translation="Из " достижений" могу лишь упомянуть мою огромную коллекцию завершенных игр, сериалов, аниме,манги и прочих классических атрибутов таких затворников (журналы 18+), естественно, накопленную за годы затишья." data-type="trSpan">Из " достижений" могу лишь упомянуть мою огромную коллекцию завершенных игр, сериалов, аниме,манги и прочих классических атрибутов таких затворников (журналы 18+), естественно, накопленную за годы затишья.</ya-tr-span>
- Aha, say the roars (Guild - " Knights of the Blood." ) we've already found the boss ' room on the 56th floor, and we're just wasting our time here. A woman's voice sounded nearby.
- Tcc… We're almost there, so be patient. I glanced around the group, and without waiting for them, I went ahead.
Recently, while clearing a dungeon, I came across an unusual wall hieroglyph: 芯 ("Core."), surrounded by strange characters from a language unknown to me.
After studying this place for a while, I accidentally activated a secret passage, but I still didn't understand where it could lead.
The surface of the wall looked like some kind of cloudy mirror, unfortunately, it was impossible to see what was on the other side.
I didn't dare break in alone, so I decided to go back to the others.
To be honest, I am not a team player at all, but in matters of survival, you should not always rely on yourself.
Of course, sometimes this chatter about nothing, the need to take into account common interests, the division of loot and other " joys" of joint passage can be pretty annoying, but there is someone to cover your back, especially given the need to fight monsters face to face.
Well, what else can you expect from a game called "Master of the Sword"?
...
After weighing all the pros and cons, we agreed to check out this place before leaving the location.
The dungeon was too similar...
Empty brick walls, huge halls with simple decoration and long narrow tunnels forming intricate routes, and dim lighting and muffled sounds created a sense of danger at every step.
I couldn't believe that there could still be some undisclosed secret in such a completely "classic" place, so I understand the skepticism of others.
Well, at least the area is already cleared and you don't have to worry about ambushes on the way.
...
After a couple of minutes, we finally got to the right place, and I breathed a sigh of relief - the passage was still there.
"Prepare the teleportation stones, just in case, even though this is a low-level dungeon, you shouldn't relax ahead of time. I said, and stopped a couple of steps away from the wall.
"Yes, yes... it's time to get started, or we won't be in town before dark."
"I can't wait to see the faces of these losers who wrote the manual when they find out about our discovery, hehe. "What's the matter?" added a small boy who was trudging along at the end of the group.
Before the eyes of each player, there was always a small interface, most of the time displaying a minimal set of information.
The rest of the functions themselves appeared as needed or were located in the main block of the main menu of the game.
Yasuo [12854/12854] LV72
Rai-Gun [100%]
Hiori [100%]
Shiro [100%]
WT 16:08
I pressed the index and middle fingers of my right hand together and ran them from top to bottom:
Inventory < Consumable items < Teleportation Stone < Extract [ yes | no ]
…
Equipment >
Tasks >
Settings >
…
Soon, like the others, I clutched a small dark blue crystal in my hand - it was a one-time teleport that allowed me to leave the dangerous area and move to the nearest city.
However, they were very expensive for the average player, so no one wanted to use them again until something out of the ordinary happened.
But, despite the price, having one when pumping far from the safe zone or inside the dungeons has already become an unspoken rule among players.
No one would deliberately risk their only life to save money on buying a teleport, would they?
- Well, have you moved? I looked up from the interface and took my first step into the unknown.
...
A few hours later.
55th floor.
The city of Grandum.
Unlike most other cities made of stone, Grandum was almost entirely made of black steel... there were no trees or other greenery in the streets.
In one of the city towers was the headquarters of the Knights of the Blood , the most famous guild in Aincrad, and this fortress of indescribable size is the main world of the game.
At a table at the back of the huge room, facing a single wall-sized window, sat a brooding man who looked to be in his 30s.
Any knowledgeable person would immediately recognize him as soon as they saw him – Heathcliff, not only the leader of the roars, but also the rumored strongest player who has never lost his hp to the yellow zone (60%).
But no one had yet guessed his true identity.
You have a new system message [1] >
After receiving the notification, the man took a quick glance at the interface, and then slowly got up from the table and, after enjoying the view of the night city for a while, began to study the text:
March 5, 2024, 21: 04.
The World No. 8 Seed was discovered by the players.
[The seed of peace.]
World code: S1-N0-B1.
STL technology: Supported.
User Interface: Disabled.
World type: Earth.
Development scenario: Set.
Capacity: 0/1.
Management: Autonomous.
World status: Not functioning.
