Prologue - Sword Art Online (2)

When Ryuji opened his eyes again, he was met by the sight of a vast field of plains that spanned endlessly into the horizon. He looked around, from left to right as he felt his tousling in the air. There were no buildings, trees, or whatever. Just the grassy surface of land.

"Whoa~" Ryuji unconsciously muttered underneath his breath, lips hanging open. Even though the place was as empty as it could get, the view of the beautiful, unsullied environment where the sun shone ever so brightly was a new sight for him.

However, he felt that there was something strange... His hands unknowingly crept up to his head and... There was nothing. Not even the weight of what he knew he wore earlier.

'Wait, where's the headset?' Ryuji felt up his head a few times. And all he could grab were strands of—weirdly textured?—hair.

If he wasn't wearing the headset, then that means everything in his sight was real? No way. Although the surroundings looked real, it still had a touch of discernable surreality. What exactly is happening?

The boy was confused as agitation filled his heart. A question that his young mind considered ludicrous. Was it possible that he was inside the game? If so, can technology even do that?

A light breeze swept past him as his hair flew into the air. His thoughts were interrupted by the weird sensation of the wind that caressed his skin. Even the blow of the air passing through the expanse sounded off from what he was used to.

Just... where in the world is he?

It was a question that lingered in his mind for a brief moment, as a familiar voice was directly transmitted to his ears, easing his skepticism and anxiety, even if only for a bit.

[How are you feeling, Ryu-kun?]

That voice... it was his uncle's. But how? He wasn't anywhere near him. And he did say that he would be able to talk to him in-game, but without the headset on his head, how is he doing it?

"Nii-san, can you hear me?" Ryuji exclaimed so, intending to seek answers. However, before he could receive a reply from his guardian, it didn't take a second for him to notice something amiss once again.

"Wait, why is my voice deeper!?" the boy asked aloud.

[Yes, I can hear you. I can even observe you through a screen, Ryu-kun.] his uncle's voice entered his ears again. [And also, your voice is deeper as it is the voice of the preset character you are currently controlling.]

~

Akihiko looked at the confused visage of his nephew through the big screen as he held a small microphone.

Right now, he was at the large room where they first entered from. Looking at a separate monitor near him, its screen displayed the current psychological state of Ryuji. He was still confused. At least, it was the advanced AI program they developed to monitor a player's emotions interpreted.

"If you're still confused, look at your body, Ryu-kun." the petite uncle said in the microphone.

From a 3rd person perspective, he saw Ryuji glancing downwards, taking a look at his body. And as he did so, his lips fell agape staring at his new figure.

Akihiko saw the evident surprise that was written at his nephew's face as the latter looked at his body, which was 2 times taller than his real one. It was evident in his face. He was probably too distracted at the new environment that he didn't notice his taller height.

In the future, Akihiko wanted the players that will play SAO to have their original appearance in the game. A plan he wanted to keep secret for the time being. For now, those who will be the testers for the early developmental stages of the game will have to settle for preset characters that was registered in the prototype of the NerveGear.

[W-What happened to me, Nii-san?] Ryuji's voice reverberated from the speaker near Akihiko, still bewildered at his circumstances.

"Like I said earlier, you are inhabiting a preset character in Sword Art Online. In other words, that's will be your body for the time being while inside the game." Akihiko explained slowly.

~

"So I really am inside the game? Ryuji muttered.

[Yes. This is what your Nii-san has been working on throughout the years. Welcome to the world of Sword Art Online.] Akihiko said, a trace of proudness was in his tone.

"Woah~ How did you do this, Nii-san?" Ryuji asked in amazement.

[I won't explain it to you for now, as I don't think you will understand it. Maybe in the future.]

Ryuji nodded. "Okay, Akihiko-nii."

Even though he was still curious and amazed about how his uncle did this, where one can enter the game itself and become the character, controlling its every movement and experience the world directly, he didn't push the topic as he knew that he probably won't understand it anyway.

[Alright. Do you want to try out the game now?]

~

[Yes!] Ryuji replied in an enthusiastic manner.

Seeing this, a small smile bloomed on the uncle's face. It seems that his plan to distract him from the tragedy was working for the time being.

He glanced at the at the monitor powered by the advanced emotion detecting AI as it displayed that Ryuji was feeling excited.

"Good. Let me explain to you how to play SAO first, though. In essence, SAO is an MMORPG. VRMMORPG to be exact. Have you played MMORPGs before, Ryu-kun?" Akihiko asked Ryuji, who just nodded in reply.

"What do you do in MMORPGs?" Akihiko asked once more.

[Uhm... kill monsters to become stronger?] Ryuji replied.

"Exactly. Do you want to try it now? Killing monsters in SAO?"

[I can do that?] Ryuji asked in a curious tone.

"Yes, you can." Akihiko confirmed so to his nephew. And after that, he glanced behind him, at the dozen of his colleagues of programmers and commanded, "Someone spawn in a Frenzy Boar near Ryuji. Make it passive before I say otherwise. And make sure to have Pain Absorber up to max level."

~

Streaks of blue light fell down in front of Ryuji, as a large boar flickered in the spot. Afloat its head displayed a white framed bar that was colored green and a series of texts that spelled <Frenzy Boar Lv. 1>

The boar had gray fur and shimmering crimson eyes. Its appearance, coupled with its menacing long tusks that protruded out of its mouth alerted Ryuji.

He backed away a few steps, distancing himself from the boar in a nervous manner. For all he knows, that thing might attack suddenly attack him.

[Ryu-kun, this is one of the monsters in SAO, the Frenzy Boar. Don't worry, it won't attack you until I say so. And even if it did, you won't feel any pain as I had it turned off.] Akihiko's voice sounded out in his ears, as his words reassured his worries.

"Really?" Ryuji questioned.

[Yes. So, do you want to try fighting it?]

Hearing his uncle's question, Ryuji thought about it and glanced at the scary-looking boar. It might be fun fighting the boar... His uncle said that he won't feel any pain too. If that's the case, then...

"Count me in, uncle!" Ryuji exclaimed so. The thought of subduing a boar is making him excited. His inherent curiosity as a child was kicking in, urging him to try a new experience. "But, how do I kill it? I don't have a weapon. Do I just use my fists?"

[Of course not, you'll be given a weapon. A floating interface should pop up in front of you. Choose a weapon of your liking.]

As Akihiko declared so, a white interface appeared in front of Ryuji as it displayed the images and the names of the weapons he could choose from.

<One-handed Sword>

<Two-handed Sword>

<Rapier>

<Axe>

<Dagger>

<Spear>

— • — • —

A/N: I was thinking of making him use daggers, but if you can convince me of making him use another weapon, I might just change it.

Also, should I add bows?