Chapter 1

«Vorpal Strike» flashed through the darkness, and with its blood

colored light two giant insect monsters' HP went to zero.

Confirming with my peripheral vision that the polygons had

scattered, I withdrew my sword just as I unfroze, and turned around to

block an attack from a big, sharp jaw. I then used the same «Sword

Skill» to finish it off; it made a Giii cry before tilting backwards and

dying.

This heavy single-handed attack skill first appeared in my list just

three days ago, when my «Single-handed Sword Skill» reached level

950, and it was surprisingly convenient. Even though the skill has such

a long cool-down player freeze period, its reach is double that of the

actual blade; and the fact that its power is comparable to a two-handed

heavy pole-arm is more than enough to make up for its shortcomings.

Of course, if used in battle against other players, they would read the

timing immediately. But the simple movements of the AI monsters

cannot counter it. You can simply spam it and blow away groups of

enemies with deep red light effects.

Having said that, after continuously battling for an hour under

this weak torch light, I did indeed feel my concentration waning. I can

no longer react and counter their big, biting jaws or acid mucus as well

as earlier. Though they attack in large numbers, these monsters are not

small-fry. This habitat is only three floors below the front line on the

49th floor, and these are very powerful monsters. Even though this is

within the safety margin when considering level differences, if a

massive swarm were to attack and surround me, my HP would quickly

go down to the yellow zone.

To brave these dangers and come to a floor that has already been

cleared, there could only be one reason. This place is the most efficient

way to earn experience points out of all the currently known training

locations. These giant ants that come from caves around the cliff here

have high attack power, but their HP and defense are both very low. As

long as you can continue to avoid their attacks, you can quickly take

down a lot of these monsters. But as mentioned earlier, once under

attack and surrounded, you may not even be able to hold your ground,

thereby leading to death, so this area cannot be seen as a suitable

training zone for solo players. Because this is such a popular place,

every party is only allowed one hour to hunt. I was the only solo player

there. Even now, there are familiar faces from various guilds lined up

at the valley entrance. There should be a row of bored expressions that

look as though they were stamped on. If it were just impatience, that

would be fine. But strongly team spirited players thought of me as the

"Strongest Idiot" or the "Anomic Beater" – but, of course I didn't know

about that.

My left side timer display showed 57 minutes. I decided to finish

up after clearing the next wave of monsters. I took a big breath and

waited, in order to squeeze out every last bit of concentration.

As ants approached from both left and right, I faced towards the

one on the right, and threw a dagger to stop its movement before

killing the one on the left with the triple attack skill «Sharpnail». As I

turned around, I used «Vorpal Strike» to cut towards the big open jaws

of another ant. During my skill cool-down, I used the glove on my left

hand to wipe off the green acid that had hit me. With a jiyuu sound my

HP bar lowered, and then I kicked off the ground and jumped high. In

midair, I cut apart the weakest part of the ant's belly and killed it. For

the last two, I used half of the longest chain skill I know, a six-hit chain,

to defeat them. Before the next set of ants appeared from their hives, I

suddenly dashed away.

After running the thirty meters of the ant valley in five seconds, I

rolled out of the small entrance before finally releasing my breath.

Gasping for fresh air, I wondered if this pain was just mental or if my

real body also stopped breathing. In any case, I felt my stomach cramp

up, and unable to bear this degree of nausea, I dropped like a rag onto

the frozen winter ground.

The sound of many footsteps reached my ears as I lay on the

ground. Even though these are people I know, I can't even say hello to

them. Feebly waving my right hand to bid them onward, I then heard a

rough voice and a big sigh.

"My level and yours have already grown apart, so I won't join in

the action today. Listen up. Don't let the circle formation collapse, and

constantly be mindful of the people around you. Make sure that you

don't act shy if you encounter anything dangerous, just shout to me for

help. And also, flee immediately when the queen comes out."

After receiving their leader's directive, six or seven people

answered with a "Yes!" or "Ho!", and the rustling footsteps gradually

moved away. I breathed heavily a few times, and after finally getting

my breath under control, I propped myself up with my right hand and

leaned on a nearby tree.

"Catch!"

I gratefully caught the healing potion, flicked the cork open with

my thumb, and drank it greedily. Even though the taste carried a hint

of bitter lemon juice, I thought it was delicious. I tossed the empty

bottle to the ground, watched it emit a small red light as it disappeared,

and looked up.

Klein, who was the leader of the guild «Fuurinkazan» that I had

met at the beginning of this death game SAO, still wearing his vulgar

bandana, opened the mouth that was above his scruffy beard and said:

"Kirito, no matter how you put it, this is more than a little absurd.

Just when did you come here today?"

"Eh... around 8 p.m."

After I replied in a hoarse voice, Klein showed an exaggerated

expression of dissatisfaction.

"Oi, oi, it's already two in the morning, you've been here for six

hours. At this kind of dangerous training zone, if you use up your

strength it will be an instant death."

"It's fine. I can rest for up to two hours when waiting."

"If nobody comes then you plan to keep on fighting!"

"That's exactly why I chose this particular time to come. If I came

during the day then I might have to wait five or six hours."

Klein mixed the sound of being flabbergasted with the phrase

"You idiot". He then unhooked his katana from his waist, and sat down

heavily in front of me.

"...well, regarding your strength, from the first day of SAO I

understood it without a doubt... what's your level at now?"

To be able to keep secret stats such as the level is a player's

lifeline. To not ask is therefore an unspoken rule in SAO. But up till now

there's been no reason to hide it from Klein, so I answered honestly.

"Today I got to level 69."

The hand rubbing his chin stopped suddenly, and the eyes that

were half-covered by the bandana opened wide in shock.

"...hey, are you for real? Since when were you ten levels higher

than me – and, I don't understand it. Lately your leveling speed has

been too unusual. You must have been training even during the time of

day when the training areas are sparsely populated with any players.

Why do you have to go this far? I don't want to hear any of that..."for

clearing the game". Even if you become stronger by yourself, the

clearing pace will still be determined by strong guilds like KoB."

"Don't mind me; I have become a level-aholic. Just getting

experience points makes me feel good."

Seeing me say that with a shameful smile, Klein countered by

putting on a serious expression.

"Don't joke around... even I know how exhausting it is to grind

like this. To play solo is incredibly taxing on the mind...even if your

level is approaching 70, to be alone in this area is definitely not safe.

You want to take risks, but you must have a limit too. What's the point

of leveling in a place like this where you can die at any moment?

Fuurinkazan is a guild with a core of Klein's friends from before

SAO. Its members are a gang that dislike unnecessary meddling and, its

leader, Klein, is no exception.

This guy is a good person, but for this kind of man to be

concerned to this extent about an anomic beater like me, I'm afraid it

might be because he must, for I can understand what his reason is. To

help Klein, who isn't very good with words, I opened my mouth with a

smile.

"It's fine, you don't need to pretend to be worried anymore. You

want to know if my target is the Flag Mob, right?"

Flag Mob is set up to be a monster for quest completion. It will

spawn either once every few days or sometimes hours, but once in a

while a unit will spawn that is very close to the Boss Monster, so of

course its strength is no joke. Thus, to defeat it, players will usually

form parties as big as the ones with the Boss as the target.

Klein bluntly revealed a hard expression and rubbed his jaw.

"...I wasn't particularly trying to find that out..."

"You don't have to hide it anymore. The fact that you bought

information regarding my purchase of intelligence on the Christmas

Boss from Argo...this information I also bought from her."

"Say what?!"

Klein opened his eyes wide and was speechless.

"That Argo... her nickname, Rat, is not just for show."

"That girl would sell any information, even her own stats.

Anyways, we know that each other's target is the Christmas Boss, and

I've already bought all the current information that can be acquired

from an NPC. So, you should know that I will earn experience points

like this indefinitely and no matter what kind of advice is given I will

not have a reason to stop."

"Ah... my bad. That is something I would reject too."

Klein removed his hand from his chin and scratched his head,

continuing.

"It's 5 days until Christmas eve... every guild is the same, they all

want to increase their combat ability before the appearance of the Boss,

even if only a little. But in this kind of freezing night, idiots who lock

themselves up in training areas are rare. Fortunately, our guild has

almost ten people, we would have good chances even if our target was

the Boss. You know, since it's a «Once a Year» big Flag Mob, this is not

something you can hunt alone.

"...."

Unable to object, I looked down at the light brown, dry wild grass.

One year after SAO started, before the second Christmas, a rumor

began to spread throughout Aincrad. A month ago, NPCs on every floor

started to talk about the same quest.

It is said that during the Month of the Holly, that is, midnight on

December 24th, in some forest under the branches of a huge tree, the

legendary monster «Nicholas the Renegade» will appear. If you can

defeat it, you will get all the treasure from the big sack it carries on its

back.

Even for strong guilds that always only go after dungeons, this

time they showed big interest. They understand that treasure, money

and rare weapons will help a lot during Floor Boss fights. If we say that

this is the SAO system, which has thus far only taken things from

players, giving good-hearted Christmas presents, then how could

anyone not accept?

But a solo player like me had, at first, no interest in this rumor.

Without even Klein saying it, I already knew that this opponent was

not a match for a mere single player. And besides, with the money I get

from game-clearing, I could even buy a house if I wanted to. Most

importantly, I don't want to, as a result of fighting the Flag Mob that

everybody wants to fight, become famous, and get unnecessary

attention.

But two weeks ago – my feelings made a sudden 180 degree turn

after hearing an NPC's information. After that, I came to this popular

hunting ground every day, under the laughter of others, and leveled

like crazy.

Klein, who has been keeping quiet with me, said in a low voice:

"So it's related to that information after all – The «Resurrection

Item»."

"...Ah."

Now that the conversation has gone this far, there's no need to

hide it anymore. After I calmly admitted it, I sighed numerous times

which I couldn't keep track of, and squeezed out the words.

"I understand your feelings...I never thought there would actually

be such a dream item. «Nicholas's bag contains a legendary item that

can bring the dead back to life.» ...but...like most people, I think that

was just a lie. Or rather than call it a lie, I mean it might be a left over

speech for NPCs for when SAO was just an ordinary VRMMO...that is,

originally, this item would have revived people without the conditions

of the «Death Penalty». But, the SAO now has no such thing. There is

only one penalty, and that is the player's life. I don't want to recall that

event, but this was said first day on the clearing by that Kayaba fellow."

I recall the incident's first day tutorial by Akihiko's fake GM in

that clearing and what he said. A player whose HP becomes zero will

disappear from this server, never to return to their physical body.

I don't feel that speech was a lie, but...even so...

"There's nobody that can confirm, that the death in this world is

equivalent to the real thing."

I said these words as if I meant to argue. Just then, Klein wrinkled

his nose and struck down my words:

"We're going to die and return to the other side actually alive, and

Kayaba will face us and tell us «I lied» ? Stop it, this question was

resolved a year ago. If it's this kind of sick joke, then just pull down all

the players' Nerve Gear, and this incident will be over with. Since we

can't do that, this death game is serious. When HP becomes zero, the

Nerve Gear will become a microwave oven and fry your brain. If it isn't

that, then the people who were killed by those bastards or monsters,

who cried "I don't want to die" as they disappeared, what did all of it

mean?"

"Shut up!"

Shouting loud enough to surprise myself, I interrupted Klein's

speech.

"If you really think that I would not even understand this kind of

thing, then I have nothing to say to you... Indeed, Kayaba did say that

on the first day, but, a while back, even the leader of the game-clearers

on the front lines, the leader of KoB Heathcliff said this: as long as there

is even a one percent chance of saving the life of a comrade, then we

should do our best to pursue that chance, and those who cannot do this

don't deserve to form any party. Even though I don't like that man,

what he says is right. I'm currently pursuing that chance. Suppose that

those who die in this world have neither returned to the real world,

nor have truly died, and instead were transferred to some sort of

reserved area, waiting for the final outcome of this game. Then, we

have established a reason for the «Resurrection Item»."

With a long-windedness rarely seen of me, I put forth this

scenario that I only just created to support me. Klein put away his

anger, and instead looked at me with pity.

"Is that so?"

The sound he emitted just now was completely different from

before, very calm.

"Kirito...you still haven't forgotten about it, huh, that your last

guild... And it's nearly been half a year since then..."

I turned my head, and spat out words to defend myself.

"It should be said, how could I have forgotten after just half a

year...everybody died, except for me..."

"It was called «Black Cats of the Full Moon» right? They weren't

even a game-clearing guild, yet still went to a place close to the front

lines, and in the end some thieves caused an alarm trap. That was not

your fault, and no one would blame you for that. Instead, you would be

praised for being able to survive."

"It's not like that...it was my fault. Whether it's stopping them

from going to the front line, telling them to ignore the treasure, or

making sure everyone escaped as soon as the alarm went off; all of this

I should have been able to do."

—If I didn't hide my level of skill from my companions. The pain

that came from not telling Klein this truth was relentlessly biting my

chest. Before the katana-user said any words of comfort

uncharacteristic of him, I forced myself to finish the rest of my words:

"Indeed, there might not even be a one percent chance of it. But

whether it's the probability of my finding the Christmas Boss, of

defeating it alone, of the Resurrection item existing, or of the dead's

consciousnesses having been preserved...all of these like finding a grain

of sand in a desert. However...however, it is not zero. Since it's not zero,

I have to put in my best effort. Moreover...Klein, there's no way you

would give yourself this headache just for the money, right? So, you

will use it as a reason to do this just like me, right?"

In response to my question, Klein snorted, answering while

holding the sheath on the floor:

"I'm not the same as a dreamer like you. It's just that...before, I

also had a friend who was eliminated. If I don't do everything that I can

for him, then I won't be able to sleep at night..."

Facing the Klein who had stood up, I gave a slight smile.

"So it's the same."

"It's not the same. Our main objective is still the treasure, with

what we just talked about on the side...with only that group of people,

it would be bad if a giant ant comes out. I'll go and check out the

situation."

"Ah, ah."

Slightly nodding my head, I closed my eyes and leaned deeply

against the trunk of the tree. The whispered words of the katana-user

floated over to me.

"And I worry about you. It's not just to gather intelligence, you

moron. If you die by being brave in this kind of place, I certainly won't

use the resurrection item on you!"