(Sure enough, what's different...... ）

After the SAO open beta, Yuki, who came to this world again with his true appearance, interacted with the NPCs of the "Beginning Town" with great interest.

Compared with the fixed words and actions during the first closed beta, although the NPCs are still those characters this time, both the answers and actions spoken during the dialogue have become natural, and even Yuki has the illusion that the AI has its own consciousness, and even the emotions are fully reflected.

According to the information she gathered, although the answers of these NPCs will also change during the closed beta, the pattern is quite fixed.

(In just a few months, Akihiko Kayaba has completed the "evolution" of his own world...... ）

……

That's it!

Snapping his fingers with considerable satisfaction, the more real this 'world', the more 'hopeful' there is for Yuki.

Her decision to enter this game was not wrong!

Biting on the tasteless apple she bargained with the fruit stall owner, the black-haired girl headed towards the plains on the outskirts of town.

Before the official 'open beta', she will probably be able to relax for a while.

After all, she has been paralyzed in a hospital bed recently, and it feels great to be able to walk freely in the sun like this.

Speaking of which, she really misses her fanged 'old friends'.

It's a pity that if the 'old friends' have a memory, I'm afraid that the moment they see her, they will scatter......

*******************************************************************************************************

- The first layer of "Ayn Grant", on the prairie outside the "Beginning Town".

Focusing on the weapon, Yuki calmly dodged, leaving a red scratch on the boar monster's body.

The health bar resolves to zero, and a victory sound and dialog box appear.

With a sword flower pinned to her waist, the black-haired girl looked at the sky that had gradually darkened.

In the hours of the boar crusade, she has almost regained the feel of the closed beta period.

It's just that because I've been in this area for a long time, the experience points gained from killing monsters have not continued to increase.

And the reason why she didn't go to the deeper areas was because she knew that the world was about to make a huge change.

(It's almost time.) ）

The afterglow of the setting sun turns the grasslands golden, and the lakes ripple and dance with the breeze.

With his hands behind his back to find a tree to lean on, Yuki closed his eyes and realized the last beauty.

……

- Ding Dong. Ding dong.

As dusk fell, the sound of a bell like an alarm began to echo throughout the Irongrunte.

(The voice...... ）

A sudden pillar of blue light appeared at her feet, as if she had expected it, and the girl who opened her eyes did not panic, but calmly waited for the transfer to end.

After a few seconds, all players online were teleported to the game's starting plaza in front of the huge black palace.

The constant flickering 'Warning' and the blood-colored sky render the ominous atmosphere to the extreme.

Just when everyone thought it was a special event organized by the government, a giant in a red cloak appeared above the main square, bringing a desperate reality to the players who are still in the game.

"Welcome to my world, players."

The moment the giant said this, the death game called "Sword Art Online" officially began.

……

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- "The Beginning Town", the prop house in the right block.

After the death of SAO, Yuki did not go to the leveling location according to the information of the closed beta as soon as possible, but came to the store where basic materials are sold in each town, and seemed to be waiting for someone.

After all, as long as a certain 'conjecture' is realized, the level is no longer so meaningful to her.

After about half an hour, the doorbell rang again, and she walked in with the familiar dress of the female hook claw envoy she remembered.

"It's too slow, Argo."

“——？！”

Reflexively jumping away, the female hook was visibly startled by the sudden greeting.

“…… Knowing my name and my habit of staying in the prop house, you're a closed beta player, right? ”

looked at the girl in front of her with some vigilance, among the closed beta players she knew, there shouldn't be such a person.

"Hey, hey."

Knowing that her current self and her original appearance were like two people, Yuki smiled and made a 'ten' gesture to her.

"Hmm......? Yes.. Yes!!! Ahh————hh

Changing from confusion to surprise, her ability to be an informant made her quickly remember something, and her tone gradually changed and she shouted.

"Are you ——!?"

"No, no, no, that's weird!"

Shaking his head to deny something, the end of the sentence once again took on a strange tone, and Argo's eyes widened as he guessed a certain identity.

In her impression, that stinky old guy must be an adult, how can this girl in front of her who looks like she is only twelve or thirteen years old, impossible, right?

“…… Okay, so let's re-introduce ourselves. ”

"My name is 'Yuki', and my name during the closed beta period was 'Yuki'!"

"Please advise me in the future!" Argo'! ”

Under the incredulous gaze of the rat merchant, the black-haired girl smiled and announced her name.

****************************************************************************************************************

"Ah, it's so surprising, one of the best strategy masters in the closed beta period, the real identity is actually ......"

Sitting on the side of the guest to rest, Argo looked Yuki up and down again.

She still has some hard time believing that the ontology of "You" is actually this girl who can be said to be a little young.

"So, little brother...... Oh, it should be Miss Xiao now, what the hell are you looking for me, if you want to guide, you, a former front-line player, should be better at it than me. ”

Fiddling with the rim of the teacup, Argo asked curiously.

If you want information, it's even more impossible.,If you want to talk about strategy information.,There shouldn't be anyone in the early stage who has more details than her.。

Without saying anything more, Yuki opened his inventory, took out a booklet from it and threw it over.

With a puzzled look, Argo looked at the two rows of words on the cover of the booklet.

- [Tips for Fools to Survive, Detailed Explanation of the First Layer of Quests and Monsters of "Ayn Grant" (for reference only)]

"That's it, the message handling of this thing will be handed over to you."

She believed that the rat merchant who had already had this intention would not refuse.

"It's ——!?"

After a double-glance look, Argo was surprised again.

It contains almost all the contents of the first floor of Ain Grant, and there is even a way to survive through the cycle quest even if you don't have a floor strategy.

For novice players who are in this world right now, is there anything more important than this?!

But she remembered that when the other party sealed the test, it should have been to the area close to the tenth layer, so why not release the later strategies?

After saying his thoughts, Argo got a laughing answer.

“…… Argo, take a closer look at the words on the first page of this booklet. ”

"Huh?"

Flip the booklet to the front and it says.

- [The key has been handed over to you, and it is up to you to decide whether to pick up the sword and chase after it. 】

This 'gift' from closed beta players is heavy enough.

She's not here to be a 'savior', that's all.