Sunday, June 6, 2023, 13:20, Kawagoe City, Saitama, in front of the downtown department store.

"Yo, Baihui." Naoba beckoned to the girl across the street, who was wearing a normal tight-fitting dress but wearing a stone mask on the side of her head, "Here." ”

Baihui, who was trotting across the road, greeted warmly: "Naoba, I didn't expect you to pull me to the mall." I'm not going to play SAO with your brother today. ”

After hearing the words of his sworn friend, Naoba said with a wry smile: "Really, didn't I tell you a long time ago?" ”

"I know, I know, it's just bad luck, I didn't draw it on the Internet again, and then I saw that there were too many people in line, and I wanted to sleep, but I overslept and woke up when I was already on sale......" Baihui held his hands behind his back and counted Naoba's "deeds" with a smile.

"Don't just reveal people's scars!" In this regard, Naoye directly clenched his small fist and beat Baihui. was dodged by Baihui laughing.

After the trouble, Baihui took Naoba's right hand and walked towards the inside of the mall: "Didn't you go to ask Sister Xuefeng?" ”

"There's no need to trouble Sister Xuefeng and them for this little thing. Anyway, there will be a second batch of machines on sale in a few days, and you can buy them when the time comes. Naoba said casually, "It's not like you want to compete for hegemony when you enter the game, it's completely unnecessary to enter the game at the first time." ”

"Eun, I'm looking for a 'boyfriend'!"

"Baihui, don't run away!"

Like those girls of the same age, as the two laughed and laughed and wandered and bargained for shopping, time gradually passed, and their hands were full of plastic bags for shopping.

Looking at the 17:00 displayed by the big clock inside the mall, Baihui said weakly: "Ah, it's so late if you don't pay attention to it." It's almost time to go back, Naoba. ”

The two of them, who had about the same amount of physical exertion, were now sitting at a table and chair in the relaxation area, sucking juice.

Naoba pushed all the plastic bags in front of Baihui in front of him, then took out his mobile phone, and said while looking through the news: "Na, I came out in the name of club activities, I'll give these to you to take back, and I'll take them back later." If necessary, you can ...... casually."

"Hey, I'll take it back? My hands are full, and I have nowhere to take them! I can't open up my personal space here...... Straight leaves? Are you listening to me again? Straight leaves? ”

Looking at the large pile of plastic bags that were pushed in front of him, Baihui complained with resentment, but soon found that Naoba was not listening to himself at all, but frowned, sweaty, and pale and looked at his phone.

Just as Momoe wanted to lean over to see what Naoba was doing, Naoba suddenly stood up and ran towards the mall gate.

"Naoba, what's wrong with you, Naoba?!"

After being taken aback, Baihui hurriedly cleaned up the table, and then hurriedly ran out of the mall with Naoha.

At this time, a news story began to play on the large display screen in the center of the mall.

"The worst online game incident broke out! A large number of SAO players died ......"

———— face life and death, mortals! ————

Ayn Grant, first floor, the town of the beginning, the central grand square.

In a matter of seconds, all the players were teleported to the square. Some players are surprised and confused, others are excited and expectant, and some are uneasy and ominous.

"What the hell is going on? What happened? ”

"I don't know. But there will be an explanation soon. ”

"Is it an event, it should be an event to celebrate the opening of the server."

"Forced teleportation? …… Is it for all players? ”

"An official event? It seems that it is......"

As all players teleported completely, the bells gradually stopped. The crowd, who had a premonition of what was going to happen, also stopped discussing. For a moment, the square seemed silent.

And then, someone noticed an inconspicuous strangeness in the sky.

"Hey, what's on it?"

"Eun, I'll take a look at ......'WARNING'"

"'Wrong'? What does this mean......"

In the midst of everyone's puzzlement, the bright red square with the word "WARNING" on the side seemed to begin to replicate and increase its value in the blink of an eye, and the madness of the pieces extended outward. In the blink of an eye, the bright red squares took over the entire sky, as if the space was shrouded in blood barriers.

However, not all of the blocks have "WARNING" written on them, and some of them also have the words "SystemAnnouncement".

Just as all the players were startled and panicked by the sudden occurrence, a blood-like liquid oozed from between the cracks between the blocks in a certain area.

Instead of dripping on the ground like blood, these liquids condensed and accumulated in mid-air, looking more like colloidal substances.

Accompanied by electric light, the large-scale accumulation of colloidal matter gradually transforms its form. In less than a few seconds, to the stunned gaze of all the players, a faceless and cloaked floating giant appeared above the square.

At the top of the tallest tower in the Beginning Town, the three of them are watching the events unfold from a place that no player can see. When the Faceless Giant appeared, Yukikaze smiled and said, "How do you feel?" Isn't this appearance and appearance very shocking? ”

Aili, who was still soft-legged, sat aside and covered her face helplessly: "Can you only use this appearance to appear?" Isn't it good to have a nine-tailed fox or something? It's going to be shocking with a fox fire, and the fox is so cute......"

It's just that Ellie's complaint was obviously not heard by the two people next to her, and Lilian, who agreed with Xuefeng's words, nodded excitedly: "Eun, it's very imposing!" ”

"yes, yes, it's a famous scene! I really wanted to come here in the first place! ”

Of course, all of the actions and words of the paranormal trio went unnoticed by anyone, and all the players' attention was focused on the Faceling Giant hovering in the square, except for the inability to be noticed.

"What's that......"

"Administrator?"

"Why don't you have a face?"

"What kind of activity is this?"

"It's scary!" A player who looks like a girl closes his eyes tightly, and this handsome player takes the opportunity to comfort the girl who is leaning on him, "It's okay, this is definitely a continuation of the launch celebration." ”

Just when everyone was talking and many people realized that this might not be a normal situation, and their hearts were full of uneasiness, the suspended faceless giant said in the voice of an adult woman, "Players, welcome to my world. ”

"My name is: Airi Kayaba, the developer of NERvGear, the creator of this world."

"From the moment the game was opened, SwordArtOnline has been officially taken over by the Three Sages intelligent system, whether it is in the game or outside the game, no human can interfere and modify this world."

"And I'm the only one who can control this world right now."

It's impossible for anyone who plays this game not to know the name. No, it should be said that there should be no one in this world who has not heard this name!

All the players were blown up in an instant, and countless buzzing voices filled the square: "Really? "Is that me?" "Is it really Miss Kayaba?" "It's really finely done!" ……

"You've noticed it." Ignoring the arguments in the square, the Faceless Giant stretched out his right hand and clicked on the menu that matched it, "The logout button in the main menu is gone. ”

In the menu that opens, the logout button should stay in the position, and it is blank!

"However, it's not like there's something wrong with the game."

"Again, it's not a problem, it's the original gameplay of SwordArtOnline!"

"How to play? ......" The players were extremely puzzled by the Faceless Giant's words, and it was only then that everyone felt uneasy in their hearts.

"You can't log out, and no one outside can stop or dismiss NERvGear." The Faceling Giant continued, "If you try to do this, the high-powered microwaves emitted by NERvGear's signal unit will destroy your brains and stop your life. ”

"It's a show to stir up the atmosphere, let's end it quickly." Restless players try to deny the reality in front of them by forcibly explaining, or......

"Let's go."

…… Escapism.

"It hurts! …… Hey, I can't get out! ”

But the invisible barrier around the square instantly scorched people.

"What did that guy say, there's something wrong with his brain, right?" Kirito and Klein are still together after being forcibly transferred. Klein remained optimistic about this, saying, "yes, Kirito. ”

"The microwave of the signal unit is indeed the same as the microwave oven, as long as the limiter is removed, it is ...... to burn the brain" Kirito did not pay attention to Klein, but calmly recalled the product description he had read.

"Then just cut off the power ......"

"No, NERvGear has a built-in battery!"

Recalling the battery full sign he saw before entering the game, Klein had to admit that it was an extremely cruel, but terrifyingly real reality: "But it's too messy, what is this?!" ”

"Unfortunately, there have been many cases where a player's family and friends have ignored warnings and attempted to forcibly dismiss NERvGear."

"As a result, 213 players were removed from the Ayn Grant and the real world for good."

Kirito couldn't believe what he had heard: "213 people?!" ”

"I don't believe it...... I don't believe it! "Not only Kirito, but all the players can't believe it, and even self-hypnosis is still an official event held by the game.

The Faceless Giant unfolded one screen after another, showing all the public reports on the Internet and the media about the incident: "Online game incident, victims emerge one after another!" "Vicious ~ online game incident! The conspiracy of an online game operating company? "Interview records of the families of multiple SAO game victims!" "Conspiracy? Or was it an accident? Miss Airi Kayaba's house is engulfed in flames! ”……

The shocking instructions and videos tell all players that what it does and says is not a joke or a joke, but a cold and cruel reality.

"As you can see, this situation is being repeatedly reported by various media outlets, including the large number of deaths."

"Therefore, it can be said that the danger of being forcibly removed from NERvGear has been reduced, so I hope you can feel at ease."

"However, I would like you to note that all in-game resurrection methods will no longer be effective."

"The moment your HP returns to 0, your characters will disappear forever. Meantime...... Your brains will also be destroyed by NERvGear. ”

Without waiting for the player's reaction, the Faceless Giant continued, "There is only one condition for you to be liberated. ”

"Just beat this game!"

"Now you are on the lowest level of Ayn Grant: the first level. Raid the labyrinth area of each layer, defeat the boss of the defending layer to enter the upper layer, and defeat the boss of the hundredth floor to clear the level. ”

"Attention! This is not an event! It's a real ......."

"The battle for survival!"