Persona: HEAVEN (Persona/Sword Art Online/Isekai Multicross)

TUESDAY - April 8th, 2025
After School

There's a girl just... dangling from the tree. Was she stuck there?

Don't get involved. Please.

No... you squint as you try to look closer. Your curiosity was beating your deep-seated desire to mind your own business. From where you're standing at the entrance to the school there's a girl from your class kicking a tree and yelling up into its branches, though you were too far to hear what they were saying.

I know you need friends but aren't we trying to butter up your neighbor or something? Don't get involved with monkeys.

Shush.
There's something... about that tree. Something drawing you to it. Beckoning.

I swear to god if you try climbing that...

As you walk towards the siren song of foliage you're greeted by one of your classmates that you struggle to name. You think... Atsuko Sasaki? You paired up with her on mopping the hallway today and were at least on friendly terms. She had well-trimmed brown hair and looked extremely neat— a heavy contrast to the girl you swear was just moments ago kicking the tree.
"Oh, Hiyori-san! How are you doing!" She turns and gives you a friendly wave as you reach the lone piece of foliage at the back of the school.

"Afternoon Atsuko-san. What are you doing with the tree?" And why was the tree calling to you?

"Uh... haha... well..."

"LOOK OUT BELOW!"

With a yelp you dodge to the side as a soccer ball falls out of the branches. Wait, you remember that ball getting kicked into the tree during gym class this morning! The teacher was yelling at one of your classmates for trying to climb it then and there.

A head pokes out of the thick branches, covered in twigs and dry leaves. You thought it wasn't physically possible but her hair is somehow more unruly than yours. God if you climbed that tree your hair would probably be so tangled they'd have to cut you out.
"C'mon, I knew you'd draw attention! Get down before the teachers notice!" yells Atsuko as her voice becomes more trill by the second.

"Sorry Aachan, haha, I'll be down in a jiffy!"

Atsuko sighs and turns towards you, waving you closer. "You don't want to stand there, she likes jumping down."

You take the advice, and not a second too soon, as the girl just leaps out of the branches and lands with a practiced tumble. You're impressed she didn't break anything.

"Showoff."

"Hehe, guilty as charged Aachan. You're Hiyori-chan right? I remember you from rollcall!"

Where you embarrassed yourself and caught the attention of the class clown? Yeah, not exactly your greatest memory.
"Uh, it's nice to meet you, uh..." really what was her name? Her hair wasn't this messy in class.

"Oh, my name is—"

You realize it in a flash of pain and resurfaced memories. You were warned by ETTEILLA and by stranger forces than he that you had to find these Seeds. Something about stealing dreams. How the hell were you supposed to do that? Stealing dreams doesn't sound all that fun, feasible or safe.

As you look at your classmate you feel a burning feeling in your chest. She's looking you in the face with eye contact, smiling radiantly. Dirty appearance aside she was a perfectly normal schoolmate. Yet somehow you know that her eyes are looking through you, through her friend Atsuko, through the world itself. Eyes that were half fixed in a dream and half in the waking world.

"Uh... hi. I hope we can get along..." you distractedly mutter as the new girl almost tackles you in a one-armed hug.

"Hehe, that introduction had a lot of energy! Made me want to join you!"

Please no, you didn't want to be known as the loud one, there were apparently plenty of candidates for that already...

"Ah, we really should be going." Atsuko-san steps forward and dusts off her friend. "The teachers won't like us loitering after school if we're not in a club. Hiyori-san why don't you come with us? We can stop by a shop on the way back."

"I'm new to the area, so I don't know what's around..."

"Hey, you're in luck! There's a cafe a few blocks down, their pear tart looks so good!" The loud girl is visibly drooling at the thought.

"Absolutely not, you're still covered in dirt!" Not to mention branches.

"Bah, who cares? Business is business, right? C'mon, c'mon, let's celebrate the start of school with sweets!"

Oooh, that sounded nice. But your wallet... ah, you'll always have room for sweets!

---

¥5000!?

For a single tart!? Was it made out of gold leaf and extinct cultivars?

Part of the problem was that it was the size of a dinner plate, clearly meant for a family or even a party. The thing was sold as a complete pie, with no option to just buy it in part. The sign showed it was a limited-time collaboration pie— tastes just like Alfheim Online's «Ygg Fruit Tart» it proudly advertised. Truly life had gone full circle, real-life bakeries were now advertising their similarities to VR food instead of vice versa.

Looking at the menu it seemed it honestly had very little in the way of small bite-sized menu options. What there was instead was an Amusphere in the back connected to a VR tasting menu at only ¥2000 per person.

Atsuko was shaking her head and trying to restrain her friend from drooling over the counter. "C'mon, if you ate that whole thing it'll spoil dinner. If you really want to try it just take the VR course..."

"But it's so BIG..." you can't help but admire it.

I mean... that was one hell of a pear tart.
"See Hiyori-chan gets it!"

You look guiltily at the tart. The fact that such a beautiful confection went unbought just because you could eat a VR version of it at half the cost and no calories... well that did sound rather tempting...
No. You need to take a stand.

"Hiyori?"

You step up to the counter and slam ¥5000 on the counter. You only had ¥15000 left now... but some things are more important than money.

"I want it."

"E...excuse me miss?"

"The pear tart. Give me all of it."

---

"You're an angel. The greatest person to ever live."
You're too busy enjoying life to listen.

You were working on your second slice. Atsuko had limited herself to only one. Your loud classmate was joyfully entering her third slice, this time with some jam the owner brought out when they noticed you actually bothering to eat the physical version.

"Stop it, that's way too much sugar!" scolds Atsuko.

"Dun care," your friend mutters through a mouthful of tart. "This is divine. So much better than VR. Hiyori you're the best for getting this."

"It technically tastes the same..." says Atsuko.

Tastes the same? You had your fill of VR food in SAO. You point your half-eaten tart at Atsuko in protest. "Sweets aren't just the taste!"
The loud girl nods in tune with your speech as Atsuko yelps in surprise.

You pull a candied pear off the confection and wave it in Atsuko's face. "It's more than that! It's the feeling of a full stomach! It's the guilt in knowing you're eating something you're not supposed to! Weight gain and regret are as fundamental to sweets as sugar!"

"Preach!"

"VR robs all that from sweets. The real thing is loads better!" you loudly proclaim as the last of your slice of pear tart disappears in your mouth. Oh, it's crunchy as well, you got the part where the dough was just slightly thicker and the pear juices had seeped in. You have no idea how they squeezed so much flavor out of a single fruit...

There's a single slice left, but when your new friend reaches for it Atsuko slaps her hand away. "You've had way too much!"
Ooh... the final slice. You really shouldn't, you owed Shino a gift for all the trouble she was going through helping you move...

With a final pout she relents and proceeds to lick her lips clean. "Oh, haven't had physical sweets in so long. Wonder if the VR version tastes the same..."

"You just ate, save it for another day..."

"But it's VR Aachan, I can't get fat there no matter how much I eat."

"It'll ruin your taste buds!"

You contemplate as the two friends bicker. It was a salient thought. The «Ygg Fruit Tart» was available in Alfheim Online, or so the sign said. Was VR tasting so advanced you couldn't even tell the difference anymore? A disturbing thought for the future of cafes like this.

"Thanks again Hiyori-chan! We should definitely hang out more, next time I'll cover!" The brown-haired girl gives you a winning smile with pieces of pear still visibly stuck in between her teeth.

"No, it was fun out eating with company." You honestly mean that. This... was the first time in years that you've done it.

Atsuko turns and gives you a light bow. "Thank you Hiyori-san. But it wouldn't be fair of us to leave you with the full bill, I must insist on covering at least half."

"No, no, this was my idea. I'm happy to treat you."
"Aachan, don't worry about it! We'll pay her back next time."

Atsuko shakes her head. "I don't think we should make a habit of this. We should split things equitably."

Well, she only had one slice and her friend ate the majority of the tart by herself. "Uh, then wouldn't you owe me like ¥700?"

"I'm accounting for someone's voracious appetite. I bet you didn't even bring enough money?"

"Hehe, got me there..." said someone laughs as she jumps up like a rabbit. "I should really get back home. Got some games to play!"

Oh... more VR stuff? Dreading the answer you quietly ask, "Oh? Like Alfheim?"

"Hmm, I'm saving up for an Amusphere myself, but I've been playing this SUPER-TOUGH Otom-"
"Hey, onethat you still haven't returned to me yet. You borrowed it weeks ago!"

"Well, the hidden route is so hard. And before you ask I'm not gonna look it up, real heroines struggle for love! Anyways Aachan, Hiyori-chan, gotta bounce! I'll pay you back later!"

You watch helplessly as your new friend practically bounces out of the store. I guess that means you have your first friend at school? It's a thought that fills your chest with warmth.


"And watch out for cars when you're crossing the street!" shouts Atsuko as she yells at the rapidly disappearing dot in the horizon.

Well, that happened.

"Sorry about her," Atsuko says as she gives you an apologetic smile. "But I was serious that I wanted to cover. ¥5000 is a lot of money, it's only right that I cover half..."

Hmm...

---

TUESDAY - April 8th, 2025
Evening

Your life is a parade of bad ideas.

Begging your mom for a launch day NerveGear.

Buying Sword Art Online.

Accepting the deal with Laughing Coffin.

You can now add another one to that list.

Pushing boxes after eating two slices of a giant pear tart.

"Hiyori?"

You are struggling mightily not to heave. You just gave Shino the last slice of Pear Tart as thanks for helping you with the boxes - you doubt she'll look on too kindly on the gesture if she sees that same pear tart in your vomit.

"Ju... just some water please..."

"Of course, wait here!"

Another day another box. Oh, your stomach is churning... best go to bed early today. Maybe skip dinner too. Why the hell did you gorge yourself when you were planning on pushing boxes all day?

You actually had some strength to spare, Shino had the bright idea of attaching some cardboard to the bottom of the box to form a loose sled and managed to borrow some rope from the landlord to help yank it up. But you were one exertion away from painting the stairwell in pear so you called it quits. Tomorrow... tomorrow you'll finally finish unpacking!

>Your muscles burn with exertion! FITNESS Greatly Increases! ♪♪♪♪

SEVENTH STAR - October 19th, 2024
14:20 AINCRAD STANDARD TIME

10 COR! 10 COR! GET YOUR FIRE-BREATHING POPCORN RIGHT HERE!
50 COR! FRESHLY CRAFTED DAGGERFRUIT JUICE!

You idly munch on the popcorn, trying to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Cheers and hawkers line the streets of «Collinia», a fantasy facsimile of Rome, Aincrad feeling alive for the first time in ages. You've had burnt food but burning food was a novelty even you couldn't ignore. In times like this, when a floor got unlocked, practically all the green players gathered in an impromptu festival to celebrate.

Once, long ago, every floor clear was a quiet and somber affair. But by the end of the year, when everyone had adapted, the lack of entertainment spontaneously led to these floor-clear festivals springing up. It was a way for all the non-clearer players to get a glimpse at the higher floors and a rare opportunity to actually see the top guild Clearers - the closest thing this game had to celebrities - in person.

There was a sequence to this. First, the Clearers would unlock the town gate. Then the info brokers would swarm in and scout the surrounding areas, followed by crafters who would chain raid the new NPC merchants in search of new ingredients. Whether out of a festive spirit or a desire to one-up each other the few food crafters still around would often compete in selling stuff made of new NPC mats, even if the resulting products were less than advertised.

Like eating popcorn that literally sets your mouth on fire. The pain absorber turned it to a mild tingling sensation, but the popping heat and acrid smoke gave it a certain... acquired taste. Well so long as you were stuck in hell you could at least try some of the torture they sold as food.
You eye the Daggerfruit Juice (Tastes like swallowing a hundred daggers!) and decide to fight against your curiosity. Did some poor bastard in ARGUS really have to program all these ingredients? They started running out of real-world fruits and vegetables by the 30th floor.

Crappy food aside this festival was special. The details escape you, no more information gathering. By some miracle Laughing Coffin was rounded up and suddenly you were... free. One way or the other the Coffins were captured and you managed to escape justice. So here you were, in your new life. A traitor hiding from her past life, wandering into a festival just to distract yourself.

As you sneak through the crowd to find an empty seat in the huge coliseum it wasn't hard to see what the buzz was about. From the concession stands to the bets being shouted out it was clear there was going to be a duel. Not just any duel, some kind of special grudge match against top players. Heathcliff «The Man of Legend» and leader of the most prestigious clearer guild of the game in one corner.

Kirito «The Black Swordsman», sole holder of the unique «Dual Blades» skill in the other.

The crowds were enormous, practically half of the remaining players had all crowded into the coliseum, hungry for entertainment that didn't come with a slice of fatal consequences. It was a movie, a show... a sport. Bets were drawn, food was prepared, and the hype was unavoidable.

The sources of these rare skills were a matter of constant rumor even among the Coffins. PoH once spent almost a month on a near-perpetual circuit of NPC villages in the lower floors, slaughtering them solo then moving on to the next before circling back once the first one respawned. He was convinced there was some hidden skill to be gained from it, not that his efforts bore fruit.

A lot of Coffins thought that once you killed 100 other players something would unlock, but even JB, by far the most prolific killer, had no more than 30 kills by the time the clearers rounded up the Coffins. PKing in a world where everyone was paranoid and extremely careful wasn't exactly easy.

..small blessings you suppose, as you hear the opening gong. A special anti-player skill apparently was too much even for this cruel death game.

A flash of steel against steel. The Black Swordsman swings like a wild berserker but the Holy Shield of Heathcliff intercepts every blow as if he knows where each hit will land. They weren't even fighting with Sword Skills yet, every swing and parry the result of pure reflexes and agility, no player yet resorting to the system assist.

Two swords. Strange you've never seen any other player attempting the same. You've had to track this Kirito before, PoH had some special interest in him, but it wasn't easy for an infiltration and spy build like you to do anything in the upper floors. You could probably go into a 70+ labyrinth but the moment any monster with some exotic sense exposed your «Hide» skill you'd fall flat in one or two hits, so what little info you could gather about the Black Swordsman was shrouded in rumor and came from unreliable witnesses.

This was the first public unveiling of «Dual Blades», a skill freshly revealed during the 74th boss clear. From what you hear he practically solo'd the boss with that.

What was the secret? Nothing was stopping even you from picking up two swords and giving it a go, but the system wouldn't activate sword skills and the encumbrance penalty was prohibitively crippling.

Heathcliff calmly blocks another blow, even taking the time to glance out at the crowd and smile. This whole duel is nothing but a fun diversion to him, a way to advertise his guild and his own prowess.

Kirito, on the other hand, is smeared with sweat and dirt from being knocked to the ground. Heathcliff was barely even using his sword, preferring to bash Kirito to the ground with his shield. More embarrassing than damaging.

You recognize it for what it is - a dressing down of an upstart. The king displays his glory to the crowd of his peasants.

...you can't help but root for Kirito.

He's back in it again. Faster, wilder, the movements hard to follow even to your trained eyes. Even if you had the proper skills you doubt you could ever keep up with the tempest before you.

A feint to the left and a backhand swing out of a dodge. A grunt and Heathcliff is forced to use his sword to parry, only to hideously mistime his swing and eat a glancing blow to his cheek. Kirito finally draws first blood as the crowd erupts into cheers, your voice joining the rising tide.

Another exchange of swords and Heathcliff has gathered his wits, pushing back Kirito. The Black Swordsman's HP flashes dangerously close to the yellow zone.

This... is a top Clearer. Once, so long ago, you were a scared insect bowing and begging for your life before the Coffins. What would the Black Swordsman have done in your place? He would've fought, he would never let murderers get away much less join them. He would resist, he would administer justice, and he would prevail.

The odds were against him. Heathcliff hadn't even worked up a sweat. The flash of system assistance fills the stadium as Sword Skills fly from the blades of the Black Swordsman, only to be deflected time and time again.

Why didn't he give up?
Why did you give up?

...because life wasn't that convenient. These shining stars so far above what you could possibly achieve, fighting at the peak of possible performance this shit game would allow. That was a Clearer.

And yet they still died. Piece by piece, one by one, they were bleeding out. Heroes turned to words carved into a monument. Your work with the Coffins added no shortage of names to that monument. It didn't matter how strong you were. If even these people couldn't beat the game yet, what hope was there for you?

And so the duel ends. A final desperate strike from Kirito is blocked by a parry so rapid Heathcliff's avatar almost seems to glitch in place. And the Black Swordsman is defeated, no amount of struggling would help him scale that peak.

The stadium bellows with the force of thousands of cheers mixed with the cries of those poor souls who bet on Kirito and lost. A bunch of players all chug their Popcorn in sequence and create an impromptu fireshow in the stands. The duel had ended but the party would go on long into the night.
...

What should you do now? You have freedom.

«Laughing Coffin» were all locked up, sans PoH the guild leader still at large. Whether due to honor amongst thieves or the simple fact that you had a green cursor none of the captured Coffins actually outed you. You lied, denied, and betrayed your way to freedom.

You could go farming. Take your mishmash of a build, remove all the Hiding, Disguise, Search and low level crafting skills for something more akin to a frontline fighter. Risk your life for a higher purpose rather than simply surviving like a cockroach.

...but could you? You couldn't cut it as a Clearer a year ago so why would you cut it now? You saw them fight - even without system assist or stats the pure experience differential between you who barely fought and a frontline Clearer who only fought was nakedly obvious.

Guilt, sadness, blame... you've ruminated on your decisions often.

But a new one hit you today.

Regret.

You've been here for over a year now. What did you have to show for it?

You learned nothing.
You gained nothing.
You were not part of anything greater.
You just persisted.

You believe this world will never be cleared. The odds were stacked against everyone. This shit game would probably end in some world-destroying final boss or battle royale scenario; whatever amused Kayaba Akihiko the most.

«Laughing Coffin» had... the right idea, you belatedly realize. This world was going to be your tomb. Everyone's coffin. You were just corpses dragging out a digital death march. Laugh because it's the only thing you can do.

You make your way back to the teleport crystal. The frontlines were not the place for a washed-up spy like you. But you spare a final thought to the duel you just witnessed.

If someone did clear the game, it was probably someone like that Black Swordsman. Who never gave up, who never took the easy way out.
In another world, in another life, maybe you would've been one of those heroes.

Regret. Regret that you weren't strong enough. If you had another chance, another shot at this hell... would you do better? Or would you make the same mistakes?

If only you could be smarter.
Braver.
Stronger.

It could've been you as the Black Swordsman instead.

---

Stop, stop, stop! Today is my turn and I'm not spending it dying of hypothermia!
Holy shit it was cold!

Aren't you supposed to be meditating? How was that meditating? And just before school!?
It was so hot outside and you woke up drenched in sweat so it seemed like a good idea... you heard on the internet cold water helped you collect your thoughts! Besides today was the day that your Shadow...

We had a deal. Now shove off!

>You recall painful memories of SAO! GRIT Increases! ♪♪♪

---

WEDNESDAY - April 9th, 2025
After School

You know what sucks?

School.

Crowd a bunch of rowdy kids in the prime of their lives into a small building where they outnumber the adults 20 to 1 and what happens? They just sit in a room and study.

I mean, you've been to school before. Went through all of junior high as a teacher's pet! What the hell were you thinking?

Why couldn't you go to SAO Survivor School? They got an on-site cafeteria, dormitories and a guaranteed recommendation into university no matter how crap your performance! But NOOO the ball and chain insisted on this middle of the bell curve no-name high school. At least it was still in Tokyo! Biggest city in the world with no spending money. Maybe you could dip into the food fund? Eh, you'll never hear the end of it...

Money. You really needed more of it. Sheesh, what was so bad about advertising yourself as an SAO Survivor? Some of them got book deals and went on talk shows!

<u doing k'? Need help unpacking?>
<plz let me know>

Wow, like a dozen unanswered messages from mom. Do you have to do everything?

You text out a quick reply before that gravy train derails. She holds the keys to your allowance, would it kill her to be nice to your only source of income? You finally have a chance to have some fun but have no money to actually do anything with it. Ugh, and you couldn't make any commitments or take on new jobs like this when most of your time was out of your control. You can't make things too complicated for her since eventually even you'll have to deal with the consequences but this whole timeshare thing was already annoying you.

Should've pushed for 50:50. Why'd you fold at the last minute...

"Wait... are you a firstie? Seriously, ditching already?" calls a voice from behind you.

Ah, the target has arrived!

"What, gonna tattle? Besides it's just the last period. Motosu sensei just spends all period reading verbatim from the textbook. I'll bet she won't even notice."

You shoot a lazy wave at Endou, the bully you noticed yesterday, who returns the greeting with open wariness. "I have to admit it takes guts firstie, but you should watch out. Get labelled the wrong way and your life will suck."

"Oh, really senpai? Got some tips for a fellow ditcher?"

"Don't do it too often, and have an excuse. I got a teacher who looks the other way for me, but if I were you firstie I'd pretend to be sick or something."

You look up at the sky and smile, "Well I guess I could always say I caught a cold! I was spending all morning taking a cold shower after all."

"Real wise of you," Endou says, rolling her eyes. "Say you look kinda familiar. We met before?"

"You noticed me senpai!" you say, remembering the incident from the day before. "With Shino, remember? I'm dying to know what you were talking about!"

As you bring up your neighbor Endou's eyes suddenly light up in interest. "Shino? Why so interested in her?"

"Huh!? Nothing!" you lie, with false embarrassment on your face. "Just curious, you know? She lives nearby and just started talking to me out of the blue - she seems so emotionless right?"

"Yeah, sounds like it. Be careful around her firstie, if she sees you out ditching like this you'll bet she'll tattle on you. What, you neighbors?"

Oh? Trying to sound me out for living alone? No sense hiding it, that wasn't exactly something you could hide since Endou already knew where Shino lives, and you sense a chance for some give and take...

"You got it. Just moved here not too long ago. Used to live in this place in the middle of nowhere. Only 10000 people in the whole town, practically another world."

"Oh? No family in the area and you live alone? That's pretty cool I guess. Wish I could say the same," Endou mutters. It's clear you have her attention now.

"Hey, couldn't help but overhear yesterday. Sounded intense! Like quite the lover's spat."

"What!?" Endou shrieks as though you've insulted her mother. "No, we're not, ugh, she's just a stupid bitch who'll betray you at the drop of a hat! We used to be friends until she called the police on me!"

"Ooh, that bad huh? What a tragic tale of scorned love, a jilted lover kicked out by the authorities after a night of passion..."

"Fuck off! Your imagination is something extra, firstie." Endou snorts. "I was just hanging out at her place, that's all!"

"That's why you were mad? She mentioned you were just using her room to hold parties."

"Well, it wasn't like that! Just a few friends needed a place to rest their feet!" Endou shakes her head. "Anyways, my advice is to stay away from the likes of Shino. She's dangerous."

Dangerous? This is the second time Endou has alluded to it already. Danger meant something more exciting!
You lean forward, the picture of an enraptured audience as you make doe eyes at Endou.

"Dangerous? But Senpai I live near her! Don't leave me hanging like this, I won't be able to sleep tonight!"

Endou stares at you silently for a moment before sighing. "Fine, whatever. She's just an emotionless nerd, nothing more. If you can't see that then you're completely blind. She's not worth worrying about."

"Thank god!" you say happily. "I was a bit worried about her. She's always so dazed and distracted, spends all days inside too." You slide closer to Endou as you lean in conspiratorially. "But you're holding out on me senpai! C'mon, if she's so boring why you so interested?"

"You her guardian angel now firstie? Buzz off."

"Haha, well I do enjoy being a fly on the wall! Just consider me someone who wants to know what's up! I hear VRMMO players can be so violent - like those SAO players who killed people in game? Crazy huh? Is Shino like one of them?"

"You will not let up," Endou grunts. "You really that worried about her?"

"Of course! See where I used to live I was surrounded by these crazy geeks who were totally disconnected from reality. They would gather into gangs at night and go around trying to poison and stab people! One of them even wore a paper bag over his head!"

"Whoa, really? I've heard some crazy shit about the boonies. Really like that out of Tokyo?"

You nod sagely. "Yeah, it was a weird place. No real police and the closest thing to law enforcement was a bunch of LARPers calling themselves an army. Didn't have a proper prison, they just threw suspicious people into a dark castle and threw away the key. I'll tell you this, I'm glad to be in the city for a change."

"Where did you say you were from again?"

"I'm telling you, middle of nowhere. They bulldozed the whole village a few months ago and it's not even on maps anymore, so I studied my ass off to pass an entrance exam in Tokyo. Anything to get out of there with all my crazy neighbors."

Endou nods appreciatively. "Well, Tokyo is where all the fun is. So if you're here what happened to all those losers? Like the one wearing the paper bag?"

A good question. What did crazed lunatics like XaXa and JB do when they awoke to the real world and found themselves charged with no crimes and free to go? "Eh, probably something boring. Heard he works in a convenience store or something, makes good money."

"Seriously?"

You nod. "I mean, probably? Gotta make a living somehow. I just don't want a repeat of my last life senpai, so c'mon, spill the goods!"

"Shino again? Fine, fine, firstie, you win. But you owe me for this! Me and my friends need a place to hang out after school, put our stuff there..."

"But senpai crowds are so stuffy! And too many people will smell, and what will I tell my poor ailing mom when she comes to visit? She'll think I've become a delinquent!"

"...you're ditching class on the first week of school. You're already a delinquent."

"So cruel senpai! Your heart, eternally frozen by the scorn of Shino, now turns on a poor defenseless maiden who lives in the big city all alone!" you dramatically swoon as crocodile tears fill your vision.

"Stop that, don't make a scene! You want a teacher to notice us?"

"No, but your crushing demands have overwhelmed me with sadness. If only Endou-senpai could be convinced to keep her smelly friends away from my humble apartment."

"Fine firstie! You let me keep my stuff at your apartment and crash there when I need to and I'll tell you what you want to know. No extras."

"Really?!" You shout, throwing your arms around Endou's shoulders who recoils in surprise. "How sweet of you, Endou-senpai!"

"Gah! Back off. Now listen close 'cause I'm not gonna say this again - actually better yet let me just send you a link."

Your phones are out and connected to each other in seconds. A file downloads into your phone. It's a news article.
Hmm... a robbery with a smuggled pistol. Some drug-addled psycho in some far-off mountain town. A rather dry crime report, the guy was apparently shot on scene. "Why you showing me this? I mean, besides the sheer idiocy of robbing a post office? What was this guy Shino's dad or something?"

Endou grins evilly. "That's just the public report. You know the government edits the details to 'protect the youth' and that nonsense. I was looking into Shino's old school and I heard the most amazing rumor."

Now she's dragging things out for dramatic tension. You nod vigorously - by this point Endou's dying to show off.

"They said Shino shot the guy! Killed him in cold blood! I didn't believe it of course, who would? But yesterday... that reaction. I knew I hit the jackpot." She leans back against the bench, the grin plastered on her face growing wider and wider.

"Whoa. You figured that out just by looking into her school?"

"It's simple really. Everywhere has its own little insular network, a social media group, some kind of app. Just make up a generic-sounding name and start cold texting. The thing about rumors is that they love to spread and people love spreading them. Just gotta keep your ear to the ground."

"That's some amazing research skills. What were you planning to do with that? Me, I'd just want to stay away after hearing that."

"Firstie, you should know, I can't stand Shino. So I figure I can use this to hurt her, get a little spending money from her. Especially since she narc'd on me, so it's only fair. And don't get clever and steal my idea!"

"No way, I have no intention of doing anything shady. I plan on being the model honor student!"

She rolls her eyes, but humors you regardless. "Yeah, yeah, ditcher. Good luck not getting caught in the future. Just be more careful about it, alright? You tattle on me being out here and it'll be mutually assured destruction, firstie."

"Of course senpai! Besides I'd rather stay on your good side, I got my own secrets to keep!"

"Well, best not give me an excuse to go digging." Endou grins. "You're not what I expected. Gotta run but let's hang out sometime firstie."

"Sure, later then." You stand up and stretch. Guess you've accomplished your mission. But Endou stops you before you walk away.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"I'm sure you can find out yourself senpai! It's a dumb, long and boring one. But you can just call me Lux!"

---

It's the last box.

Seriously were you gonna stay in control for this part too?

I mean you want to leave it to the other you, but like... it's been 3 days.

You knocked on Shino's door today but there wasn't a response. Probably in a FullDive or something - not like you walked home with her today and she's got her own shit to do.

You expended a lot of effort finding out some interesting gossip but you can't but be disappointed. So Shino killed a robber in self-defense. Big whoop, people did it all the time in SAO.

The last box had most of your plushie collection in it. It wasn't even that heavy, just big and misshapen. Unpacking it was going to be more annoying than pushing it up the stairs.

That was what you thought 5 minutes ago.

HNNNNNNGGGGGGG....!

GGGAAAAAHHHH....!

Almost... hot damn you needed to exercise. Maybe eat something with more protein in it than a pear tart.
Did you weigh down the stuffed animals with dumbbells? What the hell is this?

AAAAAHHHHHH!

With one final push you clear the last step and the box sits comfortably, mercifully, at its final destination.

Never again. No more goddamn boxes. Why didn't she just complain to the moving company when she had a chance? Or guilt trip the taxi driver when he dropped her off?

...at least it was a bit easier today than it was when you started. Guess you're building back to your pre-SAO strength! Quite soon you could be the proud owner of a body that met the fitness standards of a junior high school girl.

...

You've got a few hours left. Might as well unpack all this junk... and there's a package for you too. Thankfully just parcel-sized, probably something you forgot to pack that mom sent your way.

Hmm... you don't recognize the return address, and it feels bulky. How curious...

>Your muscles burn with exertion! FITNESS Greatly Increases! ♪♪♪♪
>Your FITNESS has ranked up! [Fresh Outta Rehab] has progressed into [Noodle Arms]!
>Looking over your fully unpacked room fills your heart with DETERMINATION! +10 D.

---

WEDNESDAY - April 9th, 2025
Evening

You wake up groggy and tired. The memories from your Shadow are hazy and foggy, but the outing managed to get her to shut up for once.

Hey, she actually unpacked your luggage! Your bed is covered with plushies and your model kit supplies are neatly packed away in a drawer. Your PC is fully hooked up. I mean, you were obsessed with neatness, so it would figure she would be too...

...

What's that?

It's sitting there innocently on the shelf. You don't remember packing it... did you? Did mom pack it? She wouldn't have, right?

I mean... considering what it did to you.

You should've thrown it away.

You should've let the government confiscate it.

But it's here. Buried underneath a mountain of plushies and stuffed animals in the final box.

You had your mom smuggle it out of the hospital at the first opportunity. Turns out you weren't the only one, many SAO survivors had a grim fascination with the machine. You wanted to keep it close as a reminder of your weakness, as a trophy to say that for better or worse you survived. You decided to leave it behind when you moved to Tokyo.
The paint is peeled off. The leather strap doesn't fully close. You see the remains of matted hair still staining the inside.

First generation VR FullDive Headset. Proudly manufactured in Japan by ARGUS.

The NerveGear.

Your NerveGear.

There's a package on the table, the paper wrapper hastily ripped off by your Shadow in a fit of curiosity.

Two items have spilled onto the table next to it. A threatening letter, and a plastic package. The letter... was something you had hoped you would never receive, but one that ultimately doesn't surprise you. As you read it you crumple in your hands. You wish you could do the same to the game disc that came with the letter.

---

[ ] The LAW of Oberon


[ ] CHAOS within a Black Star

AN: Very important choice. Essentially will drive the plot for the foreseeable future.

THURSDAY - April 10th, 2025
After School

Wow. Was this the only bar in Tokyo that was utterly deserted?
I mean... you were expecting to be brought to a suspicious, shady establishment. A shady dive bar like this certainly qualifies, though shouldn't bars be... livelier?

You can't claim familiarity with bars in general, but you doubted they all looked so... empty inside? Wooden chairs, tables, an old-fashioned jukebox, it was everything old American movies made bars look like. The only thing missing was actual people.

...you'll chalk that up to it being in the afternoon rather than poor business sense on the part of the owner. At least he had two guests, even if the girl sitting across from you was the last person you wanted to see in the real world.

"Argo."

"Heh, didn't think you'd show Lux. Why dontcha relax first?"

"Not likely. After seeing your letter."

"Figure I need an incentive to make a roach crawl outta its hole, ya? Can't count on ya otherwise."

...

"Hey, I know you two have history but do you really have to do this here? You're scaring away my patrons." The tall bartender in the back glares at the two of you in open annoyance while polishing a shot glass, protesting the imposition your meeting is having on his theoretical business.

"Shaddup, was empty when I arrived, it's empty now. C'mon Agil, you want two defenseless girls doing this in an alley instead?"

"Yeah, I do. This is a bar, not your spy headquarters. Why do you keep bringing people here?" says the bartender, pointing his finger at Argo in protest.

"Eh, you're open and Tokyo's a big place. Have some mercy in ya heart for a country girl just moving into the big city!"

"You're not even paying me. I remember having to pay you for just damn near everything."

"You're getting exposure! Look, you got two customers now. Thanks to me your clientele rate has increased by infinity percent."

"I'm not interested in customers. I'm interested in paying customers."

You slam your hand down on the wooden table - you briefly note the bartender wince when the wood creaks - and focus your attention on Argo the Rat, the former information broker of SAO who blackmailed you into coming here.

"What do you want?"
The girl before you smiles but it's a cold one, not even close to reaching the eyes. She's studying you, hunting for vulnerabilities. She was older than you but not by much, clearly just a simple high school student, but her identity was unmistakable. The hairstyle was the same and even without the whiskers it wasn't hard to recognize her as Argo's real-life counterpart. In SAO Argo was effectively the queen of information. Everybody knew her, everybody used her guides, moreso than even the Clearers or Laughing Coffin Argo's influence in the actual day to day life of every player was unmatched. But here?

Don't be intimidated. She's just a high school girl threatening another high school girl at a run-down bar in the middle of nowhere because she literally has no other options.

"Gained some weight, Lux? You look healthier. Surprised to see ya walking about when so many others aren't."

"My name isn't Lux. It never was and you were never Argo." If you weren't certain the act would break your malnourished fingers you'd punch her right now. Half the reason you came to this damn meeting was to find out who Argo was in the real world. If she was going to dox your SAO identity you wouldn't take it lying down. You're done with SAO, you have enough on your plate with the voices in your head.

"How did you find me?"

"Izzat really that important?"

"Yes, it is. Stalking is a crime. As is harassment, blackmail... Real crimes, with real consequences, Argo. This isn't SAO anymore."

"Consequences, eh Lux? Ya real talented in dodging those, you and the rest of ya damn Coffins. I made a promise, one I intend to fulfill. I'm gonna find out your real names, gonna ensure you face justice even if the government just wants to brush it all under the rug."

"Is that it? I hate to disappoint you but nobody in the Coffins talked about the real world. If the only one you've managed to find was me, congratulations. Now leave me the hell alone."

The silence stretches between the two of you. Argo was one whose entire existence revolved around finding secrets, gathering intel, and selling it off piecemeal. That sort of person doesn't change their behavior easily after leaving their game. And somehow she's already found where you live.

Argo stares directly at you as she produces a folder from a bag on the floor. "Nothing to do with SAO anymore eh? Sounds like a good time. But it ain't over yet. Not by a long shot."

She opens the file and begins leafing through papers and photos, then looks up again. "Take a look at this. Tell me whatcha think."

As you take the file the thickness of it surprises you. The contents were... truly impressive. Pages and pages of names, pictures, and information. An alphabetical list of every single player registered in SAO— all 10000 of them, sorted by username.

As you scroll through there's an ocean of red strike marks, the players who lost their lives in the chaos of SAO.

But there was something more. Another list of names, 10000 long. Only instead of the 10-character limit handles you've grown accustomed to, here was something more tangible. Real names, locations, frequently even pictures referencing hospital locations, status... and that ever-present red strike mark in 4000 entries.

You find your own name amongst them. A record of hospital intake and discharge, including the address of your old home, with scribbled notes all over the margins, all attesting to her suspicion that you were the Laughing Coffin spy.

You quickly flip past yours, closing the file in agitation.

"How the hell did you get this?"

"I've got my ways. None of the SAO player data the «Virtual Division» scraped outta the servers actually matched names to avatars— but it wasn't hard finding a list of all the hospitalized victims over the years. Then just do some cross-referencing, and talk to some ol' friends... Kayaba made it so that our real faces get translated onto the avatars. Annoyin' but makes it simple to match faces to avatars by just interviewing survivors. Maybe Kayaba wanted there to be accountability eh?"

"So that's it? You've found me and are here to show off?"

"...I wish. Would be easier for me if that was it. First I just wanted to find out where all you Coffins were hiding, at least make the public aware of all the crimes. Government already has some ideas but they don't want to bother with it. But right now I gotta bigger fish to fry than your little band of murderers. Take a look." The file opens again as Argo points toward several names in the hospital records. You practically missed it on your first skim but there were tons of names highlighted in blue all bearing the same ominous marker—

UNAWAKENED.

You glance up in shock, seeing Argo's grim expression mirroring your own.

"You're telling me that—"

"Not everybody woke up."

You blink rapidly at the words, unable to comprehend such a thing happening in reality. SAO was over. The rules of the game were set, hell you woke up!

"That's impossible. Surely somebody must have noticed."

"Even the government's not that stupid. But there's no solution, the Ministry's Virtual Division been at a loss, even came to me for help. A couple hundred haven't woken up yet."

"But how could this happen? SAO is over. Just remove the NerveGear..."

Argo smirks bitterly at your naivety. "They already tried that. The first bastard they did it to got half fried. They've tried everything, but no dice. Nobody seems too sure of what to do."

Rough. Why should we get involved?
This... could you help with this?

"Why me? Is it just because you can blackmail me?"

The briefest hint of anger crosses Argo's features. You suspect it's as much as self-loathing as it is a dislike of you. "Ya weren't my first choice. I've got people helping me out amongst the Survivors but you have an in nobody else I've talked to has. You did bring your NerveGear didn't you?"

Another request by Argo when you called Dicey Cafe this morning. You have it in your bag hidden amongst your school notes.

"How did you even know I kept my NerveGear?"

"I always protect my sources. Sides' sniffing stuff out is what I'm good at, so the sooner you accept that ya can't keep secrets from me the easier it'll be for us both. Now, have you heard of the «SEED» before?"

"...no."

"What, not cool playin with more VRMMOs? Can't blame ya, but somebody leaked the basic AI structure underlying the world structure behind SAO all over the net practically the second the game got cleared. It's why there's a bajillion VRMMOs popping up. Asset generation, quest design, maintenance, balancing... the «SEED» can handle it all. I've given it a whirl, ya can make a crap virtual world with tutorial vids and a handful of good ideas in less than a month— to say nothing of what dedicated teams can accomplish. See since it's all based on SAO, we've gone ahead and done a few tests with some NerveGears the government hasn't destroyed already. Your ol' character data gets carried over— the Seed AI just converts it all to a form that fits with the new setting, balance, and everything."

That... sounded difficult to believe. But it wasn't like you had a particularly impressive build in SAO.

Sensing your confusion Argo clarifies. "But whatever, I doubt ya any stronger than my own avatar. Nah, it's your friend's list that also gets carried over. Recognize any of these names?"

A list of usernames. About 300 in total, along with Argo's notes about who she suspected each person to be in the real world.

Some names have a particular focus. There were pages dedicated to two individuals— one Kirigaya Kazuto and Yuuki Asuna. Both were labeled as never having awoken from SAO.

Asuna... «The Flash»? Was her real-life name the same as her username? So even the 2nd in command of the Knights of Blood was missing. But that second name... Kirigaya Kazuto, listed in the notes as the real-life name of Kirito the «Black Swordsman».

The hero was asleep.

Outside of those two you scroll through the names looking for people you recognize. A crafter in the middle floors. Another Clearer who you recognize by reputation. But mostly it's a string of unfamiliar names, the majority of SAO players were either perpetually locked in the first floor by sheer fear or no-name grinders amongst the middle floors.

...There's one.

Gwen.

Meimi Tsurusaki. Her real name. You never got it out of her, nor did you ever give your own. It felt... perverse to find out this way, by reading a name off a list of victims.

She took you off her friend list back in SAO, but you never removed it from yours. It still sat in some unused corner of the NerveGear's memory...

"There's been sightings. Ghost stories in Alfheim Online. People claimin' to see spirits with the faces of SAO victims... and sightings of the avatars of comatose SAO survivors. Guy I'm workin' with in the Virtual Division claims he's been bothering RECT Progress for an explanation but without any probable cause to investigate, he's been stuck. Frankly, I don't think the spooks even care, it'd be more convenient for them if the remaining 300 just died so they can finally close the book on the SAO case."

"Sightings... of SAO players inside Alfheim Online?"

"Don't believe me? C'mon... ya know my guarantee. Say it with me: It's Fine. It's Argo's-"

"Please shut up and get to the point."

"Tch... fine."


"Ya might not recognize her."

No, you did. You knew more about her than you cared to, Laughing Coffin's informant within the Knights of Blood pretty much only talked about her in his reports. PoH kept him around just cause he liked laughing at how useless his information was.

"Asuna. Knights of the Blood Oath, de facto second in command. Primary Agility build. Skills are Rapier, Acrobatics, Parry, Sprint, Battle Healing, First Aid and Cooking at least as far as confirmed abilities go. A high-level Clearer present in practically every floor boss since the start of progression."

Argo whistles in appreciation. "Huh, I didn't even know half that stuff. LC keepin' dossiers on everyone important eh?"

Only the ones PoH found interesting, that and the strange obsession your informant had.
That's it? One picture and a list of victims for this crazy goose chase?

Gwen was here. You keep thinking back to the file... she was 13 years old when she entered SAO, evidently as the daughter of a zaibatsu she was able to get the hideously hard-to-find first-run copy of SAO. This was Kayaba Akihiko's legacy, a man who didn't even care that his victims were children.

You have so much you want to say to her. Apologies, regrets... but more than anything else she shouldn't have been put into this situation. She shouldn't have had to suffer in SAO, shouldn't have had to become an Orange Player...

Hey, are you seriously considering putting us into this mess?

"What do you need me to do?"

"Oh? Hm... well glad to have ya cooperation. It's simple. If Asuna is being sighted in Alfheim maybe the rest of the missing 300 are wandering around somewhere there. Log on with ya NerveGear, see if you can track down anyone you recognize from the friend's list. Barring that, putting it simply I'm tryin' to organize a raid on the «World Tree» - that's the place Asuna was sighted - just to see what the hell is going on up there. You help make sure it goes smoothly and I'll look the other way on, ya know, how you sold out everybody for ya own skin."

"...that's it then? I don't want anything to do with you after this. You leave me alone. For good."

"Sure, I'll leave ya to stew in whatever little false life you've got... But hey, if you really wanna repent... why not turn yourself in after this?"

"...what? I didn't break any laws."

"Oh? Here's a number for you by my estimates. About 500. It's how many people died to PKing— about 300 from Laughing Coffin alone. I've talked to many of their families, ya think they're satisfied with 'Kayaba Akihiko killed your kids?' Ya think it's fair that nobody knows how you helped make that happen? That the real life names of the Red Players should remain anonymous forever? Go public, face real justice Lux."

"Shut up! You think I wanted this? You have no idea what—"

Argo grins cruelly again. "You may be right, I don't know ya circumstances. But I don't care for excuses and neither do LC's victims. Fact is, people are dead and ya paws greased the wheels to make that happen. Yet Argo's a girl of her word, you help me, I hush up. Keep me posted, help me rescue the lost SAO players and you won't see me again. Capiche?"

"Crystal."

---

Argo has finally left you alone. You have your vague orders and a phone number to call for updates.

Hosaka Carina Tomo. Argo's real name. She didn't even bother saying it, you only know because your cell phone service provider flagged that name in via caller ID.

But I guess you weren't talking with a schoolgirl named Tomo today. You were talking with «Argo the Rat». For her SAO wasn't over yet.

You feel it in her too. The real world... wasn't real to Argo. The roles were reversed. Hosaka Carina Tomo was just a meat puppet Argo the Rat was forced to use in the waking world.

The nerve of that damn rat. What, does she think she's innocent in all this? Damn beta-testers let thousands die, she's got plenty of blood on her hands.
You can't help but agree. Argo the Rat... at least until LC was raided the majority of your day-to-day life in SAO was spent constantly dodging Argo's intel network. Outside of LC itself Argo was the one person whose mission in life seemed to be to make yours more difficult.

You sensed it right? It was like with your new friend. There's a power in her, one we can take for ourselves.
Yeah... the seed of something greater. But that would involve voluntarily dealing with her...

Ugh, let's table it. I don't want to deal with the damn rat any longer than we have to.

Your musings are interrupted by a sudden waft of cold air as a glass of soda is placed in front of you with a scoop of ice cream bobbing in the center. You look up at in confusion at the barkeep, who shoots you a grin before walking away. He returns moments later with another tall drink, frothy bubbles within.

"Hope you don't mind if I have a drink myself," he says while sitting down across from you, leaving you to stare at your beverage in silence. Then, with a deep breath, you lift your spoon and take a taste.

...

"You like it?"

It's super market grade vanilla ice cream floating in 9Up soda. This is a flavorless amalgamation of sugar and more sugar.
Something must've shown on your face as Agil takes a swig of his beer.

"Hey, maybe next time don't do your whole spy thing in a bar. You're both too young for the good stuff I've got here."

"...it's fine..."

You set your spoon down. At least your mouth feels less dry than it did seconds ago.

"I heard everything from Argo, but I like to make up my own mind, and you seem like a good kid. We've all done things we aren't proud of in SAO, so I don't hold it against you. Just don't be to hard on Tomo, she's dealing with a lot trying to get to the bottom of this mess when nobody in the government gives two shits about us SAO survivors."

"Oh... A pleasure to meet you. My name's Hiyori. Sorry for barging in on your private business like this, but it turns out I'm already involved somehow. So... um...?"

"Agil! Proud owner of Dicey Cafe, and happy to meet a fellow survivor. Not sure what you're apologizin' for, though. Way I see it you got potential to be a future regular right? Consider that ice cream float to be a welcoming gift. I'd normally charge ¥1000 for it!"

That's crazy! You can get a whole tub of ice cream with that kind of money.

"...oh wow. That's... kind of pricey..."

"Hey, I gotta pay rent. Sometimes I have to upcharge thanks to Argo scaring away my regulars."

"...so you're working with Argo?"

"Yup. I've got my own business to run, so I can't FullDive very often and my wife threw away the ol' NerveGear the first chance she had." His geniality melts as he gives you a somber stare.

"Truth be told some good friends of mine haven't woken up yet. They're the hardest-working pair out there and if anyone deserves happiness it's them. So I want to do everything I can to help, even if all it amounts to is letting people meet up here." He pauses, glancing at the empty seats in his bar. "So feel free to come here anytime. I keep the spare key in the flowerpot by the trash can, just look for the dead cactus. I've got the upstairs all set up for long Dive sessions, so you can come and go as you please."

"H-how many other people are... involved in this?"

"Truthfully? Not many. Most of the SAO survivors were, well... children. Like you to be frank. Tomo didn't want to get anybody involved who didn't already have skin in the game, especially among the younger players. Problem is older players like me... well, we got to make a living and figure out a revenue stream after spending two years out of the workforce. The few players who are willing to help Argo out like me can't afford a full-time investment."

So that's part of the reason she came to you. You were in the lucky cross-section of living alone, having a lot of free time while simultaneously being someone Argo hated just enough that your welfare didn't even cross her mind.

"So I'm alone?"

"I mean, you have Argo herself. She's been trying to butter up some of the power players in Alfheim Online, but it hasn't been going well. She's convinced there's something hiding up in that «World Tree»..."

Wait what? Argo mentioned it too but you were too angry to register the words.

"World tree?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, you haven't played Alfheim Online yet have you? That picture, you know of Asuna? It was taken by a bunch of glitch hunters that janked their way up the World Tree just to see what was at the top. Tomo explained that to you right?"

"Yes, yes, but you mentioned a World Tree? What is that?"

"...uh, it's a big tree. I mean, not really a tree, it's called that but it looks like a spiraling tower or something. Look, you got the copy of Alfheim right? It's literally the art on the instruction booklet.


You open the copy of Alfheim Online Argo gave you. Opposite the disc you see a book with a particular illustration. It's... the same tree. The one you see towering over Tokyo, a modern-day mirage. This whole time it was in Alfheim Online?

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

It's... not a hallucination? "...ha... have you seen this tree before?"

"Of course. The «World Tree» is in the center of the map, there's this big event ongoing in-game that states the first race to climb the top of the tree will unloc—"

"No I mean... this tree. What's it based off of? A real life location?"

Agil recoils in confusion, his drink sitting unattended as he tilts his head in response to your sudden panic. "Uh... it's a white spiral structure. If it's based on a real-world location I certainly haven't heard of it. Probably just an environment asset designed by RECT."

What did this even mean? Your hallucination was... of Alfheim Online? A game you've never played before? Did you see a promotional image and subconsciously project it onto the waking world? How? And what did all your dreams - MAXWELL, ETTEILLA, your Shadow...

Hey, don't ask me. If you don't know, we don't know! That's how it works!

"You alright? Need to lie down or something?"

"Ah... no, I'm fine..."

"Well if you're sure. As I was saying Argo was looking to get a coalition of Alfheim Online players to team up to raid the World Tree, but it's been hard going. I'm not surprised, considering Alfheim's... reputation."

"Alfheim's reputation?"

"Yeah. You should be careful going in, people take their roleplaying in there... very seriously." He pauses to sip his beer again. "Heard from a regular of mine that Alfheim's real intimidating to newbies. The old guard - all those guys who started right at launch - get so into it they don't respond to their real names."

"But that was the case in SAO as well..."

"Well in SAO that was more of a courtesy thing. This is just a rumor mind you, but my regular? His coworker's some higher up in the Undines - that's one of the races - and he had to drag the coworker in for an emergency shift. Turns out, the coworker forgot he was playing a game, just became really confused that the concept of logging out was even an option."

...what a terrifying idea. Two years of SAO and you know the dangers of letting reality slip through the cracks. It was happening to people in Alfheim even though the game was less than half a year old?

"What ended up happening?"

"The auto-log out kicked in when the coworker went to sleep. Last I heard the guy quit his job to play Alfheim full-time. Kind of tragic, you can't even make any money in the game. And it's not the only story. The guild and faction leaders? I hear they're all worse. Not sure if they're all heavy roleplayers, rich retirees or hikikomori but... just be careful bringing up the real world while you're in a FullDive, especially to vets alright? Probably best you keep your SAO survivor status hush as well, Argo tried using it when she started but everyone she tried it on responded in a very... 'butthurt' manner, as she called it."

Alfheim Online... the more you hear the stranger it seems. The Amusphere was safe, Alfheim had a sterling reputation... but you've been hearing more terms being thrown around on the evening news lately. Doomsayers about disengaged youth. «VR Psychosis» being the new hotbed term. Reports of bizarre listless citizens wandering the streets, random knife attacks, an uptick in suicides from jumping off roofs...

You shake your head to clear your thoughts. "Argo gave me a copy of Alfheim Online. I don't know anything about the game though..."

"She didn't tell you anything? Damn it Tomo, making me do everything... alright look, I'm no expert but it's best to try things yourself. You brought your gear with you?"

The NerveGear and a copy of Alfheim Online. You open the bag and show it to Agil who visibly swallows a choking spell when he sees the NerveGear.

"Damn. Hate to see it... but I suggest you leave it here with me and do your FullDives upstairs. Last thing you need is your landlord finding you wearing illegal contraband while trying to collect rent, and if anyone notices you missing I can cover by pretending you're a part-timer here."

"Isn't it weird to have a high school student working in a bar?"

"Wha? You ever been to Kabukicho and see the kind of work high school girls can get caught in? Just keep it simple and say you're stocking or something for me."

You do need money... so at least on the bright side you have a part time job!

"I see that look on your face. I can't pay you, and I don't have anywhere near enough business to legitimately need a part-timer."

"Don't worry. I'll manage somehow." You smile warmly, knowing it's probably a lie. At least you can use the upstairs; it would give you the privacy and freedom to spend lots of time inside a game without worrying about making excuses.

Agil frowns at your reaction. "...I guess it isn't fair that you're only working here via blackmail. Now I'm short on cash but I've met the spooks Tomo is working with. RECT Progress, the company behind Alfheim, is one secretive unit so the Government's Virtual Division isn't making much progress looking into Alfheim. They'll pay... well, not exactly good money... but some money for useful information. They're especially interested in anything that might look like it came out of SAO assets or profiles of the major players. You find anything like that and I can pass it up the chain to get you some spending money."

"Thank you," you whisper.

He waves off your thanks. "Don't mention it. So let's get to diving. You ready?"

---

THURSDAY - April 10th, 2025
After School

The NerveGear remembers the shape of your head. The foam is indented in just the right locations to allow comfortable contact against the sensors. It feels like a light coating of oil on your scalp.

"Okay now here's the deal. You go in, get your SAO character data, and make a character in Alfheim using the Seed transfer system. Once you're in the game you log out immediately."

Agil is busying himself on a PC he has hooked up to the NerveGear. He sounds slightly nervous as he speaks to you. "Theoretically the NerveGear should be harmless now, but that's what they told us before SAO. Once the servers have your account saved we'll switch you to an Amusphere and have you log in that way."

"Alright..."

"Argo managed to get her hands on a first-run copy of Alfheim, so it has a bunch of preorder bonuses pre-installed. The system will only let you pick one to keep so just use whatever appeals to you. Unlike SAO Alfheim has no combat statistics, most progression is through gear, raw reflexes and game knowledge. There is a Skill system for grinding proficiencies but this isn't like SAO where a high-level player can fall asleep in the lower floors and take no damage, the Skill system provides much more marginal benefits than in SAO. This is good since your FullDive experience will carry over, but bad since we can't just have you grind to power. I doubt you'll be able to carry over everything from SAO so choose carefully, being good at fighting would be nice but there's much we don't know about this situation and a non-combat build may be exactly what we need."

Agil gives you a final warning as the boot-up sequence starts. "Since you're transferring an SAO account don't expect the respec potion to work. Make sure you're happy with your build before you finish, alright? Check the tutorial in game before committing to anything so you can figure out how the numbers—"

"Agil, it's fine. I used to play video games, and I have two years in SAO, just like you."

"...right. You're a vet. Okay, good luck Hiyori. I'm counting on you."

He's counting on you. That's... the first time you've heard that in two years. This is a chance... to help. To do some good.

Fuck, guess we're doing this. Might as well have some fun while we're at it!

"LINK START!"

---

Prior Character Data detected. Initiating Seed Transfer system.

Transfer origin: «Sword Art Online»
Transfer target «Alfheim Online»

System Message: Attempting to reach «AINCRAD01» Server. Connection established.

WARNING: «AINCRAD01» is a «protected server». Transfers out of a «protected server» are irreversible. Due to compatibility between worlds character data may be irrevocably altered during the conversion process. Confirm your acknowledgment of these terms.

Attempting to reach «YGG01» Server. Connection established.

Character transfer initiated.

Welcome to Alfheim Online,

«Lux»
Level 72
EXP: 182500/28000000
HP: 12000/12000

Equipped Items: «MISSINGNO&$()»
«MISSINGNO$)&*(»
«MISSINGNO!)@(*»
«#$#X»
«()(*#NDLK:J»

Inventory: «SYSTEM ERROR»

Please contact customer support for further information.
You may submit a Bug Report to ARGUS Inc at #*(&)309@3980

Skills: [10 Slots]

One-Handed Sword 550
One-Handed Dagger 650
Parry 340
Intuition 850
Hiding 780
Search 700
Disguise 380
Purchase Negotiation 93
«SYSTEM ERROR»
«SYSTEM ERROR»

Attempting to restore lost Skill data. Please confirm Skill selection upon completion of character data transfer.

System Message from Rimuru[GM1]:

Thank you for preordering Alfheim Online.
Please accept this humble gift on behalf of the dev team for your continued support.
And let us meet again beneath the leaves of the World Tree.
P.S. don't cheat or you'll meet me a lot earlier!

System Message from OBERON:
Come, dear maiden!
And welcome to my realm
I am sovereign master of all
King of fae, fair and foul.
Behold the beauty of my kingdom:
Yet green hills are also thy own;
I grant you wings to soar
The clouds that gird the land.
A sword I lend thee now,
In defense of what's yours.
But know that there's nothing more
Than death by my blade,
If thou shouldst dare to defy
The Law of OBERON.


The time has arrived.

You have taken my advice to heart and have begun seeking out those who possess the seeds of HEAVEN. We shall take the Seeds of their delusion and make them into your power.

Yet I see you are in need of some more... immediate assistance.

Very well. Let us draw out the Seed within you that yearns for HEAVEN.

[ ] Havfrue

[ ] Dorian

[ ] Faust

---

Submit your build in PLAN format.

Select an initial skill set, preorder gift, race and starter PERSONA.