"Link Start!"
Familiar effects swirled as Hachiman landed in Aincrad again…
(Landed?! Oh, this is my old beta avatar. Should've remade it… This thing's still here?)
Shrugging, Hachiman checked his appearance and stats.
"Name's still Hachiman. Stats reset to default… Not hardcore grinding, just chilling, so this'll do. But all that effort naming it last night…"
A strange effect caught his eye.
(Message from the devs? Akihiko, maybe?)
Opening it, he read:
"I hope you find something real in this game. No apologies—you'll understand. As a token, I snuck in your favorite beta gear. It's hidden somewhere. Find it and use it."
The word "real" made Hachiman cringe, recalling a dark moment from days ago. Things had changed since his talk with Kayaba. He knew what he wanted now.
(Total black history… Oh, another message.)
"Replicating your eyes was quite the challenge."
Hachiman bolted to a fountain, peering at his reflection.
(Even in VRMMO, my eyes are rotten…)
Slumping at the harsh truth, he pondered Kayaba's words.
(My favorite weapon? Not easy to find in this world. And 'you'll understand'? What's that mean? Whatever, time's limited.)
Hachiman headed to the market to gear up.
(This area hasn't changed. It was basically done when I played.)
His AGI-focused, close-combat style led him to buy a dagger. He tested some dagger sword skills. Lacking proficiency, they had no assist and low power, but the forms were spot-on.
"Good enough. Now, armor… Gotta have the loner's hooded cape. Light leather armor, this and that. Funds are tight, but it'll do."
Satisfied, Hachiman cloaked his presence with a loner's stealth skill—non-system, dubious effect. No one's gaze met his. The loner title trumped even the system.
Turning to hunt outside town, he bumped into someone behind him, stumbling.
"S-sorry!"
Apologizing reflexively, he froze.
(When did they get behind me?!)
Backing away, he tried to meet their gaze but, unused to eye contact, looked away, silent. The stranger spoke first.
"Whoops, my bad! You looked interesting, so I got close to check you out. I'm Argo, info broker. Need info? Hit up Argo!"
Glancing at Argo, Hachiman noticed facial tattoos tied to a martial arts skill quest, sparking a memory.
"Where'd you get that tattoo? Martial arts quest, right? Should be on the second floor."
Argo hid her shock. Only she knew about that quest among beta testers. Scanning her mental list of testers, she found no match. Assuming Hachiman hadn't heard, she prompted him.
"Name's Hachiman," he said, mustering his meager social skills. "Nice to meet you."
Snapping back, Argo masked her unease, acting natural. "Hachiman, huh? Har-bo it is. Nice to meet ya!"
Hachiman reeled. (A nickname on first meeting? Is this guy Yuihama? Same awful naming sense!)
Argo leaned in, whispering, "So, Har-bo, who are you? Don't recall you from the beta."
Startled by the proximity, Hachiman panicked. (Too close! I might fall for this! And that low voice—shades of someone else!)
Recalling Iroha's antics, he steadied himself. (Spilling to an info broker's risky. Keep it vague.)
"Uh, I helped Kayaba a bit before the beta. Just a little."
"No need for formalities, Har-bo. We're players, probably close in age. Argus employee or something?"
"Just a work-study thing. Helped a bit pre-beta. Not as knowledgeable as a beta tester, probably."
(Didn't lie. Don't know beta floor limits. Just omitted some details. I'm not that clued in on the beta anyway.)
Argo seemed satisfied. "Got it. That explains your moves. Interesting! Wanna friend-register for future deals?"
Her outstretched hand shocked Hachiman. (A handshake?! Hayama vibes? A normie?! Shaking a girl's hand is way beyond me! How do normies make friends so easily?!)
Then it hit him. (Wait, this is an MMO. They might not be a girl IRL. No way a girl's asking me for a handshake.)
Relieved, but still shy, Hachiman mimicked a past Hayama moment, slapping Argo's hand. "O-okay, cool."
"Hit me up if you need me!" Argo called, waving as she ran off.
Hachiman watched silently. (A Yuihama-Iroha-Hayama hybrid? Argo's intense. Good thing no Miura or Kawasaki vibes—I'd be too terrified to speak.)
Refocusing, he headed out, stealth skill active—effect still questionable.
(I'm better at talking without stuttering lately. These past six months weren't wasted. Still prefer being alone, though. If only they weren't around…)
Outside town, he found a quiet hunting spot, took a deep breath, and readied his weapon. Two players, "Kirito" and "Klein," chatted nearby, but they weren't an issue.
"Here's where the real adventure starts."