"Calm down. This is just a game bug. Once the game masters discover the problem, they'll fix it."
Some players were panicked, but others were calm. Some self-proclaimed beta testers in the crowd assured everyone that it was just a technical adjustment and urged them to remain calm.
"That's impossible. A phenomenon-level game like SAO wouldn't have such a simple bug. And this never happened during the beta test." Kirito's sense of unease was growing stronger.
"Then maybe it's just like I said. This is the game developer's opening ceremony. Maybe they didn't announce it to give players a surprise?"
Before Seiya or Kirito could respond to Klein's theory, an answer came for them. An information window, the color of red bricks, enveloped the entire square. A giant, robed figure, whose face was completely obscured, appeared in the sky like a grim reaper.
"This is indeed a grand ceremony prepared for you, but it's not a welcome ceremony. It's an invitation to death. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Akihiko Kayaba, and I am the developer of this game. Many of you have already noticed that the log-out button is gone. I'm here to tell you that this is the real rule of SAO. Players cannot log out on their own. If someone on the outside disconnects you, the helmet will instantly release a high-powered microwave, destroying your brain. The only way to leave this place is to clear all one hundred floors of Aincrad and defeat the final boss. Only then will the game be completed."
Many players refused to believe what Akihiko Kayaba was saying, but he quickly provided compelling evidence. He announced that 213 people had already ignored the warnings and removed their helmets, and were now dead. News of their deaths was already spreading in the real world.
Seeing the news projection, the players who had been tempted to try anything no longer dared to act rashly.
"So we just have to clear all 100 floors?" A beta tester asked. The task was by no means easy. The highest level the beta testers had reached was only the eighth floor. However, the player was not discouraged. He knew that players, with their endless respawns, were like a "fourth disaster." No matter how difficult the dungeon, it was only a matter of time before they cleared it. The number of players in the public test was many times higher than in the beta. If they could clear eight floors in a month with the small beta group, clearing 100 floors would only take about a year with this many players.
"Of course. I can guarantee that once you clear 100 floors, I will return you to your original time. But before that, I must warn you: in this game, if your health bar drops to zero, the helmet will also release a microwave and destroy your brain."
Hearing this, the beta testers who had been feeling confident suddenly had their hopes crushed.
"Are you kidding me?! You're basically telling us to die!"
"Exactly! If we die in the game, we die in real life. This is a one-life clear!"
Akihiko Kayaba ignored the players' curses and continued, "That's why I said this is a real death game. If you're going to play with a casual attitude, what's the point of me trapping you here? Now, before I go, I'll give you a small gift. Have a pleasant game."
As his voice faded, the gigantic grim reaper figure disappeared. The players found that they each had a mirror in their hands. When they looked into the mirrors, they were all instantly revealed to be their real-life selves.
Many handsome avatars turned into overweight men, and some beautiful female avatars were revealed to be burly men—a perfect example of online dating gone wrong. Kirito and Klein were no exception; they reverted to a young boy and a weary-looking office worker. Seiya, however, looked into his mirror and remained unchanged. The mirror, a one-time-use item from Akihiko Kayaba, disappeared after its effect.
Since Seiya had entered the game with his original appearance, the "Mirror of Truth" had no effect on him. Holding the mirror, Seiya thought about how Kayaba would later create a character and mingle among the players. He wondered if he could use this mirror to expose him.
While most players were mortified, the physical changes for Kirito and Klein were still within an acceptable range. Seeing that Seiya was unchanged, Klein, who had gone from a cool guy to a tired-looking man, looked at him in disbelief. "Wait, why didn't you change back to your original self?"
"This is his original self. Seiya didn't change his facial model when he logged in."
Upon hearing this, Klein was even more devastated. "That's not fair at all! If I remember correctly, you said this guy is a national kendo champion? It's bad enough that he's successful at a young age, but he's also more handsome than the face I painstakingly created? Is that even reasonable?!"
Kirito walked over and patted Klein on the shoulder, letting him know that he completely understood his feelings. He had been feeling this way for years.
"Don't you guys think we have more important things to do than worry about appearances? Like the leveling areas Kirito showed us earlier, the limited resources there are probably going to be fought over, right?"
Seiya's words made Kirito stop in his tracks. He nodded and said, "You're right. The resources in the starting area are limited. If we don't hurry, others will get there first!"