Aincrad, Starting Town, Central Plaza.
The plaza was teeming with people, a kaleidoscope of light and shadow. Thousands of players gathered here, surging like a tide. On everyone's face was written curiosity, excitement, and a hint of imperceptible bewilderment regarding this brand-new virtual World. They looked up at the miracle city constructed of metal and stone, suspended high above, divided by a hundred massive stone slabs, and stretching to the edge of their vision, letting out bursts of exclamation and noisy discussion. The air was filled with a scent mixed with anticipation, tension, and the overly clean smell unique to a virtual World.
Artoria, Minerva, and little ai, who was using the alias "Ellie," stood at the edge of this noisy ocean, in a relatively less crowded corner. They wore the rough white beginner's cloth tunics uniformly issued by the system, which had no stat bonuses, and their hands were empty. They looked no different from any other player who had just logged into the game.
"So this is... a one-hundred-percent immersive virtual reality game World?" Ellie turned her head around curiously, her large black eyes darting everywhere. She reached out her hands, clenched her fists tightly, and then hopped lightly twice, feeling the incredibly realistic tactile sensation and feedback brought by this bionic body specially customized by the "System." "My body is so light! But my movements are very fluid! I can feel my heartbeat and breathing! Even though I know it's a simulated signal, this is just too real!"
"Hmm, a very wonderful experience." Minerva also said softly. She raised her hand and gently touched the rough texture of a stone pillar in the plaza. Her fingertips felt a clear, slightly cool sensation of friction. "The construction of the rules is very ingenious. While limiting most of our abilities, it perfectly simulates the senses and physical feedback of an 'ordinary person.' The creator of this World has poured a considerable amount of effort into the details."
Artoria, on the other hand, was more focused on observing the surrounding environment and the "people." The Teleport Gate monument in the center of the plaza emitting a soft white light, the surrounding buildings with varying styles that had a distinct mix of medieval fantasy and futuristic technology, the NPCs shuttling back and forth on the streets with vivid expressions and diverse behavioral patterns, and more importantly—the players.
She could distinguish which ones were "travelers" like her. Although everyone was wearing beginner gear and their appearances had been "normalized," some subtle traits were still discernible. For example, the short-haired young man not far away, who was practicing basic sword-swinging movements with an extremely standard posture and eyes as sharp as an eagle's; the refinement of his movements and the focus of his aura were definitely not something an ordinary game enthusiast could achieve. Or, further away, a few players gathered together, whispering quickly in some strange syllables that were definitely not any language known on Earth; their tacit understanding and atmosphere were more like a well-trained small group. Of course, there were also those with obvious characteristics like Kanna and Thor; Kanna's dazed cuteness and Thor's "maid" aura were still conspicuous in the crowd, although they seemed to have chosen other arrival points and were not in the plaza at the moment.
More numerous were the "local" players of this mapped Universe. Most of them appeared more excited and extroverted, either discussing class choices loudly in groups of three or five, or curiously trying out various basic operations within the game alone—opening the translucent system menu, calling up the skill panel, and trying to perform some exaggerated movements. The air was filled with clamor like "Wow! This feeling is amazing!", "Look! There really are sword skill effects!", "Let's form a party and go outside to fight monsters!"
Just as Artoria was observing, a crisp and pleasant system notification sound, like the ringing of wind chimes, rang out synchronously in the consciousness of all players:
[Announcement: Welcome, players, to the fully immersive VRMMO game — 'Sword Art Online'!]
[This game takes the floating castle 'Aincrad' as its stage, providing a rich variety of adventure, combat, life, and social experiences.]
[Current time: First day of SAO service, 10:07 AM.]
[Current location of players: Aincrad First Floor, 'Starting Town'.]
[Basic operation guides have been loaded into the system help menu for all players; please check them yourself.]
[The game features a rich system of quests, monsters, equipment, skills, and life professions, waiting for everyone to explore.]
[Have a pleasant game!]
The announcement ended, and the players' discussions grew louder. Many people couldn't wait to call up the system menu and began to study it.
Artoria, Minerva, and Ellie also called out their system menus as instructed. A simple, translucent interface with blue borders appeared at the bottom left of their field of vision, which could be operated by thought. The interface contained basic options such as [Status], [Equipment], [Skills], [Items], [Map], [Quests], and [System Settings].
Artoria first clicked on the [Status] tab:
Name: Artoria
Level: LV.1
HP: 100 / 100
MP: 0 / 0 (magic class skills not unlocked)
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Endurance: 5
Attack Power: 1-3 (Unarmed)
Defense: 0
Equipment: None
Skills: None
currency: 0
Very standard, white-board stats that couldn't be any more basic for a newbie. Basic attributes like Strength, Agility, and Endurance all fluctuated around 5-6 points, fitting the template of a "normal, healthy young person." Artoria could feel that although this body was "ordinary," it was healthy and strong, with clear senses, much better than her sub-healthy state as a shut-in in her previous life.
Next, she clicked on the [Items] tab. It was not empty; two items were lying there quietly.
The first was a small bag of virtual candies emitting a soft white light, labeled on the side: [Kanna's Gift · Virtual Candy] x10. [Effect: Consuming restores mood value slightly; flavor is random (Strawberry/Blueberry/Orange/Cola, etc.). Cannot be traded, can be shared.]
Seeing this, the corners of Artoria's mouth curled up, and her heart felt warm. The friendship candy from the little dragon girl from another World had become a snack with commemorative significance in this game World.
And the second item made her gaze narrow slightly.
It was a crystal the size of a thumb, crystal clear, with a pale blue Nebula seemingly rotating slowly inside, and distinct edges. Beside the crystal was a clear label:
[Exclusive for Interdimensional travelers · Safety Teleport Crystal (Trial)] x999
[Quality]: Special
[Effect]: Can be used in any non-combat state or non-special plot-locked area to immediately teleport the user to the "Safe Zone" (usually the Teleport Gate Plaza or hotel entrance) of any unlocked town/village on the current floor. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
[Description]: This is jointly gifted by the administrator of this mapped Universe and the'System', aiming to ensure the vacation experience and basic safety of all interdimensional travelers. Please note that this crystal's effect only takes effect for visitors holding the 'traveler' identifier and is ineffective for native players and plot characters of this Universe. Please use it properly and enjoy your journey.
[Warning]: Despite having this guarantee, please respect the rules of this Universe, enjoy the game, and avoid unnecessary risky behavior. You only have one life; please cherish every experience.
"999... Safety Teleport Crystals?" Ellie also saw the exact same thing in her item bar and muttered in surprise, "It also says 'Trial'? Does that mean if we want a refill, we might have to buy more? But this amount is just too much! It's practically like cheating with an infinite town portal scroll..."
Minerva had also finished checking and said softly: "A very thoughtful design. It ensures our basic safety as 'vacationers,' avoiding 'ending the vacation' early due to unfamiliarity with game mechanics or encountering accidents, while also preventing abuse and breaking game balance through limitations like cooldowns and 'non-combat state.' Moreover, it specifically states it only takes effect for us..."
She looked at Artoria, her eyes filled with contemplation: "That 'Observing Great Expert' and the'System' have considered things very thoroughly. This allows us to explore, adventure, and even challenge some risky areas with more peace of mind, without having to worry too much about the vacation ending early due to 'death.' But on the other hand, it also constantly reminds us that this is essentially a 'vacation,' and 'experience' and 'fun' are the priorities, rather than pursuing ultimate power or clearing the game."
Artoria nodded, understanding the deep meaning of this "gift." It was an insurance policy and also a gentle restraint. It allowed them to let go of the fear of "death" and truly experience this World with a relaxed mindset, but also ensured they wouldn't act recklessly just because they had the confidence of "infinite resurrection," ruining the game experience for other players or interfering with the natural operation of this World.
"A great setting." Artoria put away the system menu, her gaze sweeping over the local players around her who were oblivious to this and were excitedly discussing where to fight monsters and what quests to do. A strange feeling welled up in her heart. They only had one life, every battle required caution, and every adventure was accompanied by real danger and excitement. And she and the fellow travelers were like tourists with an "invincible golden body," able to appreciate the scenery and experience the process more calmly.
"Alright, basic knowledge understood, safety guarantees in place." Artoria clapped her hands, a smile of eagerness on her face. "So, what should we three 'ordinary newbies' do next? Following the classic RPG flow, shouldn't we pick up a quest first, then go outside the town to fight the lowest-level boars or slimes, earn some starting capital, and get some equipment?"
"Master is right!" Ai Li immediately agreed, her little face flushed with excitement. "little ai... ah no, Ai Li has already organized the comprehensive list of beginner quests for Starting Town! There are quests to run errands and deliver letters for the general store owner, quests to help the blacksmith collect low-level ores, and quests to clear out the 'Manic Rabbits' outside the town! Most rewards are a small amount of currency and experience points, and there's a chance to be rewarded with the most basic white-tier weapons or armor! Which one shall we start with?"
Minerva also nodded with a smile: "I'm fine with anything. However, before starting the quests, perhaps we should first familiarize ourselves with the layout of the town, especially the locations of important functional NPCs, such as the item shop, weapon shop, armor shop, inn, and... the training ground for learning skills."
The three reached a consensus and, without further delay, began to stroll along the streets of Starting Town, following the flow of people.
The scale of Starting Town was much larger than it looked from the plaza. The streets were paved with neat gray stone slabs, flanked by rows of uniform stone and wood buildings. There were blacksmith shops hanging hammer signs, from which the clanging sounds of forging emanated; restaurants and taverns emitting the aroma of food, furnished with simple wooden tables and chairs; weapon and armor shops displaying various low-level equipment with a faint glow; and general stores piled with all sorts of strange materials, giving off a mixed scent of herbs and minerals. NPCs stood at the entrances of shops or behind counters; some were expressionless, while others would proactively smile at passing players or recite preset greetings.
The players themselves formed the most vivid scenery of the town. Some ran hurriedly toward the outskirts, eager to begin their adventures; some gathered in front of weapon shops, drooling over the cold-glinting swords in the display windows, only to sigh after looking at their empty wallets; others had already formed parties, loudly discussing tactics and setting off in high spirits; and some lifestyle-oriented players were already squatting by the roadside, attempting to set up stalls, hawking useless "specialties" they had scavenged from who knows where, such as "pretty pebbles" or "strange feathers."
Artoria and her companions spent about an hour leisurely exploring the main areas of Starting Town, noting the locations of key shops. They also tried talking to a few NPCs and accepted two or three of the simplest errand quests—delivering an order form for the tavern owner to the bakery on the other side of town, helping the innkeeper find her lost cat, and helping an old farmer drive away the oversized slugs causing trouble in his vegetable garden.
The quest process was simple to the point of being boring, but the three enjoyed it nonetheless. Artoria enjoyed the relaxed feeling of having no pressure and just following the prompts; Minerva developed an interest in studying the NPCs' behavioral logic, the design of the quest chains, and the simulation of this virtual World's social structure; while Ai Li was completely immersed in the novel experience of "having a body and personally completing quests in a fantasy town," and every time she turned in a quest, the NPC's phrase "Thank you, brave adventurer!" would make her happy for quite a while.
The rewards for the errand quests were meager; each person only received a few dozen currency and a tiny bit of experience points, with reaching LV.2 still a long way off. But they were not in a hurry.
"It's about time we went outside the town to take a look." Artoria looked at the sky; the virtual sun had risen to a position near midday. "We can test our feel for the game along the way and see what the so-called 'combat' is like."
In the weapon shop, using all their assets—which added up to less than 200 currency—they purchased three of the cheapest [Rough Shortswords] with an attack power of only 2-4, as well as three [Worn Wooden Shields] with +1 defense that were barely more than decorations. After equipping them, their stats finally showed a slight improvement.
Walking out of the tall stone gate of Starting Town, the view suddenly opened up. It was a vast grassland dotted with low shrubs and scattered trees, and further in the distance, the outlines of forests and rolling hills could be seen. The sun was bright, a gentle breeze blew, the grass swayed, and the scenery was pleasant. If not for the various "monsters" wandering sporadically across the meadow, it would almost be a perfect spot for an outing.
At this moment, many players were already "fighting" monsters on the grassland. The most common ones were "Manic Boars" (LV.1), which were entirely gray, looked somewhat like wild boars but with shorter tusks and dull eyes, and "Small Slimes" (LV.1), which were green, slimy, and moved slowly. The combat scenes... were quite comical. Many players clearly had no combat experience; they swung their swords without any technique and dodged clumsily. Often, when a boar charged over, they would be knocked to the ground along with their shields, or get splattered in the face by a slime, scrambling in panic. Exclamations, screams, and the occasional excited cheer after killing a monster rose and fell in succession.
"It seems everyone is starting at about the same level." Artoria watched this scene of "noobs pecking at each other" and smiled. She gripped the rough shortsword in her hand, feeling its lightweight and dull touch. "Well then, let's give it a try too. Target: that lone boar over there."
The three slowly approached a Manic Boar that was grazing with its head down. The boar seemed to notice someone approaching; it raised its head, let out a low grunt, pawed the ground with its hind hooves, and then suddenly lowered its head and charged! It wasn't fast, but it had plenty of momentum.
"It's coming!" Ai Li raised her wooden shield, looking somewhat nervous.
Artoria, however, did not immediately block or attack. She leaned slightly to the side, and the boar charged past her, creating a gust of wind. The moment the boar rushed past, she twisted her wrist and thrust the shortsword in her hand forward—without using any system-assisted "Sword Skills," just the most basic normal attack.
Swoosh! The shortsword pierced the boar's relatively soft flank, and a red "-8" damage number floated up. The long health bar above the boar's head visibly decreased by a small segment.
"The damage is so low." Artoria withdrew the shortsword. The boar, feeling the pain, turned around and charged again. This time, Artoria didn't dodge completely and blocked it with her wooden shield.
Bang! With a dull thud, the force transmitted through the wooden shield made her arm go slightly numb, and her body swayed, but she did not retreat. A "-3" damage floated above her head, and at the same time, the durability of the wooden shield visibly dropped by a tiny bit.
"The defense is also very fragile," Artoria thought, but her movements didn't stop. She side-stepped again, dodging the boar's bite, and thrust her sword into the boar again. Minerva and Ai Li also joined the battle. Minerva's attacks were more precise, aiming for the boar's eyes, throat, and other weak points each time, dealing slightly higher damage. Ai Li was a bit flustered, often missing her attacks, but relying on her shield, she managed to barely protect herself.
The three surrounded the boar, taking turns with their swords. Although they had no coordination or technique and the damage was low, they made up for it with steady, solid play. Half a minute later, the Manic Boar, which had about 80 HP, let out a whimper and dissipated into countless polygonal fragments, leaving behind a few meager experience points, a few pieces of currency, and a small piece of [Boar Meat].
[System Prompt: Defeated 'Manic Boar', gained 15 experience points and 5 currency.]
"Whew... we did it!" Ai Li let out a sigh of relief, wiping the non-existent sweat from her forehead, her little face flushed with excitement. "Is this what fighting monsters is like? It feels... a bit tiring, but so interesting!"
Minerva picked up the [Boar Meat] from the ground and checked its attributes: [Ingredient, Quality: Poor. Can be used for cooking, restores a small amount of satiety.] "It seems the lifestyle profession system has also been opened."
Artoria checked her experience bar; it had increased from 0% to 15%. At this rate, to reach LV.2, she would need to kill at least six or seven monsters of the same level. The efficiency was very low, but for a vacation, it was just right.
"How do you feel?" Artoria asked the two.
"It's very novel," Minerva smiled. "The body's reactions and the application of strength all require re-adapting to this 'ordinary' scale. The combat rhythm is slow, but precisely because it's slow, one can more clearly feel the meaning and feedback of every action."
"I think it's fun!" Ai Li nodded vigorously. "Although I know it's fake, the feeling of defeating monsters and getting rewards is really great! Plus, teaming up with Master and Miss Minerva to fight monsters makes me feel especially secure!"
"That's good." Artoria also smiled, looking up at the vast grassland and the distance beyond. "Then, our 'vacation plan' for the next phase is: leisurely explore the First Floor, take on some interesting quests, fight some small monsters, level up, save some money, change equipment, see the scenery, taste the food of this World, chat with other travelers when we meet them, observe and learn from local players... no chasing speed, no chasing being the strongest, just enjoying the process. How about it?"
"Agreed!" Ai Li raised her hand.
"Mm, I'll follow your lead," Minerva replied gently.
Just like that, three "ordinary" beginner players, carrying 999 "lives" and with a relaxed mindset, officially began their leisurely vacation trip in Aincrad. They mingled among the many tense, excited, or confused players, taking their first relaxed and joyful steps toward the depths of the grassland and into unknown and interesting adventures.
The sun was just right, the breeze was not too harsh. The adventure in the floating city had only just begun. And they had plenty of time to slowly enjoy it.
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