IMPORTANT A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you stay for the rest. This first chapter will have a lot of canon but every chapter after this will deviate more and more from the original storyline. Length of chapters will increase as the story goes on.

I hefted my backpack higher on my shoulder, walking home from school. I didn't live all that far away, a couple blocks at the most. My little sister, Suguha, walked next to me and talked about all the things that she had done. I just nodded and smiled; only catching snippets of what she was saying. My mind was wandering to the virtual world of Sword Art Online. The amount of detail put into it was just astounding. Everything was so lifelike. It was something that shouldn't have existed, but did.

"Kirigaya Kazuto! Are you even listening to me?!" a shout startled me from my mind's wanderings. I realized with a start that we were already at our house's driveway.

I smiled at the little fireball that was my sister. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired."

I rested a hand on her head and rubbed it affectionately. Immediately, her face lit up with a smile and she pulled me into a hug.

"It's ok! We all get tired. But sometimes, you just need someone to keep you awake."

She let go of me and skipped ahead. She disappeared through the doorway and I started after her, smiling all the while at her childish enthusiasm, yet confused at her hidden maturity.

AINCRAD: TOWN OF BEGINNINGS

I looked up with undisguised horror at the hooded figure of Kayaba Akihiko that had materialized out of the now crimson sky.

10,000 players trapped here. Including me.

"Welcome to my world." he had said. He created this world, not for our amusement, but for his own wish to play god.

A new player that I had taught for the past few hours, Klein, wailed something about his pizza and ginger ale. And soon enough, the denial and rage of all the players joined Klein's as they demanded release. I gritted my teeth and shut out everything. Now was not the time to panic. If I wanted to survive, I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me. A plan began to formulate in my head.

I left the Town of Beginnings, and headed for the next town over. All simple strategy. Everyone will be aiming to get as strong as they could. And all the monsters around here would be hunted clean by tomorrow.

As I ran, I looked up at the blue sky; imagining that I was looking past the virtual clouds. I was imagining that I was staring at the grey ceiling of my room, with Sugu's slightly muffled voice carrying through the walls and the smell of our parents' cooking wafting in through the doors.

For the first time, I wished I was home.

"I'm sorry Sugu… Wait for me. I'll make it back. I promise." I thought.

"Kirito, what do you say about joining our guild?"

"There's a big limit to what you can do as a solo player."

The last words I had said to the girl, Asuna, back on the first floor rang through my ears as I watched the expectant faces of a guild. Keita, the player who asked me to join, was looking at me hopefully. His eyes were full of light and optimism. Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and Ducker were looking at me with grins on their faces. I glanced towards the blue haired girl, Sachi. She caught my gaze and looked to the floor, smiling slightly.

I felt a sudden protectiveness for this group of people. They just had this… bond that I didn't know that I wanted a part of until now. It was funny. You never really know what you're missing out on until you see other people enjoying what you don't have.

I will not let anything happen to them.

"I guess I'll join after all. Thanks." I replied.

The entire table erupted with cheers. Sachi gave me a smile, which I returned.

Keita came over and patted me on the back. "Hey, Kirito, if you don't mind me asking… what level are you?"

I glanced up at my gauge. But in that moment, I could feel… something. A diverging of paths. Two choices.

A choice… one will lead to death... while other, salvation.

The feeling built. I rubbed the back of my neck. A choice. Salvation. Death. A really big blind move considering I didn't know anything about which choice led where.

"Level 40."

All of a sudden, the building pressure I had probably been imagining vanished.

Keita stared at me as if I had dropped from space. I glanced at the rest of the guild. I didn't see anything other than shock and maybe a tinge of anger. Suddenly, I felt like I understood the choice.

Salvation. To lie and join the guild. Help them make it to the end of the game. Probably have a bunch of new friends. That's assuming we ever get out of this hell hole.

Or Death. To tell the truth, get kicked out, and probably die old and alone. Once again, assuming we ever get out.

Keita grimaced. "You're one of the beta testers, aren't you? There's no other way you could have gotten your level up that fast otherwise."

I nodded. I should have known. A guild with a beta tester would be frowned upon as a group who held an unfair advantage over all the others. There was no way that these people would want me. I got up to leave and extended my hand to Keita.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have decided to join. I'll be seeing you around."

But instead of taking it and shaking, he took my hand and pulled me back down.

"If you think we're gonna let someone as strong as you go, you've got another thing coming." Keita leaned back in his chair. "Players like you are hard to come by. Most players would have just let us die out there and took all of our equipment once we died."

"And that's why I'm willing to give you a chance. I still hold it against most beta testers for leaving us newbies back in the Town of Beginnings without any real information. You're different. I can see that much."

I nodded thoughtfully. Ducker came over and put an arm around my shoulder and waggled a finger in my face. "But you can only join under one condition."

I looked him in the eye. "Name it."

Ducker grinned. "You teach us everything! You're a front liner, right?"

Sachi gaped at the beanie-sporting thief. "Ducker! You can't just ask for-"

I reached over and lightly rested my hand over Sachi's and gave it a reassuring pat. "It's alright. As long as Keita agrees with it, I'll do it."

Every single eye turned to Keita. I glanced around. The other three guys seemed overly optimistic. Sachi just looked nervously at the leader. But in the end, Keita just shrugged.

I smiled and relaxed in my chair. Sasamaru and Tetsuo patted me on the back. Keita was smiling thoughtfully and Sachi was grinning from ear to ear. Looks like I wouldn't die old and alone anymore.

Suddenly a window popped up in front of me.

Keita has invited you to join the Moonlit Black Cats.

[Accept] [Decline]

I tapped the accept button and watched as the guild icon appeared next to my name. As I watched the rest of the guild cheer and laugh, I felt that compulsion to protect them again.

I knew that I had to see them to the end of this world.

A/N: Once again, thank you for reading! If you want me to continue, leave a review and tell me how I did.