29 Chapter 29: The Beginning of The End. Include Status Update.

[Fwissh!]

[You have arrived in the Floor 1, Town of Beginning.]

[Please, enjoy this new world to the fullest.]

*Chatter* *Chatter* (player talking to each other.)

"It finally started!" (Player A)

"Kuuhhh!!, I finally wait for this day!"(Player B)

"My God, the realism of this world is so amazing..."(Player C)

Voice of shock, surprises, and admiration come from all over the place savoring this new world they have come.

To the people who have entered the starting generation of virtual reality, this place is truly a land for adventure.

Currently, 12:00 P.M. in the afternoon, the SAO server is officially open for the 10,000 players who bought the game.

As expected of the popularity, the first floor, town of beginning have already gathered thousands of players if not more in the plaza itself.

*Fwwing!* (Sound of materialization)

Rein who have logged in into this world, slowly form one's body from blue particles.

To ordinary players, one's appearance should be what they customized to prevent disclosure of own self in the real world. But for Rein who knows the story of this event, he just left his body as it is since it's just a waste of time.

As a bonus, his clothes are also the same as the real world.

Just like any other player, he also gets materialized in the plaza, town of beginning.

"...(Slowly open eyes)...I have finally arrived, huh." (Rein)

For this world, he has done what he can for the upcoming tragedy.

Planning to conquer this cruel but beautiful world, Aincrad.

Skills to fulfill own goals.

Insurance for own safety in the real world.

Now, what's left is to accomplish what he originally have to do.

But firstly,

"...Fuuh, it's making me dizzy. I should move to another place first." (Rein)

This place is too crowded for him to stay.

*****

-Floor 1, grassland-

(Open.) (Rein)

[User: Rein]

[Condition: Normal.]

[Lv: 20/100] (Previously Lv. 14)

*Note: Every living being, including yourself, has a different limit but until Lv.100. Every being needs different experience to level up.*

[Skill: Hand to hand combat Lv. 8 (Prev, Lv7), Weapon mastery Lv. 8, Mental Resistance Lv. MAX (Prev Lv.9) , Instant Decision Lv. 7 (Prev lv.5), Sword related mastery Lv.6 (NEW!)]

[Sub skill: Cooking Lv.7(NEW!), Art (dexterity) Lv.5 (NEW!), Hacking Lv.8 (NEW!).]

*Note: Every skill have a limit to level 10.*

[Gift:

-Supreme's Inheritor: The proof of you who inherits the strongest human recorded in history. By having this gift, the user is able to inherit and learn every type of skill available at the highest level.

-Supreme's Authority (1); Eternal Age: One of the Supreme's natural power. By having this gift, the user is unable to age physically no matter how long the time passes nor be affected by external influence. However, it won't influence nor disturb the progress of the user's evolution process toward the body.

-Supreme's Authority (2); Limitless(NEW!) : One of the supreme's natural power. By having this gift, the user has the opportunity to break own potential temporarily by increasing your latent ability dramatically. However, please be reminded that you can only increase either your skills or body's attribute, BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

(Note: Uses; 3 times a day. Duration; 30 minutes. Cooldown Timer: 4 hours)

- Athena's Protection: The blessing given by the Goddess of War itself. By having this, it will automatically guard you against critical injury that will end your life one time a day by summoning the shield, Aegis.

Uses 1/1 ]

[Current Location (Updated!): Aincrad.]

[Mission: "...The core of the world's despair is located at the red castle piercing the heaven." ]

"...I guess my main target will be floor 100." (Rein)

Comparing to 2 years ago, there are many changes occurred to him.

His navigator is directly linked to the soul so there won't be a problem in using it even in the virtual world. Of course, he can still use the SAO's interface but Akashic Record is much more accurate so he only uses it for cover to other players.

Firstly, skills.

The hand to hand combat is increased by one level due to underground fights with Joshua. Even though the skill level is already high, he can still increase it because the number of fights occurred in just one day is almost equal to one week worth.

Moreover, some of the fights may not be limited to one vs one but many vs one, so all the more reason.

As for sword related mastery, it's quite different from swordsmanship and weapon related ones.

The former is based on Rein on using a weapon like swords, katana, rapier and etc proficiently while weapon mastery is related to the proficiency of his guns or unique ones.

To explain it more deeply, both of these have one common factor sharing.

It's based on origin.

According to history, humans have always improved and evolved oneself according to their strength and weakness.

Some may train themselves in speed while others may focus on defense.

That's the source for humans to give births for variety of techniques that are unlimited.

Rein is different.

He is a supreme whose latent potential has no barrier nor restriction.

Human but not a human, but an existence that rival the gods.

Therefore, no matter what weapon Rein will use, as long as he has these two skills, he will be able to use it just like an expert who has trained for tens of years.

Other than cheating, there's no other word for his improvement.

Lastly, he was able to max leveled mental resistance one month ago after doing the extreme schedule for one whole year.

If he has this skills, mental infliction such as curses or poison won't be able to inflict him anymore with 95% chance.

In addition, he won't be suffering from hallucination nor sleep deprivation even if he lived 3 days and 3 nights without sleeping nor eating.

...He's close to a robot than a living being.

For sub-skills, it is what it says.

Cooking is quite high because he always widens his recipe to Suguha who eat it every day. Even she herself desperately commented,

"Rein-san, please don't leave me! If you don't cook for me! I'm going to die!" (Suguha)

Her stomach has already fallen in love deeply with Rein's cooking a long time ago.

...Well, it's not only limited to stomach though.

Next, the art or could be said as dexterity is not only for painting but on how creative Rein's skill on using his hand to 'create' something.

It can be something artistic like a clay statue until to a weapon like a one-handed sword.

In Level 5, it can be said that it's the limit of humanity to reach.

For hacking skills, it's not limited to hack only but computer related techniques such as programming.

One peculiar fact is, he was able to increases it that much because of the security level Kayaba Akihiko's network is Fu*cking impregnable.

Since he's holding classified data of SAO, it's understandable but Rein really exudes cold sweat every time he hacked into it.

Lining it with government's security, it's like comparing a normal laptop against the high-end supercomputer.

Last but not least, his level and gift.

"...I guess trying it would be the best." (Rein)

The growth of his level is not only determined by just defeating monsters or enemy like RPG game.

Every action that he does, including sleeping, will become his experience albeit in a small amount.

In these 2 years, he could only raise his level to 20 because each 10 level is the threshold for a new stage. Moreover, his vessel himself is just like the sea so it takes a tremendous amount of experience to just level up.

However, his relentless hard work had finally paid off.

"Growlll!!" (Monsters A)

"Gurruuuu...." (Monster B)

"Well, this place is the best place to test it anyway." (Rein)

Just like any game, monsters pop out in the middle of grassland surrounding Rein. However, the amount of it is not just one or two but tens of it.

Wild boar, slime, and wolf are slowly encircling him with no space to run.

It is due to him thinking for 10 whole minutes without moving so the hate from monsters spread all around the field gathered to him.

For a normal player, they could only struggle with a prayer so they could still live.

However,

*Shwiing* (taking out sword)

"Now then, shall we begin?"

It is just a small obstacle for the supreme.

"Fuuuhh...."

(Activate limitless.)

[Ping.]

[The supreme's authority, limitless has been activated.]

[According to the user' wish, the speed ONLY will be increased by tens of fold.]

{Countdown: 30:00...29:59...}

"Growlll!!!!" (Monsters)

All of the monsters immediately attack the prey they have finally found after being born in this world.

WIth no space to dodge.....

"Huhp!!"

*Shuuung!* (Sound of sword slashes)

Just for a second.

No, even less than that.

Each monster has a red slash mark on their body without missing a single one.

Moreover, each damage hitten was accurately pinpointed to their vital spot.

Therefore,

[Critical!!] (System message)

"Kwungg!?" (Monsters)

*Bruk!* (Monsters fell to the ground)

*Pring.* *Pring.* *Pring!* (Monsters dissolving to blue particles)

[You have leveled up.] (System Interface.)

(Note: Most of the system notification will be SAO' ones unless I will describe it.)

"Oh, nice. I guess the starter makes it easy for the player to grow." (Rein)

Rein said that leisurely just like a person who isn't involved but for others who will see it, they could only open their mouth until fly could go in while popping out of their eye sockets.

"Still, this skill is amazing. As expected of the supreme." (Rein)

Limitless.

Just like what it said, no barrier.

After leveled up to 20 a few days ago, he got this new gift of maximizing own attribute or skill for a short period.

The use of it is versatile, but the function itself is simple.

For thirty minutes, Rein could dramatically increase his attributes or skill level.

However, this time he didn't raise it as an all-rounder but ONLY to one attribute.

Speed.

That's all.

But because of that, he could maximize his speed until it could reach the level of speed of sound.

That's why the monsters have all been defeated by him slashing for tens of times in that short moment only.

Just like what Yuuji described, a monster.

Not only he could bear the burden of using power beyond him, but Rein could also use it while combining with his techniques perfectly.

This is the result of his training for all this time.

However...

"...Kuh, It's really difficult." (Rein)

There's a price for using that kind of power carelessly.

Even though the countdown is thirty minutes, it depends on the user itself on how to use the power.

Just now, in order to strike all the monsters dead instantly, Rein uses the power fully without holding back.

Therefore, It won't be strange for his muscles to be crying from pain. Worse, being ripped apart is possible too.

".. Once, no. Twice more will be the limit."

So there'll be a clear barrier on how many times he can use it.

If he used it normally, it will only be a slight pain at best after the countdown has finished. However, if he used it like that repeatedly, then his body will get damaged extremely bad and torn all over.

In other words, he will die.

At best, he can do it three times maximum but he won't be able to move anymore for the rest of the day.

In many cases, it is an extremely powerful weapon for him to use but will harm itself badly if he isn't careful.

A double edge sword.

That's his second unique skill, limitless.

"..Well, It depends on me."

That is so.

{Countdown: 28:30...28:29...28:28...}

*Fish* (Monsters appearing)

"Awoooo!!" (Wolfs)

"Brrrrr!!!" (Boars)

"Geez...no time to rest huh." (Rein)

In any case, he already finished testing his new power enough.

Before the game 'officially' started, there's still few hours left before the forced gathering event will be commenced. Moreover, the countdown hasn't finished yet.

What he could do is very simple.

"Come here then. I'll kill you all equally." (Rein)

"GROWLLL!!!" (Monsters)

*Shuung!!* *Shuung!*

It's what every player needed to face for getting stronger.

"Kwaing!?" (Monsters)

*Pring!*

It's EXP farming.

******

-6 hours later...-

*Fwisshh* (Sound of wind)

*Awoooo!* (Flying monster' growl)

"...Fuuuhh, finally sunset. It's more tiring than I expected." (Rein)

After some time has passed, Rein sits down in one of the boulders for replacement as chair with a satisfied face while organizing his humongous drop item gathered from today.

Combining with the sunset and grassland, people who see him afar is like looking at a picture or a beautiful commercial.

In this 6 hours, he killed monsters like a madman with less to none interval to rest.

Although he hasn't counted the exact amount of it, there's no doubt that few hundreds have been slain mercilessly in just a few seconds each. If he stretches it a bit more, maybe thousands could reach.

....The ability is one thing, but his resilience is too scary for doing it in hours without giving up.

Due to that, his level reached Lv.7 (SAO's level.) while the exp bar gets filled 60% already.

Comparing to other players who are still struggling with the new system, his level is far apart.

Rather than fast, it's more accurate for him to be said as crazy.

While arranging his item, he organizes the memory for the players that'll stand in front line for all times.

Surprisingly, that one person is the first friend of the ultimate loner.

"...I guess Kirito is with 'him' right now." (Rein)

In this new world, Kirito also has friends, albeit a few.

Moreover, this friend of him is quite formidable as he's one of the players conquering in the front line.

Even so, rather than his ability, Rein admires his personality more able to stick with an unsociable person like Kirito for 2 whole years without getting tired.

He's a kind person who cared for his friends deeply.

....Well, the downside may be his womanizing habit.

Remembering his goofy actions, a smile naturally appears on Rein's face.

"Pft, haha. I can't wait to meet him later in the future."

*Teng!* *Teng!* *Teng!* (Bell ringing.)

"...It's time."

While saying so, he looks at the bottom side of the interface.

What the word should appear on it,

[ ]

Has been left as blank.

Players can only conclude it as an error since it's the only function for them to go out from this world.

However, that is impossible.

Because it is not an error,

But the original purpose of SAO.

"...It'll be the first time to meet him directly." (Rein)

Countless times, he already hacked inside the server of Kayaba Akihiko so they can be said as enemy indirectly.

Moreover, there's no way a genius researcher like Kayaba wouldn't notice his actions and his illegal log in process.

But he still 'let' him.

Because it won't matter what purpose Rein has.

*Fwiing* (Rein's body disappearing into blue particle)

Just now, he has been forcibly transported back to the city of beginning again for facing the cruel reality.

The bell has already rung.

It is the sign of the beginning of the end.