The behaviors of the figures I had just seen—fighting, looting, reacting, even coordinating—none of it matched the simple NPC routines I remembered. It was like they had been learning. Like they had grown.
But why would Kayaba care about developing AIs? He had everything in his grasp already: god-like power, control over life and death, even immortality in some form. Maybe that wasn't enough for him. Maybe this was a proving ground—not for players, but for digital life.
And if that was true… then what was I now?
An intruder?
A leftover?
A variable?
I had no answers. Just more questions. But one thing was certain: this world, this new Aincrad, was no longer bound by the rules I once understood.
And I wasn't sure if I was a player anymore… or just another test subject.
"How could I ever understand what goes in the head of an insane bastard like that."
In any case, those people were hunting in one of the most basic spots of the floor, and I couldn't see many others around, so I decided to head to another spot that was much better. At level one, I would need close to fifteen seconds to deal with a single boar, and at that spot, a new one spawned every twenty seconds.
Maybe it was a bit stupid to worry about efficiency now, but it was better to be prepared for the future. Once I reached there and got within range, the boar turned around and began to kick the ground toward me. It soon began to gain speed, but at that point in time, I could only shrug in response.
When the creature approached, I jumped to the side and then stabbed the side of its head with my sword. The creature grunted in pain and then tried to turn around and then charged once again, but I kicked a pebble at its face at the last moment and blinded the creature. I stabbed its right eye and then jumped on it only to stab the other afterwards…
The beast tried to shake me off, but it failed and soon I stabbed the back of its head with all my might. After three critical hits, the monster began to fall to the side but turning into particles of light before that could really happen.
You received 25 experience points.
You received 05 cols.
Things were just like before.
The sound of the boar's death cry, the subtle shimmer of light as it disintegrated into particles, the metallic chime of Col being added to my nonexistent wallet—all of it was exactly how I remembered. Every action flowed naturally, like muscle memory. My hands moved without thought, guided by the habits of two years trapped in this world.
And somehow… that familiarity brought me a strange sense of peace.
For a moment, it was like I'd stepped back in time. Back to the early days, when survival was a challenge but still felt like a game. Before the deaths piled up. Before the fear took hold of everyone. Before I stopped caring whether I lived or died.
Hunting low-level mobs for scraps of Col and XP, watching the timer in my head as I moved from spawn to spawn—these were the kinds of things I thought I'd left behind forever. Yet now, doing it again felt… grounding. Safe, even.
But that feeling didn't last.
Because no matter how much this place resembled the past, I couldn't forget one undeniable truth:
I was alone.
There were no other players running past me, shouting for help or celebrating a critical hit. No pickup groups, no guild requests, no teleport crystals flying through the air. Just me, the monsters, and the wind.
I was the last player in Aincrad.
And that fact poisoned every moment of calm I managed to find. I couldn't let my guard down—not really. Not until I understood why this world was still running. Not until I knew how I had ended up back here… or what I'd actually returned to.
Because if I was the last one left…
Then what exactly was this world waiting for?
And why was it still watching me?
I had planned to only get a few levels and enough money to pay for lodge and food for a few days, but in the end, I ended up keeping the usual hunting pace and reached level six. I had three slots of skills now, but two of them had already being filled with Battle Healing and Two Handed Sword Mastery. Those were my bread and butter before, so it was better to stick to what I was good at. Somewhat.
'I have another slot for a skill, but I am not sure if I want to choose one now… I thought a bunch of times how much I wanted to change my skills before, but I never had a clear plan on how to actually improve it.'
With those thoughts heavy in my mind, I made my way back to the Town of Beginnings. The sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. The fields lay empty, quiet and still—except for the familiar rustle of boars wandering through the grass, unaware of the strange new reality unfolding around them.
The sight was strangely calming. The world felt the same, yet everything had changed.
Without the constant pressure of battle or the need to survive another second, I found myself wondering what would come next. If this was truly the end—or if the real challenge was just beginning.
Because, if this was how it was going to be, the worst case scenario gnawed at me: I might have to climb all the way back to the final floor. Alone. No guilds, no parties, no help.
Clear the game—again.