2022, Tokyo, Japan.
The giant electronics manufacturer ARGUS developed a new generation of civilian terminal called NERvGear, which finally went on sale to the public.
This made it possible to apply fully-networked full-dive virtual reality into ordinary online games.
Sword Art Online, abbreviated as SAO—became the very first large-scale VRMMO to use this cutting-edge technology.
Just as a certain black-haired boy stepped out of a department store, holding an unopened NERvGear box in his hands, ready to hurry home and try it out, his phone suddenly rang in his pocket.
"Seiya, you managed to get the NERvGear helmet today, right?"
Seiya had just picked up the call when a somewhat anxious male voice came from the other end.
Judging by the tone, the caller was about the same age as Seiya—likely a middle schooler as well.
"I almost missed out, but it turns out the sales clerk was a senior from our school, working part-time. She helped me out a little behind the scenes.
And she even slipped me a note with her number, saying I could call her if I didn't understand how to use it.
I've gotta say, big companies are something else—even their part-time workers are this thoughtful."
Upon hearing this, the boy on the other end, Kirigaya Kazuto, couldn't help but roll his eyes.
On your account as a cute junior? Corporate service standards? No—she gave you her number because she's into your looks!
Though a bit exasperated by the special treatment Seiya received, Kazuto wasn't all that surprised.
He'd seen such things happen around Seiya too many times to count.
Seiya's full name was Wenren Seiya. It sounded Japanese enough, but in fact, he was Chinese.
Kazuto had once asked him about it, and Seiya explained that "Wenren" was a compound surname.
As for his given name, Sei meant sacred and beautiful in ancient Eastern tradition, while Ya was an exclamatory particle.
Seiya's parents had passed away when he was very young, and he was raised by his grandfather. But not long ago, his grandfather also passed away.
His family ran a kendo dojo, where both Kirigaya Kazuto and his sister Kirigaya Suguha were students.
However, Kazuto quit when he was seven, thinking kendo was boring.
Seiya and Suguha, on the other hand, stuck with it—and Seiya eventually inherited the full legacy of the Wenren Sword Style.
When he was just a first-year middle schooler, he competed in the National Kendo Tournament, cutting down opponents one or two years older and ultimately seizing the championship.
Growing up together, Seiya, Kazuto, and Suguha were childhood friends.
Leaving aside Kazuto and Suguha's somewhat awkward sibling relationship, Seiya got along well with both of them.
For Suguha, however, Seiya was practically an idol.
After all, for someone her age who adored kendo, Seiya winning the national championship as just a first-year made him seem as though he was born for the sword.
Even though he was still in middle school, Suguha knew that her "Seiya-nii" had already reached the level of Menkyo Kaiden—a license of complete mastery.
At his current skill level, even if he entered high school tournaments, he would still achieve top results.
Ever since Seiya's grandfather passed away, the dojo had closed down. But with his current mastery and potential, if Seiya claimed high school titles, he would undoubtedly have the ability to inherit the family dojo.
Handsome, a national kendo champion at a young age, and excelling academically—there was no question how popular Seiya was at school.
That's why Kazuto wasn't shocked about the "special treatment."
Seiya had always been surrounded by admirers; his only constant was Kazuto's lovestruck younger sister.
Having such an outstanding friend was both Kazuto's luck—and his misfortune.
The lucky part was that Seiya was a reliable friend, always willing to help, and rarely failing at anything he tried.
The unlucky part was the crushing pressure of standing beside him. Kazuto's biggest role at school ended up being "the guy who delivers love letters to Seiya."
His decision to quit kendo at seven wasn't just boredom—it was also because the gap was simply too big.
They were the same age, training together, yet Seiya advanced at lightning speed, while Kazuto could barely manage to defeat Suguha.
Realizing he might not have talent for swordsmanship, Kazuto gave it up altogether.
But dropping kendo revealed something else: his talent for gaming.
And in that world, at least, he wasn't crushed by Seiya—in fact, he could often win.
Naturally, this only deepened his love for video games.
Now came SAO, the first large-scale VRMMO launched on NERvGear.
The hype was unprecedented, and as a gaming geek, Kazuto couldn't ignore it.
More than that, he was lucky enough to be selected as a beta tester, one of the first players to experience SAO.
With public release looming and NERvGear selling out, Seiya risked being left behind—something Kazuto didn't want to happen.
After all, in this game world, Kazuto thought he might finally be able to defeat Seiya through swordsmanship.
He already excelled at games, and this time, entering as a beta tester, he was confident. Even if swords were the mainstream, maybe—just maybe—he could finally beat Seiya.
To sum it up: Kazuto worried Seiya wouldn't get a helmet not just because he wanted his best friend in the game, but also because he longed for the chance to show off.
Yes—that was it. Having such an overwhelming friend gave him constant pressure. His only reprieve came from games, and this time, he was determined to score a win—even if only in virtual reality!
(End of Chapter)