"Relax, this must just be some kind of bug in the game. Once the admins notice, they'll fix it in no time."
Some players were panicking, but there were also those who stayed relatively calm. A few even claimed to be beta testers, assuring everyone that it was probably just a system adjustment — nothing serious.
"No way. A top-tier VRMMO like SAO wouldn't have such a simple glitch. And something like this never happened during the beta."
Unlike the players trying to stay calm, Kirito's unease only grew stronger.
"Maybe it really is what I said earlier," Klein said. "This could be part of the game's launch event — a surprise from the devs or something."
Before Seiya or Kirito could respond, an answer appeared for everyone to see.
A red, brick-like system window materialized in the air, expanding until it surrounded the entire Town of Beginnings plaza.
Then, a massive, robed figure descended from the sky — its face completely hidden, its form resembling that of a grim reaper.
"This is indeed a ceremony prepared for you all," the voice boomed. "But it's not the kind of welcome you expected. This is… a death invitation ceremony."
The voice paused for a moment before continuing.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Akihiko Kayaba — the creator of this game."
Gasps echoed through the plaza.
"By now, I'm sure you've noticed that the 'Logout' button is missing. That's because this is how SAO is truly meant to be played. Players cannot log out on their own."
"If someone on the outside tries to forcibly remove your NerveGear, the device will emit a powerful microwave signal that destroys your brain instantly."
"The only way to escape this world… is to clear Aincrad. Conquer all 100 floors and defeat the final boss."
Many players didn't believe it at first — until Kayaba displayed live news footage from the real world. The reports confirmed that 213 players had already died after attempting to remove their headsets.
The crowd fell silent. Fear began to spread like wildfire.
"So… as long as we clear all 100 floors, we can go home, right?"
It was a beta tester who spoke up. He sounded nervous. After all, during the beta, players had only managed to reach the 8th floor — and that was with far fewer people.
He reasoned that with the full release and so many players, clearing the game might take a year at most.
Kayaba's voice returned, calm and cold.
"Of course. Once the game is cleared, I will release everyone. But remember this — if your HP drops to zero, the NerveGear will still destroy your brain. In this world, death is real."
The announcement shattered what little composure the crowd had left.
"What the hell! You expect us to play when dying here means dying for real?!"
"This isn't a game anymore — it's a death trap!"
Kayaba ignored the shouting.
"I told you from the beginning. This is not a simple game — it's a world of life and death. If you came here to play casually, then my creating this place would be meaningless."
"Well then… as a parting gift, I'll leave you something special. Enjoy your new reality."
With that, the towering figure vanished into thin air.
In the next instant, every player found a small mirror in their inventory. When they held it up, a flash of light washed over them — and one by one, their avatars transformed to match their real-world appearances.
The results were… less than flattering for some. Handsome warriors turned into chubby guys. Cute girls revealed themselves as bearded men. The Town of Beginnings became a massive scene of collective heartbreak and embarrassment.
Kirito and Klein were no exceptions. The former's avatar turned into a younger version of himself, while the latter now looked like a tired office worker in his thirties.
Seiya, however, remained unchanged. Holding up the mirror, he tilted his head, studying his reflection. His face looked exactly the same as before.
The "Mirror of Truth" disappeared after use — clearly a one-time item.
Seiya had entered the game without altering his face, so the mirror had no effect on him. He smirked slightly, wondering if Kayaba himself — who had entered the game somewhere among the players — could be exposed with this same mirror.
While most players were still reeling from the shock, Klein stared at Seiya in disbelief.
"Wait, what the hell?! How come you didn't change at all?"
"That's because he didn't edit his face," Kirito explained, deadpan. "This is what Seiya actually looks like in real life."
Klein froze for a second, then groaned. "You've gotta be kidding me! Not only is he the national kendo champion, but he's also naturally this handsome? That's just unfair!"
Kirito patted Klein's shoulder in sympathy. "Trust me… I've felt that same pain for years."
Seiya folded his arms and looked around seriously. "Rather than worry about that, shouldn't we focus on something more important? Like what comes next?"
Both of them turned to him.
"Just like the grinding field you showed us before, Kirito," Seiya continued. "The nearby resources are limited. Once people recover from the shock, they'll start fighting over them."
Kirito blinked, then quickly nodded. "You're right. The starter areas will be overrun soon. If we don't move fast, we'll fall behind."
Without wasting another moment, the three of them turned toward the exit of the Town of Beginnings — toward the first field of Aincrad.