Aincrad 1

  Until I became a prisoner of this world, I was a mere child, living a circular route of home and school with no great ambitions. But the real world was a long-lost relic of the distant past now.

  Beating this game and getting back to the real world should be my goal, Asuna’s goal, every player’s goal…but the thought of it actually happening made me worry. I clenched Asuna tighter.

  “That hurts, Kirito…What’s wrong?”

  “S-sorry. Hey, Asuna…”

  I clammed up for a moment, but I had to ask.

  “Is this…just inside the game? Us, I mean…Is it something that’s going to vanish when we return to the real world?”

  “Are you trying to get me angry?” She spun around, pure emotion burning in her eyes. “Even if this were a normal game and we weren’t stuck inside it, I don’t fall in love for fun.”

  She squished my face in her hands.

  “There’s one thing I’ve learned here: Never give up until the end. If we get back to the real world, I’ll find you again, and I’ll fall in love with you again.”

  How many times had I been amazed at Asuna’s strength? Or was it just a sign of how weak I was in comparison? In any case, I’d forgotten how good it could feel to rely on someone else, to let them be your support. I didn’t know how long we’d be here, but hopefully, as long as we were away from battle…

  I let my mind wander, my arms full of gentle warmth and a sweet scent.

  18

  The float sitting on the surface of the lake didn’t even twitch. The more I watched the gentle light reflect off the still surface, the sleepier I felt.

  I yawned wide and pulled in the rod. The only thing at the end of the line was a sad silver hook. No sign of the bait that I’d placed on it.

  We’d been living on the twenty-second floor for ten days. I’d removed my Two-Handed Sword skill from its slot—I hadn’t touched it since a long-past period of experimentation—and set Fishing in its place to catch our food. So much for being an angler and living off the land: I’d barely caught a thing. My proficiency was more than 600, so while I wouldn’t be catching any whopping tuna, you’d figure something would bite. Instead, I watched the pail of bait I’d bought at the village slowly run empty.

  “This is a waste of time,” I muttered, tossing the rod aside and rolling over. The breeze off the lake was chilly, but the thick overcoat Asuna knitted me with her Tailoring skill was nice and warm. She was working on her skill just as I was, so it wasn’t up to store-bought quality, but it got the job done.

  It was the Month of Cypress in Aincrad, November in the real world. Winter was close at hand, but the season shouldn’t have an effect on fishing here. I supposed that I’d used up all my luck snagging my lovely wife.

  I rolled over, unable to hide the shameless grin this train of thought produced, when I suddenly heard a voice from overhead.

  “Are they biting?”

  I lurched upward with a start to see a man standing over me.

  He was wearing a heavy coat and a cap with earflaps, and he carried a fishing rod, just like me. The real surprise was the man’s age. He had to be in his fifties, at least. The lines of old age were carved into the face behind the wire-rim glasses. It was extremely rare to find such an elderly person in the midst of a game populated by hardcore players. In fact, I’d never seen anyone as old as him. Unless…

  “I’m not an NPC,” he said, reading my mind. He made his way down the embankment.

  “I-I’m sorry, I was just really surprised…”

  “No, I don’t blame you. I’ve got to be the oldest person in this thing, by a long shot.”

  He laughed heartily, his solid body shaking. The man sat down next to me and pulled a bait box out of his waistpouch, fumbled with the pop-up menu, and attached the bait to his rod.

  “Name’s Nishida. I’m a fisherman here. Before this, I was head of network security for a company called Tohto Broadband. Sorry I can’t give you my card.”

  He laughed again.

  “Ahh…”

  I had a feeling I knew why he was here. Tohto Broadband was a network management company partnered with Argus. They were responsible for the network lines leading to SAO’s servers.

  “My name’s Kirito. I just moved down here from up above. Mr. Nishida, are you…involved in maintaining SAO’s connections…?”

  “I was the man in charge of that, yes.” He nodded. I felt conflicted about this. He must have gotten trapped in this world just by doing his job.

  “The bosses told me I didn’t actually have to log in, but I’m the type who can’t be satisfied unless I see my work with my own two eyes. Well, I sure paid a price for that one.”

  He laughed again and cast his rod with magnificent expertise. This was a man who knew how to fish. Apparently he liked to talk, as he continued without waiting for a response.

  “I believe there’s about twenty or thirty other older fellas like me who got caught in something they shouldn’t have. Most of them are biding their time down in that first town, but I just can’t keep myself from a good day of fishing.”

  He tugged on the rod.

  “I’ve been on the search for good rivers and lakes, and that’s what brought me all the way up here.”

  “I see…And there are no monsters on this floor.”

  Nishida simply grinned at that statement.

  “What’s the word? Are there any good spots up higher?”

  “Hmm…the sixty-first floor is all lake—more like a sea, really—so I imagine there are big fish to catch there.”

  “Aha! I’ll have to pay it a visit.”

  Suddenly, his line jolted downward. Without missing a beat, Nishida tugged the rod up. Not only was he probably an adept fisherman in real life, but his Fishing skill was likely through the roof.

  “Whoa, it’s a big ’un!”

  I leaped to my feet in a hurry, but Nishida calmly spun his rod and yanked a large, sparkling blue fish out of the water. It flopped around at his feet, then disappeared as it was automatically transferred to his inventory.

  “Nicely done!”

  Nishida smiled shyly.

  “Nah, it’s all just a numbers game here,” he said, scratching his head. “The problem is, I can catch ’em, but not cook ’em. I’d love to have some good sashimi, but there’s no point without any soy sauce.”

  “Ahh…well…”

  I hesitated. We’d moved down here to avoid attention, but I had a feeling this fellow was not interested in gossip.

  “I feel like…I might have something that’ll get the job done…”

  “You don’t say!”

  Nishida’s eyes flashed behind the lenses as he leaned forward.

  Asuna was initially alarmed when I came home with a guest, but she soon recovered and gave him a smile.

  “Welcome home. Who is this?”

  “Ah, this is Mr. Nishida, a fisherman. And…”

  I turned to Nishida, unsure of how to introduce Asuna. She stepped right in and gave the elderly man another smile.

  “I’m Asuna, Kirito’s wife. Welcome to our home.” She gave him a crisp bow.

  Nishida’s mouth dropped as he stared at her. She was wearing a plain skirt, hemp shirt, an apron, and a scarf—a far cry from her gallant KoB uniform, but beautiful all the same.

  He snapped back to his senses after several blinks.

  “Oh, pardon me, I got lost for a moment there. My name is Nishida, and your hospitality is appreciated…”

  He laughed and scratched his head.

  Asuna easily transformed Nishida’s catch into dishes of sashimi and simmered fish. The scent of her fragrant soy sauce filled the room, and Nishida’s nostrils flared widely as he sucked in the air.

  It tasted less like freshwater fish than a fatty, seasonal yellowtail. According to Nishida, this type of fish required a skill of more than 950 to catch, and we forewent conversation for a few minutes, choosing to savor the meal instead.

  Eventually all the
dishes were picked clean, and Nishida gave a deep sigh of satisfaction, cup of hot tea in hand.

  “Ahh…I needed that. Thank you for the meal. Never thought I’d see soy sauce in this place…”

  “Oh, it’s homemade. Please, take some.”

  Asuna brought a small bottle out of the kitchen and handed it to Nishida. She wisely did not mention the ingredients. She smiled and thanked him in return for the fish.

  “Kirito’s hardly brought me anything from the lake.”

  I sipped my tea unhappily, the conversation’s whipping boy. “The lakes around here are too hard to fish in.”

  “Oh, I disagree. The only really tough spot is the big one, the one you were trying this afternoon.”

  “Wha…”

  Nishida had stunned me into silence. Asuna grabbed her stomach, chuckling softly.

  “Why would they have programmed it that way…?”

  “Well, the thing about that lake is,” Nishida whispered conspiratorially. We leaned closer. “That’s where you’ll find the Big One.”

  “Big One?” we repeated simultaneously. Nishida pushed his glasses up and flashed us a confident grin.

  “At the tool shop in town, there’s one type of bait that costs head and shoulders above the rest. I was curious, so I had the idea to try it out for myself.”

  I swallowed.

  “But I couldn’t catch a thing with it. Tried it out all over the place, then it occurred to me that it was probably for the one lake tougher than all the others.”

  “And…did you catch something?”

  “I got a bite.” He nodded, then looked disappointed. “But I couldn’t haul it in. Took my rod with him. I caught a glimpse of it, and it was bigger than big. No doubt about it; that thing is a monster in its own right.”

  He extended his arms to indicate its size. Now I understood why Nishida had simply grinned at me when I told him there were no monsters on this floor.

  “Wow, I want to see it!” Asuna said, her eyes sparkling. Nishida turned to give me an inquisitive look.

  “You confident in your Strength stat, Kirito…?”

  “Uh, well, confident enough…”

  “Then why not join me? I’ll do everything to get a bite, and you can handle the heavy lifting.”

  “Ahh, you want to use the switch tactic with the fishing rod? Is that even possible…?” I wondered.

  “Let’s do it, Kirito! This sounds fun!” Asuna bubbled, excitement in her eyes. She was always ready to try something new. I couldn’t deny that my curiosity was piqued as well.

  “…Shall we?” I asked. Nishida beamed widely and laughed.

  “That’s the spirit!”

  That night, Asuna wriggled into my bed, complaining about the cold. Once we were fully nestled together, she finally gave a contented sigh. My wife blinked her eyes sleepily, then smiled, remembering something.

  “…I guess there really are all types here…”

  “He was a jolly guy, wasn’t he?”

  “Yeah.”

  We giggled for a few moments, then stifled it.

  “I’ve been fighting up above for so long, I completely forgot that there are still people trying to lead normal lives,” I muttered.

  “I’m not saying that we’re special or anything, but I think being a high-enough level to fight on the frontier means that we have a responsibility to them.”

  “I’ve never thought of it that way…I always prioritized getting stronger for my own personal survival, nothing more.”

  “I think there are plenty of people putting their hope in you, Kirito. Including me.”

  “Hearing that just makes me want to run away.”

  “Oh, jeez.”

  I brushed her hair as she pouted, and inwardly prayed that this life would continue just a bit longer. Sooner or later, we’d have to return to the front line, for the sake of Nishida and all the other players. But just for now…

  Agil and Klein had sent messages warning us of the difficulties in clearing the seventy-fifth floor. But in all honesty, my life here with Asuna was the most important thing to me.

  19

  Three days later, Nishida sent me a morning notice that he was ready to catch the Big One. Apparently he went around to rally up all of his fishing buddies, and we’d have an audience of about thirty for the attempt.

  “Yikes. What do you want to do, Asuna…?”

  “Hmm…”

  Frankly speaking, his arrangement wasn’t exactly welcome. I’d chosen this place specifically to avoid intel dealers and Asuna’s crazed fans, so appearing in front of a small crowd was the last thing I wanted.

  “How about this?”

  She tied up her long chestnut hair and wrapped her long scarf up high around her face. After a bit of menu manipulation, she was covered in a big, frumpy overcoat as well.

  “Ooh, nice. You look like a tired old farmer’s wife.”

  “…Was that meant to be a compliment?”

  “Of course. I’ll probably be fine as long as I don’t bring my equipment.”

  Asuna and I left the house before lunch, lugging a picnic basket. We could have just left the stuff in our inventory and materialized it when we got there, but this seemed to make for a better disguise.

  It was a warm day for the season. After a lengthy walk through the towering pine trees of the forest, the glistening lake surface could be seen through the branches. There was already a crowd at the shore. As I approached, feeling nervous, I soon recognized the squat figure and distinctive laugh of one of the men.

  “Wa-ha-ha! Nice, clear day!”

  “Nice to see you, Mr. Nishida.”

  Asuna and I bowed. The crowd, a gathering with a wide range of ages, was Nishida’s fishing guild. We hesitantly greeted the group, but fortunately no one seemed to recognize Asuna.

  What surprised me was how proactive the old man was; he must have been an excellent boss. They’d apparently been doing an impromptu fishing competition before we got there, and the group was in an excited mood.

  “Well then, I think it’s time for today’s main event!” Nishida announced in a loud voice, a long fishing pole in one hand. I gazed at the large rod and its thick line, following it until I realized, with a start, what was hanging on the end.

  It was a lizard. An extremely large one, about the size of an adult’s forearm. Venomous-looking red and black patterns crossed its hide, and its wet surface suggested freshness.

  “Eugh…”

  Asuna was late to notice the creature and stumbled back several steps, a grimace on her face. If this was the bait, there could be only one thing to catch.

  But before I could even interject a comment, Nishida turned to the lake and held the fishing rod high. He swung it forward with an audible whoosh, his form impeccable, and the lizard flew through the air to land out in the lake with an admirable splash.

  Fishing in SAO involved virtually no waiting. Once you’d cast your line into the water, it was only a number of seconds until you either had a bite or the bait was lost. We held our breaths and watched the water.

  Eventually the line twitched a few times. Nishida didn’t budge an inch.

  “I-I think it’s coming, Mr. Nishida!”

  “Nope, not yet!”

  The normally pleasant old man was staring intensely at the line, his eyes burning behind the glasses. He took in every minute vibration at the end of his rod.

  The end suddenly bowed much harder.

  “Now!”

  Nishida bent backward sharply, pulling the rod with his entire body. Even from the side, it was clear the line was absolutely taut, a loud twang for all to hear.

  “I’ve got a bite! It’s all up to you now!”

  He handed me the rod, and I gave it a hesitant yank. It didn’t budge. I might as well have been pulling on solid ground. Just as I began wondering if this was an actual bite and turned to look at Nishida—

  The line tugged downward with incredible force.

  “Whoa!”
/>
  I dug both feet in hurriedly and pulled the rod back up. The physical force feedback the game ordinarily used was far weaker than what I was feeling now.

  “I-is it safe to pull with all I’ve got?” I asked Nishida, concerned for the durability of the rod and line.

  “They’re the finest you can buy! Let ’er rip!”

  His face was red with excitement. I re-gripped the handle and pulled with all my strength. The rod contorted into an upside-down U shape.

  After a level-up, players are given the choice to spend their points on either strength or agility. An ax warrior like Agil might choose strength every time, while Asuna would get better use out of her rapier with more agility. I split my points down the middle as an orthodox swordsman, but when it came to personal preference, I leaned on the side of agility.

  Despite the lack of focus on strength, my level was apparently high enough to give me the advantage in this particular test. I dug my feet in and slowly backed up, steadily pulling the unseen quarry closer and closer to the surface.

  “Oh! I saw it!”

  Asuna jumped up and pointed over the water. I was well clear of the shoreline and leaning backward, so I was in no position to take a closer look. The other onlookers murmured and rushed to the water’s edge, peering down into the water, which grew exponentially deeper away from the shore. I finally gave in to my curiosity and summoned all my strength to yank the rod upward.

  “…?”

  Suddenly, all the figures crowding around the water in front of me flinched. They all began to back up.

  “What does it look li—”

  Before I could finish, they all turned around and ran, full speed. Asuna passed me on the left, Nishida on the right, their faces pale. When I turned back to call to them, the weight suddenly lifted from my hands, and I fell backward onto my rear end.

  Damn, the line snapped, I thought. I tossed the pole aside and leaped to my feet to run to the water. The next moment, I saw the surface of the lake bulging upward, an enormous silver circle.