The newest and hottest game on the market is Sword Art Online, or SAO. A VRMMORPG, Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, Sword Art Online takes the player into a virtual reality world of swords and shields. Only 10,000 copies were sold online or in stores. But quickly, things go wrong and the fight goes from fun, to survival.
To escape the game of death, the game must be cleared. All 100 floors of the floating iron castle, known as Aincrad, must be conquered. If you die in game, you die in real life. The NerveGear will fry your brain. The same goes if the NerveGear is removed while you are in the game, you die.
Sword Art Online is a game of swords and shields with no magic. The game isn't designed to handle their Equestrian Magic. Sunset Shimmer must make sure that her friends and guildmates escape the game, or at least survive long enough until the game is defeated.
This story is a Serial Novel Society story: Updates will be at least on a weekly, Tuesday, basis.
*Pre-knowledge of Sword Art Online is not required. The Pilot Episode covers all you need to know.
**First Featured Tuesday, November 12, 2019. Also on 12/3/19, 12/10/19, 01/14/20, 2/11/20, 2/18/20, 2/25/20, 3/3/20, 3/10/20, 3/17/20, 3/24/20, 3/31/20, 4/14/20, 4/21/20, 4/28/20, 5/5/20, 5/19/20, 5/26/20, 6/2/20, 6/9/20, 6/23/2020, 6/30/2020, 7/28/20, 8/4/20, 8/18/20, 8/25/20, 8/27/20, 9/1/20, 9/8/20, 9/15/20, 9/22/20, 9/29/20, 10/20/20, 10/27/20, 11/3/2020, 11/10/20, 11/17/20, 12/1/20, 12/8/20, 12/15/20, 12/22/20, 12/29/20, 1/5/21, 1/19/21, 2/2/21, ICE, 2/23/21, 3/2/21, 3/9/21, 3/16/21, 3/23/21, & 3/30/21.
Want to know what is happening outside the SAO in the real world? There is a story for them! Link to the Asides.
A big thank you to my editor, Void Runner.
A special thanks to SuperSonicHeroes and Wildfiretiremile. Each helped a lot with Beta Reading!
Also, a special Thanks to Badwolf231. He helped me as this project got started.
- Sword Art Online is owned and created by Reki Kawahara.
* Cover Art created with art elements from Orin331, Frye-Medi, and flutterdashrarijack.
yes i clicked the moment i sol the description!!!!!!
I was always a fan of SAO's premise. It was just the story's execution and characters that killed it for me. The girls and Astro, on the other hand, fix that problem real quick. Can't wait to see how the story goes!
...please no harems.
9834249
Thanks so much! I will be releasing a few more episodes over the next few hours and one Tuesdays at the minimum!
9834265
No harems. I guarantee you that! lol. You will see many of the original characters at times, but the focus is on the Girls, and Astro! It will be a fun adventure to come.
This looks promising. I actually enjoy the Sword Art Online anime (even if I admit that the abridged version on YouTube is better). I am interested in seeing how this goes.
Nice setup. Explaining the party roles, weapons, and skills everyone has makes it feel like a real MMORPG. I wonder if they will run into anyone they know while in the game?
.....you're gonna do something with her that's gonna somehow cause me to further fall in love with this child, aren't you.
9834578
I hope so! I have fun plans for her! She is probably my favorite characters. Enjoy
Sometimes quests to defeat one specific enemy can be tiering, especially when they have a low spawn rate. At least it was worth it for everyone.
9834684
Absolutely! Questing can be a giant pain. I heavily borrow from my own MMORPG experience. I am glad you can see it and enjoy it. I also have the official english editions released for the Aincrad Arc and other stories in Aincrad to work with, as well as referring to the fan wiki for SAO to pick up the rarer stuff. I own all the books into the Aliconization Arc and I rewatched SAO quite a few times while writing.
Basic problems, no descriptions what people or places look like, no descriptions of expressions or body language, no descriptions of sounds. The reliance on knowing the material hobbles things severely, and frankly there isn't not really a lot that needs explaining thatnit would slow down the story. I am pretty sure once trapped the whole "stay in character" thing would be dropped, they aren't their characters anymore once trapped, they are them selves. I understand you really want to share your neat idea, but your leaping ahead and taking lazy short cuts like expecting the reader to fill in the visuals and lore themselves, as the story teller that is your role.
I know it sounds harsh but this is a good crossover concept. The short cuts and the things your leaveing out do your idea a disservice. Your rushing to get the idea written down and skipping details.
Really loving this so far and eager to see where it goes
Also on a side note
Interesting, so the events of the anime are still happening in the background. If that's the case do you plan on keeping the time line in tact and having any interactions between the Humane 8 (including Astro) and Kirito and company occur during the time skip or are you going to have a large change in the timeline latter with the Humane 8 being involved in the big fights of the series?
Using Sunset as Mordred for a SAO cover art triggers me. It triggers me so much.
I'll give it a read though to see if this can resolve my ire. I'll leave my thoughts after.
9834849
I don't know what you mean. I don't know who/what Mordred is.
9834843
The time line will stay intact! I have 2 years to work with, and plenty of time gaps.
I have the English copies of the books, multiple views of the dubbed anime, and the fan wiki on file for all of this. There are only 3 top guilds: The Knights of the Blood Oath, The Divine/Holy Dragon Alliance, and Fuurinkazan. There is more than enough solace to put in a clearing guild, including in Boss battles seen and not see in the anime and books.
Edit: You will see some of the characters from the original work. 😉
9834834
Thank you for your feedback. I am always happy to hear constructive criticism. I will work to add more in as I go and adjust the released chapters. SAO is a huge, expansive environment, and capturing it all isn't easy. If you read the publications, you understand the lack of information given. Which is also why I have the tutorial video loaded in the Pilot to help readers see the visual aspect of the game.
Thank you for your information. I will be checking in on your suggestions.
9834889
Mordred is one of my favorite servants from Fate, the pic you used is Sunset dressed in Mordred's armor. I have summer Mordred in Fate GO, but the SSR Mordred still eludes me... I love Mo. Lol
It is just one of those things though, I love Fate and tend to dislike SAO (though I really enjoyed Fatal Bullet and GGO). Still, I read the first chapter and prologue. I'll try the next two later.
9834902
A, I had no idea on the photo. I had cleance to use it, but I didn't know it was from Fate. I have not watched Fate. I was look for "Knight Sunset Shimmer." I Couldn't find anything else that had her in armor and with a sword. And I don't have money for a commission.
9834911
You're fine, I'm not complaining. Well, I guess I am complaining but I'm not trying to. Lol
It is just one of those things that triggers me, justly or unjust.
9834834
To be fair in SAO people did still continue to use their character names it's just that the girl's names are a bit more colorful than what the characters in SAO used.
9834917
Yeah, I ponied up their names a bit. AFCK's fits well. The same with Astro. I worked off my own experience with MMORGs to name them I can point out a list of more colorful names. It's a crossover. I am doing the best I can to balance both worlds. Especially when it came to names.
And there is a lot of psychology as to why you would stay with your player name. For one, that is who the system recognizes you as. Besides, this is how friend conversations would go :"HI, I'm John. Want to friend me?" "Sure! But why does it say Larenz?" "Oh, that's my I.R.L. Name." "I'm not going to remember John being Larenz."
And again, thank you for your valuable input.
9834889
Awesome
Like I said, really digging this so far and now I'm all caught up, and eagerly awaiting the next chapter
I hope you either stick to their game names or their real names, cause it is getting confusing. There is a serious lack of description, for both setting and the actions of the characters themselves. While it is understandable since handling eight characters in one scene is challenging, it feels a bit like you're rushing this through. I feel too dependent on the dialogue in order to know what's happening. But the idea this fic is trying to portray is interesting enough to keep me reading.
9835197
Thank you! I'm going to be reevaluating the chapters for setting info and actions. I'm mostly going to be sticking to game names. There will be times when characters forget, (especially in the beginning) or I they are thinking differently about game and all and refer to the others or themselves with their I.R.L. Names. I have person experience with playing MMORPGs with family and friends and l know that balance.
So I'm liking this so far but I'm curious. Will this story have the girls getting involved in major events from the original story or will what they do mostly run parallel to it?
9835757
The girls will be involved in some of the major events. Most of them are from the progressive series, but I am trying to pull in as much material seen in the Anime show as possible. There are problems like the Floor 74 Boss, where I can't have them join that boss battle. I combed through the fan wiki to give you guys as accurate, and fun, of an adventure for the girls as possible. You will see places like Miche, where Silica is often seen on the 35th Floor, and you will see the Flower Floor. If I can give it to you, I will give it to you. Unfortunately, the show only has 13 episodes in Aincrad, and too many of them are solo adventures or just Kirito and Asuna, making it very difficult to pull that off.
It looks like their planning is going well so far. Everyone is leveling up pretty quickly and Sunset has been appointed the leader so things are off to a good start.
I like what you did with everyone’s names at the end. The color coding is a nice touch.
What's with the "001" in the cover art?
9836640
Good question! This is the Light Novel Cover (in Japanese) for the very first book: Sword Art Online Light Novel Volume 01 - Aincrad. I did it to mirror all of the novel covers which feature the volume number on them.
Also, it is nice to see you interesting in my other writings!
9836524
Thanks. That color coding and all is a life saver for me. lol. And the reader deserves to see their progress as plainly as possible. It is a game after all!
So the're taking these kiddies into the boss dungeon to grind... please don't let this end up like Sachi
I don't usually read crossovers and just read plenty of sunset x rarity fictions, but the first chapter got me interested so maybe i'll give this one a go
Good luck and more chapters to go
9837380
I look forward to hearing more from you. I am glad that you are giving it a try! I'm always down for constructive criticism too! Thanks for reading!
9837077
All I will say is that the story is tagged adventure and drama.
Sachi isn't actually shown in the light novel series until book 2. It's a jump backwards to see more of what was done. That was how Reki Kawahara wrote it originally. The Anime show put it all in order.
9837534
I've heard, as while I have not read the novels myself, I have friends who did and they said they definitely liked the way the anime presented the timeline in sequential order rather then having flash backs. (though they did recommend I read the Progressive series as it apparently fills in some of the gaps of the time skips)
9837822
I have not gotten a hold of the progressive series yet. I am working my way through the Alicization Arc. But the Wiki has so much good information that fills in the gaps and presents me with that overview of the progressive information. As to the Anime, they nailed putting it all together in one smooth flow. The author did not have the chance originally because it was a serial novel he was releasing online. So he did jump back to Aincrad to tell more tales from the two years inside.
I think it is cool that these three are officially joining the guild on a seemingly permanent basis. Their stats are even added to the ending. So I bet they will be able to contribute more once their levels go up a bit.
I wonder if everyone will run into Kirito and Asuna eventually? It would be cool to have them team up for a boss fight.
9838361
Wait to see the stat list later on. When they all have more skills
Like SAO, like MLP/EG, so this story caught my attention. Also love the fact that the picture has Sunset dressed as Mordred from the Fate series
9838445
I have not played fate. I only just found out about how Sunset was dressed. I was looking for a warrior/knight drawing of any of the EQG 7. None are there, but I found that. And it was marked for open use (and is linked in the description for proper credit) so I assembled the cover.
Enjoy it! I love writing these stories. This is a fun one! A real fun one.
Fuurinkazan was notable for being the only guild that didn't lose a single member (if I'm remembering right) even though they were a frontline guild. I kinda don't want them to lose that uniqueness. Though for that to happen the Wonder Colts either have to break up or end up not being on the front lines. Especially if you don't want to kill one of them off. I kinda want to see them become something of an antithesis to the Divine Dragons in that the Wonder Colts go after rare drops in order to help the frontline fighters rather than keep the loot for themselves. Or maybe becoming a crafters guild, you already got something like that started. Part of their guild goes after materials for the other part that uses them.
9839017
Not that I don't like her but if any character was born with a death flag it would be Astro and if not her it will be some other OC that joins up with them.
At least I hope so because I don't want any of the seven to end up dieing.
9839017
I don't recall Fuurinkazan being the only guild to not lose a member. And online, I've dived into the guild info quite a bit. Only a few are actually known.
That is the entire list of known guilds in SAO, Books and Anime. I've never head of Fuurinkazan to be the only guild to not lose a member. If you can show me where that is factually stated, please do.
However, the DDA would be fun to screw with. I'm mostly done writing, but it still have a good chunk of Episodes to go. Probably a 1/4 or so unwritten. You guys will have a lot of fun with the upcoming adventure.
Having Agil be the first one they bump into was a nice touch as 1. we don't see what he does most of the time and 2. given the fact that he ends up running a shop he is a valuable friend for the group to have
EQG: SAO
True Friendship survives in a Death Game
That was a really great boss battle! I hope we see them teaming up with the canon SAO characters more often.
9849743
All I will say is: Hehehehe!
That boss battle was a load of bull...
Sorry couldn't resist.
I'm not sure if I asked already but will the canon characters be appearing or not? Perhaps the girls rescue young Silica and she becomes an honorary little sister to one of them?