DISCLAIMER: This is just a fictional depiction of what I think Mito will decide to do post-SAO. Until we get more lore in Unital Ring, we will wait and see. But for now, enjoy.
It has been well over five months since Sword Art Online (SAO) ceased its servers. Thanks to Kirito, we were able to finally wake up from the game. Two years of that nightmare, huh. I mean, none of us expected to be stuck in this game and be unable to log out. Now I would say it felt like hell on earth, but at the end of the day it was a learning experience for all of us. We went into that game as different people, we left the game as different people.
Did that completely alter my love for video gaming in general? Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, it completely boosted my dedication and love for it as well. I came in as a hardcore gamer, I exited as a more mature gamer. That will never change, as long as I keep enjoying it. I’m happy where it took me, for the better. Speaking of that, the people I met along the way. I wonder how they’re feeling. Although, it was bittersweet to find out what happened to Yuuna. She was one of my closest friends after Asuna and I parted ways (to which I regret this day).
So, let me share a story to you about SAO, and the people I’ve met along the way. I’ll get to Asuna later, but first I want to talk about Yuuna.
Now, what is the best way to describe her? She had an angelic voice, to a point crowds of people would walk to the plaza just to watch her sing. She was such an angel. Unfortunately, she sacrificed herself by luring the monsters through her song. But, what she did was an act of bravery, and she was selfless in that moment. Considering the way SAO ended, her sacrifice was never in vain. I miss her so much.
Then there was Kirito. Where do I begin with this guy? I will admit. I do not exactly like him. There are many reasons why I felt that way, but the main reason was because he was able to be that person to Asuna, which I could not be. Again, I will explain about Asuna later, but this is about Kirito. Hell, there is some form of reservation within my feelings as to why I still feel that way. I was only behind him in the closed beta test of Sword Art Online. My best friend is closer to him than I was close to her (then again it was my fault in the first place). Despite my reservations about him, I’ll admit. He was the reason why we got out of this mess in the first place. If it were not for him, we’d probably be stuck in there for who knows how long. I may not exactly like him as a person, and that may not change for a long time (unless we talk things out, dunno). But, as a player and as a fighter, I have to give him my respect. As I said, we’d be stuck in this hell hole if it were not for him defeating what would be the founder of SAO. We’re still recovering physically, mentally and emotionally from the game, so things take time. When the time is right, I’ll have a few words with him.
And now, all of this leads back to Asuna. Perhaps the only best friend I had throughout this whole thing, until I blew it.
We were classmates, and we both took our turns in the top spot in academics. What made us completely different was that prior to Sword Art Online, she was no gamer. Not one single console, she knew. Maybe word of mouth but that’s about it. I introduced her to Tekken 7, and that’s when we started talking a bit more. Well, that was until she might have discovered me in a tournament (to which I won by the way). I guess in the real world, it clicked from here. Also around that time, that was when I introduced her to SAO. She said her brother had the game, but would try it out if she had time. I had high hopes to see her in-game, even if it was for a moment. Although, I wished she did not see me initially in my original avatar.
We did some catching up, taught her some things here and there, and had a nice talk. Well, we were supposed to have exams the next day, so Asuna was supposed to log out early. Then she said that the login button was gone. I had to check the menu to see if she was kidding or not. As it turned out, she was not lying. Well, the rest was history from that point on. She was scared, lost, and did not know what to do. I vowed to protect her with my life, at the same time teach her to fight and defend so that one day, she could stand on her own feet. I taught her what I knew, and she also learned a lot of things on her own. For someone that literally had no video game experience, let alone virtual reality (VR), that is absolutely impressive. She is definitely a fast learner, and I’d definitely give her credit for that. For a while, it felt like we were an unstoppable force. That was, until that fateful day.
We had to defeat a bunch of monsters (which I shall not name to not remind me of the trauma I had), and we were doing so well. That was, until I saw a rare monster. Only beta players like myself and Kirito were aware of this, so I took my chance. I told Asuna to keep going. But unfortunately, she defeated a specific monster that’s not supposed to have the red fruit sticking out. Well, it went ugly from here.
Asuna and I had to fend off as many of the incoming monsters as possible. We had the capabilities, but the amount of them coming at us were completely overwhelming. There were just TOO MANY of them. What happened next was the most regrettable decision of my life. A decision where…it set me back for a long time. I wish I did not do what I did back then. I carried guilt, remorse, and regret. I did that because I could not bear witnessing a teammate die like this. I disbanded the team, but it was the worst decision of my life. I considered sending a message to Asuna, but I was filled with fear and regret that I held it off. I assumed she was dead. At least I found out she was alive after all…thanks to Kirito of all people. Again, I may not exactly like him, but he has my utmost respect for what he did in the game. That’s all.
After that, I decided to make my own journey. Sure, there were times I encountered both Asuna and Kirito, especially when we defeated Kobold. Heck, there was a moment where I fought Asuna (because if I won, I did not need to face the boss with the party). Then again, it was all in good spirits. Once that finished, I finally set on my own journey. But that is for another story.
I’m just glad this whole thing is over. Because I am finally back to reality, now what? Physically, you could say I sort of recovered. I’m back walking without aid, I’m able to do everyday tasks, and I’ve finally gone back to gaming. I know I said I’m a gamer for life, but for the first few months or so, I obviously did not touch any because I was recovering from SAO. But for the first month or two after I could do things normally again I completely abstained from touching video gaming. I mean, who would push on especially after playing one for two years straight? Still, that short time away did give some time to reflect on my experiences in SAO. There were some good moments I will cherish, and of course there were some bad ones too. As I said, I started the game as a different person, and I exited the game as a different person. After this whole thing, I decided to stay away from virtual reality for a long while. It’s fun, but I played for two years straight. Best time to take a break from it, right? It does not mean I’m completely going to stop VR, but a break from it is a nice feeling once in a while. You know, to explore actual sights. I’m at peace with it.
Now, the main thing that's been on my mind lately, what’s next for me? During the recovery and away from gaming in general, I have been thinking about my options. Because I love video gaming so much…why not involve myself in the industry itself? Like, know how all the games were developed and made, things behind the scenes, or maybe be in the industry in some capacity. Not developing entirely, but be like someone who loves video games and make some nice articles about it. Who knows. If that doesn’t work, maybe become a streamer of some sorts? No matter what path I will take or focus on, video games have always been my life, no matter what. That will never change, and I am committed to this future.
In closing, I’m thankful for the people above, video gaming in general, and Sword Art Online for developing me as a person. Who knows, I would have been a completely different person had I not been trapped in there. If there’s one positive side of SAO, I’m now a person who’s willing to risk it all, this time to protect those dear to me. If people can learn from mistakes, then so can I.
I’m not ready yet to see Kirito and Asuna. I’m gonna assume they’re still recovering from the experience. I mean, there are some that are still taking longer than expected, which I understand. Personally, I do not think I want to see them…just yet. Give it time. Maybe a year or two? Let’s see where the future unfolds.
Thank you, Sword Art Online. Thank you, video gaming. Thank you to all the people I’ve met in the game. Thank you, Asuna. I hope to see you soon.
Lastly, thank you, Kirito. Or should I say…
Black Swordsman.