SAO: I replaced him?

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Outside the Town of Beginnings – The Rolling Fields

The vast green fields stretched endlessly under the bright blue sky, the gentle sway of wildflowers adding a picturesque charm to the landscape. If one ignored the oddly aggressive wild boars roaming about, it might have been the perfect countryside retreat.

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BOOM!

A hefty wild boar, nearly the size of a motorcycle, let out a final squeal before bursting into a shower of glowing data fragments.

"Alright, one down!"

But before Morin could celebrate, the alpha of the pack—a beast nearly twice the size of the others, with wickedly sharp tusks and an extra [Ferocious] tag—locked onto him. The beast's red-glowing tusks looked like they were charging up a death sentence.

"Defense boost of about 40%, double HP, same speed, and some rage-based attack bonuses... Yep, just like the strategy guide said!"

Without hesitation, Morin dodged sideways, keeping his movements calculated. The [Ferocious Boar] barreled forward, its charge leaving a faint dust trail behind. The other two regular boars scrambled to keep up.

Then—

SWISH!

Morin activated the starting sword skill [Horizontal Slash]. His one-handed longsword glowed faintly as his speed tripled for an instant. In the blink of an eye, he had already positioned himself behind one of the smaller boars.

A clean arc cut across the boar's head.

DING! Critical Hit!

The wild boar pixelated into nothingness before it even knew what hit it.

"One down, two to go!"

Morin pivoted, skillfully avoiding the elite boar's predictable charge. While most new players would likely flail around in panic, he had already adapted to the game's mechanics. He wasn't here to have a casual gaming experience—he was grinding for survival.

Within a few more seconds, another regular boar met its end, leaving just the raging boss.

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One Minute Later…

The last of the herd let out a furious squeal before bursting into code. The defeated [Ferocious Boar] left behind a small pile of loot.

"Let's see… 50 kol, three wild boar steaks, and—ooh, a Tusk Dagger! Not bad for a starter zone drop."

He had spent nearly two hours hunting, and this was one of the better rewards he'd seen. The drop rates in SAO were brutal. Most of the time, all you got was loose change and meat. At least this elite mob was generous.

More importantly, he had now gathered enough materials to complete the first few quests. Once turned in, they'd net him at least 100 kol and maybe a beginner's gear piece.

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Sword Skills – A Closer Look

Closing his inventory, Morin flexed his fingers around the hilt of his sword, testing its weight as he absentmindedly practiced a few swings.

SAO's combat system was entirely built around Sword Skills—a unique system that replaced traditional MMO abilities like magic or combat techniques. Instead, players relied on motion-based sword techniques that activated pre-set skills.

From what Morin recalled from the anime, sword skills were essential in combat, but now that he was actually inside the game, experiencing them firsthand felt surreal.

The most bizarre part?

He wasn't even tired.

In the real world, holding a longsword for hours while dodging and swinging nonstop would be exhausting, even for a trained soldier. But here? His Endurance Bar was the only thing that took a hit. His body itself felt no fatigue.

It was both incredible and terrifying.

"If I recall, the logout button should already be missing…"

A glance at his menu confirmed it. The log out option had vanished.

Right now, none of the other players had noticed yet. They were still happily exploring, laughing, and buying gear—completely unaware that they were trapped in a death game. If Morin ran back to town and started yelling about it, no one would take him seriously.

"Yeah, no thanks. I'd rather not get labeled as the town lunatic before the game even begins."

For now, the smart move was to focus on preparation. He still had a few hours before the official "announcement," meaning this was his best opportunity to gather resources.

Morin took a deep breath, adjusting his grip on his sword.

"Alright. Back to work."

He scanned the field, locking onto the next cluster of unsuspecting wild boars.

Without wasting another second, he sprinted forward, ready to continue the grind.

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