SAO: I replaced him?

The Next Morning – The Hotel

Morin sat cross-legged on the bed, deep in thought, running through his strategy for the day. With Sword Art Online officially a death game, every decision needed to be precise—no room for mistakes.

Just as he was about to finalize his battle plan, a notification popped up in front of him.

[Player Asuna requests to enter your room. Accept?]

Morin didn't even hesitate before selecting [Agree].

With a soft creak, the wooden door swung open, revealing Asuna standing at the threshold. Her bright brown eyes were slightly weary, as if she hadn't slept much, but they burned with fierce determination. It was a striking contrast—the exhaustion in her face and the fire in her gaze.

"Asuna, it looks like you've made your decision," Morin said, standing up and giving her a small smile.

She hesitated for just a moment, gripping the hilt of her rapier at her waist as if it were a lifeline. "Morin, I… I've decided. I'm going to fight."

Morin's expression grew serious. "Are you sure?" He took a step closer, and Asuna instinctively took half a step back before catching herself.

"This isn't just a game anymore," he continued, his voice firm. "It's life or death. There's no respawn, no second chances. If you step onto the battlefield, you have to be prepared to die at any moment. So tell me again, Asuna—are you truly ready for this?"

Asuna inhaled sharply. She had spent most of the night grappling with fear, but in the end, her resolve had won out. "Yes! I don't want to stay locked up in the Town of Beginnings. I refuse to just sit in a so-called 'safe zone' while waiting for a miracle. Even if I lose to a monster and die, I'd rather that than lose to this world!"

For a brief moment, Morin was silent. Then, suddenly, he grinned.

"Good answer," he said, extending a hand. "Then let's go see what this death game has in store for us."

Asuna blinked, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks, but after a moment's hesitation, she reached out and clasped his hand.

---

Outside the Hotel – Town of Beginnings

The town felt different today.

Players wandered the streets, talking in hushed voices. Normally, early-game towns in MMORPGs were bustling hubs of excitement and adventure, but here, the air was thick with tension. No one smiled. No one laughed.

It was a city of ghosts—players too afraid to step outside the walls.

Most of them were paralyzed by fear, unsure whether to risk their lives fighting monsters or scrape by doing menial NPC quests that wouldn't make them stronger. Others still clung to the hope that someone else would clear the game for them.

Morin sighed. "Fear of death is a powerful thing."

Asuna, still wrapped in her novice cloak, glanced around at the nervous faces. "What now?"

Morin stretched his arms. "First, we head out of town. Right now, this floor is an open opportunity." He turned to Asuna, his tone serious. "If we want to survive, we need to level up. Fast."

Of all the things he disliked about the original Sword Art Online story, Kirito's lone-wolf attitude irritated him the most. But one thing the guy got right was this: If you want to live in this world, you have to get stronger.

And that wasn't going to happen inside the Starting Town.

Kayaba might have been a madman, but he wasn't stupid. He wouldn't design a game where thousands of players could power up just by running errands for NPCs. At best, Morin estimated that only about a thousand players could sustain themselves by doing "safe" tasks—fetch quests, message deliveries, and other mind-numbing busywork.

But leveling up? That required actual combat.

Even so, Asuna still clutched the hilt of her sword nervously.

Morin noticed. With a reassuring smile, he gently placed a hand over hers.

"Relax," he said. "We'll start slow—take on the beginner monsters just outside town. As long as we're careful, we'll be fine."

Asuna exhaled. "I know…"

Morin gave her hand a squeeze before letting go. She shot him a glare, cheeks turning pink again, but he just chuckled and led the way out of town.

---

An Hour Later – Outside the Town of Beginnings

The path leading to the next village wasn't entirely safe.

SAO's monster spawn mechanics ensured that even the roads weren't free of danger. As they walked, they spotted five or six [Stray Gray Wolves], all between level 1 and 2, lurking in the grass.

In a normal MMO, these would be nothing but tutorial enemies. But here? They were potential death sentences for unprepared players.

The moment the wolves locked eyes on them, they snarled and charged.

"Damn it!" Morin drew his sword. "Asuna, I'll cover you—focus your attacks!"

Without hesitation, Morin dashed forward, activating [Thrust]. His sword flashed, stabbing straight into the open mouth of the leading wolf.

A direct hit.

The wolf's health bar plummeted from full green to red before instantly shattering into light fragments.

One down.

The remaining wolves, however, weren't stupid. The largest—level 2—howled, signaling the others to form a loose encirclement.

Morin clenched his jaw. Great. They're actually using pack tactics.

With his sword skill on cooldown, he had no choice but to rely on normal attacks to hold off the level 2 wolf while dodging the others. Alone, this would be a nightmare.

But he wasn't alone.

"Linear!!!"

A blur of motion shot past him.

Asuna lunged forward, her rapier striking like a lightning bolt. The tip of her blade found its mark—right through the eye of the level 2 wolf.

Critical hit!

The wolf let out a strangled yelp before exploding into pixels.

Morin blinked, then grinned. "Nice shot, Asuna!"

She didn't respond immediately, too focused on the battle. Her form was sharp, movements precise—far better than a complete beginner.

Morin quickly cut down another wolf. "We'll finish these guys off and take a break. And from now on, let's assume the spawn rates are different from the beta. We can't afford any surprises in this death game."

"Got it!"

Asuna's voice was sharper than before, filled with excitement.

With a few more quick strikes, the remaining wolves were dispatched.

As the last enemy vanished in a burst of light, Asuna took a deep breath, looking down at her sword. For the first time since arriving in SAO, she wasn't just surviving—she was fighting.

Morin watched her with a knowing smirk. She's already adapting.

Still, he couldn't help but think about the bigger picture.

For the next month, the highest death rate would be among the bravest players—the ones who dared to fight without knowing how the game had changed. They were courageous… but courage alone wouldn't be enough.

Morin tightened his grip on his sword.

We need to get stronger. Fast.

With that thought in mind, he turned to Asuna and grinned.

"Alright, partner. Ready for round two?"

She smirked back, flicking her rapier to the side.

"Bring it on."

---

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