Akihiko Kayaba, the inventor of the VR World [The Aincrad] and the Nerve-Gear, was famous around the world.
His invention not only opened a new branch of Mana-Science to the world but also gave a mass entertainment platform to the world's populace.
Nobody knew the true origins of his invention or how he theorised and then made practical application of it.
So this invention took the world by surprise!
In fact, the only 20K Beta-Testers had to apply about 2 years prior to the launch of the Beta-Test version itself to get the real thing to test.
And as people do with every new invention, at first all the major companies both in games, AI, and Manatronics made fun of it and rejected it, except for a few like Asuna's father's company, The Rect Inc., which invested in its parent company, Argus Inc.
This led a few gaming geeks to actually apply for tha game that early!
This was not a problem for our guy, Rev, who knew what he was going to deal with, so he instantaneously applied for the Beta.
Of course, the fated main character of the SAO lineup, Kirito, also got his Beta-Testing opportunity!
-----
After the trip ended, Rev knew that the timeline for the first main arc was coming closer, and with both Asako and Yuria busy with their own work and not being much at home, he used the time to strengthen himself.
And he completed all the important tasks he had regarding his cultivation journey.
'Show me the status!'
[Name: Rev Kusakabe.
Points: 37000.
Age: 13 years old.
Status: Overall- D+ Rank.
Talent: Multi-Aligned.
Innate Ability: Heavenly Purple-Gold Luck Stealing Chaotic Constellation (HPGLS2C), Great Multiversal Limiter (GUL).
Physique: Saintly Myriad Demonic-Divine Dragon Physique (SM3D).
Soul: Beginning-Ending Ultimate Chaos Soul (BEUC).
Mana Core: Grand Nebula Primordium Chaotic Mana Core (GNPC).
Cultivation:
1) Body/Qi: Early-Stage Blood Refining Realm.
2) Soul: Late-Stage True Soul Awakening Realm.
3) Mana: Late-Stage Mana-Awakening Realm.
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral.
Arts: Nine-Star Chaotic Hegemon Body Art, Primordium Nebula All-Elemental Sutra, Supreme Heart-Soul Infinity Mantra.]
Technique: Omni-Origin Sword Arts.
'Status.'
[Status.]
[Health: 39 {D+}
Strength: 38 {D+}
Stamina: 39 {D+}
Endurance: 37 {D+}
Agility: 38 {D+}
Mana: 40 {C}
Charm: 50 {B}]
[+ Due to GUL, only {E}-Rank stats are displayable in actual combat.]
He had already awakened his Mana-Core and became a Semi-Adult as he was also able to cast first circle spells.
His Qi Cultivation also advanced to a new Realm but his Soul Cultivation remained the same.
This was the result of him taking the [Flawless Foundation] trait, which alleviated his body and soul requirements and capacity by 10 times more than the normal standard, adding to his special gifts.
This made advancing in cultivation slower while prioritising more on the foundation!
This made him recall all the cultivation realms...
In Qi Cultivation, there were nine realms in ascending order:
Skin Tempering < Blood Refining < Muscle Tightening < Bone Strengthening < Marrow Cleansing < Meridian Transformations < Extremity Gates < Heavenly Pillars < Body Hegemon
It took hundreds of thousands of years to make advancements in Qi Cultivation due to the resources needed to make progress in later stages.
In Soul Cultivation, the realms were:
True Soul Awakening < True Soul Reforming < Infant Soul Forming < Spirit Transformation < Edictal Presence < Dominion Expansion < Heaven's Feel < Soul-Manipulator < Soul-Mancer
With Soul-Mancer being the realm that allowed the ability to have total domination over external souls with ease.
Lastly and most importantly, in Mana Cultivation, there were:
Mana Awakening < Mana Acolyte < Mana Master < Mana Lord < Mana King < Mana Emperor < True Mage < Magus Transition < Supreme Magus
With each realm representing a new circle or class of the mage.
Thinking about the long and tough journey ahead made him sigh in both frustration and excitement.
Finally, putting his thoughts aside, he looked at the Nerve-Gear in his hands and held it tightly.
'It is finally time!'
He thought as he wore it on his head and entered the new world.
-----
...
{LINKU START!}
With a snap, the pure white room in front of Rev zoomed, with stripes of colourful lights flashing by him as he entered the game world.
He was dropped in the central cathedral located at the base of the floating castle, the Aincrad!
He looked at his sides, finding that no one was here, as he thought:
'Well! The Beta was released to only 20,000 people, so it's understandable.'
And continued…
'First things…'
[Ding!]
Just as Rev was going to do what he needed the most, he was cut by none other than the OP System!
[Official beginning of the first arc initiated!]
[Title: SAO: The Nexus Realm.]
[Information: The world host is in right now is not a virtual world!]
"NANI!?"
Rev couldn't help but blurt out, seeing this!
But…
All-Seer paid no heed to his reaction and continued.
[The world of 'Unital Ring' is the Nexus point of the Multiverse, host!]
[The guy named Akihiko Kayaba just happens to come across this place through $%^#@&.]
'What? And which place I can't seem to understand the name of the place.'
[It seems the host is not ready to learn about the place.]
'Motherfucker!'
Taking a deep breath, he asked again,
'Tell me what I can know right now.'
[Aincrad, aka the Floating Castle is the pocket realm of the Unital Ring, which is the infamous Nexus centre of the Multiverse.]
[This means that this world has people who are real and powerful. And each time you get killed here in the Beta, the World-System, aka the Game System, takes out a part of your soul. Until of course, the main launch.]
Hearing this, Rev's eyes twitched.
'This… Things just got extremely complicated, didn't they?'
[After the main launch, it is predicted that you will follow the same route as the Anime until, of course, the next arc begins.]
[Also, do remember that this realm acts as a gate to connect the other realms, which will make things more and more complicated as time goes on.]
'And is any realm connected to it right now?' He couldn't help but inquire.
[Yes, there is.]
'And which one is it?'
[Log Horizon!]
'What did I expect? Of course I am screwed now!'
…..
Author's Note:
>> All info dumping is now complete. From the next chapter on, it's just story progress.
>> Check out my other work too.
Title- LONE: The Journey Beyond
Link- https://www.webnovel.com/book/lone-the-journey-beyond_23576460306682905
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