A dark re-imagining of Sword Art: Online. This story is a STANDALONE: No knowledge of original story needed! KAZUTO is a sixteen-year-old failure, and he knows it. He's stealing money from his adoptive parents. His schoolteachers have given up. He doesn't even have a single friend. His only achievement? Earning the #1 rank in the beta test of Sword Art: Online, the world's most anticipated sword-fighting VR game. But then the beta test ends, and Kazuto's rank goes with it. Now he's just another nobody. Worse, the full game will have more players and far fiercer competition for that top spot. His best hope for reclaiming that title? His cousin, SUGUHA. She's a year younger and is everything he's not—top of her class, her mother's favorite child, and a 2nd-dan kendo national champion. Perhaps she can help Kazuto sharpen his skills and hone his edge. Neither are aware that when Sword Art: Online is released in 66 days, it will turn into a game of death—where in-game defeat will spell your real-life demise—and its players will have no escape. 66 days until the trap snaps shut. Aincrad awaits. What to expect: - Weekly updates (at least 1 chapter per week)- Character-driven (dual protagonist & multiple pov)- Progression-based LitRPG (big number go UP)- Brutal consequences (no escapist power fantasy)- Strong writing quality (no grammar mistakes, guaranteed! or your money back 👌)