Read the novel that ignited the phenomenon!
In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online - a VRMMORPG
(Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no
other - debuts, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate
in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to
completely immerse themselves in a wholly realistic gaming experience.
But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to
horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is
missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG - a log-out
button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held
captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling
ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your
freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "game over" means certain
death - both virtual and real...