Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

After an intense battle, the four of them, as expected, brought the boss down.

Time flowed like water, the days blending into each other.

Days without any real action passed in a blur, and before anyone realized it, two months had gone by.

Three months of beta testing had given the players a thorough understanding of Sword Art Online's mechanics.

As the beta ended recently, so too did their exclusive access to Sword Art Online.

The game had proven itself highly engaging. Even Asuna, who was initially indifferent, couldn't resist sneaking online whenever her mother wasn't around.

Thanks to their teamwork, the group had reached an impressive milestone: the 25th floor.

Considering they only had three months, reaching this level was no small feat.

However, something still felt amiss. Perhaps because the "main story" hadn't begun yet, Roy had yet to unlock the temporal energy he'd been anticipating. For now, these three months had been all about honing his swordsmanship and mastering monster mechanics.

Today, however, marked a turning point.

It was Friday—the official launch day of Sword Art Online. The game's debut created a frenzy, with copies flying off the shelves and becoming an instant sell-out.

When Roy logged in, skillfully connecting his mind to the virtual world, the familiar sensation of Sword Art Online enveloped him.

He was back in the starting town.

Feeling the freedom of his limbs and the striking realism of his surroundings, Roy allowed a slight smile to cross his lips.

Since experiencing Sword Art Online, no other game had come close to captivating him.

But something felt... off.

Curious, he pulled out the beginner weapon from his inventory and gave it a few experimental swings. The motion felt smooth, but he quickly noticed a difference.

The system's assistance felt weaker than during the beta.

Frowning, he examined the calibration. It had been toned down significantly, but this wasn't a dealbreaker—he never intended to rely on the system's auto-calibration anyway.

His eyes instinctively shifted to his HP bar.

The cheat code he had painstakingly developed over three years was finally about to prove its worth.

Roy had tested it during the beta and confirmed its effectiveness, secretly installing it for Kirito, Misumi, and Asuna as well.

After all, one was his brother, the other his brother's future wife, and the third his apprentice. If any of them were to die in the game, Roy wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

The bug he had implemented left a faint mark at the edge of the HP bar, blending into the outline so seamlessly that it would go unnoticed unless someone knew exactly where to look.

He inspected his HP bar. Good—it was still intact.

But then, a cascade of system notifications appeared before his eyes.

These weren't ordinary system messages.

[Storyline Activation Detected]

[Participants: Yuuki Asuna, Kirigaya Kazuto, Tozawa Misumi.]

[Scanning World…]

[Scan Complete.]

[Commencing Temporal Energy Integration.]

[Note: Advancing the storyline or significantly altering the world will grant a certain amount of temporal energy.]

[System Suggestion: Clear higher floors.]

Roy's expression remained calm as he read through the notifications—at first.

But as the messages continued, his composure began to falter.

[World Synchronization Initiated.]

[Virtual World Conversion Complete.]

[Notice: You are currently in the REAL WORLD!!!]

[Anomalous Code Detected. Code Removed.]

[System Data Loading…]

[Data Load Successful.]

Roy's body froze, his face stiffening in disbelief.

Taking a deep breath, Roy stared at the notification in front of him and glanced at his HP bar.

Just as he suspected, the faint, almost imperceptible line at the very bottom of the bar was gone.

"Damn it, you stupid system!"

Roy couldn't hold back his frustration. Sure, he might never have needed to rely on the cheat, but it was his creation—something he'd spent three years perfecting. How dare the system wipe it out without warning?

The realization hit like a punch to the gut. His painstaking efforts, gone in an instant.

Clutching his chest, Roy groaned in anguish.

But he hadn't yet grasped the full gravity of the situation.

He decided to use the remaining time wisely. As long as Akihiko Kayaba hadn't yet invoked his GM privileges to trap all players in the death game, it was the perfect opportunity to grind levels.

Roy wasn't worried about Kirito or Asuna; after all, they had the benefit of the cheat as well—invincible health bars meant they were safe.

It was only Roy himself who had been betrayed by the system, leaving him in this predicament. For now, he decided to keep this information to himself. He didn't want the cheat flagged as abnormal and removed, especially since Kayaba was a certified genius. The cheat was a safeguard, not a tool for abuse, and Kayaba might not see it that way.

With a sigh, Roy glanced around the plaza. There was no sign of Kirito. No doubt his brother was off exploring somewhere.

He remembered how Asuna had adamantly returned the NerveGear headset he lent her, saying her brother already had one.

Roy's expression turned complicated. If anything went wrong, the blame would fall squarely on Kirito.

Considering Asuna's mother's strict personality, if she ever discovered her daughter was trapped in a death game because of Roy, she'd never forgive him.

Roy had long-term plans of becoming part of Asuna's family. For the sake of his own future, Kirito would just have to shoulder the blame.

Taking a deep breath, Roy ignored the puzzled glances of other players in the plaza and sprinted toward the southern plains.

He needed to grind levels while most players were still figuring out the game mechanics.

His goal was clear: climb to the 100th floor, defeat the final boss, and save everyone trapped in this nightmare.

Opening his character panel, Roy observed the updated information:

[Roy]

[Level: 1]

[Strength: F]

[Agility: F]

[Stamina: F]

[Intelligence: E- (Converts stamina used for sword skills into mana)]

[Luck: F-]

[Sword Skill: Basic Sword Art - Diagonal Slash]

"So, it's turned into a system panel." Roy mused, nodding to himself. This would make things easier to track.

He dashed toward the grassy plains, spotting several Level 1 wolves in the distance.

Exhaling deeply, he gripped his beginner's iron sword, feeling its solid weight in his hands and the quickened beat of his heart.

Before engaging, Roy focused on his stance, lowering the sword to his waist. His right foot stepped forward, his knees bent slightly, and his right arm tensed.

Releasing a breath, he recalled the essence of his Sword God Style - Quick Draw.

Speed and precision were everything.

The dull iron blade began to glow faintly with a soft blue hue.

The system-augmented sword skill activated.

As the technique refined itself in his mind, Roy felt a sharp clarity he'd never experienced before.

In a single, fluid motion, the iron sword cut through the air, slicing the wolf with a cold, decisive blow.

A streak of light accompanied the attack, and the Level 1 wolf dissolved into a shower of blue particles.

[System Notification]

[You have unlocked a new sword skill!]

[Skill: ???]

[Charge Draw]

[Effect: Increases attack power with longer charge time, up to 500% of the base attack power.]

[Cooldown: 10 seconds.]

Roy let out a breath, naming the skill Sword God Style: Quick Draw, though his brows furrowed immediately.

He felt... tired.

The unexpected fatigue startled him.

And then, as the realization sank in, his face darkened.

It was clear now what the system meant by transforming the game into reality.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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