King of Games C77 Virtual money

In a private room of an upscale Tokyo restaurant, Shinro sat across from Jung Hae-won, the young representative of Samsung.

Jung leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Suzuki-san, I must say, I'm thoroughly impressed by KiShin's technology. We at Samsung are wondering if there's a way for our company to create a quest within SAO?"

Shinro smiled, intrigued by the proposal. "It's certainly possible, Jung-san. But I'm curious - why is a growing giant like Samsung interested in advertising through a platform that's not yet fully commercial?"

Jung's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "That's precisely the point, Suzuki-san. Like others, we recognize that NG1 and SAO represent the future. We want to be there at the beginning, to establish our presence early."

"We're not just thinking about immediate returns. We're looking at the long game, positioning Samsung at the forefront of this virtual revolution."

Shinro nodded. "I see. You're not just buying advertising space; you're investing in the future of technology and entertainment."

Jung's smile widened as he continued, "Yes. We don't just want to buy advertising space. We want to build our own guild to represent Samsung in the game."

Shinro nodded appreciatively. "That's very smart, Jung-san. A guild would give you a much more immersive presence in the game world."

Later that day, Shinro found himself in another meeting, this time with an Apple representative. The sleek conference room contrasted sharply with the traditional restaurant from earlier.

The Apple rep, a polished woman in her forties, slid a box across the table. "Mr. Suzuki, please accept this as a token of our interest in partnering with KiShin. It's our latest iPhone model, not even released to the public yet."

Shinro accepted the gift with a gracious nod. "Thank you. I'm curious to hear what Apple has in mind for SAO."

The representative leaned forward. "We're interested in advertising space and building a guild. But we have an additional proposal. We want to place real Apple products in the game that players can purchase and have delivered to them in the real world."

Shinro's eyebrows raised slightly, quite intrigued. He considered the proposal carefully, weighing the potential benefits and complications of merging virtual purchases with real-world delivery.

"That's certainly an innovative approach," Shinro said thoughtfully. "But I'll need to consider how this might impact the game's economy and user experience."

The Apple representative nodded eagerly, sensing Shinro's interest. As the meeting continued, Shinro found himself increasingly aware of the far-reaching implications of the world he had created. Each meeting, each proposal, was pushing the boundaries of what SAO could become.

***

In a small, cluttered apartment in Tokyo, Jake Thompson, a 28-year-old American expatriate, removed his NG1 headset and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the real world. His stomach growled, reminding him that he'd been playing for hours without a break.

Jake glanced at his phone, wincing at the numerous missed calls from his former workplace. It had been two weeks since he was fired for repeatedly missing shifts, too engrossed in the world of Sword Art Online to remember his real-life responsibilities.

His bank account balance flashed on his phone screen, a stark reminder of his dwindling savings. The numbers were getting uncomfortably low, but Jake couldn't bring himself to care as much as he knew he should.

Because in SAO, he wasn't just Jake, the jobless foreigner. He was DarkBlade, level 76, ranked 230th among all players. In just one month of intense gameplay, he had risen to become one of the top players in the game.

As Jake prepared a simple meal of instant ramen, his gaze drifted to the photo still hanging on his refrigerator. It showed him and Yuki, his ex-girlfriend, smiling at a cherry blossom festival. The memory felt like a lifetime ago.

"If only she could see me now," Jake muttered bitterly. "Top player in SAO, but can't even keep a job in the real world."

He slurped his noodles mechanically, his mind already drifting back to the game. The thrill of his latest quest, the camaraderie of his online friends - it all felt more real than his dingy apartment and mounting bills.

A thought struck him as he stared at his dwindling bank balance. "If I could only earn money in SAO..." he mused. The idea clung to him, refusing to let go. There had to be a way, right? With his high level and rare items, surely he could profit somehow.

Jake shook his head, trying to clear the desperate thoughts. He knew he needed to focus on finding a real job, but the pull of the game was too strong.

Finishing his meager dinner, he tossed the empty cup in the overflowing trash. With a mix of guilt and eagerness, Jake settled back into his worn gaming chair.

"Just a few more hours," he promised himself, knowing it was probably a lie. As he slipped on the NG1 headset, the harsh realities of his life faded away, replaced by the comforting embrace of Aincrad.

Jake's avatar materialized in Aincrad, the familiar rush of excitement coursing through him. Almost immediately, the chat interface lit up with messages from his online friends. He smiled, feeling more at home here than in his own apartment.

Suddenly, a message from RichKid94 caught his eye. Jake knew this player was well-off in real life, which made the content of the message even more intriguing:

RichKid94: "Hey DarkBlade, you selling any of your high-level gear? I can pay real cash."

Jake's heart raced as he quickly typed back:

DarkBlade: "For real? Is that even allowed? How would you transfer the money?"

The response came swiftly:
RichKid94: "Dude, you didn't see the update? SAO just added an in-game currency a few hours ago. I bought some with real money. If I trade you the game currency, you can convert it back to real cash. Easy."

Jake's eyes widened, a mix of excitement and disbelief flooding through him. His fingers flew across the virtual keyboard:
DarkBlade: "Seriously? That's amazing! Give me a sec, I'll check what high-level stuff I'm not using."

With newfound energy, Jake began rifling through his inventory. Rare weapons, armor pieces, and valuable items he'd been hoarding suddenly took on new significance. Each could be a ticket to easing his real-world financial strain.



Jake met with RichKid94's avatar in a bustling virtual marketplace. The transaction was smooth, with Jake's rare items disappearing from his inventory, replaced by a substantial amount of "KiShin Points."

"Thanks, man. This really helps," Jake said, relief evident in his voice.

"No problem," RichKid94 replied. As Jake was about to log off, RichKid94 added, "Hey, you interested in joining a guild?"

Jake paused. "Guild? Did SAO update that feature too?"

RichKid94 nodded. "Yeah, just rolled out. Want in?"

Jake hesitated. "Nah, I'm good solo."

"What if I offered you a salary?" RichKid94 countered.

Jake's avatar raised an eyebrow. "A salary? For being in a guild? Why would you do that?"

RichKid94 shrugged. "You're a pro player. Having you would attract others. Plus, your skills would be valuable."

Jake considered this for a moment. The prospect of earning a steady income from playing SAO was tempting. It could solve his real-world financial problems while allowing him to do what he loved.

"Let's discuss the price," Jake said, his interest piqued.

As they began negotiating, Jake felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. This could be his ticket to financial stability, but he wondered about the implications of turning his escape into a job. Regardless, he knew this conversation could change everything for him, both in Aincrad and in the real world.

Jake met with RichKid94's avatar in a bustling marketplace. The transaction was smooth, with Jake's rare items disappearing from his inventory, replaced by a substantial amount of "KiShin Points."

"Thanks, man. This really helps," Jake said, relief evident in his voice.

"No problem," RichKid94 replied. As Jake was about to log off, RichKid94 added, "Hey, you interested in joining a guild?"

Jake paused. "Guild? Did SAO update that feature too?"

RichKid94 nodded. "Yeah, just rolled out. Want in?"

Jake hesitated. "Nah, I'm good solo."

"What if I offered you a salary?" RichKid94 countered.

Jake's avatar raised an eyebrow. "A salary? For being in a guild? Why would you do that?"

RichKid94 shrugged. "You're a pro player. Having you would attract others. Plus, your skills would be valuable."

Jake considered this for a moment. The prospect of earning a steady income from playing SAO was tempting. It could solve his real-world financial problems while allowing him to do what he loved.

"Let's discuss the price," Jake said, his interest piqued.