Relic of the Forgotten Floor

Rain drummed against the roof of the antique shop, creating a cozy background noise. Kazuto Kirigaya, better known to his friends as Kirito, absentmindedly browsed through old gaming consoles displayed on a dusty shelf. He hadn’t planned to enter this shop — he’d simply taken shelter from the sudden downpour after meeting with Agil. But now that he was here, he found himself drawn into this little world of old technology. “Interested in retro gadgets, young man?” asked an elderly shopkeeper with bushy gray mustaches, appearing as if from nowhere. “A little,” Kirito replied, running his fingers over the Sega Dreamcast case. “I had one of these as a child.” “Those are all modern toys,” the old man chuckled and beckoned Kirito to follow him. “If you’re truly interested in the history of gaming technology, I have something special.” Kirito followed the shopkeeper into the back room of the store. Here were even more shelves filled with various devices, from old vinyl players to computer components from the early 2000s. "Here," the old man pointed to a worn cardboard box on the top shelf. "I've been saving this for a true connoisseur." Kirito helped take the box down from the shelf. When he opened it, his heart skipped a beat. Inside, wrapped in cloth, lay a NerveGear — the original model of the virtual reality helmet, infamous for its role in the SAO incident. "Where did..." Kirito began, but the words stuck in his throat. "The family of a young man sold me his belongings. He was one of those unfortunate ones who..." the old man fell silent, understanding the delicacy of the topic. "In any case, they wanted to get rid of everything that reminded them of that tragedy. And I couldn't let this historical artifact disappear." Kirito carefully took the helmet in his hands. It was heavier than modern models. The case had dulled but looked intact, with no visible damage. A small scratched inscription on the inside caught his attention: "T.M. — Project Echo." "How much do you want for it?" Kirito asked, surprising himself. "I'm not sure it should be sold at all," the old man said thoughtfully. "They say these devices were deactivated after the incident." "I... I was there," Kirito said quietly. "In SAO." The old man's eyes widened. "You're... a survivor?" Kirito nodded silently. "Then perhaps you're the very person this helmet was meant for," the shopkeeper smiled. "Take it. Free of charge." "No, I can't..." "I insist. I've kept it long enough. It's time for it to return to someone who truly understands its significance."

***

At home, Kirito placed the helmet on his desk. Evening light fell on the dulled surface, creating a strange feeling as if the NerveGear were a living being, sleeping but ready to awaken at any moment. "You're not planning to use it, are you?" Sugu's voice, his sister's, made Kirito turn around. "No, of course not," he shook his head. "It's just... an artifact of the past." "Good," she looked not entirely convinced. "Dinner will be ready in an hour. By the way, Asuna called. She's back from Kyoto and wants to meet tomorrow." Kirito smiled at the mention of Asuna's name. "Great. I missed her." After dinner, late in the evening, Kirito couldn't fall asleep. He sat in his room, studying the old NerveGear under the light of his desk lamp. Who did it belong to? What does the inscription "Project Echo" mean? And why did he feel a strange attraction to this device? Finally, fatigue got the better of him, and Kirito lay down in bed, casting one last glance at the helmet. His eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted into sleep.

***

Kirito stood on a teleport platform. Around him stretched a world he knew all too well — Aincrad. But something was wrong. He looked at the level indicator in his interface: 25th floor. This was impossible. He, Asuna, and the other players had never skipped floors in their ascent. Around him spread a surreal landscape: bridges of glowing crystal, islands floating in the air, cascading waterfalls that seemed to flow upward. The sky was an endless canvas studded with stars that moved and pulsed like living organisms. "You finally came," a voice said behind him. Kirito turned around but saw no one. "Who's there?" he asked, instinctively reaching for a sword that wasn't on his back. "I've been waiting so long," the voice continued from all directions. "So long studying. You. You. And her." "What are you talking about? Who are you?" "I am Echo," the voice replied. "And you found my way home." A figure appeared before Kirito — blurred, translucent, like a hologram. It was a young girl in a white dress, with hair that seemed to be woven from starlight. "Please," she said, extending her hand. "I need your help. Our help." Suddenly everything began to blur, melting as if sinking into inky darkness. "Find me," the voice whispered. "Find us."

***

Kirito woke up in a cold sweat, sitting up sharply in bed. His heart was pounding as if he had just run a marathon. He looked at the clock: 3:14 AM. The dream had been so real, so vivid. He could literally feel the air of Aincrad, smell the crystals and water, hear the sound of waterfalls. It was completely unlike the usual SAO dreams that sometimes visited him. Kirito shifted his gaze to the old NerveGear on the table. In the dim moonlight coming through the window, it seemed to him that the LED on the case blinked. But that was impossible — the device wasn't connected. With trembling hands, he reached for his phone and dialed a number. "Kirito-kun?" Asuna's sleepy voice was the best thing he'd heard at that moment. "What happened? It's three in the morning." "Sorry," he took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I didn't want to wake you. I just... needed to hear your voice." A pause followed, then Asuna spoke in a more alert voice: "Nightmare? About SAO?" "Not exactly," Kirito looked at the helmet again. "It was... different. Listen, I know we planned to meet tomorrow, but... can you come earlier? There's something I need to show you." "Of course," concern was audible in her voice. "I'll be at your place for breakfast. Anything else?" "No," he smiled, though she couldn't see it. "Thank you, Asuna. I love you." "I love you too, Kirito-kun. Try to get some more sleep." When the call ended, Kirito sat for a long time, staring at the helmet. What kind of dream was that? And what place had he seen? But what worried him most was the question: who is Echo and why was she calling him to the 25th floor? Kirito knew he wouldn't fall asleep until morning. He turned on his computer and began searching for information about "Project Echo" in the context of Akihiko Kayaba. He was sure this wasn't just a coincidence. And he was determined to solve this mystery — especially now that he could share it with Asuna. While the search engine loaded, Kirito cast one last glance at the helmet. For a moment, it seemed to him that he again saw the blinking LED. But perhaps it was just the play of moonlight on the metal surface. Or not.