Sword Art Online: King's Avatar

"This...is our reality" Sword Art Online: King's Avatar is a fan-made story, written by fanfiction authors Starlight's Poet (formerly Demons Anarchy of Pride, DemonsAnarchy on wikia) and TheStrangerThatCameFromNowhere.

It is set in an alternate universe, following Seichi Namatame, a former professional eSports gamer, famed as the King of Bullets in the MMORPG BANG BANG SHOOTING.

Story
In 2021, the MMORPG BANG BANG SHOOTING, after having undergone massive success in the booming console era of eSports gaming, had finally begun to wane. In the latest regional tournament held in Roppongi, famous gamer Seichi Namatame can only scoff at the weak competition and in the incompetence of his team. The following day, he is called into the meeting room by the team manager, and is told he is removed from his position as team captain.

The following year, Seichi, now having retired from the gaming scene and working at the Dicey Cafe, leads an uneventful life, but still follows the latest in gaming news. On the day before the first ever VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online, is to be released, Seichi receives a call from his friend, Kazuto Kirigaya, who gives him his copy of the game, due to being unable to play as he will be attending a tournament that his little sister, Suguha, will be participating in.

In a twist of fate, Seichi dives into the world of this new game, completely unaware of what awaits him.

Seichi Namatame
The protagonist of the story. In SAO, he plays the game under the handle <>.

A year prior to the start of the story, Seichi was once a professional eSports gamer, famed as the King of Bullets in the game BANG BANG SHOOTING. He was the only known player to ever successfully score a 100% Critical Hit range for the game's Scoundrel class' Unique Skill [GUN-FU], which is notoriously difficult to complete. However, due to his poor attitude and teamwork skills, the team manager decided to remove him from his position as Team Captain. Out of anger of being replaced, Seichi decided to quit, but due to being unable to pay the termination fees, he was forced to retire in order to leave the team.

Due to an unknown incident that involved his childhood friend Kazuto Kirigaya, which led to him being stuck in a wheelchair, Seichi has not returned to the gaming scene in over a year, as he now stays at an apartment complex in the suburbs and works at the Dicey Cafe. His attitude has changed considerably, and is no longer arrogant.

Naomi Masao
A member of the gaming team End World, and current Team Captain, following Seichi Namatame's retirement.

Five months before Seichi's unceremonious departure, Naomi joined End World. She is stated to be a fan of Seichi's career and idolizes him greatly. Though she is still inexperienced in BANG BANG SHOOTING, she is one of the top players in End World. However, on the day after the regional tournament, she overheard Seichi and the team manager's conversation and that Seichi was demoted to vice-captain, and she was to replace him. Seichi, furious, claimed that Naomi was an idiot and didn't deserve the position, a heartbreaking moment for her.

Seichi has not seen Naomi since he retired, but has heard that she is now considered to be one of the best players in BANG BANG SHOOTING, and has helped End World win the international championship.

Kazuto Kirigaya
The canon protagonist of the Light Novel series, Sword Art Online.

A childhood friend of Seichi, the two played games together a great deal before Kazuto learned that he had been adopted by his relatives and that his birth parents had died. This led to him distancing himself from his family, and later he distanced himself from Seichi when he began to enter the professional gaming scene.

Due to an unknown incident, Kazuto's lower body is now paralyzed and is bound to a wheelchair. Because of the incident, though, he now has a more positive relationship with Suguha and Seichi, though the latter considers himself responsible for his friend's current predicament. Kazuto is still a gamer, but due to wanting to attend the tournament Suguha is competing in, he gives his copy of SAO to Seichi on the day the game is to go live.

Suguha Kirigaya
Kazuto Kirigaya's surrogate sister, and biological cousin.

Once a childhood friend to Seichi Namatame, she often played with him and Kazuto, though she had no interest in video games. When Kazuto learned that he was adopted by his relatives and his birth parents died in an accident, he began to distance himself from his family. Suguha had remained in contact with Seichi, but their relationship had become strained due to the latter's career taking off.

Following the incident that led to Kazuto being bound to a wheelchair, their relationship has become much more positive, with her actively helping her cousin when he needs help and has even developed a slight interest in gaming. On the day Sword Art Online was to go live, she was going to go compete in a kendo tournament. As a result, Kazuto gave his copy of the game to Seichi so he could attend.

Goshi Asogi
A character from the spin-off series, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online.

Asogi is the manager of idol singer Elsa Kanzaki, and also her personal whipping boy. The circumstances behind this arrangement are unknown at present. He is one of the many occupants of the apartment complex Seichi stays at, and is on good terms with him.

Trivia

 * The story is set to be released sometime between January and February 2019, but the exact release date is unknown.
 * The author has admitted that the story won't focus on romance until after the Aincrad Arc has been completed.