Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
There's nobody around here, huh?
Yamikaze
Even if you include Sinon and Death Gun, who aren't showing up, there's only six left.
Did they just take each other out?
That makes four.
There were thirty contestants. Two survivors. Twenty-four who were defeated.
Including Sinon and Death Gun, that's twenty-eight.
Even with Pale Rider, that's only twenty-nine.
We're short one player?
Has Death Gun killed one more since then?
No, his co-conspirator should be standing by near Sinon's home right now.
Could I be missing something else really huge?
Phantom Bullet
How'd it go?
There are probably five of us left.
You, me, Yamikaze,
Death Gun, who's not onscreen, and maybe one other player...
Who might be hiding in a cave like us.
Only five of us left?
Well, but it's been an hour and forty-five minutes already.
Considering that the previous BoB ended in a little over two hours, it's about the same pace.
I'm surprised that nobody came to toss a grenade in here.
Yeah. Could be that Death Gun was lurking around trying to find us,
and mowed them all down with that rifle.
If that's the case, then he's a shoo-in for the Max Kills Award.
Never mind that, the problem is Yamikaze.
Since you're the only survivor who showed up on his terminal,
he'll be sure to come after you.
Is he powerful?
He was the runner-up last time!
He's a full-on AGI type, and they call him the Run-Gun Demon, or something.
R-Run-Gun?
Run-and-gun!
Someone who runs, shoots, and then runs again.
His weapon is the ultra-light submachine gun, Calico M900A.
Last time, he lost a close battle against XeXeed's rare gun and rare armor and came in second,
but some people say Yamikaze had the better player skills.
Y-You mean that he might be the most powerful player on the GGO Japan server?
Hey, listen.
If your deductions are right,
that means that I'm the only one that Death Gun can kill right now, right?
I mean, since his co-conspirator has to be staking out my apartment.
In other words, Yamikaze's in no danger of really being killed by Death Gun.
So... even though it wouldn't be fair to him, we could always use him as a decoy, couldn't we?
Yamikaze
If Death Gun shoots at Yamikaze, we'll know where he is. Yamikaze
Yamikaze
Besides, depending on how you look at it, it's not like I'm doing anything that different from him.
You really are strong, Sinon.
Not really. I'm just trying not to think about it.
I've always been good at turning a blind eye to anything scary.
Anyway, what do you think of that strategy?
Right, I basically agree with you...
But there's just one thing that bothers me.
Just now, when I counted all the survivors and the eliminated, there were only twenty-eight.
Even if we count Pale Rider, we're still short one player.
No way! Do you mean that Death Gun's killed somebody else since he tried for me?
That's just not possible!
Because his co-conspirator's targeting me, right?
Right. You're absolutely right, but...
But when you think about it, it's a little odd.
After Death Gun shot Pale Rider,
and then went to shoot you, only thirty minutes had gone by.
In other words, Pale Rider's home in the real world is no more than thirty minutes away from yours.
Don't you think that's a little too convenient?
But there's no other explanation!
Death Gun might not have only one co-conspirator.
If there are multiple accomplices,
then it's possible that another player could get killed while one of them is standing by to take you out.
Meaning that we can't ignore the possibility that Yamikaze could be another one of Death Gun's targets.
N-No way...
Are you saying that there are more than three people involved in this terrible crime?
There are at least ten or more ex-Laughing Coffin survivors.
No way are they all involved in this,
but there's no reason to be sure that there's only one accomplice.
But why... Why would he go that far to stay a player-killer?
After he finally got released from that death game... Why would he?
Probably for the same reason that I'm trying to stay a swordsman, and you're trying to stay a sniper.
I just used the word "player-killer," but I take it back.
There are tons of people who PK in this game, and I used to belong to a PK squadron myself,
but PKs do have a certain level of self-respect and resolve.
Just killing unconscious people with poison while they're full-diving...
That's no PK.
It's just a cowardly crime... It's ***!
If that's the case, I can't lose to people like that!
Yeah, I agree.
We can't let them have their way any longer.
We're going to bring down Death Gun on this battlefield,
and along with his accomplices in the real world - make them atone for their crimes!
That's right. That's the first duty I've got to fulfill.
I've got to start all over again from there.
For killing those two in a frenzy that night, then killing yet another later on...
My own atonement.
Protect Sinon, take out Yamikaze, then take out Death Gun as well.
It won't be easy, but I've got to do it or else.
I'll be the one to take on Yamikaze.
I won't let Death Gun kill him.
He's powerful. Not even you can kill him instantly.
Death Gun will target you while you're in battle.
Th-That might be true, but...
You said it yourself, remember?
I'm a sniper.
If you can be my spotter, and just help me pinpoint the enemy's position,
I'll finish off both Yamikaze and Death Gun.
I see.
Then I'll leave the sniping to you.
Both of them should be pretty close by now.
I'm going to bust out on this buggy,
so you exit this cave after I'm gone, and get into sniper position.
I'm counting on you, partner.
Since Yamikaze's approaching from the west,
if Death Gun takes a shot, it'll probably be from the east.
If he takes a bullet to the head or heart, he'll be killed instantly.
Not only that, but that cloak will make Death Gun invisible when he fires.
But you of all people... The one who was able to slash even my bullets...
You'll be sure to dodge it, won't you, Kirito?
My job is to swiftly eliminate Yamikaze.
If I miss, Kirito will get shot, and after that, Death Gun will kill me.
My real life depends on this single bullet.
Just like it did that day...
Hécate II... Please!
Lend this weak girl your strength.
The strength to stand up again here, and take a step forward...
Southwest... That's Yamikaze.
Sinon will stop Yamikaze for me.
So fast!
What should I do? Either anticipate his moves and fire accordingly...
Or deliberately miss towards his feet with my first shot, and finish him off when he panics?
No, Yamikaze's sure to come to a stop when he's got Kirito in his range.
He'll wait till the very last minute.
I'm going to hold myself back, too...
So Kirito, you hang in there, too! Believe in me!
You've got to focus.
Feel it... His murderous intent.
Just like that other time...
That's right.
The reason I noticed him that day was because I felt his murderous intent.
That first guy who assaulted me... I wonder what his name was?
Kirito...
I'm going to kill you properly later.
I'm going to kill you properly later.
Yamikaze...
Kirito!
There he is!
I'm leaving the rest to you... Kirito.
You did it, Sinon! I'll take care of the rest!
Kirito!