Hello, everyone! This is gonna be a short notice.

Merry Christmas for those who celebrated the holiday! And I hope you don't mind me updating this story since this story is absent for a long time.

I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this since I put in a lot of effort.

Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!

Chapter 10: Bullet of Bullets!

Kirigaya Residence

Morning

"That man…That man…He was a Sword Art Online survivor. And that isn't all…We probably fought before, and tried to kill each other." He thought deeply closing his eyes before Suguha called him out.

"Onii-chan!"

"Huh?" Kazuto look up from his fork towards his little sister who sat across from him at the dining table. "Wh-What's going on, Sugu?"

"Listen." Suguha stated as she turns to her left in order to get the mobile pad before putting it down on the table and showing it to her brother. An article showed on the mobile pad which involves the name of the BoB Tournament, Bullet of Bullets. "I found this article on the internet this morning. And right here…" She gestured showing her finger towards the applicants' names below the BoB label. The name she was pointing to was in fact Kirito's just above Sinon's.

"G-Guess some people have similar names." Kazuto said with an awkward smile.

"It isn't similar. It's exactly the same." Suguha exclaimed with a smile pointing her finger towards her brother's avatar name.

"I suppose it is…B-But you know, it's a common name. I mean, it's an abbreviation of my real name. I'm sure the 'Kirito' in GGO is really Kirito…Kirigamine Touhou or something." He smiled before picking up a tomato and putting it into his mouth. "If you don't eat, it'll get cold." He said as Suguha smiles at him before raising an eyebrow mischievously.

"If this isn't you, then I suppose that this isn't Izayoi-kun and Asuna's either?" Suguha points her finger towards the names below the Block E where it shows; Izayoi and Asuna.

At hearing his little sister's statement, Kazuto almost chocked on his food before opening his eyes to look at the names pointed out by Suguha. His eyes looked at both names in mild surprise, not knowing that both of them would be in the same block.

"What do you think, Onii-chan? Is it a coincidence? I think it's not. I only know a few who would use their real names." Suguha exclaimed amusingly as Kazuto stared at her awkwardly before finally sighing in defeat. Leaning his back against his seat, he tried to think of ways to explain the current situation to his younger sister.

As Kazuto looks down in deep thought with his arms crossed, Suguha decided to enlighten him.

"Listen…Actually, I already know that you converted from ALO to GGO. Did you really think I wouldn't notice when you dropped off my friend list? The same goes to both Izayoi-kun and Asuna-san. They both dropped off from the list also." Kazuto stared at her before replying lightly.

"It isn't as though you check that list every day."

"Even if I don't, I could still feel it. Last night, I noticed you'd disappeared, and I logged out and tried to barge in your room. But you wouldn't leave ALO without telling me unless you have a good reason, would you?" Suguha asked looking up. "I figured there must be some reason, so I talked to Rika at some point."

"You talked to her? What did she tell you?"

"Everything she knows minus the part you're competing in this tournament." Suguha pointed out her finger at his name shown below the competitor's list. "But for what reason you transfer your avatar to enter this VVMORPG in the first place?" Suguha asked as she cannot seem place the answer to the particular question.

"It's nothing you should be worrying about, Sugu. I'll be fine."

"I don't need your assurance, Onii-chan. I'm asking why this time. If you provide assurance now, I have a feeling whatever you're doing is not good." Suguha explained with crossed arms, frowning at her brother who scratches his head.

"Really, you don't have to worry. I'm going to be back before you know it." Kazuto reassured her. "Today is my last day."

Arcade

Morning

"Which one do you want to play first, Yui?"

"That one, Papa!" Yui pointed her finger towards the booth next to the situated racing booths.

"Alright. Both of you and Mama go right ahead, I'll get the coins at the counter." Izayoi stated as Yui nods before she grabs a hold of Asuna's right hand.

"Let's go, Mama!"

"Okay, Yui-chan." Asuna smiled before she followed her towards the said booth while she steals a glance at Izayoi who smiles at her. Smiling at her husband, Asuna turns around to follow her daughter towards the booth. Just as they neared the booth, Asuna let out a nostalgic smile at the sight of it, recalling fond memories about the said booth game with her blonde husband.

"This is it." Yui stated as she stops to stand in front of the booth; whack-a-mole.

Standing behind her, Asuna crouches down as she put her right hand on her daughter's left shoulder. "What made you want to play this game, Yui-chan?" She asked smiling.

"It looks fun." Yui merely stated as Asuna stifle a laugh at this. "But why did they call it, whack-a-mole?" She turns a curious eye at her mother.

"You'll see in a minute once Izayoi-kun comes back." She said before she grabs the hammer by its handle and pulls it out from its pedestal. "But I'll explain how the game works alright, Yui-chan?" She turns towards her daughter who nods at her. At the respond, she begins her explanation. "As to why the game was called whack-a-mole, it is because we have to do just that; whack a mole." She explained as she watches Yui raises her eyebrow in slight confusion. "In these holes," Asuna gestured to the holes of the booth. "—there are moles that are hiding from us and it is our job to whack them."

"Are they real, Mama?" Yui asked peering her head to the holes. "Do we have to whack them? Because if they're real, I don't want to whack them. They'll get hurt." She frowned to Asuna who stares at her in surprise before smiling, thinking how cute her daughter is. "Obaa-san said we shouldn't torture animals. She says its animal cruelty." At hearing this, Asuna kept smiling at her daughter before she responds to clear the misunderstanding.

"They're not real, Yui-chan. These moles are built by plastic and controlled by wires and levers." Asuna exclaimed. "Anyway, the arcade would not be so cruel to let real moles be hit. It would do them no good." She explained logically to her daughter who nods in understanding. "And your grandmother is right. If we torture animals like hitting them with a mallet, it would be call animal cruelty. So it's not good to torture them in any way, alright? But that only applies to some animals, not every animal. Do you understand, Yui-chan?"

"…Yeah, I read it in a book from Obaa-san's room that there are animals we have to kill because they are dangerous for us to touch or take care of."

"That's right." Asuna answered before a hand appears in her sights followed by Yui's as the two watches the hand putting dozen of coins that are stacked up neatly on top of the edge of the waist level booth.

"And if one of them dares to touch you, I'll be right there with you, Yui." Izayoi said as he appears in front of the two. "So don't worry about that stuff and let's have fun, okay?" He asked as Yui smiles brightly at him while Asuna let a small smile grace her features at her husband.

"Okay, Papa!"

"That's not fair, Papa! You're faster than us!" Yui pouted as she looks at her father whacking every mole that jumped out the five designated holes. Meanwhile, she and her mother were whacking the moles but they were not as fast as him.

"Don't worry, Yui-chan. We'll beat him. We got a minute left." Asuna encouraged as she whacks two moles to her left with her own mallet. "We can still catch up to him." She said before whacking another mole that jumped out from the center.

Whacking two moles as fast as she can, Yui put on a determined look. She nods to her mother as she whacks another mole at the top right before following up to whack it again as it jumps out.

Stealing a glance at both of the girls, Izayoi chuckles as he whacks three moles instantly, putting them back inside their holes. "To think this started…" He thought as he recalled her daughter challenging him without giving her any handicap. He accepted and right after she had lost to him, her wife challenged him and proposed to fight him with Yui as her partner. Accepting the proposal, the three of them started whacking moles until now; to know who is going to win. Reminding himself to not give them an advantage, the blonde kept on whacking moles without missing as oppose to the girls who have yet to miss also.

But just as their scores increases with each mole whacked; it instantly stops.

Letting down his mallet, Izayoi looks at his score displayed followed by Asuna who looks at her own. But before they could see each other's scores, a defining whacking sound could be heard and they both looked down at Yui.

"We win!" Yui exclaimed happily as she whacked a mole that stood still outside of his hole unlike the others, but it didn't go down into the hole. She then looks at Asuna, "We win right, Mama?" She asked as Asuna looks at the mole her daughter whacked before turning to Izayoi with a smirk.

"That counts. So adding to the score with that mole, I guess we won. There's nothing wrong with that right, Izayoi-kun?"

"Well played." Izayoi smirked with a shrug. "I didn't think the mole would give you the lucky one point to win. But who am I to judge? You both win."

"Yeah!" Yui cheered as Asuna smiled along. "We win, Mama!" She said as Asuna nods before holding her right palm at Yui who high-five her. But just as the two were celebrating, Izayoi cuts in with an amusing tone.

"You didn't win everything, though."

"Huh?" Yui looks at her father. "Why's that, Papa? We won right?"

"But you didn't win in all of the games." Izayoi smile playfully holding up his right hand to show multiples arcade coins in his hand. "What about it? Do you want to play another game?" He offered as Yui looks at the coins.

"What do you say, Yui-chan? Want to beat Papa again?" Asuna smiled down at her as Yui looks at her mother before she smiled determinedly. The two of them then turns to the blonde who let out a challenging smirk across his cheeks.

"I won't hold back if that's what you're saying."

Time Skip

"We win!" Yui shouted above Izayoi who is carrying her on his shoulders as he and Asuna walked out from the arcade. After the three had faced off against racing, fighting and shooting games; the victor undoubtedly goes to the girls.

"I don't think I would lose." Izayoi sighed before raising an eyebrow with a calculative look. "I doubt it has something to do with my luck or karma. I seriously doubt the latter." At his complaining, Asuna stifle a laugh in her hand.

"You know it has got nothing to do with your luck or karma, right? We beat you fair and square, Izayoi-kun. There's no doubt about that is it?" She raises an eyebrow lastly.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't." Izayoi answered sighing before a pair of lips planted on his right cheek, surprising him. He looks at his wife who greeted him with a reassuring smile as they stop walking.

"Don't stress out about it. Nobody is perfect to keep winning. Anyway, you've won a lot of games, right? Games that you participated."

"Yeah."

"And each of those games that you won; I was proud that you won. You rightfully deserved them and I know it because I was there all the time, with you." Asuna exclaimed smiling as Izayoi stares at her before he smiles in return.

"That's true." At his respond, Asuna nods before she wraps her left arm around his right arm.

"So don't think about it alright? You're more than a sore loser, Izayoi-kun."

"What am I then?" Izayoi added with an amusing smile as Asuna looks at him before she looks up thoughtfully and back at him.

"You're more than that. You're my husband foremost." Asuna smiled.

"Then you're my beautiful wife." As he said that, Asuna's cheeks turns slightly pink but she smiles all the same to him. Then, Izayoi looks up at Yui.

"And I'm Papa and Mama's daughter." Yui added as both husband and wife look towards their daughter.

"Ain't that right?"

"You're absolutely right, Yui-chan." Both parents smiled at the daughter.

"Since you won; what do you want, Yui?" Izayoi asked glancing up at his daughter while Asuna peers at her.

"I want something to drink." At this, both Izayoi and Asuna smiled.

"That goes for the two of us then." He glances at his wife who smiles at him. "So, anyone's up for slurpee?"

"I want!" Yui raises her hand as Asuna stifle a laugh before speaking.

"Make that two."

"Three." Izayoi added smiling as Asuna smiles with a nod before the three of them walk along the sideway towards the shop that sells the slushy frozen carbonate beverage.

—Click

Grabbing both sides of his black helmet, out from his head and putting it down onto his lap, Kazuto looked at the house upon him.

Not a second too soon, the sound of a door opening alerted him looking at Rika walking out to wear her flat heels.

A small smile spread onto his face as he watched Rika walking towards him with a smile of hers.

"Good morning, Kazuto-kun."

"Good morning, Rika." Kazuto greeted back just as Rika walked through the house gates to stand in front of him. "You're ready?" He asked, extending his helmet towards her.

"Yes." Rika accepted the helmet and climb on behind Kazuto on the slick, black motorcycle. Gripping both sides of the helmet, she gently put it on her head and tightens the straps under her chin. After that, she raised both arms and put it around Kazuto. "—Be careful, alright?"

"Alright. I'll be careful like all the times you've told me."

"There is no reason for us to be cautious on the road, right?"

"Yeah, I know." Kazuto replied smiling before revving up the engine and accelerate forward.

Time Skip

Toritsu Central Hospital

"This is your last day, Kazuto-kun?" Rika asked turning to him whilst putting down the helmet on top of the motorcycle.

"Yes, the BoB tournament finals will end today. This is when we'll do something about 'Death Gun,' we have to stop him." Kazuto hangs his head down as he stood across Rika while the motorcycle parked in between them. "—you know you don't have to come? I mean, it's not a big deal to come along." He glanced up to be greeted by Rika who upsettingly frowned.

"What are you saying, Kazuto-kun? Do you mean, I shouldn't have come in the first place?"

"No. It's just—it's not a big deal for you to come." Kazuto emphasised before he heard footsteps approaching him and he looks at his left, staring at Rika's pair of eyes.

"Well, I want to come. Even if it's not big of a deal for me but I want to come." Rika cup his cheeks and smiled sweetly at Kazuto. Then, she let them down and grasps his hand, pulling him forward. "Come on. I'll be with you every step of the way."

Staring at his girlfriend, Kazuto firmly grasped her hand.

"Okay."

Hospital Room 7025

"What's wrong, kiddo?" The question was directed towards Kazuto who sat on the edge of the bed, frowning.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

"This is your chance to get free counselling from a hot nurse. Tell me what's going on." Aki suggested as Rika who stood next to Kazuto looked at him before putting a calming hand on his arm.

Glancing towards his girlfriend, Kasuto smiles albeit worriedly.

"It wouldn't be right to refuse such an offer, would it? Um…Aki-san, before you moved to rehab, you were in surgery, right?"

"That's right."

"Um, this is a really rude and insensitive question. But how much do you remember about the patients who died?" Kazuto looked up at Aki once he finishes.

"Let's see…If I try to remember, I can recall their names and faces. Even the patients I was only in the operating room with for an hour…Yeah, I remember them."

"Have you ever wanted to forget?"

"Let me see. I don't know if this is an answer…But I think that if it's something you're meant to forget, you will. Without even thinking that you want to forget. Because you know…The more times you think you want to forget, the stronger those memories become, right? So, doesn't that mean that, deep in your subconscious, you think you really shouldn't forget them?"

A silent pause accompanied after that…

"Then I'm a monster. When I was in SAO, I killed three players…Three players. They were all reds. Murderers. But I had the option of neutralizing them without killing. But I killed them anyway. Out of rage, hatred and a desire for revenge. And for the past year, I'd totally forgotten about them. No, even right now, as I talk about it, I can't remember two of their names or faces. In other words, I'm a person who can even forget people I've killed."

"Kirigaya-kun, I'm sorry. I told you I'd be your counsellor, but I can't take away your burden, or carry it with you. I never played Sword Art Online. So I can't really know what it means when you said you killed them. But I know this…You did it because you had to, to protect someone else."

At this, Kazuto glances at Rika for second.

"In medicine, there are times when you must pick who lives and who dies. Of course, that doesn't mean it's okay to kill someone if you have a good reason. But everyone involved has the right to consider the lives they saved. You have the right. You have the right to save yourself, by thinking of the people you've saved."

"The right to save myself?" Suddenly, Kazuto look up directly at Aki with tears in his eyes. "But…But I forgot the people I killed! I threw away that burden! That duty! That's why I don't have the right to be saved—"

The sound of a slap echoed inside the room as Kazuto felt his left cheek before turning to Rika who was the one that slapped him.

"Rika?"

"Don't say that you don't have the right to save yourself. You absolutely have that right! The duty to save yourself along with the ones you protect and saved. Of course, you remember them. But if you remember them, then you'll have to remember to protect the people that you want to protect." Rika explained to the surprise of Kazuto. "Asuna, she—she told me how many players did Izayoi-kun killed. Do you know how many?"

"—No…"

"He killed 15 players. That's five times you've killed, Kazuto-kun." Rika revealed much to Kazuto and Aki's surprise. "When I asked Asuna if that bothered you at all since he doesn't seem fazed. –She answered that he did not really care he killed them because it was his duty, that time. The meaning behind the players that were flagged red, he knows what it means. Those were the ones that would never stray away from killing. They took delight on other people's pain and deaths. Izayoi-kun knew it first-hand and that's why he could kill them without having second thoughts. Though, he doesn't experience the situation like you are right now, Kazuto-kun. But he knew very well he did that to protect everyone, especially the one he loved, Asuna." She explained as she went grabbing onto both of Kazuto's hands and squeezes them gently but firm. "You share the same as him, Kazuto-kun. You protect people too, and on behalf of them, you managed to protect them and yourself in the end. Don't think otherwise that you don't have the right to save yourself after you killed those people; you have every right to." She assured as Kazuto stared at her. "Alright, Kazuto-kun?"

"—Yeah…" Kazuto replied smiling slightly.

Time Skip

"Um…Thanks for earlier." Kazuto thanked Aki who stood over him as he gotten prep with electrodes on his body.

"I don't think I helped that much. Your girlfriend put much sense into you than I." Aki answered much to Kazuto's embarrassment.

"Y-Yeah…" Kazuto glances up at Rika standing next to him. "Thanks, Rika."

"You're welcome, Kazuto-kun." Kazuto smiles and nods before he put the Amusphere around his head.

"I don't think anything will happen until after 8:00. But I'll be back at 10:00."

"Alright. See you later." Aki bid as Kazuto glances at Rika whilst lying down on the bed.

"See you later, Kazuto-kun."

"Yeah." Kazuto glances at her before closing his eyes. "Link Start!"

Asada Residence

Air blows in downwards from the air conditioner towards Shino who stayed lying on her bed while staring out into her ceiling. The black haired teen stared at the ceiling, thinking about the events that transpired her. At first, she fought her opponent in the Final Round of BoB Qualifier, which did not deter her to advance to the finals. But as she would expect to fight a random player or Kirito who had been advancing recklessly over on his part, she had to fight the person that she hated when she first met him through the broadcasted footage of him fighting with Behemoth. She did not expect the chance to fight the brunette assassin but unfortunately she blamed the BoB system for choosing him to be her opponent.

Other than that, it did not help that she couldn't stay calm under the pressure during their battle; stressing over her opponent that she known to being able to gravitate the fear within her. The fear in which she tried to get rid of in the other side of the world since she did not experienced any kinds of anxiety situations regarding holding a gun in-game. But as always, she experienced that same kind of grave situation when the brunette pointed his gun to finish her off.

At that time, she'd give up. The will that she carried to win the BoB Tournament diminishes as she stared at the gun pointed at her forehead and also—the pair of piercing yellow slit eyes that immediately made the fear more fearful inside her.

But when the brunette had his chance to shoot her—he did not. He proceeds to comfort her, much to her surprise in his own way. But nevertheless, she disregarded it as sympathy because she knew that's the only thing that people would give her. To her surprise though, he did not express any sympathy but comforted her by venting out her overall anger that she experienced in her other life. At the offer, she vented it out but she let out loose tears as she mulled over the thoughts of her being weak compared to the brunette who is proven to be strong. But despite that, the brunette proceeded to test her resolve and attempted to kill her.

This time, she did not waver against being pointed with a gun and she build up the courage to stand her ground before taking the bullet to the head.

As it is, it is just a game unlike the real world.

But while she had been glad to learn over her newfound strength of conquering her anxiety fear. Her mind undoubtedly started to drift back to the hug that she received from the brunette.

Suddenly, Shino's thoughts stops right there—her whole face bloomed red.

"Wha…What am I thinking? Why am I thinking about that…?" She asked herself in thought before she imagined the same scenario about Sinon tightening her fingers against the sides of Train's coat.

Immediately, Shino shakes her head furiously and she voluntarily gets up and sits over the edge of her bed. Touching the sides of her face, she could feel her cheeks radiated heat before she closed her eyes tightly, banishing the thoughts regarding the brunette and her.

"I can't think about that…" She thought upon the image of her and the brunette before reminding herself to abandon any such topics of relationship during the BoB tournament since it would deter her concentration. And she'd be disappointed of herself if she started developing feelings for a certain brunette just before the BoB Finals. Suddenly, a look of realisation occurred on her.

"…Wha…Why am I thinking about him?" She asked standing up from her bed. "A relationship with him…? That probably wouldn't work…" Shino stated looks down before realising what she said and she rephrased. "Relationship with him…? Wh-Why am I thinking about that now?!" She puts both her hands on both sides of her head as she sighed loudly. "It's not like I have feelings towards him…" She mutters as she slightly glared at the floor, recalling how she suffered by the brunette in the first place. But then she thought about he helped her on overcoming her fear.

Then, Shino instantly moves her sights on her desk across the room. She walked towards it and pulls the right drawer to reveal the model gun in it. Staring at it, she grabs a hold of it and lifted it up from the drawer.

Inhaling a deep breath, she exhales it. "So far, so good…" She uttered under her breath, relieved that she did not experience the anxiety whenever she looks and touches a gun oppose to her previous self. "Now…" Glancing upwards to the mirror stand in front of her, Shino slowly lifted the gun and pointed against it—straight at her forehead.

Holding onto the trigger with both of her index and middle finger, she takes a deep breath before narrowing her eyes in concentration. With that, she shoots without a batting an eye. The gesture did not made a bullet shoot out through the muzzle but it made a resounding clicking noise indicating it has been shot.

At the gesture, Shino looks at herself before slowly letting down her gun. A small smile stretches across her lips as she had achieved it; conquering her once known fear.

"I did it…Thank you..." She mutters the last part to a certain brunette.

Toritsu Central Hospital

Hospital Room 7025

"Excuse me, Aki-san."

"Yes?"

"I know this is too much to ask, but can I have one of the rooms nearby?" Rika then pulls her bag from her back and unzip it, pulling an Amusphere out the bag. "I heard that I can watch the live broadcast of the BoB tournament within ALO."

"Oh I see." Aki nodded in understanding before she begins thinking. "Unfortunately, I cannot just lend a room to you. But…" Aki glances at the chair at the corner of her eyes. "Maybe you can Full Dive by sitting."

"Huh?" Aki motioned her hand towards the armchair sitting beside a small desk facing them.

"You can sit on that armchair and Full Dive."

"Can I?" Rika asked as she approaches the armchair and sat on it. As she begins to make herself comfortable, she put her bag over the side of the armchair and grasped the Amusphere with both hands.

"You can as long as you feel comfortable. Do you feel comfortable?" Aki asked facing her.

Grabbing the small pillow sitting behind her, Rika put it behind her neck and sighed.

"It's comfortable now."

"Then you can put it on. Don't worry, I'll be here for both you and Kirigaya-kun."

"Thank you for taking care of him."

"It's nothing." Aki waved a hand before Rika puts on the Amusphere over her head. "Good luck watching." She said as Rika smiles in return before closing her eyes.

"Link Start!"

Time Skip

Sakamaki Residence

"I'm sorry, Yui-chan." Asuna apologised to Yui.

"It's alright, Mama." Yui shakes her head. "I understand Mama have to go with Papa." She said as she looked up at both Asuna and Izayoi standing in front of her. The three of them stood upon the front gates with the car next to them. A medium sized cup filled with slushy frozen carbonated beverage was held in between her hands. The contents inside were mostly gone and the remaining frozen slushy had turned into liquid form.

"It's good you understand, Yui-chan." Asuna said to Yui before stroking her head. "After this, prepare dinner with Canaria obaa-san, alright?"

"Alright." Yui nodded. "And after that, I'll watch both Mama and Papa in the broadcast for the BoB tournament, in ALO."

"Through MMO stream?" Izayoi asked as Yui nodded.

"Yes. I'll watch it with Lizbeth-san, Silica-san, Leafa-san and Klein-san. We'll watch it together."

"That's good."

"Yeah, I can watch Mama and Papa win!"

"About that, Yui-chan…Only one of us can win the entire tournament."

"Either Mama or Papa can win?" Asuna nodded. "Then, I don't care. I want both Mama and Papa to win against everyone!"

"Everyone?" Asuna smiled. "That's a little bit hard to do, ain't that right?"

"Mama and Papa are strong! You can beat them!" Yui said to both Asuna and Izayoi.

"Well, if she wants it to be that way. I don't see why we should refuse." Izayoi smiles in amusement as Asuna looked at him. "Anyway, if it gets down to both of us, there's no choice but to fight, right? There's nothing we can do at that point in time."

"Yes, I know..." Asuna nodded albeit solemnly.

"What's wrong, Mama?" Yui looked up at her mother in curiosity.

"I never thought I'd fight your father, that's all." Asuna said as Yui smiles in assurance.

"Don't worry Mama. I don't care whoever wins but I want to watch Mama doing her best even if Mama has to fight Papa eventually." Yui explained. "You can win against Papa, Mama!"

"What about me?" Izayoi asked his daughter.

"You can give the win to Mama right, Papa?" Asuna stifle a laugh as Izayoi raised an eyebrow at his daughter's request.

"You can right, Izayoi-kun?" Asuna asked the blonde. "I never won a big tournament such as this before." She said with a cute pout.

"You'd think I'd let you off easy, my wife?"

"Maybe. It's a possibility."

"Well, I won't. Anyway, I think this is the time to see the capabilities of the Vice Commander of Knights of the Blood in action. Although it's a wonder I'd face my wife but regardless, it'll be one heck of an interesting fight if I think about it." Izayoi looked at Asuna with an amused smile.

"Oh well. It seems it can't be helped." Asuna said shrugging her shoulders before a challenging smile spread across Asuna's face. "I have to give it my all in this fight, even towards my husband. As you say, it'll be one interesting fight. I guess I have to expect that much from it."

Both husband and wife share a challenging smile with each other.

"With that said, we should go right about now." Izayoi said to Asuna. "We'll see you at home, Yui." He turned to Yui and kneels down. "We won't be long." He smiles at his daughter as Yui nodded.

"Okay, Papa." She said before hugging the blonde and pulling back afterwards. Then she turns to her mother and hugs her also. "Bye, Mama. Papa."

"Bye, Yui-chan." Asuna smiled whilst hugging her daughter. After a while, they let go and Yui steps back to watch her father climb into the car along with her mother.

Raising her hand, Yui waved at her mother who waved back through the side window. Before long, the car drove off out of sight.

"Do you want to prepare dinner, Yui-chan? It's almost night time." Canaria said appearing behind Yui who turns to her grandmother and nodded in response.

"Yes!"

Gun Gale Online

SBC Glocken City

"It's almost time. I believe in you. I know you're going to win." Spiegel said standing next to Sinon.

"Thanks. What are you going to do now?"

"I'll watch the feed in a bar somewhere."

"Then, when I'm done, you can either celebrate my victory or lament my defeat with me." Sinon offer a smile as Spiegel nodded before he looks down, a thoughtful look came upon him.

"Sinon…No, Asada-san…"

"Wh-What?"

"I can believe in your words earlier, right?" Spiegel asked.

"Earlier?"

"You told me to wait…Once you're certain of your strength, you and I c-can…" Spiegel looks at Sinon who avoided his gaze and pull her muffler up to her nose.

"Why are you saying this now?"

"I…I really…I really like you!" Spiegel went to grasp her hand but Sinon flick her hand, causing him to pull back his hand in retaliation.

"Sorry. Not now. I want to focus on the tournament. I don't think I can win this battle unless I use every ounce of strength I have." Sinon explained.

"I see.. You're right. But I believe you. I'll believe you and wait."

"Yeah. Okay, I need to get ready. I'll talk to you later." Sinon went to move.

"Good luck. I'll be cheering you on!" Sinon glances back at him before proceeding to move on.

Once Sinon arrives at the tournament qualifier-area, she spotted someone across from her. Her eyes narrowed onto the person who stopped to stand in front of her.

"Today, I won't lose!"

"Neither will I."

Real World

Toritsu Central Hospital

"Are you ready, Asuna-sama?" Leticia asked as Asuna who was lying down on her hospital bed nodded. "You may go as you wish."

Asuna looks at her husband standing next to Leticia and she grasps his hand and intertwined their fingers. Sending a smile towards her husband, she closes her eyes.

"Link Start!"

Seeing as Asuna had Full Dive, Leticia turns to Izayoi who stares down at her wife for a moment. Then the blonde turns to face her.

"Are you ready, Izayoi-sama?" At the question, the blonde pull away his hand from Asuna's and gently putting it down by her side.

Izayoi looks at Leticia and smirks.

"Who are you asking anyway?"

Putting on the electrodes onto his chest and some on his body parts, Izayoi went to sit down on the edge of his hospital bed. The Amusphere was situated atop his head.

"Is anything wrong, Izayoi-sama?" Leticia asked.

"Not at all. But it seems I'll be dealing with more than one problem right now." The blonde admitted with a serious frown, which causes Leticia to stare at him with a frown. "Well, I'd expected this much after coming this far." A easy-going smile replaces his serious frown. He looks up at Leticia. "And I expect there's going to be death in the tournament as it is."

"This 'Death Gun' character is roaming free amongst the players in the BoB tournament. Nobody would be able to recognize him or when he'll strike.

"Unfortunately for him, I recognize him. But the question is; who will he pick to strike the death blow? That's the anonymous question there."

"There's no other way than to find out by yourself, ain't that right Izayoi-sama?"

"—Yep. You're speaking the words right out of my mouth." The blonde rests his back against the bed, puts on the Amusphere and smirks lastly before closing his eyes. "Link Start!"

Gun Gale Online

SBC Glocken City

Tournament Qualifier-Area

The moment he appeared out from the shining light, he came in contact with a pair of blue eyes who narrows dangerously at him.

"This is a coincidence to meet here at the same time." Train spoke up as he came face to face with Sephiria standing in front of him.

"Yes, but I likely don't want to have a second time meeting you out of coincidence. But in battle as it is. I will reveal your true colors, assassin." As she finishes, Train simply walked passed before stopping to stand behind her.

"Then I'll expect you to do your best at it." At this, Sephiria frowns while he smirks. "Nevertheless, I won't be chasing after you if you're not worth my time." He reminded the blonde before walking off elsewhere.

While he walks, Sephiria glances at him over her shoulder. Just as he disappeared, Sephiria looks at the remaining time before the tournament.

"20 minutes…" Sephiria then looks forward before her sights landed on Saya who appeared in front of her.

"Hello, Sephiria!" Saya greeted.

"Hello to you too, Saya."

"Hey, Sephiria. Do you know what's going to happen in the BoB tournament?" Saya scratches her neck in slight embarrassment. "I didn't have the time to read the e-mail they've sent us."

"Then I'll brief you on it."

"You will?"

"My husband told me all about it to my understanding."

"You're married, Sephiria?" Saya asked with a look of shock as Sephiria nodded with a small smile.

"Yes. Anyway, since we have enough time in our hands, it'd be best to explain while we have time."

"Oh yes!" Saya nodded before gesturing her friend forward. "We can talk all about it while we're walking towards the standby room." She claimed as Sephiria nods before she starts.

"The first thing to note about is every player will start on random locations; each a thousand meters away from everybody. The stage starts in the afternoon."

"Then, everyone wouldn't have an advantage nor disadvantage with their stats or equipment."

"Correct. Secondly, there it appears to be an item called a 'satellite scan terminal'."

"Satellite scan terminal? What is that?" Saya asked in curiosity.

"My husband told me that there will be a satellite passing over the stage once every fifteen minutes. With that, it transmits the location information of every player on the map to the satellite scan terminal." Sephiria explained recalling every bit of information she heard from Izayoi sometime earlier.

"So, in a pinch—we'll be able to hide in one place for fifteen minutes?"

"Yes."

"Although…"

"Hm?"

"My husband said we could hide over fifteen minutes if we hid ourselves in a place where the satellite couldn't detect our presences." Sephiria explained as Saya nodded and started thinking the possibilities.

"The places where we can't be detect? That'll be a little hard." Saya expressed her concern. "But it'll be an advantage if one or two players round up the places we hid ourselves. We might be able to catch them off-guard."

"Unfortunately, we have to wait. There's no telling if they really come up to our spot or not."

"That's true…" Saya said before pouting. "Jeez, this is harder than I thought. I mean," Saya opens up her menu and taps a few windows before the list of participants pops up and she showed it to Sephiria. "There are some players I can't even get a close shot to shoot, you know?" She asked as she pointed to a name. "Like this, Lion King Richie. I can't get a close shot to him even if I wanted to. He's got a heavy machine gun, Vickers, as his equipment. If he prepped himself to a high spot, it'll be impossible attempting to beat him. Also, I can't beat players that equipped snipers. If I even chose to appear on a place, they'll be able to shoot me before I got a chance to know where they are."

"Saya, do you only equip a pistol?"

"Yes along with a handgun. I understand it's not particularly a great choice of equipment to bring about in the tournament but a player won a BoB tournament only by using a knife and handgun."

"Really?"

"Yep! Anyway, I'm a marksman. I'll be able to have a chance to pop some caps out of people where they least expected it, you know?" Saya said with confidence. "Except snipers, though. They're too far away." She pouted at the end, causing Sephiria to stifle a laugh. Saya looks at her and briefly laughed as well.

"Make that the two of us." Sephiria added much to Saya's surprise before she nodded along while the two disappeared along the halls towards the standby room.

"Who're you gonna bet on?" One of the players asked sitting with a group of players to the side.

"I'm putting my bet on that Kirito chick."

"I'm putting my bet on all the women players out there." One player boasted.

"Eh?! Now you're exaggerating! Well, if you're gonna do something crazy as that, I might as well do it by putting all my money on Black Cat! He's gonna tear through all of the players and win this thing!"

"Black Cat? Oh no…I forgot all about that guy."

"Shoot!"

"Aha! It looks like all of your money is gonna be in my account. Hahahaha!"

Changing Room

Sitting all alone inside the room, Train glances down his revolver, Hades. He hunched his back as his elbows laid on top of his knees and he suspected his revolver before he heard a voice echoed inside the room.

"You battle junkies who love the smell of gun oil and gun smoke, are you ready? The deadline for your bets is almost over. Now, it's time to see who the toughest player in the hardest VRMMO, GGO, is! MMO Stream will be showing live footage of the battle! Now, time for the countdown! Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Bullet of Bullets, start!

At this, the brunette stood up as he grip upon his revolver whilst a metal tube weapon could be seen pocketing inside next to its gun holster.

Suddenly, light shone and appeared to engulf him before he disappears.

ISL Ragnarok

-Green filled his sight.

His eyes roam around the green covered surroundings as Train stood within a forest. Train cautiously trained his eyes to the surroundings around him. After a while of observation, he hangs his head down with closed eyes before swiftly walking away.

Elsewhere…

"And so, it begins…"

Diskenth smiles showing teeth as he stood over a cliff and the wind blows over his direction, pushing his coat by his waist as the hilt of his sword could be seen within the sheath.

"May our paths met, Train…Where the final curtains shall be opened and closed, either one of us shall walk…"

Meantime…

"Now where am I?" Saya stated curiously as she looks around. "I'm in the forest, near the river." She said with an acknowledging look before she pulls out a white device that was close to the shape of a triangle, with one of the sides being considerably shorter than the other two from the holster strapped to her left thigh.

Looking around, she carefully kneels down as the bushes around her covered her form completely.

Tapping her thumb onto the device, Saya watches as a map hologram of the entire area appeared in front of her. Staring at the map, her gaze was fixed to the one vivid light approaching her from her right. She then glances to the other white lights that appeared far from her position before focusing her attention to the nearest light in her map.

"Alright!" Saya whispered in determination as she nodded to herself. Closing off the map hologram, she pocketed the terminal and quickly unsheathe her pistol and leaned her back against the trunk of the tree behind her.

A rustling sound alerted her as Saya waited until a male player holding a handgun with a sniper strapped to his back, appeared within her sight.

"He's a sniper..." Saya thought before narrowing her eyes in concentration. Aiming her pistol at her right side, she glances at the trees that was positioned correctly by the likes of what she will do.

Taking a deep breath, she let loose the trigger.

Meanwhile…

—Gun shots fired, echoing in between the tall desolated buildings before an explosion went off and a silhouette appeared within the smokes.

Suddenly, out came Sephiria jumping out from the smokes and running to the corner of the building at her left.

A look of concentration was adapted to her face as Sephiria glances over her shoulder to the back, seeing the silhouette of her opponent appearing in the smokes.

Stealing a glance up ahead, Sephiria swiftly moves forward before taking a instant turn to the left and leaned her back against the concrete building. Minimising her panting of breath, she closed her eyes. Simultaneously, hearing the sounds of footsteps approaching in fast pace towards her. Opening her eyes, she looks down at the pebbles of a rubble nearby and picked up one, throwing it to the other side of the streets, shattering one of the rear windows of the abandoned car.

"Huh?" The opponent looks at the said car and approaches it with his rifle at the ready.

Once he nears the car, he peers over the shattered the window and inspect the interior of the car.

"Agh?!" Looking down, the opponent traces the sword penetrated through his chest. He glances behind and glares at the blonde. "You! You'll pay–?!" Just before he finished his sentence, his chest was sliced in half before disintegrating.

Sheathing Christ into its sheath, Sephiria looks around before she resumed moving on.

"Death Gun—where is he?" Sephiria thought bitterly with a grim look, knowing the first thing that comes into mind was finding the killer in the first place before everything's spiral out of control throughout the tournament. "—I must find him." With that thought, she picked up her pace whilst moving stealthily through in between the buildings.

"Is this all there is to it?" Train asked standing over the unmoving form of a male player.

On the back of his head, a single bullet hole could be seen burying through the head. Below, another bullet hole buried through the back of his chest, directly where the heart is situated.

After a second, the body of the male player disintegrated, leaving Train to stand alone at the centre of the rural area.

Pulling out the terminal out of his pocket, he taps onto the device and the terminal map appeared in front of him. Glancing down, he taps on the vivid lights appearing throughout the map whilst ignoring the three dim lights near him.

"There's 20 left." He mutters noting 20 players remained alive throughout the map. "I have to thin out the numbers." He concluded focusing his sights on the place where many players were either hiding or fighting. His gaze lasted longer at Asuna's name in the Lost City before he switches off the map by tapping the button on the terminal device.

After pocketing the terminal device, his right hand gripped upon Hades as Train looks out towards the desert ahead of him. Without so much as a word, he disappears out of sight, leaving an imprint of a crater.

"Did you see that?!" Someone asked within the crowd that stood in the qualifier-area as they watched upon the live feed of the tournament.

"That look—Hah, he's gonna hunt all of the remaining players right now!" A male player explained to his friends beside him. "I don't know if you had placed your bets correctly or not but this time, there's no going back."

"We'll see about that, mate. He's not going anywhere if he's gonna fight them all. Anyway, he got lucky killing off those three in the beginning." Another player retaliated.

"Suit yourself. I tried to warn ya."

"Don't stick your belief that'll Black Cat would win it all. He only appeared in this GGO not more than three days!"

"I tried to warn ya."

"Anyway, what's that player doing at this time?" A player pointed out amidst the crowd. Immediately, everyone pay their attention to the screen which the said player pointed.

"What? What's he doing? And how did he climb that high?" Everyone looks upon Diskenth sitting down upon one of the highest cliffs in the mountainous area.

"Is he really going to sit this one out? What is he waiting for?"

"Huh, if he's that ignorant, he'll get a bullet pierced straight to his skull in no time. I feel kind of sorry for whoever betting on that player."

Mountainous Area

"Hm?" Diskenth looked down at the terminal map displayed upon him. His gaze focused onto the vivid light blinking in and out whilst approaching one of the vivid lights in the desert. His eyebrow rose as the vivid light that sat still on its position lit dimly, meaning the said player to be dead. Diskenth looks at the first vivid light that struck down the second, before it instantly blinks in and out while approaching towards another player nearby the area.

He watched as the vivid light that approached near the third vivid light before rendering it to light dimly.

A wide smile appears on Diskenth's face as he looks down at the first vivid light, tapping the small light before looking down at the name that pops out above it.

"Starting the massacre already, dear Train? Or shall I call you by your given name, dear Izayoi?" Diskenth whispered, his smile growing.

"Impossible…He already killed five in that short amount of time…" Few muttered in disbelief. They along with the others who were watching the live feed were expressing disbelief and shock by the performance of Black Cat.

"Ten-Q, Setsugekka, Jack Reacher, Masaya, huuka…" He muttered the ones that had been assassinated by Black Cat. "I don't think he's stopping." One player added eyed wide.

After that, everyone focused their attention towards one of the screen that shows a player by the name, E.J.

The player went by the name, E.J was hiding behind the giant rubble near the high clock tower. His face showed the expression of panic as the terminal map was displayed upon his eyes. His view was concentrated at the blinking vivid light heading towards his way.

"Wh-What's going on? Why is it blinking?" He asked anxiously as he did not know expect such a situation he was experiencing. "I-It's heading here…" He made a mental note of the current situation.

E.J breathed deeply before pocketing the terminal device, pulling his back away from the flat wall of the rubble and turns around. Cautiously, he peek his over the side of the wall by the right and his eyes cannot blink after that. His eyes were glued to the swaying black worn out trench coat along with the messy brown hair that flows against the current of the breeze across the desert. E.J then looked at the pair of yellow eyes resembling a cat as he froze in fear.

"It couldn't be him! It just couldn't! Am I really facing him out here right now?!" He thought snapping out of his stupor before he pulled his weight and hid behind the flat wall. His eyes closed as he tried calming himself of the situation. With his mind calmed, E.J pull out a few grenade bombs linked to his belt and pull out the safety pins. "5, 4, 3—" After that, he instantly throws his grenades over the flat wall towards the brunette assassin, where he last knows him. But then his body shut down as he looks up at the revolver pointed towards his temple. "Huh?" His eyes looked at the yellow pair of cat-like eyes before hearing the 'sentence.'

"I came to deliver bad luck." With that a shot was sound out by the defining explosion that went off behind.

To Be Continued…

That is all for this chapter, ladies and gentlemen.

I hope you consider this a Christmas present since I am so ignorant of my stories so far.

Leave a Review for the things you took note out of the chapter. Secondly, Favorite and Follow this story. Thirdly, keep waiting patiently for the next chapter, alright?

Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!