Sword Art Online 2: Back To The Virtual World
What It Means To Be Strong
*Back Where We Left Off*
"Then Death Gun was a member of that guild you and Sonic fought, Laughing Coffin?" Sinon said
Sinon get's back up and hold's both Kirito's shoulders.
"Kirito, tell me one thing. How did you overcome those memories? With Sonic as well? How did you two keep them from controlling your lifes? How are you two able to be so strong now?" Sinon said
A moment of silence.
"We haven't overcome them." Kirito said
"What?" Sinon surprise
"Last night, We had a dream where we saw the three we killed over and over again. We could barely sleep. Their faces when their avatars disappeared... Their voices, their words... Will never be able to forget them. And the only reason why Sonic had the same dream as I did was because I woke up and saw him moving around the floor back and fourth all sweating." Kirito said
"Th-Then... Then, what do I do?" Sinon said
"But, Sinon... I think that's necessary. We needed to accept what killing them meant, the weight, and to keep thinking. Doing that is the bare minimum of atonement I can do." Kirito said
"Accept? Keep thinking?" Sinon whisper's
She remove's her hand's away from Kirito's shoulder's.
*Somewhere At The Desert*
Death Gun was at the desert looking for Kirito, Sonic, and Sinon.
*Back At The Cave*
"Whoever is wearing that cape is a real person, who actually exists, aren't they?" Sinon said
"Yeah. If I knew their name from SAO, we could find their ture name and address. That's why me and Sonic came here." Kirito said
"Oh... Then he can't forget about SAO, and he came to GGO because he wants to PK again?" Sinon said
"I think it's more than that. When he killed Zexceed and Lightly Salted Tarako... And when he killed Pale Rider in this tournament... He chose times when a lot of people were watching. That exaggerated cross sign... He's trying to appeal to a large mass of people. To show them that he really has the ability to kill people from a game." Kirito said
"But how is that possible?" Sinon said
"From what I heard, Zexceed and Tarako didn't die of brain damage, but heart failure." Kirito said
"Heary failure? That's..." Sinon confuse
"To be honest, I can't even imagine how he's doing it. I'd like to think that there's no way to stop a player's heart by shooting them in a game. No, wait. Come to think of it... It's kind of strange." Kirito said
"What is?" Sinon said
"Why did Death Gun use his rifle to shoot at me and Sonic back there, tprather than his handgun? If he'd used his handgun, he could've killed me and Sonic." Kirito said
"That's true." Sinon said
"Maybe is isn't that he didn't use it. But that he couldn't use it. That black handgun. A reason he couldn't shoot it. His rifle. That cross sign he made. A cape that hides you. Condition... Rules." Kirito said
*FlashBack*
"Well, I'm relieved to hear you say that aloud..." Kikuoka said
*End Of FlashBack*
"I knew it. You can't really kill someome with a gun in a game. Just shooting them with a gun in the game wouldn't be enough." Kirito said
"What do you mean?" Sinon said
"What if you needed to make some preparations in the real world to kill someone by shooting with a gun here?" Kirito said
"Preparations in the real world? If that was the case, how would he find the player's real-world information? He doesn't know who they are." Sinon said
"No, even a regular player could find the target's address." Kirito said
"What?" Sinon said
"The governer general's office. BoB players enter their ture names and addresses into that terminal. It's an open space with no privacy." Kirito said
"No way. When we entered them, he was looking over our shoulders? If someome was that close, we'd have noticed." Sinon said
"What if he was using a scope or binoculars?" Kirito said
"That's impossible... He'd get his butt kicked for bad manners." Sinon said
"What if, just hypothetically, Death Gun's cape worked in town?" Kirito said
"He turned invisible and looked over our shoulders? But Death Gun's logged into the game. He can't do anything in real life." Sinon said
Kirito look's at the little creature drinking. He soon noticed two tails which got him shock.
"No. No, he can! There are two Death Guns... Two of them! The first of them is the avatar in the beat-up cape. He shoots the target in the game. The second enters the target's room in the real world and simultaneously kills the defenseless player." Kirito said
Sinon get's shock.
"Even if they knew the target's ture addresses, they'd need a key to get in. What about others in their houses?" Sinon said
"Zexceed and Tarako both lived alone, in old apartment buildings. The electronic locks on the doors were probably older ones with bad security. And when theor target is diving in GGO, their actual body is completely unconscious. Even if they had trouble opening it, there's no way they'd be noticed." Kirito said
"Th-Then how do victims die? You said it was heart failure, right? Could you stop someone's heart in a way that's undetectable to police and docters?" Sinon said
"Some kind of drug... Maybe?" Kirito said
"But wouldn't they find that? Like a pin prick from the injection..." Sinon sais
"The bodies weren't found for a while, so they were badly decomposed. And it isn't unheard of for hardcore VRMMO players to die of heart attacks after not eating or sleeping." Kirito sais
Sinon garb's hold on Kiriti's clothes.
"No way. Why would Death Gun do all that?" Sinon said
"Yeah. But he must've wanted to keep being a red player. For example, part of me and Sonic's still remember being swordsmen." Kirito said
"I kind of understand that. Sometimes, I think to myself that I'm a sniper. The the other Death Gun who's killing people in the real world is also..." Sinon said
"Yeah. He might be another Laughing Coffin member. But he needs to check that the time closely aligns with his real world partner, or he wouldn't be able to do it. That's it. Maybe that cross gesture is to camouflage checking his wristwatch." Kirito said
"I see..." Sinon whisper's
Kirito hold's Sinon's shoulders.
"Sinon, do you live alone?" Kirito said
"Y-Yeah. The door's locked, though. I have an old electronic lock, too. The chain... Might not be locked." Sinon said
"All right... Listen. Stay calm and listen. When he was firing at us from his robot horse, he was aiming at you. That means the preparations are complete." Kirito said
"Preparations? For what?" Sinon said
"Death Gun's partner is in your room right now, watching a video of the tournament and waiting for you to be shot. It's possible, anyway." Kirito said
Sinon eye's wideing as she started getting shock.
*At The Real World, Sinon's House*
Sinon was lying down on her bed with the nerve gear glasses on. Then a shadow apper's. It was Death Gun's partner. He wore a blue cape and the same mask as Death Gun. Death Gun's partner took out a shot that docters use and and put's it inside Sinon.
*Back Inside The Virtual World*
"No... No! No! I can't..." Sinon shock
Sinon was getting scared, shaking and breathing a lot. A menu appear's. It read 170 bgm.
*INCREASED HEART RATE WARNING*
"No, Sinon! If you automatically log out now, you'll be in danger. You can do it. Calm, yourself." Kirito said
She started calming down. Her heart rate started going down as well. As soon as she calmed down. She get's close to Kirito. Kirito hug's her.
"Until Death Gun shoots you, the intruder can't do anything to you. That's the rule they set for themselves. But if you automatically log out and see his face, you'll be im danger. So for now, calm down." Kirito said
"But... But... I'm scared! I'm scared!" Sinon said
Kirito hug's her more. Sonic soon yawn's and wake's from his nap. He get's down on top of the cave and look's inside to see Kirito and Sinon hugging.
"What's happening?" Sonic said walking toward's them
*Inside ALO*
The five them were still watching the live stream of BoB. There were knocks on the door. They all look to see the door open. It was a male with the same color blue as Asuna. And was tall.
"Chrysheight! You're late!" Lizbeth said
"I c-came here her at top speed from the save point. If ALO had speed limits, they would've taken my license." Chrysheight said
Chrysheight walk's up to Leafa, Silica, Lizbeth. He soon notice Asuna just staring at him. Asuna walk's up to him.
"What's going on?" Asuna said
"*Clear's Thoart* It might take a while to explain the whole thing... And I don't even know where to start-" Chrysheight said before he got cut off
"Trying to talk your way out of it?" Asuna said
"Then I'll handle it." Yui said
"On November 9th, a player calling himself Death Gun fired a shot into a monitor in GGO. On the same day, in a Nakoano Ward apartment, a player in full-dive died of unnatural causes." Yui explaining everything
"Well, that's a surprise. You gathered all that information in this short a time, and reached that conclusion? And interest in a part-time job with the Virtual Division?" Chrysheight said
Asuna get's mad at him.
"No, I'm sorry... At this point, I'm not going to try and lie to you. The little one's explanation is right. All of it." Chrysheight said
"Hey, Mister Chrys... I heard you're the one who hired Kirito and Sonic. So you knew about those murders and had Kirito and Sonic convert their avatars anyway?" Klein said
"Wait a second, Klein. They aren't murders." Chrysheight said
"What?" Klein confuse
"An Amusphere couldn't hurt a hair on your head, no matter what you did with it. And it certainly can't stop a heart that it isn't even connected to. Last week, Kirito, Sonic, and I had a long debate about it, and ultimatley reached thay conclusion. A bullet in a video game can't kill a body in the real world." Chrysheight said
"Then why did you ask Sonic and my brother to go to GGO? You felt something... No, you still do. That player named Death Gun has some kind of terrifying secret, right? Chrys..." Leafa said
"Death Gun is an SAO survivor like us. And a former member of Laughing Coffin, the worst of the red guilds." Asuna said
"Is that ture?" Chrys said
"Yeah. I can't remember his name. But Klein and I were part of the fight against LC." Asuna said
"H-Hey, Asuna... Does Chrysheight know about SAO? You said in the real world, he's some government employee who does some kind of network stuff. And as part of his research into VRMMOs, he's playing ALO..." Lizbeth said
"That's right, but I used to have another job. I was pary of the SAO incident Task Force. Not that we were actually able to respond in any real way." Chry said
"Chrysheight, wouldn't you be able to find Death Gun's real life name and address? If you have a list of surviving Laughing Coffin members, and you check with their service providers to see if they're playing GGO right now?" Asuna said
"No, that's impossible. Just knowing that they're a former Laughing Coffin member would 't tell us their name or address." Chry said
"Then why don't we ask the game's owners?" Silica said
"GGO is run by an overseas company. So it'd be hard to do it now." Chry said
"I'm sure Sonic and my brother is on the battlefield to learn their name right now. When they came back yesterday, Sonic and my brother looked really scared. I think they realized yesterday's qualifiers that someome from Laughing Coffin was playing GGO. And that they might be trying to kill again. So they went to finish things with them. To find their old name and to make them stop PKing." Leafa said
"Kirito... Sonic... You two... You two always... You two always are..." Asuna thought
Klein slam's his fist on the counter.
"You idiots! Why didn't you tell me?! If you had, I would've converted, too." Klein said
"That's right. But Kirito and Sonic wouldn't do that. If they thought there was any danger at all, they wouldn't try invlove us. That's the kinds of people they are." Silica said
"Yeah... They always been like that. In fact, they are probably protecting someone who's supposed to be their enemy right now." Lizbeth said
They all look at the screen.
"Chrysheight, you must know where Kirito and Sonic are diving from." Asuna said
"Y-Yes, I suppose."
Asuna stomp's her feet.
"I do. Actually, I had the place set up for him. The security's perfect, and so is the monitoring. There's someone right next to them, and I can say for sure that their real bodys are in no danger-" Chry said before getting cut off again
"Where are they?" Asuna said
"It's an Ochanomizu hospital, in Chiyoda Ward." Chry said
"A hospital in Chiyoda? The one Kirito went to for rehab?" Asuna said
"Yea, that's right." Chry said
"I'm going to the place that they are in the real world." Asuna said
*Back At GGO*
Kirito was still hugging Sinon. Sonic was sitting right next to them. He was looking at Kirito hugging Sinon. Kirito told everything that was happening to Sonic when he was having a nap.
"Tell me what to do." Sinon whisper's
"Defeat Death Gun. Then his partner will disappear, unable to do anything." Kirito said
"But even without his Black Star, he's pretty good. Didn't you see him dodge a shot from the Hecate at a humdred meters? And I don't think we can hide like this forever. The other players will realize that we're hiding in this desert cave. At any second, we could be attacked with a grenade." Sinon said
"I see." Kirito said
"We've been a pair this far. Let's all fight together to the end." Sinon said
"But if he shoots you with that handgun..." Kirito said
"That thing's just an obsolete single-action. Even if he shoots at me, you can use your swords to deflect to easily, right?" Sinon said
"Yeah, We won't let him hit you. But we still think it's better if he didn't see you." Kirito said
"But..." Sinon said
"No, Will gladly accept your offer to help. But, Sinon, you're a sniper. You're best firing from long range." Kirito said
"That's ture." Sinon said
"Let's do this. During the next satellite scan, Me and Sonic will show up on the map alone and draw out Death Gun. He'll probably hide far away and try to shoot us with the rifle. We'll use his first shot to find his location, and you shoot him. How about it?" Kirito said
"You like the plan?" Sonic said
"Your both going to be decoys?" Sinon said
They both nod.
"Fine... We'll do that. But just be sure you don't get killed by the first and second shot." Sinon said
Sinon grab's both Kirito and Sonic's sides.
"W-Will try. But his rifle doesn't make any sound, and you can't see a prediciton line on the first shot." Kirito said
"Who was it that said you should anticipate the prediction lines?" Sinon said
"Um, that aside, Sinon..." Kirito said
The three of them all look up to see the camera pointing at them.
"Crap. I should have paid more attention." Sinon said
"Uh, what is that?" Kirito said
"Is it spying on us?" Sonic said
"No, It's the libe broadcast camera. Normally, it only focuses on battles, but there aren't many players left, so it came here." Sinon said
"That's bad. Our conversation..." Kirito said
"It's okay. It won't pick up voices unless you yell. Why not wave? Or is there someone you don't want seeing this?" Sinon said
"Uh, N-No, well... Wh-What about you? I think most people seeing this will assume we're women expect Sonic." Kirito said
"Come on." Sonic said
"I-It's fine. I don't care. If a rumor goes around that I'm into that, it means fewer people will go after me." Sinon said
"Then I have to keep pretending to be a girl?" Kirito said
"Don't tell me you forgot... The first thing you did was pretend to be a girl to make me-" Sinon said
The camera disapper's.
"It's gone. It's nearly time. There are two minutes until the next satellite scan. I'll stay here, and you two go outside and check your terminal, right?" Sinon said grabbing her sniper and getting up
"Oh, come to think of it..." Kirito said
"What now? There's no time to change the plan." Sinon said
"No, the plan stays as is. Not that... I was thinkinh that, in the end, Death Gun's ture name... Or I guess his actual character name is "Sterben." Kirito said
"Oh, I see. I guess so. What does it mean, I wonder." Sinon said
"If we get close to him, will ask. Okay, will be outside. Come on Sonic." Kirito said
The two of them start walking outside the cave.
"Be careful you two." Sinon said
They both put up tumbs ups.
To...Be...Continue...
"Next Time: Bullet Of A Phantom." Kirito and Sonic as narrators