"Fukaaaaaaa! Fight meeeeeeeeee!"

"What are you trying to dooooooooooooooooo!"

Fukaziroh hates to admit it, but Kureha was right; they walked right into a trap, but not the one she envisioned. Pitohui was supposed to be the one to spring whatever shenanigan Llenn had cooking and duel her. No one could have predicted the pink shrimp would challenge the green one.

Picking up her shield and marching forward, Fuka shouts, "Is this all a joke to you?" Llenn doesn't respond with words or gunfire. She stands at the border of the courtyard and the theater, five hundred yards away, hands set at her sides, P90 pointed to the floor. Eventually, she moved down the incline to her friend, which set the furious grenadier off even more.

"Grrr..." What made things worse is that Kureha and Pitohui will not come back to help her, and Llenn knew that. It would be easily for Pitohui to snipe Llenn with her deceptive movements towards Eva, or Kureha could shoot or slash Llenn from behind. But the women — hell, all of Crimson Squad — have a damned sense of honor when it came to duels — else M's lack of presence would be to their advantage.

Based on the sound of gunfire behind Llenn, off to starboard, it doesn't seem Kureha will come to her aid.

Of course, they have two advantages up their sleeve; one, there's a good chance Kureha will call M to action. M may be the team leader, and Pito ordered him to stay out of this, but he has no problem listening to the official squad's chain of command. He listened to Jaymes earlier, after all.

Second, there's a chance Llenn and Eva have no clue Jaymes has been eliminated. It is possible Llenn only planned for Fukazioh and Pitohui, maybe even M, but Jaymes and Kureha were a later idea. Kureha's presence may have drew a wedge in Llenn and Eva's plan, but Annihilator is the fix for it. If Annihilator did not know — or did not tell — them Jaymes is gone, this could work in their favor.

But unless either girl comes back —preferably Pitohui so she and Llenn can duel — and they tag team Llenn, Fukaziroh is stuck and Llenn knows it. That pisses Fuka off more. "Youuuu! You evil bitch!"

"What's wrong, Fuka?! Is Rightony enjoying a nice little nap?! I bet he is; he'd love a long sleep in a locker! He's just a naptime gun! A big, fat gun that needs an afternoon nappy-nap!"

Fuka couldn't shoot back with her guns, but she fires back with words and even breaks the taboo of speaking of the real world in her rage. "Don't give me that crap! You have no eye for beauty! And I don't wanna hear any jokes about naps from the girl who fell asleep during class and got taunted by the stupid teacher who said 'I guess sleeping makes you grow'!"

"Says the girl who ditched that class all the time and had to beg and weep for a passing mark, clutching the teacher's ankles!"

"I can't help it that I was on so many dates! It's the tragedy of a girl in demand! And you—"

"You tripped and completely spilled your Indian takeout everywhere! Ha-ha, klutz!"

"Hey! It was my turn to insult you!"

"You gladly ate half my curry with tears of gratitude in your eyes, you starving orphan!"

"That's—"

"You forgot your gross granny bra in the changing room on the school field trip, and the hotel called the school about it, and they had to do an announcement over the loudspeaker, you dumpy-bra owner!"

"But—"

"When we had a party to cheer you up after getting dumped, you said 'I'm all about girls now. Yuri is the beautiful future,' and the very next day, you got rejected by another dude, you professional rejectee!"

"No—! I—! Argh! Goddammit, that's enough! Sorry, Pito, I'm going to kill her myself!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Llenn lifts the P90 as Fukaziroh throws her shield aside and shoots with Rightony. The two weapons fire simultaneously, with the P90's 5.7 x 28 mm bullets reaching Fuka faster. Those bullets rip through Fukaziroh's left side. The 40 mm grenade moves slower, slow enough for Llenn to lean and dodge the explosive. It detonates a couple of yards behind her, but the pink shrimp keeps firing.

And Llenn's aiming intentionally at her left side — at Leftania, trying to detonate the plasma explosives she knows is loaded there. To prevent that, Fukaziroh turns her right side forward, taking the attack until a bullet taps her helmet. That one knocks her to the ground.

"Whew..."

For the moment, the courtyard goes silent. Fukaziroh lies down, slyly biding her time until Llenn is completely distracted. That time comes when Llenn starts to reload the P90.

"Secret Technique: Playing Dead!" Fukaziroh bounces to her feet, brandishes Leftania, and shoots another grenade at Llenn. But not just any grenade: if she wants a plasma grenade to explode, Llenn will get one right to her face.

At least that was her plan, until Llenn drops backward and kicks her leg with the right timing and sends the grenade over to the stern. To the stage, where two flashing blue and yellow lights are at.

"No way! Kureha, look out!"


Moments after leaving Fukaziroh and Pitohui, around the time Fuka starts screaming at who could only be Llenn, she encounters Devesta again at the crossing between the theater and the starboard cabins — a carved out passage of the wall the furthermost cabin shares with the back of the theater.

The cabin could have looked luxurious and Kureha would have never noticed. Red and blue eyes meet, and Kureha didn't say a word. The Shamai Draque L spit out (look up bullet type) bullets out in rapid fashion, but the black-masked woman leaps out of the carved hole to the outside theater. Kureha enters the cabin to chase her, stopping to the left of the hole as bullets fill the air.

Back hugging the wall, she ignores the chaos Fukaziroh is spewing and shouts, "M! Is there signs of an activated Hyper ability around Annihilator?"

"No."

"Keep on the lookout! The moment you see it, even if you think I see it, say something! Report everything you see about it! If you don't think I can take her down, shoot at her. I'll be the one to take her out!"

"On it."

"Hey! I told M to stay out of this!"

"You told him to stay out of your affairs with Llenn; Annihilator is mine and I'll do as I see fit with her. Now go help Fukaziroh!"

"Not while this is going. I kinda want to see Fuka's granny underwear."

Ignoring that comment, Kureha swiftly pivots and shoots again into the hole, not picking her target. Llenn isn't present at the entrance, and Devesta's gone as well. She takes a cautionary step out the whole, scanning the theater for the masked opponent. If she's not there, she must have ascended the incline off the theater towards the stage.

At this range, Kureha's bullets will get far enough before gravity wins out against velocity. She could probably shoot halfway up the theater without worry. Take in the position of the theater too; the ship is at an angle, but for the stage — at a lower elevation when the ship is level — is rising. The stairs and seats are at an angle when the ship is neutral, but right now, they're leveling off.

LPFM were in the courtyard, which had begun sloping downwards; the theater moved upwards. Llenn, who probably hid in the seats, more or less shot at her former teams straight on because of the change in angle that didn't favor Pitohui and Kureha shooting back. Llenn's size also granted her cover behind those seats.

But distance was also a factor back then; now Kureha is in the same area relative to her enemies. She can shoot freely and possibly hit whatever she wishes.

Taking a deep breath, Kureha bites her lip, ensures Eva isn't looking to take her out, and steps through the giant hole. The Shamai Draque L roars as bullets fly, popping through the stone seating area and stairs. Devesta hasn't been seen yet, but hitting the girl with bullets right now isn't the plan. If she wanted to, Devesta can win this with one shot.

To beat her enemy, Kureha has to understand her secret weapon. That means intentionally drawing it out, finding out how it works, and plan on how to get defeated by it. Why not charge in for melee combat? You don't bring a sword to a gunfight — unless your name is Kirito, Asuna, or Jaymes.

As Llenn shouts Fukaziroh's deepest, darkest secrets yards behind her, Kureha wildly fires around the theater until the magazine is empty. She doesn't care to take cover either; she reloads standing up and continues shooting as she races up towards the stage.

M could have told her where Devesta is hiding, but that's not her instructions for him. Until she activates her ability, the sole male remaining in the tournament is to remain quiet and hold his fire.

But maybe she should have asked him; upon taking her first steps on the stage and looking downward, she can see the theater in its entirely. Devesta is nowhere to be found. She couldn't have left for the courtyard; there's only exit and Llenn took it earlier. She couldn't have left the theater the same way Kureha got in, nor the wall on the port side have a hole carved through its wall. That means Devesta is here somewhere...

"Kureha!"

Bang!

M's shout comes too late. Kureha feels a pinch of sharp pain in right shoulder, the maximum amount the Amusphere will allow a person to perceive any damage taken. It's enough to disarm her, but before she can make a reaction, she feels another shot through her right knee. Kureha falls prone, grunting as she tries to crawl away from the chuckling Devesta.

From behind the stage comes the former member of Laughing Coffin. "I know what it's like to be shot in the back. To cling onto someone else's dream so loyally and to lose at the end. It's terrifying when one's hopes become utter despair in the end. To see light enveloped by darkness. They've all done it. Kayaba. PoH. It started with SAO and I seek to finish it. No, not just me... All of us who Jaymes left behind to rot."

"I think I understand her ability. When she activated it, she was in the process of aiming. There wasn't a bullet line, yet she hit you accurately in the shoulder and knee. Her power definitely increases her DEX stat to allow her to aim that good. And since she shot you the second time, she lowered her aim, but her finger is firmly set on the trigger. If it has the same cost-benefit as Jaymes' ability does, that's the key."

Jaymes' Hyper Awareness boosts his AGI to insane levels and allows him to avoid almost all attacks at the cost that he cannot attack — but if he does attack, he cannot dodge. Devesta's may not have the same condition, but the fact her finger remains tight on the trigger must mean that her power is activate as long as it stays there.

M's help is appreciated, now they can act. Once the power is disabled, Devesta can't use it for five minutes. In that time, Kureha will eliminate her one way or another.

"You can help me, Kureha...or Momiji, whichever you'd prefer. After all, you're just like many others: collateral innocents in the crusade of despair against hope.

Craning her head up to look at the other woman, careful not to expose what she's doing, Kureha says, "First, stop saying my name! And how would I help you? Referral to a psych ward?"

"Tell me who he is."

"I think you know him pretty well."

"Who the real him is. His name, where he lives, that stuff. Tell me that, I'll surrender here and now. A Japanese girl's honor."

Devesta raises her right hand to her chest and taps the area over her heart to emphasize the swear. Kureha couldn't tell if her pointing finger moved from the trigger, but the air waves do remain around Devesta. She completed her preparations, but without an opening, she can't make her move.

"Secret Technique: Playing Dead!"

But Devesta must be a fool if she believes she'll give Jaymes up like that. No, she knows it won't happen; but in that case...is she's testing Kureha? No.

She's testing Momiji Takemine.

By saying her real name, she's posing a real-life threat. Devesta doesn't know the relationship between Joshua and Momiji, but if she heard him call her that, she figured they must be close to trade real names in the virtual space. She figured they know each other in the real world, may be more than friends, and is banking on the thought that Momiji will realize how dangerous she is.

If XaXa, Spiegel, and Johnny Black could find the real-world counterparts to their virtual world targets, Devesta can do it too. And if she goes after Joshua, there's a chance Momiji will be targeted too. Devesta doesn't need Kureha to say a word — Devesta can find them whenever she wants.

In that moment, fear creeps up Kureha's throat.

"...M..."

"No way! Kureha, look out!"

Kureha's eyes dart over towards the courtyard. Soaring up and in the direction behind Kureha is a small, spherical blue object. It will land behind her in five or six seconds, causing untold destruction on the stage once it makes impact.

The perfect opening. "Sorry. But I'm too American to negotiate with bitches like you."

BANG!

Kureha rolls on her back and fires her gift from Pitohui — the M870 Breacher shotgun. Devesta, surprised, wobbles as the payload strikes at the ground and her feet. Grimacing, the masked woman is unable to counter and the air around her calms. Kureha uses her momentum to get to a kneeling position and shoots the UFG past Devesta's body. Being that the pair are in the center of the stage, it extends towards the starboard edge of the stage, latching on just as the grenade hits the port side of the stage. As the blue blob increases in diameter, Kureha is lurched forward by the tether line, grabbing Devesta and crash into the other side of the stage.


"Now that's more like it! That's the Llenn I know! She's still mine, Fuka! I'm the only one who can challenge her—and the only one who will kill her! And eat her!"

Pito's "trip" to Eva landed her at the side of a storefront. As her statement to Kureha implied, she had been listening in, but in truth, she had seen the entire exchange between Llenn and Fuka up to Llenn's acrobatic maneuver.

"Uhhh, yeah. You go ahead. She's all yours. Like I can deal with a monster like that. I need to apologize to Kureha about what just happened."

"I'm...fine, Fuka..." Kureha somehow survived the blast, taking minimal damage in comparison to the drop of health she had before the blast. Now that girl's a monster dressed as a flamingo. Rest in peace, Annihilator.

"What a beast. She's gonna kill Jaymes in one superheated night... Anywho, Lleeeeeennnnnnn!" Pitohui jumps out from her hiding spot, KTR-09 in her hands only. The rifle is steadied on her right shoulder, and she shoots at Llenn as she enters the battle.

"Eeyaa!" Startled, the shrimp ducks and back back to the theater, leaping behind the seats for cover. Pitohui can't see Llenn now, but she keeps the pressure as the seventy-five capacity drum of the KTR-09 spits out 7.62 mm bullets out.

Pitohui excitedly rushes towards Llenn, a giant grin on her face. Just above her, on the destroyed stage, Kureha and Annihilator exchange words before their blades ignite and clash. Whatever words they spoke went in one ear and out the other; Pitohui's sole focus is Llenn.

That's when Fuka's voice calls out for her. "Up above, Pito!" Reflexively Pito dodges the bullet line with a spin and shoots three times at the source of the line, the cabins on the port side. She hits Boss on the arm and leg, and the third bullet hits the silencer of the Vintorez rifle, sending sparks up and knocking it out of her hands.

"Whoo! Nice shooting!"

"Good job, Pito."

"Fukaaaa? You can get rid of Eva now."

"You bet! With pleasure!"


Fukaziroh lines up Leftania with the spot Boss had been moments ago, ready to blast her to kingdom come with a plasma grenade. There was nowhere for Eva to go. She couldn't escape by running away or by remaining in place. Kureha was lucky; she used the propulsion of the UFG and the force of the blast together to move over beyond the blast radius of thirty feet in a couple of seconds.

With that knowledge, Fuka shouts a triumphant "Yahhh" and shoots the last plasma grenade in her arsenal. At the same time, Boss climbs the handrail of the balcony above and leaps off. "Are you serious?" To Fuka's shock, Boss sails past the grenade in midair. Now it wouldn't eviscerate Boss on impact as planned.

But the ground will. Boss jumped from a position a hundred feet above the courtyard. There's nothing but the courtyard to stop her from falling now. That thought gives Fukaziroh some comfort. She'll stnad in place and watch as Eva's body becomes a blot on the courtyard.

Farewell, my opponent.

The plasma grenade explodes moments later, illuminating the falling figure between it and the person responsible for it. In that light, Fuka's comfort falls tremendously.

The large woman falls upside down, her two braids flutter through the air. her two eyes fixate on Fukaziroh. Her two arms are outstretched, holding two pistols.

Are you kidding? That's not going to hit me! I want you to sit down and take notes. If you can't do that in midair, at least listen. See, shooting while in midair is incredibly difficult. If it was that easy to hit targets as you fall, I wouldn't be having such a hard time of things. Do you get me? I bet you don't!

Yet, while those thoughts pour through Fukaziroh's head, another image enters her mind: an brown-skinned African-American-Japanese boy a couple of months younger than her, dressed in red and black with twin pistols are his weapon of choice. That mental image temporarily takes over Eva's form…and that brings a shudder to Fukaziroh.

They may say that Pitohui, Kureha, and Llenn are the demons of Crimson Squad after this tournament, but Fukaziroh knows the truth: Satan himself is leading that troupe. That is her final thought as a 9 mm bullet pierces her forehead and brain, just an inch under the brim of her helmet.

Moments later, Boss' grinning face slams on the ground. As the blast dissipated, two DEAD signs appeared simultaneously, with only one person to witness it directly — M.


The final stage is set, and with the fall of Fukaziroh and Evar, it's no longer LPFM versus Team Betrayers. It's Pitohui versus Llenn. It's Kureha versus Devesta.

And as the ship itself knows the battle is coming to an end, the remaining 1,100 feet of the There Is Still Time makes its final change in conformation…