XeXeeD:
These players who think it's all about their agility? Heh, man, they're living in a dream.
I mean sure, firing speed and evasion are important, and time was if you rock those two things, it's all you needed to be the best. Till now that is.
Yeah, hate to say it, but they don't work like that anymore. In fact, I got a message for the folks who spent the last eight months indoors, boosting their AGI.
Sucks to be you right now, don't it?

GGO players:
(offended) Boo!

Moderator:
Now that's the kind of comment we'd expect from the top player of Gun Gale Online, one of the most challenging VRMMOs! Talk about controversial...

XeXeeD:
Ah yes, but who knows if I'd be on MMO Stream again, so might as well stir things up.

Moderator:
Oh please. So you think you have a shot in the upcoming Bullet of Bullets?

XeXeeD:
Damn right, honey. Heh, wouldn't be in it if I didn't think I could win it.

GGO players:
Boo!

Yamikaze:
It won't be that easy XeXeeD.
The BoB's a solo tourney. So it way different. What works for you up to now doesn't mean it'll work again.
If I were you, I wouldn't chalk my wins up to my status type.

XeXeeD:
Oh yeah, well, if anything, my results go into some big changes happening in GGO, hear all about AGI, Yamikaze?
Go figure you'd be in denial.

Yamikaze:
Umm...

XeXeeD:
Wake up, people!
Till now, the best strategy was boosting your AGI and shooting a powerful gun as fast as you could.
But the reality is, the balance of game play in an MMO is always changing. Especially in games like this one, with levels that don't let you re-spec your stats.
You have to think ahead and be smart when using your points. Because the best weapon in one level zone might not work for you in the next. Besides, the new guns coming out, I'm gonna have higher strength requirements and accuracy bonuses. Heh heh.

Guy:
Ha, you remember when he was talking about how great be an AGI type was? That dick [totally scammed us].

GGO players:
(surprised) Huh?

Mysterious player:
You're nothing but a fake, XeXeeD! And now, you face judgement from someone with real power.

GGO players:
(laugh at the mysterious player)

XeXeeD:
All I'm saying is, which really important in the end, is the player's ability to... Khaha! Kah...Agh...

Moderator:
Oh, ah. I guess we have a bad connection here...
Don't worry, folks. I'm sure he'll be back shortly. Stay tuned for more MMO Stream.

GGO players:
(shocked)

Mysterious player:
This is real power! Real strength! Let your fear carve one name into your brains... The name I share with this weapon... Death Gun!



Asuna:
December 7th, 2025... Has it already been an year?
I wonder what the differences between the real world... and the virtual?

Kirito:
The amount of data, that's all.

Asuna:
... you scared me.

Kirito:
Sorry about that. I'm on time though. Why?

Asuna:
Hehe, no, I'm sorry. I was spacing out. Anyway, hello, Kirito. How are you doing today?

Kirito:
It's been good so far. But it's even better now.

Asuna:
What are you staring at?

Kirito:
Nothing, just a -- that outfit looks good on you.
It brings back a lot of memories...

Asuna:
I guess it does. No rapier though.
Looks like you went overboard on the black today?

Kirito:
Yeah, Sugu threw everything in the wash this morning. And, this is all I have left.

Asuna:
Then, stop putting your laundry on.
(giggles) I can't believe we both dressed in our old colors today. What are the odds of that?

Kirito:
Well, if we see each other everyday for a year.

Asuna:
Stop, that was a rhetorical question, smarty pants. Come on.

Kirito:
Okay, okay.

...

Kirito:
I don't know about you, but I think the Imperial Palace is interesting.

Asuna:
Interesting? What do you mean?

Kirito:
It's two kilo-meters North to South. One point five East to West. And, it takes up 20 percent of Chiyoda Ward. There aren't any subways or tunnels under it. And it's no-fly zone. It's kind of cool, don't you think? I mean, It's this big restricted area right in the middle of Tokyo. Not only is it cut off from everything physically, but information wise as well. See that? It's a surveillance camera. This place was set up with its very own closed network. You can't even access it from outside.

Asuna:
Wow, that's a weird looking camera.

Kirito:
Yeah, not only is this place the heart of Tokyo, but it's also an isolated world of its own. Maybe I'm exaggerating its cool factor. I get like that...

Asuna:
Ahaha, you think? ...Wow.

Kirito:
This used to be the inner citadel.

Asuna:
Come on, let's go!

...

Asuna:
Hey, you know that questionnaire they gave us to fill out, the one about our future plans? Do you know what you wanna do yet?

Kirito:
Hmm, I guess, if anything, I wanna go from playing games to being a creator.

Asuna:
A creator? What? For games?

Kirito:
No, not for games. I wanna make a human-machine interface to replace the full-dive tech we use now.
I've been going all these tech forums to learn more about it. But it's a heck of a lot of information to absorb.

Asuna:
... (Whispers to herself ) After I graduate, all I want is to be with you.

Kirito:
Huh?

Asuna:
I, I mean! I, I wish we can figure out a way to live with Yui in this world too!

Kirito:
We'll be able to live with her someday. As soon as we figured out how to access augmented reality at will. The only thing standing in the way is the differences in amount of data.

Asuna:
Didn't you say something like that a little while ago? The difference between our world and virtual was the amount of data. What is that mean anyway?

Kirito:
Let's see... It's like this. If we were holding hands in ALO, it wouldn't been the same as in the real world, would it?

Asuna:
No, it wouldn't. You can feel a lot more, touching a real hand... Hey! is that what you mean by the differences in the amount of data?

Kirito:
Yup, and can you imagine what it would be like if we could reproduce the feel of skin and the pulse? Would we be able to tell the difference between a real hand and avatar's hand?

Asuna:
I know, I could. If I was touching your hand.
But, it's not just touch, is it? I mean, in the real world, we get a lot of information from how something sounds or tastes. Even if our Amuspheres rigs could access augmented reality, we'd still know the difference.

Kirito:
Yeah, the second you saw or touched something, you would know if it was real or not. But, hopefully, someone'll come along and make a technological breakthrough. And whatever that is, it'll have to output tons of sensory data, all the time.

Asuna:
Then, we can break down the wall between both worlds and be with Yui forever. Do you think that day will ever come for us?

Kirito:
Yeah.

Asuna:
Then get to work and make it happen, okay?

Kirito:
Okay...?



Waiter:
Welcome, Sir.

Kirito:
Ah...

Kikuoka:
Hey! Kirito! Over here! Ha ha ha...

Kirito:
Ugh, umm...

Kikuoka:
Go ahead. Order whatever you want. It's on me.

Kirito:
Thank you, Sir. That's very kind of you...

Kikuoka:
Come on. You have to be so formal with me? Relax, and, talk to me like you would in ALO.

Kirito:
Okay? If you say so, then... I guess so... um... I'd like the parfait au chocolate, the franboise mille-feuille, and a hazelnut latte.

Kikuoka:
Sorry to make you come all the way out here, Kirito.

Kirito:
If you're that sorry about it, why'd you ask me to come to Ginza? Oh, and do you think you can not call me by that name in public?

Kikuoka:
What's with those attitudes? I thought we were buds. I was the first to visit you in the hospital, remember?

Kirito:
(thinks to himself) He's right... When I came to, the first one there wasn't my family. He was the leader of the task force. Seijiroh Kikuoka, from the tech bureau at the Ministry of Internal affairs and Communications. A.k.a. "The Virtual Reality Section."

Kikuoka:
(Hums)

Kirito:
So, what do you wanna see me about? If it's anything SAO related, I told you everything I know.

Kikuoka:
Actually, I wanna talk to you about something else... Have a look at that.

Kirito:
Who's he?

Kikuoka:
This won't be present. So. Last month, on November the 14th, the landlord of an apartment complex in Nakano, Tokyo, noticed foul odor while cleaning. It was coming from one of the units. So, disabled the lock and discovered this man, dead. His name was Tamotsu Shigemura, and he was twenty-six. He'd been dead for five days. She found him in bed. His place was a mess, but no signs of burglary. He had something interesting on his head though...

Kirito:
An Amusphere...?

Kikuoka:
Yeah, It was ruled an unnatural death, so they did an autopsy. The cause of death was found to be acute heart failure.

Kirito:
Wait. heart failure? You mean, his heart stopped? They found out why?

Kikuoka:
No, they didn't.

Waiter:
Here you are, Sir?

Kikuoka:
Unfortunately, since so much time had passed since his death and foul play was ruled out as the cause, the autopsy wasn't very thorough. We do know he'd been logged in for two days straight and hadn't eaten anything the whole time.

Kirito:
Well that's not that unusual. Players do it all the time. Wait, why you tell me about this?

Kikuoka:
He had a game installed on the system called Gun Gale Online. You know that one?

Kirito:
Yeah, GGO. It's the only MMO in Japan with professional players.

Kikuoka:
This past October there was a tournament to decide the most powerful player in GGO. The deceased was the guy who won it. His character name was XeXeeD.

Kirito:
Was he playing GGO when he died?

Kikuoka:
No, when it happened, he was appearing on a show called MMO Stream. As XeXeeD's avatar. We know the time from logs. This next bit of info still needs to be confirmed. According to another player's blog, at the same time Shigemura had a heart attack, something strange happened in GGO.

Kirito:
What?

Kikuoka:
Some players were at a bar in game watching the show when one of the players stood up and started acting radically. The blog states, "the player was shouting stuff about 'judgement and power' at XeXeeD's image on a TV, and fired his gun at it." At the time, another player in the bar happened to be recording the audio. He uploaded it to a video site. Since the file had a Japan's standard time counter embedded, we know that the shot fired at the TV and Sigemura's avatar disappearing from the show happened at about the same time.

Kirito:
Probably, just a coincidence.

Kikuoka:
There was another death, though.

Kirito:
What!?

Kikuoka:
This one, happened on November the 28th, somewhere in Saitama prefecture, same set-up as before. The deceased was found in the apartment.The guy delivering the newspaper happened to look in the window. He saw the victim lying in bed wearing an Amusphere rig, said the smell was...

Other woman in the cafe:
Ahem!

Kikuoka:
... Let's skip the details for corpse's condition. Anyway, heart failure was the cause of death. The victim was also a top-ranking GGO player. His character's name was... U-su-shi-o Tarako? Well, he was playing when he died. It happened in the central plaza in Glocken. He was in the middle of the meeting with his squad, I guess that's the same as a guild. Strange player went up to him and shot him, point blank.

Kirito:
Do you know if it was the same guy who shot XeXeeD?

Kikuoka:
Most likely. He said stuff about judgement and power, and identified himself as the same character name.

Kirito:
What name?

Kikuoka:
... Death Gun.

Kirito:
Death... Gun...?
Are you absolutely sure both victims died from heart failure?

Kikuoka:
What do you mean?

Kirito:
Was there any damage to their brains?

Kikuoka:
I was wondering about that too. So I asked the coroner if he found any trace of damage to either of their brains, he said they were both fine.
Besides, the Nerve Gear rig used high output microwaves, powerful enough to fry the signal element and destroy the brain. On the other hand, the Amusphere rig was designed [so that it] couldn't emit electric magnetic waves that powerful, at least, that's what the developers claim.

Kirito:
It sounds like you guys have done your homework. But, even so, your story's built around coincidences and rumors.

Kikuoka:
True, it could be a coincidence even a hoax. I'm not sold either way. For now, this is hypothetical my view; do you think it's even remotely possible to stop a player's heart in real world with virtual bullets from the virtual gun?

Kirito:
No, I don't think so. But, hypothetically, let's say this Death Gun did send some kind of killer signal to XeXeeD and Tarako guys' Amuspheres, what would it be? Could the sensation of touch stop a heart? Maybe, taste or smell... a sight or sound or some other sensation...

Kukuoka:
(Chuckles)

Kirito:
Huh? Okay whoa, you've already thought of this, haven't you? Oh, I get it. You and your team can't figure it out. So, you invited me for coffee to pick my brain?

Kikuoka:
No! What are you talking about? I, I never do something like that to you, honest! I like talking to you, just wanted your opinion.

Kirito:
We're done. You want my opinion? Here it is. You can't stop a player's heart in real world by actions in game. Shots fired and heart attack are coincidences...

Kikuoka:
Wait! Hold on! Listen! You can order something else! Just sit down and hang out for a bit. Please. I can't tell you how [I'm relieved and ???] to hear you put it into words.
Fact is, I'm at the same opinion as you. I don't believe these two deaths were caused by in-game gun shots either. And now that we've talked, I want to ask you officially; Would you log in to Gun Gale Online, and make contact to the player calling himself Death Gun?

Kirito:
And once I do find the guy, and then what? You want me to get shot. Is that it?

Kikuoka:
Oh no, come on.

Kirito:
Oh, screw that! I don't wanna get killed!

Kikuoka:
That's not possible! We just agreed it wasn't, didn't we? Besides, this Death Gun guy's only going after specific targets. They have to meet this criteria.

Kirito:
Criteria?

Kikuoka:
Uh-huh. ... Here's the deal. XeXeeD and Usushio Tarako weren't just any old players. They were top-ranked. So it's safe to assume he's not interested in newbies. But if you are strong enough to beat Kayaba. [It is own game ??? ..].

Kirito:
That's different! Look. I don't know what you've heard, but, GGO is no walking park! It's filled with pro gamers!

Kikuoka:
Hold the phone! You said "pro gamer." What does that mean, "pro?"

Kirito:
It means, "professional," literally. Gun Gale Online is the only Virtual MMO with the game coin to real currency conversion system in place.

Kikuoka:
What?

Kirito:
It means, whatever money you earned in the game gets payed back to you in cold hard cash in the real world. Being a pro means you have a constant stream of income from the game coming in every month. And, if you are a top player, that means, monthly, you're making two to three hundred thousand.
It's an awesome gig. That's why the high level guys in GGO are so hardcore. They put more time and passion into it than players in other MMOs. Someone like me can't just log in and match players like that. You should find someone else.

Kikuoka:
Whoa, hold it! Hold it! What am I gonna find? You're it! I need your help in this investigation! And if taking these pros on is going to be that big deal, I can pay you ... er, (sticks up his thumb and two fingers) this much!?

Kirito:
(Gulps) I don't get why you're so hung up on this. You'll find the whole stories like these all the time online.

Kikuoka:
Yeah, I know. But, still, it got my bosses worried. The effective full dive technology on the real world is the hottest topic today. Literally, everyone's researching it. People are going try to use these deaths to regulate the technology. We want to know the facts before that happens. We want to be sure. That's why we are interested.

Kirito:
You guys could just go directly to admins about it.

Kikuoka:
Right. The Zaskar, the company developed and hosts GGO is in the U.S. Their address, phone number and e-mail, they've never made it public, so we can't contact them. Ever since The Seed was released, all kinds of shady VR worlds have popped up.

Kirito:
Yeah...

Kikuoka:
Maybe they are legit, maybe they are not. But if we want to find anything out, only way to do it is try contacting them in the game. I'm not asking you to get shot. We'll take every safety precaution we have to. Just evaluate the situation, and report back. So, will you help us or what?

Kirito:
(thinks to himself) Four thousand people, died in Aincrad. It's been a year, and finally, those memories are starting to fade. But now, more people are dying in another virtual world. And I'm getting pulled back in. It's like someone doesn't want me to ever forget...?




Asuna:
Oh, now, I get it.
I think I figured out why you brought me here today.

Kirito:
Oh, you did, huh?

Asuna:
Uh-huh, if our world is made up of an axis called time and a plain called space, then the center of reality is this place, in the heart of Tokyo, where a castle used to stand. And the axis of all the virtual worlds popping up now thanks to the Seed is a place that also had a castle once, Aincrad. That's why this sunset feels so nostalgic now.

Kirito:
You're right. It does.
You know, what you just said helped me figure something out too.

Asuna:
Huh? Really?

Kirito:
You remember what Aincrad looked like? Well, maybe its shape was supposed to represent the axis of time, and the plain of space.

Asuna:
Maybe... But if vertical axis represented time, and its floor space, then the Commander made the world taper to nothing. Everything ended once you reached the top. Unfortunately a certain someone destroyed it half way up. Now, we'll never know how it ended.

Kirito:
Yes, ma'am! Sorry about that, ma'am!

Asuna:
He he, hahaha...

Kirito:
Asuna...? Listen, I...

Asuna:
What?

Kirito:
... Nah. Hey, it's getting cold. You wanna start heading back now?

Asuna:
Uh-huh, Oh, when next time we come, let's bring Lis and Leafa and others. Wouldn't it be fun to get everyone together for a picnic here?

Kirito:
Yeah, It would. Especially in Spring time.

[End of the episode]