(In a cave, Sinon still laid herself down on the ground with her head on Kirito's lap)

Sinon:
So, Death Gun was in Laughing Coffin. And, you guys fought before...
Kirito, I need to know something. It's about the people you killed. How did you get over what you did? How are you not affected by it!? How are you so strong you are not controlled by it?

Kirito:
Nn... I haven't gone over yet.

Sinon:
What?

Kirito:
Last night, I kept having nightmares about three guys I killed. I hardly slept at all. I saw the faces right before they vanished. I heard their voices, their words. I don't think I'll ever forget them.

Sinon:
Er... But, then... What am I supposed to do? I---I can't...

Kirito:
It's OK. I think that's probably how it should be. I get it now. There are things I shouldn't forget---what it means to kill, significance of taking life. And, once I accepted, maybe then, I'll able to be find some closure. That's how I see it.

Sinon:
Closure... by accepting it...?



Sinon:
Death Gun...

Kirito:
Hm?

Sinon:
It's hard to believe that under that cloak, there's a real life person who just wants to kill.

Kirito:
Yeah... And if I knew his handle in SAO, I'll be able to figure out his real name and address in real world. That's the reason why I logged in to GGO.

Sinon:
Oh. Then... Maybe his reason for being here is because he likes PK. Maybe he missed rushes doing it in SAO. You think?

Kirito:
Er... wish more two within that. He killed XeXeeD and Tarako in front of the bunch of witnesses. It was the same as Pale Rider. He always picks time when he's got the biggest audiences. And, that sign of the cross he makes, I bet he does it to freak out as many people as possible. He wants you to believe he's got a power to kill you from in the game. But it's all show.

Sinon:
If that true, how's he killing people?

Kirito:
It's not because a brain damage from the head gear. The authority said that XeXeeD and Tarako died of heart failure.

Sinon:
Heart failure? My god.

Kirito:
To be honest, I have no idea how he killed them either. At the thought of firing a gun in a virtual world it stopping the players heart? There's no way that's possible.
...Hang on a second. Come to think of it.

Sinon:
What?

Kirito:
That was weird...

Sinon:
What was?

Kirito:
Back there in the ruins, he had his handgun over you, but he switched his rifle for me. But, he kills with handgun. He could kill me with it... So, why did he switch?

Sinon:
Yeah. Good question.

Kirito:
...!

(Kirito stole a glance at the Sinon's lower back waist, where her buttock cleavage exposed)

Kirito:
Could it be that... He didn't shoot me with it, because he couldn't shoot me with it?
The handgun... can't use it though... the switch... the crossing himself thing, invisibility cloak, conditions, rules...

(Kirito flashed back that Kikuoka said to him the other time. He wheedled Kirito)
Kikuoka:
Here! I can tell you how relieved I am to hear you put it into the words!

Kirito:
...Knew it. In game, guns can't kill they alone. Shooting someone from refuse not would, does it? It takes preparation!

Sinon:
Now you are lost me.

Kirito:
The only way to make it look like killing people in game, is by setting up for the murder in the real world first.

Sinon:
How would he set something like that up? I mean, if you're right, He'd have to get player's real life information to do it. All those stuff are secure, though?

Kirito:
No, if someone's clever enough, they can find out player's address easy.

Sinon:
How?

Kirito:
The terminals, at the governor's office. You have to plug your real name and address in to take compete. It's in open space. it doesn't have any privacy there.

Sinon:
No way. You're saying he peaked over shoulders for their entering info? That can't be it. Because you notice someone lurking next to you.

Kirito:
He could of use scope or some binocular across the room.

Sinon:
That's breaking etiquette. It get asked kicked out from the game for that.

Kirito:
Umm... Then, how about this? Maybe Death Gun can, like, uses his cloak to turn into invisible in town too?

Sinon:
He'll be right there when you wouldn't even know it? But, still, he can't do anything in the real world when he's logged in here. He's unconscious there.

Kirito:
Right...

(There are some water pool at the deep in a cave. Maybe there is a spring. Two lizards drinking water at the edge of the pool)

Kirito:
Ah! Wait... That's it! Yeah... It's not him. Death Gun---has a partner!
Check it out. One of them plays as the Death Gun avatar. His job is to shoot the target. At the same time in the real world, the second parson's in the target's apartment. His job is to take the player out!

Sinon:
...! Okay, but, match if they, they found out your address, what about other people living there? And, they'd be the key.

Kirito:
As far as XeXeeD and Tarako go, they lived alone. And, their apartment were ordinary buildings. The e-locks on the door probably first check, not very secure. Besides, they were both diving in GGO when they were breaking in. So, they were both unconscious and completely helpless. They couldn't hear, so the killer could take time to get in.

Sinon:
But then! You've said cause of death for both is heart failure, right? So, how's they stop someone's heart in the way both cops and the coroner couldn't figure out?

Kirito:
Maybe they injected some kind of drug or something? That's one way.

Sinon:
Okay, but, someone should've found the evidence of it, on mark or something?

Kirito:
They didn't found the body for a while. So they were pretty decomposed. Besides, our poor gamer can go days without eating and sleeping. I doubt anyone would get weird someone died of heart attack after that.

Sinon:
Oh, crazy! ...Right!? I mean, why else anyone do this?

Kirito:
Maybe... Or, maybe they do it because red players that who they really are. I mean, deep down, I think I'm really a swordsmen.

Sinon:
When you put it that way, I can sort of understand. There's time when I think I'm real sniper---not a gamer. Wait, do you think the guy doing killing's some red player too? You know, like Death Gun?

Kirito:
Yeah. They are probably Laughing Coffin together. I'm still wondering how they coordinated the killings between this world and the real one. How would they so precise about it? ...Yeah, that's it! That's why he's doing sign the crosses about! It's not just for the show. It's also the great opportunity to sneak a peak at his watch!

Sinon:
You're right.

Kirito:
Sinon... Do you live alone?

Sinon:
Um...Yeah. But I'm sure I've locked my door. My building's got first gen locks. But, I've also got a ...chain ...Ah! I think I left the chain off tonight!

Kirito:
Oh man... Listen, you're not gonna like this.
When Death Gun was chasing on that horse, I wasn't the one he shooting at. And, that could only mean that next victim's all set up, and ready to go.

Sinon:
Okay... Then, who's next?

Kirito:
I got a feeling in that. Right now in the real world, Death Gun's partner is staying your place. He's watching a live stream. Waiting for you're shot by the gun. It's just a hunch.

Sinon:
...!

(Shino's room. She was laying on her bed. Amuspheres on her head. Someone in cloak was standing by her. Maybe it was her pure imagination, but the man holding an injector that contains some yellow liquid. Its needle would pierce Sinon's white skin at any moment. The imagination overwhelmed her mind)

Sinon:
No... No! No, not that! Oh, god...!

(Sinon couldn't keep her calm. Her heartbeat shot up over 180. An alarm was buzzing. She could saw warning message occupied her view)

Kirito:
Calm down! If you logged out now, you'll be in danger. Just, calm down... Go easy...

(Kirito hugged Sinon)

Kirito:
Until Death Gun shoots you, the guy in your place isn't gonna do anything, OK? That's the rule they set up for themselves. But, if you logged out now, and wake up in the apartment there, he'll kill you. So, you have to calm down.

Sinon:
Hic...hic, I'm scared!---I'm so scared!

(Sinon held Kirito. Kirito patted his hand on Sinon's head)


(ALO. Asuna and others were watching a broadcast of Bullet of Bullets. Someone's knocking the door)

Asuna:
Mm?

Lisbeth:
Jeez! Chrysheight, Took you long enough!

Chrysheight:
Sorry, guys. I've got over here as fast as I could from my save point. As if there is a speed limit in ALO, my license would've gotten suspended... Huh?

Asuna:
What is going on!?

Chrysheight:
Um, I've been happy explaining detail, but I should warn you it, mind, take a while. To tell the truth, I'm not a hundred percent sure, where I begin...

Asuna:
Oh! Don't even!

Yui:
Not to worry, I know just where to start. On November 9, in Gun Gale Online, a player called Death Gun fired his weapon at avatar appeared on the monitor. That same day in Nakano-ward, the player of that avatar mysteriously died.

Chrysheight:
Young lady, that was unbelievable. Gathering all that information in connecting so quickly, you must be quite the researcher. Have you ever thought about a career in the VR section?

Asuna:
Um...

Chrysheight:
Whoa! You win! I---I'm sorry! I'm not going storm of you, promise. Just complimenting her is all. She's right, though. It's true.

Klein:
Yo, Chrysheight or whatever! Are you? You are the one who hired Kirito to dive into that game. So, any get that straight, you've got him convert over knowing the players got shot in game and die all alone because of it?

Chrysheight:
Easy, Klein. I can explain. That's not have a player die.

Klein:
Then, how?

Chrysheight:
It's not Amusphere rig. No matter what happened to you in game, it can't hurt you, most certainly can't stop of players heart when it's not even direct connected to it. As a matter of fact, Kirito and I met last week to talk about it, and pretty much agreed it wasn't possible. There's no way anyone can kill a person in real life by shooting from the game.

Leafa:
OK, then, if what you said is true, how come you had my brother dive into GGO for you, huh?
You had a hunch something's wrong---scratch that, you know something's wrong. That Death Gun guy's a part of it. And, I bet you send my brother into try to find him.

Asuna:
Chrysheight, we've figured it out. Death Gun is SAO survivor just like us. But, unlike us, he was a red player who was in a guild of killer called Laughing Coffin.

Chrysheight:
...You're sure he with them?

Asuna:
Yes. ...Non of us can remember his name, though. Klein and I met him once, when our group went to capture his.

Lisbeth:
Um...hey, Asuna. I get the feeling Chrysheight knows more than is letting on. No offense, Chrysheight, but all we know is you work for the government doing something with networks, and that playing ALO is part of some kind of research you do in VRMMOs.

Chrysheight:
Only for the past year, the job I had before was a little...different. I used to be part of the task force for the SAO incident. But, even though we were called task force, in the end, we were pretty ineffective.

Asuna:
Chrysheight, you obviously well connected, and with a little digging, you could find out that the real life name, and address of this Death Gun is. Just make a list of handles of all the survivor of Laughing Coffin members. Then, contact the ISPs, ask which one playing GGO now, and trace their location...

Chrysheight:
No. Sorry that's not possible. The ISPs aren't going to give out player's real life info, for we have to go other handles.

Silica:
Maybe, if we ask the game's admins, they could help.

Chrysheight:
They might, but GGO's admins are in U.S. So, it'll be a while before we got an answer.

Asuna:
...

Leafa:
I know my brother. And, right now, he's risking his life in that game, trying to find out who this person is. ...When he came home last night, he had this look on face, like he'd seen a ghost. He must've bumped into the guy yesterday, during the prelims. I bet that's when he realized that someone from Laughing Coffin was in GGO. Someone who figured out how to kill players in real again. My brother went back to put the end that nightmare, to find out his name, and stop his PKing once and for all.

Asuna:
(In mind) Darling, Kirito! You should have said something. Why!? Why you always do this!

Klein:
That dumb idiot! Why didn't he say anything! I could be backed him up right now. All yet to do is asking! I would converted over too!

Silica:
Way all over him... Don't you see? That's why he didn't tell us. If he got there was any real danger, and what he was doing, there was no way he get us next up him to. That's just how he is.

Lisbeth:
Yeah, you're right. He always thinks about those before himself. In fact, he's probably protecting someone right now, and whoever that is, I bet it someone doesn't like him much.

(Everyone stared at the display. The information panel shows that both Kirito and Sinon were still alive)

Asuna:
Okay, Chrysheight. Where is Kirito diving from. I know you know, so, better tell to me now.

Chrysheight:
Um, ugg...That's ...confidential.

(Stomp, stomp, stomp---Asuna expressed her anger by closing a distance between her and Chrysheight)

Chrysheight:
OK! OK! ...I'll tell you. I set up the room myself. So, he's safe. Securities locks and all the monitoring on top of the line. I bet the train professional right by aside all times. I guarantee that his body's in no danger what's so ever and...

Asuna:
Where is he!

Chrysheight:
er...hospital. I---it's in Ochanomizu in Chiyoda-ward.

Asuna:
He's in Chiyoda? uh-Wait, is that the same hospital he was entering rehabilitation?

Chrysheight:
Yes. That's the one.

Asuna:
I'm going over there. I wanna see him and you can do its thing about it.



(GGO, in a cave. Kirito was still stroking Sinon's head to pacify her)

Sinon:
...Tell me. You've got a plan.

Kirito:
For going take out Death Gun, once we do, his real world partner stand down, then he'll just leave your apartment.

Sinon:
Okay, but, he's skilled, Black Star or no Black Star. You saw, he dodged Hecate's bullet from just a hundred meters away. And, besides, I can't hide in this cave forever, you know? By now, the other players probably figured out two of us are in here. We might be seem sitting ducks. It's just a matter of time before someone tosses a grenade in.

Kirito:
You're right.

Sinon:
We've been a team as whole time anyway, right? Mind us finished him together?

Kirito:
O-kay, but... it's still the risky he shoot you with that gun.

Sinon:
Oh, that thing? It's just an old school single action sidearm. He can fire it only once, but I've got you there. Just reflect the bullet with your sword!

Kirito:
Right. And I won't let a single one of them hits you. I still don't feel good about you being out, though. I mean, Death Gun's dangerous. You shouldn't get close to him.

Sinon:
Oh, come on!

Kirito:
Hang on. I'm totally cool if you fight with me. I wouldn't have any other way. But, Sinon, you're a sniper, remember? Is your specialty a long-rang attack?

Sinon:
Well, yeah. What's about it?

Kirito:
Here's the plan. On the next scan, I'm on step outside, so it'll picks me up. That way, Death Gun will come to us. He'll probably keep distance to take cover. Then, he'll try to pick me off with his rifle. On shoot, we'll know where he is. Then, you'll take him out. What do you think?

Sinon:
Ar you cool with playing decoy?

Kirito:
Mm-hm.

Sinon:
Alright. We do it your way, then... Just be careful out there, because if he drops with his first shot, I'm gonna be pissed!

Kirito:
I'm keeping that in mind... Wait, I just remembered, his rifle's got the silencer, and you won't see the bullet line on the first shot.

Sinon:
Oh? Ought just predict a prediction. You know, like a certain known good faker to...

Kirito:
Um... I think we should just stop talking.

(Kirito looked up at the ceiling of the cave. There is a disk like circular object floating. We can read "REC" on it's surface)

Sinon:
Oh... no. Crap. We should've been paid more attention.

Kirito:
What is it? And, will it kill...us?

Sinon:
It's a live stream camera. Usually, they are only supposed shadow players' on the battle field. I guess, this one is here now, because there aren't many left out there.

Kirito:
Then, do you... think it... heard us?

Sinon:
Not a chance. Play to pick us up, we'd have to be shouting on top of our lungs. Wave to the audience! Unless, you've got someone back at home, you don't want see in this?

Kirito:
Um! ...I am... er... Shouldn't you be worried who's watching!? I mean, since I sort a look like a girl, they might, you know, think you're... you know.

Sinon:
ug... I don't care. They can think of they want. The guys in this game outdoor, if they think I'm gay, at least they'll stop hit on me every five seconds.

Kirito:
Er... How much long am I gonna have to keep pretending to be a girl...?

Sinon:
Oh, you're poor baby. You've been fake alike a chumps since you logged in, another hour or two won't matter.

Kirito:
Ah.

(Then, the disk like shaped stream camera disappeared from their sight)

Sinon:
Thank god. Hmm, we better get ready.
We got two minutes before the sat scan. I'll set up here. And, you'll get outside, fire up your terminal, and, let me know when the voice close.

Kirito:
Wait. Hold on.

Sinon:
Why? What's wrong? It's too late to change the plan now.

Kirito:
No. I don't wanna change anything. It's something else. I was just thinking about Death Gun's real handle here. The only name you didn't recognize who still alive is Sterben.

Sinon:
Oh. Huh. I guess that's his name. I wonder why he gave himself that name, though.

Kirito:
If I get on close him personal, I'll be sure to asking for ya. ...Well, it goes nothing.

Sinon:
Be careful. Okay?

(Kirito was leaving from the cave. He raised his right hand with his thumb up)

[End of the episode]