She used her still-trembling arms to carry the Hecate that was unstrapped, and pointed the gun at that metallic horse that was standing coldly 20m away. This was a distance where she could hit without aiming through the scope and use skill assist. As Sinon placed her hand on the trigger, the light green reticle immediately appeared. She gathered the point at the side of the horse, and her finger got ready to exert force-...

*Kachink!*

The numb feel made Sinon widen her eyes.

She couldn't squeeze the trigger. Sinon was wondering whether she accidentally turned the safety on, and turned to check the side of her beloved gun. However, that wasn't the case. The sniper then exerted force on the finger again, but the trigger felt like it was welded and knocked her right hand aside, "Eh... why..."

*Gachink*, *gachink*

No matter how many times she tried, it was the same outcome. She stared blankly at her finger, and what appeared in front of her was an unbelievable scene. Her finger didn't even touch the trigger. The white fingertip and the smooth metal had a gap between them, several millimeters wide. And no matter how hard she exerted force, she just couldn't remove that distance...

"...I couldn't press it... why... WHY CAN'T I SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER?...!"

The voice that came from her own throat was a soft and hoarse cry.

It seemed that the one who let out the cry wasn't that ice-like sniper, but Asada Shino in the real world.

At this moment...

A figure appeared behind the thin smoke on the east side of the stadium.

The mantle on the enemy shook, and he was still holding onto a large sniper rifle. Of course, he was "Death Gun"-or maybe he could be "that guy" who borrowed this appearance.

Sinon's eyes darkened. Her legs lost their strength. Her body started to turn cold.

Ahh... how did it happen? That was an omen of a fit. Sinon, who had a different personality than the real life Shino, never had this happen to her before. It didn't even happen when she first logged in and was immediately forced to wield a gun...

"Sinon, grab on!"

Suddenly, a forceful and powerful voice sounded right as a hand grabbed her left arm hard. Sinon grabbed onto Kirito's body just like that. Then, the old fossil fuel engine immediately let out a growl. The buggy's front wheel went up and then flew as it it was shot out on the road.

Every time Kirito used his foot to step on the pedal, Sinon felt that an acceleration was making her move backwards. While surrounded by fear, she continued to maintain her consciousness and grab onto that skinny body with all she's got. A dark force continued to try and swallow her, and the warmth that's coming from Kirito's body was the only reliance she could use to fight it.

The buggy that reached the top gear let out a sharp roar in the ruins and started to race down the street.

-Can we... really escape safely...?

Though she felt anxious inside, Sinon didn't have the courage to turn back. It was only now that she found that her body was still trembling.

The sniper girl moved her stiff fingers, ready to move the Hecate she was carrying in her right hand back onto her shoulder. At this moment, Kirito's anxious voice rang again, " -DAMN IT, WE'RE NOT OUT OF THIS YET! DON'T RELAX!"

She looked back instinctively- She could immediately see that the mechanical horse that wasn't destroyed successfully dashed out from the motor pool that was gradually becoming further. The girl widened her eyes in disbelief, but there was no need to tell who was the person on it.

The mantle on the rider flapped like black wings of a crow. He carried the L115 on his back and held the metallic leash with both hands. That posture of kneeling down on the stirrup and moving up and down as the horse galloped looked no different from a skilled rider.

Clak, clak.

The heavy footsteps caused Sinon's to descend into confusion.

"Why?..."

He could actually ride a horse. She used to hear that even those with horse riding experience in real life would have difficulty controlling the mechanical horse in this world. However, the dark-colored horse galloped and leaped over the abandoned vehicles, chasing with a similar speed to the buggy.

That look of his made him look like he wasn't an ordinary player like Sinon, but rather, a concentration of fear within the girl's heart that's flowing out. Even though she tried to look away, she couldn't help but concentrate on the face of the rider that's 200m behind them. Sinon obviously couldn't tell the distance clearly, but she felt that she could see those eyes that were deep within the darkness of the hood and a bloody mouth that's revealing a smile.

"He's catching up...! Faster... get away... get away...!"

Sinon cried out with a soft wailing voice.

And Kirito seemed to be answering her request as he pushed the three-wheeler buggy to full speed. But at this moment, the rear wheel of the buggy ran over an obstacle and jumped up, causing the back to slide to the right.

Sinon screamed and tilted left instinctively, hoping to use this to balance the buggy. If the buggy skidded at this time, Death Gun would catch up to them in 10 seconds. Kirito cursed while he controlled the shaking frame of the vehicle.

The buggy let out a sharp rubbing sound and skidded left and right, and several seconds later, finally regained balance and again accelerated. However, Death Gun used this minor error to close a large part of the gap between them.

As they drove through the highway of the ruins, obstacles continued to appear as if someone was playing a prank on them, causing the buggy to continue shaking from side to side when made to drive quickly. Also, there was a layer of thin dust all over the road surface, and the wheels would lose grip once it ran over them. Every time that happened, the buggy would skid slightly to the side, and Sinon would tense up.

Even though the pursuer was under a similar condition, this road that was full of obstacles was more advantageous to the mechanical horse. Thus, the mantle guy continued to easily avoid the abandoned cars and close in on Sinon and Kirito. Also, the enemy had another advantage.

Even though the three-wheeler buggy and the mechanical horse were transportation tools that could accommodate two people, there were two people on the buggy, and one on the mechanical horse. Of course, the buggy would be slower in its acceleration.

Every time the horse appear from behind the shadows of the obstacles, the profile that was closing in would become larger. Even though there was still some distance, Sinon still felt there was a stinging metallic sound continuing to irritate the back of her neck.

Just when both parties were 100m away from each other, Death Gun's right hand let go of the rope and pointed something at the two of them. What he was holding was that black handgun, "Type-54 Blackstar"

Sinon, who felt like her entire body collapsed into the freezer, couldn't get down into the buggy for cover and could only watch as the handgun was aimed at them. Her teeth were trembling, letting out irregular kakaka sounds. Fuu, the red bullet line wordlessly moved up Sinon's right cheek. She turned her head to the left without hesitation.

Then, the gun let out an orange glow like a devil with a bloody mouth- *BAM!*

The fatal bullet dragged a sharp sound and flew towards her before grazing 10cm past Sinon's right cheek.

Even though the bullet moved past the buggy and hit the abandoned vehicle in front, the particles that floated in the air still grazed past Sinon's face. At this moment, she felt a sharp pain as if someone scatter dry ice on her.

"NOOO!!!!".

This time, Sinon finally cried out loud in anguish. She turned her eyes away from the Death God behind her and stuck her face onto Kirito's back. After that, the second bullet seemed to hit the rear fender of the buggy, and they could feel a strong jerk on their feet.

"No... save me... save me..."

Sinon curled up like a baby and continued to repeat the same words over and over again. She couldn't hear a gunshot, but the sound of the horse galloping was getting closer, and it seemed that Death Gun intended to catch up to the buggy before firing.

"Sinon... can you hear me, Sinon!"

Kirito called Sinon's name again, but couldn't get any response. She just remained crouched against his back, letting out soft whimpers.

"SINON!".

After she got shook by the sharp sound again, Sinon finally managed to stop whimpering. She moved her neck slightly and looked over at the back profile of Kirito which had that flowing black hair. Kirito was looking forward, pushing the three-wheeler buggy to its limit and saying with a stiff yet calm voice, "Sinon, we'll be caught up at this rate-hurry up and snipe him!"

"I...I can't do that..."

Sinon forcefully shook her head to refuse. Though she felt the heavy weight of the Hecate II, this weight that would normally fill her up with battle intent couldn't bring her any feelings.

"It's alright if it doesn't hit! Just hold him off!"

Kirito persisted in shouting, but Sinon could only continue to shake her head.

"...I can't do it... that guy... that guy, he..."

That guy was the soul that awakened from her memories, and even if she used twelve 7mm bullets to hit him in the heart, she couldn't stop him-that was what Sinon believed. Direct damage was already ineffective, let alone holding him off.

However, Kirito turned around, and those black eyes were shining brightly. He said, "Drive then! I'll use that gun to snipe him!"

On hearing those words, the little pride that remained in Sinon's heart shook her up- -Hecate's... my identity. Other than me... no one else can use it...

These interrupted thoughts seemed to act like some sort of weak electric pulse in a circuit and caused Sinon's right hand to move.

She slowly moved that large sniper rifle from her shoulder and then placed the gun over the rear fender on the back of the buggy, while timidly supporting her body she brought her eye over to the scope in front.

The magnifier was at its minimum, but at a distance of less than 100m, the figure of the mechanical horse carrying Death Gun took up more than 30% of the scope's view. Sinon originally intended to increase the magnifier to hit straight in the middle of Death Gun, but the hand that reached out to increase the magnification stopped.

If she continued to enlarge it, she would see that face under his hood clearly. On thinking up till here, her fingers couldn't move. Sinon then moved her right hand over to the gun grip and got into sniping position.

Death Gun should have noticed Sinon's action, but he had no intention of dodging, let alone stopping. His hands were holding onto the leash as he continued to race over. Sinon knew that she was being underestimated, but on thinking that Death Gun may take out that handgun-that accursed Type-54 handgun Sinon herself used that eventful day, she couldn't feel any anger, just complete fear.

One shot. Just one shot would be enough. In such a close distance, even if the enemy could see the bullet line, there was a chance that he could fail. Sinon gathered that pessimistic and little battle intent together, ready to let the index finger in the trigger guard touch the trigger.

However...

A surge of mysterious anxiety struck, again preventing her action.

No matter how hard she tried, her finger just couldn't touch the trigger. It felt like the one and only partner Hecate was rejecting Sinon herself- "I can't shoot it..."

Sinon/Shino muttered with a hoarse voice, "I can't shoot. My fingers won't move. I can't... can't fight anymore."

"NO, YOU CAN!".

The strong yet stern voice rang from behind her.

"THERE'S NO ONE WHO CAN'T FIGHT! THERE'S ONLY THOSE WHO GIVE UP ON FIGHTING!".

Even though she was chided by her greatest rival Kirito, the flame that was about to disappear in Sinon merely flickered.

Choose? I'll just choose to give up on fighting then. I don't want to relive those painful memories. I had enough of seeing my hopes taken away and destroyed. It's just my delusion to think that I can survive in this world if I have ability. I will always have to carry the fear of the grudge by that man and the gun. I can only lower my head, hold my breath, not look, and not bring any feeling to this...

Suddenly, a scorching flame reheated Sinon's frozen right hand.

The girl opened the eyes that were originally closed.

Kirito was originally sitting on the seat of the buggy, but at this moment, he turned around, and he was leaning on Sinon's back while standing on the pedal. He reached his right hand out, holding Sinon's right hand that was about to fall off from the Hecate's grip and held it forcefully.

It seemed that he was able to set the three-wheeler buggy's gas pedal to full throttle as the buggy was still running forward. However, they would soon hit an obstacle. Kirito himself seemed like he didn't mind as he shouted at Sinon's ear.

"I'll shoot too! So, just once, please move this finger!"

Sinon wasn't clear if the system would allow two people to shoot one gun. However, the flame-like heat that radiated from the touch of Kirito's hand made her feel that the frozen fingers were starting to melt.

The sniper's fingers twitched slightly-the finger touched the metal that form the trigger.

In her eyes, she could see the bullet line. However, the aiming circle was so large it exceeded Death Gun's body into the area surrounding it and was irregularity moving about. Sinon's heart was in a mess, and the buggy that was racing was jerking way too much. If this kept up, there was no need to consider how the enemy will dodge, because the bullet wouldn't fly straight.

"No-No way... I can't possibly aim if it keeps jerking like this..."

Sinon weakly moaned, but a calm voice immediately rang beside her ear, "Don't worry, it'll stop shaking in 5 seconds. Listen up... 2, 1, NOW!"

*BAM!*

The powerful shock came with a sudden sound, and the buggy stopped shaking in a miraculous manner. It seemed that they were flying in the air after being hit by something. Sinon glanced at the ground from the corner of her eye, and found that there was a wedged-shaped sports car lying there like a ramp. Kirito let the buggy head to this direction before he even turned around.

...Why is he so calm even in such a situation?

Immediately, Sinon asked in her heart, but she again denied her own question.

...No, this has nothing to do with being calm. This person just did what he could do. He never tried to find excuses for himself and chose to fight with all he's got. That's-that's this person's real ability.

During the finals of the preliminaries yesterday, Sinon once asked this to Kirito-with such ability, what he was still scared of.

However, this question itself was a huge error. No matter how scared, troubled, or pained he was, he could still move on. That was the real "strength". He could only choose over whether he should get better or not, whether to fire or not.

Of course, she couldn't be as strong as Kirito. But at least for now-she wanted to at least give it her all.

Sinon bet on all her heart, to squeeze her finger that's placed against the trigger of her beloved gun.

This mere slight adjustment of the trigger felt extremely heavy. However, with the support of that warming hand, Sinon's finger finally squeezed it slowly. The reticle that appeared in her sights started to shrink, but half of the enemy was still outside the circle.

She probably, no, definitely won't be able to hit the target.

Having fought for so long as a sniper, this was the first time Sinon had such a thought as she squeezed the trigger.

Like an unpleasant nauseous feeling that was about to be puked out, her beloved gun Hecate II shot the bright flame from the muffler, shooting a loud bang she never heard before.

Still in an unstable state, Sinon couldn't hold back the recoil effectively as she jerked back, but Kirito held her steadily. The buggy jumped over the top and started falling, and Sinon could only stare wide-eyed on the vehicle and watch the bullet fly. Under the sunset, the spinning line grazed the riding Death God with the nearest of misses and went by his right.

-I missed...

There were still bullets inside the magazine, but Sinon didn't even have the strength to pull the bolt down and could only mutter.

However, perhaps the pride of this "Goddess of the Underworld" wouldn't allow this bullet to miss completely as the anti-tank sniper rifle didn't leave a useless hole in the asphalt, but went into the truck that was lying on the road.