"...If that's the case, we have all the more reason to not to lose to these guys. I just used the word "PK", and I want to take that back. A lot of people are PKing in this game, and I joined a squadron that was based on this. However, PKing has rules and realizations. Killing completely unconscious players who dived in through drugs isn't PKing. It's just despicable crime...just killing."

"Un...that's right. We can't let these people continue on like this. We have to beat "Death Gun" here and make him pay for his crimes with his accomplices in the real world."

In fact, half of these words were said to myself.

That's right-that's my top priority. I have to start all over here. This is to redeem myself for killing two people in my madness that night and taking another person's life after that.

This should be a battle I have to face alone, but this sniper girl got completely involved. I could only watch her silently.

If her safety's the priority, we can make Yamikaze fight Death Gun and immediately suicide once one of them wins. However, the worst thing was that the tournament would still go on if that person who didn't appear on the map wasn't Death Gun's victim, but was hiding underwater or in a cave. And Death Gun would take down Yamikaze and then shoot at Sinon who's unable to move while I'm a corpse for the time being. Also, if Yamikaze was Death Gun's target, we would only end up increasing the number of victims.

Thus, I have to fight. I want to protect Sinon, deal with Yamikaze, and beat Death Gun. This isn't easy, but I have to complete all these- As I thought about this, Sinon herself said with an adamant voice, "Leave Yamikaze to me then."

"Eh..."

"That guy's strong. Even you can't beat him immediately. Besides, Death Gun will use this opportunity to show up when you two are fighting."

"That...that's true, I guess..."

Sinon saw me give an ambiguous expression, released the gun from her right hand and then patted on my chest.

"Beside, you must be thinking about protecting me."

I was unable to say anything back as these words hit the target. The small mouth of that sniper immediately smiled, but then scowled again.

"Stop joking around. I'm the sniper. You're the supporter. Just help me find the enemies' positions. Leave Yamikaze and Death Gun to me."

I don't really understand a small part of these words, but I could only give a wry smile and nod my head, "I see. I'll leave it to you then... I guess both of them should be nearby. I'll ride out in the buggy. You'll leave the cave a little later and find a spot to snipe."

After we confirmed the plan we had a while back, Sinon nodded her head.

This time, the serious expression returned to her face. The girl looked at me straight on from the front and then said simply, "I'll leave it to you then, partner."

Sinon set her beloved Hecate's scope into night vision mode and then placed her right eye on it.

In this vast desert, there wasn't anything moving around at that moment. However, Yamikaze in the southwest side and Death Gun, whose whereabouts are unknown, should be approaching this place.

Sinon chose a short hilly peak as the sniping area, and right below the rocky hill was the cave they were hiding in just now. It was hard to spot this place from the ground, and she could get a birds-eye view all around. However, there is the risk of danger. Though it's a short hilltop, the peak's still more than 10m tall from the ground. Someone like Sinon, whose VIT isn't high, can't jump down just like that. Also, there's only one way to get up to here. If the enemy was nearby, she could be pierced through by bullets with nowhere else to go.

However, now's the time where she should shake away all negative thoughts. The sniper continued to try and keep herself calm as she stealthily turned her beloved gun to the right.

Thus, she spotted a figure right in the middle of a large sand dune.

The night wind that continued on and off blew his waist-length black hair at times. He's wearing a black army uniform on his slender body, making him look like he was about to mix into the darkness. That profile was more of an elf swordsman in the middle of a fantasy desert rather than a soldier with a gun.

Right in front of Kirito was the transport both of them took from the ruins to here-the three-wheeler buggy. It didn't have much fuel when it ran out of the cave, so it shouldn't be able to move now. However, the buggy still fulfilled its duty obediently until the end. Its massive frame was used as a cover by Kirito. It's easy to spot, but people couldn't really snipe him from the north easily.

The rocky hill Sinon was hiding at was on the south side of where Kirito was, and this was a location that had only a few attack options. In other words, Death Gun's L115 could only attack from the west and the east. Also considering that Yamikaze was coming over from the west, Death Gun would probably take action from the east. That should be what Kirito was thinking. His face that didn't look any different from a girl when looked from afar was facing the blueish-white moon that was gradually moving up through the hole in the thick clouds.

Death Gun would probably not use the stun bullets when sniping Kirito, but use the .338 Lapua Magnum. It would almost guarantee an immediate death once that kind of bullet hits the head or the heart. Even if it only hits the limbs, the impact damage would cause half the HP to be gone. Also, Kirito would find it hard to dodge this attack. Death Gun's first bullet didn't have the bullet line, and he could also use the "Metamaterial Optical Camouflage" to hide and snipe. Of course, there would be footprints on the sand, so he couldn't move to a position where he could get a sure hit. But even so, Death Gun had an overwhelming advantage.

-But, if it's you.

You, who cleared that "Untouchable Game" when we first met and could even slice Hecate's bullet from point blank, you'll definitely be able to dodge it, Kirito.

Sinon said this to him in her heart, and then turned her eyes back to the rifle.

Her job was to allow Kirito to maximize his concentration. Thus, they had to quickly deal with the strongest AGI-type attacker, Yamikaze that was closing in from behind.

If they had time and if the situation was safe, maybe Yamikaze would personally avoid trouble or even help out if they explained things to him. However, it would be extremely impossible to make him believe that there's a real killer incident in the final stage of the BoB. If Sinon herself didn't witness Death Gun and feel the chill on being aimed at by the Blackstar, she would only laugh at what Kirito said.

Thus, they could only take down Yamikaze. Zekushiido didn't take part in this tournament, so almost everyone would think that he's the player with the highest chance of winning. And she had to kill him in one hit.

...Can the me right now really do this?

Sinon used her naked right eye to look through the entire vast desert as she tried her best to resist the doubt and fear that was slowly creeping up on her. All the snipes she made on the three-wheeler buggy when they escaped from the ruins were pathetic. She couldn't even hit the mantle guy, and even the hit on the truck's gas tank was merely a coincidence. All the pride Sinon built up till then was immediately wrecked at that moment.

As a sniper, Sinon's role is to gather up the number of kills and practice her refined sniping techniques. One day, when she could win in the BoB tournament, the Asada Shino in the real world will feel real strength. At that moment, she could then give up her fear of guns, wouldn't think about it and could live on normally. She always believed that ever since she accepted Shinkawa Kyouji's invitation to GGO.

However, this wish may be off the mark.

Unknowingly, she had already thought that she separated her heart into two different existences, "Sinon" and "Shino", forming the strong Sinon and the weak Shino. But this was wrong. Sinon in the game still had the weakness that's left in the real world, so she was afraid of that Blackstar handgun and missed that snipe.

Anyway, what she was looking for was "herself". After meeting this enigmatic boy Kirito, she finally found this out. Perhaps he definitely was this sort of person in the real world. Fighting his own weaknesses, fighting all the time, even if he didn't have a lightsaber at his waist.

In that case, Shino in the real world should originally have that tough personality she had in the game.

-I shall fire this bullet as the ordinary person Shino. Just like that incident 5 years ago.

I continued to escape that moment, just wanting to forget, erase it and close my eyes, just wanting to vandalize it with pens.

But I won't do that again. I want to look at my own memory and crime, back to that moment, and build on from there. Maybe this was the moment I had always been waiting for.

In that case- Now's the moment.

Sinon's right eye captured the black profile that was quickly moving over through her scope. "Yamikaze" was there.

She immediately placed her fingers on the trigger. However, she still couldn't exert force yet. There was only one chance to snipe. There's no time to move and readjust her position.

If she missed, Yamikaze would definitely aim for Kirito. At that moment, no matter how strong Kirito was, he couldn't handle both Death Gun and Yamikaze. He would definitely be taken down by one of the two. Then, Death Gun would just need to deal with Yamikaze and easily use the Blackstar to attack Sinon just as he planned. The virtual 7.62mm bullet would hit Sinon, and once this image was sent to the screen telecasting this in the outside world, the accomplice in the real world would inject the fatal drug into Shino's body and cause her heart to stop.

In other words, this one bullet could decide Shino's real fate. Just like that time.

However, she felt unbelievably calm. Maybe she just couldn't understand the entire situation, but that's definitely not just it. She's not alone. A certain someone, a certain strength was supporting her. There was a slight heat that was warmly melting those stiff and number fingers. What was this- The Hecate II. This other half of her who went into numerous battlefields with her, the one and only alter ego of her.

...Ah, I see. So you were always accompanying me. Not just in the hands of a sniper...but also being with an ordinary girl like me. You still continued to encourage me even though I can't see you.

...Please. Lend this weak me strength. Grant me strength to again move on from here.

In Aincrad, the floating city that had already disappeared, we fought hard in there, and every day, the swordsmen of the attack group would find "Outside System Skills" when they battle and train.

For example, when dueling, there's the "prerecognition" that comes with the position of the sword and the avatar's center of gravity, the "insight" that can predict the attack patterns of monsters from long range and through the attack pattern, the "Distinguish" that allows players distinguish the enemy's sound effects from the background sound and find them, the "mislead" to lure the AI monsters' learning capacity and give it a heavy burden, the "switch" that allows multiple players to switch positions and allow them to recover their HP.

And amongst these skills that weren't listed in the ability column, the hardest skill to get, and even treated as a supernatural one was the "presence sense"-also called "Hypersense".

That's to feel the presence of the enemy before seeing and hearing first. It's also a skill to "sense killing intent".

There's one group who denied the existence of this skill since logically, it's impossible to detect this so-called killing intent in the virtual world. Humans who were dived in could only use the digital data Nerve Gear sent over to identify the world, so all the information codes in this game could be changed into a process. Of course, that would mean that there couldn't possibly be vague things like killing intent or sixth sense.

Their reasoning was actually logical. Even I wouldn't really agree that the "Hypersense" skill exists.

However, during the 2 years I fought in Aincrad, I did experience what could be said as "a sense of killing intent" a few times. I didn't see or hear anything, but I just had the feeling that someone was watching me and didn't move further into the dungeon. In the end, I did manage to save my own life a few times.

Earlier this year, I mentioned this once to my "daughter" Yui. Yui was once the affiliated AI to the "Cardinal System" that operated SAO, and she definitely indicated that in SAO and "The Seed" program that was derived from it, there weren't any other methods of knowing the existences of monsters other than the five senses.

-Thus, I shouldn't be able to notice the enemy if he hide silently in a place I couldn't see. Thus, I explained the thoughts I had for a long time to Yui.

Players who dived into VRMMO would use the game server signal that's constantly far away from them, to check "their" own status. When moving alone in a wilderness or dungeon, they could only check their own data. However, if someone tried to ambush the player, access of the status signals would become twice or more. At this moment, the system process would become slower, and finally causing a slight delay in transmission, and this could possibly be the "killing intent" I felt- After hearing my guess, Yui showed a doubtful look and then said that if the server became slower due to this level of processing, it would be eliminated. However, she later added that to put it bluntly, she couldn't dare to deny this possibility completely.

In the end, maybe it's more convincing to say that it was some supernatural power.

But now in this situation, I couldn't care about such reasoning.

Having played so many VRMMOs, this was the first time I was forced to only rely on the "Hypersense" skill.

Far up in the sky that had the last remaining light in it, I could see the blueish-white plate hanging high up in the blurry sky. It's a full moon today, but maybe it's because the thick clouds covering it that it felt even darker than Alfheim. The silhouettes of the sand dune were half merged into the night, and it's difficult to even tell whether the silhouettes were cacti or rocks.

If... If someone was hidden behind these objects and points the gun that had a sure-kill ability, I may be unable to spot him with my naked eye. Also, the enemy who's ready to snipe me also had an advantage of being able to become completely transparent. The only thing I could hope for visually was the footprints that are going to be imprinted on the sand. However, even I can't see for distance more than 1km away if I want to see it. Also, the footsteps that can be heard when the enemy's moving will be blown away by the wind and won't reach my ears.

-Then, I might as well close my eyes and cover my ears.

I shook my fear aside and silently closed my eyes. Then, I removed the wind, the dry cold air and the rolling of the sand beside my feet out of my consciousness.

Then, there was a sudden movement far away. Someone was running really quickly. The direction was from the southwest side, so this was "Yamikaze" instead.

I tried my best to hold back the impulse to chase after his profile. Yamikaze was Sinon's prey, so she'll definitely stop him. Thus, I removed the footsteps behind me through my consciousness and gather all my senses from the front, desperately increasing my concentration to feel any possible "changes".

Ah...that's right. I remember it now. During that night where we had the Laughing Coffin Crusade, I didn't notice those guys' ambush because of any visuals or sounds. I just had a "bad feeling". I then instinctively turned around and found that there were some shadows moving through the fork of the dungeon.

What was the name of that guy who led the charge against us again? It was not the leader of Laughing Coffin, "PoH", he wasn't around that time if I remember correctly. Most likely, it's a certain cadre. That guy's weapon was an "Estoc" that was thin like some type of needle, a weapon that strengthened its piercing ability without the blade. It swayed as it brought its sharp tip at me, and it was even giving off a small glint of light...

Did I kill that guy the last time? No, I don't think so. After I wore his HP down to less than half, that guy switched with his partner and slowly went backwards.

Before he left, he should have said something to me. It wasn't some big words or something, but a stuttering, ear-piercing voice that sounded like some 'shuu shuu' voice in little parts.

"...Kirito. After this, I'll definitely, kill you finely."

-That manner of speech, that presence, and those eyes that let out the red glows under the hood- Suddenly, there was a sharp painful feeling that's right between my eyebrows.

It's this kind of feeling. This thing that's targeted at me, this icy-coldness that's merciless and sticky-killing intent.

I immediately opened my eyes.

Far away in the desert, underneath a cactus that's slightly north in the east direction, a sudden glow bursted brightly.

Was that the sword tip of an Estoc or the flare of a sniper rifle being fired?

I turned my body to the right. No, once I was about to tilt to the right, the attack force that had shocking intensity gathered on my forehead. The flow of time started to change. That extremely heavy feeling felt like it could even freeze the air- The bullet that was rotating at high speed, grazed past my temple cutting off a strand of my hair and flew behind me as I tilted slightly.

"Oh...OOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

I abandoned the remaining trace of black hair that was in the air and kicked at the sandy ground hard with a roar.

-Fast!

Though her scope finally managed to catch sight of "Yamikaze"'s profile, his fleeting speed far exceeded Sinon's expectation. With his AGI stat boosted to the max and the dash skill raised to the maximum level, that shocking movement speed made him really look like some black whirlwind.

The equipment that's worn on Yamikaze's little body was a dark blue uniform that had the lowest amount of protection. He didn't bring any support weapon, and only a plasma grenade on his waist. This person didn't even wear a helmet and showed his thin face. His long and thin arms were holding the M900A, and together with his upper body that was tilted forward, he didn't shake at all even when running. That speed which left only an afterimage as he continued to run was more like a "Ninja" than a soldier. Also, he wasn't just fast-he never stopped.

Even players who have extreme confidence in their own speeds would find a place to cover after running a while, look around to observe their surroundings before continuing. To a sniper like Sinon, the moment he stops would be the best chance to snipe.

However, even though Yamikaze also used cover like cactus and rocks, he never even stopped. He knew that continuous dashing would be the safest defense for a character that focuses on AGI.

...what should I do? Should I predict his movement and shoot? But Yamikaze's not running in a straight line. He's running over sand dunes and peaks; this trajectory can't even be predicted. Or maybe I should aim my first bullet at his feet and take care of him while he gets down for cover? To a seasoned veteran like him, this old-fashioned trick may or may not work. Also, from the second bullet on, the enemy could see the "bullet line". Should I really abandon the greatest advantage of a snipe weapon-the first shot without a bullet line?

Sinon hesitated. However, this hesitation wasn't of the fear and perplexity like on the three-wheeler buggy. Her mind was rather cool and collected. The wooden stock of the Hecate brought a smooth feeling to her face, and that, together with the fact that the boy standing with his back to Yamikaze believed in Sinon, gave her strength.

She shouldn't gamble and shoot Yamikaze that's running around...

After hesitating for a while, the girl made this conclusion and slightly relaxed her finger.

She would only squeeze the trigger once she was certain that she would hit the target, or else it wouldn't be called a snipe. As Kirito entered the range of the M900A, Yamikaze may stop, and until then, she had to wait for that moment.

The blue ninja was less than 1km away from Kirito. But once Kirito didn't react even if his back is facing him, he would feel that Kirito didn't discover him and continue to get close until the 100m shooting range where an AGi-type player would be most adept in.

-I'm also going to hold on until that moment, so you have to be patient too, Kirito. Trust me.

In this battle royale where they couldn't use communication equipment, Sinon could only pray this deep inside her heart. However, she had a thought that she passed her feelings to him. The sniper then started to stop thinking and brought herself as one with Hecate, letting her vision merge with the scope, and the feel with the trigger. At this moment, even the feeling of herself breathing left her. The only thing she felt was the target that continued to dash and the crosshair reticle that was constantly trying to track his heart.

She couldn't even tell how long it took.

Finally, the moment she waited for arrived.

A white light came from the rear right corner of her eyes. That was a bullet, but naturally, it didn't come from Hecate, but the .338 Lapua bullet Death Gun shot from the east side of the desert. Kirito dodged the attack, and the L115's bullet line went near Yamikaze who was approaching from the west.

Yamikaze didn't think that Kirito noticed him, but didn't even expect another huge bullet to fly in and pass the target. Then, he naturally got low and crouched down to stop suddenly and got ready to head at the rock nearby, right behind him.

This would be the first and last chance to snipe him.