"Wow, that person's really amazing. Looks like GGO's rather interesting too. I don't know if I can create my own guns..."

Like how she was in SAO, Lisbeth's avatar was a Leprechaun blacksmith. This sounded just like her, causing Asuna to chuckle, "Hey hey, don't you even think of moving to GGO. There's still many levels of New Aincrad to explore!"

"That's right, Liz-san! They're opening an update above level 20!"

Even Silica, who was next to Lyfa, spoke up to stop her. Lisbeth could only raise her hands and surrender.

"I got it, I got it. I'm just thinking that 'there's such strong people no matter what kind of game it is~' . That blue guy just now should be one of the favorites for this tournament..."

Just as she said that, the "blue guy" in the same screen actually collapsed.

The cameras immediately focused on this blue player who collapsed onto the floor. There was also the name 'Pale Rider' there.

Though he collapsed, he didn't look like he was dead. At this moment, a slight spark seemed to climb out from the bullet hole in his right shoulder. It seemed like the player's action was sealed.

"It's just like the wind magic "Lightning Curtain Seal"..."

On hearing the Sylph mage fighter Lyfa say this, the Salamander swordsman Klein immediately shook that red hair that was made upright by the low-quality headband, and said, "I hate those things the most. And besides, that tracking ability's too good already, isn't it!"

"You hate all sorts of weakening spells! Increase your anti-magic ability a bit, will you?"

"Fuun, who cares about you. A warrior like me won't choose a skill with the word 'magic'. I won't choose it even if you kill me!"

"I say, many warriors in old RPGs were warriors who knew black magic!"

Asuna could only give a wry smile as she watched Klein and Lisbeth quarrel. She reached her right hand out and towards that image that was worth noticing before expanding it out with two fingers. The image of Pale Rider on the floor immediately became bigger as the other images were pushed to the side.

It's been more than 10 seconds ever since he was suddenly numbed, but there wasn't anyone who appeared in the camera. They could only see tea-colored earth, the metal bridge, the river that flows below and the forest on the far opposite side that was blurred by the dust- *PAM!*

This sound that suddenly rang caused the 5 people to jerk in shock. At this moment, a black cloth entered the camera screen from the left. The camera then panned backwards, and the new character finally appeared on the last screen.

"...Phantom...?"

Was that hoarse voice from Lisbeth, Silica-or Asuna herself?

It was a guy with dark-grey tattered mantle that danced with the wind. The inside of the head was completely covered by the shadow, which made it hard to tell. They could only see two will-o-wisp like red eyes deep inside. This looked way too similar to the phantom-type monsters that everyone had trouble with in the past at Aincrad.

Asuna blinked and then again looked at the screen. Of course, the person standing there wasn't a phantom, but a player who was taking part in the tournament. This tattered mantle guy should be the one who used an electric bullet to immobilize Pale Rider. ALO had mage fighters who use many binding spells from long range to seal the enemy and finish off the enemy from close range. This was a rather popular ability skillset in a game.

The tattered mantle guy seemed to confirm Asuna's thoughts as he reached his right hand into his mantle near his chest and then pulled out a blackgun. However, if that was the main weapon that's able to deal damage to the enemy, it's a little...what...

"...Too painful, isn't it?"

At the corner of the room, Klein seemed to be feeling the same way and raised his doubt. He rubbed the moustache on his chin, and said "Either way, the sniper rifle on his shoulder just looks way more powerful. Wouldn't finishing off the enemy with that gun be easier..."

"Maybe bullets are expensive? Isn't ALO like this? There's a lot of catalysts that are required for a large spell."

As everyone considered what Lyfa said, the mantle guy flicked the hammer behind the blackgun and pointed the gun at Pale Rider, who was still on the floor.

However, he seemed to be taunting the enemy-or the audience's mood as he still hasn't squeezed the trigger. He raised his left hand, doing something unexpected. It pointed his thumb at his forehead, chest, left shoulder and right shoulder in order.

At this moment- Asuna felt a little numbness deep inside her mind.

It wasn't just some special hand sign. It was merely an ordinary "Cross". Besides seeing this in Western movies, there were many professional healer-type players in VRMMO who often do this to cast magic. Of course, a real Christian who sees this would feel really unhappy about this , but Asuna wasn't a Christian, and the feeling just now wasn't of anger of unhappiness. If she had to say it-it felt like her fingers undid a knot that wasn't supposed to be removed...

Asuna's body got tense unknowingly as she widened her eyes. She watched the mantle guy on the screen finish drawing the Sign of the Cross and then put his left hand on the side of the handgun. He took half a step back on his right foot, turned his side to Pale Rider, and squeezed the trigger- "Ah...?"

Someone suddenly let out a shocked voice.

The mantle guy seemed to be thinking about something as he suddenly bent backwards.

However, 0.1 second later, Asuna and the rest immediately knew why he had to do this. There was a large orange bullet that flew in from outside the screen. It grazed past the open mantle, through where the heart of the avatar was supposed to be and instead traveled through the empty air..

Someone must have sniped at the mantle guy from far away. Also, Asuna saw that the bullet seemed to be coming from the left rear side of him. He actually dodged that attack with such an angle and speed brilliantly, and even though the game world was different, she knew that that was a rather impressive technique.

The mantle guy dodged the bullet that was suddenly shot at him and then lifelessly brought his body back up. He then glanced to the left rear side. Though the face couldn't be seen from deep within the hood because of the shadows, Asuna could feel that he was giving a frivolous smile.

At this moment, a sharp pain occurred deep inside Asuna's mind.

-What's going on? What's with this feeling? Is this...a memory? But how's that possible...I've never been to GGO before. I haven't even seen the game screencaps...

The mantle guy looked like he wanted to shoot through Asuna's doubts as he again raised his handgun.

This time, he finally squeezed the trigger at the player who collapsed due to numbness easily.

The dry gunshot. The bronze empty cartridge flew out and landed on the barren land beside him.

The bullet that was shot hit the Pale Rider who was on the floor right in the middle, creating a small spark on him. However, this didn't look like a powerful hit that would deplete the HP completely.

A second later, Pale Rider himself proved that Asuna wasn't mistaken as he finally recovered from his numb state and turned around, putting the large gun in his right hand right in the mantle guy's chest.

"Woah, a huge comeback..."

Asuna was also predicting that things would go as what Lisbeth said.

However...

Let alone a gunshot or sparks, there wasn't even the sound of a trigger being squeezed. Pale Rider's gun rolled on the floor.

Then, the owner of the gun slowly fell to the right-before collapsing on the ground again.

Under the silver-grey helmet, they could see Pale Rider's skinny nose and tightly closed lips. His lips were trembling, and he suddenly opened his mouth. Then, there was a silent intense emotion that came from deep within his throat. Asuna's instincts were telling her that the player who was controlling this avatar was really experiencing shock and fear.

"Wha...what is happening...?"

As Lyfa cupped her mouth with her hand and said this, something even more unexpected happened. Pale Rider, who was lying flat on the floor, frozen as if a pause button was pressed, then vanished with a white static special effect.

The special effect light still remained in the air even after the avatar disappeared before forming a word. However, the word that showed 'disconnection' was stepped on by a dark black boot. The mantle guy brought his left hand back into his mantle and stepped forward.

It seemed that he knew where the camera was as he raised the handgun in his right hand and pointed at the screen. This cause Asuna to feel that the wall between the worlds of GGO and ALO-no, the real world and virtual world were destroyed, that her real body was being pointed at gunpoint, causing a chill down her back.

Within the darkness deep inside the hood, the red glowing eyes flickered. At that moment, a robotic-like voice stuttered through the screen.

"...My name, and the name of this gun, is "Death Gun"..."Death Gun"!"

The robotic voice had a twisted and intense emotion. On hearing that voice, a largest crack formed deep within Asuna's memories.

That caused her to be unable to breath and increase her heartbeat. Her eyes were watching the hidden face that couldn't be seen on the screen, and the face was lowering his chin. The voice rang again, "One day, I will, appear in front of you guys, again. And then, use this gun, to bring real death to you. I have, such, a power."

The black handgun let out a soft sound. If he squeezed the trigger now, the bullet would feel like it would really fly through the imaginary screen. This caused Asuna to be wary. The mantle guy seemed to have read through her fear and gave a smile from deep within the hood. And then, he said- "Don't forget. Nothing's, over. Nothing, is, over-it's showtime-"

On hearing those stuttered English words, Asuna seemed to be dealt the final blow or something.

-I know that guy.

I couldn't be mistaken. I met him somewhere before. I even spoke to him. But where...

No, I know the answer already. At that floating city...Aincrad. Not the safe duplicated world that's floating in the sky of ALO now, but the real unique world I once spent 2 years in. "Sword Art Online" is not over yet. That guy basically left out these words from what he said just now.

-Who is it? Who's the player controlling that mantle avatar...?

Asuna looked lost, but she was thinking quickly. She nearly jumped up from the sofa the moment she heard something hard land on the floor.

On looking back, she found that Klein, who was sitting on the bar bench let the crystal-base cup in his right hand fall to the floor. The cup that dropped onto the floor broke into many fragments of polygons and disappeared. However, he didn't care that this expensive player made set was destroyed at all as he widened the eyes under the headband.

"Oi, what are you doing..."

Klein stopped Lisbeth from grumbling with a low and hoarse voice.

"Im...impossible...that guy...don't tell me..."

On hearing this, Asuna really jumped up from sofa. She turned and shouted at Klein, "Klein, do you know him? Who exactly is that guy?"

"No, not really...I couldn't remember his old name...but...I can be certain..."

This swordsman had deep fear in his eyes as he looked at Asuna, and then said, "That guy's... a member of "Laughing Coffin"."

This time, Asuna, and even Lisbeth and Silica gasped. Even for these two girls who lived in the middle levels, the atrocities this brutal murder red guild "Laughing Coffin" committed in Aincrad left a deep impression on them.

Asuna subconsciously placed her hands on their shoulders and timidly asked Klein, "Don...don't tell me...it's the leader of those guys, that one who used a butcher knife...?"

"No...that's "PoH". Their manner of speaking is completely different. However...that 'it's showtime' just now was the catchphrase that 'PoH' loved to say. This guy should be a high-ranking guy beside him..."

Klein seemed to be moaning about something as he finished talking then turned to look at the screen. Asuna and the other 3 looked over as well.

Right in the center of the large screen, the mantle guy kept his black handgun and started moving far away. He moved in a phantom-like gliding motion and arrived at the bridge in the far corner of the screen. However, he didn't cross directly, but went through the perimeter of the bridge before reaching the river. In contrast to the sharp shadows that were caused by the red sunset, the dark grey mantle immediately went into the shadow of the metal bridge and disappeared.

At this moment, Lyfa's weak voice broke the heavy atmosphere in the room.

"Well...what's that "Laughing Coffin"...?"

"Well..."

Silica, who was sitting beside her, explained to Lyfa, who was the only one present not an original SAO player, the killing atrocities the red guild committed and their vanquishing.

On hearing that, Lyfa immediately bit her lips and looked straight at Asuna with her jade-green eyes "Asuna-san, I think onii-chan may know that that person existed in GGO."

"Eh...?"

"He came back really late last night, and I felt that there was something strange about him when I reached home...maybe...he went to GGO to settle a grudge..."

On hearing those words, Asuna was immediately stunned, and this time, Lisbeth silently grabbed her hand. The girl forcefully grabbed her friend's hand to calm her down and then shook her short pink hair to raise the question she had, "But in that case...what about the job? Didn't Kirito go to investigate GGO because of a request?"

That's right. The one who requested Kirito for this job should be the Virtual Division's Kikuoka Seijirou, even if he was the person in charge of the "SAO Case Victims Rescue Force", he should know the relation between Laughing Coffin and the various Guilds.

But at the same time, Kirito's transfer and the existence of the mantle guy shouldn't be just a coincidence. There must be a certain link, something that made Kikuoka notice GGO and request Kirito to assist.

Asuna forcefully took a deep breath, still grabbing on to Lisbeth's hand which was holding hers and said, "I'm going off first to see if I can contact the person who requested Kirito-kun."

"Eh? Asuna-chan, do you know that person?"

"Yeah. Everyone knows him...I'll call him here to confess. He should definitely know the reason behind this. Yui-chan, while I'm gone, can you please check the relevant records of GGO to see if there's data on that mantle player?"

"Got it, mama!"

The black-haired pixie on her shoulder flew to the table and closed her eyes as she started searching through the important information through the vast network flow.

"...Then, please wait for me, everyone!"

Once Asuna finished shouting, she shook her aquamarine hair, jumped over the sofa and quickly called out her window. She again nodded at everyone and immediately pressed the log out button.

The rainbow colors immediately surrounded Asuna's body, causing her soul to fly from the World Tree in the virtual world to the real world that's distant away.

Chapter 12.

Gun Gale Online. The system for this game did not have the "Warrior" or "Mage" class like RPGs in the past.

Each player could choose to increase 6 of their "stats" like strength 'STR', agility 'AGI', vitality 'VIT' and dexterity 'DEX'. Also, there are hundreds of "skills" that include 'masteries', 'suggestion', 'first aid' and 'acrobatics', forming one's own build. In a sense, this means that there were as many classes as the number of builds.