Sword Art Online - Volume 5 - Phantom Bullet Read online

  Sword Art Online

  Volume 5

  ~Phantom Bullet~

  Written by:

  Reki Kawahara

  Illustrations by:

  Abec

  Hosted by:

  Baka-Tsuki

  Translators:

  Black Cats of the Full Moon

  Teh Ping

  Editors:

  Aorii

  Black Cats of the Full Moon

  Saorian

  Thinklife

  DrFaust

  Chancs

  Zero2001

  Prologue

  “AGI(Agility) being all powerful is just an illusion!”

  The man’s high tones spread throughout the spacious bar.

  “It is true that AGI is an important attribute as it determines firing speed and avoidance rate. These two factors could make you very strong, until now that is.”

  That speech came from a player in the square holo-panel floating in the center of the dim shop.

  It was the net broadcast, «MMO Stream»’s popular corner, «This Week’s Winning Group». You could watch it in the real world from a television or a computer, but it was also broadcasted in many VRMMO worlds’ inns and bars simultaneously, so most players liked to watch it «inside».

  Especially when the guest player was from «This World».

  “But AGI is a relic of the past and to the cripples who had been increasing AGI for 8 months, I can only say this - you have my condolences.”

  This sarcastic speech caused a loud chorus of booing to erupt in the shop, and many bottles and glasses were smashed onto the floor scattering as tiny pieces of polygon before disappearing.

  But «he» ignored all the fuss and sat curled up in the sofa at the shop’s deepest corner.

  With his camouflage cloak’s hood pulled down to his eyebrows and his lower face covered by a thick cloth, he coldly surveyed the shop interior.

  He hated not only the man on the screen with his nose in the air, but was also displeased with the dumb looks of the players watching the TV. Everyone booing and howling like wolves, but still enjoying the festival-like disturbances.

  Why were they so mindless, «he» could not understand. The man in the TV became the strongest in the world only by pure luck, and at the same time became the biggest exploiter.

  In front of all the players who paid connection fees, he was a strutting gamer.

  Like «him», all the players should envy and hate that guy. If that feeling was ugly, so be it : to hide it by just laughing with a mixture of ugliness, it wasn’t funny at all.

  «He» was very tense under his cloak, and he breathed out from between tightly clenched teeth. It was not yet time, and pulling the trigger would come just a bit later.

  He returned his gaze to the holo-panel, as the camera zoomed-out, the show’s host to the speaker’s right and another guest sitting to his left came into the frame.

  The hostess of the show, a girl dressed in a full body techno-pop style outfit, said sweetly :

  “Truly, as a top player in one of the hardest of all the VRMMO games, «Gun Gale Online», what you just told us is a bit extreme.”

  “No, being interviewed on «MST» is a once in a life time thing and I’ve said what I wanted to say.”

  “Well, well, well, You will be aiming to win the «Bullet of Bullets» this time too, right?”

  “Of course, if I enter I would want to be the winner.”

  The man combed his long silvered-blue hair, and faced the camera with an undefeated announcement. The shop was once again ravaged by a storm of booing.

  MMO Stream wasn’t Gun Gale Online’s, normally called GGO, internal content, but the host and guests were avatars, not their real bodies. «This Week’s Winning Group» went to different VRMMO games each week and invited their top players for the interview show. This week’s guests were from GGO’s previous monthly battle royal, known as Bullet of Bullets (BoB). It was used to determine the strongest players, and the guests were the winner and runner-up player.

  “But, Zekushiido-san.”

  After hearing the boasting of the winner with long silver hair, the runner-up opened his mouth, unable to bear it any longer.

  “BoB isn’t a solo encounter. The 2nd time might not be the same result, what is all this talk about winning based on attribute type?”

  “No no, this winning result is to show the whole of GGO and as Yamikaze-san is an AGI type, I understand your feelings of denial.”

  The winner called Zekushiido immediately retorted.

  “…Till now, increasing AGI, and shooting high powered weapons at a fast pace was the best style. That also gave an increased evasion bonus, which helped compensate for the low stamina. But MMOs are not like standalone games, and game balances can change over time. Especially with this level up aspect, you can’t change your attributes around, so you have to plan beforehand for endgame and use your points wisely. Even if a fighting style is strongest at this level bracket, in the next level that might not be true. You will understand if you think about it, the weapons coming out from now on will need increasing STR and Accuracy to use. Winning by using evasion to avoid damage is a naive belief that won’t always last and my fight with Yamikaze-san showed that. Your bullets were blocked by my bullet-resistant armor and lost their power, but my shots hit 70% of the time. To say it clearly, from now on it’s time for a STR-VIT style.”

  Reined in by that storm of words, Yamikaze’s face became distorted by chagrin.

  “…But, this is the result of the rare gun that barely met your strength requirement which Zekushiido-san had acquired right before the tournament. How much did you pay for it anyways?”

  “No way! That was a rare drop I looted through my efforts. For this reason, the most important attribute might really be Luck, hahaha.”

  While the silver haired man laughed in the holo-panel, «He» stared with resentment, and his right hand moved under his cloak. Looking for the grip at the holster on his waist, he held on to the hard metallic surface. Almost - almost, the time was almost upon him. He looked at the time displayed on the side of his field of vision. Just one minute and twenty seconds more.

  The two people sitting at a table beside «him», were chatting while taking drinks from their jugs.

  “Blah, saying good conditions. Back then, Zekushiido-san was the one who said AGI type was the strongest.”

  “Thinking back now, that popular rumor might have been a trap… We were tricked…”

  “Does this mean that saying that the STR-VIT setup is now the strongest is also a bluff?”

  “Then what did he really do? Increase LUK?”

  “You do it.”

  “No way.”

  As the two laughed, their words made «him» even angrier. How could anyone laugh like that after finding out they had been tricked, He could not understand.

  - But, that foolish laughter would soon freeze in their throats, when they saw the real strength, the real strongest player.

  Finally, it was time.

  «He» stood up with barely a sound and moved step by step between the tables. No one stayed within «his» eyes.

  Foolish people… tremble in fear.

  «He» stopped at the center of the bar, directly under the holo-panel. From his waist holster under his cloak, he drew out a rustic handgun.

  Like concentrated, crystallized darkness, it gave off a cold, black, metallic shine. Even the grip of the gun was metallic, instead of serrations, and the center was embellished with stars. From the shape alone, it did not look very powerful and looked similar to any other automatic handgun available everywhere.

  But that gun ha
d a «Real Strength».

  With a click, «He» pulled back the cylinder and loaded a round, and with trembling hands pointed the gun up - at the holo-panel. Aimed at the forehead of the laughing Zekushiido, the strongest player.

  «He» remained like that for a while, and the people around finally noticed him and became noisy. Even for the unlimited PK game GGO, attacking in the streets was not possible. Even if it could fire, it wouldn’t damage any player or object.

  A few people laughed at «His» pointless action but «He» was not affected, and continued to aim the black gun.

  In the panel, Zekushiido continued his nasty tirade.

  Zekushiido’s real body was lying somewhere, with the «AmuSphere» on his head connecting him to MMO Stream’s virtual studio. That was, he had no idea that a gun was aimed at his character on the TV screen of a bar, at the shopping center in GGO’s world capital «SBC Gurokken».

  But «His» mouth opened, and shouted as loud as he could.

  “Zekushiido! You fake winner! Now, taste the truth of real power!!”

  Surrounded by the stunned silence of players nearby, «He» held up his left hand, with his finger going to his head, chest, left shoulder, then right shoulder making the sign of a cross.

  While lowering his left hand, his right hand pulled the trigger.

  In the dim bar, the metallic bullet flew in a straight line - and hit the front of the holo-panel, a small light effect flashed.

  That was all. On the screen, Zekushiido’s mouth kept moving.

  At that time, laughter filled the shop. ‘Ahaha’ ‘He did it’ and other words were spoken and over the amused chattering, Zekushiido’s speech continued.

  “…In the end, including selecting stats and skills, it all depends on the player’s real life strengths and abilities…”

  Suddenly, the voice froze.

  The crowd in the bar turned back to the panel.

  Zekushiido, with his mouth still wide open, froze with bulging eyes. His hand raised weakly, trying to grasp the center of his chest.

  Immediately, his character disappeared, leaving only the polygon chair behind and the host quickly said in panic.

  “Oh no, his connection seems to be disconnected but he should be back soon, everyone do not change your channel and stay tune…”

  But no one in the shop heard these words as, in the stunned silence, everyone had turned to focus on «Him».

  «He» relaxed his aim at the monitor and pulled back his gun holding it horizontally. In this pose, he slowly turned around and looked at the shocked players in the shop.

  After one complete revolution, he again held his black gun high in the air and shouted.

  “…This, is real strength, real power! Foolish people, engrave the fear of this name in your hearts!”

  He took a deep breath-

  “This gun’s name and I : «Death Pistol» - «Death Gun»!!”

  «He» sheathed the gun in his holster and waved his left hand for the menu window.

  While pressing the Log Out button, «His» feeling of triumph, was multiplied by his raging hunger for more.

  Chapter 1

  “Welcome, table for one?”

  As the waiter bowed respectfully, I replied that I was looking for someone, and swept my eyes across the vast expanse of the cafe.

  From a window seat inside, a loud and unreserved voice immediately called me over.

  “Hey Kirito-kun, over here!”

  Elegant classical music circulated around the dining area, and the low chattering of pleasant conversation died down within a split-second as I entered, all eyes focused on me with criticism. Dressed in my old leather jacket and patched jeans, about 80% of the store - upper-class women taking a break from shopping - seemed to feel that I was in the wrong place; I felt resentment starting to swell up from deep within towards the person who asked me to come here.

  If it were a sweet and attractive girl, I would have been able to put up with it, but unfortunately the hand waving at me belonged to a man in a suit. I didn’t bother to conceal my displeasure and sat into the chair roughly with a ‘dosun’ sound.

  A waiter emerged at my side to present me with a cool glass of water and a warm hand towel, along with the menu. As I picked up the elegant wooden and leather cover, a sunny voice expressed itself from across the table.

  “It’s my treat this time, so order whatever you like.”

  “I would have even if you didn’t say that.”

  I retorted sharply and scrolled my eyes down the menu; shockingly, their cheapest item «Choux à la Crème» was already in the 1200 yen range, and I almost ordered a plain coffee by pure reflex. After remembering that this man was a highly paid bureaucrat, and that the cost of such entertainment would be covered as a business expense by hard-earned taxpayer money, I, who had nearly been taken for an idiot, calmly began ordering.

  “Aah… I will have the parfait au chocolat… and a mille-feuille… and finally a hazelnut coffee.”

  Somehow, I had managed to say the entire order without biting my tongue despite having absolutely no idea what I had just ordered. The menu choices added up to three thousand nine hundred yen. I had considered asking for just a hamburger and shake, using the difference to line my pockets with.

  “Very well, Sir.”

  Waiter-shi eloquently took his leave, and finally taking a breath, I looked up at the man, called Kikuoka Seijirou, as he ate a ginormous pudding stacked over a veritable mountain of fresh cream.

  His face resembled your typical serious and strict Japanese language teacher, with his black frame glasses and tacky hair look. Despite not looking the part, he was indeed a Japanese government official. He belonged to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Technology, Second Separated Advanced Network Division, or, as it’s called within the ministry, the Virtual Storage Management Sector of the Communication Network’s Management Division; the «Virtual Division».

  In other words, this man monitored the state of chaos in the new VR world, as an agent of the State… or a potential scapegoat. Normally, I would feel bad if he did get fired from his position, but in reality, I thought it was highly possible.

  It is this unfortunate Kikuoka-shi who, having finally inhaled the last of the pudding into his mouth, looked up to reveal an innocent smile with pure bliss plastered over his face.

  “Yah, Kirito-kun, sorry for calling you out on such short notice.”

  “If you feel any remorse then you should not have called me to Ginza in the first place.”

  “The fresh cream here is the best. Maybe I should get a Cream Puff while we’re at it…”

  While wiping my hands with the citrus scented towel, I let out a sigh and said:

  “…and also, I don’t think you have the right to call me ‘Kirito’.”

  “That’s so cruel ~~ wasn’t I the first person by your side when you woke up a year ago?”

  ー Unfortunately, it is a fact that having just escaped that «Death Game», I woke up with Kikuoka, the home-side response team agent of the time, at my bedside.

  Back then, I had used polite and courteous speech, as he had seemed well-meaning and genuinely concerned, but I soon realized that was not his only reason for getting close to me, and I started using a sharp tongued manner of speech. It could have been his intentions to exploit me from the start - but that might just be me over-analyzing things.

  I glanced over to Kikuoka, who seemed distressed over the decision of placing yet another order, and opened my mouth after realizing that I should not let myself get caught in his pace.

  “News has it that a huge deposit of rare metals was discovered at Sagami Bay, and the related big shots have organized a celebratory Oklahoma mixer dance. Don’t be so troubled over just one cream puff.”

  These words caused Kikuoka to raise his head, blink a few times, and smile.

  “Well, no matter the yield gained, because it is unrelated to my department, I do not believe we will benefit from it. I’ll
just bear with my hunger, for the sake of our economy.”

  The diplomat snapped the menu shut and I let out yet another sigh.

  “Ok then, it is about time you tell me why you called me here. …I bet it’s just to investigate another virtual crime isn’t it?”

  “Oh, Kirito-kun saying it straight out really makes this easier.”

  After such a bold statement, Kikuoka took a briefcase from the chair next to him and pulled out a very thin tablet terminal.

  - Yes, after all, this man used survivors of Japan’s largest net crime, «The Sword Art Online Incident», like me as informants.

  Normally, to investigate the origins of a crime, Public Safety would generally pay a fee for information provided by «Collaborators» and «Watchdogs», among other things, making it like a «Business Deal». If that were the case, then calling me out to eat cake like this could be seen as just «Business» with Kikuoka.

  I really wanted to think of it that way, but this was the same man who had broken the rules to tell me which hospital Asuna was in, and that was a debt that I still owed him.

  Without that information, I would have been delayed in finding Yuuki Asuna in the real world and as such, it may not have been possible to find out the devilish plots of Sugou Nobuyuki and rescue Asuna from his clutches.

  As such, for the time being given the circumstances, I did not object to being Kikuoka’s «Watchdog» very much. Although quite recently I have stopped using polite and courteous speech and started ordering the more expensive cakes.

  Meanwhile, whether or not he was aware of that fact, my benefactor played around with his tablet terminal and said lazily:

  “Weeell, about that, this time it’s about the increase in the rate of virtual space crimes, you see…”

  “Hmm. Specifically?”

  “Let’s see… Just this November more than 100 cases of virtual theft, property damage, and etc. were observed and filed. Moreover, there have been 13 cases in which VR game disputes have lead to real world manifestations with one incident leading to death… That one case had been quite a big incident so Kirito-kun must know about it already, someone made a replica western sword and swung it around Shinjuku Station slashing two people to death. Uhyaa, the blade was 1.2 meters long, and weighed 3.5 kg. How did he manage to swing that thing around?”