Chapter Summaries

Seiya considered reopening the Wenren Kendo Dojo now that he had recovered from SAO, while Nao Kirigaya continued caring for him with homemade meals. He discovered that although he had profited from lending money to SAO players, he lacked the funds to restart the dojo.

• Seiya told Nao Kirigaya she did not need to bring him lunch, but she insisted on looking after his recovery and left to attend school.
• Seiya reflected on Nao's devotion and wondered whether her feelings for him went beyond seeing him as an older brother.
• Seiya considered reopening the Wenren Kendo Dojo and thought Akihiko Yui could help him obtain the necessary permits.
• Seiya realized he lacked the money to reopen the dojo, despite having collected most of his SAO loans and earned about sixty percent profit.
• Seiya chose not to pursue the few debtors who refused to repay him and felt his lending had helped many players survive SAO.

Seiya worried that the costs of reopening his family dojo had left him nearly broke when Seijiro Kikuoka arrived with a request. Kikuoka explained that players shot by a mysterious GGO competitor called Death Gun had died in real life, and the chapter left Seiya hearing about the suspicious deaths.

• Seiya realized that paying his expenses had left him short of the money needed to reopen the dojo.
• Seijiro Kikuoka visited Seiya and asked to speak with him.
• Seiya recognized Kikuoka as the official who had arranged Kirito's involvement in later virtual worlds.
• Kikuoka explained that GGO had become a popular firearms-focused game where players competed in tournaments and could engage in PK duels.
• Kikuoka told Seiya that GGO players shot by Death Gun during a tournament had died at home from sudden heart failure.

Seijiro Kikuoka recruited Seiya to investigate Death Gun in GGO, and Seiya agreed after negotiating a generous payment. Confident that he knew Death Gun’s identity and could protect himself, Seiya planned to dive from home and prepare a feast with his new money.

• Seijiro Kikuoka explained that the Ministry of Internal Affairs suspected Death Gun would appear in the Bullet of Bullets tournament and asked Seiya to help investigate.
• Seiya pointed out the danger and demanded payment, and Kikuoka agreed to a generous reward.
• Seiya turned down the safe house and asked to receive the proposed expenses as cash, while Kikuoka kept a nurse assigned to protect him at home.
• After Kikuoka left the Wenren Family's Kendo Dojo, Seiya admired the check and headed to the market to buy food for an extra feast.
• Seiya decided to dive from home and use his real address for the tournament, confident he could handle Death Gun if he came looking for him.

Seiya began his first dive into GGO to learn the game before the BoB tournament and investigate Death Gun. After creating his character as Wenren Seiya, he appeared in GGO as a tiny blond boy.

• Anji attached medical sensors to Seiya so she could monitor his heart while he dived, and Nao objected to her touching him.
• Nao told Anji she wanted to stay at the dojo to protect Seiya, but her mother had refused to let her spend the night there.
• Anji teased Nao about being a childhood friend and suggested that a girl who fell from the sky could win Seiya's affection.
• Seiya entered GGO and registered under his real name, Wenren Seiya, hoping it might draw Death Gun's attention.
• GGO assigned Seiya a virtual body model that made him a one-meter-twenty blond boy, and he accepted the appearance as long as he still had his equipment.

Seiya discovered that his SNS-404 avatar was an ultra-rare, highly valuable model in GGO. After learning that its small size offered a practical advantage in gunfights, he left the crowd to try the game for himself.

• Seiya logged into GGO and attracted attention because his avatar was the rare SNS-404 model.
• Several players offered to buy Seiya’s account, with some valuing it at ten million or more.
• Seiya asked the players whether rare avatars had special abilities, and they explained that GGO kept character stats balanced.
• A passerby explained that smaller avatars were harder to hit, making models like Seiya’s valuable in gunfights and competitions.
• Seiya thanked the crowd and left to test GGO’s controls and mechanics himself.

Seiya entered Gun Gale Online to earn money and joined a Bounty Tournament after buying a cheap Antique Revolver. He survived an ambush in the desert and charged his opponent at close range, while the other player prepared to shoot him.

• Seiya refused to spend real money, bought the 500-gretid Antique Revolver, and used his remaining funds to enter the Bounty Tournament.
• The tournament teleported Seiya into a desert, where he dodged a nearby player's machine-gun barrage.
• The opponent mocked Seiya's weapon and began reloading, but Seiya fired twice and hit him once without eliminating him.
• Seiya charged toward the opponent to overcome the revolver's limited range, and the opponent finished reloading and sneered at his close-range attack.

Seiya defeated Berserk Bonito in the Bounty Tournament by dodging his machine-gun fire, disarming him, and landing a close-range headshot with an Antique Revolver. Berserk Bonito and his friends watched Seiya’s match footage and confirmed that the seemingly skilled fighter was indeed a newbie.

• Seiya dodged Berserk Bonito’s machine-gun fire across the desert and closed to within a meter of him.
• Seiya kicked away Berserk Bonito’s Desert Eagle and killed him with a headshot from the Antique Revolver.
• Berserk Bonito returned from the match and told his friends that a seemingly new player had defeated him.
• Berserk Bonito searched for Wenren Seiya’s ID and watched him eliminate another player with the Antique Revolver.
• Berserk Bonito’s friends recognized Seiya’s avatar as SNS-404 and concluded that he was a genuine newbie.

Wenren Seiya stunned the Bounty Tournament spectators by eliminating player after player with only an Antique Revolver. After dodging Shino’s long-range sniper shot, Seiya charged toward her position, leaving the tournament’s final duel underway.

• Berserk Bonito told his friend that Seiya was a genuine GGO newbie whose skills had improved astonishingly quickly.
• Eliminated players watched Seiya defeat more than ten opponents and began to admire his skill.
• Seiya used the radar to find and eliminate another player, then dodged a sniper shot that struck where he had been standing.
• Shino, using her Hecate from a rocky outcrop nearly two kilometers away, fired again at Seiya’s cover.
• Seiya traced Shino’s shots to her position and leaped from cover to charge across the desert.

Seiya repeatedly dodged Shino’s Hecate II sniper rounds as he closed the distance between them. At close range, Seiya recognized his final opponent as Asada Shino, one of Lord Kirito’s harem members.

• Shino aimed her Hecate II at Seiya and fired, but he dodged the bullet with a forward flip.
• Shino fired again as Seiya approached, and he evaded the shot with a side roll.
• Seiya sprinted to within a hundred meters, leaving Shino at a disadvantage with her sniper rifle.
• Shino stayed atop a reef rock and asked Seiya how he could dodge Hecate rounds.
• Seiya recognized Shino as Asada Shino, one of Lord Kirito’s harem members.

Seiya defeated Shino in the Bounty Tournament by using his Antique Revolver to block a Hecate II bullet, then eliminated her with his final shot. He claimed the 100,000 gretid prize and returned to his starting point as the watching GGO players erupted.

• Shino asked Seiya how he had dodged a sniper bullet, and he said he had seen it coming and moved aside.
• Seiya and Shino exchanged shots at close range, with Seiya hitting Shino in the chest and Shino firing her Hecate II at him.
• Seiya placed his Antique Revolver in the Hecate II bullet's path, sacrificing it to block the shot.
• Seiya's final shot hit Shino's vital point and eliminated her, earning him the tournament victory.
• Seiya received 100,000 gretid and was teleported back as the GGO players following the tournament erupted.

After Wenren Seiya’s victory over Shino made him famous in Gun Gale Online, Shoichi Shinkawa recognized him as a former enemy and discussed targeting him with Johnny Block. Shoichi told Kyoji that Seiya had defeated Akihiko Kayaba and was revered as a hero by SAO survivors, but was an enemy to Laughing Coffin.

• Berserk Bonito praised Seiya’s unlikely win, and recordings of the match spread across Gun Gale Online.
• Shoichi Shinkawa noticed Seiya’s viral match and considered him an ideal target with Johnny Block, another Death Gun member.
• Shoichi’s brother Kyoji learned that Seiya had appeared in Gun Gale Online and asked about him.
• Shoichi explained that Seiya had defeated Akihiko Kayaba and was a hero to SAO survivors, but an enemy to him and Johnny Block.

Seiya’s plan to use himself as bait for Death Gun was disrupted when his Bounty Tournament victory brought him to Shino’s attention. After refusing her rematch, he asked her for advice on buying a lightsaber, leaving her baffled by his preference for swordsmanship in a firearms game.

• The chapter explained that Death Gun was a plot by Shoichi Shinkawa, Kyoji Shinkawa, and Atsushi Kanemoto, who killed GGO targets in the Real World using Succinylcholine.
• Seiya entered GGO as Wenren Seiya to lure Death Gun out, but his Bounty Tournament victory quickly made him famous.
• Shino challenged Seiya to a rematch after he defeated her with an Antique Revolver, but he refused and planned to buy weapons with his prize money.
• Shino offered to advise Seiya on choosing firearms, but he said he wanted a lightsaber because he was better at swordsmanship.
• Shino suspected Seiya was teasing her to avoid a match when he also said he wanted Gauntlets for martial arts.

Seiya spent most of his Bounty Tournament winnings on a lightsaber and handgun after Shino advised him on GGO equipment. After logging out, he rejoined Nao and Anji, whose teasing turned into an argument about whether Anji had touched him while he was unconscious.

• Seiya told Shino he had 100,000 gretid and learned that even the cheapest lightsaber cost about 80,000.
• On Shino's recommendation, Seiya bought a Hanguang G-1 lightsaber and an FN-seve handgun, but he could not afford armor.
• Shino declined Seiya's request for another PvP match, saying she would challenge him again once he had proper equipment.
• Seiya logged out of GGO and overheard Nao and Anji teasing each other before he opened his eyes.
• Anji noticed Seiya waking through his medical equipment, while Nao asked whether he had heard or seen anything.
• Seiya denied witnessing their antics, then teased Anji after she claimed she was not interested in him.

Seiya’s awkward exchange with Nao exposed that she had seen him while caring for him during his time trapped in Sword Art Online, leaving her embarrassed. The next morning, Anji and Nao agreed to move into Seiya’s house despite his objections, with Anji offering to help secure Nao’s mother’s permission for her to stay.

• Nao blurted out a remark that made Seiya and Anji suspect she knew more about him than she let on, then fled in embarrassment.
• Anji stayed overnight because it was too late to travel home, while Nao hid under her covers and recalled caring for Seiya during his time in Sword Art Online.
• At breakfast, Anji praised Nao’s cooking and announced that she would move into Seiya’s house during his Gun Gale Online investigation missions.
• Anji offered to persuade Nao’s mother to let Nao stay if Nao agreed to her moving in, and Nao accepted after Anji promised not to pursue Seiya.
• Anji and Nao overruled Seiya and moved into his house, leaving him worried about the complications involving Nao and Asuna.

Seiya built a reputation in GGO as Golden Lion Cub by winning Bounty Tournaments with a mix of lightsaber attacks and improving firearm skills. After he logged off, Shino remained frustrated that she could not face him again and met a black-haired girl who had been chased.

• Seiya practiced shooting, competed in weekly Bounty Tournaments, and earned enough prize money to assemble a full set of equipment.
• Seiya defeated another player in a Bounty Tournament by deflecting bullets with his lightsaber and landing a pistol headshot, reinforcing his reputation as Golden Lion Cub.
• Seiya exchanged his tournament winnings for real-world currency and logged off, while Shino realized he had finished before her again.
• As Shino was about to log off, a black-haired girl bumped into her and apologized, explaining that someone had been chasing her.

Kirito entered GGO to secretly help Seiya investigate Death Gun, but his rare M-9000 avatar made players pursue him and Shino mistook him for a female newbie. Shino offered to guide him and suggested he enter a hundred-player Bounty Tournament with a weak starter gun, leaving Kirito doubtful that he could win.

• Kirito overheard Nao explain Seiya’s undercover mission and secretly entered GGO to help his childhood friend investigate Death Gun.
• Kirito’s rare M-9000 avatar attracted merchants who wanted to buy it, and he encountered Shino after escaping them.
• Shino mistook Kirito for a female player and offered to answer his questions as an experienced GGO veteran.
• Kirito concealed that he was a man and asked Shino how to earn money quickly with his initial 1,000 gretid.
• Shino suggested he spend 500 gretid on an Antique Revolver and try to win the hundred-player Bounty Tournament, leaving Kirito incredulous.

Kirito asked Shino how to earn money quickly in Gun Gale Online and entered the Cowboy NPC’s challenge, where he dodged the shots and won the 210,000-gretid prize pool. Shino was stunned by his performance and questioned whether he was really a newbie, while Kirito tried to conceal his male identity.

• Kirito declined Shino’s offer to lend him money and asked how else he could earn gretid quickly.
• Shino explained the Cowboy NPC challenge and warned Kirito that its difficulty increased sharply at close range.
• Kirito paid the 1,000-gretid fee and dodged the Cowboy NPC’s volleys as he charged down the corridor.
• Kirito slid beneath the NPC’s rapid shots, touched him, and claimed the accumulated prize pool.
• Shino questioned Kirito’s reflexes and whether he was truly a newbie, and Kirito blamed the trajectory prediction lines.

Kirito denied knowing Wenren Seiya when Shino questioned him, but his interest in a rare lightsaber made her suspect they were connected. After buying weapons in GGO, Kirito returned to the real world, where Anji confronted Seiya about the adult study materials she had found under his bed.

• Shino asked Kirito whether he knew Wenren Seiya, but Kirito denied it and claimed their similar reflexes came from playing melee-focused games.
• Shino explained GGO’s weapon options to Kirito, who stopped at a display of niche lightsabers and drew her suspicion again.
• Kirito learned that Seiya had defeated Shino and kept avoiding her, then bought a Lightsaber Kage G4 and an FN Five-seveN pistol.
• Seiya logged out of GGO, received another payment, and asked Nao how Kazuto was recovering.
• Anji emerged from the bathroom in a towel and teased Seiya about the adult study materials she had found beneath his bed.

Seiya registered for the BoB tournament knowing Death Gun was watching, then prepared to use himself as bait when Death Gun targeted players who lived alone. When someone rang his doorbell, Nao saw a girl at the entrance and froze.

• Seiya registered for BoB and gave Death Gun his real address, while Death Gun recorded that he lived alone.
• Kyoji Shinkawa confirmed Seiya's address and believed he lived by himself.
• Seiya told Anji and Nao that Death Gun might attack him at home during the tournament and planned to use himself as bait.
• Anji objected to the plan, but Nao showed her confidence by swinging her Bamboo Sword with force.
• When the doorbell rang, Seiya went to answer it while Nao watched from upstairs and saw a girl at the door.

Nao and Anji mistook Asuna, who came to visit Seiya, for the real-world killer Death Gun and imagined how she might lure victims. Asuna explained why she had not seen Seiya earlier and asked to come inside, while privately hoping to see his family’s Kendo Dojo and imagining a future with him.

• Nao and Anji saw the beautiful woman outside the Wenren Family home and speculated that she was Death Gun using her appearance to deceive shut-ins.
• Seiya opened the door and recognized Asuna, who greeted him and teased him for looking unhappy to see her.
• Asuna told Seiya she had come because he had not visited or contacted her, and she had heard the SAO and ALO servers were still being adjusted.
• Seiya said he had been busy with a quest and thought Asuna had refused to see him before, but Asuna explained she had been recovering from ALO and was embarrassed about her condition.
• Asuna reminded Seiya to invite her inside and looked forward to seeing his home and Kendo Dojo, while privately considering whether it might someday become her home too.