Chapter Summaries

Seiya reluctantly invited Asuna to his home, hoping to keep her away from Nao and Anji, who were upstairs. Nao rushed into the dojo and confronted Asuna, exposing the secret Seiya had tried to keep.

• Seiya turned down Asuna's suggestion to visit a café, but invited her to his home when she insisted on seeing the kendo dojo.
• Nao worried that Seiya was alone with Asuna, and Anji teased her by suggesting Asuna might be after him.
• Anji feared Asuna could be Death Gun and tried to stop Nao from going downstairs and revealing that Seiya did not live alone.
• Seiya showed Asuna the dojo, and she began practicing sword swings and asked to spar with him.
• After Asuna heard noises upstairs, Nao ran into the dojo and accused her of trying to seduce Seiya.
• Asuna questioned Seiya about the younger sister he had never mentioned, while Nao realized she might have misunderstood Asuna.

Nao mistook Asuna for Death Gun and staged a jealous childhood-friend confrontation, while Asuna believed Nao was Seiya’s stepsister who had feelings for him. After the misunderstanding cleared up, Seiya logged into GGO for the BoB preliminaries as Nao and Anji worried about Death Gun targeting him.

• Nao introduced herself to Asuna as Seiya’s stepsister and childhood friend, claiming she would not give him up, while secretly believing Asuna was Death Gun.
• Asuna identified herself as Asuna Yuuki and assumed Seiya had already chosen her over Nao, then left and urged Seiya to comfort his stepsister.
• Nao sneaked back in and asked Seiya whether her acting had fooled Death Gun, revealing that she had mistaken Asuna for the assassin.
• Seiya realized Nao’s cover story had accidentally helped him and considered telling her later that Asuna was his real girlfriend.
• Seiya logged into GGO for the BoB preliminaries while Nao and Anji worried that Death Gun had targeted him.

Seiya attended the Bullet of Bullets preliminaries, where players recognized him as GGO’s undefeated Golden Lion Cub. Shino confronted him while Kirito, disguised as a black-haired girl, followed her, and Seiya recognized Kirito just before Shino reached him.

• GGO players gathered for the BoB preliminaries and discussed Seiya’s reputation and their chances of qualifying.
• Seiya entered the waiting hall, drawing attention for his distinctive SNS-404 avatar and his tournament record.
• Shino spotted Seiya and warned Kirito that Seiya was exceptionally dangerous, especially with his speed, strength, and ability to block Hecate II bullets with a photon sword.
• Shino walked toward Seiya, while Kirito followed her and decided not to worry about Seiya recognizing his disguise.
• Seiya noticed Kirito’s M-9000 avatar, recognized him despite the disguise, and paused long enough for Shino to reach him.

Seiya was caught by Shino in the tournament waiting area and confronted over avoiding their promised PvP rematch. Kirito, disguised as a girl named Kiriko, was exposed by Seiya and dragged him aside to beg him to keep the secret.

• Shino grabbed Seiya and demanded to know why he had avoided their PvP rematch.
• Seiya told Shino they could settle their score in the Bullet of Bullets tournament.
• Kirito introduced himself as Kiriko, and Seiya hinted that he recognized him as his cross-dressing childhood friend.
• Shino condemned Kirito for pretending to be a woman, not realizing that Kiriko was a man.
• Kirito pulled Seiya aside and asked him not to reveal his identity to Shino.

Kirito revealed to Seiya that he had joined GGO to investigate Death Gun, who was linked to Laughing Coffin and might also target Shino. After Shino discovered Kirito was a boy who had concealed his gender, their friendship fractured, but Kirito tried to regain her trust by offering to help her defeat Seiya.

• Kirito told Seiya that he suspected Death Gun was connected to Laughing Coffin, and Seiya confirmed Death Gun's identity and warned that Shino might be a target.
• Kirito told Shino he had approached Seiya as Kiriko to stand up for her, and Shino believed him and vowed to defeat Seiya in the BoB tournament.
• Shino took Kirito into the changing room, discovered he was male, and accused him of deceiving her and secretly knowing Seiya.
• Kirito apologized and offered Shino information about Seiya and help defeating him, and Shino agreed to listen if he stopped lying and explained why he had entered GGO.

Kirito and Shino learned that they were in Group F while Seiya was placed in the professional-heavy Group A. Seiya began his first match against Berserk Bonito, who recognized him as the opponent who had defeated him before and struggled to decide whether to give up.

• Kirito and Shino discovered they had both been assigned to Group F and were relieved to avoid Seiya in the preliminaries.
• Seiya was placed in Group A, which had the highest concentration of professional players.
• Shino explained why veteran players were watching Seiya’s match closely despite his short time in GGO.
• Berserk Bonito used his camouflage to crawl through the rainforest toward the gunshots from his opponent.
• Berserk Bonito spotted Seiya and recognized the player who had humiliated him in their previous match.
• Seiya fired several shots into the air while Berserk Bonito lay hidden and debated whether to forfeit.

Seiya faced Berserk Bonito in a GGO match and revealed that he had used Optical Gloves to catch the machine-gun bullets aimed at him. Berserk Bonito fled after seeing Seiya emerge from the barrage without losing any HP.

• Seiya fired shots into the rainforest to lure Berserk Bonito out, but Berserk Bonito waited for him to run low on ammunition.
• Berserk Bonito ambushed Seiya with a machine-gun barrage after Seiya fired two more shots.
• Seiya dodged through the gunfire and used his equipment menu instead of drawing his Photon Sword.
• Berserk Bonito and the spectators suspected Seiya of cheating when his HP Bar remained unchanged after the barrage.
• Seiya showed everyone the Optical Gloves and revealed a pile of bullet heads he had caught in his hand.
• Berserk Bonito turned and ran after Seiya explained how he had avoided taking damage.

Seiya defeated Berserk Bonito by firing a laser from his Optical Gloves after Berserk Bonito tried to escape. BoB officials rejected complaints against Seiya, leaving him eligible to keep competing with his unconventional weapons.

• Berserk Bonito ran from Seiya and threw a smoke grenade, believing Seiya had run out of ammunition.
• Seiya fired a charged laser from his Optical Gloves through the smoke and defeated Berserk Bonito.
• The contestants watched Seiya return and reconsidered the potential of Optical Gloves and Photon Swords.
• Players complained to BoB officials that Seiya’s weapons disrupted game balance and should be banned.
• BoB officials rejected the complaints, saying Seiya’s weapons were legitimate and his victory came from skill.
• GGO players outside the contestants’ circle supported Seiya, arguing that he had not cheated.

Seiya’s BoB performance and the cheating controversy made him an online sensation, and the revelation that he was SAO’s Saint sent his popularity soaring. As he advanced from the preliminaries, Death Gun became increasingly eager to target him.

• Viewers rallied behind Seiya, causing professional players to withdraw their complaints, while Berserk Bonito gained fame as the opponent who had pushed Seiya hardest.
• Online commenters recognized Seiya as Wenren Seiya, the SAO player known as Saint, and reports about his past spread widely.
• Shino asked Kirito about Seiya’s SAO history, and Kirito explained that Seiya suspected Death Gun was an SAO survivor who had hunted other players.
• Death Gun watched Seiya’s growing fame and became excited at the prospect of killing him publicly.
• Seiya finished the BoB preliminaries as the top player in his group, and Anji and Nao congratulated him on becoming a national idol.

Seiya learned that his success in Gun Gale Online had made him famous, and Asuna told him the game's executives wanted to hire him as a Brand Ambassador. She revealed that her father had called Seiya the Yuuki Family's future son-in-law, leaving Asuna embarrassed while Akihiko schemed to secure Seiya's place in the family.

• Nao showed Seiya forum posts about his sudden fame and told him her classmates wanted his autograph.
• Anji teased Nao by saying Seiya's fame would attract even more girls, dampening Nao's excitement.
• Asuna called Seiya and told him Gun Gale Online's executives wanted to hire him as their Brand Ambassador.
• Asuna explained that Akihiko Yui had told the executives Seiya was the Yuuki Family's future son-in-law.
• Akihiko hoped Seiya would accept the claim and eventually marry Asuna, while Kyoko preferred that Seiya pursue a scholarly future.

Death Gun’s members planned to kill Wenren Seiya during the BoB finals, while the tournament drew a record audience largely because of him. At GGO headquarters, Kamishiro regretted that Seiya had rejected a sponsorship offer and suggested his niece Mei get to know him.

• Shoichi Shinkawa and Atsushi Kanemoto discussed changing Death Gun’s usual killing method for Wenren Seiya, but Kyoji Shinkawa and Shoichi insisted on keeping the group’s signature routine.
• Atsushi Kanemoto resolved to inject Seiya with succinylcholine during the BoB tournament, while the Shinkawa brothers prepared to handle him in the game.
• Thirty finalists entered the BoB free-for-all on a vast desert map, and Seiya’s channel accounted for nearly half of the tournament’s audience.
• Kamishiro lamented that Seiya had rejected GGO’s sponsorship offer and discussed Seiya’s popularity and weapons with his niece, Mei.
• Kamishiro asked Mei whether she was interested in getting to know Seiya.

At the BoB tournament, Seiya searched for Death Gun while eliminating other contestants before they could become targets. After Seiya swiftly defeated Palerider, Nao argued with Anji that her brother Kazuto was no match for Seiya and accused him of spending his time picking up girls.

• Seiya rode across the huge BoB map, planning to eliminate contestants while waiting for Death Gun to reveal himself.
• Palerider ambushed Seiya on the highway, but Seiya dodged the shot and abandoned his motorcycle as it exploded.
• Palerider tried to retreat, then fired blindly at Seiya after a flashbang blinded him.
• Seiya deflected Palerider’s bullets with his lightsaber and cut him in half, eliminating him.
• Nao argued with Anji about viewers comparing Seiya to the Lightsaber User, saying her brother Kazuto had always lost to Seiya.
• Nao switched the livestream camera to Kirito and complained that he was picking up girls instead of helping Seiya.

Kirito rescued Shino from Death Gun’s ambush in GGO and kept her from logging out, while Kyoji Shinkawa abandoned his attack on her to join Atsushi Kanemoto in targeting Wenren Seiya. Shino learned she was still in danger, and Kirito reassured her that Seiya had planned to lure the accomplices to his home.

• Nao watched Kirito stay with Shino instead of immediately meeting Seiya, unaware that Seiya had asked him to protect her from Death Gun.
• Death Gun ambushed Shino in GGO as Kyoji Shinkawa entered her home and prepared to inject her, but Kirito fought off Death Gun and forced him to flee.
• Atsushi Kanemoto ordered Kyoji to stop targeting Shino and meet him so they could attack Wenren Seiya, and Kyoji reluctantly left Shino’s house.
• Kirito told Shino that Death Gun had targeted her and stopped her from logging out, warning that the accomplice might still be near her real body.
• Shino suggested calling the police to protect Seiya, but Kirito explained that Seiya had deliberately made himself bait and suggested the attackers might be the ones walking into a trap.

Death Gun abandoned his plan to target Shino and ambushed Seiya, but Seiya exposed his identity and turned the confrontation against him. Death Gun then used an Optical Disruptor to disable optical weapons for ten minutes, leaving their fight unresolved.

• Death Gun tracked Seiya after Seiya eliminated several GGO players and attacked him from behind with a poisoned dagger while using an Optical Cloak.
• Seiya sensed the ambush, kicked Death Gun away, and explained that Death Gun’s footprints had betrayed his position.
• Seiya identified Death Gun as Sterben and connected him to Shoichi Shinkawa, shocking him.
• Death Gun attacked Seiya and activated an Optical Disruptor that disabled optical weapons in the area for ten minutes.
• Shoichi Shinkawa recalled that Seiya and Kirito had defeated him as Sasha the Red-Eyed in SAO, where Seiya’s Tail Fire Tiger had pinned him down.

Death Gun confronted Seiya with firearms, expecting Seiya’s sealed equipment to leave him vulnerable, but Seiya’s reflexes and shooting skill gave him the advantage. As his health dwindled and the Optical Jammer’s effect neared its limit, Death Gun abandoned his sniper rifle and charged with a metal rapier.

• Shoichi Shinkawa, now Death Gun, challenged Seiya and fired an Accuracy International L115A3 sniper rifle at him.
• Seiya caught the sniper round with his Optical Gloves and dodged Death Gun’s pistol shots while advancing.
• Seiya returned fire and hit Death Gun in the arm and thigh, steadily reducing his HP.
• Death Gun realized Seiya’s shooting skills surpassed his own and that he was losing the exchange.
• Death Gun discarded his sniper rifle, drew a rare-metal rapier, and charged Seiya.

Nao Kirigaya discovered Atsushi Kanemoto and Kyoji Shinkawa breaking into Seiya’s home and confronted them in the dojo. She disarmed Atsushi with her swordsmanship and prepared to strike again.

• Nao spotted Atsushi Kanemoto and Kyoji Shinkawa entering Seiya’s home and went downstairs with her Bamboo Sword.
• Atsushi blamed Kyoji for failing to discover that someone else was in the house, then drew a dagger and threatened Nao.
• Nao declared that she would protect Seiya and the Wenren-style dojo, while Kyoji hesitated and Atsushi charged at her.
• Nao used Wenren-style Swordsmanship, Second Form—Unending Slash, to knock the dagger from Atsushi’s hand.
• Atsushi tried to reach for the fallen dagger, but Nao moved faster.

Nao defeated the intruders Atsushi Kanemoto and Kyoji Shinkawa with her bamboo sword, while Anji protected her and helped restrain them. With the police on the way, Anji questioned the pair about their accomplices and asked whether their GGO contact was a flaxen-haired girl.

• Nao struck Atsushi Kanemoto with her bamboo sword, knocking him unconscious, and Kyoji Shinkawa surrendered.
• Anji came out from hiding with a frying pan and hugged Nao after seeing that she had subdued both intruders.
• Anji explained that she had contacted Kikuoka Seijirou for help and had feared for Nao and Seiya’s safety.
• Anji and Nao tied up Atsushi Kanemoto and Kyoji Shinkawa, and Anji slapped Atsushi when he cursed at them.
• Anji questioned the pair about other accomplices and asked if their GGO contact was a beautiful, long flaxen-haired girl.

Anji and Nao captured Atsushi Kanemoto and Kyoji Shinkawa, who revealed their accomplice Shoichi Shinkawa, while the auburn-haired Asuna’s identity remained a mystery. Meanwhile, Seiya fought Death Gun in GGO and revealed that his modified Optical Gloves concealed a Chain Hook.

• Anji intimidated Atsushi Kanemoto and Kyoji Shinkawa with a syringe, and Kyoji confessed that Shoichi Shinkawa was their accomplice and mastermind.
• Kikuoka Seijirou arrived at Seiya’s home, heard Anji and Nao’s report, and sent teams to arrest Shoichi Shinkawa and detain his father.
• Nao and Anji realized that the auburn-haired Asuna was not one of Death Gun’s three male members and wondered about her connection to Seiya.
• Seiya shivered during his fight with Death Gun, leaving an opening for Death Gun to thrust his rapier toward Seiya’s face.
• Seiya revealed that he had modified his Optical Gloves with a Chain Hook to give himself a close-combat weapon in GGO.

Seiya captured and shot Death Gun in GGO, while Kikuoka Seijirou arrested Shoichi Shinkawa after his attempt to order another attack failed. The BoB tournament continued with Seiya, Kirito, and Shino among the final contestants, and players debated whether Seiya could win.

• Seiya used modified Chain Hooks to restrain Death Gun, identified him as Sasha the Red-Eyed, and shot him at point-blank range.
• Seiya's elimination of Death Gun left three contestants in the BoB tournament, as Kirito and Shino eliminated another player.
• Shoichi Shinkawa learned that Seiya knew his identity and tried to contact Kyoji Shinkawa and Atsushi Kanemoto to attack Seiya.
• Kikuoka Seijirou and his team broke into the Shinkawa home and arrested Shoichi Shinkawa, citing suspected involvement in multiple GGO murders.
• The BoB tournament continued, while GGO players praised Seiya's innovations and discussed his chances against the remaining contestants.

Seiya tried to withdraw from the BoB tournament, but Kirito and Shino challenged him to fight them. Seiya gained the upper hand against Kirito before Shino intervened with a sniper shot, turning the duel into a two-on-one battle.

• Seiya prepared to withdraw from the match until Shino fired near his feet and demanded that he honor his promise to fight her.
• Kirito threatened to reveal Seiya's address to Shino, then charged him while Shino set up her Hecate II behind cover.
• Seiya and Kirito exchanged gunfire and more than a hundred lightsaber strikes, exciting the tournament spectators.
• Seiya dodged Kirito's close-range shot, switched to a Gauntlet, and punched him in the abdomen.
• Shino shot at Seiya as he moved to finish Kirito, but Seiya deflected the sniper bullet with his lightsaber and accused them of ganging up on him.