"Incredible... you really can drive this thing," Sinon shouted over the roar of the engine.
"It's a bumpy ride!" Kirito called back, gripping the handlebars. "Hang on tight if you don't want to get tossed!"
The buggy tore away at full throttle, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. From the shadows of the shop, Ikoma stepped out to stand beside Shana.
"I can't believe Kirito-san ended up with an avatar like that..."
"Gave you a shock, didn't it?" Shana asked with a smirk.
"Yeah. A big one."
"Just wait. Once this is all over, I'm calling him 'Kiriko' for the rest of his life."
Ikoma let out a dry, strained laugh, watching the distant speck of the buggy with a look of profound disbelief. "But why is he even here in GGO?"
"Right. I suppose I should fill you in on the details."
The two headed back toward the safety of Mount Kurama, where Shana began explaining the gravity of the "Death Gun" incident.
"What? People are actually... dying?"
Ikoma, who spent most of his time cooped up in his workshop, had been completely insulated from the dark rumors swirling through the capital.
"I don't suppose... this could be the work of Laughing Coffin again?" he asked tentatively.
"Maybe," Shana mused, her eyes narrowing. "But even for them, killing someone through a game monitor from the outside... it feels impossible."
"You're right..."
"Hmm..."
They both fell silent, arms crossed, lost in a maze of theories that led nowhere.
"Anyway," Shana said, breaking the silence. "I'm going to log out for a bit to monitor Kirito's progress from the real world. If he comes back asking questions, just play it cool. If the cat gets out of the bag, so be it."
"Understood. Good luck."
With a final nod, Shana initiated the logout sequence.
"Wow... driving like this is a completely different kind of thrill than a car," Sinon remarked as the wind whipped past them.
"You know how to drive a car?" Kirito asked.
"Only in-game. But I'm good at it."
"Maybe I should finally get my license... I only have a 'license' for the other side," Kirito said, his voice dropping slightly as he thought of his real-world age.
"It would probably be useful," Sinon agreed.
As they spoke, the massive silhouette of the Governor's Office loomed ahead.
"Looks like we're going to make it with time to spare," Sinon said. "Oh, and one thing—a warning. When you register, there's a section for 'Real-World Rewards.' If you make it to the finals, they can ship you physical prizes, like model guns."
"Oh, really?"
"But to get them, you have to input your real name and address. My squadron leader warned us never to do it. It's too risky to put your personal info into a game database like that."
"Yeah, that makes sense. Even if no one's supposed to see it, leaks happen. It's not worth the risk."
"I'm glad you're quick on the uptake."
"Personal info..." Kirito muttered. Something about the phrase tugged at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite catch the thread.
"Alright, let's get this—"
Kirito stopped mid-sentence. He went rigid, his eyes darting around the crowded plaza.
"What's wrong?" Sinon asked.
"I... I feel like someone's watching us."
"Isn't that just because of your avatar? You're kind of a head-turner."
"Shut up! I'm serious, don't tease me about that!"
Kirito continued to scan the crowd with predatory intensity. After a long moment, the tension finally drained from his shoulders.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. That... nasty feeling is gone."
"A nasty feeling, huh?" Sinon wondered if it might have been a member of that "Laughing Coffin" group Shana had mentioned. But with the clock ticking, she nudged Kirito toward the terminal. "The deadline is almost here. Let's just get you registered."
"Right."
They finished the entry process and stepped back out of the building, both exhaling in relief.
"We made it," Sinon said. "Thanks for the ride. Seriously."
"Don't mention it. It was my fault we were late in the first place..."
"Well, you're not wrong."
"Hey! You're supposed to disagree with me!"
"But it was your fault. Yours and Shana's."
"Ugh... that Shana... I am never forgiving her for this!"
The Real World: Kikuoka's Task Force Headquarters
"Hachiman-kun... pfft!" Kikuoka was doubled over, barely containing his laughter. "What a performance. A 'man's way of life,' indeed!"
"Kikuoka-san..." Hachiman groaned, burying his face in his hands.
"I have to admit," Kurokawa added, her tone clinically calm despite the twinkle in her eyes. "The way you delivered that 'Hey ladies, want to grab tea?' line was shocking. But then pivoting to 'Sorry, here's an apology gift! I'm out!'... I didn't see that coming."
"Kurokawa-san, please stop giving me a play-by-play of my own shame," Hachiman begged.
"If you're still in the mood, I wouldn't mind going for tea after this," Aki teased, leaning in.
"Not you too, Aki-san..."
Hachiman tried to maintain a stoic mask while he watched the monitor, but Kirito's next words on screen shattered it instantly.
『Ugh... that Shana... I am NEVER forgiving her for this!』
"It's my fault?!" Hachiman barked at the screen.
The three others turned to him with pitying, "lukewarm" smiles.
"Well, you can't exactly deny it," Kikuoka said.
"I feel like there were better ways to handle that," Kurokawa mused.
"Yeah," Aki added. "That was just... no. Just no."
Hachiman slumped in his chair, forced to endure their mockery in silence. On the monitor, Sinon had led Kirito to a firing range to give him a crash course in marksmanship.
"Good girl, Sinon," Hachiman muttered. "Always looking out for the team."
"Let's see how our hero does with a gun," Kikuoka said.
Kirito took his stance and squeezed the trigger. The bullets clipped the very edges of the target; only a handful landed anywhere near the center.
"Wait... what?" Kirito's avatar muttered on screen.
"It shouldn't be that hard to hit a stationary target," Sinon noted. "Is it the system?"
"The bullet circle contracts with your heartbeat," Kurokawa explained to the room. "You have to time the shot between beats."
"He looks like he's rushing his shots," Aki observed. "Is he actually bad at this?"
"The Great Kirito... defeated by a target," Kikuoka chuckled.
After a few more rounds, Kirito seemed to realize he was wasting Sinon's time.
『I think I'm starting to get the hang of it,』 Kirito said on screen. 『I can handle the rest on my own. Thanks for everything today, Sinon.』
『You don't look like you have the hang of it at all,』 Sinon countered. 『But fine. I'll see you on the day of the tournament.』
『Yeah. Looking forward to it.』
The tournament was three days away. As she turned to leave, Sinon paused and looked back at Kirito.
『Actually, one last thing. It's totally unrelated to the game, but... I wanted to get a guy's perspective on something.』
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