Death Gun Incident

Lore & Background

Kirito enters GGO and meets Sinon, who believes he's a girl due to his avatar, but she later discovers his true gender. Despite so, she continues to help Kirito prepare for the next Bullet of Bullets, which is where Death Gun is subjected to appear. When the two first meet, Kirito discovers that Death Gun is a former member of Laughing Coffin. The BoB begins, and Kirito learns of Sinon's past. After most of the other players have been taken out, Kirito and Sinon team-up to devise a plan to take down Death Gun. Kirito deduces Death Gun's method of killing and faces him in a battle, winning. He warns Sinon to be careful as he logs out. Once he does so, he rushes over to Shino Asada's (Sinon's real life identity) house and saves her from the Death Gun killer on the reality side, Kyoji Shinkawa. The two reconvene with Kikuoka, who then also discover that there was one last person in the Death Gun group: Atsushi Kanomoto, otherwise known as Johnny Black, and the last known surviving member of Laughing Coffin.

In Their Own Story

The heat shimmered over the sand dunes of the GGO wasteland, distorting the horizon like a mirage. Sinon adjusted her sniper scope, breath held tight in her chest. She knew the target was out there, somewhere among the ruins. A single shot could end it all, but she hesitated, remembering the faces of those lost to the rumor. Kirito stood beside her, his dual blades ready, watching the shadows shift. The wind carried dust and silence, heavy with the weight of a game that pretended not to be deadly.

Reader's Guide

The Death Gun Incident stands as one of the most chilling mysteries in the Sword Art Online universe. Several months after the Sword Art Online incident, Kazuto Kirigaya is recruited by Kikuoka to investigate a serial killer known as Death Gun, a "player" in the game Gun Gale Online. GGO players are being killed by him in the game, which has led to their deaths in the real world. Kirito enters GGO and meets Sinon, who believes he's a girl due to his avatar, but she later discovers his true gender. Despite so, she continues to help Kirito prepare for the next Bullet of Bullets, which is where Death Gun is subjected to appear. When the two first meet, Kirito discovers that Death Gun is a former member of Laughing Coffin. The BoB begins, and Kirito learns of Sinon's past. After most of the other players have been taken out, Kirito and Sinon team-up to devise a plan to take down Death Gun. Kirito deduces Death Gun's method of killing and faces him in a battle, winning. He warns Sinon to be careful as he logs out. Once he does so, he rushes over to Shino Asada's (Sinon's real life identity) house and saves her from the Death Gun killer on the reality side, Kyoji Shinkawa. The two reconvene with Kikuoka, who then also discover that there was one last person in the Death Gun group: Atsushi Kanomoto, otherwise known as Johnny Black, and the last known surviving member of Laughing Coffin.

Did You Know?

• Death Gun is a former member of the guild Laughing Coffin.
• Kirito was recruited by Kikuoka to investigate the Death Gun killings.
• Sinon initially believed Kirito's avatar was female when they first met in GGO.
• The real-world killer behind Death Gun was Kyoji Shinkawa.
• Atsushi Kanomoto, also known as Johnny Black, was the last known surviving member of Laughing Coffin.