"2024 Floor 56:" "Pani" "We'll lure the field boss into the village." "W-Wait a second." "the villagers..." "That's the idea. we'll attack and destroy it." "NPCs aren't just 3-D objects like trees or rocks." "They're..." "Alive?" "Is that it?" "They're only objects." "they'll just respawn." "I can't go along with this. will oversee this operation." "You will obey my orders." "Hey." "huh?" "Egil?" "Why are you and the second-in-command always that way?" "I guess we just don't get along." "You'll be really strong. don't turn them down." "but I never expected her to start clearing floors with a top guild." "A Crime Within the Walls" "2024 Floor 59:" "Danac" "What are you doing?" "What?" "It's you." "The other lead group members are all working hard to clear the dungeon." "Why are you out here taking a nap?" "you need to be serious－ and today is its nicest weather setting." "Entering the dungeon on a day like this is a waste." "Do you not understand?" "Every day we spend here is one we've lost in the real world." "in Aincrad." "See?" "The wind and sunlight feel so good." "Do they?" "There's nothing special about this weather." "you'd understand." "look." "Asleep already?" "Some people don't work too hard." "Who are they?" "Jeez..." "I didn't think she'd really fall asleep." "What..." "Morning." "Sleep well?" "One meal..." "One meal!" "I'll buy you one meal of any kind." "okay?" "1)}Floor 57:" "Martin" "That's Asuna from the Knights of the Blood Oath." "That's the Lightning Flash..." "Who's the guy in black?" "anyway..." "Thanks for today." "For watching over me." "no problem... so no one can attack or player-kill you." "But it's different when you're asleep." "Yeah." "dirty tricks that use the duel system." "duels are just tests of strength. even in a safe zone. using their own finger to press the OK button." "Then you just keep attacking." "It's happened before." "well..." "Thank you." "W-Well..." "Y-You're welcome." "Hurry and pull it out!" "You stay down here and catch him." "Got it." "Hang on!" "Damn it..." "A duel is the only way to kill someone inside a safe zone." "That means..." "Everyone!" "Look for the "Duel Winner" notification!" "There's no one inside." "Just what is this?" "The obvious conclusion and pushed him out this window." "Wouldn't you say?" "But no one had the Winner message." "That's impossible." "The only way to hurt someone in a safe area is via duel." "we can't ignore this." "Yeah. it will be dangerous inside towns as well as outside." "You're right." "but we have no choice." "I'll need you to help me until we solve this." "there won't be any time for napping." "You're the one who was napping." "Excuse me." "Did anyone see the whole thing?" "please speak up." "By the time I got here..." "I know you've just had a frightening experience." "What's your name?" "My name is Yoruko..." "Was that first scream yours?" "Y-Yes." "I just came here to eat dinner with the man who was killed." "His name is Kains." "We used to be in the same guild." "But we got separated in the plaza. and I saw him hanging from the church window..." "Did you see anyone else? but I thought I saw someone behind Kains." "Did that person look familiar?" "No..." "I hate to ask this..." "But do you know why anyone would've wanted to kill Kains?" "Thank you for walking me here." "Don't worry about it." "We can talk more tomorrow." "Okay... now what?" "Let's review what we know. it might lead us to the perpetrator." "Then we'll need someone with an appraisal skill." "You don't... obviously." "Of course not." "Nor do you. must you address me so curtly?" "U-Um... maybe... then?" "Vice Commander-sama"?" "Lightning Flash-sama"?" "Just call me Asuna." "R-Roger." "do you have any friends with an appraisal skill?" "A weapons merchant friend has it... so it may take a while." "I see." "Then let's ask an item merchant I know." "1)}Floor 50:" "Arcade" "Thank you!" "Come again." "Seems you're just as greedy as ever." "Kirito." "Buy cheap and sell cheap." "That's my motto." "I don't know about that second part." "Don't go slandering my good name." "Kirito?" "so what're you doing here with Asuna?" "Didn't you two not get along?" "Someone's HP dropped to zero within a safe area?" "And it wasn't a duel?" "No one saw a Winner message. then it's not a sleep-PK." "The method is too involved for some random duel." "We can assume it was a premeditated PK." "we come to this." "It's a player-made weapon." "Really?" "Who made it?" "Grimrock." "Never heard of them..." "I can tell you that." "And there's nothing particularly unusual about the weapon." "But it should still be a clue." "too." "Let's see..." "Guilty Thorn is its listed name." "Guilty Thorn..." "Okay..." "Wait!" "Why?" "Why do you think?" "Are you stupid?" "!" "That weapon's already killed someone!" "But we won't be sure unless we try." "That's crazy!" "Don't do it!" "Egil-san can hold onto it!" "Huh?" "Sure... 312)}The Next Day have you ever heard the name "Grimrock"?" "Yes." "He was a member of the guild that" "Kains and I were once in. we found out that it was made by Grimrock-san." "Can you think of any reason why that would be?" "I can." "I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you yesterday." "I wanted to forget." "It's something I don't really want to remember." "I'll tell you." "What destroyed our guild..." "Our guild's name was Golden Apple. a rare monster we defeated dropped a powerful ring that raised agility by 20. or sell it and split the earnings." "we put it by vote." "The vote went 5-3 in favor of selling it." "was going to stay overnight to give it to a broker." "she never came back. we learned that she'd died." "I still don't know why." "No one would leave a safe zone with that kind of rare item." "Which means a sleep-PK?" "Six months ago would have been just before the method really spread." "But it's hard to think it's a coincidence." "Whoever attacked her must have been a player who knew about the ring." "In other words..." "One of the other seven members of Golden Apple..." "The most suspicious ones would be those who opposed selling it." "You mean they attacked Griselda-san to get the ring before it was sold?" "Probably." "Who's Grimrock-san?" "He was Griselda-san's husband." "naturally." "Griselda-san was a powerful swordsman." "Pretty." "And smart." "Grimrock-san was a kind man who was always smiling." "and they got along well. he must be after the three who opposed selling the ring." "Two of the three were myself and Kains." "Then who's the other?" "A tank named Schmidt." "with the Holy Dragon Alliance." "Schmidt?" "I've heard that name..." "He leads the Holy Dragon Alliance's defense forces." "He's a big lance-user." "him." "You know Schmidt?" "I've only seen him a few times while clearing bosses." "Could you let me talk to him?" "He probably hasn't heard about what occurred." "And what happened to Kains could happen to him..." "Let's call Schmidt-san." "I know someone at the Holy Dragon Alliance." "perhaps we can talk to him." "we should get Yoruko-san to an inn. don't leave the inn until we return." "All right." "How do you think the murder was carried out?" "I see basically three possibilities..." "The first is a fair duel." "The second is through an exploit that combines known methods." "I can see that." "And the third?" "which bypasses safe areas." "Or possibly an item." "the third is impossible." "Why?" "It's unfair. but SAO's rules are essentially fair." "I can't imagine this game allowing murders in safe areas." "Is it true that Kains was killed with Grimrock's weapon?" "It is." "Why would Kains be killed after all this time?" "!" "He..." "Did he steal the ring?" "Was he the one who killed Griselda?" "Does Grimrock plan to kill the three of us who opposed selling the ring?" "too?" "! and Grimrock-san just made them the spear." "Or perhaps it may be Griselda-san's revenge..." "Only a ghost could kill someone inside a safe zone." "I stayed awake thinking... all of us were the ones who killed her!" "we shouldn't have ever voted..." "We should've just done what she wanted!" "Grimrock-san was the only one who said we should simply let Griselda-san decide." "So he has the right to take revenge for Griselda-san on the rest of us." "You're kidding me. six whole months..." "Why now?" "Yoruko?" "You're okay with being killed like this?" "Yoruko-san!" "Next Time:" "Illusionary Avenger"