-1770- You're done for

This was something Rozen had mentioned countless times before.

Under the current network conditions, it is absolutely impossible to recreate the situation from the original SAO or the old ALO, where a game helmet could manipulate the player's real body, resulting in their death.

Thus, the so-called "Death Gun" murders were nothing more than a ruse.

And what kind of ruse was it?

Very simple.

"You're not killing people in the game at all—you're killing them in reality."

While fending off stabs coming at him from all directions, Rozen calmly exposed the secret behind XaXa's killings.

"Yesterday, in the waiting area for the preliminaries, I saw you for the first time in this game. That was when you approached me to introduce yourself. But back then, that actually was not the first time you had seen me in this game."

XaXa had, in fact, seen Rozen in GGO long before that moment.

At that time, however, XaXa didn't come out to meet Rozen.

The reason was simple.

"At that time, you were using optical camouflage to make yourself invisible and hiding in the first-floor lobby of the Presidential Palace, spying on players who were using the machines there to register for the BoB Tournament."

Rozen said this plainly.

"In this game, there are times when real-world models, merchandise, or even figurines are offered as event rewards. To enter these events using those machines, players must provide their real-world addresses."

Otherwise, how could the organizers send out these rewards?

To claim these prizes, players unknowingly filled in their real-world names and addresses on those machines, completely unaware that someone was invisibly watching them from the shadows, using optical camouflage. This person gained access to their real-world identities and residences.

This set the stage for murder.

"In reality, 'Death Gun' isn't just you—there's at least one accomplice, isn't there?"

While brandishing his dagger to parry the attacks, Rozen spoke without a break in his breath.

"After gathering information on players' real-world identities, you acted. One of you operated the 'Death Gun' character in the game, shooting the victims' avatars, while another infiltrated their homes in reality, using drugs to induce cardiac arrest, creating the illusion of in-game killings."

Rozen had already confirmed this.

In the Presidential Palace's first-floor lobby, when Rozen was using one of those machines to register, he realized someone was secretly observing him from the shadows, silently watching him input his real-world details.

XaXa might have been able to fool others, but he could never deceive Rozen, who possessed Mind's Eye. The restrained sounds of footsteps, breathing, and even subtle air movements were entirely within Rozen's perception.

From that moment, Rozen deduced that the person behind him was "Death Gun" and that this was the method used to commit murders in reality.

"This hypothesis was further confirmed when I met you in person and identified your identity."

Because the "Death Gun" Rozen met in person was not the same player responsible for killing two players before.

"Even if the voice is the same, it's ultimately the voice of a virtual avatar in the game. If the operator changes, no one would notice."

At this, Rozen sneered.

"But your way of speaking is overly pretentious—it gives everything away."

This was how Rozen confirmed there were two "Death Gun" players.

He still remembered hearing "Death Gun's" voice for the first time when Kikuoka Seijirou provided him with an audio recording of the murders.

Back then, "Death Gun's" words were filled with anger, joy, madness, and desire—completely different from XaXa's cold, emotionless, fragmented style.

XaXa's unique speech pattern was a glaring flaw.

Based on this, Rozen concluded that "Death Gun" was actually two individuals: one who staged in-game murders, creating the illusion, and another who infiltrated the victims' real-world residences to execute the killings.

After confirming this, Rozen contacted Kikuoka Seijirou earlier this morning, asking him to examine the corpses of the two victims to see if there were any signs of drug injection.

The victims were both solitary individuals whose bodies were only discovered after a delay, severely decomposed. Extreme VRMMO players often neglect eating or drinking and remain lying in bed for extended periods. If they die of cardiac arrest while deeply immersed in the game, it's likely to be considered natural causes. Since there was no sign of intrusion or financial loss, the deaths wouldn't arouse suspicion. Police would usually only check the brain and wouldn't think to look for drug injection marks.

However, drugs inevitably leave traces in the body, and careful examination would reveal them.

At Kikuoka Seijirou's request, forensic analysis finally revealed traces of drugs in both victims' bodies.

In other words, their cardiac arrest was induced by drug injections.

With that, the truth was revealed.

The so-called "Death Gun" had no power to kill people in the game. It was merely an elaborate ruse to commit murders.

"And to think you dare boast about possessing the ability to transcend worlds—it's laughable."

Rozen's ridicule became sharper.

"To think that someone who used to be a high-ranking member of Laughing Coffin has been reduced to this—relying on such means to kill, posturing and deceiving the world. Aren't you ashamed?"

His words hung in the air, met with silence.

Moments later, a wave of killing intent filled the room.

"Even... so... you... must... die!"

XaXa's voice was filled with rage.

"We already... know your... real-world... address!"

"You can't... escape... death!"

"You'll be killed... very soon!"

XaXa's furious declaration echoed.

Yet XaXa still hadn't noticed the deepening mockery in Rozen's eyes.

"You think I revealed my address to you after uncovering your method, but do you know why?"

One sentence made XaXa fall completely silent.

Rozen grinned.

"It was to draw out your accomplice."

With no evidence of their crimes, Rozen had to bait them out to ensure their conviction.

Therefore...

"I'm not the one who's finished—you are."

Rozen declared.

"You're done for, 'Death Gun.'"