Sky Pier lowers his spear slowly, seemingly willing to follow Diavel.
"Enough," Smith interjects, cigarette in mouth, a faint irritation on his face. "How many had a way to save the parasitized players in that chaos?"
He points to a cloth sack on the floor, filled with Black Oil Fruits I left for anyone to use. It's untouched.
"Who thought of using them?" Smith continues. "Who even had them? I didn't."
His question cuts deep, a brutal truth. No one answers—most, if not all, didn't think of it.
"Chains!" Lineverse blurts. "We could've restrained them!"
"In that chaos? That bloodbath?" Smith counters. "Binding five rampaging players? I couldn't do it, not even at full strength. And he didn't kill for fun. He fed one player a fruit, even getting speared for it. Right?"
Smith gestures to the player I freed with a fruit, now slumped from the battle, nodding faintly.
Smith's icy logic douses Lineverse's rage. His gaze, like an exhausted salaryman eyeing a tantrum-throwing kid, makes even me sweat.
"It was unavoidable," Smith concludes. "Two deaths were a mercy. Ku didn't kill for pleasure. If he's ready to atone, accept it and let it go."
Smith's right. He's blameless. Even I couldn't think of a better solution.
But the world doesn't turn so smoothly. Smith, unwittingly, pours oil on the fire.
"Ku? You mean… that Ku? The Wanderer?"
I can't tell who said it, but the whisper ripples through the silent boss room, spreading like wildfire.
The air shifts, reminiscent of the northern dungeon's strategy meeting when Sinon's GGO fame sparked hope. This time, it's dread—a contagious fear.
"No way… No way!" Lineverse stammers. "You're joking, right? You're that Wanderer? The Returner!?"
"Get back, Lineverse!" Sky Pier shouts. "He's the real deal! I heard the Wanderer uses a white hair plugin, looks like a girl!"
Lineverse's vengeance morphs into raw survival instinct, his killing intent fueled by fear. Sky Pier raises his spear again, terror outweighing his anger.
"Wait! What's the big deal about him being the Wanderer!?" Sinon demands.
"Yeah, what's everyone freaking out about?" Diavel adds.
Only some players know what Wanderer means, their panic spreading confusion. Lineverse, his face twisted with mania, answers.
"A solo player in SAO, hopping from party to guild. A PKK specialist, killing for gold or items without hesitation. By Aincrad's full clear, he'd killed 241 players—more than PoH! The deadliest player in SAO!"
Two hundred forty-one. I didn't realize it was that many. I process Lineverse's words like they're about someone else.
Sinon's eyes widen, her mouth opening and closing, unable to speak. She turns to me, pleading for denial.
"It's a lie… right? You couldn't… You're kind, always helping me…"
"It's not a lie," I say, shattering her hopes. "I knew it was in the triple digits, but over 200? Didn't expect that. Man, my info security's trash. VR Response Team, do your job."
Sighing, I face her crushed expression. She collapses, staring up at me, speechless. Even Diavel seems at a loss for words.
Smith, unfazed, lights another cigarette. "What's the problem?"
"Are you serious!?" Lineverse snaps. "He killed over 200 players!"
"You said it yourself—he was a PKK specialist," Smith retorts. "He took contracts to eliminate killers. No different from hunting bandits or pirates. Those who harm others for selfish gain get crushed by overwhelming force. Basic order, then and now."
He's right. In SAO, I never killed unprovoked. It was self-defense or vetted contracts against truly vile players. But in this moment, it means nothing. Smith knows it too—his words lack the warmth to sway hearts.
I see the end coming. Meeting Smith's resigned look, I give a faint smile.
"So what!?" Lineverse roars. "He's a mass murderer! If we don't kill him now, we're next! We can take him—he's weak! I'll kill him!"
Is it jealousy of Diavel's heroism? Fear of the Wanderer's legend? Or a flimsy excuse for vengeance? Only Lineverse knows.
He activates a sword skill, his claymore glowing blue, swinging for me.
"Stop!" Sinon cries, but a sword skill, once triggered, can't be halted easily. It's common knowledge. And many players want me dead.
Fine, I'll die. Did they think I'd accept execution so meekly?
"Pathetic," Smith mutters.
Yeah, pathetic. Him—and me, irredeemable.
Lineverse's skill is Downer Blade, a single-strike two-handed sword skill. A vertical swing, power-focused but inaccurate without normal attack chains, useless against anything but mobs.