Sword Art Online's Assassin

The Assassin vs. Death (The End of The Phantom Bullet Arc)

(y/n) POV

December 14th 2025

(y/n): Trust me, trauma lingers, it will always linger but it's how we move forward that defines us. It reminds me of something I've heard before "When you're in your darkest place, you give yourself hope and that's inner strength."

Sinon: I-

(y/n): It's never easy, forgetting the past, but it's better to not forget but to forgive yourself and to move on from it, even if it is difficult and even if it cut's the deepest. But it's better to have people around to help you than to put it all on your shoulders. Kirito and a friend of ours Asuna were some of my biggest helps back then.

Sinon: So you were in there as well Kirito?

Kirito: Yeah.

(y/n): If it weren't for those 2 I would have continued down a path that would have led to my own destruction. I hunted down a group of people called Laughing Coffin and Death Gun was a part of them. They killed many people inside of SAO including people I cared about. They had to be stopped so a party was put together to deal with them, it was an ambush but I didn't care and just killed all of them that ended up in front of me. Once they were defeated and were on their knees I should have killed them all but Kirito and 2 other people held me back from killing them all.

Kirito: I had to kill 2 of them and forced myself to forget until yesterday when I ran into the one calling themselves Death Gun.

Sinon: And there's no doubt he was with Laughing Coffin that day at that ambush?

(y/n): None whatsoever and that's why I have to end this here.

Sinon: So Death Gun was in Laughing Coffin and you guys fought before. *gets up and puts her hands on (y/n)'s shoulders* (y/n), I need to know something, about the people you killed, how did you get over what you did, how are you not affected by it, how are you so strong that your are not controlled by it?

(y/n): I never got over it. They killed people that I cared about and revenge is what drove me, now I'd do it to protect the people I care about. I still think about the things I did everyday and why. I'll never forget why I did it.

Sinon: But then, what am I supposed to do? I-I can't-

(y/n): *slowly moves hand over hers* It's ok, we all would want to forget somethings, but it is better to remember and to understand why and there are somethings that should've not been forgotten. It's best if you understand the weight of taking a life and to accept what has happened and not let the fear control you. It's best if you accept it and find closure.

Sinon: Closure by accepting it? *moves hand off of (y/n)'s shoulder*

mini timeskip brought to you by chibi (y/n) helping chibi Sinon with the past

Sinon: *laying down on (y/n)'s lap* Death Gun, it's hard to believe that under that cloak there's a real life person, someone who want's to kill.

(y/n) and Kirito: Yeah.

Kirito: If I knew his handle in SAO I'd know his name and address in the real world. That's why we logged into GGO.

Sinon: Oh, then maybe the reason for him being here is because he likes to PK, maybe he likes the rush from SAO you think?

Kirito: Nah, there's more to it than that, he killed 2 people in front of a lot of witnesses and the nearly the same with Pale Rider. He always picks times when he has the biggest audience and that sign of the cross he makes, I bet he does it to freak out as many people as possible. He want's you to believe he has the power to to kill you from the game but it's all a show.