บท 1754: -1735- Must be a significant figure
As Rozen watched the group reveal expressions of shock and disbelief they had never shown before, he could only offer a wry smile in his heart.
Originally, Rozen hadn't intended to disclose this matter to the group.
Unlike himself, a player in SAO who had always been exceptional and detached from the norm, his companions were just ordinary individuals.
He fully understood the impact the name Laughing Coffin could have on them.
For these friends, who had finally escaped the nightmare of SAO and returned to reality, the resurfacing of a player-killer guild—one that had once been close to them, threatened them, and even directly interacted with them—was tantamount to the reappearance of a devil in their lives.
"Impossible..."
Fear overtook the faces of Silica, Lis, and Sachi.
"Damn it...!"
Kirito, Klein, and Agil clicked their tongues in agitation.
The former, as ordinary players in SAO, had heard countless stories about the terror of Laughing Coffin—a guild of unrepentant killers who attacked indiscriminately. Its name had become synonymous with fear.
The latter, as members of the clearing group, had directly clashed with Laughing Coffin before. They understood its ruthless unpredictability all too well, and their anger and dread were justified.
This was precisely why Rozen had hesitated to share this information.
Unfortunately, Rozen would inevitably face Death Gun tonight, uncovering the remnants of Laughing Coffin in the process. Since the Bullet of Bullets (BoB) tournament was livestreamed across all VRMMO communities, the truth would likely spread, potentially plunging everyone into chaos.
Thus, Rozen decided it was better to explain the situation now to prepare them mentally.
Even so, confusion was unavoidable.
"This... this is real, right, Rozen?"
Klein was the first to recover, shouting at Rozen.
Kirito and the others also turned their eyes toward him.
Although they trusted Rozen's judgment—always accurate and reliable—they still hoped for confirmation.
Rozen understood their feelings and nodded.
"It's true."
He spoke without expression.
"I encountered someone during yesterday's preliminaries," he explained, recounting his encounter with Death Gun and how he had confirmed the player's identity.
By the time he finished, the room had fallen silent.
"It's Showtime…"
Kirito muttered, his expression grim.
"That really is PoH's favorite catchphrase..."
Klein looked visibly uneasy.
"That guy with the butcher knife, right?"
Agil tightened his jaw.
"Couldn't it just be a mistake, Rozen-nii?"
"Yeah… maybe it's just a coincidence. Anyone could say that phrase."
"I think so too!"
Silica, Lis, and Sachi expressed their desperate hopes, their voices trembling.
At this point, however, Suguha shook her head.
"If nii-san remembers this person, it means they're not just some random player repeating a phrase but someone who genuinely made an impression on him."
Though Suguha didn't fully grasp the situation, she understood its gravity, assisting with the analysis.
This silenced everyone, and the tension in the air thickened.
Asuna held Rozen's hand tightly, her gaze filled with concern.
"Could it be... that person is PoH?"
Her voice trembled as she voiced their greatest fear.
If it really was PoH, the implications would be dire.
PoH, the leader of Laughing Coffin, was the mastermind behind nearly all SAO's crimes. He had pioneered numerous system-exploiting murder methods, spreading them to sow chaos. A charismatic manipulator, PoH lured countless players into evil acts, establishing a brutal criminal organization.
If Death Gun was indeed PoH, it would mean he had devised a new way to kill within the game, continuing his heinous activities even after SAO's end.
If that's the case, then this is by no means a trivial matter.
What's more, this individual is not an easy opponent to deal with. Otherwise, Rozen wouldn't have had to go through so much effort to dismantle the player-killer guild he had established, only to let him escape in the end.
PoH was never a simple figure. Even though his strength couldn't match Rozen's, he had his own particularly troublesome qualities.
In Rozen's view, aside from the gap in combat ability, PoH was someone on par with Zeth in every other regard.
For that reason alone, Rozen deemed him worthy of serious attention.
However...
"No, he's not PoH," Rozen calmly denied Asuna's speculation.
"The person I faced yesterday is entirely different from PoH."
Rozen vividly recalled PoH's distinct appearance and demeanor: his exotic, handsome features; fluency in Japanese, English, and Spanish; and his unique, rhythmic speech patterns that resembled a DJ's rap performance. Combined with his persuasive voice and innate charisma, these qualities allowed PoH to manipulate others' values and build a ruthless organization.
Had it truly been PoH, their encounter yesterday would not have ended after a few words.
Moreover, PoH would never risk appearing in front of Rozen.
After all, while Rozen merely regarded PoH as someone worth paying attention to, PoH viewed Rozen with genuine hostility and apprehension.
In the past, PoH had gone to great lengths to ambush and scheme against Rozen in SAO, bringing along two of Laughing Coffin's key members, only to fail in the end. If he had already developed a new method of killing and could kill within the game, he definitely wouldn't reveal himself and alert Rozen.
Instead, he would remain hidden, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike while Rozen was still underestimating the situation, still treating his journey in GGO as nothing more than a casual game.
That would be his best chance at success.
Yet, Death Gun had boldly confronted Rozen, deliberately drawing attention. Such behavior was entirely uncharacteristic of PoH.
Furthermore, Death Gun's raspy, stammering speech contrasted sharply with PoH's distinct cadence.
Given all this, Rozen was certain the individual was not PoH.
Still, this person was far from ordinary.
As Suguha aptly summarized:
"If nii-san noticed him, then he must be a significant figure, not some nameless player."
Rozen smiled faintly.
"If my guess is correct, he is exactly who I think he is."
With that, the room plunged into a heavy silence, the looming storm of confrontation ever closer.
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