Chương 1713: -1694- [ Death Gun ]
This day happened to be a school holiday.
After the previous transaction with Kikuoka Seijirou, Rozen continued attending the temporary school established by the government and became a high school student.
He wasn't alone; Kirito, Asuna, Lis, and Silica also attended this school as SAO survivors.
In other words, it had been almost a year since Rozen and the others started studying at this temporary school.
The same was true for their adventures in the new ALfheim Online (ALO), leading to many changes. While it might be an exaggeration to say everything had changed, the widespread use of FullDive technology indeed altered much of society.
Today, because it was a holiday, Rozen had already arranged to explore new training grounds in the updated ALO with the group. If nothing unexpected happened, he would likely stay logged in all day except for basic necessities.
Unfortunately, before that, Rozen received a phone call.
"How about we meet in person?"
A somewhat ingratiating voice came through the phone, making Rozen, who had just crawled out of bed after being awakened by the ringtone, very annoyed.
Rozen even replied coldly.
"Do you want to die once and see how it feels?"
Such an unexpectedly icy statement caused the other person to audibly gulp.
Feeling fear because of a high school student's words would ordinarily be an embarrassing thing, considering the other person's status.
However, at this moment, not only was the caller unembarrassed, but they also hurriedly pleaded.
"I'll treat you to dinner! The best Western restaurant in Tokyo!"
This was a desperate concession, improving Rozen's mood somewhat.
"Forget dinner. Just say what you need to say," Rozen said impatiently. "With the recent rise in crimes related to virtual spaces, shouldn't you, as an agent of the government's Virtual Division, spend your time catching criminals rather than inviting me to dinner?"
The caller was none other than Kikuoka Seijirou.
Since his first interaction with Rozen, Kikuoka had acted as a mediator between Rozen and the government, relaying messages and facilitating transactions.
Appointed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Kikuoka was specifically tasked with managing relations with Rozen and representing the government in discussions, negotiations, and tasks. Over the past year, the two had frequent contact and developed a certain level of mutual understanding in their professional dealings.
For instance, Rozen often used Kikuoka to gather intelligence and build connections to achieve his various goals.
Likewise, Kikuoka, having witnessed Rozen's abilities firsthand, knew better than to underestimate him as an ordinary high school student. He recognized that Rozen's methods were often more effective than those of the government, with his unparalleled expertise and influence. As a result, not only did Kikuoka avoid offending Rozen, but he also relied on Rozen's network to gather intelligence about the virtual world.
After all, Rozen had reestablished his guild in the new ALO, becoming a leader on the frontlines of Aincrad's conquest. His charisma and capabilities attracted talented individuals, earning respect from leaders of all major races. Rozen's extensive resources in VR gaming far surpassed those of the government.
For Kikuoka's Virtual Division, tasked with maintaining law and order in cyberspace, Rozen's assistance was invaluable.
Because of this mutual dependency, the two interacted without much politeness, knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses well. There was no need to beat around the bush in their conversations.
Of course, this didn't indicate a friendly relationship.
Both Rozen and Kikuoka were simply using each other, a fact both parties understood clearly.
Thus, Kikuoka wasn't offended by Rozen's scorn.
After all, it was true.
"Cracking down on cybercrime isn't as easy as you think," Kikuoka sighed. "In November alone, we received over a hundred reports of theft and destruction of virtual assets. There were also thirteen cases of conflicts in VR games escalating into real-world violence, including one fatality. One of these incidents was heavily covered by the media, creating a headache for us."
Kikuoka couldn't help but vent.
But such was the current reality.
Since the release of The World Seed, which greatly advanced FullDive technology and the VR gaming industry, society had seen many improvements. However, every innovation came with its downsides.
As Kikuoka had just described, the growing popularity of VR games had led to an increase in malicious incidents.
The aforementioned violent incidents were only the tip of the iceberg. Compared to the total number of reported incidents nationwide, they seemed almost insignificant.
"What else do you expect when PK behavior is becoming normalized in some games?"
Kikuoka sighed again.
"Setting aside the mental effects of venting violence in the virtual world, which lowers players' self-control, the PK mechanics in certain games practically serve as murder training in the real world."
In this era of widespread gaming, some extreme games were so realistic that slashing a wrist would result in spurting blood, and slicing a stomach would reveal intestines. These hyper-realistic elements caused some heavy users to develop psychological issues, reducing their self-restraint and increasing their violent tendencies. Inevitably, some of these individuals acted out in the real world, leading to numerous problems.
In these games, players who grew accustomed to killing could carry out real-life murders with startling proficiency. Calling these games murder simulations was not an exaggeration.
"Even worse, some fighting games collaborate with real-world martial arts schools to design realistic combat techniques. Players immersed in these games often attempt to use the skills they learn in the real world."
This was a reality Rozen was also familiar with.
For example, while sword skills in SAO emphasized flashiness and weren't practical in the real world, they still had lethal potential. Though individuals like Rozen, who honed Mind's Eye to make sword skills viable for real combat, were rare, other VR games with more practical skills posed significant risks.
With disputes in VR worlds spilling into reality, the frequency of violent incidents was unsurprising.
Such issues were some of the hidden dangers brought about by FullDive technology, fueling ongoing debates about its place in society and making many people feel unsafe.
Kikuoka often sought Rozen's assistance with such matters.
Rozen cut to the chase.
"Enough talking. Just get to the point already. Why did you contact me this time?"
Hearing this, Kikuoka chuckled before pausing briefly. Then, in a more serious tone, he spoke.
"Do you know about Death Gun?"
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