Chương 1756: -1737- Then I won't
After that, everyone still tried to persuade Rozen, but their efforts were much weaker than before.
It was clear to them that although Rozen wasn't entirely determined to do this, he wasn't backing down either.
Even if the opponent was merely a remnant of Laughing Coffin, someone Rozen described as a "small fry," far inferior to someone like PoH, Rozen still seemed intent on meeting this individual face-to-face.
This was indeed the case.
Rozen completely dismissed the potential threat posed by Death Gun and didn't even take him seriously.
However, he was somewhat curious about how Death Gun managed to kill two people in the game.
Even though Rozen was certain there was a trick to this method—since it was impossible to truly kill someone in the game and cause their death in the real world—he hadn't yet confirmed what exactly this trick was.
Thus, facing Death Gun in the BoB Tournament wasn't something Rozen deemed absolutely necessary, but it was certainly intriguing enough for him to consider.
Of course, the others had no idea how confident and unbothered Rozen was about the matter. Naturally, they were worried and nervous when they thought about him confronting a murderer.
But just as Rozen said, he had already proven himself capable of achieving the impossible many times before. Even though he appeared to be an ordinary high school student, the others had immense trust in him because he had led them through countless challenges.
In the end, everyone reluctantly decided to trust Rozen's decision despite their lingering concerns.
If this hadn't been the case, even if they couldn't convince Rozen to change his mind, many of them would've likely tried to secretly log into GGO to assist him.
But Rozen saw through this plan immediately and sternly warned everyone against it, stating that their interference would disrupt his strategy and result in significant losses.
Hearing this, no one dared entertain the thought any further and resigned themselves to nodding helplessly.
The gathering ended in a slightly heavy atmosphere.
Afterward, Rozen's companions left the bar and returned to their respective homes.
Even Kirito and Suguha tactfully left together, heading home first.
Agil hung a "Closed Today" sign on the door and quietly departed, leaving the bar completely empty.
In the end, only Rozen and Asuna remained.
Throughout the earlier discussion, Asuna had remained silent. She sat quietly with her head lowered, holding Rozen's hand and saying nothing.
Rozen naturally sensed Asuna's emotions, which was why he stayed behind with her.
Once the bar was completely empty, Rozen and Asuna looked into each other's eyes, their gazes focused solely on one another.
There was no need for words as they leaned into each other's embrace.
No one knew how much time passed before they finally separated.
Asuna lay on Rozen's chest, her long hair cascading down her back in an elegant and beautiful display.
Rozen held Asuna in his arms, savoring the moment as he spoke softly.
"What's this? You're not going to try to persuade me?"
Rozen's tone was teasing, but there was also a hint of probing in his words.
"Would you listen if I tried?"
Asuna didn't lift her head. Her delicate hand toyed with a strand of her hair, brushing it across Rozen's chest as she spoke in a wistful tone.
Faced with this version of Asuna, Rozen could only smile wryly.
"Alright," Rozen said. "If you really don't want me to go, then I won't. How's that?"
Asuna immediately stopped what she was doing and looked up.
"Really?"
Her expression was one of slight disbelief.
"Really," Rozen replied calmly.
He wasn't trying to placate Asuna; he genuinely meant what he said.
As mentioned earlier, Rozen didn't take this Laughing Coffin remnant seriously in the slightest. If Asuna truly didn't want him to go, he could easily forego the encounter.
If this could ease Asuna's worries, Rozen would oblige without hesitation.
After all, this matter wasn't important enough to outweigh Asuna's feelings.
From the very beginning, Rozen's interest in investigating Death Gun stemmed from his desire to reassure his companions.
Given this, if confronting the Laughing Coffin remnant would only make Asuna and the others anxious, then it would be counterproductive.
Thus, Rozen could simply drop the matter entirely, leaving it to Kikuoka Seijirou to handle while he sat back and watched.
At most, Rozen might have to put in some effort to deal with Death Gun in the real world. Even without relying on the supernatural, Rozen had numerous ways to bring Death Gun to his knees.
Just like how he dealt with Sugo Nobuyuki before—if not for considering Asuna's subconscious reluctance to return to reality—Rozen could've easily destroyed Sugo without even entering ALO. The same principle applied here.
In short, if Asuna truly didn't want Rozen to confront the Laughing Coffin remnant, he would readily abandon the idea.
Perhaps sensing Rozen's sincerity, Asuna's expression softened.
"It seems you really don't see Death Gun as a threat and know exactly how to deal with him."
Asuna could finally confirm this from Rozen's demeanor.
In other words, she now understood that Rozen wasn't being careless, nor was he forcing himself or hiding anything. He was genuinely confident in handling the situation.
In that case...
"I won't stop you, then," Asuna said, meeting Rozen's gaze. "If you can guarantee your safety, then go ahead and expose Death Gun."
Clearly, Asuna wasn't indifferent to Death Gun's actions; she just didn't want Rozen to take any risks.
Now that Rozen could promise his safety, Asuna naturally hoped to see Death Gun brought to justice.
"Otherwise, who knows how many more innocent players will be harmed by the remnants of Laughing Coffin?"
Asuna's innate kindness and compassion shone through at that moment.
Rozen smiled warmly.
"I knew it. With your personality, you couldn't possibly stand by while Death Gun roams free," Rozen said as he gently stroked Asuna's hair. He whispered in her ear, "Don't worry. I'll make sure he understands that SAO, the death game, no longer exists, and Laughing Coffin, the murder guild, is nothing but a relic of the past. If he insists on living in denial, I'll help him open his eyes."
"Alright." Asuna nodded with a smile.
The two held each other close, whispering sweet nothings as their bond deepened further.
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