In dieser Folge trifft Kirito auf Death Gun, seinem Ziel in GGO. Er stellt an einem Tattoo unterhalb der Hand fest, dass Death Gun ein Mitglied der Auftragsmörder "Laughing Coffin" aus SAO ist.
In the Kirigaya residence, Suguha shows Kazuto a news article about the participants of the BoB tournament, among which was Kirito's name. Although Kazuto tries to hide the fact that he converted his avatar to GGO, Suguha told him that she already found out from Asuna. After a flashback of Kazuto's talk with Asuna the previous day, Suguha tells him that she is worried due to Kazuto having a frightening expression when he returned home last night. Kazuto then calmed Suguha down by promising that he would be back. Meanwhile, Shino vents her anger about Kirito to Kyōji, who then tells her that she isn't acting like her normal self and, after a short conversation, tries to hug her, but is rejected by her. At the hospital, after seeing that Kazuto was troubled by something, Aki offers a free counselling session. When Kazuto tells her about how he killed the Laughing Coffin members in SAO, she tells him that she cannot help him with that burden, but reminds him that he killed them in order to protect others. After calming down, Kazuto logs into GGO. Meanwhile, in Alfheim Online, after completing a boss fight, Asuna and the others get ready to watch the broadcast of the BoB tournament. In GGO, Sinon meets Kirito at the General Governor's Office, and they tell each other that they will not lose.
Frustrée d'avoir perdu contre Kirito en finale des préliminaires, Shino se plaint auprès de Kyoji et jure de prendre sa revanche lors du tournoi principal. Mais Kyoji, qui d'ordinaire admirait la force de Sinon, se met à penser qu'elle n'est plus elle-même...
Il passato di SAO torna a galla e i ricordi perseguitano Kirito, specialmente quelli relativi all'agguato alla gilda delle Bare Sorridenti, che si era concluso con l'uccisione di alcuni giocatori avversari, anche per mano sua.
ボロマントの男は《SAO》からの生還者で、殺し合いを繰り広げた相手かもしれない……。そんな思いにとらわれ苦悩を端々ににじませるキリトを、妹の直葉は心配する。一方、キリトへのいら立ちが収まらない詩乃は、恭二を相手にキリトの悪口をまくし立て、大会本戦で倒すことを誓う。だが、シノンのクールな戦いぶりに憧れめいた感情を抱く恭二は、いつになく熱くなっている詩乃を彼女らしくないと感じるのだった。
불릿 오브 불리츠 예선 토너먼트에서 조별 우승을 차지한 키리토는 GOO에서 나와 스구하와 잠시동안의 평화로운 현실의 일상을 보낸다. 한편 시노는 GOO에서 만났던 키리토가 여전히 못마땅 했는데…
Kirito está totalmente consumido pelas lembranças de SAO, quando ele matou 3 pessoas, e Suguha parece muito preocupada. Mas a hora do BoB está próxima e tanto Kirito quanto Sinon precisam se concentrar para alcançar seus objetivos.
Kirito se toma tiempo para pensar sobre el reciente encuentro que tuvo con un jugador misterioso que lo recordaba; pero su mente viajará por memorias difusas y no tan placenteras.
披著破斗篷的男人是SAO的生還者,搞不好還曾經和自己交過手......。桐人這麼想著,陷入了煩惱當中,他的妹妹直葉非常擔心他。另一方面,桐人的事情讓詩乃感到很焦燥,她對著恭二咒罵桐人,並發誓要在這次的比賽中打倒他。然而,恭二卻對詩音在遊戲中冷酷戰鬥的模樣抱有好感,並覺得像這樣發著脾氣的詩乃,不像平常的她。