Sword Art Online Alternative – Gun Gale Online Chapter 3

Tokyo continued to have fine days in January.

To Karen, who was born and raised in Hokkaido, the fact that winter in Tokyo was completely without humidity was more unexpected than the fact that winter wasn’t cold. However, she didn’t really like that her throat began to hurt, her skin became rough and she had to go through the trouble of using a humidifier to protect herself from those effects.

The distance between her apartment unit and university was less than 2 kilometres. She could cross that short distance in just one stop using the subway, but aside from days with really bad weather, Karen usually walked. It was much better than seeing herself reflected in the train’s window, and it was good for her health.

27th of January. Tuesday, just before 16:00.

With lectures over, and as the early winter evening drew near, Karen was walking within the university grounds.

Of course, it can’t be said that she was alone.

Around her, there were plenty of merry voices of people getting together to have a drink later, or of club gatherings, but their talk had nothing to do with Karen. Their conversations were in a different world.

Wearing jeans, sneakers, and a light coat, Karen walked under the roadside trees with nothing but their branches left, and tried to return to her room quickly.

Karen noticed six female high school students coming from the direction where she was headed for. As they had matching uniforms and were within the school premises, she realised that they were pupils of an attached high school(2) that was on the same premises.

It was no longer rare for her to pass by the six of them; and since she started going to university last summer, she had seen them about twice or three times per week. Karen recognised them.

Basing on the really large sports bags in their hands, Karen guessed that they were probably part of some sports club. The university’s gymnasium was large, so they sometimes had joint practice with high school pupils.

One of them was a Caucasian with beautiful, fair hair and blue pupils. Was she an overseas student, or a foreigner living in Japan? Either way, it wasn’t a rare sight in this school.

The girls were all short——, no, for their age, it was probably „normal“, but compared to Karen, they were all small, slender, and most of all, sweet. Often laughing, often chatting, they were walking merrily. Alongside friends from a similar school-club, they gave the refreshing feeling of being in their prime of youth.

If Karen wasn’t the girl she is now, would she be in her springtime of life too?

Considering this, she couldn’t avoid having gloomy feelings. Of course, the girls hadn’t done anything wrong.

While looking at the rapidly approaching six girls with their merry voices, Karen hastened her pace to return to her room quickly. She’ll probably get in touch with Miyu very soon and find out whether or not she obtained Kanzaki Elza’s live performance tickets.

After the quiet Karen passed by the lively six girls without crossing paths,

“Hey, you there——”

The voice of one of them reached Karen’s ears.

“You’re tall——”

Karen had no desire to hear what she had to say after that.

Karen covered her face, hasted her pace, and ran away from that spot.

At the same time, a single desire welled up

‘I want to shoot them. I want to shoot, all six, of those girls.

Her right hand searched for P-chan that was usually held in front of her body, but only cut the air in vain.

Karen returned to her room to run away, closed the door, and the moment the door was automatically locked, her smartphone vibrated.

The message from Miyu was,

『No dice!』

Merely that single phrase.

Karen went in front of the personal computer, and the moment that it booted up, she started GGO.

The message to Pitohui was,

『I’m gonna go wild!』

Merely that single phrase.
 

Chapter end