Illusionary Avenger

Summary

Kirito chases after the assassin but he manages to teleport away. Kirito is still unsure how it was possible to kill someone in a safezone which a paranoid Schmit thinks Griselda's ghost is really after him. After accidentally seeing a dropped sandwich vanishing and talking with Asuna about the game's marriage system which allows both couples to share each others inventory, Kirito finally figures out how Yoruko and Kains "died" and who is Griselda's killer. It turns out Yoruko and Kains are still alive and tricked people into thinking they were dead by using damaged armor that will eventually disappear along with teleport crystals at the same time to make it look like they died. Yoruko and Kains confront Schmit at Griselda's grave as they are investigating who Griselda's killer is. After Schmit explains he had no part in Griselda's death, the three of them are surrounded by the notorious player-killing guild, the Laughing Coffins, who have come to kill them. They are soon rescued by the timely arrival of Kirito, which the Laughing Coffins retreat and Asuna arrives with the man who hired them and Griselda's killer, Grimrock. Grimrock reveals he killed Griselda, who was also his wife in the real world, because he couldn't accept his kind, dutiful wife he loved now became a fearless, independent leader. Asuna shoots back on Grimrock for killing Griselda, telling him he didn't love his wife but was just obsessed with her. After Yoruko, Kains and Schmit take Grimrock into custody, Kirito and Asuna talks about marriage and how he would still love his partner after seeing a different side of her, they see Griselda's ghost, who thanks them.