When a player revives at the cathedral, Shiroe deduces that the game doesn't end upon death. After another meeting with the Crescent Moon Alliance, Shiroe and co. learn of the recent rise in player killings in Akihabara. After a day of training, Shiroe and Naotsugu anticipate an ambush from nearby players and forces them into a direct confrontation. Overconfidence quickly becomes the undoing of the ambush party as Shiroe and Naotsugu's teamwork proves far too much and are quickly overpowered by the latter's high-level combinations. In desperation, the ambush leader tries calling in reinforcements only to discover they have been already taken down by Akatsuki. Feigning defeat, the leader tries to attack Shiroe until Akatsuki kills him. In the aftermath, Shiroe deduces that since people can survive in-game without actually doing anything, the string of killings were purely for entertainment purposes. Afterwards, Shiroe receives a call from Maryelle and learns that she intends to take a rescue party to retrieve Serara in the District of Susukino and asks Shiroe to take care of the guild in her absence. However Shiroe and his friends decide to go in Maryelle's stead.