Sword Art Online Alternative "Gun Gale Online" Episode 05

Leave the Last Battle to Me (ラストバトルは私に) is the fifth episode of the Sword Art Online Alternative "Gun Gale Online" anime adaptation, as well as the fifth episode of the 1st Squad Jam story. It aired on May 5, 2018.

Plot
Holding M at gunpoint, LLENN demanded to know M's reasons for his abrupt attempt at betraying her. Through his tears, M explained that his death during the Squad Jam would result in him being killed in real life. At that point, LLENN recalled the letter that M had read moments before attacking her, thus she requested to know its content. Through the letter, LLENN discovered that Pitohui had threatened to kill M if he were to die in the tournament after surviving for an hour; M was convinced that Pitohui was serious with her threat and intended to murder him in real life, rather than in-game, if he were to fail to meet her expectations. When LLENN, having lowered her gun, questioned how this prompted M's attempt to kill her, the man explained that this would have allowed him to become the team leader and safely resign, which was not explicitly forbidden in Pitohui's letter.

By the time LLENN had finished interrogating M, five minutes had passed since the 15:10 satellite scan was performed. As she had missed the scan and could not deny the possibility of SHINC being close, LLENN decided to continue solo, proposing that M could find a place to hide and resign if she were to fall in battle. Left alone, M began to be plagued by guilt, muttering about the craziness of Pitohui in an attempt to justify his actions. Meanwhile, realising that her best weapon was her speed, LLENN decided to use it to her advantage. However, just as she descended a rock, LLENN encountered one of the members of SHINC, Tanya.

As the two girls navigated the rock-filled wasteland during their encounter, LLENN decided to change course when one of the rocks blocked their line of sight. Flanked from the other side of the rock, Tanya sustained heavy damage from LLENN's assault while only managing to land a single shot to the shoulder in return, before both dashed to cover. Just as Tanya finished reloading, LLENN attacked from the side, forcing Tanya to block with her gun to avoid being shot in the head. The moment Tanya was about to draw her pistol upon retreating behind a rock and reporting to her teammates, LLENN launched a surprise attack from atop the rock, ending Tanya's role in the tournament. Before LLENN could get even a moment of respite, she was met with an onslaught of Rosa and Sophie's machine gun fire and shots from Anna's Dragunov, forcing her to hastily retreat.

Some time later, while reviewing her remaining inventory, LLENN heard gunshots from two hundred metres away. Interpreting the random shooting as a sign of anxiety on the part of the enemy team due to Pitohui's teachings, LLENN regained her confidence and advanced towards her enemies. However, the shooting had actually been a trap, allowing Eva to launch a surprise attack with her VSS sniper rifle. One bullet hit her left arm, breaking her balance and leaving her with less than half of her hit points, while another destroyed one of her magazine hip pouches.

Teams

 * SHINC
 * LM

Locations

 * Gun Gale Online
 * Squad Jam tournament map
 * Wasteland area

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Gun Gale Online Volume 1, SECT.11 - SECT.14


 * M's mention that surrender was not forbidden in Pitohui's letter, as well as his claim that he would have properly explained the situation to LLENN after resigning from the tournament if he had succeeded, were omitted.
 * LLENN's confrontation with M lasted till 15:13:30, rather than 15:15, in the novel.