Johnny Black/Synopsis

## Biography

### Background

Johnny Black was a psychotic nethead who was a frequent watcher of a review channel called Piece of Schmitt Games, which was hosted by a man named Schmitt. When Schmitt gave a bad rating on a certain game Johnny liked, he threatened to kill Schmitt by chopping off his limbs, disembowelling him, and riding him like a "meat toboggan". Schmitt disregarded this threat, like all the other threats he had gotten.

### Aincrad Arc

#### Pre-Episode 6

On November 6, 2022, Johnny got his hands on a NerveGear and a copy of Sword Art Online, a VRMMO set in a multifloored castle in the sky called Aincrad. He logged into SAO and was trapped in the game along with 10,000 other players. At some point, Johnny got scammed by a player named Tiffany, who sold him a dagger, which cost him half of his Col, that broke almost immediately, something he would remember with much irritation.

Eventually, on January 1, 2024, Johnny joined a player killing Guild known as Laughing Coffin, led by a player named Jeffrey, to satisfy his psychopathic urges. However, Johnny had issues with Jeffrey's modus operandi, as Jeffrey insisted that he take on the persona of a gruff voiced bible quoting serial killer, which scared off potential customers. Plus, the bible verses Jeffrey said were either relatively unknown ones or completely made-up ones, which ended up confusing their targets instead of intimidating them.

#### Episode 6

On April 23, 2024, Laughing Coffin was hired by a player named Grimlock to kill three members of his former Guild, in order to hide his crime of murdering his wife. Grimlock gave them the location of their targets, which was Cross Hill on Floor 19, and left the rest to them.

When they found the three, Johnny threw a poison tipped knife at one of the players, which paralyzes him. One of Johnny's Guild members holds two of their targets, named Kains and Yolko, at sword point while he inspects his prey. To his surprise, Johnny realizes that the player he just paralyzed, and had been hired to kill, was Schmitt. Johnny tells Schmitt that he's a huge fan of his and reveals who he is, terrifying Schmitt. Johnny is flattered that Schmitt remembers and proceeds to introduce Schmitt to his "friends".

Jeffrey then emerges quoting Judges 15:16, stating that he's killed a thousand men with an ass' jawbone, which confuses his targets instead scaring them. This causes Johnny to break character and complain that, while "bible quoting serial killer" is a great motif, not every bible verse is as well-known or as scary as Jeffrey clearly thinks they are. Amused by his critique, Jeffrey challenges Johnny to think of a better verse than the one he just quoted. Johnny retaliates by quoting Mark 13:20, which talks about how "no flesh shall be spared", which shocks Jeffrey, making Johnny question if he's even read the bible. As Kains and Yolko watch on in confusion, Jeffrey tries to end the argument, stating that his word as Guild leader is final, but Johnny takes this opportunity to tell Jeffrey that they're religious quota might be holding the Guild back from their true potential, and that Jeffrey isn't good at it anyway. This insults Jeffrey, stating that everything he does is to the letter of "the J-Man's" teachings, and prepares to kill Schmitt, quoting an entirely fake bible verse in the process, much to Johnny's annoyance.

However, luckily for Schmitt, Jeffrey's assassination attempt is halted when he notices a horse galloping towards them, which causes Laughing Coffin to go on the defensive. At first, Kains is relieved that someone has come to rescue them, only to be disappointed when a player named Kirito unceremoniously gets bucked off the horse. Kirito then chastises the horse for ruining his entrance, as it was almost perfect. Yolko tries and cheer him up, only for Kirito to snap back at her for patronizing him. After Kirito sends the horse on its way, Jeffrey asks Kirito what he wants, to which Kirito, in a batmanish tone, claims to be a member of "Aincrad PD" and demands Laughing Coffin to let Kains, Yolko and Schmitt go. Jeffrey refuses, as they have already been paid 50 bucks by their client.

Hearing the rather unimpressive amount of money given for the murder of three people, Kirito breaks out of character, stating that the Guild should cash in on their infamy, which Johnny completely agrees with. Kirito then suggests that Laughing Coffin should restructure their business strategy, advising them to tone down their religious theme, and spreading their appeal through ad campaigns, in a speech that shocks Kains, Yolko and Schmitt, and gives Johnny chills. Taking this advice under consideration, Jeffrey declares that the three friends are now Kirito's slaves to show his gratitude. As the Murder Guild leaves, Jeffrey quotes Ephesians 2:8 to Kirito, telling him that, "It is by grace you have been saved. Through faith... not by works". This quote impresses Johnny, only to become disappointed when Jeffrey states that Jesus told him to say it.

#### Post-Episode 6

Jeffrey did indeed take Kirito's advice, and had Johnny make an advert to draw in customers and recruit more members, which they sent to every player in the game sometime in August 2024. However, Johnny put the location of their secret base in the advert, and all the players grouped together and preformed a raid on their base, resulting in all of the members getting arrested.

It is unknown what happened to Johnny after his arrest, but it can be assumed he was freed from SAO, along with all of the other players, after Kirito defeated Kayaba.

## References

1. ↑ Episode 5
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Episode 6
3. ↑ Episode 1
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Episode 9
5. ↑ Episode 11