A duel was one of the essential features when it came to RPG. Although there were many games without PK feature, duel with both parties’ consent was a different matter.
After all, the game would be boring if Players had to fight monsters all the time. If Players could compete with each other and show off their gaming skills, the game will undoubtedly become much more interesting.
SAO was no exception. Duel feature also existed in SAO.
If a Player PK another Player outside the safe area, their Player Cursor will turn orange, and they’ll be considered a criminal and unable to enter the safe area. At the same time, Players couldn’t commit any type of criminal behavior.
However, duel was a different matter. It could be carried out both inside and outside the safe area.
Under such circumstances, the Players involved will not turn into an orange player as long as both parties agreed.
During the closed beta, Players often used duels to test out their Sword Skills, organize events, or even the way to resolve disputes between Players.
During the beta period, players often use duels to test swords, organize events, or act as a way to resolve disputes.
However, since SAO became a death game, duel has become a prohibited act, obviously because once the Player’s hp hit zero, they’ll die in real life although it was a duel, not a PK.
As a result, no Player would conduct a duel without authorization because players often used it as a loophole to kill other players without turning orange.
That aside, duel SAO was divided into three modes.
Total Loss Mode: The winner will be decided once either Player’s hp hit zero.
Half Loss Mode: The winner will be decided after either Player lost half of their hit points.
First Strike Mode: The winner was decided by whoever landed the first clean hit or whittled the opponent’s HP to half.
During the closed beta, there was barely any Player who would use the last two modes as it was too simple and kind of half-baked to decide the winner. However, after SAO became a death game, it went the other way around. No Player would choose the Total Loss Mode as it was considered a taboo.
Therefore, even if there was any conflict among Players, they’ll at most settle it with either Half Loss Mode or First Strike Mode.
However, it was not like the remaining two modes was completely risk-free either.
Take Half Loss Mode as an example. The winner from this mode will be decided once either Player’s hp was reduced to 50% or less. If the duel’s mode was conducted in the safe area, Players would no longer be able to deal additional damage once the winner was decided due to the system’s protection, but they would be able to if the duel was conducted outside the safe area, but in that case, the Player who dealt the damage after the winner was decided will turn into Orange Player.
It may seem safe at first glance, but if a Player had 1000 hp, and when his hp reached 510, he took an attack that would reduce his hp by 600, of course, his hp will be reduced to zero, and even if it was just a duel, Player would die nonetheless once their hp reached zero, and the Player who killed him in this scenario won’t turn into Orange Player.
Orange Players and Orange Guilds abused this method, which has caused a lot of victims.
In short, the Half Loss Mode was also considered a taboo, and Players wouldn’t choose this mode.
That left the Players with the last mode.
“First Strike Mode.”
In a certain empty field on the 24th Floor’s Main Settlement, Heathcliff, who was holding a cross shield, looked at Rozen, who stood in front of him and said with his charismatic voice.
“The winner will be decided once either of our hp reached half, or received a clean hit, is that okay with you?”
Rozen, who stood in front of Heathcliff, was playing around with Saichou and Hanachou. Before Rozen could say anything, Asuna interrupted them.”
“But leader, isn’t the First Strike Mode also risky?”
As Asuna said, even First Strike Mode was not without any risk either.
For example, if either Player who participated in the duel didn’t use an attack that was considered “a clean hit” on purpose to whittle his opponent’s hp, and when his opponent’s hp almost reached half, he launched a powerful enough attack to reduce his opponent’s hp to zero in one go, kind of like the Half Loss Mode.
However…
“That’s only possible if both parties have malicious intent and hold back from using a powerful strike while whittling the enemy’s hp until they have half hp left, but if only either one of us has that in mind, wouldn’t it be difficult to hold back while avoiding enemy’s attack?”
Heathcliff said with a straight face.
“In short, it should be very difficult to kill Player in the First Strike Mode, and it’s the safest mode of the rest. Well, you can always refuse the duel.”
Heathcliff shifted his gaze toward Rozen right after explaining his reason as if saying, “Are you sure you wanna do this?”
“Let’s begin.”
Rozen said as if knowing what Heathcliff meant.
“………”
Asuna was at a loss for words, just staring at the scene.
Heathcliff smiled at Rozen and the two Rainbow Butterflies flying on Rozen’s side, then summoned the main menu.
In the next second, a window popped up in front of Rozen.
“The player “Heathcliff” requests a 1vs1 duel. Do you accept?”
Seeing this window, Rozen didn’t hesitate to click the “yes” button and then duel modes option popped up next, and Rozen chose the last, First Strike Mode.
“Ding!”
A huge window immediately appeared between Rozen and Hitzcliffe. It was a 60-second countdown to the duel.
Right at this moment…
“Kachikk!”
Rozen drew the One-Handed Sword on his waist.
“Chikik…”
On the other hand, Heathcliff slowly drew the weapon sheathed on his cross shield.
It was a slimmer sword than Rozen thought. It wasn’t a rapier, but a One-Handed Sword like Rozen
“A One-Handed Sword and a cross shield…”
Rozen then took his stance.
Although Heathcliff seemed like a regular One-Handed Sword user, Rozen faintly felt that there was more to it.
“Woo!”
“Goo!”
As if seeing through Rozen’s mind, Saichou and Hanachou cried and also got ready for battle.
Looking at Rozen and Heathcliff facing each other, Asuna was still silent on the side, but before she knew it, she was gripping her rapier’s hilt firmly due to anxiety.
Just like that, the countdown went on and on.
10…
9…
8…
7…
6…
5…
4…
3…
2…
1…
“Duel”
When the countdown window was replaced with that word between Rozen and Heathcliff, those rushed toward each other at the same time.
The duel between two Guild Leaders officially began.
