No matter what kind of RPG game, dueling was always one of the systems that would be considered to be added.
Although many games didn't allow "PK" behavior, dueling with the consent of both parties was a feature of many RPG games.
After all, it was boring to fight monsters all the time. If Players could compete with each other and compare their gaming skills, it would undoubtedly add a lot of fun.
Therefore, even in a world like SAO, there was a duel system.
If Players PK outside the Safe Zone, the Player who attacked first would be given the attribute of a criminal, and the color buoy would turn orange, and the Player would not be able to enter the Safe Zone.
Within the Safe Zone, Players couldn't commit any criminal acts, and it was considered a safe zone.
However, if it was a duel, it could be carried out both inside and outside the Safe Zone.
Under such circumstances, as long as both parties agreed, the attacker wouldn't become an Orange Name.
During the closed beta, Players often used duels to test their sword skills, organize events, or as a way to resolve disputes.
However, since SAO officially launched and became a death game, duels became a forbidden behavior.
The reason was, of course, that if one's HP reached zero, they would face real death.
As a result, naturally, no Players would arbitrarily duel. Only those Orange Players with evil intentions would use the duel system to commit murder.
Although Players who knew that they would die if their HP reached zero wouldn't easily agree to a duel, but SAO's duels were also designed into three modes.
The first mode was to fight until one's HP reached zero — "Absolute Victory Mode."
The second mode was to fight until one's HP reached half — "Half Loss Mode."
The third mode was to hit the opponent with a strong attack and then the duel would end — "First Strike Mode."
During the closed beta, almost no Players were willing to choose the First Strike Mode, which was too easy to decide the winner, or the Half Loss Mode, which would make people feel unsatisfied. But after the official launch of SAO, the Absolute Victory Mode became a real taboo, and no Players would choose this mode to duel.
Therefore, even if there was a dispute that couldn't be resolved, Players would only choose the Half Loss Mode or the First Strike Mode.
But in the remaining two modes, there was still a risk of death.
For example, a duel with half losses would end when either side's HP fell below 50%. Within the Safe Zone, when the duel result window appeared, the player's attacks would be nullified by the system's protection. Outside the Safe Zone, the damage would continue to increase, but this would constitute a criminal act, and the player would become an Orange Player.
This sounded relatively safe, but if a player had 1,000 HP and was left with 510 HP, their HP would immediately drop to 0 if they received an attack that dealt 600 damage.
Even in a duel, players would still die if their HP fell to zero.
On the other hand, since the attacker was attacking in Duel Mode, even if he killed the player, he wouldn't become orange.
This method had been used by Orange players and even Orange Guilds in the past, resulting in the deaths of many players.
In summary, the half-loss mode had also become a taboo, and players would no longer blindly choose it.
In that case, there was only one option left.
"First Strike Mode."
In one of the empty squares of the 24th Floor's main block, Heathcliff, who was holding a cross shield and wearing a bright red robe, looked at Rozen and said in a magnetic voice.
"When one side's HP is left with half, or when the other side receives a powerful attack, the winner will be decided. Is this okay?"
Hearing Heathcliff's words, Rozen, who was standing opposite him, teased Saichou and Hanachou. Before he could answer, Yasna, who was watching the duel, spoke first.
"But, Leader, isn't the First Strike Mode also risky?"
Just like what Yasna said, even if it was the First Strike Mode, there was still a risk.
For example, if both sides didn't use a "powerful" attack to reduce each other's HP until the other side's HP was only left with a sliver, then they would launch a powerful attack that could take away the remaining HP of the other side. That would also cause the risk of death similar to the half-loss mode.
But …
"Both sides must have the intention to kill each other and deliberately control themselves to not use powerful attacks. In a situation where only one person has the intention to kill the other, not only must they control themselves, but they must also have enough skills to see through and avoid the opponent's powerful attacks. That's very difficult, isn't it?"
Heathcliff said without changing his expression.
"That's why it's very difficult to kill someone in the First Strike Mode, and this is already the safest method. If it doesn't work, you can only refuse the duel."
After saying that, Heathcliff looked at Rozen.
That was probably the meaning of "Do you want to do this?"
Rozen didn't answer.
"Let's begin."
With this sentence, Rozen told everyone his choice.
"…"
Yasna didn't say anything else. She just stared at the duel, and no one knew what she was thinking.
And Heathcliff suddenly smiled, looked at Rozen, and also looked at the two Rainbow Butterflies flying around him. His fingers moved smoothly to call out the main menu, and then began to control.
In the next second, a window appeared in front of Rozen.
"Player — —" Heathcliff "— — proposed a 1vs1 duel, do you accept?"
Looking at this window, Rozen didn't hesitate to press the "Yes" button, and then from the three options that popped up, "Complete Victory Mode", "Half Loss Mode", and "First Strike Mode", he chose the last one — — "First Strike Mode".
"Ding!"
A huge window immediately appeared between Rozen and Heathcliff, and a 60-second countdown popped up.
At this moment …
"Clang!"
With a crisp sound, Rozen pulled out the one-handed sword on his waist.
"Chi …"
On the other side, Heathcliff slowly drew out his weapon from his Cross Shield.
It was a sword that was thinner and longer than Rozen had imagined.
However, it was probably not a rapier, but a one-handed sword like Rozen.
"One-handed sword and cross-shaped shield?"
Rozen lowered his body.
Although it looked like a standard equipment for a single-handed sword user, Rozen had a feeling that it wasn't that simple.
"Gu!"
"Wu!"
Cai Die and Hua Die seemed to be able to sense the seriousness in Rozen's heart, and while calling out, they also entered a battle state.
Looking at the two men confronting each other, Yasna was still silent, but her hand had unknowingly grasped the hilt of the rapier at her waist and was still exerting force.
Just like that, the countdown continued.
10 …
9 …
Eight …
7 …
6 …
Five …
4 …
3 …
2 …
1 …
"— — —" "DUEL" — — "
When such a window replaced the countdown and appeared between Rozen and Heathcliff, the two simultaneously stepped on the ground and rushed out.
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