Chapter 72: Duel (2)
Duel.
One of the special functions overseen by the system, its advantage was simple. The outcome of a duel was guilt-free, even up to murder.
The reason this was possible was straightforward.
The moment a nation tried to penalize the results of a duel, the system would penalize that nation in turn.
In the end, countries that got burned cried “hot, hot!” and tasted the spicy backlash, leading to a global agreement.
No legal penalties would be imposed on duel outcomes.
But there was a condition.
What if someone threatened another with a knife and forced a duel?
To prevent abuse as a legal means of murder, duels required at least five verified guarantors.
Without them, the state could slap on charges like assault or murder, and the system wouldn't retaliate against such penalties.
The nation and the system.
Both had found their own compromise.
Verified guarantors were usually…
‘Third-party B-rank or higher awakeners.’
Third party.
In simple terms, someone with minimal vested interest.
Otherwise, six friends could gang up, force a duel, and go around killing people.
The system typically judged those interests, and unlike these bodyguards, free training at the training center didn't count as a conflict.
“Ah, guarantors?”
Soon, several awakeners walked out from the training center.
It was free but equipped with top-tier facilities, so plenty of high-rankers were around. Some were even from famous guilds.
“Our Pilwook says it's fine, right? You'll all guarantor for him, yeah?”
The awakeners nodded.
There was no downside to guaranteeing, and they could easily accommodate such a request.
Plus, they were curious too. Just how strong was Kim Minwoo, the guy with all the rumors?
It was the perfect chance to check his skills up close under the guise of being guarantors.
With that, the group headed to the training center's arena.
Upon arriving at the vast arena, Kim Minwoo declared, “I challenge Jo Pilwook to a duel.”
―Kya lol
―Epic matchup, pure gold lol
―Is this Conqueror's Haki? Is this Conqueror's Haki? Is this Conqueror's Haki?
―If they set harsh conditions, might get the broadcast banned.
―Yeah; probably cuts off midway. Can't do anything about that.
[‘Duel’ is activated!]
[Please set the detailed conditions!]
“Pilwook, how do you wanna set the conditions?”
“…”
Jo Pilwook glared at Kim Minwoo with a twisted face. He thought he'd chicken out, but he accepted the duel in one go.
That confident stance suggested he had something to back it up.
‘…Whatever.’
It didn't matter.
Jo Pilwook was confident in his own skills too.
Even with a record of clearing an A+ gate, who knew how he'd contributed.
Found the escape route well.
Handled the gimmicks perfectly.
Drew enemy aggro effectively.
And so on.
High contribution didn't always mean frontline combat.
Plus, backing out after proposing a duel in front of millions?
What kind of spectacle would that be?
Jo Pilwook's eyes turned icy. In the end, victory was all that mattered.
‘Killing him might be too much…’
But crippling him somewhere should be fine.
Hack off an arm and smash it beyond repair.
Even the world's best healer couldn't regenerate a missing limb.
Making him a one-armed cripple would secretly thrill Chairman Jo too.
After Kim Minwoo spewed all those conspiracy theories in the interview, he'd been grinding his teeth.
“Gonna smash one of your limbs. That cool?”
“Sure. Sounds good. You'd look spirited even on crutches, Pilwook.”
[Condition set: Victory by destroying one of the opponent's limbs!]
[Duel arena boundaries: This arena only!]
[No one can enter or exit the duel arena until victory conditions are met.]
[Five or more guarantors confirmed!]
[Duel established!]
At that moment.
A pure white energy flowed through the arena, shifting Kim Minwoo and Jo Pilwook to opposite ends.
Once established, a duel couldn't be stopped voluntarily.
That was why duels weren't used often.
Once it started, it was to the finish.
For those with attachment, they'd set something timid like “defeat on taking X damage.”
But their Jo Pilwook was a straightforward tank, going with a clean “destroy one limb.” A one-armer could still raid gates, so pretty generous.
Time to give him those crutches.
[10 seconds until duel starts!]
[10 seconds remaining.]
[9 seconds remaining.]
[Duel begins!]
In that instant.
Kim Minwoo reached out.
[2,000 skeletons summoned!]
Nearly 2,000 skeletons appeared.
The summoning didn't end there.
―Groooar!
A massive golem began rising amid the skeleton soldiers.
And Cedric too.
“…?”
Jo Pilwook tilted his head.
‘What the…?’
How many were there?
When he set the gate record, he had summoned only around three hundred skeletons. Even after leveling up, Minwoo had expected a thousand at most.
But this was way beyond.
Too many summons. Chillingly so.
The broadcast chat exploded too.
―Wtf. How many is that?
―Necros normally summon that many?
―If they did, everyone would play necro lol
―I'm lvl 100 necro, 200 skeletons at this level is already good…
―But why does he have an extra zero lol
―What's that golem? Necros have those too?
―Pilwook's really crutch-bound today lolol
Kim Minwoo casually pointed at Jo Pilwook.
“Cut off one of his legs. Smash it so they can't reattach.”
―Groooar!
The golem and summons charged energetically. Kim Minwoo cast curses from afar with spare mana.
[Curse of Aging (D)+9 activated…]
A few failures due to level gap, but soon Jo Pilwook was afflicted.
[Target level is high!]
[Curse amplified 50% by Ring of Ascension!]
[Jo Pilwook's defense and speed reduced by 17% total!]
Jo Pilwook, slowed to a crawl, started sweating bullets.
‘Crazy!’
Accounting for level difference and +9, it should've been under 8%.
17% reduction?
Skeletons soon stabbed at him relentlessly.
Jo Pilwook's class was warrior.
Naturally high defense, plus gear and level gap meant damage wasn't huge…
But it wasn't zero.
Cursed.
Too many enemies.
He'd get whittled down like clothes in a drizzle.
Jo Pilwook's eyes sharpened.
‘Gotta break through no matter what.’
The duel had started.
No stopping now.
Fighting summons would tire him out first.
Warriors lacked big AoE. Had to take out the summoner, Kim Minwoo.
Mana enveloped Jo Pilwook.
[Jo Pilwook uses Skeletal Armor (B)!]
[Jo Pilwook uses Iron Charge (A)!]
Shield up, he charged like he'd bulldoze everything.
Kaboom!
Frontline skeletons flew every which way.
But the valiant charge halted soon.
―Kuooor!
Whoosh!
Dolsae's full swing, like a troll with a club, smacked him to a stop.
The golem's power was insane.
“Get lost!”
Jo Pilwook swung his mace.
[Dolsae utilizes Defensive Stance (B)!]
But in durability, Dolsae didn't budge.
As Dolsae grappled him, Cedric closed in and attacked.
‘What the hell is this?!’
Jo Pilwook freaked.
He thought the golem toughest, but no.
This skeleton called Cedric.
Performance was broken.
Stabbing every gap, like a turtle getting devoured by a carnivore.
The broadcast went wild.
―Jo Pilwook's pretty strong, right?
―Yeah, B-rank level, A-rank achievements puts him top-tier in Korea.
―But why's he getting wrecked by summons?
―Kim Minwoo's summons are nuts;; Especially Cedric, insanely strong? S-rank skill?
―… Maybe higher than S?
―Don't overdose on hopium lol No S+ exists lol
―Yeah. Even other S-achievers wouldn't steamroll Pilwook easy. But… this ass-kicking is nuts…
―He's spent big till now. Cleared hidden gates too, rumors say. Makes sense.
―Yeah. Think about it. Sword Sage didn't give 5% contrib for nothing. Deserved it lol
―Yeah; Just the 50% first-clear A+ contrib? Pilwook getting wrecked is obvious lol
―For real. If Pilwook hits A+, maybe 5% contrib? Lol prolly not.
―Bet Pilwook got his contrib non-combat. That's why he dueled lol Owned lol
Then.
“Raargh!”
Roaring in rage, Jo Pilwook activated another skill.
Charging through the pummeling, ignoring summons entirely.
Well, if Cedric used his new post-151 skills fully, he'd be blocked anyway.
‘This much reveal is enough.’
No need to show all cards.
Skeletons as dumb meat shields.
Cedric holding back on breath and skills.
Same logic.
No need to flash panties to catch one Pilwook.
This was plenty to skyrocket his value.
Plus.
‘I’ll handle the rest myself.’
Soulreaver Sword.
He drew the legendary-grade blade.
Jo Pilwook charged, covered in blood. Sturdy warrior, no fatal wounds yet.
‘Cutting a leg off? Easy.’
Tough armor?
Stacked attacks shred it. Few slashes on the same spot, and Soulreaver would sever clean.
30 seconds of combat passed.
―Whoa, what? Kim Minwoo's swordplay nuts? Parries everything?
―;; Pilwook's screwed. Charged necro-only, now what lol
―Necro job, but secretly genius swordsman 😨
―Cranks out a LN in one go lol
―Swordplay aside, pure provocation mindgame. Times taunts with moves perfectly. Warrior's screwed lol
―Leg really getting cut?
―Yeah. Duel's on, no stopping. But won't end that light.
―Yeah; Both want cripple, gotta make it unattachable.
―Who to blame lol He proposed red-eyed lol
―Look at Pilwook's steel pants shredded lol One more and leg's gone.
―Stack 4 already. Damage ballooned. Next one's sever.
―Real stack attack? Heard rumors…
―First hit just scratched, fourth splits armor lol Stacks For real lol
That instant.
Camera angle shifted upward abruptly.
Schwick!
A severing sound, and Jo Pilwook crumpled.
Upper angle hid his lower body.
Kim Minwoo shrugged at the camera.
“Oops. Duel ain't over. See? Arena still up.”
White energy lingered, signaling ongoing duel.
No escape till conditions met.
“System wants clearer results, I guess. More might flag review, so catch you later.”
Afterward.
[Broadcast forcibly terminated.]
―Whoa… Pilwook's life over;; Crutch ending For real lol
―But Kim Minwoo's swordplay? Pilwook couldn't touch him.
―Yeah; Parries all, stacks same spot… Could've solo'd without summons.
―For real; Sword Sage called his swordplay for a reason… Insane…
Kim Minwoo stared at the fallen Jo Pilwook.
Victory by destroying one limb.
“Destroy” included making reattachment impossible.
What both parties wanted.
He eyed the severed leg.
Jo Pilwook looked up, tears and snot streaming, trembling.
“Pilwook. Gotta end the duel. You know.”
“N-no… Please…!”
“Get good on those crutches.”
Dolsae stomped the severed leg with a thud.
Skeletons hacked it to bits.
Even Hua Tuo revived couldn't reattach.
[Victory conditions met!]
[Victory in duel achieved!]
Finally, a satisfying message appeared.