Under a dark sky, occasionally lit by bolts of green lightning, a courtyard stood. It was dimly illuminated by torches attached in a repeating pattern across the castle walls that surrounded the yard.
In this courtyard, two men stood facing off, both of almost similar height. One was considerably less bulky than the other, his facial features bearing a youthful appeal lacking in his opponent.
Rex was still stumped by what the 'Duel Room' had turned out to be. While tinkering with the duel rules, he had left 'Setting' at random and hadn't given it much thought. He was left speechless when, after entering the room, the environment suddenly switched to a haunted-looking castle.
His attire had also changed, from the ash and blue patterned comfy wear to nothing but medieval drawstring pants, leaving his upper body exposed—a development that wasn't so bad, considering his well-defined abs were currently on display.
In the courtyard arena, only he and Ironblade were present. Elera, however, had entered with them; Rex had learned from the AI that spectators to a duel would automatically be sent to viewing sections located in the castle halls. He couldn't see them because the duel was not set to 'Fan Mode.'
Ironblade held a one-handed short sword and had crouched, assuming a position for a lethal dash. In contrast, Rex held no weapon; rather, he was wearing one. Under the guidance of his expensive AI, he had chosen a set of medieval gauntlets with a base Attack Power of 10.
'Use True Sight on the enemy now, Rex," the AI's mental voice urged, a sense of urgency in its tone. Rex immediately activated the skill on Ironblade.
+++++
Name: Ironblade
Class: Dread Knight (Rare)
Player Level: 9
Active Skills: Aura of Dread (Passive),
Blood Price (Active)
+++++
'The duel has begun," the AI communicated.
[CHECKING COSMIC HUB FOR DREAD KNIGHT SKILLS INFORMATION...]
[436 ENTRIES FOUND... ANALYZING...]
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE. STRATEGY ESTABLISHED.]
The AI continued, its mental voice quick and precise:
'His Aura of Dread is a passive skill. Once you show hostility, it activates, amplifying the damage he deals to you by 5% per minute, fluctuating with your level.
More importantly, Blood Price is active: he's sacrificed a percentage of his health to boost his strength and speed. This is our opening, Rex. His current HP is significantly lower than maximum. If we act instantly, our chances of success are optimal.'
It then presented a concise summary:
+++++
Ironblade's Estimated HP: <100 Defence: 0 (None Equipped)
Rex: Weapon AP: 10 [Enders Glove Pair]
AP Bonus: STR D (35% of Strength), SPD A (85% of Speed)
Current Total Weapon AP (STR 15, SPD 16.5): 28.75 (10 + 5.25 + 13.5)
Projected AP with Max Rageborne (300% amp) & Semi Overlord Branding Effect (100% stat boost for this projection): Approx. 156
+++++
'You only need to land a single, fully-powered blow with Rageborne and your Brandings active to end this duel. There's no need to conserve stamina for this initial strike,' the AI concluded.
"Holy shi—!" Rex had no idea when he'd screamed out loud. He was truly beginning to appreciate the AI. It could provide a clear grip on his abilities and handle the complex calculations like stamina and mana consumption, allowing him to focus on controlling his skills for the best effect. A smile spread across his lips as he positioned for his dash, his eyes studying Ironblade like he was 'prime steak'.
. . .
In a shadowy corner of the old castle that bounded the courtyard, an uninvited spectator stood behind an inconspicuous castle window, observing the exchange that was about to unfold.
Ron, a Level 6 Marksman with a chubby build, dark eyes, and short-trimmed dark hair, sat quietly. His boyish facial features made him look like a perpetually surprised, super-sized baby.
Beside him hovered a drone-like item, a VCU (Visual Capture Unit), already immortalizing the event.
Ron, a low-tier Cosmic Blogger, had come to the Dome hall intending to challenge the Caves. He'd been loitering, searching for potential party members, when the scuffle between Rex and the Void Keepers had caught his attention.
Cosmic Blogging was much like its real-world counterpart: people streamed their daily play, hoping for views and interaction. The Cosmic Hub rewarded bloggers based on engagement, and popular ones could even upload videos locked behind paywalls.
As the tension between the duelists peaked and Rex blurted out "Holy shi—!", Ron couldn't help but lean forward, his own excitement mounting.
After the heated argument had led to this duel, he'd immediately seen the potential for his pitiful blog account. He'd made a long-shot attempt to join the Duel Room as a spectator and, to his amazement, succeeded.
Duels were often private, or if public, came with an admission fee. But this newbie and the Void Keeper, Ironblade, had left room access public and free.
As he hunched forward, the anticipation between the two duelists almost palpable, Ron couldn't hold back the grin spreading across his face as he simulated diverse, clickbaity titles for his new video: 'Proud Newbie Receives Day 1 Thrashing from Veteran!' 'Newbie Learns the Magnitude of Heaven and Earth the Hard Way!' 'The Unstoppable Horror of a Dread Knight!' 'Cocky Newbie Taught Grim Reality of Cosmic Ascendance on Day One!'
As the titles crossed his mind, his smile couldn't help but widen. Players were going to eat this up. It was relatable: newbies who didn't get invites like the one this kid apparently fumbled, and veteran players who loved seeing overconfident rookies put in their place.
His grin stretched ear to ear; the duel finally kicked off.
'As expected," Ron mused, eyes glued to his VCU feed, "the newbie moves first, probably some wild, untrained char—"
Ron's imaginative thought process slammed to a halt. His mouth slowly fell agape, a half-eaten steak stick forgotten in his hand. He blinked, then blinked again, unable to reconcile what the visual information his brain was desperately trying to process with anything he'd ever seen from a newbie.
"What the actual—!!"