-326- You seem to have misunderstood

"..."

A rather somber atmosphere filled the air.

Rozen and Heathcliff faced each other, their weapons still in hand, maintaining their combat stances without reacting.

"Gu..."

Saichou and Hanachou flew on either side of Rozen, hovering in the air, seemingly observing the situation.

Asuna also watched this scene, her expression somewhat hesitant, as if contemplating whether to intervene and stop the duel.

This wasn't surprising, was it?

Since the duel had ended due to the time limit, it would be normal to continue the duel further.

However, Rozen managing to tie with Heathcliff, a player who possessed the "Holy Sword" unique skill, surprised Asuna.

She had personally witnessed the immense power of Heathcliff's "Holy Sword." This ability was on an entirely different level from other skills, even unique ones. It was restricted to only one person and was thought to be nearly impossible to learn.

Yet, Rozen had managed to compete evenly with Heathcliff, who possessed this unique ability. It even seemed like Rozen was on the verge of victory. But continuing the duel further would likely result in an intense battle that could lead to unexpected outcomes.

In that case, if anyone died due to the duel, it would be disastrous.

As Asuna pondered this, considering whether to step forward and prevent it, Rozen and Heathcliff finally spoke.

"To be honest, this is the first time I've felt that there's a flaw in SAO's system." Rozen expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "If only the time limit for duels could be a bit longer."

"...You're right." Heathcliff, with a rare wry smile, nodded in agreement. He said, "This truly is an unexpected situation. We should bring it up to the game developers and ask them to improve it."

It seemed that both Rozen and Heathcliff were dissatisfied with the outcome of this duel.

However, it appeared that neither of them intended to continue fighting.

"In any case, this was still a worthwhile experience." Rozen sheathed his Royal Sword into its scabbard and looked at Heathcliff. He said, "Learning about the existence of unique abilities and realizing that there are players like you in this world... The Clearing Group must be pleased as well."

"I'm flattered," Heathcliff replied, "But to be honest, I thought that even with the aid of two familiars, facing a unique skill should be insurmountable for any player. Seems I was presumptuous. There are many possibilities in this world, and realizing that is a significant gain for me."

The two exchanged their thoughts in this manner.

As for what thoughts crossed their minds during this duel, only they themselves would know.

"Today truly has been an extraordinary day." Heathcliff closed his eyes, his serene smile reappearing. He muttered to himself, "Originally, I was just curious about the familiars you, Rozen, had developed. I wanted to see them in action. Yet, you've surprised me once again. This journey was far from in vain."

"That's great to hear." Rozen said with a tone that seemed uncaring on the surface. He continued, "So, Heathcliff, what do you plan to do next?"

To this question, Heathcliff had an almost instant response.

"It's time to head back," Heathcliff spoke as if achieving his purpose, addressing Rozen, "I suppose the next time we meet will be during the strategy meeting for the floor boss raid. By then, please make sure to let me witness the capabilities of the 'Magus'."

"Of course," Rozen replied without hesitation. "Having a fresh recruit like you join us, I'm sure the guardian boss on the 26th floor won't pose much difficulty."

"I hope so," Heathcliff continued to nod, his expression still carrying a sense of mystery.

Afterward, the leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath, Heathcliff, opened his eyes. He looked at the Saichou and Hanachou flying on either side of Rozen and then gazed at Rozen, who was watching him. The serene smile on his face appeared even more mysterious.

"I'm very much looking forward to your future," he left these words behind, a mix of anticipation and a touch of mystery, before he turned around.

"Captain ( Danchou )," Asuna stepped forward at this point.

"You've worked hard as well." Heathcliff's smile receded, replaced by a mechanical demeanor similar to before. He said, "I'll head back to the guild directly. You should take some time to rest and recover from the fatigue of today's training area boss battle."

After speaking, Heathcliff started walking toward the teleportation gate leading to the 24th floor's central plaza.

"Please take care, Captain."

Asuna gave a slight bow to Heathcliff, seeing him off.

Rozen, on the other hand, continued to stare at Heathcliff's departing figure, his mind filled with various thoughts.

"Gu!"

"Gu....!"

Saichou and Hanachou approached Rozen. One seemed eager for Rozen's praise, while the other hung its head in disappointment.

Seeing this, Rozen freed himself from his thoughts and looked at the dejected Hanachou. With a wry smile, he extended his hand and gently patted its head.

"It's okay, it's not your fault. It's just that your level is too low. Once your level and skill proficiency increase, and after some training, you'll be able to handle opponents effortlessly just like Saichou. No need to rush, okay?"

Rozen's words seemed to lift Hanachou's spirits, as it let out a cheerful chirp.

At that moment, a somewhat complicated voice reached Rozen from behind.

"I never thought you could tie with the Captain. You weren't this strong back on the 1st floor."

Rozen didn't need to wonder who the voice belonged to; he already knew.

Rozen shrugged and said, "You've grown a lot too, haven't you?"

But Asuna responded in a different manner.

"I'm just doing whatever it takes to leave this world. Utilizing everything at my disposal and then fighting. Isn't that what you said?"

Saying this, Asuna also looked at Rozen, as if trying to gauge his reaction.

Unfortunately...

"I did say something along those lines, but you seem to have misunderstood," Rozen said with a calm tone, without turning to look at Asuna.

"The phrase 'utilizing everything at my disposal' doesn't mean 'using anything and everything to achieve a goal.' It means using things within the allowed boundaries, you know?"

These words left Asuna momentarily stunned.

What did that mean?

However, Rozen didn't explain any further.

"Well, you'll understand in due time."

With that, Rozen left those words behind and left with Saichou and Hanachou.

Asuna could only watch as Rozen left in a daze.

After a moment...

".....Regardless, I will fight to the end."

With these words, Asuna also departed.

An undisclosed meeting had come to an end here.

As for what the future held, no one knew.